Halévy's La Tempesta

Halévy's La tempesta

by Clarissa Lablache

Halévy biography

Halévy discography

Related article:

The Three Giants of French Grand Opera by Tom Kaufman

Halévy's La tempesta

by Clarissa Lablache

The historic Her Majesty's Theatre in London has survived many a crisis during its long and varied history. The 1850 season appeared to be no different; but behind the scenes, acid-tongued critic Henry Chorley had noted a downward course, that became more and more evident. The newly formed rival house, the Royal Italian Opera at Covent Garden, had scored many big successes by adopting French repertoire, since its change of name and management, and especially by the mid-forties, patrons in both houses were exposed to the attractions of French opera by the closeness of Paris. So, tiring of just Italian works, the patrons were interested in seeing what novelty these operas from Paris could offer. How often was it said that the insatiable British audiences during that time, would not be satisfied even if Da Ponte or Metastasio appeared before them and composed.

During the first half of the nineteenth century, Paris became a mecca for a generation of unequaled composers like Rossini, Donizetti, Meyerbeer and others, who had taken up residence in the capital to compose for the French theatres. Recognized French composers such as Daniel Auber and Fromental Halévy wrote successfully for the stages of the Opera Comique, L'Opera of Paris, plus the Theatre-Italien and other establishments. While Donizetti's Italian operas had reaped successes across Europe, none of his later French works could rival the triumph of his La fille du regiment. The entrance of this charming work to England in 1847, captured an enormous following when the Swedish Jenny Lind first sang Marie, and simultaneously Alice in Meyerbeer's first French opera Robert le diable, pivoted Lind's career to the top, and assuring French Opera a position in England that could not be denied.

Jacques Fromental Halevy

Not long after, the orchestra and chorus of the Royal Italian Opera House were pronounced the best in Europe; the previous years had chalked up impressive triumphs with a full programme of just operas, increasing prestige for their establishment. Starting with Auber's picturesque La muette de Portici, or Masaniello, (adapted to the Italian stage in 1849), this grand opera drew immense crowds for several successive nights with the famous Italian tenor Mario; it was his fortieth role since his debut. The successes continued with Meyerbeer's Les huguenots and the first Le prophète, starring Maria Malibran's famous sister Pauline Viardot, supported by Hayes and Mario. Chorley even went as far as to say, "Covent Garden keeps its promise and has THE OPERA."

These were the significant achievements that Her Majesty's Theatre needed to match. First and foremost, the primadonnas from the previous decade might have suffered from overexposure, but they were still up there in the limelight at Covent Garden. Her Majesty's Theatre needed to reinstall artists of quality. Many of the desirable singers who were stars during the golden years there, had deserted to Covent Garden, such as Grisi and Mario, Tamburini and Ronconi, even conductor Michael Costa, who now ruled there supreme, as field-marshal of the orchestra.

In 1847, Jenny Lind was a fresh new face on the British scene, her talent and sweet homely looks won hearts where ever she went. Lind's debut as Alice in Meyerbeer's Robert le diable at Her Majesty's, started the Lind fever that swept through London and the provinces for two years.

Besides Lind, there were few major stars left at Her Majesty's, and the prima-donna situation looked bleak- besides Catherine Hayes, and Luigi Lablache- such artists as Fezzolini, and Parodi were hardly major. The popular Lablache stayed on, declining in spite of trouble to desert his friend Lumley. He was tied into helping the impresario behind closed doors, and while certainly no youngster, he was still not past his prime at 55. Few could deny, that in England it was partly Lind's monumental popular appeal that helped pivot Meyerbeer's Robert le diable into an unrivaled position and from then on Meyerbeer works could not to be ignored. Meyerbeer gathered immediate laurels in England, while in comparison, Verdi's I masnadieri languished, even with a stellar cast, of Lind and Lablache.

