MACBETH - an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi, libretto by F. M. Piave and A. Maffei based on Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name Contents The opera was later revised for Paris. Ballet music was written for the second edition. First production in Paris on 21 April 1865 at the Théâtre Lyrique.
Opera in four acts, libretto by F. M. Piave and A. Maffei based on Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name.
First production: Florence, theater "La Pergola", March 14, 1847.
The opera was later revised for Paris...
Opera in four acts, libretto by F. M. Piave and A. Maffei based on Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name.
First production: Florence, theater "La Pergola", March 14, 1847.
The opera was later revised for Paris. Ballet music was written for the second edition.
First production in Paris on 21 April 1865 at the Théâtre Lyrique.
Act one
Picture 1. Thick dark night, in which the shadows of witches flicker. Macbeth and Banquo, the Scottish generals, are on their way to Inverness. At the sight of ghosts, Macbeth exclaims: "Who are you? Answer!" With terrible voices, the witches predict to him that he will soon become the thane of Cawdor, and then the king of Scotland. Then ghostly shadows turn to Banquo: "You will be lower than Macbeth and higher than him ... Not a king, but an ancestor of kings ..." Macbeth shudders. So it's not his descendants who will become kings of Scotland?
Shadows disappear, predictions sound only in the souls of Macbeth and Banquo, when in the dark they meet with the messengers of the king. The envoys report that the Cawdor Thane turned out to be a traitor, paid for the betrayal with his life, and King Duncan gave the title of Thane of Cawdor and his possessions to Macbeth.
The first part of the prediction came true, why not the second one? In the soul of Macbeth, ambition flares up more and more, and it is not very legible in means. "Bloody plot, why are you seducing me?"
The travelers continue on their way, carrying in their souls the heavy burden of prediction. Witches laugh, Macbeth is their prey. They know that soon he will return to them.
Scene 2. Macbeth's castle in Inverness. Lady Macbeth reads her husband's letter in which he reports the witches' prophecy. A demonic fire flares up in her: it must come true! There is enough vanity in Macbeth to achieve the throne. But can he become treacherous and mean enough?
A servant appears and reports that King Duncan and Macbeth are approaching the castle.
Macbeth, fighting ghosts, returns home. The prediction brought his soul out of balance. Duncan is his uncle and benefactor. He had just bestowed upon him the title and possessions of Thane of Cawdor. Yet Macbeth sneaks into the sleeping king's room and kills his benefactor.
But the bloody deed requires retribution. The soul of Macbeth will never again be able to rest. But the evil spirit that incited him to commit a crime, Lady Macbeth, still reproaches her husband, even though he committed a bloody deed: "You are a child, not a king!"
Banquo is also Macbeth's guest. He is still preoccupied with visions from the previous night when the murder is revealed. The whole castle is agitated, curses are pouring on the killer. Macbeth himself curses him the loudest.
Action two
Scene 1 Macbeth and his wife are whispering in Inverness Castle. Lady Macbeth asks why her husband avoids her, why is his face so gloomy? After all, nothing will change what has been done. The heir to the throne, Malcolm, fled to England, suspicion is easily directed at him. And then Macbeth is king. But Banquo and his son, Flins, are alive. But, according to the prediction, the throne will pass to the heirs of Banquo, his descendants will become kings. Did Duncan have to die for this? It's impossible to stop. Once shed blood pushes them to new crimes.
Picture 2. The surroundings of the castle. Assassins lurk in the dark. They are tasked with killing Banquo and his son as they approach the castle.
At dusk, the figures of Banquo and his son appear. Banquo is tormented by heavy forebodings. Moments later, these premonitions become reality: they are attacked by assassins. The mortally wounded Banquo has only enough strength to shout to Flins: "Save yourself, my son!"
Banquo dies, but Finse manages to escape.
Scene 3. The nobles of Scotland gather at Inverness Castle for a royal feast. Macbeth, already with a crown on his head, greets his guests, the noble thanes. With vile hypocrisy he searches for Banquo: why is he not there, why is he late? But the next minute Macbeth has no time for pretense, for Banquo is here. He sits, with a bloody forehead, in Macbeth's chair. No one sees him, except for the killer himself. Tans look at Macbeth with surprise: what is the matter with him? Lady Macbeth is trying to bring him to his senses, because she knows what's wrong with him, what delusional visions torment him. Macbeth comes to his senses and asks the guests to excuse him. Lady Macbeth tries to save the day and sings a drinking song as the guests greet the new king. But Banquo's bloodied shadow reappears before him. Macbeth finally goes crazy and starts to run amok.
Act Three
Macbeth wanders alone around the neighborhood, where he once met with sorceresses. He seems to hear voices again: - Avoid meeting with Macduff! ..
Macduff? Tan Fifa? Macduff was in Inverness that bloody night when Macbeth killed the king. Maybe he suspects something? Macbeth does not yet know that not only the Thane of Fife suspects, but rumors are already spreading throughout Scotland. And the ghosts whisper: Macbeth, be merciless, do not restrain your desires.
Then Macbeth hears a new prediction: no one born of a woman can defeat him; No one can master Macbeth until Birnam Wood goes against him ...
From the delusional world of visions and ghosts, he comes to his senses. He's at home at Inverness Castle. He shares the predictions he heard with Lady Macbeth, who immediately gives the order: "Let Macduff's castle burn to the ground, let women and children die in it ..."
The avalanche of crimes cannot be stopped.
act four
Picture 1. Border of England and Scotland. The sad crowd of refugees remembers the long-suffering homeland and the unfortunate people.
Among them is Macduff, who lost his wife and son and is full of a thirst for revenge.
But now the Scottish prince Malcolm, the son of the murdered Duncan, is already approaching at the head of the English troops.
Before them is the Scottish border and the forest of Birnam. Macduff orders each soldier to cut down a branch and hide behind it. The foliage will hide the approaching army from the eyes of the usurper.
Scene 2. The flame of the lamp sways restlessly. Lady Macbeth, like a wandering ghost, wanders from hall to hall, from corridor to corridor, and so every night. She wanders in her sleep, moaning and rubbing her hands: "A blood stain... it won't come off!.."
A doctor and a maid are watching her in fear. Lady Macbeth asks: "The wife and sons of the Thane of Fife... how far are they...?"
On her orders, they attacked the castle of Macduff, Tan of Fife, and slaughtered his wife and children ...
Somnambulist wanders on.
Picture 3. "Only a terrible mourning song and abuse reach me," Macbeth mutters to himself, seeing that Birnam Forest has moved on him.
Prediction!
Malcolm, Macduff and the Scottish warriors advance, holding thick branches in front of them. It seems as if Birnam Wood really rose up against Macbeth. Thus the prediction came true.
Macduff, in passionate indignation, like a demon of a storm, longs to avenge his homeland, his wife, and children. On the battlefield, he is looking for only Macbeth.
Finally, they stand against each other, a decisive battle begins, not for life, but for death. But there is still hope in Macbeth. After all, one who is born of a woman cannot kill him! ..
All in vain. Macduff exclaims: his mother did not give birth to him, he was cut out of her womb!
The prediction came true. Birnam Forest moved on Macbeth, and Macbeth is killed by Macduff, not born to his mother.
The drama ends with the words of the young King Malcolm and a solemn victory hymn.
D. Verdi opera "Macbeth"
Verdi's tenth opera became a milestone for him and at that time the main one. A plot atypical for Italian opera, a baritone in the title role, new principles of singing in individual arias, intensity of passions, but not love ones, as the audience is used to, but the deepest and most diabolical that a person has - a thirst for power, revenge, envy, hatred. All this, coupled with beautiful music, singled out "" from among the many operas written by the composer in the 1840s.
