Opera Der Rosenkavalier (The Knight of the Rose) (comic opera in three acts ) - Richard Strauss World famous Bolshoi Ballet and Opera theatre (established 1776) - Marvellous Main (Historic) Stage
Running time: 4 hours 10 minutes
The performance has 2 intermissions
Schedule for Der Rosenkavalier (The Knight of the Rose) (comic opera in three acts ) - Richard Strauss 2022
Composer: Richard Strauss Choirmaster producer: Valery Borisov Music Director: Vassily Sinaisky Director: Stephen Lawless
Orchestra: Bolshoi Theatre Symphony Orchestra
Opera in 3 acts
Performed in German with Russian supertitles
Premiere of this production: 3 April 1912, Bolshoi theatre, Moscow, Russia
"Today I'm writing an opera by Mozart!" said Richard Strauss. Indeed, for the composition of Der Rosenkavalier, the composer went in search of a new style, a different texture, exploring another musical world, as he wrote this opera in the style of Mozart. This composition expresses itself in the ever present but changing lights, inspiring joy cheerfulness, but it does not hide the melancholy tone that grips this opera and his characters, immersed in the throes of romantic passion as they face betrayal and inter-generational conflict.
Der Rosenkavalier (The Knight of the Rose)
is a comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to an original German libretto
by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. It is loosely adapted from the novel Les amours du
chevalier de Faublas by Louvet de Couvrai and Moliиre’s comedy Monsieur de
Pourceaugnac. It was first performed at the Kцnigliches Opernhaus in Dresden on
26 January 1911 under the direction of Max Reinhardt. Until the premiere, the
working title was Ochs von Lerchenau. (The choice of the name Ochs is not
accidental, for in German Ochs is translated as ox, which depicts the character
of the Baron throughout the opera.)
The opera has four main characters: the aristocratic Marschallin, her very
young lover Octavian Rofrano, a part sung by a woman, her coarse, philandering
country cousin Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau, and his young prospective fiancйe
Sophie von Faninal, the lovely daughter of a rich Viennese bourgeois. Baron
Ochs, having arranged with Sophie's father Faninal to combine his noble rank
with Faninal's money by marrying Sophie, asks the Marschallin to suggest an
appropriate young man to be his Knight of the Rose, who will present a silver
rose to Sophie on his behalf as a traditional symbol of courtship. She
recommends Octavian. When Octavian delivers the rose, he and Sophie fall in love
on sight, and must figure out how to prevent Baron Ochs from marrying Sophie.
They accomplish this in a comedy of errors that is smoothed over with the help
of the Marschallin.
But while a comic opera, Der Rosenkavalier also operates at a deeper level.
Conscious of the difference in age between herself and Octavian, the Marschallin
muses in bitter-sweet fashion over the passing of time, growing old and men's
inconstancy, and it is hard to escape the conclusion that her nomination of him
as Knight of the Rose and his and Sophie's subsequent love are no accident -
realising that she will inevitably lose Octavian sooner or later, she has chosen
to set him free.
There are many recordings of the opera, and it is regularly performed.
Synopsis Time: 1740s, in the
first years of the reign of Empress Maria Theresa. Place: Vienna.
Act 1 The Marschallin`s bedroom
Princess Marie Therese von Werdenberg (the Marschallin, the title given to a
Field Marshal`s wife) and her much younger lover, Count Octavian Rofrano,
exchange vows of love ("Wie du warst! Wie du bist"). To avoid scandal, he hides
when a small black boy, Mohammed, brings the Marschallin`s breakfast. During
breakfast loud voices are heard in the garderobe and not the main door. The
Marschallin believes that it is her husband who has returned unexpectedly from a
hunting trip and has Octavian hide behind the bed. He reappears disguised as a
chambermaid, "Mariandel" ("Befehl`n furstli` Gnad`n, i bin halt noch nit
recht..."), and tries to sneak away through the garderobe. But the Marschallin`s
country cousin Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau has unexpectedly entered through that
same door to discuss his engagement to Sophie ("Selbstverstandlich empfangt mich
Ihro Gnaden"), the daughter of a wealthy merchant who has been recently elevated
to nobility by the Empress. After boorishly describing his personal pastime of
chasing skirts, and demonstrating it on the disguised Octavian, he asks the
Marschallin to recommend a young man to serve as his Rosenkavalier ("Knight of
the Rose"), who will deliver the traditional silver engagement rose to Sophie.
She suggests Octavian. When Ochs sees the young count`s picture, he notices the
count`s resemblance to the chambermaid "Mariandel", and assumes that she is
Octavian`s illegitimate sister. Ochs boasts that nobility should be served by
nobility, which leads to a confession that he has an illegitimate son working
for him. The coarse Ochs propositions the "chambermaid". Octavian plays coy and
leaves at the first chance.
The room then fills with supplicants to the Princess ("Drei arme adelige
Waisen"). An Italian tenor sent by the Portuguese Ambassador serenades the
Marschallin ("Di rigori armato"), while Ochs works out the marriage contract
with the Marschallin`s notary. Two Italian intriguers, Valzacchi and Annina, try
to sell the Princess the latest scandal sheets. Rudely interrupting the tenor`s
song, Ochs tells the notary to demand a dower from Sophie`s family (having
confused dower with dowry). The notary attempts to explain that such is
impossible under the law. Valzacchi and Annina now offer their services to Ochs.
He asks whether they know anything about the Princess`s "maid". They don`t, but
they assure him that they do. Amidst all the activity, the Marschallin remarks
to her hairdresser: "My dear Hippolyte, today you have made me look like an old
woman." ("Mein lieber Hippolyte").