Halévy and Eugène Scribe

Unfortunately for all, in 1849 - midseason, Jenny Lind decided to step down, and she soon left for America, leaving the theatre to fend for its self in the soprano department. That was a hard blow for Her Majesty's to overcome, and the press wrote: "since the days of the great impresario Barbaja, when composers and artists of genius were as numerous as they are now rare, the lyrical stage has yearly become more needy in its repertoire." England lavished more money on the lyrical stage than any other country, owing to prosperous times, her affluent society and the rapid rise of the new middle class through the industrial revolution. Entertainment became more varied, and competitive. Hence, while manager Lumley had captured the Swedish Nightingale Jenny Lind, for a few seasons, and reaped plenty from her fame, Her Majesty's failed to secure her for ever; leaving the rival Covent Garden to hope that with her departure it would leave them in undisputed possession of the field. Actually both theatres suffered from financial trouble. Looking out for Her Majesty's, Lumley immediately sought out and engaged the celebrated and still beautiful Henrietta Sontag (Countess Rossi) as a replacement for Lind. Immediately after her debut, she became the mainstay of Lumley's theatre for the season of 1850-another glorious wind-fall for the lessee of Her Majesty's Theatre, and another triumph for diplomacy.

Mme. Sontag

London newspapers wrote:" Madame Sontag made her triumphant 'rentree' at Her Majesty's Theatre on Saturday, July 7th, 1949, in Donizetti's Linda di Chamonix: exactly twenty years from the period of her farewell performance in the same theatre. The press wrote she created great excitement, rather than great enthusiasm. "The fashionable flocked in crowds, and the public, who followed the fashionable, flocked in also," But it was noted in the newspapers there was no Jenny Lind 'furore:'

"Madame Sontag was found very charming very graceful, highly interesting, exceedly ladylike... the nobility continued to shower their presence on the returned songstress. They were bound to this. She was among them and of them. A countess acting and singing on the stage, is a great rarity."

Still there was some reserve about her-as if she dared to challenge the prima donnas who reigned at Covent Garden, presuming that La Grisi and Madame Viardot, were not to be dethroned. The audience attitude changed quickly after she proved herself on stage, in Linda di Chamonix, Otello and Nozze di Figaro, following her success she set off on a tour with the Lablaches- father and son. Returning the spring of following year in Don Pasquale, then I puritani - the newspapers stated: " no another opera is more suited to her talents," Her "vein diletto" was encored and the Artruo that night Signor Baucarde, left nothing to be desired. His beguiling 'A te, o cara ' was also encored.

On the Queen Victoria's Birthday, Mozart's chef-d'oeuvre Le nozze di Figaro was repeated, with Sontag as Susannah, with the matchless cast of Lablache, Coletti, Belletti and Parodi.(tenor Calzolari in a small part of Basilio). Triumphant by the end of her first season, she displayed rare talent and her Susannah was written up as riveting. At last the shadow of Lind was dispelled for ever... Sontag held her own, and quickly stepping into Lind's footsteps, she took over most of her roles with a vengeance, including- Marie, in La fille du regiment.

At the Royal Italian Opera the same week audiences were enthralled by Meyerbeer's Les huguenots, packed audiences filled the theatre to overflow on every occasion. "The enthusiasm was unriveled in the third act -that contained the 'Benediction of the Poignards' - it was a good year for Grand French opera and Meyerbeer again. Sontag's entrance to the operatic scene caused little concern among Grisi's fans: Grisi was still 'Queen of the Opera' and was reported in 'splendid voice' later that week as Norma.

Luigi Lablache as "Caliban"

Fromental Halévy's opera La juive had been a spectacular success at its debut at Academie de Musique, Paris,(1835), and the opera soon appeared as a new central piece in the operatic repertoire throughout Europe. Yet, it was not till 1850 Covent Garden produced the first London performance of La juive in French, 'The Illustrated London News' wrote a glowing report: "...for the extra night, the long promised La juive of Scribe and Halévy was shown, and, it was proved beyond all comparison, with the most gorgeous 'mise en scene' ever known on the continent." Notably, it was pirated long before by London's Drury Lane Theatre, and produced in English in 1835, (another version in 1846). Adapted by Planche, and reduced to two acts, it nearly omitted all of the music, but added a happy ending. Scribe's drama was so powerful, that even with this musical mutilation it ran eighty-four nights with Ellen Tree, Ford, Messrs Cooper, Warde, Giubilei, E. Seguin, and Vanerhoff sustaining the principal part. Famed actor William Macready regretted later turning down the role of Eleazar. The Jewess was double-billed with the Michael Balfe's popular The Siege of La Rochelle, and both operas drew crowds all over the provinces for years.

