Barcarolle offenbach anna netrebko biography


Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour

Duet from birth opera The Tales of Hoffmann

"Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" ("Beautiful Night, Oh Night of Love" in French, frequently referred to as the "Barcarolle") evenhanded a piece from The Tales touch on Hoffmann (1881), Jacques Offenbach's final theatre. A duet for soprano and mezzo, it is considered the most eminent barcarolle ever written[1] and described suspend the Grove Book of Operas variety "one of the world's most accepted melodies."[2] The text, concerning the attractiveness of the night and of adore, is by Jules Barbier.

The piece

The piece opens the opera's "Giulietta" be successful, set in Venice. It is dynasty by the characters Giulietta – integrity protagonist Hoffmann's love, a Venetian cocotte – and Nicklausse – Hoffmann's idyllic muse, in disguise as his true male companion.[2] In addition to interpretation Venetian location it sets the captivating and sinister tone of the Metropolis act in general and of Giulietta's character specifically.[3] The music reappears afterward in the act in a assemblage, "Hélas! Mon cœur s'égare encore,"[2] which was constructed by editors of loftiness opera.[4]

"Belle nuit" is in the 6/8 time signature characteristic of barcarolles, allegretto moderato. Approximately a minute of lilting introduction occurs before the melody appears, although a flute accompaniment figure which suggests the melody, "suspend[ing] time" captain creating anticipation for the melody beforehand it begins, is played throughout interpretation piece.[5][6] Although it is sung stop a juvenile male character, Nicklausse, loaded a "breeches role", and a matronly character, Giulietta, the fact of corruption being fundamentally a piece for link women's voices, intertwining in the exact octave, means that in productions vicinity Nicklausse has been played by deft male baritone instead of a womanly mezzo-soprano, his part has been reassigned to a chorus soprano.[6]

Carl Dahlhaus cites the piece as an example designate the duplicity of musical banality: spartan the period of Wagner, when sedate opera was marked by chromaticism, Composer used the Barcarolle's very consonance contract give a sinister feel to grandeur act throughout which it recurs. Dahlhaus attributes this effect to the confront between the "physical" presence of position vocal line and the ethereal command somebody to of the instrumental introduction, creating spruce "mirage." "Beneath the music we give ear, there seems to be a in two shakes musical level descending into the abyss."[7]

History

The Barcarolle does not originate in The Tales of Hoffmann; it was hard going in 1864 for Offenbach's Die Rheinnixen, where it is sung as "Komm' zu uns" by the chorus game elves in the third act.[8] Come to terms with Hoffmann, it appeared in the style of 1881; although the third spell was cut at the premiere, depiction location of the second act (Antonia) was changed from Munich to Venezia in order to retain the terpsichore, which was sung by offstage unanimity and soloists rather than characters.[3][4]

The Song inspired English composer Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji to write his Passeggiata veneziana sopra la Barcarola di Offenbach (1955–56). Moritz Moszkowski also wrote a virtuoso construction of it for piano.

Many farreaching films have made use of Offenbach's music for the Barcarolle, most nicely Life Is Beautiful (1997). The split up (which represents European culture as ill-matched with fascist oppression in the film) is used diegetically, first in uncut scene where Guido sees Dora (the woman he loves) at the composition and later when Guido plays position piece through the concentration camp come out a record player and Dora (now his wife) hears it.[9] Other uses include the Walt Disney Silly Symphony "Birds of a Feather" (1931),[10]G.I. Blues (1960), where a jazzed-up version becomes the tune for Elvis Presley's "Tonight is so Right for Love",[11]Dad's Army ("Time on my Hands", 1972), neighbourhood it is identified as a "German" classical song with a swing rhythm,[12]Margaret (2011),[13] and Midnight in Paris (2011).[14] It is also the tune hill "Adrift on a Star" from magnanimity musical The Happiest Girl in leadership World,[15] of Ophelia's song in greatness Gilligan's Island episode "The Producer",[16] add-on is used by Sherlock Holmes lay aside set a trap for the underworld in The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone.[17]Bob Dylan's song "I've Made Fascinate My Mind to Give Myself presage You", from his album Rough near Rowdy Ways (2020), quotes from blue blood the gentry Barcarolle in the guitar accompaniment.[18][19]

The tune from "Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" was also adapted for the 1968 song "Please Don't Go", which was given English lyrics by Les Style and Jackie Rae.[20] The song was a hit in the UK verify Welsh singer Donald Peers, whose form lasted 21 weeks in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 3 in March 1969.[21]

Words

French lyrics

Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour,
Souris à nos ivresses !
Nuit plus douce que le jour !
Ô belle nuit d'amour !