Summary of the opera Verdi "Macbeth" and many interesting facts about this work, read on our page.
|
Characters |
Description |
|
| baritone | Thane of Glamis, Scottish General | |
| Banquo | bass | general in Duncan's army |
| Lady Macbeth | soprano | Macbeth's wife |
| Macduff | tenor | Tan Fire, Scottish nobleman |
| Duncan | party without words | King of Scotland |
| Malcolm | tenor | his son |
Summary
The action takes place in Scotland and on the Anglo-Scottish border in the middle of the 11th century. Macbeth is the favorite of King Duncan, who has a great influence on him. The witches, met by Macbeth and Banquo returning from the battle, predict that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and king, Banquo's descendants will also become kings. Soon news comes from Duncan that for the victory in the battle Macbeth was given the title of Tan of Cawdor - the prophecy begins to come true. Macbeth's thoughts were captured by the second part of the prediction - about coming to power. He writes about this to Lady Macbeth, who is plotting the assassination of the king, to which she persuades her husband. This plan is carried out as soon as Duncan stays overnight in Macbeth's castle - in the morning Macduff finds his torn body.
Macbeth becomes the Scottish king, but he is haunted by the words of the witches that the descendants of Banquo should ascend the throne. He and his wife decide to kill Banquo along with the heir by the hands of mercenaries. The killers are waiting for their victim in the park, where he appears with his son. Banquo dies, but the boy manages to escape. At this time, Macbeth, as the new king of Scotland, arranges a reception for the aristocracy, to which the ghost of Banquo also appears. The nobles begin to suspect that the new king has received power illegally. Macduff supports them.
Macbeth again turns to the witches for a prediction. They warn that he should be wary of Macduff, but may not be afraid of anyone who is born of a woman, and will also be invulnerable until Birnam Wood approaches the castle. Macbeth mercilessly cracks down on Macduff's family. Beside himself with grief, he stands under the banner of Malcolm, the son of the murdered King Duncan, who is coming from England to fight the bloody Scottish ruler, covering his troops with tree branches. Lady Macbeth, under the yoke of what she has done, goes mad and dies. Macduff pursues Macbeth and kills him - this is how the last prophecy is fulfilled, because he really was not born, but cut out of his mother's womb.
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Interesting Facts
- Verdi spent his whole life looking creatively at various plays by Shakespeare. In the early 40s, he closely studied the plots of Hamlet and The Tempest, in the 60s he hatched the idea of King Lear. In the 50s, he even planned to write operas for all the major Shakespearean tragedies. But it turned out that "Macbeth" was born, and only many years later, at the end of his career - " Othello " And " falstaff (Based on the plays Henry IV and The Merry Wives of Windsor).
- Together with F.M. Piave Verdi created 7 more operas: "Ernani", "Two Foscari", "Stiffelio", " Rigoletto », « La Traviata », « Simon Boccanegra », « Force of Destiny ».
- One of the opera's superbly thought-out scenes is King Duncan's visit to Macbeth's castle. It passes in complete silence to the sounds of a leisurely march, which the composer noted in the score as "village music".
- "Third main role»opera after Macbeth and his wife, Verdi named the parts of the witches, written for three choirs of 6 female voices - 2 from each register. Such an ensemble allowed the composer to express the demonic nature of the music.
- The first Lady Macbeth M. Barbieri-Nini, in addition to "Two Foscari" and "Macbeth", participated in another world premiere of Verdi's opera. In 1848 she sang Gulnara in Le Corsaire.
- After the Paris premiere, some of the press fell upon Verdi - both for the non-musical plot and for the fact that he did not understand the meaning of Shakespeare's tragedy. The composer was determined to publicly appear in the same newspapers with the rationale for his position. “Perhaps I didn’t manage to express everything in Macbeth, but it’s unfair to say that I don’t understand or don’t feel Shakespeare,” he wrote to the French publisher and publicist Léon Escudier. - "I love him very much and constantly re-read, not letting go of my hands from my earliest youth."
- On December 7, 1952, La Scala opened the season with Macbeth, where Maria Callas performed the role of Lady Macbeth for the first time. Exactly 45 years later, in this role, Milan was conquered by the Russian singer Maria Guleghina.
- The premiere of the opera came at a time when the liberation movement was gaining momentum in Italy. The final chorus of Scottish exiles in Macbeth was often perceived by the public as a manifesto against tyranny; it became a direct successor to the choirs from Nabucco and Lombards, full of regrets for the lost homeland. In the 1865 version, as the events of the Risorgimento drew to a close, the new choir had already turned to human suffering in a broader sense.
- Verdi compared his hard work in the 1840s with the work of a galley slave - during this decade, 13 of his operas were written and staged - exactly half of those that he wrote in 54 years of his work. Among some rather ordinary and even unsuccessful works for Verdi, there are undoubted achievements, the main of which are “ Nabucco and Macbeth.
Popular arias
"Pieta, rispetto, amore" - Macbeth's aria (listen)
"Vieni t'affretta" - Lady Macbeth's aria (listen)
"Ah, la paterna mano" - Macduff's aria (listen)
History of creation and productions
To create an opera based on the tragedy of Shakespeare was a long-standing desire Verdi , and by 1846 he was increasingly thinking about Macbeth. The maestro rewrote the plot outline of the future opera in prose and suggested that Francesco Maria Piave write poetry. They were not just familiar with the librettist, but understood each other well, having behind them the experience of creating two joint operas. Piave knew the maestro's high demands and sometimes rewrote the scenes many times, trying to achieve their conformity with the composer's intention. In September 1846, Verdi sent his co-author of his adaptation of Macbeth, writing that this tragedy is the greatest of all created by people. He asks Piave to be concise - the verses should express what is happening as briefly as possible to achieve the greatest effect. Verdi also notes that in the speech of witches, he would like to see strange and original nuances that distinguish them from other heroes.
Verdi entrusted the performance of the title role to one of the best baritones of those years - Felice Varese. The surviving letters testify to how detailed the composer explained to the singer not only the nuances of music, but also all the psychological movements of the hero, working with him almost like a director.
If in Shakespeare Lady Macbeth is just a catalyst for her husband's evil intentions, then in Verdi she is a direct instigator and equally a full participant. Her brilliantly written part for a dramatic soprano is as important as the title.
Macbeth opened a new page in Italian opera - it was he who made the final transition from the era of bel canto to the era of realism. The composer made many key arias not vocal, but recitative with orchestral accompaniment - such is Macbeth's monologue before Duncan's murder, such is the scene of his wife's somnambulism. It is no coincidence that Verdi considered these two scenes to be key in the entire opera. Such a presentation speaks of the author's intention to focus not on the music as such, but on the authenticity of the characters and the accurate transmission of the plot.
The premiere took place at the Florentine theater "La Pergola" on March 14, 1847. The part of Lady Macbeth was performed by Marianna Barbieri-Nini, it was her second work at the Verdi premiere - three years earlier she sang the main female part in "Two Foscari". After the first performance, despite the warm reception, the opera was criticized by both specialists and the public - how could it be, not a single decent tenor part and no love affair. At that time, both of these elements in the opera were mandatory. However, Verdi ignored this tradition - he was not interested in a love story, but in the study of the psychology of power.
That is why, before the 1848 production in Naples, he rejected the idea of inviting the outstanding singer E. Tadolini, a beautiful woman with a magnificent voice, to play the role of Lady Macbeth. The composer needed an artist who could not only sing, but bring to life an unpleasant and evil heroine with a deaf, harsh and gloomy timbre. Verdi was looking for the devil, not an angel. Such was Barbieri-Nini, but not Tadolini.