The same year- 1850, Halévy introduced La tempesta written in Italian for Her Majesty's. Shown along side Verdi's Nino, Ernani and I Lombardi it seemed strange that none of Verdi's operas created much of an impression. Chorley summed up Verdi's operas 'a mixture of grandeur ....alternating with peculiarities.' Lumley needed another big draw like a Meyerbeer opera to keep his theatre afloat. Lablache refused to sing Verdi, but agreed to take the lead in La tempesta. By May 18 the team of librettist Scribe and composer Halévy, arrived in London to supervise the final rehearsals. On the 7th of January that year Halévy's Le val d'Andorre opened at St James's Theatre in French- dismissed by the press for 'lack of melody'...it was not enjoyed or understood. During the same spring Meyerbeer's Le prophète (in German), triumphed in Berlin; Meyerbeer was personally congratulated by the Royal family, and Herr Ganz the conductor presented the composer with a crown of laurel in massive silver wreath.

La tempesta was Halévy's first work based on a William Shakespeare's play, categorically a Romantic French work in spite of the Italian libretto, it was conceived against a 'dream fantasy' background, with choruses of elves, fairies dancing and flying figures. The Daily News remarked...."we have no hesitation in thinking that La tempesta will be regarded as the 'chef d'oeuvre' of its celebrated author. Its the work of a poet as well as a musician, like all Halévy's work its is profound in thought and masterly in construction, while it is bold, free, imaginative and dramatic, with a great deal of expressive melody, set off by the most varied and elegant instrumentation."

For Chorley to call it 'pantomimic music,' there had to have been a pantomime atmosphere: "Produced under all these conditions, I have always felt that La tempesta has more real merit than the world agreed to award it." Chorley stated that what musical talent Halévy possessed was exclusively Parisian: "Anywhere else, save in the capital of France, I have never heard his stage-works without a feeling of short-coming and weariness. The very peculiarities of his style -and extreme illustration of that musical suspense in which the French delight; -calling the same 'distinction' demand French text, French actors, French audiences. I recollect the man in both capitals, as tenfold more frank and attractive than his music. The best singers in the company were assembled to give every possible strength and spirit to the drama. The Caliban of Lablache was alike remarkable as a piece of personation and of good taste. Had it not been so, the very hazardous scenes of the Monster's persecution of Miranda could not have been allowed on the stage. In these, too Madame Sontag's delicacy and reserve stood the drama in good stead. The rest of the company had worked good with no less goodwill; the music had been studied to a nicety rarely attained since Signor Costa had left the theatre. There was rich and tasteful scenery. But La tempesta could not live. It was given with less favour when it was subsequently given at the Italian Opera-house in Paris, though there (by way of improvement), the last act was entirely omitted. In England, as yet, Halévy has no public." Chorley continued to glumly described the operatic times:

"The disheartening lethargy which, in spite of every attempt to force applause, and to counterfeit the appearance of success, was creeping over the old Opera-house, got hold of the ballet too. It seemed totally impossible to excite any interest or curiosity. But we still read, morning after morning, of triumph after triumph; of enormous gains and successes; and the farce, melancholy as it was, was kept up for still a year or two longer, as bravely as if the end had not been from the first to be clearly foreseen." Chorley spoke well and truthfully, by 1852 all the lead artists had left Her Majesty's, for better offers elsewhere. Hayes was gone, Sontag was lured away to America and Mexico, and Lablache left to face his first Russian winter in St. Petersburg, never to return again to Her Majesty's.

In spite of Chorley's rather hostile recollections about La tempesta, there were other reviews to consider, these were positive and in some cases ecstatic, so in fact, the opera was popular with the general public. "The Illustrated London News," wrote: "Such a truly artistic work has seldom been seen on any stage; it is full of charming contrasts, employs every resource of modern art, and is free from all that is meretricious, glaring, and noisy." It seemed the whole production hinged on the graceful dancing of the Italian-born ballerina Carlotta Grisi, as Ariel, nowdays remembered as the foremost ballerina of her day, and the creator of Giselle - the ballet written especially for her by Théophile Gautier. As for La tempesta, it was thought the performances could have been extended, but Carlotta Grisi was engaged to go to Russia, therefore the opera was terminated after six performances, and in spite of a great public interest...La tempesta has never been staged again since that time as far as we know. The below London review in 1850, gives us some idea of the rather confusing description of the story, the opera opened on the 8th of June.

