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Astarté (opera)
''Astarté'' is an opera in four acts and five scenes by Xavier Leroux to a libretto by Louis de Gramont. It was premiered at the Opéra de Paris on 15 February 1901, directed by Pedro Gailhard. The protagonist is the hero Heracles, who falls under the control of the Lydian queen Omphale. Omphale is depicted as a cultist of Astarte. Roles Synopsis Act 1 Heracles, Duke of Argos, plans to undertake a new campaign to destroy the infamous cult of the goddess Astarte. He will go to Lydia, in order to exterminate the queen Omphale, a cruel and indecent sectarian of this goddess. Nothing can hold him back, not even the love of his wife Deianira. She wants to use a talisman to warn him against Omphale's seductions, which she fears. This talisman is the famous tunic of the centaur Nessos that the latter gave her, telling her that when Hercules put it on, he would never look at another woman again. She therefore instructs Iole, her ward, to follow in her husband's footsteps and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haute-contre
The haute-contre (plural hautes-contre) was the primary French operatic tenor voice, predominant in French Baroque and Classical opera, from the middle of the seventeenth century until the latter part of the eighteenth century. History This voice was predominantly used in male solo roles, typically heroic and amatory ones, but also in comic parts, even ''en travesti'' (see apropos the portrait reproduced below and representing Pierre Jélyotte made up for the female title role of Rameau's ''Platée''). Lully wrote 8 out of 14 leading male roles for the voice; Charpentier, who was an haute-contre himself, composed extensively for the voice-part, as did Rameau and, later, Gluck. The leading ''hautes-contre'' of the ''Académie Royale de Musique'' that created the main roles of Lully's operas, at the end of the seventeenth century, were Bernard Clédière (who started off as a ''taille'', a lower Tenor voice type) and Louis Gaulard Dumesny. Notable ''hautes-contre'' of the eighteent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Centaur
A centaur ( ; grc, κένταυρος, kéntauros; ), or occasionally hippocentaur, is a creature from Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse. Centaurs are thought of in many Greek myths as being as wild as untamed horses, and were said to have inhabited the region of Magnesia and Mount Pelion in Thessaly, the Foloi oak forest in Elis, and the Malean peninsula in southern Laconia. Centaurs are subsequently featured in Roman mythology, and were familiar figures in the medieval bestiary. They remain a staple of modern fantastic literature. Etymology The Greek word ''kentauros'' is generally regarded as being of obscure origin. The etymology from ''ken'' + ''tauros'', 'piercing bull', was a euhemerist suggestion in Palaephatus' rationalizing text on Greek mythology, ''On Incredible Tales'' (Περὶ ἀπίστων), which included mounted archers from a village called ''Nephele'' eliminating a herd of bulls that were the scourge ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Talisman
A talisman is any object ascribed with religious or magical powers intended to protect, heal, or harm individuals for whom they are made. Talismans are often portable objects carried on someone in a variety of ways, but can also be installed permanently in architecture. Talismans are closely linked with amulets, fulfilling many of the same roles, but a key difference is in their form and materiality, with talismans often taking the form of objects (eg., clothing, weaponry, or parchment) which are inscribed with magic texts. Talismans have been used in many civilizations throughout history, with connections to astrological, scientific, and religious practices; but the theory around preparation and use has changed in some cultures with more recent, new age, talismanic theory. Talismans are used for a wide array of functions, such as: the personal protection of the wearer, loved ones or belongings, aiding in fertility, and helping crop production. Etymology The word ''talisman'' c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Deianira
Deianira, Deïanira, or Deianeira (; Ancient Greek: Δηϊάνειρα, ''Dēiáneira'', or , ''Dēáneira'', ), also known as Dejanira, is a Calydonian princess in Greek mythology whose name translates as "man-destroyer" or "destroyer of her husband". She was the wife of Heracles and, in late Classical accounts, his unwitting murderer, killing him with the poisoned Shirt of Nessus. She is the main character in Sophocles' play ''Women of Trachis''. Family Deianira was the daughter of Althaea and her husband Oeneus (whose name means "wine-man"), the king of Calydon (after the wine-god gave the king the vine to cultivate), and the half-sister of Meleager. Her other siblings were Toxeus, Clymenus, Periphas, Agelaus (or Ageleus), Thyreus (or Phereus or Pheres), Gorge, Eurymede and Melanippe. In some accounts, Deianira was the daughter of King Dexamenus of Olenus and thus, sister to Eurypylus, Theronice and Theraephone. Others called this daughter of Dexamenus as Mnesimach ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Argos, Peloponnese
Argos (; el, Άργος ; grc, label=Ancient Greek, Ancient and Katharevousa, Ἄργος ) is a city in Argolis, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, Greece and is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and the oldest in Europe. It is the largest city in Argolis and a major center for the area. Since the 2011 local government reform it has been part of the municipality of Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 138.138 km2. It is from Nafplion, which was its historic harbour. A settlement of great antiquity, Argos has been continuously inhabited as at least a substantial village for the past 7,000 years. A resident of the city of Argos is known as an Argive ( , ; grc-gre, Ἀργεῖος). However, this term is also used to refer to those ancient Greeks generally who assaulted the city of Troy during the Trojan War; the term is more widely applied by the Home ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vera Nimidoff
