OPERA IN CONTEXT
We are committed to constructive conversation and debate about opera’s creators, storylines, and other historical elements of the works we perform.
BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE & GIANNI SCHICCHI
Pairing one-act operas to create a double-bill can be tricky. Ideally, the underlying themes, the stage drama, and the music of each opera not only create a balanced evening but reveal more together than they would apart. Sometimes, the operas also intersect historically and offer unique insights into a particular era. Calgary Opera chose all of the above.
The turn of the 20th century was a time of profound societal changes, and philosophers, artists, poets, and composers were all trying to understand the consequences of industrialization, mechanization, social mobility, and the upheaval of centuries-old class structures on the human psyche and social ties. Although their respective operas both premiered in 1918, the responses of composers Béla Bartók and Giacomo Puccini to these questions could not have been more different.
Hungarian composer Béla Bartók completed Bluebeard’s Castle in 1911, although challenges would prevent the opera from being staged for another seven years. One important line of psychological inquiry in Europe at the time was that individuals cannot know themselves in isolation—only through the prism of their interactions with others.
In Bluebeard’s Castle, Bartók and librettist Béla Balázs ask whether love can heal and protect against existential loneliness. (The castle is in fact Bluebeard’s dark soul, which Judith has taken upon herself to transform with light.) No matter how hard Judith tries to do the work of overcoming Bluebeard’s inner loneliness, however, it is ultimately not her struggle to undertake, and neither character finds fulfillment. The opera looks at modernity with pessimism—there is no reprieve, and no way back.
Gianni Schicchi on the other hand, is also about the bonds that connect us, but in a way that affirms, embraces, and laughs in delight. Schicchi is optimistic and entrepreneurial: by thinking on his feet—and taking advantage of an unusual facial feature in common with the deceased Buoso Donati—Schicchi’s plan succeeds in uniting the two lovers. Just as the river Arno flows from the countryside to rejuvenate Florence, so is the city enhanced by those, like Schicchi, who have only recently arrived there. By coming together, the established families and newcomers form a social synthesis for the future, symbolized in the romance of Rinuccio and Lauretta. Bluebeard’s Castle allows us to explore the drama of the inner world, while Gianni Schicchi, a comedy about the follies of the outer.
Gianni Schicchi was Giacomo Puccini’s last complete opera and incidentally, so was Bluebeard’s Castle for Bartók—he wrote only one. In both operas, however, each composer presents their mature compositional voice and important perspectives on the nature of living in modern times. By pairing the two, Calgary Opera offers a satisfying opportunity to reflect on our own.
RESOURCES: BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE
The Basics
Béla Bartók
Kenneth Chalmers (Phaidon, 1995)
Oxford-based author, translator, and composer Kenneth Chalmers offers a detailed biography of the composer. The work is presented chronologically and offers insightful commentary on the meaning and impact of historical events on Bartók, and of his works on the world of music.
Behind the Music: An Introduction to Bartók Bluebeard’s Castle
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (2022)
In this quick and accessible pre-show video, host Stephen Johnson introduces the plot, key musical moments, and thematic interpretations to consider in the opera.
Available on YouTube here
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau discusses opera roles | Bartók: Bluebeard’s Castle
Deutsche Grammophon | DG Stories (2020)
Entwined with a vividly narrated synopsis and beautiful recording excerpts, renowned German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau shares his unique perspectives on singing the role of Bluebeard.
Available on YouTube here
Bluebeard’s Castle: English Translation
Colorado Mahlerfest (2022)
A very helpful side-by-side translation of the original Hungarian libretto into English.
Available online here
Diverging Views in Academic Writing
The Cambridge Companion to Bartók
Edited by Amanda Bayley (Cambridge University Press, 2001)
This well curated collection of essays by leading scholars explores:
the political, social, and cultural context of Bartok’s work
accessible musical analyses of his major works
public and academic reception of his works
In the chapter devoted to Bartok’s stage works, music historian Carl Leafstedt contextualizes the creation of Bluebeard’s Castle. The author draws on Bartok’s life experience and the socio-political influences of the day, paying particular attention to the role of librettist Béla Balázs.
