La Muette de Portici
- Alphonse, son of the Viceroy: Tenor
- Elvira, his fiancée: Soprano
- Lorenzo, Alfonso's confidant: Tenor
- Masaniello, a fisherman: Tenor
- Fenella, his sister: Mute role
- Selva, captain of the Spanish bodyguard: Bass
- Borella, a friend of Masaniello: Bass
- Pietro, a friend of Masaniello: Tenor
- Morena, a friend of Masaniello: Tenor
- A maid of honor: Old
La Muette de Portici ( The Dumb Girl of Portici German ) is a great historical opera in five acts by the composer Daniel -François- Esprit Auber. The libretto was written by Eugène Scribe and Germain Delavigne. On February 29, 1828 this work was premiered at the Paris Opera.
Action
The plot refers to a revolt of the Neapolitans under Tommaso Masaniello against the Spanish occupation in the 17th century. Portici is the name of a small fishing harbor, a suburb of Naples. The title character is Fenella - obvious, but unusual for an opera - a silent role.
The opera begins with the preparations for the wedding of Princess Elvire with Alphonse, the son of the Spanish viceroy. The mute girl Fenella recognizes him as her rapist and kidnapper. This provokes her brother, the fisherman Masaniello, to lead an uprising against the hated Spanish occupation. Elvire awards Alphonse and tries to find Fenella. When Masaniello threatens to lose control of the rebellion, Alphonse and Elvire seek shelter in Masaniello, who must fear the wrath of his rebellious friends now. His friend Pietro sees him as a traitor and potential tyrants and poisoned him. Dying succeeds Masaniello to save Elvire from the rebels. Alphonse is temporarily succeeded in mobilizing troops against the revolt. At the end of the opera Vesuvius erupts, and Fenella throws herself desperate in the incandescent lava.
Act 1 - In front of a chapel Act 2 - At the sea beach Act 3 - Marketplace in Naples Act 4 - Masaniello apartment Act 5 - Banquet Hall in the palace overlooking the Vesuvius
Performance history
After its premiere on February 29, 1828 at the Paris Opera ( Salle de la rue Le Peletier ) was the opera a resounding success. In Paris alone the work was to 1882 505 listed times and in times to Berlin 285 turn of the century. It is considered the first work of the French grand opera genre.
At the Paris Opera, the opera 1840 already experienced their 100th performance; 1880 was the 500th celebration. Karl August von Lichtenstein translated the libretto and already on October 16, 1828 came the play at the Theater Rudolstadt to the performance. The following year, the opera came under the title The Mute or infidelity and noble revenge in the translation ( and editing) of Margaret Bernbrunn (pseudonym Adalbert Prix) at the Theater in der Josefstadt (Vienna ) for performance.
Performance in Brussels in 1830
The performance of the opera in the theater La Monnaie / De Munt in Brussels on 25 August 1830 on the occasion of the 58th birthday of King William I of the Netherlands, had far-reaching consequences. Wilhelm reigned at that time, as a result of the decisions of the Congress of Vienna, on the Catholic, former Habsburg Netherlands. The trigger was the duet Amour sacre de la patrie ( " Sacred love of the fatherland " ):
The spectators were thus already very excited, sang as Masaniello in the third act with an ax in his hand: " Hasten to take revenge! The weapons, the fire! On our vigilance our suffering to an end ready! " Then the audience stood up and shouted " Aux armes! aux poor "( Call to Arms Call to Arms ).
The changes brought about by the opera unrest against the unpopular Dutch rule led to the Belgian revolution and finally to the independence of Belgium.
More recent reception history
The opera is performed today comparatively rare, this among others in 1991 in Marseille and 2002 in Aachen. Under the leadership of Music Director Antony Hermus was held on 24 April 2010 at the Theater Dessau Anhalt the premiere of the opera take place in the original language with German surtitles.
At present ( 2013) are three complete recordings of the opera, including two live recordings from 1979 and 1985, and a studio recording under the baton of Thomas Fulton from 1986 with Alfredo Kraus in the role of Masaniello.