Jessonda

Jessonda

"Jessonda" is a grand opera ("Grosse Oper") in German by Louis Spohr, written in 1822. The German libretto 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, soprano

ynopsis

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.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Jessonda — Werkdaten Titel: Jessonda Originalsprache: Deutsch Musik: Louis Spohr Libretto: Eduard Heinrich Gehe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Jessonda (Asteroid) — Asteroid (549) Jessonda Eigenschaften des Orbits (Simulation) Orbittyp Hauptgürtelasteroid Große Halbachse 2,6826  …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • (549) jessonda — L astéroïde (549) Jessonda a été ainsi baptisé en référence à un personnage de l opéra éponyme de Louis Spohr (1784 1859), compositeur allemand. Lien externe (en) Caractéristiques et simulation d orbite sur la page Small Body Database du JPL… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • (549) Jessonda — Asteroid (549) Jessonda Eigenschaften des Orbits (Animation) Orbittyp Mittlerer Hauptgürtel Große Halbachse 2,685 AE …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • 549 Jessonda — is a minor planet orbiting the Sun …   Wikipedia

  • (549) Jessonda — L astéroïde (549) Jessonda a été ainsi baptisé en référence à un personnage de l opéra éponyme de Louis Spohr (1784 1859), compositeur allemand. Lien externe (en) Caractéristiques et simulation d orbite sur la page Small Body Database du JPL… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • (549) Jessonda — Descubrimiento Descubridor Max Wolf Fecha 15 de noviembre de 1904 Nombre Provisional 1904 PK …   Wikipedia Español

  • Faust (Spohr) — Louis Spohr Louis Spohr Autoportrait de Louis Spohr. Nom de naissance Ludwig Spohr Naissance 5 avril 1784 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Louis Spohr — Autoportrait de Louis Spohr. Nom de naissance Ludwig Spohr Naissance 5 avril 1784 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ludwig Spohr — Louis Spohr Louis Spohr Autoportrait de Louis Spohr. Nom de naissance Ludwig Spohr Naissance 5 avril 1784 …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”