Alfonso............................Signor Lorenzo
Prospero...........................Signor Colletti
Antonio............................Signor F.Lablache
Ferdinand..........................Signor Baucarde
Trinculo...........................Signor Ferrari
Stephano...........................Mdlle. Parodi
Sycorax............................Mdlle. Bertrand
Spirit of Air......................Madame Giuliani
Ariel..............................Mdlle. Carlotta Grisi
Caliban............................Signor Lablache
Miranda............................Madame Sontag
Conductor.........................Michael Balfe

(From the La tempesta playbill: Copyright Enthoven Collection V.A. Museum.)

The opera is written in three acts with a prologue:

"...the most rising composer of the age, the greatest living librettist as well as dramatist of the age having written an opera expressly for such performers as Sontag, Parodi, F. Lablache, Giuliani, Baucarde, Coletti and Lablache. The smaller parts are executed by artists of merit; and the spiriting of Carlotta Grisi with a select bevy of danseures, is interwoven like a thread of gold into the whole tissue of the opera...one of the essental differences betwixt Shakespeare's and Scribes's plot is, that the English Tempest (except in a passing description) is without a tempest - a most important subject for a composer to treat."

PROLOGUE

(A large ship is seen on stage)

The tempest in the opera forms the prologue. First comes the introduction: a pianissimo passage represents the hushed whispers of the winds, the lull of the elements previous to a tempest; the wind instruments, whose sounds swell out and then almost die away, exquisitely describe the fitful state of the elements; during which the curtain rises. King Alfonso and Antonio are seen sleeping in a tent on the deck of a ship; their dreams are troubled. A chorus of avenging invisible spirits, as in an ancient Greek tragedy, is heard threatening the vengeance of Heaven for the cruelty of the Princes to Prospero. Ariel appears with her attendant spirits, and infuses new elements of terror in the dreams of the guilty King and usurping Duke. At her call the ship is tossed by the violence of wind and wave. The Princes wake and - their followers and crew rush out in dismay and express their terror in a magnificent clashing chorus of dramatic feeling. They fall on their knees, and sing a soft-toned prayer on the appropriately chosen model of the Sicilian preghiere; it offers a charming contrast to the previous chorus. The anger of heaven seems to be calmed, but soon the raging of the elements is renewed; the music vocal and instrumental, expresses despair - the waves sweep the decks -and the ship is engulfed, and the curtain falls. The prologue lasts twenty minutes.

ACT I

A CAVE

The first act opens with a tableau of winged elves before the cavern abode of Prospero, which above all Ariel appears in the distance, and forms a tableau of real enchantment. Carlotta Grisi makes her entree, so lightly tripping to the tune' Where the bee sucks,' that she appears to be using her wings, and not her feet: the national English song, most splendidly orchestrated and varied, wound up the delight of the audience to enthusiasm. Then occurs the aria d'entrata of Miranda (Sontag): it is a romanza of beautiful simplicity....Prospero (Coletti) joins his daughter and calls in Caliban (Lablache), the Quasimodo and the hero of this opera, and a trio follows. Prospero then dismisses Caliban and Miranda to the cave, and summons forth Ariel to give an account of what she has done with the ship, and the passengers and crew. Of course Ariel is supposed to been deprived of speech by the sorceress Sycorax ....and Prospero eloquently discourses with his 'minister of grace. ' With the seventh scene of this act Fernando, led onto the abode of Miranda by a chorus of invisible spirits, a chorus is heard behind the scenes. Fernando first sings an aria, an exquisite ballad. "Mal tu lusingha un misero."It is almost immediately followed on the entrance of Miranda by a duet, "Per te mi parabbero," which ends the first act; and in which the firm, melodious tones of the tenor hold the motive, whilst the soprano is allowed to disport herself in fioriture, such as those in which Madame Sontag has no equal.

