Purcell's The Indian Queen
From Teatro Real, Madrid, a new version of Purcell's final work, The Indian Queen, starring soprano Julia Bullock with MusicAeterna. Conducted by Teodor Currentzis.
Purcell's Indian Queen had a difficult birth, a managerial crisis led to the defection of most of the cast to a rival company during rehearsals and Purcell himself - who was only 36 - died before he'd finished the work. So what the audience saw on the first night contained less than an hour of music performed by young and inexperienced actors and singers with a final masque hastily supplied by Purcell's brother Daniel. Despite all this it still contains some of Purcell's most refined and dramatic music and is a piece the director of this production, Peter Sellars, has wanted to bring to the stage for many years. To make it work Sellars has completely rewritten the original play about the Mexican Queen Zempoalla and her struggle against the Peruvians and turned it into a story about Spain's conquest of South America, religion, and the relationship between the conqueror and the conquered. The opera now lasts over three hours and uses Purcell's original music while also weaving some of his religious anthems and secular songs into the action to create a dramatic new work full of contemporary resonances.
Sara Mohr-Pietsch introduces this performance recorded at the Teatro Real, Madrid, she talks to Purcell expert Andrew Pinnock about Purcell's original opera and Peter Sellars talks about his passion for Purcell's music and about his new version.
The Indian Queen.....Julia Bullock (Soprano)
Dona Isabel.....Nadine Koutcher (Soprano)
Ixbalanque.....Christophe Dumaux (Countertenor)
Mayan hero.....Vince Yi (Countertenor)
Don Pedrarias.....Markus Brutscher (Tenor)
Don Pedro de Alvarado.....Noah Stewart (Tenor)
Mayan Priest.....Luthando Qave (Baritone)
Leonor.....Maritxell Carrero (Narrator)
MusicAeterna
Theodor Currentzis (Conductor).
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Previous
Structure
First Mayan Creation
The Origin of the Earth
First Air Dance of the Paddler Gods
Second Mayan Creation
Setting of the hearthstones
Second Air Dance of the hearthstones
Elevation of the World Tree
Third Mayan Creation
First Air First ballgame
Second Air Second ballgame
Fourth Mayan Creation
Overture
Adagio Dance of sacrifice in the Otherworld
Fifth Mayan Creation
Allegro Dance of Resurrection out of the Otherworld
Tune First entry of Spanish Soldiers
Prologue
鈥淲ake, Teculihuatzin鈥� Hunahpu
鈥淲hy should men quarrel鈥� Teculihuatzin
鈥淏y ancient prophecies鈥� Hunahpu
鈥淚f these be they鈥� Teculihuatzin, Hunahpu
鈥淭heir looks are such鈥� Hunahpu
鈥淚f so your goodness鈥� Teculihuatzin, Hunahpu
Tune Return of Spanish Soldiers聽
ACT I
Scene 1
Do帽a Isabel in the rainforest
鈥淥 solitude鈥� Do帽a Isabel
[Text: Katherine Philips]*
Scene 2
Conversion of the Mayans
鈥淚 will sing unto the Lord as long as I live鈥� Chorus
[Text: Psalms 104:33-35]*
Scene 3
The wedding of Don Pedro de Alvarado and Do帽a Luisa,
鈥淭he Indian Queen鈥�
鈥淏low up the trumpet鈥� Chorus
[Text: Joel 2:15-17]*
Scene 4
The wedding night 鈥淗e was my God鈥�
鈥淪weeter than roses鈥� 贬耻苍补丑辫耻听ACT II
Scene 1
The Mayan Gods return: Gods enter the dreams
of the sleeping couple
Symphony
Entrada (The Gods emerge from the Otherworld)
Canzona (The invasion of human dreams)
Adagio (Divine mirror of the lovers)
Allegro (Dance of the Solar Fire Deities)
Scene 2
The Gods speak to Teculihuatzin in a dream:
The masque of Envy and Fame
鈥淚 come to sing鈥� Don Pedrarias D谩vila, Chorus (Danza de la conquista)
鈥淲hat flatt鈥檙ing noise is this鈥� Mayan Shaman, Hunahpu, Xbalanque
鈥淪corn鈥檇 Envy鈥� Xbalanque
鈥淚 fly from the place鈥� Mayan Shaman
鈥淏egone, curst fiends of Hell鈥� Xbalanque
鈥淲e come to sing鈥� Chorus (Danza de la conquista)
Scene 3
鈥淚 have been chosen for something transcendental鈥�
Scene 4
Do帽a Isabel meets Teculihuatzin in a dream
and releases the evil spirits
鈥淪ee, even night herself is here鈥� Soprano
Scene 5
鈥淚 dreamed I had convinced him to give up war鈥�
鈥淢usic for a while鈥� Xbalanque
鈥淚 love and I must鈥� Do帽a Luisa
Scene 6
Troop maneuvers
Air Dance of young warriors
Scene 7
The Apotheosis of chief Tecum, the massacre,
and the river of blood
鈥淗ear my prayer, O Lord鈥� Chorus
[Text: Psalms 102:1]*聽PART TWO
Act III
Scene 1
Aftermath of a massacre
鈥淩emember not, Lord, our offences鈥� Chorus
Scene 2
鈥淲ith sick and famished eyes鈥�
鈥淲ith sick and famish鈥檇 eyes鈥� Don Alvarado
[Text: George Herbert]*
鈥淣ot all my torments can your pity move鈥� Do帽a Luisa
Scene 3
Shaman divination ceremony: 鈥淢asque of dreams鈥�
鈥淭heir necessary aid you use鈥� Hunahpu, Mayan Shaman
鈥淭he air with music gently wound鈥� Xbalanque, Chorus
鈥淵e twice ten hundred deities鈥� Mayan Shaman
Symphony
鈥淪eek not to know鈥� Xbalanque
Overture, Canzona
Scene 4
Don Alvarado terrorizes villages with his daughter
on his shoulders
Scene 5
The Conquistadors Don Pedro de Alvarado and
Don Pedrarias D谩vila have a drink in a bar in Chiapas
鈥淎h! how happy鈥� Pedro de Alvarado, Don Pedrarias D谩vila
Scene 6
The Captain General speaks to his wife about suicide
鈥淚f Grief Has any pow鈥檙 to kill鈥� Don Pedrarias D谩vila
Scene 7
Do帽a Luisa and Do帽a Isabel meet the spirits
deep in the rainforest
鈥淥h! Lead me to some peaceful gloom鈥� Hunahpu
鈥淲e the spirits of the air鈥� Hunahpu, Xbalanque, Chorus
Scene 8
Do帽a Luisa falls ill as the Gods begin to draw
her away from this world
鈥淚 attempt from love鈥檚 sickness鈥� Do帽a Luisa
Tune Dance of the Divine Mirror of Sleep and Death
Act IV
Scene 1
Leonor takes her Mother to her last mass where
they meet Do帽a Isabel
鈥淥h Lord rebuke me not鈥� Do帽a Isabel, Do帽a Luisa, Chorus
[Text: Psalms 6:1-7]*
Scene 2
鈥淰ery soon I shall travel the Road of the Star鈥�
鈥淭hey tell us鈥� Do帽a Luisa, Coro
Act V
Secret ritual in the rainforest at midnight
鈥淲hile thus we bow鈥� Chorus
鈥淵ou who at the altar stand鈥� Mayan Shaman, Chorus
鈥淎ll dismal sounds鈥� Chorus
* Songs and hymns of Henry Purcell, added by Peter Sellars, as well as performing signs, which correspond to the conception of this new show.
Broadcast
- Mon 13 Oct 2014 19:00大象传媒 Radio 3