Almost 20 years later, already the author of "Rigoletto", "La Traviata" and " Troubadour”, Verdi will return to his Macbeth. For the premiere in Paris, the maestro completely reworks his early masterpiece - adds, rearranges or deletes scenes (even a ballet appears in the opera), changes the finale. To refine the libretto, he enlists Andrea Maffei, a translator and poet, the wife of Countess Clara Maffei, who provided great support to Verdi in his difficult years. Verdi has already collaborated with Maffei as a librettist, creating the next opera after Macbeth, The Robbers. Thus was born the second edition of Macbeth, which was released on April 21, 1865 on the stage of the Lyric Theatre.
In Russia, "Macbeth" was first heard on December 1, 1854, performed by the St. Petersburg Imperial Italian Opera. Since censorship did not allow performances with scenes of the murders of royal persons, the opera was given edited according to the plot and under the title Siward the Saxon.
Since 2001, the Mariinsky Theater has staged Macbeth staged by D. McVicar. In 2017, a performance was held with an unusual line-up of performers - the tenor Placido Domingo sang the baritone Macbeth, the mezzo-soprano Yekaterina Semenchuk sang the soprano Lady Macbeth. In 2003, Eymuntas Nyakroshyus staged the opera at the Bolshoi Theatre, and in the summer of 2018 the premiere of Macbeth staged by Kama Ginkas is expected at the Theater. K.S. Stanislavsky and V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko.
Music of "Macbeth" in the cinema
Music from the opera can be heard in films from different eras. This is the second picture of B. Bertolucci "Before the Revolution" (1964), and the 2004 nominee for 3 Cesar awards the film "Partner" (2004), and the horrors of D. Argento "Opera" (1987). But the 1987 Finnish film Macbeth, based on Shakespeare's tragedy, used Verdi's music, but not from the opera of the same name, but from " Hades ».
Stage versions of Macbeth have been filmed several times:
- Metropolitan Opera, 2015, production by G. Halvorson, cast: J. Lucic, A. Netrebko;
- Covent Garden, 2011, staged by S. Judd, starring: S. Keenlyside, L. Monastyrska;
- "Opera de Paris", 2009, staged by E. Sommer, starring: D. Tiliakos, V. Urmana;
- "Gran Teatro di Liceo", 2005, staged by T. Bargaglio, cast: C. Alvarez, M. Guleghina;
- La Scala, 1997, staged by C. Battistoni, starring: R. Bruzon, M. Guleghina.
It is generally accepted that the main masterpieces Verdi wrote after the 1850s, when he acquired maturity and skill. Nevertheless, every day one of his early operas, "" is performed in two theaters of the world. It was not lost either among the masterpieces of the maestro himself or in the world opera heritage, which speaks of its undoubted artistic value and ability to impress the public even almost 2 centuries after its creation.
Giuseppe Verdi "Macbeth"
Libretto by F. M. Piave and A. Maffei based on Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name.
First production: Florence, theater "La Pergola", March 14, 1847. The opera was later revised for Paris. Ballet music was written for the second edition. First production in Paris on 21 April 1865 at the Théâtre Lyrique.
Characters:
Macbeth, tan of Glamis (baritone, Banquo (bass), Lady Macbeth (soprano), Duncan, King of Scots (silent role), Malcolm, his son (tenor), Lady of the Court (mezzo-soprano), Macduff, tan Fire (tenor) , Doctor, Servant, Herald (bass), Assassin (bass), Ghosts.
Witches, nobles, soldiers, Scottish exiles, etc.
The action takes place in Scotland and then on the border of Scotland and England in 1040.
Act one
Generals Macbeth and Banquo return after a successful campaign against the Norwegians. Suddenly, witches block their way. Turning to Macbeth, the sorceresses in turn call the warrior the Glamiss and Cawdor thanes, they prophesy the Scottish crown to him. The knight is surprised: after all, if he should become a Glamis thane by right of inheritance, then the Cawdorian thane is alive, like Macbeth's cousin, the Scottish king Duncan. Banquo witches promise that he will become "not a king, but an ancestor of kings". Macbeth is puzzled - not his descendants will rule the country. Witches disappear. Ambitious aspirations are born in the souls of both commanders. They are overtaken by messengers sent by Duncan: Cawdor the traitor is executed, his possessions and title pass to Macbeth. He shudders - the first part of the prediction has come true, which means that the rest of the prophecies may come true. The desire for power wakes up in him: "a bloody plan, do not tempt me ..." The witches rejoice, now they have Macbeth in their hands ...
Inverness Castle. Lady Macbeth reads a letter from her husband who informs her of the predictions. They must certainly come true. If Macbeth is only vain, his wife will push him to deceit and cruelty. Nothing will stop her on her way to the throne. Servants report the arrival of Duncan, who will spend the night at Brother Macbeth's castle. Lady Macbeth assures her husband that this is a sign from above. The knight hesitates: the good Duncan is the brother and benefactor of the Glamis thane. The Lady reproaches Macbeth for not being a man. He begins to imagine a hand holding out a dagger. Overcoming doubts, Macbeth breaks into the bedroom and kills the sleeping Duncan. But, from that moment on, peace of mind and sleep are lost forever. In vain Lady Macbeth tries to calm her husband. The wife's bloody dagger is placed on the king's servants. The news of Duncan's murder causes universal horror and anger.
Action two
Macbeth is gloomy: according to the prediction, the descendants of Banquo should ascend the throne after him. So far, both the commander himself and his son Fliens are alive. That's not why Duncan was killed. Their fate is also decided, they are doomed.
Banquo goes to a feast in the castle to Macbeth, who has ascended the throne. He is overcome by ominous premonitions: he doubts who the real killers of the king are. Another moment and the commander falls, struck by the hands of mercenaries, but before his death, Banquo manages to warn his son about the danger. Fliance flees.
The Scottish thanes gathered for a feast hosted by the new king. Only Banquo is missing. Macbeth addresses the question: why is his dear friend absent? The assassins who entered tell the king that Banquo's son managed to escape. Macbeth is disturbed by the news - this is a bad sign. Suddenly, the ghost of Banquo with a bloodied forehead appears before him, who takes his royal place.
Not understanding what is happening, the guests are surprised by the behavior of the monarch. Lady Macbeth calms the guests and tries to cheer them up by singing a drinking song. Before Macbeth, the bloody shadow rises again. The king, seized with fear, no longer controls himself. The guests disperse in horror.
Act Three
Macbeth decides to learn his fate from Hecate and goes to the lair of witches. In answer to his question, he hears three prophecies: Macbeth must avoid meeting with Macduff, Thane of Fife; Macbeth cannot be defeated by anyone born of a woman; Macbeth can be calm until the Birnam Forest moves on him ... The knight calms down - there has not yet been a case for the forest to move. However, he wants to hear another prophecy. Macbeth has a vision - eight young men holding mirrors and crowned with crowns - a symbol of the future. In the last of them, the knight recognizes Banquo. Macbeth draws his sword to strike him, but the vision disappears. The frightened knight loses consciousness. When he comes to, the witches and spirits disappear. Lady Macbeth appears. The husband gives her the words of the prophecy. The castle of the Thane Macduff of Fife must burn to the ground.
act four
Scottish refugees remember their unfortunate homeland. Among them is Macduff, whose wife and son died at Fife. Prince Malcolm, son of the slain Duncan, approaches at the head of the English troops. Macduff orders each warrior to cut off a branch from the nearby Birnam forest in order to hide the number of troops from the enemy.
Dark night. Lady Macbeth, as in a dream, wanders around the castle. The queen has lost her mind. She sees the ghosts of people killed on her orders: the son and wife of Macduff. She tries in vain to wash the blood stain off her hands. The doctor and the maid with deep sorrow observe the insanity of their mistress.
Macbeth prepares for the upcoming battle. And although he has too few people, he is confident in his invulnerability. The maidservant who enters informs him of the queen's death. "Life is a story written by a fool," exclaims Macbeth and runs to the loopholes.
