- Jessonda
"Jessonda" is a
grand opera ("Grosse Oper") in German byLouis Spohr , written in 1822. The Germanlibretto was written by Eduard Gehe.Spohr, who wrote the work in 1822, had been newly appointed Hofkapellmeister in
Kassel . He had reservations about Weber's recently performed "Der Freischütz ", and sought a subject that was poetic and uncomplicated, avoiding, in his setting, any recitive (spoken dialogue). He was opposed to the use of speech on mundane subjects in an operatic context. Ballets and spectacle were provided in set pieces that might also attract ordinary theatre-goers, in a German form of grand opera.Performance history
The first performance was at the Kurfürstliches Hoftheater in Kassel on 28 July 1823 under the direction of the composer.
This opera was performed regularly up to about 1860. While the
overture to Jessonda may be heard today in concert performance, the opera itself no longer holds the place it once did in the operatic repertoire.Roles
*Jessonda, "widow of a Rajah"
soprano Katinka Braun/Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient
*Amazili, "her sister" soprano Sophie Roland/Beltheim
*Nadori, "a young Brahmin"tenor Samuel Friedrich Gerstäcker
*Pedro Lopez, "Portugese colonel" tenor Johann Gottfried Bergmann
*Tristan d'Acunha, "Portugese general"baritone Franz Hauser/Keller
*Dandau, "chief Brahmin" bass Eduard Berthold/Friedrich Sebastian Mayer
*Indian officer, tenor Tourny
*First dancer, soprano
*Second dancer, sopranoynopsis
In this opera the heroine, Jessonda, widow of the Rajah, must be burned to death on his funeral pyre. Before her marriage she had been in love with a Portuguese general. A young Brahmin, Nadori, is sent from the Hindu temple to bring Jessonda the order for her death, as dictated by their customs. However, he falls in love with her sister, Amazili.
The Portuguese forces that are camped outside the city are led by Tristan d'Acunha, who has sworn that Indian customs will be preserved. Nadori has vowed to save Jessonda and Tristan now discovers that she is his long lost love. The Indian breach of the truce allows Tristan to act and Jessonda is rescued in the nick of time, before Dandau, the chief Brahmin, can carry out the intended sacrifice.
References
* [http://www.amadeusonline.net/almanacco.php?Start=0&Giorno=28&Mese=07&Anno=1823&Giornata=&Testo=&Parola=Stringa Amadeus Almanac, accessed 8 August 2008]
*Louis Spohr: A Critical Biography by Clive Brown ISBN 0521029058, published by CUP.
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