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Hérodiade
''Hérodiade'' is an opera in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Paul Milliet and Henri Grémont, based on the novella ''Hérodias'' (1877) by Gustave Flaubert. It was first performed at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels on 19 December 1881. The libretto is a retelling of the story of John the Baptist, Salome, Herod Antipas and Herodias, but is strikingly less psychological and bloody than Richard Strauss's ''Salome'', which is based on a text by Oscar Wilde. The opera premiered in Brussels because Auguste Vaucorbeil, Manager of the Paris Opera house refused to stage the work; "I do like your music," he had said to Massenet, "but as for the libretto, you badly need an author who knows how to build the skeleton of a play." Massenet also created a ballet suite derived from the opera. Performance history The opera reached Paris at the Théâtre des Nations on 1 February 1884, and the final performance of the run on 13 March featured the three De Reszkes; ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jules Massenet
Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic music, Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are ''Manon'' (1884) and ''Werther'' (1892). He also composed oratorios, ballets, orchestral works, incidental music, piano pieces, songs and other music. While still a schoolboy, Massenet was admitted to France's principal music college, the Paris Conservatoire. There he studied under Ambroise Thomas, whom he greatly admired. After winning the country's top musical prize, the , in 1863, he composed prolifically in many genres, but quickly became best known for his operas. Between 1867 and his death forty-five years later he wrote more than forty stage works in a wide variety of styles, from opéra-comique to grand-scale depictions of classical myths, romantic comedies, Drame lyrique, lyric dramas, as well as oratorios, cantatas and ballets. Massenet had a g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herodias
Herodias (; , ''Hērōidiás''; c. 15 BC – after AD 39) was a princess of the Herodian dynasty of Judea, Judaea during the time of the Roman Empire. Christian writings connect her with the Beheading of John the Baptist, execution of John the Baptist. The daughter of Aristobulus IV and his wife Berenice (daughter of Salome), Berenice, Herodias was a full sister to Herod of Chalcis, Herod V (king of Iturea, Chalkis), Herod Agrippa (king of Judea), Aristobulus Minor, and Mariamne III (wife of Antipater (son of Herod the Great), Crown Prince Antipater). Following Antipater's execution by Herod the Great, she was possibly the first wife of Herod Archelaus, principal heir of Herod the Great and ethnarch of Judea. Marriages Herod II Herod the Great executed his sons Alexander, son of Herod, Alexander and Aristobulus IV in 7 BC, and engaged Herodias to Herod II (born ca. 27 BC; died AD 33), her half-uncle. The marriage was opposed by Antipater (son of Herod the Great), Antipater II, H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marthe Duvivier
Marthe Louise Ernestine Duvivier (27 April 1850, Paris – 28 May 1933, Paris)Marthe Duvivier at the was a French operatic mezzo-soprano. Born in Paris, Duvivier studied at the , where she received first prize for her work. On December 19, 1881, she created the role of Salomé in '''' by |
Salome
Salome (; , related to , "peace"; ), also known as Salome III, was a Jews, Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II and princess Herodias. She was granddaughter of Herod the Great and stepdaughter of Herod Antipas. She is known from the New Testament, where she is not named, and from an account by Josephus. In the New Testament, the stepdaughter of Herod Antipas demands and receives the head of John the Baptist. According to Josephus, she was first married to her uncle Philip the Tetrarch, after whose death in AD 34 she married her cousin Aristobulus of Chalcis, thus becoming queen of Lesser Armenia, Armenia Minor. The gospel story of her dance at the birthday celebration of her stepfather, who had Beheading of John the Baptist, John the Baptist beheaded at her mother's request, inspired art, literature and music over an extended period of time. Among the paintings are those by Titian and Gustave Moreau. Oscar Wilde's 1891 Salome (play), eponymous play and its Salome (ope ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blanche Deschamps-Jéhin
Blanche Deschamps-Jéhin (also Marie Blanche Deschamps-Jehin) (18 September 1857, Lyons- June 1923, Paris) was a French operatic contralto who had a prolific career in France from 1879-1905. She possessed a rich-toned and flexible voice that had a wide vocal range. She sang in numerous world premieres throughout her career, most notably originating the title role in Jules Massenet’s ''Hérodiade'' in 1881. Biography Deschamps-Jehin studied singing in Lyons and Paris before making her professional opera début in 1879 in the title role of Ambroise Thomas's ''Mignon'' at La Monnaie in Brussels. She continued to sing at that opera house for the next several years, notably portraying the title role in the world premiere of Jules Massenet’s ''Hérodiade'' in 1881 and Uta in the world premiere of Ernest Reyer’s ''Sigurd (opera), Sigurd'' in 1884.Elizabeth Forbes (musicologist), Elizabeth Forbes: "Blanche Deschamps-Jehin", ''Grove Music Online'' ed. L. Macy (Accessed 28 February 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jean De Reszke
Jean de Reszke (born Jan Mieczysław Reszke; 14 January 18503 April 1925) was a Polish dramatic tenor and opera star. Reszke came from a wealthy Polish family with classical and operatic musical traditions. His mother gave him his first singing lessons and provided a home that was a recognized music centre. His sister Josephine de Reszke, Josephine and younger brother Édouard de Reszke, Édouard performed in Western Europe, and Reszke would perform with each of them throughout his career. He began as a baritone, but after having been trained by Giovanni Sbriglia he found that he was better suited and was most proficient as a tenor. His performance of Giacomo Meyerbeer, Meyerbeer's ''Robert le diable'' in Madrid in 1879, made him a notable singer. Reszke ranked as the foremost dramatic tenor from that point until his retirement from the stage. He performed at opera venues in Paris, London, and New York, including command performances for Queen Victoria. He was known for his desir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Milliet