Seeing the forest approaching him, he remembers the ill-fated prediction. The battle begins. With ease, Macbeth defeats the knights attacking him, but Macduff, thirsting for revenge, appears before him.
The king still hopes for victory, because he cannot fall at the hands of a man born of a mother. Macduff exclaims that he was cut out of his mother's womb before his time. Macbeth is amazed. All predictions came true, his death is inevitable. Dying Macbeth curses witches and the ill-fated crown...
(The scene of Macbeth's death is missing in the second edition. Prince Malcolm and the soldiers glorify the liberation of Scotland from the tyrant's rule).
Verdi has always been attracted by the work of the great Shakespeare. The composer idolized the English playwright, considering his works an unattainable pinnacle in art. If we turn to the history of the embodiment of Shakespeare's works on the stage of musical theater, it becomes obvious what courage this required from the composer, what difficulties he faced. Verdi was the first to decide to transfer Shakespeare's drama to the stage in a version close to the original. (Italian composers who used "Shakespearean" plots in their operas: "Otello", Capuleti and Montecchi "- Rossini, Vaccai, Bellini, etc., actually relied on materials from Italian short stories, although some episodes are in contact with scenes from Shakespeare's tragedy ("Song of the Willow" by Desdemona or the scene in the Capulet's crypt).)
Verdi did not separate the stages of the process of creating an opera from the search for a libretto to staging. He is looking for a plot based on a specific theater, with a specific troupe, a good director, a talented conductor. If one of these requirements does not satisfy him, he is ready to interrupt the work already begun. That is why the search for a suitable drama to remake takes a lot of time. Many wonderful works, for one reason or another, do not suit the composer. When the necessary plot is found, one of the most difficult stages begins (which did not exist at all for many composers who used ready-made librettos) - the creation of a libretto.
The composer was not satisfied with the finished texts, he carefully explained why such a size of the verse was necessary, why it was necessary to shorten the recitative. In the interests of drama, the composer is ready to sacrifice rhyme: “I have committed myself to give an opera for the grand theater La Fenice during the carnival season and this time, wanting to do something new, I am going to set the libretto in prose to music! What do you say to that?(Letter to Piava, 09/12/1856) ("Simon Boccanegra." - A.P.). To the credit of the Italian librettists, they always tried to fulfill the composer's requirements, recognizing the validity of his remarks, and Verdi was very grateful to them for this. In the case when the poet ignored the comments and, as a result, the composer could not achieve what he wanted, he was ready to terminate the contract. (Such a fate almost befell the "Sicilian Vespers", where the famous Eugene Scribe acted as a co-author. Verdi did not deny the presence of French playwright of great talent, but spoiled by attention, Scribe did not pay attention to many of the composer's demands.)
In "Macbeth" Verdi first encounters a plot that really struck his imagination. The composer perfectly represents the key moments of the drama and writes the full text in prose himself, dividing it by scenes and numbers. He is forced to cut side dramatic lines in order to concentrate his attention on the main thing and not interfere with the rapidly developing action. A few years later, in a letter to A. Somma, who was preparing the libretto of King Lear with the closest participation of the composer, Verdi pointed out how one of the main difficulties of Shakespearean dramaturgy is the frequent change of scenes, which must be avoided in the opera: "... The only reason that keeps me from taking on Shakespearean stories more often lies precisely in this need to change the scenery every minute. When I visited the theater more often, this change of scenery led me to the greatest annoyance, and it seemed to me that I I am present at the performance with a magic lantern.The French have found the only correct solution in this matter - they build their dramas in such a way that only one scenery is required for each act; thanks to this, the action moves forward without any obstacles and without to divert the attention of the public (29.06.1853).
Piave had to clothe the finished text in poetic form. Separate scenes, at the request of Verdi, were finalized by his friend Andrea Maffei, a famous Italian poet and translator.
When, finally, the opera was completed (the process of creating the libretto and writing the music went, as a rule, in parallel), rehearsals began. Verdi demanded the almost impossible from the singers - good acting, without which there is no full-fledged artistic image. It was the dramatic acting talent that the composer put above all else. Often he preferred a less gifted singer to a virtuoso if his acting skills were superior. “... It has become a habit of mine not to allow any of the artists to be imposed on me in any case, and I would not agree to this even if Maria Malibran returned to this world. All the gold in the universe would not make me deviate from this principle!”(letter to V. Torelli dated 12/7/1850).
The composer makes a request to Felice Varesi, a baritone singer whose meaningful manner of singing distinguished him from a large number of virtuosos. Although Varesi's voice was inferior in strength and beauty to the voices of famous singers, his dramatic talent fully atoned for these shortcomings.
“... So, are you going to come to Florence during Lent? If this is true, I will write Macbeth for you!”(letter to Varesi dated 08/26/1846). Having received consent, the composer gets to work, spending 12-16 hours a day at his desk. In parallel with writing the score, Verdi is in correspondence with singers, impresario, revealing the essence of his ideas. These valuable materials give a complete picture of Verdi the playwright.
“... Again and again, I strongly advise you to carefully study the situation and think about the words: the music will come by itself. In general, I wish you served the librettist better than the composer ... "(letter to Varesi dated 01/07/1847). For Verdi, there is no music in itself, it must be conditioned by the word, the stage situation. The composer explains to the singer almost every movement, every gesture, every detail of his role:
“...Think carefully about the situation that has arisen, that is, at the moment of meeting with the witches who predict the throne for Macbeth. You stand at this news, stunned and horrified, but at the same time, an ambitious desire to reach the throne is born in you. Therefore, you will sing the beginning of the duet in an undertone; by the way, do not forget to give proper meaning to the verse: "Ma perche sento rizzarsi il crine" - "But why am I terrified"- (cited letter). Pay attention to all my designations, to stresses, to pp And f indicated in music...” (ibid.).
In order for the singer to penetrate deeper into the stage situation, Verdi explains to him the peculiarities of orchestration:
“... In order for you to understand my intentions well, I will also tell you that in all this recitative and duet, instrumental accompaniment is entrusted to strings with mutes, two bassoons, two horns and one timpani. As you can see, the orchestra will sound extremely stifled, so you will also have to sing with mutes.(ibid.).
The new stage situations used in Macbeth also led to the emergence of new forms that could also arouse astonishment in a performer accustomed to stereotypical opera numbers. The composer explains to Varesi that the new scenes will make a stronger impression than the old ones: “... The scene depicts a cave in which witches practice witchcraft. You enter and address them with a question (short recitative), then ghosts appear. At this time you have only a few words, but as an actor you will have to accompany everything that happens with an expressive mimic scene ... I draw your attention to the cabaletta. Take a good look at it: it is not written in the usual form, because after all the previous cabaletta in the usual form with the usual ritornellos would seem vulgar. I had one written that I liked when I played it by itself, but when I added it to everything before, it seemed unbearable to me ... "(letter to F. Varesi, late January 1847).
Macbeth, like many Italian operas, ends with the death of the protagonist, but the death of Macbeth differs sharply from the death of other opera heroes, there is no peaceful music associated with the purification of everything earthly. Verdi reveals the meaning of the new solution: “... In the scene of death, you can really distinguish yourself if, along with singing, you also meaningfully carry out the action. You understand perfectly well that Macbeth should not die like Edgar, Gennaro, etc..., therefore, the death scene must be performed in a new manner. Let death be pathetic, even more than pathetic; let it be terrifying. The whole scene must be performed in a low voice, except for the last two verses, and be accompanied by the whole action with a strong explosion of feeling on the words "Vil corona" ("Contemptible crown") and "Sol perte" ("Only for you"). You (of course, of course) are on the ground, but with this last verse you stand up, stretched almost to your full height and will achieve the greatest possible effect.(to Varesi dated February 4, 1847).