Vera Nimidoff (1879–1963) was a singer, born in Odessa (then in the Russian Empire), who performed at the Paris Opera in 1900–1903 and then held a Salon (gathering), literary salon with her husband Louis Bour. Life Nimidoff studied at the Milan Conservatory. She came to Paris to finish her musical studies at the singing school of Eugénie Vergin-Édouard Colonne, Colonne in 1899 then with Désirée Artôt. She made her debut at the Paris Opera on March 10, 1900, as Stéfano in Gounod's ''Roméo et Juliette'' then Siebel in Gounod's ''Faust (Gounod), Faust'' in October 1900. She sang the role of Cleanthis in the première of Xavier Leroux's ''Astarté (opera), Astarté'' in 1901 and Waltraute in Wagner's ''Die Walküre'' in April 1903. After leaving the Paris Opera, she sang in the evening concerts at Ostend in 1903. She appeared in Henri Rabaud's ''The Girl of Roland'' at the in July 1904. She also sang at the in 1904, at the Opéra de Nice in 1905. She was hired as a me ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeanne Hatto
Jeanne Hatto (30 January 1879 – 26 March 1958) was a French operatic soprano. Biography Hatto was born in Saint-Amour-Bellevue in Burgundy in 1879, and studied in Lyon and at the Conservatoire de Paris under Victor Warot. She made her début at the Paris Opéra in 1899. Her repertoire ranged from Jean-Philippe Rameau, Rameau to Richard Wagner, Wagner.Cummings David"Hatto, Jeanne" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'', Oxford University Press, retrieved 26 June 2015 In the ''New Grove Dictionary of Opera'', David Cummings writes of Hatto, "Her powerful voice and commanding stage presence made her a favourite in the dramatic repertory". Among her mainstream roles listed in that article are Elisabeth in Tannhäuser (opera), Tannhäuser, Sieglinde in ''Die Walküre'', Marguerite in ''Faust (opera), Faust'' and Donna Elvira in ''Don Giovanni''. In less familiar repertoire she played Telaira in Rameau's ''Castor et Pollux'', and Diana in the same composer's ''Hippolyte et ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iole
In Greek mythology, Iole (; grc, Ἰόλη ) was the daughter of King Eurytus of Oechalia. According to the brief epitome in the '' Bibliotheca'', Eurytus had a beautiful young daughter named Iole who was eligible for marriage. Iole was claimed by Heracles for a bride, but Eurytus refused her hand in marriage. Iole was indirectly the cause of Heracles' death because of his wife's jealousy of her. There are different versions of the mythology of Iole from many ancient sources. The ''Bibliotheca'' gives the most complete story followed by slight variations of this from Seneca and Ovid. Other ancient sources (i.e. Diodorus Siculus, Gaius Julius Hyginus, and Pseudo-Plutarch) have similar information on Iole with additional variations. Mythology Heracles' love for Iole leads to his death Apollodorus recounted the tale in his ''Bibliotheca''. King Eurytus was an expert archer who taught his sons his knowledge of the bow and arrow. He promised his daughter Iole to whoever could bea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Louise Grandjean
Louise Grandjean (1870–1934) was a French operatic soprano who was particularly admired for her portrayals of Wagner and Verdi heroines. She began her career in Paris in 1894 where she became a popular and active singer until 1911. She also regularly appeared in Germany during the first decade of the twentieth century with great success. Biography Grandjean studied at the Conservatoire de Paris before making her professional opera debut in 1893 at the Opéra Comique as Isabella in ''Le Pré aux clercs''. She sang numerus roles at that opera house over the next nine years, including Alice Ford in France's first production of Verdi's ''Falstaff'' in 1894. Beginning in 1895 she was also a member of the Opéra National de Paris, making her debut as The Page in Richard Wagner's ''Tannhäuser''. She sang numerous roles with the national opera until 1911, including the world premieres of Xavier Leroux's '' Astarté'' (1901), Jules Massenet's '' Ariane'' (1906), and Fernand Le Borne's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880 Hz in choral music, or to "soprano C" (C6, two octaves above middle C) = 1046 Hz or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which often encompasses the melody. The soprano voice type is generally divided into the coloratura, soubrette, lyric, spinto, and dramatic soprano. Etymology The word "soprano" comes from the Italian word '' sopra'' (above, over, on top of),"Soprano" '' |
Déjanire
''Déjanire'' is an opera (tragédie lyrique) in 4 acts composed by Camille Saint-Saëns to a libretto in French by Louis Gallet and Camille Saint-Saëns. The last of Saint-Saëns' operas, it premiered on 28 August 1898 in the new arènes in Beziers. One of the opera's central characters, Hercule (Hercules), had been the subject of two earlier symphonic poems by Saint-Saëns – ''Le Rouet d'Omphale'' (1872) and ''La Jeunesse d'Hercule'' (1877). The story is based on ''The Trachiniae'' by Sophocles (also the source for Handel's opera ''Hercules''). Composition history ''Déjanire'' began its life in 1898 as a play with accompanying symphonic music, choruses and a ballet.Hugh Macdonald: "Déjanire ", ''Grove Music Online'' ed. L. Macy (Accessed 2 March 2009)(subscription access)/ref> Fernand Castelbon de Beauxhostes, one of the owners of a newly constructed arena in Béziers (used primarily for staging bullfights), wanted to make Béziers a centre for the performance of open- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
