- The Fiery Angel (opera)
"The Fiery Angel" (Russian: "Огненный ангел" — "Ognenny angel" in
transliteration ) is anopera in five acts bySergei Prokofiev to a Russianlibretto by the composer, based on the novel "The Fiery Angel" (1908) byValery Bryusov .Composition and Performance History
Prokofiev encountered Bryusov's novel, during his first visit to the
United States , (which was around 1918) and he soon (1919) began sketches for an opera. In 1921, the work was well under way. In March 1922, Prokofiev moved to the town ofEttal inBavaria ,Germany , where he worked on the opera. A piano score was completed a couple of years later, but no orchestration had been worked on. In 1926Bruno Walter accepted the work for the Städtische Oper. The opera was completed in August 1927,cite web|url=http://www.cso.org/main.taf?p=5,5,6,1|title=Symphony No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 44 Program Notes|publisher=Chicago Symphony Orchestra|author=Phillip Huscher|accessdate=2008-07-06] cite journal |last= McAllister|first= Rita |authorlink= |coauthors= |year= 1970|month=August |title=Natural and Supernatural in 'The Fiery Angel' |journal=The Musical Times |volume=Vol. 111 |issue= No. 1530|pages=pp. 785-789 |id= |url= http://www.jstor.org/pss/955299|accessdate=2008-07-06 |quote= ] too late for the season. Walter cancelled the production. That yearSergei Koussevitzky conducted part of the second act, but the reception was poor.In 1930, during Prokofiev's new tour of America
Giulio Gatti-Casazza of theMetropolitan Opera suggested staging Fiery Angel, but this did not go ahead.In all, Prokofiev had great trouble staging this opera. Numerous attempts to do so failed. Various reasons have been suggested for each different case, such as Prokofiev allegedly failing to meet deadlines, because the work's peculiar nature estranged people, poor visual action. [cite book |last= Morrison|first= Simon |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title= Russian Opera and the Symbolist Movement|origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url=http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/9385.php |format= |accessdate=2008-07-06 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |volume= |date= |year=2002 |month= |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley and Los Angeles |language= |isbn=0520229436 |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages= |chapter= Introduction|chapterurl= http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/9385/9385.intro.php|quote=The Fiery Angel was not staged in Prokofiev's lifetime, the principal reason being the paucity of visual action ]
Disappointed by its failure but determined to preserve the fruits of his labor, Prokofiev recycled the music into his Symphony No. 3, and extracted some of it into a vocal
suite , his opus 37b. Since his death the opera has had better luck, but is still not widely performed.In a concert setting, the opera was first given on 25 November 1954 at the
Théâtre des Champs-Elysées inParis . The first staged performance was given on 14 September 1955 at theTeatro La Fenice inVenice .ynopsis
The full title of Bryusov's novel gives a good idea of the substance of the opera: :"The Fiery Angel; or, a True Story in which is related of the Devil, not once but often appearing in the Image of a Spirit of Light to a Maiden and seducing her to Various and Many Sinful Deeds, of Ungodly Practices of Magic, Alchymy, Astrology, the Cabalistical Sciences and Necromancy, of the Trial of the Said Maiden under the Presidency of His Eminence the Archbishop of Trier, as well as of Encounters and Discourses with the Knight and thrice Doctor Agrippa of Nettesheim, and with Doctor Faustus, composed by an Eyewitness".
Set in sixteenth-century Germany, the story concerns a young woman named Renata who has fallen in love with a "fiery angel" whom she believes appeared to her during her childhood. She later identifies the "angel" with one Count Heinrich, who takes her as his mistress but then abandons her. She enlists the
knight-errant Ruprecht in her efforts to track down her "angel". Though she believes her motives areholy , the presence ofFaust ,Mephistopheles and assorted demons in the story suggests otherwise. Her obsessive quest leads her and the loyal, lovestruck Ruprecht deep into the realms of theoccult . After many bizarre adventures, Ruprecht emerges unscathed, but Renata is condemned by theInquisition to a fiery death at the stake.Analysis
The opera treats the dark arts in a largely sarcastic and humorous manner. The music is dark and imposing, and the singing, especially that of Renata, is chillingly histrionic.
elected recordings
There are only three recordings of "The Fiery Angel" in existence.
*The first was recorded in 1957, conducted by
Charles Bruck with the Orchestra of theParis Opera . The opera was performed in French with Xavier Duprez and Jane Rhodes in the leading roles.
*The first Russian-language recording was released in 1990, conducted by Prokofiev specialistNeeme Järvi with theGothenburg Symphony Orchestra , starringNadine Secunde andSiegfried Lorenz as Renata and Ruprecht withBryn Terfel ,Heinz Zednik andKurt Moll in Supporting roles.
*Valery Gergiev , who has recorded a wide array of Russian operas with theKirov Opera , released a recording taped from a series of performances at the Kirov opera, withSergei Leiferkus andGalina Gorchakova as Ruprecht and Renata.References
ources
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*cite web|url=http://www.sprkfv.net/journal/three10/dnevnik2.html|title=Sergei Prokofiev: Dnevik 1907-1933|accessdate=2008-07-06
*cite web|last=van Rijen|first=Onno|title=Prokofiev Works|author=Onno van Rijen|url=http://home.wanadoo.nl/ovar/prokwork.htm|accessdate=2008-06-22External links
* [http://www.prokofiev.org/catalog/workessential.cfm?WorkID=36 The Fiery Angel, Op 37 at Prokofiev.org]
* [http://www.physics.princeton.edu/~trothman/Fiery_front.htm The Fiery Angel] by Tony Rothman
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