Welcome Students and Teachers to Opera Online! This week we'll take a look at the myth of Phaedra and see how it inspired other composers and playwrights in preparation for the premiere of Hans Werner Henze's Phaedra.
Video Clip of the Week!!
The myth of Phaedra has inspired many great artists, musicians, and playwrights. The three most famous interpretations of the Phaedra myth are the plays by Euripedes, Seneca, and Racine.
Although each playwright has a different interpretation of the story the main ideas of the plot remain. Phaedra is the wife of Theseus, the king of Athens and a great Greek hero. Phaedra has fallen in love with Hippolytus, her stepson. She knows that her feelings are immoral but too strong to contain, so she confronts Hippolytus. Hippolytus rejects her. Phaedra falls into despair and commits suicide, leaving a note for her husband saying that Hippolytus raped her. Theseus becomes infuriated with his stepson and asks the God of the Sea, Poseidon, to avenge him. Poseidon sends a bull that frightens Hippolytus's chariot while he is riding. Hippolytus is thrown from the chariot and dies.
The video clip of the week is from a production of composer Benjamin Britten's Phaedra. The song is written for a solo mezzo-soprano and orchestra. The singer portrays Phaedra at the end of her life. The clip is from the second part of the song. Phaedra has decided to take her own life by drinking poison.
Websites of the Week!
Click on the links to find out more about the plays and lives of Racine, Euripedes, and Seneca.
Join us for A Taste of Opera!
On Sunday, May 22, 2011 from 2:00-3:00pm the Opera Company of Philadelphia is hosting a round table discussion on Hans Werner Henze's Phaedra. Joining us will be members from the cast and the artistic and production teams. The discussion will be moderated by the Opera Company's Director of Community Programs, Michael Bolton. The event will be held at Macy's in center city Philadelphia in the Greek Hall auditorium located on the third floor near the adminstrative offices. Parking is available directly below Macy's and the garage entrance is located on Juniper Street. Click here for directions.
Opera on the Air:
On Saturday, May 21 at 1 PM radio station WRTI will be broadcasting the Metropolitan Opera historic recording of Giacomo Puccini's Tosca from 1962. This classic recording features legendary singers soprano Leontyne Price, tenor Franco Corelli, and baritone Cornell MacNeil conducted by Kurt Adler. The combination of Leontyne Price and Franco Corelli sent audiences into delirium in 1961. Her rich, soaring soprano perfectly matched his ardent, romantic tenor; they were in their prime. The year after their history-making joint debut at the Met, they were paired in Puccini's gripping tale of deception and revenge. Price, in the title role of Rome's most famous singer, is forced to deal with the nefarious Baron Scarpia, the chief of police (MacNeil) in a desperate attempt to free her lover (Corelli), imprisoned for his political beliefs. But it all goes tragically wrong....
Until next week!!
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