Paul Milliet (14 February 1848 – 21 November 1924) was a French playwright and librettist of the Parisian Belle Époque. His opera librettos include Jules Massenet's ''Hérodiade'' (1881) and ''Werther'' (1892), Alfred Bruneau's ''Kérim'' (1887), Spyridon Samaras's ''La biondinetta'' (1903), ''Mademoiselle de Belle Isle'' (1905) and ''Rhea'' (1908) and Camille Erlanger's ''Forfaiture'' (1921). He was married to soprano Ada Adini. Works ;Opera *1881: ''Hérodiade'', opera in 4 acts and 7 tableaux, with Henri Grémont, music by Jules Massenet, Brussels, La Monnaie, 19 December *1883: ''Mathias Corvin'', one-act opéra comique, with Jules Levallois, music by Sándor Bertha, Paris, Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique, Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique *1887: ''Nadia'', one-act opéra comique, music by Jules Bordier, Alhambra (Paris), Opéra-Populaire, 25 May *1887: ''Kérim'', three-act drame lyrique, music by Alfred Bruneau, Alhambra (Paris), Théâtre du Château d'Eau, 9 Ju ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Auguste Vaucorbeil
Auguste Emmanuel Vaucorbeil, born Veaucorbeille, (15 December 1821 – 2 November 1884) was a French composer and theatre manager. He was the director of the Paris Opera from 1879 until his death at the age of 62. Vaucorbeil was born in Rouen and studied at the Paris Conservatoire. As a composer, he was best known for his art songs, but he also composed chamber music and two operas. Life and career Vaucorbeil was born in Rouen, the son of a popular actor at the Théâtre du Gymnase who performed under the stage name "Ferville". With financial assistance from Queen Marie Amelie, he entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1835 and studied there for seven years. After leaving the conservatory, he initially earned a living by giving singing lessons and composing art songs. During this period he also composed chamber music, piano suites, a three-act opéra comique, ''La Bataille d' amour'', and an ambitious cantata, ''La Mort de Diane''. Finding it difficult to earn a living solely as a com ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Théâtre De La Ville
(; "City Theatre") is one of the two theatres built in the 19th century by Baron Haussmann at Place du Châtelet, Paris, the other being the Théâtre du Châtelet. It is located at 2, place du Châtelet in the 4th arrondissement. Included among its many previous names are Théâtre Lyrique, Théâtre des Nations, and Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt. Théâtre Lyrique The theatre, which until the fall of Napoleon III in 1870 was officially known as the Théâtre Lyrique Impérial, was designed by the architect Gabriel Davioud for Baron Haussmann between 1860 and 1862 for the opera company more commonly known simply as the Théâtre Lyrique. That company's earlier theatre, the Théâtre Historique on the Boulevard du Temple, where it had performed since 1851, was slated for demolition as part of Haussmann's renovation of Paris. During the company's initial period on the Place du Châtelet, it was under the direction of Léon Carvalho and gave the premieres of Bizet's ''Les pêcheu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baritone
A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the Greek language, Greek (), meaning "low sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second F below C (musical note), middle C to the F above middle C (i.e. Scientific pitch notation, F2–F4) in choral music, and from the second G below middle C to the G above middle C (G2 to G4) in operatic music, but the range can extend at either end. Subtypes of baritone include the baryton-Martin baritone (light baritone), lyric baritone, ''Kavalierbariton'', Verdi baritone, dramatic baritone, ''baryton-noble'' baritone, and the bass-baritone. History The first use of the term "baritone" emerged as ''baritonans'', late in the 15th century, usually in French Religious music, sacred Polyphony, polyphonic music. At t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edmond Vergnet
Edmond-Alphonse Vergnet (4 July 1850, Montpellier-d 15 February 1904, Nice) was a French operatic tenor. Biography Vergnet studied singing in Paris before making his professional opera début at the Paris Opéra in 1874 as Raimbaut in Giacomo Meyerbeer's ''Robert le diable''. He continued to sing leading tenor roles for that company for many years including the title role in Charles Gounod's ''Faust'', Léopold in Fromental Halévy's ''La Juive'', Ruodi in Gioachino Rossini's ''Guillaume Tell'', Laertes in Ambroise Thomas's ''Hamlet'', Don Ottavio in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ''Don Giovanni'', Fernand in Donizetti's ''La favorite'', Max in Carl Maria von Weber's ''Der Freischütz'', Alim in Jules Massenet’s '' Le roi de Lahore'', John of Leyden in Giacomo Meyerbeer's ''Le prophète'', Vasco da Gama in Meyerbeer's ''L'Africaine'', Samson in Camille Saint-Saëns's ''Samson et Dalila'' and the title role in Richard Wagner's ''Lohengrin''. Elizabeth Forbes: "Edmond Vergnet", ''Grove M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Georges Hartmann
Romain-Jean-François "Georges" Hartmann (15 May 1843 – 22 April 1900) was a French music publisher, dramatist and opera librettist (publishing under the pen name Henri Grémont). Born in Paris, he was the son of Jean Hartmann (1804–1880), a German national born in Neustadt, Bavaria, who acted as the French distributor for the music publisher B. Schott's Söhne. In 1868, Georges Hartmann became a music publisher, publishing, among others, works by Georges Bizet, Jules Massenet, Édouard Lalo, Benjamin Godard, César Franck, and Ernest Reyer. In May 1891, his publishing house failed and he was forced to sell it to Henri Heugel, the intermediary being Paul-Émile Chevalier, an employee of Hartmann's who was a nephew of Heugel. Through merger in 1980, Heugel itself became part of Éditions Alphonse Leduc publishing empire. Hartmann's own librettos include those to Massenet's operas ''Hérodiade'' (1881) and ''Werther'' (1892), Charles Silver's ''Château Brillon'' (1892), And ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