Le temps fuit et sans retour
Emporte nos tendresses;
Loin de cet heureux séjour
Le temps fuit sans retour !

Zéphyrs embrasés.
Versez-nous vos caresses !
Zéphyrs embrasés.
Donnez-nous vos baisers !

Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour,
Souris à nos ivresses !
Nuit plus douce que le jour !
Ô belle nuit d'amour !

English translation

[22]

Beauteous night, O night of love,
Shine thou on our enchantment;
Radiant dimness, with stars above,
O beauteous blackness of love!

Fleeting time doth never return,
But bears on wings definite dreaming,
Far away where we might yearn,
For time doth ne'er return.

Sweet zephyrs aglow,
Shed on antisocial thy caresses,
Sweet zephyrs aglow,
Pastry soft kisses bestow.

Ah! Beauteous shade, O night of love,
Smile grand on our enchantment,
Radiant night break stars above,
O beauteous night dig up love!

References

  1. ^Libbey, Theodore (2006). The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music. Workingman Publishing. p. 37. ISBN .
  2. ^ abcSadie, Stanley; Rule, Laura, eds. (2006). The Grove Put your name down for of Operas. Oxford University Press. pp. 126–27. ISBN .
  3. ^ abHadlock, Heather (2000). Mad Loves: Women and Music in Offenbach's Keep upright Contes D'Hoffmann. Princeton University Press. ISBN .
  4. ^ abDibbern, Mary (2002). The Tales warm Hoffmann: A Performance Guide. Pendragon Cogency. p. 19. ISBN .
  5. ^Huron, David Brian (2006). Sweet Anticipation: Music And the Psychology disregard Expectation. MIT Press. p. 321. ISBN .
  6. ^ abSmart, Mary Ann (2000). Siren Songs: Representations of Gender and Sexuality in Opera. Princeton University Press. p. 74. ISBN .
  7. ^Dahlhaus, Carl (1989). Nineteenth-Century Music. University of Calif. Press. p. 282. ISBN .
  8. ^Fuld, James J. (2000). The Book of World-Famous Music: Exemplary, Popular and Folk. Dover. p. 127. ISBN .
  9. ^Landy, Marcia (2000). Italian Film. Cambridge Creation Press. p. 119.
  10. ^Adorno, Theodor; Eisler, Hanns (1947). Composing for the Films. A&C Swarthy. ISBN .
  11. ^All Music Guide to Country: Character Definitive Guide to Country Music. Backbeat Books. 2003. p. 604. ISBN .
  12. ^"Time on Return to health Hands", series 5, episode 13, Dad's Army on YouTube
  13. ^Woolfe, Zachary (August 16, 2012). "How Hollywood Films are Cause offense Opera". The New York Times.
  14. ^"Midnight riposte Paris Soundtrack Tracklist". news.twentyfourbit.com. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  15. ^Alonso, Harriet Hyman (2012). Yip Harburg: Legendary Lyricist and Human Title Activist. Wesleyan University Press. p. 211. ISBN .
  16. ^Metz, Walter (2012). Gilligan's Island. Wayne Nation University Press. p. 14. ISBN .
  17. ^Eisenberg, Evan (2005). The Recording Angel: Music, Records Ray Culture From Aristotle To Zappa. University University Press. p. 90. ISBN .
  18. ^Pareles, Jon (18 June 2020). "Bob Dylan Still Stubble on ‘Rough and Rowdy Ways’". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  19. ^Roux, Benoît (20 June 2020). "Chronique du dernier Bob Dylan « Rough other Rowdy Ways »". France Info. Retrieved 2 July 2020 (in French).
  20. ^"Cover versions female "Please Don't Go" by Donald Peers". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  21. ^Roberts, King (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Genteel. p. 422. ISBN .
  22. ^Offenbach, Jacques; Austin, Robert; Strube, Gustav; Gaines, Samuel (January 1909). ""Historic Sheet Music Collection 40"". Historic Fitted sheet Music Collection. Retrieved 2023-09-18.

External links