Vocalist.org archive


From:  Karen Mercedes <dalila@R...>
Karen Mercedes <dalila@R...>
Date:  Tue May 29, 2001  4:19 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Il segreto di Susanna


DAS LIEBESVERBOT is Wagner's only Shakespearean opera, his second ever
composed (the first was DIE FEEN), and only one of two comic operas (the
other being DIE FEEN, based on a fairy tale by Carlo Gozzi, "La donna
serpenta"). It's Wagner's version of the dark comedy "Measure for
Measure", though he shifts the
focus almost entirely to Isabella and minimises the importance of the
Duke. Musically, it was influenced by Bellini and also von Weber and
von Marschner (in the same way DIE FEEN was influenced by von Weber and
Hoffmann), and some have also observed a foreshadowing of TANNHAUESER in
its lyricism.

The opera itself was a debacle, not so much a reflection on the opera,
but on the cast - on opening night the first tenor forgot most of his
part, the second performance didn't even get started because there was a
fist-fight backstage and the lead soprano got knocked unconscious by her
jealous husband. With karma like that, it's no wonder the opera had only
the one performance during Wagner's lifetime.

There are two soprano arias in the opera, one sung by the heroine,
Isabella, "Kennst du das Leid...O war dein Herz", and the other by her
friend Mariana, "Welch' wunderbar Erwarten". Neither is overtly comedic,
though the Isabella aria could be used to comical effect, as it's
basically an aria in which she tries several different arguments to
persuade the hard-hearted governor, Friedrich, who has the hots for her to
release her brother from prison.

The role of Isabella has been performed and/or recorded by Doris Soffel -
who has sung everything from Rossini heroines to Kundry and Ortrud -
Elizabeth Gale, who seems to be one of those high lyric mezzos who
alternates between lyric mezzo and soubrette soprano repertoire - and
Pamela Coburn, a solidly lyric soprano. Again, the opera is so seldom
performed, I think one can take more latitude in "faching" it than one can
more familiar operas. I suspect that a soprano who can manage Adalgisa
might be just about right for Isabella.

KM
............................
NEIL SHICOFF, TENORE SUPREMO
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/shicoff/shicoff.html

My Own Website
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ I sing hymns with my spirit, +
+ but I also sing hymns with my mind. +
+ - 1 Corinthians 14:15 +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


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