Lady Macbeth seemed ugly and evil to Verdi. He wanted to see the same singer. For this party, Marianna Barbieri-Nini, a dramatic soprano with a magnificent voice and unattractive appearance, turned out to be just in time. Possessing a dramatic talent, she created an impressive image main character. At the end of her stage performance, the famous artist wrote the book "Memoirs of a Singer", in which a number of episodes are devoted to the rehearsals and production of "Macbeth".
Verdi is also in correspondence with the impresario of the La Pergola theater Alessandro Lonari. The composer betrays the importance of the shadow of Banquo, symbolizing the pangs of conscience of Macbeth. The composer insists that the same actor who portrayed Banquo in the first act act as a shadow. “... He must appear behind an ashen veil, very rare, thin, barely visible; Banquo has tousled hair and wounds should be visible on the neck. I received all this information from London, where the tragedy has been going on continuously for more than two hundred years...” letter to Lonari dated 12/22/1846).
The composer wants to stage the action with ghosts as best as possible, seeking advice from the famous theater designer Alessandro Sanquirico. Part of the costumes, at the request of the composer, will be made by Francesco Gayets, the head of the Italian romantic school of painting. (The same great work with the artist (Morelli) took place during the work on Othello.)
When staging "Macbeth" in the Neapolitan theater of San Carlo, Verdi provides his letter to Cammarano with a number of valuable instructions, highlighting the most important episodes in the drama: "I warn you that highlights in the opera - two: a duet of a lady with her husband and a scene of somnambulism. If these moments are lost, the opera is a failure. And these moments under no circumstances should be sung: it is necessary to convey them by playing and reciting, in a very gloomy and muffled voice: without this, impact is impossible. An orchestra with mutes, the stage is extremely dark... The orchestra below the stage should, given the size of the large theater of San Carlo, be strengthened, but make sure that there are no trumpets or trombones. The sound should seem distant and deaf, therefore, the orchestra should consist of clarinets, double basses, bassoons, contrabassoons - and nothing else.(letter dated 11/23/1848).
"Macbeth" is the first work by Verdi, where such great attention is paid to the depths of the human psyche. Of course, this is determined by Shakespeare's tragedy. At the same time, Macbeth managed to combine the achievements of previous operas. Important milestones on the way to "Macbeth" were three of them: "Two Foscari" by the tragic power of individual sections will not yield to "Macbeth". The introduction, the scene of Jacopo in prison, the grand finale of the second act are vivid examples of what Verdi achieved before Macbeth. "Joan of Arc" had an impact with its beautiful orchestration of choral scenes and scenes related to mysticism. In "Attila" for the first time the voice of fate sounded, which leads to the death of the leader of the Huns (The theme of fate, fate, passing through a number of Verdi's operas, will find its conclusion in The Force of Destiny.). The tragic introduction, foreshadowing a sad denouement, the scene of Attila and Uldino, the scene of Attila's vision will have a direct impact on Macbeth (it is no coincidence that Verdi considered Attila his best opera before Macbeth). that the previous opera turned out to be uneven in artistic merit, Verdi in "Macbeth" is limited to two main characters, which are, in essence, a single whole.
Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth embark on their fateful path, leading them to the collapse of ambitious aspirations and defeat in an unequal battle with fate. Witches, personifying fate, are the third most important character in the opera. Their prophecies evoke an irresistible, almost erotic desire for power in the mind of the lady. Macbeth is a brave and courageous warrior, but is in erotic submission to Lady Macbeth, who manages to get her husband to commit the most terrible atrocities.
Power over Macbeth develops in Lady Macbeth into a pathological desire for power over the outside world, leading the queen to death. After all, she is only a toy in the hands of Providence. Its function is to force Macbeth to take the fatal path. With the advent of Macduff, when the fate of Macbeth is already a foregone conclusion, the lady goes crazy and dies, having completed her bloody mission to the end.
The plot, unusual for Italian opera, the fantastic world of spirits and witches, the psychological depth of many scenes, led to the renewal of the means of musical expression. First of all, this refers to a new interpretation of recitative. Verdi insisted that the key moments of the drama should by no means be sung. The composer tried to achieve a clearer and clearer pronunciation of words. To achieve his goal, he creates a new type of vocal part - something between a recitative and a melody, highlighting individual important words and cues with melodic phrases, framing them with pauses. Expressive jumps in such melodic formulas make it possible to feel the similarity with the intonations of the natural human speech which found expression in duet scenes. When Verdi talks about this in a letter to Varesi, he even gives musical examples of recitative phrases. Of great importance are dynamic shades, staccato, accents, to which Verdi asks Felice Varesi to pay close attention. The orchestra, which takes an active part in the recitative sections, reveals the shades of spiritual movements.
There are no fundamental differences between the recitative and the aria in Macbeth. There is a convergence of the two components, which gives the vocal part the necessary unity. This is especially vividly shown in the duet of Lady Macbeth and her husband from the first act and the scene of somnambulism, which Verdi considered the most important dramatic scenes of the opera.
The psychological state of the main characters determines the form of duets and ensemble numbers. In "Macbeth" the mechanical alternation of parts and change of pace (characteristic of early operas) are excluded. Despite the rather frequent changes in the place of the events taking place, the composer achieves unity due to intonational connections between individual scenes.
As reminiscence themes, Verdi uses several themes related to witches and their prophecies, and two themes that convey the state of mind of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The theme of witches appears in the opening prelude and at the beginning of Act III.
The theme of fate follows in the introduction immediately after the theme of witches, symbolizing the close connection of one with the other.
It will also sound in Act III, at the moment when Macbeth asks the witches to predict their fate. The fatal theme of fate in the prelude will be contrasted with the theme of somnambulism from the big scene of Lady Macbeth of Act IV.
Before the episode of the siege of the castle, the theme of the ill-fated prophecy from Act III, connected with the Birnam forest, takes place. The last reminiscence theme is from the duet of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in the first act, after the murder of Duncan. The opening melody of this duet is used in a short introduction to the second act, which characterizes Macbeth's state of mind.
Despite the predominance of an atmosphere of darkness and mystery in the opera, the dramaturgy of contrasts plays an important role. A tense dialogue between Macbeth and his wife plotting murder interrupts the march announcing the arrival of the king and his retinue. The picture of the tragic death of Banquo is replaced by a feast in Macbeth's castle. The scene of Macbeth's madness is one of the opera's finest numbers, along with the duet, the sextet from the first act, and the scene of somnambulism. The composer managed to convey the power of the contrast of Macbeth's state of mind, before which the vision of Banquo arises, and the merry courtiers, carried away by Lady Macbeth's drinking song. At the moment the shadow appears, Verdi achieves the strongest effect - the next drinking verse ends with a chord in B-dur, Macbeth enters with the sound "des" (the imposition of a major and minor third formed for a moment clearly conveys the dissonance between the state of Macbeth and the assembled guests).
Scenes of madness, somnambulism, etc. occupied a significant place in Italian opera (they were present in many operas by Bellini and Donizetti - Pirate, La sonnambula, Puritani, Lucia). However, Verdi puts a completely different meaning into his scene. Usually the heroines of a romantic opera are ideal images. Throughout the opera, the lady is in a state of ecstatic excitement, which passes. Unable to bear the severity of her crimes, she goes mad and dies. The whole scene is united by the development of lyrical melodious themes with an emphasis on lamento intonations taking place in the orchestra. The vocal part is a new type of recitation that combines the features of arioso and recitative (one can draw a parallel with the concitato style in Monteverdi's operas.).
