Hagith (opera)

Hagith, Op. 25, is an opera in one act by the Polish composer and pianist Karol Szymanowski considered one of the greatest Polish composers of the 20th century. The opera premiered at the Grand Theatre, Warsaw in 1922, nine years after its creation. The libretto in German was written by the Viennese secessionist poet and Szymanowski's friend Felix Dörmann.[1]

Hagith
Opera by Karol Szymanowski
The composer
LibrettistFelix Dörmann
LanguageGerman
Premiere
13 May 1922 (1922-05-13)
Grand Theatre, Warsaw

Background and performance history

Szymanowski wrote the opera in 1912–1913 while living in Vienna, Austria. The piano-and-vocal score was first published by Universal Edition A.G. Vienna in 1920.[2][3] Musically and dramatically, Hagith has been compared to Richard Strauss's Salome. The opera made its premiere on 13 May 1922 at the Great Theatre, Warsaw, Poland,[2][4] and it has been produced four times. Szymanowski commissioned a Polish translation of the text (by Stanisław Barącz), but the project was not successful.

The opera was criticized and disparaged in the interwar Poland notably by critic (and writer of prayer songs) Stanisław Niewiadomski, a devout Catholic and former official in the Austrian Partition,[5] as well as other clericalists, due to its author's openly gay lifestyle.[6]

Roles
Role [2][3] Voice type [2][3] Premiere cast: May 13, 1922 [1][4]
(Conductor: Emil Młynarski) [7]
The aged kingtenorIgnacy Dygas
The young kingtenorStanisław Gruszczyński
HagithsopranoMaria Mokrzycka
The high priestbass
The physicianbaritone
A servantsilent actor
Chorus: the people

Synopsis
David and Abishag (Hagith), 1879 oil painting of the biblical story which is the basis of the libretto, by Pedro Américo

The libretto by Felix Dörmann is loosely based on the Old Testament, with the emphasis on deception and jealousy in love and death, similar to other popular motifs in operatic works of the early 20th century including Salome and Elektra by Strauss.[1] Dörmann's Libretto tells a Biblical story of King David, the aged king in the opera, his female servant Abishag (Hagith) and Solomon (the young king), as described in Chapter One of the First Book of Kings. However, in the Bible, the young woman is called "Avishag", not Hagith. Haggith is one of the wives of David, the mother of Adonijah.

In the libretto, the old and ailing king is told by the high priest and his doctor, that only the love of a young girl can bring him a new lease of life. He remains suspicious, because his son has just been crowned against his will with great fanfare. Later that evening, the old king attempts to banish his son. The young Hagith is brought to him right after that, and Hagith sees the young king leaving his quarters. The two mutually declare their love for each other. Hagith refuses to make a sacrifice on behalf of the aged king. Losing her temper, she tells the old king she hates him, upon which he dies from too much anger. Hagith rushes outside and pronounces his death. She is accused of killing him by the priest and sentenced to death by stoning. The new king attempts to save her, but it is too late.[1]

Instrumentation

The orchestral score calls for:

On stage music: 4 trumpets in D, 4 trombones, timpani, triangle.[2]

Recordings

The only recording of the opera is on DVD Video, with Tomasz Szreder conducting the chorus and orchestra of Wrocław Opera.[8]

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References
  1. "Polish culture: Karol Szymanowski, Hagith Op. 25". Polish Culture in the World (www.culture.pl). Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  2. "Karol Szymanowski – Hagith – Opera in 1 act – op. 25". Universal Edition A.G. Vienna. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  3. "Karol Szymanowski – Op. 25 – Hagith" (PDF). Universal Edition A.G. Vienna / IMSLP. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  4. "Almanacco 13 May 1922" (in Italian). AmadeusOnline. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  5. "Stanisław Niewiadomski (1859–1936)". Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne SA. 2007. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
  6. Ryszard Marek Groński (January 8, 2013). "Homoseksualiści II RP w kulturze". Kultura (in Polish). Polityka.pl. pp. 1–2. Retrieved February 19, 2013. See also: page 2.
  7. "Hagith. Opera w 1 akcie op. 25 (1912–1913)". Szymanowski. Adam Mickiewicz Institute culture.pl. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
  8. "Szymanowski: Hagith". Presto Classical. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
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