Bartók: Duke Bluebeard’s Castle
Michael Ewans (Journal of Music Research Online, 2020)
The author summarizes and compares several interpretations of the story and libretto of Bluebeard’s Castle. Ewans concludes by presenting a balanced interpretation of the unfolding interpersonal tragedy of the opera. References to the musical score are sparse, integrated effectively, and require only a beginner understanding of music theory to follow.
Available online here.
Music and drama in Bela Bartók’s Opera Duke Bluebeard’s Castle
Carl Stuart Leafstedt (Harvard University, 1994)
This well written thesis offers historical context to the creation of the opera and highlights the dramatic and aesthetic influences on the original play. Leafstedt also explores the figure of Judith in early 20th century art and culture and Bartók’s revisions to the work. Three pivotal scenes are analyzed in depth musically and dramatically.
Media
Béla Bartók: Duke Bluebeard’s Castle
Kultur (1989)
Duke Bluebeard – Robert Lloyd
Judith – Elizabeth Laurence
This acclaimed film adaptation of the opera won the 1989 Prix Italia Music Prize. The compelling musical narrative and strong performances of both principals are enhanced through wonderful cinematographic storytelling.
Available on YouTube here
Samuel Ramey – Bluebeard Highlights / English subs / 1989
Metropolitan Opera (1989)
Bluebeard – Samuel Ramey
Judith – Jessye Norman
This 30-minute excerpted version of the opera – sung in English – features operatic legends Samuel Ramey and Jessye Norman. Although this redacted version is not ideal for listening to the music unfold, it offers a glimpse of these remarkable voices in action.
RESOURCES: GIANNI SCHICCHI
The Basics
Puccini: His Life and Works
Julian Budden (Oxford University Press, 2002)
Opera scholar and BBC radio producer Julian Budden, known for a comprehensive three-volume biography of Giuseppe Verdi, provides a thoroughly researched and detailed biography of the composer as well as separate chapters devoted to each opera. The text is brimming with references to individuals and events that will satisfy even the most well-versed history buffs.
Puccini: The Thinker
John Louis DiGaetani (Peter Lang, 1987)
This intriguing volume is dedicated to dispelling the myth within some circles that Puccini was “more heart than mind”. The author demonstrates, opera by opera, the dramatic and intellectual content within each work and that these qualities need not be overshadowed by the composer’s widely recognized genius for melody-writing.
Opera Preview: Gianni Schicchi
Opera Theatre of St. Louis (2021)
Rehearsal pianist and vocal coach Nicolò Sbuelz shares an overview of the history, story, and music of Gianni Schicchi in a light-hearted conversation with the viewer.
Available on YouTube here
Diverging Views in Academic Writing
Leitmotifs in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi as a Means of Portraying Irony
Assaf Benraf (Pennsylvania State University, 2018)
In this accessible thesis, Benraf traces out the German composer Richard Wagner’s influence on Puccini related to the use of certain musical devices. In particular, the author explores how Puccini incorporated the tool of leit motif (a recognizable musical motive) to symbolize different characters, concepts, objects, and emotions and to create dramatic irony on stage.
Available online here
Puccini as Modernist: Selected Twentieth-Century Structures in Gianni Schicchi and Turandot
Bernard M. McDonald (Indiana University, 2015)
Puccini is often considered a traditionalist or conservative – musically speaking. In this lively read, McDonald explores some of the structural aspects of musical modernism in Puccini’s last two operas and argues that the composer was in fact relatively progressive for the style he was working in. Although a background familiarity with the operatic canon is helpful, the writing is clear and will captivate every curious reader.
Available online here
Media
Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi
Grange Park Opera (2022)
Filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, this delightful version of Gianni Schicchi takes place in present-day England. The nuanced portrayals from every cast member, excellent staging, and thoughtful design details make the most of this pandemic-era performance. A must-see!
Available on YouTube here
Gianni Schicchi
Pacific Opera Project (2020)
Another updated setting, this production leans into the irony and humour inherent in Puccini’s score. Beautiful singing and laugh-out-loud performances, especially from E. Scott Levin in the title role.
Available on YouTube here