Golem (Bretan opera)

Golem is a one-act opera by Nicolae Bretan[1] to his own libretto, based on the legend of the Golem as expressed in a drama by Illés Kaczér[2]. It was written over a brief period in 1923[3], and was first performed on 23 December 1924 at the Hungarian Opera, Cluj[4].

This article is about the opera by Bretan. For the opera by Eugen d'Albert, see Der Golem (opera). For the opera by John Casken, see Golem (Casken opera). For the German silent film, see The Golem: How He Came into the World.

Roles
Roles Voice type Premiere Cast, 1924[4]
(Conductor: Nicolae Bretan)
Rabbi Lőw tenor Ö. Réthely
Anna, (his granddaughter) soprano E. Bethlen
Golem baritone M. Takács
Baruch, the Rabbi's disciple bass F. Harksay
Chorus of the Autumn Winds

Instrumentation

The opera is scored[4] for the following instruments:

Synopsis

Prague in the 16th century[5]. Rabbi Lőw (based on the historical figure), has created the Golem, a living creature, from clay. The Golem falls in love with the Rabbi's granddaughter, thereby infecting her with a fatal illness. The Rabbi destroys the Golem to save his granddaughter.[6]

Recording
  • Moldova Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Cristian Mandeal. Nimbus Records NI5424 (1987).
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References
  1. "Magyar Színházművészeti Lexikon: Bretán Miklós; Bretan, Nicolae". Magyar Elektronikus Könyvtár. Akadémiai Kiadó és az Országos Színháztörténeti Múzeum. 1984. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  2. Gagelmann, Hartmut. Nicolae Bretan: His Life–His Music. Translated by Beaumont Glass. Hillsdale: Pendragon Press. 2000. p. 87: "Then when [Bretan] saw Kaczér's play, Golem ember akar lenni ("Golem wants to become human"), at the Hungarian Theater in Cluj in October 1922, he immediately made contact with the author and obtained permission to write an operatic version."
  3. Wood, Charles E. (2008). "The One-Act Operas of Nicolae Bretan" (PDF). Texas Tech University. Retrieved July 16, 2020. Bretan wrote Golem in nine frenzied days in the summer of 1923. … He started the work on June 29, 1923 and finished it on July 8, 1923.
  4. Gagelmann, p. 94: "World premiere: December 23, 1924 at the Hungarian Opera, Cluj. / Characters of the drama: / Cast of the world premiere: / Voice type:"
  5. Wood, Charles E. (2008). "The One-Act Operas of Nicolae Bretan" (PDF). Texas Tech University. Retrieved July 16, 2020. The opera, like the play, is set in Prague in the 16th century.
  6. Gagelmann, p. 88: "[Golem] alone knows what is wrong with Anna and why she is doomed to die. For he, Golem, loves Anna and has touched her and kissed her. … The rabbi wants to save the life of his granddaughter and to do that he must destroy his man of clay. He had awakened him to life by means of a mysterious parchment inscribed with the ineffable name of God that Golem carries under his tongue. … the rabbi tears it from his creature's mouth: Golem must die so that Anna may live."
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