The orchestra of "Macbeth" is striking in its diversity. The chords of fate sound majestically and menacingly in the introduction to Act III. The sinister character is accompanied by the duet of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth from Act I. The orchestra here is limited to strings with mutes, two bassoons, two horns and a timpani. An amazing mysterious sound comes from the combination of clarinets, double basses, bassoons and contrabassoons in the scene of the procession of kings from Act III. Cascades of string passages paint a picture of the anguish of Macbeth's scene with Banquo's shadow.
Verdi achieves amazing power in the final ensemble of the first act, making the most of orchestral and choral means to create a grandiose fresco. The finale of the first act is the most monumental scene of the opera, connected with the death of the first victim (King Duncan). It is significant that the most grandiose ensemble is not in the center and not at the end, but in the first act of the opera. A universal catastrophe is already taking place here, the murder of a good king is associated with the collapse of the foundations of the universe. Verdi creates a kind of operatic analogue of Dies Irae ("Oh hell, your mouth is open" - the main idea of this finale).
Seventeen years later, for staging on the stage of the Lyric Theater in Paris, Verdi, dissatisfied with the quality of the music of individual numbers and scenes, significantly revised Macbeth and completed the ballet. In letters to the Parisian publisher Leon Escudier, the composer indicated the episodes that had undergone a radical reworking:
“... In the first act, as I have already told you, there will be some corrections in the duet between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. Corrections will affect adagio and the last part. Everything else is fine... In the second act, I will replace the first aria with Lady Macbeth. The scene of visions is changed and finished. The third act is almost entirely new, and the only thing missing is the dancing. As soon as I write these dances and the aria of the lady in the second act, I will send you the first three acts fully instrumented ... "
(13.12.1864).
Somewhat later, Verdi completes the third act:
“... This third act, with the exception of part of the first chorus and part of the dance of the sylphs - while Macbeth lies in a swoon - is all new. I end the act with a duet between the lady and Macbeth. I do not find it illogical that the lady, all the time busy with her husband, discovered where he is ... You will see that there is a small action in the ballet that is perfectly connected with the rest of the drama ... "
(to Escudier, 01/23/1865). After 10 days, work on the new edition was completed: “Today I sent Ricordi the last act of Macbeth, completely finished. I re-wrote the whole chorus with which the fourth act begins. Remade and instrumented a tenor aria. Then, after the baritone romance and until the very end, everything is written anew, including the descriptions of the battle and the final anthem.
You will laugh when you hear that I wrote a fugue for the depiction of the battle!!! Fugu! I, who hate everything that will give away school, and who have not written fugues for almost thirty years !!!
Macbeth in the second edition is one of the highest achievements of Verdi, which is not surprising, because the composer already had recognized masterpieces behind him. Solovtsova points out that the second edition of "Macbeth" is inferior to the first in terms of dramatic integrity, and also notes the stylistic unevenness of the second edition compared to the first. (Solovtsova L. Verdi. 3rd ed. - M., Muzyka, 1981, p. 89) It seems to us that this is an exaggeration. Verdi in the second edition retained all the fundamentally important dramatic lines, he changed only musical fragments that were weak in his opinion to new ones that were more in line with the Shakespearean spirit. There is no stylistic difference. because the best episodes of the first edition were ahead of their time and surpassed many of Verdi's later finds.
Of course, the choir of Scottish exiles (second edition) is significantly superior to the similar choir in the first edition, which continues the line of the choir of captive Jews from Nabucco, the Duo of Lady and Macbeth from Act III, which is not in the first edition, is amazing in drama and depth. The luxuriously instrumented ballet scene comes close to the ballet music of Aida. But this does not detract from the merits of the first edition of the opera, which for its time was an outstanding achievement of the composer.
The production at the Lyric Theater on April 21, 1865, Verdi paid no less attention than the first premiere of Macbeth. Invaluable material with Verdi's instructions is contained in his correspondence with Léon Escudier. In the same detail (if not more) Verdi explains his dramatic intentions, orchestration, acting, directorial work. His efforts were not in vain. The French public enthusiastically accepted the beautifully performed opera, but this success did not last. Macbeth only lasted 10 performances.
Characters
Macbeth, General of King Duncan (baritone)
Banquo, General of King Duncan (bass)
Lady Macbeth, Macbeth's wife (soprano)
Macduff, noble Scot (tenor)
Malcolm, son of King Duncan (tenor)
Lady with Lady Macbeth (soprano)
Doctor (bass)
Servant (bass)
Herold (bass)
Assassin (bass)
First Ghost (bass)
Second Ghost (soprano)
Third Ghost (soprano)
STEP ONE
PICTURE ONE
(Deaf area. Witches appear.)
FIRST WITCH
What did you do? Boast.
SECOND WITCH
I choked the pigs.
THIRD WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Wonderful thought come - I will avenge for sure
I'm a sailor's evil wife! Death send me
to hell! My revenge is already close: husband
he will answer for that! Wait for grief: swam into the sea
hubby! The hour of death in the darkness of the abyss is not far away!
THIRD WITCH
With a whirlwind I will spin the wave.
SECOND WITCH
Cheln let him go to the bottom.
FIRST WITCH
Don't see his wife!
Drums! Who is there?
That is Macbeth. Here he is himself.
We are full of passion for wandering,
cut through the air, waves,
a chain of close round dance
embrace land, water.
(Enter Macbeth and Banquo.)
I have never seen a worse day
but nicer...
Never knew a better day.
Who else is there?
Who you are? Earth are you children?
Or to us from the other world?
You would be recognized as women, if it were not for
I have seen your nasty beards.
Well answer!
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WITCHES
Hail Macbeth, Thane of Glamis!
Glory to Macbeth, Tan of Cawdor!
Vivat, Macbeth, Scottish king!
From the predictions you are terribly embarrassed.
Well, what awaits me, is it also clear to you?
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WITCHES
You are lower than Macbeth, but in the end
above him and you will be happier.
Not a king himself, but you are the ancestor of kings.
Glory to the heroes of all victories!
Hail to you, Macbeth and Banquo!
Hail to you, Banquo and Macbeth!
(Hiding.)
Gone! Your descendants are kings!
You yourself will be on the throne. What will happen to us?
MACBETH AND BANKO
Meaning is hidden in words.
Brave leader, you are chosen by Duncan -
to be a Cawdor Thane now!
Did the Thane of Cawdorah die?
No, but the chopping block is waiting soon -
cheating will not be forgiven.
Oh! Doesn't hell sometimes lie!
Two predictions came true in practice!
Throne in the future - there is no higher goal!
But why did the hair stand on end,
Let rock fulfill its promise
I will not stretch out a dishonorable hand!
No, I don't dare!
In the proud hope of the royal throne -
already he sees himself in the crown!
Fates lift the veil
creatures of darkness always and now ...
And then in the dark abyss of sin
without regret they absorb us,
to let us all down.
But why is Macbeth so gloomy,
as if he is waiting for trouble alone?
(Everyone leaves. The witches return.)
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WITCHES
Everyone has dispersed! meet again
at the brilliance of lightning here - under the noise of thunder!
Yes, they all left. Let's run faster
let fate's command be done.
Soon Macbeth will come to us again -
he will become our oracle to question!
PICTURE TWO
(A room in Macbeth's castle. Lady Macbeth enters, reading a letter.)“On the glorious day of victory, I met them,
he listened to the prophets in terrible amazement,
while Duncan's messengers suddenly appeared
and Thane of Cawdor they called me...
My sisters also predicted the crown for me.
Keep it all a secret.
Ambitious spirit, Macbeth, my husband!
Strive for greatness
won't you become a criminal?
The path of crimes is the path of power;
grief when you turn back, doubting -
died irrevocably!
To the house soon! I'll light it with fire
I am the heart, since it froze!
