ASO will present Magnard's Berenice

[edurban]

I had a feeling this would be Magnard's year as American Symphony's unsung opera composer, but I thought the choice would be Guercoeur.  Nope, it's Berenice of 1909 (after Racine), I guess Guercoeur was too well-known .  Anyone know if this score also had to be reconstructed after the German soldiers set fire to Magnard's house?

David

[edurban]

Not to slight a pair of different unsung Romantics who will also make an appearance at the ASO under Botstein's baton: Fanny Mendelssoh and Louis Spohr.  Obviously a concert many of us will want to hear as we shall not see its like again...

Music and the Bible"
Tuesday, November 2, 2010, 8 p.m.
In the 19th century, Europe experienced a wave of religious resurgence.  This program explores the re-emergence of the sacred oratorio and how the tradition of communal singing aided religion in binding a community plagued by economic turmoil and epidemic disease.  This is a rare opportunity to experience major works by Fanny Mendelssohn (sister of Felix), and Louis Spohr, thought by his contemporaries to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Mozart and Beethoven.
Fanny Mendelssohn (1805-47): Musik für die Toten der Cholera-Epidemie (1831)
Louis Spohr (1784-1859) Die letzten Dinge (1826)


David

[eschiss1]

I had a feeling this would be Magnard's year as American Symphony's fall opera composer, but I thought the choice would be Guercoeur.  Nope, it's Berenice of 1909 (after Racine), I guess Guercoeur was too well-known .  Anyone know if this score also had to be reconstructed after the German soldiers set fire to Magnard's house?

David

Botstein talked about Berenice some in a Fanfare magazine interview a few years back, there was no mention of need for reconstruction (unlike Guercoeur), though it's possible.  I don't think he mentioned Yolande or any other Magnard opera (is there another besides those three?) - I'd have to check That said, he was already quite taken with Berenice, it was understandable he'd eventually conduct it.

[edurban]

eschiss1, do you have access to that interview?

Best, David

[eschiss1]

eschiss1, do you have access to that interview?

Best, David

September/October 2005 Fanfare, vol. 29/1, pp. 68-75 "The Old Order Changeth-- Chausson's King Arthur Commands the Field: An Interview with Conductor Leon Botstein", by Adrian Corleonis.  Berenice is referred to (not, as I thought, at great length, but still, much-praised by Corleonis, who calls it Magnard's "supreme masterpiece") on pages 69 and 72 (where Botstein says "Berenice, actually, is on my desk"). (Note- he gives Berenice's date as 1911, not 1909. You're probably right, but any idea where he might have gotten the latter and late date from ?)

Eric

[edurban]

Eric, the ASO website is listing the date as 1909.  I think the first performance was at the Opera-Comique in 1911, but I may be misremembering that...

David

[edurban]

Time to dredge this thread up, as Berenice makes her US debut Sunday at Carnegie Hall.  I'm sure there are still tickets, and at $25 they're the cheapest opera seats in town.  It's a great score, glowing with the sound world of Magnard's Fourth Symphony...

David

[Amphissa]

Geez, I wish I could be in NY this weekend. I'd love to hear this/ Do you know, is it going to be a fully staged opera, or performed in concert? Do you think they'll be recording it for release? If not, I sure hope Botstein records it.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

The circumstances of life don't allow a quick whizz to NY this weekend (!), but, like Amphissa, I sure hope to heck that a recording might be made. If it isn't then, shucks, we continue to be deprived of the chance of listening to this probable masterpiece.

Peter

[eschiss1]

From Botstein's brief description in a Fanfare interview, from a brief view I think I had of the vocal score at the Cornell library -- I concur !!!

[edurban]

Here are links to two private recordings of Berenice, one is an off-air recording of a radio broadcast from Montpelier Opera in 1992 (iffy vocal performances, but you'll get a feel for the opera):
http://store.operapassion.com/cd7203.html

The other (haven't heard this) is the staged Marseille performance of 2001:
http://store.operapassion.com/cd7204.html

Happy exploring!
David