ACT II

SYCORAX'S ROCK

With the second act, the interest, both musical as well as dramatic, increases tenfold. Here the artistic magnificence of this opera in all respects is demonstrated to the most ordinary observers's comprehension. Caliban wandering near a rock where Sycorax is imprisoned, is told by his mother where three flowers grow, each of which will afford him the accomplishment of a wish. Caliban's triumph first over Ariel, whom he imprisons in a tree, and next to Miranda, the object of his brutal love, affords the composer and Lablache the opportunity of displaying all the treasures of their respective arts. Lablache interpretation of the character of Caliban, in this second act exceeds all praise; he has realized all Shakespeare dreamt of, and makes the spectators feel astonished they could endure for an instant the wretched -singing Calibans of the English stage. Sontag, representing Miranda, indignant innocence in the power of brute force, displays likewise the most delicate traits of dramatic feeling. The struggle of contending passions expressed by composer and vocalist, in the duet, scene III "Pure mi scuota," was truly beyond all ordinary commendation. The delight of the audience is further increased in the next scene when the (hairy) Caliban, carrying away Miranda encounts the crew of the ship.

At the beginning of this scene Parodi in the costume of a young mariner, sings a brindisi "Nost'omo il mozzo" with a Spanish flavour accompanied by the chorus, which presents this great vocalist in a new point of view, and unquestionably adds to her fame...afterwards, when Caliban drinks and his voice and hi-motions are contrasted with laughter of the crew, and despairing tones of Miranda, a still more admirable performance takes place. Calibans's drunken song, "Se tutto giba,"with a broken curious rhythm, to which he dances to the audience's delight. The act ends with the fallen Miranda struck motionless by the means of the talisman she has purloined, surrounded with an assemblage of eccentric dancers as the curtain falls.

ACT III

The third act, though inferior to the second, contains some very remarkable 'morceaux.' At the rise of the curtain Alfonso and Antonio are discovered overwhelmed with fatigue and anxiety Alfonso fearing that Ferdinand has been unable to escape from the wreck: Antonio fears for his own existence. Both are tormented with remorse. These various sentiments are well expressed in the duo "Non e reposo," which were sung in a very credible manner by Lorenzo and and F. Lablache. At its conclusion Prospero enters, and, in the fine trio which ensues, reproach them with their crime. Prospero (Coletti)then discloses who he is, and grants forgiveness to his two enemies. He releases Ariel from her prison but then he learns of the abduction of Miranda from Ariel ( in pantomime)After vowing revenge they all depart. They are scarcely out of sight when Miranda appears and in her recitative, replete with pathos, describes the passion Ferdinand has awakened in her. She expresses her dread that it should be a spell the young stranger may have cast on her. Sycorax, whose rock is close by, immediately takes advantage of her error, and pretends to be one of Prospero's invisible messengers, urges her to put to death the impostor who has designs upon her father's life and her own. She rushes to where Ferdinand is seen asleep; she looks at him, and in an aria "Questa fronte" in which the composer has admirably blended her love for her father, and the reluctance she has to obey his cruel orders, nerves herself to strike the fatal blow. She is about to strike with a dagger, when Ferdinand awakes, and, in the duo which follows, Miranda tells him of barbarous advice she has received, whilst the young Prince expresses his readiness to receive death at her hands. At this moment the mutineers, under Caliban, who have awakened from their magic trance, advance, and instead of immolating the two lovers, as Caliban wishes, they fall at the feet of the Prince. Miranda expresses her delight in the variations and style of a Rode and applause breaks out all over the house. The scene then changes, and discovers one of the most beautiful specimens of scene-painting that can be imagined . A gorgeous vessel under full sail is seen advancing to the shore, while the choruses sang once more the tune " Where the bee sucks" -a most happy idea of the composer's who deserves no less praise for the manner in which it was introduced than for the admirable relief given to it by the instrumentation. at the close of this magnificent display, the curtain falls as the vessel reaches the shore; when the artists, composer, author, conductor, and impresario were all called forward to receive the reward their exertions so well deserved. Such a truly artistic work has seldom been seen on any stage; it is full of charming contrasts, employs every resource of modern art, and is free from all that is meretricious, glaring and noisy.

Copyright 1999 Clarissa Lablache

(added January 18, 1999)

Halévy biography

Halévy discography

Related article:

The Three Giants of French Grand Opera by Tom Kaufman