Let's make a bold plan together,
I will inspire insolence and strength!
Dominant fate brought you with witches ...
I see Macbeth under the shadow of the throne!
What is he delaying? Take the crown
take the throne soon!
As soon as the sun sets, the king will arrive.
Really? Is my husband with him?
Yes, your consort accompanies the king.
We must accept it properly!
Our Duncan will be here. This midnight!
The army of spirits that urged mortals to villainy,
not to be seen with evidence.
Throw off, Macbeth, the burden of fear
and throw away your wild terror.
Oh, when I would about villainy
I was able to erase the thought!
To life, if I'm able
awaken the king.
And a living dream would return.
Duncan, that dream is alive to you.
(The Lady leads him away. Enter Macduff and Banquo.)
The king ordered to wake up early;
I'm a little late.
You, Banquo, wait here.
In the darkness of this terrible night
in the air you can hear the angry moaning of death.
It's hard to hear them, there is no more urine ...
Owl sends ominous predictions.
The earth groans, trembles like a stormy sea.
Oh God! Oh, grief!
What happened?
There ... happened ... no, you yourself
look... there is no power to say...
(Banquo goes to the king's room.)
Here!.. Quickly... everyone run here!
(Enter Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Malcolm, and Servants.)
MACBETH AND THE LADY
What does all anxiety mean?
Ah, everything is dead!
But what happened?
Tell us quickly!
Our valiant Duncan lies slain!
Hell, open up and in the fiery mouth
devour all living things soon!
Heaven, on the villain killer
send your flame and thunder!
Our God, we are all in your rightful power,
our hope, our hope,
give us light, open our eyelids,
for the vile villain to appear
before a dreadful judgment.
Show the power of anger, O right God!
Let the wicked killer be the wrath of those
struck and marked with a seal - killer killer -
forever branded!
ACT TWO
PICTURE ONE
(A hall in the royal palace. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.)
You run me, and into eternal meditation
you are deep.
What he did, do not turn back.
After all, the witches told the truth,
you are on the throne!
Duncan's son ran away from us suddenly,
and then everyone decided: he is a parricide!
And you rightfully became a king.
But Banquo predicted:
he will give rise to a crowned family,
and the throne awaits his children.
Did I kill Duncan for them?
Yes, Banquo and his son are still alive.
However, their life is not immortal.
No, not immortal!
Maybe soon more blood will be shed.
Where, when?
With the onset of night...
But will you be firm in such a decision?
Banquo! Eternity awaits in its possession!
Let the day go out, and come on, night!
You quickly laid your gloomy canopy.
Looking for the villainy of the night of protection ...
In a terrible matter, she must help us!
Again crime and crime
necessary, yes, inevitable.
Let the plan of deceit be accomplished.
The souls of the dead do not need a kingdom -
requiem only saint,
eternal peace!
Oh, this thirst for the throne!
But the scepter will be in my power!
Yes, all earthly passions
fall silent only before her.
PICTURE TWO
(Park. Macbeth's castle in the distance. Two gangs of murderers enter from different sides.)THE FIRST GROUP OF KILLERS
Brought from where to us?
SECOND GROUP OF KILLERS
From Macbeth.
THE FIRST GROUP OF KILLERS
And what to accomplish?
SECOND GROUP OF KILLERS
Banquo must be killed.
THE FIRST GROUP OF KILLERS
When and where?
SECOND GROUP OF KILLERS
We are here to help you.
Will go here with my son.
THE FIRST GROUP OF KILLERS
So stay with us here.
The sun has set. Midnight is bad.
Night of villainy, recklessness,
wrap in darkness, blind night,
vault of heaven, the globe of the earth into its own darkness.
The hour is near, it will strike quickly,
we will wait in silence.
Banquo, be afraid, hide, hide!
The knife is hanging over you.
We are waiting for you in the silence of the night
the knife is already raised above you.
(Exit. Enter Banquo and Flins.)
Fast but careful
Let's leave this land.
now a premonition of grief, now suspicion.
They are cast by thick darkness,
my blood runs cold in my veins...
After all, he was killed in the night
Duncan, my lord.
Doom and disaster promise
crowds of sad shadows ...
My poor brain is saddened
there is only fear in him.
Run, my son, save yourself! We've been betrayed!
PICTURE THREE
(Fores Palace. Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Macduff, chor.)In your honor!
In honor of the glorious lords, I drink a toast in return with love!
In honor of my lady!
You accept my greetings! For your health!
Let everyone take a place here
according to his title.
Glad to honor the guests
care and attention.
My wife should sit down
to the throne by position.
But first, a song in your honor,
hello hello...
For a royal invitation
no one will say no.
We will be happy to say
our heartfelt answer.
LADY
sorrow is forgotten, blood will play!
reigns without dispute one love!
Love, you are a balm to our souls,
you heal and resurrect us,
give life again!
(One of the killers appears at the door.)
What happened to you? Are you bloody?
It's Banquo's blood!
Already spared?
And where is the son?
He was running.
Sky! But Banquo?
Fell to death.
(Exits at a sign from Macbeth.)
What does the spouse distract from the fun of the banquet?
Banquo is not enough for us to crown this meeting,
so that for a circle worthy, glorious
raise your cup of congratulations.
He promised to come to us.
He's not here, I'll sit down myself.
(He wants to sit down, but the spirit of Banquo, seen only by Macbeth, takes his place.)
Ah, who did it?
What's the matter?
Shut up, no evidence!
Why are you nodding your bloody head?
Our Macbeth is upset, go away.
Stop!
The attack is fleeting.
And it's a man!
A man - and a brave one: I look without being shy.
But this is what would frighten the devil!
There... there... over there... can't you see there?...
You can only nod your head to me.
You say: the grave returns the dead?
(The spirit disappears.)
Completely mad!
Standing in front of...
My husband, sit down, take care of the guests.
The fun will return.
I beg your pardon.
Let the salutary song flow again.
In honor of the valiant Banquo, prepare every cup of yours.
When we take a glass filled with wine,
grief is forgotten, blood will play.
Anger, strife go away from us,
love reigns without dispute.
Love, you are a balm to our souls,
you heal and resurrect us,
give life again!
You drive away worries, courage in your heart;
moisture is poured, let the blood play!
You drive away worries, courage in your heart;
moisture is poured, let the blood play!
(The spirit reappears.)
Hell fiend, hide, disappear!
Withered bones, crumble into the abyss!
and your fiery gaze pierces your heart.
Oh, what a horror!
Others are not weaker!
Be more menacing than the tiger!
Like a lion, ferocious
call to death
I will not flinch before you!
Ready to fight eye to eye, one on one,
but hide, disappear, hide, fateful shadow!
(The spirit disappears.)
I'm waiting again!
Be ashamed, lord!
This shadow wants blood
and take, I swear by the sword.
Remove the cover from the coming new ...
Witches will help me in that.
Do you want to open a book of fate,
a coward who fears the vision!
A crime has been committed
the dead will not come back.
I say goodbye to this region,
he is controlled by the villain!
Here for the honest living hell.
Strange words.
These speeches are under the influence of a terrible meeting.
For criminals for villains,
obviously, here is a nativity scene.
ACT THREE
(Gloomy cave. Cauldron. Lightning and thunder. On the stage of the witch.)FIRST WITCH
The cat meowed three times, the appointed hour is already striking.
SECOND WITCH
And the owl howled three times, shouted, moaned, whined.
THIRD WITCH
And in the night the cry of a porcupine was already heard three times.
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WITCHES
Let's dance around the cauldron
and things with your hand to throw all the potions there.
Sisters, work, work, work...
The water boiled and sang.
And the foam turned white.
Spirits, spirits! Lands and seas, under the earth of lights
stir soon help!