When all have left, the Marschallin, reminded of her own early marriage by
Ochs`s young bride, sadly ponders her fleeting youth and the fickleness of men
("Da geht er hin..."). By this time Octavian returns (in men`s clothes) ("Ach,
du bist wieder da"), she has realized that one day he will leave her ("Die Zeit,
die ist ein sonderbar Ding"). She muses on the passage of time (a clock is heard
chiming thirteen times), and turns Octavian away. After he has left, she
suddenly realizes that she has forgotten to kiss him goodbye, and sends some
footmen after him; however, it is too late, he is gone. The Marschallin summons
her page to take the silver rose to Octavian to deliver to Sophie. After
Mohammed departs, Marie Therese stares pensively into her hand mirror as the
curtain falls.
Act 2 The von Faninals` home
Herr von Faninal and Sophie await the arrival of the Rosenkavalier (Knight of
the Rose), Octavian ("Ein ernster Tag, ein grosser Tag!"). Following tradition,
Faninal departs before the Knight appears. Sophie frets over her approaching
marriage with a man she has never met as her duenna, Marianne, reports on the
approach of Octavian ("In dieser feierlichen Stunde der Prufung"). Octavian
arrives with great pomp, dressed all in silver. He presents the silver rose to
Sophie in an elaborate ceremony. Immediately, the two young people are attracted
to each other and they sing a beautiful duet ("Mir ist die Ehre
widerfahren...").
During a chaperoned conversation, Sophie and Octavian begin to fall in love
(in this conversation she reveals Octavian`s full name: Octavian Maria
Ehrenreich Bonaventura Fernand Hyacinth Rofrano, aka Quinquin in intimacy). Ochs
enters with Sophie`s father ("Jetzt aber kommt mein Herr Zukunftiger"). The
Baron speaks familiarly with Octavian (though they have never officially met),
examines Sophie like chattel and generally behaves like a cad, also revealing
that Octavian "has" illegitimate family. Ochs`s servants begin to chase the
maids, sending the household into an uproar. Sophie starts to weep, and Octavian
promises to help her ("Mit Ihren Augen voll Tranen"). He embraces her, but they
are discovered by Ochs`s Italian spies, who report to him. Ochs is only amused,
considering the much younger Octavian no threat, but Octavian`s temper is raised
enough to challenge the bull-headed Ochs to a duel. Ochs receives a slight wound
in the arm in the fracas and cries bloody murder. As a doctor is sent for,
Sophie tells her father that she will never marry Ochs, but her father insists,
and threatens to send her to a convent. Octavian is thrown out, and Sophie is
sent to her room. As Ochs is left alone on the divan with his wounded arm in a
sling, he begins to raise his spirits with a glass of port. Annina enters with a
letter for Ochs from "Mariandel" asking to meet him for a tryst. The now
recovered and drunk Ochs, in anticipation of his imminent meeting, dances around
the stage to one of the opera`s many ironic and wry waltzes, refusing to tip
Annina, who silently swears revenge ("Da lieg` ich!").
Act 3 A private room in an inn
Valzacchi and Annina have switched alliances and are now helping Octavian
prepare a trap for the Baron. There is far more than meets the eye about the
room that Valzacchi has rented for the Baron`s tryst, and in a pantomime all the
preparations to trap the Baron and foil his engagement with Sophie are seen.
Ochs and "Mariandel" arrive for a rendez-vous. Ochs tries to seduce the
seemingly willing chambermaid, though he is disturbed by her resemblance to
Octavian. The guilt-ridden baron catches glimpses of the heads of Octavian`s
conspirators as they pop out of secret doors. A woman (Annina in disguise)
rushes in claiming that Ochs is her husband and the father of her children, all
of whom rush in crying "Papa! Papa!" The confusion grows and the police arrive,
and to avoid a scandal, Ochs claims that "Mariandel" is his fiancee Sophie.
Octavian lets the Police Inspector in on the trick, and the Inspector plays
along. In the meantime Ochs tries to pull his noble rank to no avail, claiming
that "Mariandel" is under his protection. Furious to be enmeshed in the scandal,
Faninal arrives and sends for Sophie to clear their names. Sophie arrives and
asks Ochs to leave her alone. Just as Ochs is completely befuddled and
embarrassed, the Marschallin enters. The Police Inspector recognizes her, having
previously served under her husband. The Marschallin sends the police and all
the others away. Ochs still tries to claim Sophie for himself after having
realized the truth about the Marschallin and Octavian/Mariandel`s relationship,
even attempting to blackmail the Marschallin, but is ordered to leave
gracefully. Salvaging what is left of his dignity. Ochs finally leaves, pursued
by various bill collectors.
The Marschallin, Sophie, and Octavian are left alone. The Marschallin
recognizes that the day she so feared has come, as Octavian hesitates between
the two women (Trio: Marie Theres`! / Hab` mir`s gelobt). In the emotional
climax of the opera, the Marschallin gracefully releases Octavian, encouraging
him to follow his heart and love Sophie. She then withdraws elegantly to the
next room to talk with Faninal. As soon as she is gone, Sophie and Octavian run
to each other`s arms. Faninal and the Marschallin return to find the lovers
locked in an embrace. After a few bittersweet glances to her lost lover, the
Marschallin departs with Faninal. Sophie and Octavian follow after another brief
but ecstatic love duet (Ist ein Traum / Spur` nur dich), and the opera ends with
little Mohammed running in to retrieve Sophie`s dropped handkerchief, and racing
out again after the departing nobility.
Schedule for Der Rosenkavalier (The Knight of the Rose) (comic opera in three acts ) - Richard Strauss 2022
Bolshoi Opera - DER ROSENKAVALIER |
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