Wednesday, October 8, 2014

IL BACCO, melodramma di Massenet

Speranza

   





























"Il Bacco" is a melodramma in four acts by Jules Massenet to a  libretto by Catulle Mendès after Graeco-Roman mythology.

It was first performed at the Palais Garnier in Paris on May 5, 1909.

The story is based on the mythology surrounding Bacco and Arianna (Ariane).

The Gods, among them demi-god Bacco, appear in human form in ancient India to attempt to persuade the people away from the pervading Buddhist influence.

Arianna has followed them, convinced that Bacco is in fact Teses, her unrequited love.

In the end, Ariannna sacrifices herself to save humanity and in doing so, Bacco becomes a God.

Although not a proper sequel, as Arianna dies in both pieces, Bacco is a companion to Massenet's earlier opera, Arianna.

Of Massenet's twenty-five operas, Bacco is probably the least known, without a modern performance history or single modern recording of even an excerpt.

The story of this opera is also related to that of Arianna auf Naxos from Richard Strauss.

Roles[edit]

RoleVoice typePremiere Cast[1]
Conductor: Henri Rabaud
BacchustenorLucien Muratore
ArianesopranoLucienne Bréval
Queen Amahellimezzo-sopranoLucy Arbell
Révérend RamavaconbassAndré Gresse
KéléyisopranoAntoinette Laute-Brun
SilènebaritoneMarcelin Duclos
MahoudabaritoneTriadou
PournatenorNansen
AnandabaritoneCerdan
Manthra, a mimemuteBlanche Kerval
Clothospoken roleBrille
Perséphonespoken roleRenée Parny
Andérosspoken rolede Max
Chorus: Followers of Perséphone, Nuns, Monks, Warriors, Priests, Bassarides, Fauns, Bacchantes, Heavenly voices.

References[edit]

Notes

External links[edit]

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