''Violanta'', Op. 8, is a one-act

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

Erich Wolfgang Korngold Erich Wolfgang Korngold (May 29, 1897November 29, 1957) was an Austrian-born American composer and conductor. A child prodigy, he became one of the most important and influential composers in Hollywood history. He was a noted pianist and compo ...

. The

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

is by the Austrian playwright

Hans Müller-Einigen Hans Müller(-Einigen) (born 25 October 1882 in Brünn, Austria-Hungary; died 8 March 1950 in Einigen) was a German language writer, author of screenplays and director. As his proper name, Hans Müller, was quite common, he added the name of the S ...

. It is Korngold's second opera, written when he was seventeen years old.

Performance history

It was premiered on 28 March 1916 at the

National Theatre Munich The National Theatre (german: link=no, Nationaltheater) on Max-Joseph-Platz in Munich, Germany, is a historic opera house, home of the Bavarian State Opera, Bavarian State Orchestra and the Bavarian State Ballet. Building First theatre ...

together with the composer's other one-act opera '' Der Ring des Polykrates'', Op. 7, with

Bruno Walter Bruno Walter (born Bruno Schlesinger, September 15, 1876February 17, 1962) was a German-born conductor, pianist and composer. Born in Berlin, he escaped Nazi Germany in 1933, was naturalised as a French citizen in 1938, and settled in the Un ...

conducting. The North American premiere was given on 5 November 1927 at the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is operat ...

in New York City with

Maria Jeritza Maria Jeritza (born Marie Jedličková; 6 October 1887 – 10 July 1982) was a dramatic soprano, long associated with the Vienna State Opera (1912–1934 and 1950-1953) and the Metropolitan Opera (1921–1932 and 1951). Her rapid rise to fame, ...

as Violanta, as Alfonso,

Clarence Whitehill Clarence Eugene Whitehill (November 5, 1871 - December 19, 1932) was a leading American bass-baritone who sang at the Metropolitan Opera from 1915 to 1932. He sang on both sides of the Atlantic and is remembered for his association with the mus ...

as Simone,

Angelo Badà Angelo Badà (Pernate, 27 May 1876 – Novara, 23 March 1941) was an Italian operatic tenor. He was on the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for 30 years where he gave a total of 2,170 performance in 94 different operas in over 100 different roles ...

as Giovanni, and

Artur Bodanzky Artur Bodanzky (also written as Artur Bodzansky) (16 December 1877 – 23 November 1939) was an Austrian-American conductor particularly associated with the operas of Wagner. He conducted Enrico Caruso's last performance at the Metropolitan Oper ...

conducting.

Roles

Synopsis

The opera is set in 15th-century Venice, at the house of Simone Trovai, military commander of the

Venetian Republic The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...

. On the night of the great

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

, Simone in vain searches his house for his wife Violanta. Ever since her sister Nerina committed suicide (after having been seduced by Alfonso, the Prince of Naples), she has been bent on vengeance. Simone is about to leave for the Carnival with the painter Giovanni Bracca, when Violanta appears. After dismissing Bracca, she reveals to Simone that she has (anonymously) arranged a meeting with Alfonso in their house, where she wants her husband to murder him. Initially Simone is horrified at this plan, but he finally succumbs to Violanta's promises and threats. The plan is that Violanta will receive Alfonso in her room, and once he is disarmed she will sing the Carnival song as a signal that Simone should enter and murder him. Alfonso arrives. During their meeting Violanta reveals her true identity and her intention to avenge her sister. However, when Alfonso explains to her the course of his life and talks about his longing for death, Violanta realises that she really loves him and refuses to give the signal. Violanta bemoans her fate, but Alfonso implores her to think only of the present moment: they embrace and sing of the sublimity of pure love. Their ecstatic bliss is interrupted by Simone who calls out to his wife. The lovers realise that their dream is over, and spurred on by Alfonso Violanta sings the fateful song with hysterical abandon. Simone enters and tries to stab Alfonso, but Violanta interposes herself and is mortally wounded. She dies in Simone's arms.

Bibliography

* Carroll, Brendan. "Korngold's ''Violanta''". ''

The Musical Times ''The Musical Times'' is an academic journal of classical music edited and produced in the United Kingdom and currently the oldest such journal still being published in the country. It was originally created by Joseph Mainzer in 1842 as ''Mainze ...

'' 122, no. 1653 (November 1980): 695–98. * Krebs, Wolfgang.
Dramaturgie der Entgrenzung. Erich Wolfgang Korngolds Operneinakter ''Violanta''
, ''Frankfurter Zeitschrift für Musikwissenschaft'' 1, no. 1 (1998): 26–39; also * Krebs, Wolfgang. ''Violanta, Erich Wolfgang Korngolds dionysisches Bühnenwerk''. Berlin: Rhombos-Verlag, 2014. 158 pp.
excerpt
* Specht, Richard. ''Thematischer Führer zu Erich W. Korngold's "Violanta" und "Der Ring des Polykrates"''. Mainz and Leipzig: B. Schott's Söhne, 1916. iv, 68 pp.

Recordings

Marek Janowski Marek Janowski (born 18 February 1939 in Warsaw) is a Polish-born German conductor. He is currently chief conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic. Childhood Janowski grew up in Wuppertal, near Cologne, after his mother traveled there at the st ...

conductor/

Éva Marton Éva Marton (born 18 June 1943) is a Hungarian dramatic soprano, particularly known for her operatic portrayals of Puccini's ''Turandot'' and ''Tosca'', and Wagnerian roles. Vocal training and early years Marton was born in Budapest, where sh ...

Siegfried Jerusalem Siegfried Jerusalem (born 17 April 1940) is a German operatic tenor. Closely identified with the heldentenor roles of Richard Wagner, he has performed Siegfried, Siegmund, Lohengrin, Parsifal, and Tristan to wide acclaim. Since the 1990s, he has ...

/ Walter Berry, Herkulessaal, Munich, 1980, BR recording released on CBS and Sony Classical * Stefan Lano conductor/Senda/Bowers/ Wolfgang Schöne, live in Buenos Aires, Oct 12–19, 2010, SoundCloud *

Pinchas Steinberg Pinchas Steinberg (born 13 December 1945 ) is a conductor born in mandatory Palestine. He is currently the Chief Conductor of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. Early career Steinberg studied violin in the USA under Jascha Heifetz and Joseph ...

conductor/Kremer/Reinhardt/Kupfer, filmed in Torino, Jan 21 and 23, 2020, Dynamic

References

External links

* {{authority control Operas by Erich Wolfgang Korngold 1916 operas One-act operas Operas set in Italy German-language operas Operas