MISSING A PIECE OF TEXT
(Macbeth enters.)Here in silence, sisters, I meet you...
Busy with what, sinister creatures?
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WITCHES
An occupation without a name.
I conjure your hellish occupation
open my destiny.
Let heaven and earth start fighting again,
I want to know!
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WITCHES
Wanna know what's in the future of all days
your mysterious ones, from unknown forces or from ourselves?
Summon these powers here
Let them open my fate to the grave.
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WITCHES
Underground, terrestrial and superstellar countries
rise, descend to us spirits!
(Thunder. A helmeted head appears from under the ground.)
Spirit, tell me...
FIRST WITCH
I read in your heart, you are silent
and pay attention, we are deaf ...
Oh, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, all your own
turn your suspicions to Tan Macduff.
You strengthen my doubts!
But… tell me…
(The ghost hides.)
FIRST WITCH
Not a word! Listen to the words of the most powerful spirit,
remember everything, you will hear that again.
(Thunder. A bloodied child appears.)
Oh Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
You can be fierce, terrible;
who is born of a woman is not dangerous!
(hides.)
So live, Macduff, and don't be afraid, the answer saved you.
But no! Die!
How your death will wrap in double armor,
let me wear double armor.
(Thunder and lightning. A child appears in a crown with a branch in his hand.)
But what does it mean? Lightning shine, peals?
A child in the crown of a king...
Stand proud!
You will be glorious, invincible,
the forest of Birnam will not come against you.
(Disappears.)
Oh prediction!
Although subject to magical power,
Yet the forests never walked.
But tell...
Will the offspring of Banquo ascend the throne?
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WITCHES
Drop questions!
It's my will! Or my sword will fall on all of you!
(the cauldron disappears.)
The cauldron was out of sight. From what?
(underground music.)
What are the sounds? There is no one here.
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WITCHES
Show up! Show up! Show up!
And then, like a mist, dissolve!
(Eight kings appear, followed by Banquo with a mirror.)
Hide, you regal shadow, you remind me of Banquo.
With your crown, like fire, you burn my eyes.
(The first king has disappeared, he is replaced by the second.)
Out of sight - with a diadem on your forehead!
(The second one disappears.)
Here's more! And that's not a dream!
Here is the third, fourth, here is the fifth.
Here is the eighth - and he holds a mirror in front of him,
I see a row of kings in it with a double power.
Here's Banquo, what a terrible look.
Laughs, covered in blood, looking at the generation!
Oh, be all of you killed!
Oh, the horror, the look is terrible.
Ah, but why can't it be?
I cannot take your life.
The look of the terrible father of kings.
Scary look, scary look
horror and fear in my soul!
(to the witches)
What awaits their kind?
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WITCHES
Wedding!
Oh, I'm unhappy!
(He loses his senses.)
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WITCHES
He is without feelings. You spirits of the air
bring the king back to consciousness.
Sylphs, undines - deities above the waters,
breathe on this whitened forehead,
wonderful melody and round dances
Strengthen his soul and heart!
You will strengthen his feelings and soul!
Where am I? Get out of here!
Cursed be that hour in the cycle of time forever from now on!
Queen!
We found you!
What they were doing?
Once again the sorcerer asked.
And what?
"Watch out for Macduff."
“... but you will not be killed by a woman born ...”
“... you will live as long as the wall is against you
the forest will not go to Birnam."
I saw that the offspring of Banquo would ascend the throne.
That is false!
Doom and death will befall his children.
I will burn down Macduff's castle immediately.
Die, wife and children!
Beware of wiles from the son of Banquo.
Blood will flow like a river - all intrigues will collapse!
Here, now I recognize your former courage.
Only about death, only about revenge...
Let it happen...
Let the villainy...
Since that desire of secret forces ...
Retribution. Revenge.
The thought of death and vengeance.
Revenge!
ACT FOUR
PICTURE ONE
(Scotland. The area near Birnam Forest. A group of Scottish exiles. Macduff is among them.)
Homeland, oppressed,
we will not call you our mother:
for your own sons you are a grave and an executioner;
from dawn to dusk,
in debt all night until sunrise
to the sky of the orphan people,
wives, children crying.
MISSING A PIECE OF TEXT
MACDUFFand together with you your mother was killed!
Why did I leave the mother and sons under the claws of the tiger?
You did not have this hand to protect, children,
to the heinous killers on the net
hit, mortal acquiring the end!
I ran Macbeth
and in the unfortunate hour, in the last terrible hour
you called, but in vain:
your father did not come to your aid.
Oh God, catch the villain
let's go, and if it is saved,
with your generous hand
forgive me give me a crown!
(Malcolm enters with English soldiers.)
MALCOLM
Where are you? What forest is visible?
The forest of Birnam is before us.
MALCOLM
Let those closed by branches,
they are carried in front of them.
(to Macduff)
Now you can take revenge.
No, he is childless, I know.
MALCOLM
Who is faithful to his native land,
taking a weapon - follow me!
Our native land is suffering
and calls to us with prayer!
Just wrath awaits; wicked tyrant,
your terrible villainy all days are numbered!
Oh, brothers, we must save the unfortunate!
PICTURE TWO
(A room in Macbeth's castle. Night. Enter the Doctor and the Queen's Lady.)They waited in vain for two nights.
We'll see you tonight.
What did she say in her sleep, did you hear?
So I can't repeat the words.
(Lady Macbeth enters slowly, asleep, with a lamp in her hand.)
Here she is…
Where does her lamp come from?
Always stands lit near her bed.
Her eyes are open.
Doesn't recognize us.
But why are you rubbing your hands?
Do you want to wash...
(He puts down the lamp and rubs his hands.)
It doesn't come off, the stain is still the same...
Away, she said, away, disgust! ..
... you hear: an hour ... two ... it's time. So what?
You are trembling, you have no strength to enter? ..
A warrior must be tough...
Throw away all fears - one moment! ..
Who would have imagined so much blood in this old man?
What does he say?
Wasn't Macduff once a father and a husband?
What happened to him?
LADY AND DOCTOR
What fear!
But why, who's to say why
can't I wash my hands?
LADY AND DOCTOR
My God!
Human blood stuck here
and the aromas of all Arabia are not enough for me
drown out the smell of blood!
Really?..
Put on a night dress. Wash the blood off your face.
Banquo is dead, covered with earth,
the dead don't get back up.
Really?..
Get into bed now...
There is no return to the past...
They knock there. Macbeth, let's go!
Your eyes can give you away!
LADY AND DOCTOR
My God! Have pity on her!
PICTURE THREE
(Ibid. Macbeth enters.)Treacherous! United with the Angles!
But the witches told me!
You may be fierce and terrible,
who is born of a wife is not dangerous!
No, you are not dangerous to me, nor that child, your leader!
This battle will establish me on the throne or overthrow me forever.
But still I can’t, the blood, I feel, has dried up, I can’t live!
Friends, love, respect, that the elders are so beautiful for years, -
will not be a consolation to your declining days! ..
The king of death will descend into the arms under the vaults of the tomb.
Oh! But only one curse
he will hear over her!
The queen is dead!
What is life for us?
It's a madman, a fool only stories,
sonorous fairy tale obscure phrases.
(Macbeth's soldiers run in.)
Oh master!
What is there?
The forest of Birnam is coming towards us like a wall.
Deceived, fortune-telling, you me!
Give me a sword, daggers and armor!
All to arms.
Fight to the death or victory!
All to arms.
Fight to the death or victory!
PICTURE FOUR
(Glade. In the depths - English warriors with branches in front of them. Malcolm, Macduff and others.)MALCOLM
Throw branches and for weapons.
Everything is behind me.
THE WARRIORS OF MACBETH
To arms!
(Malcolm, Macduff, and warriors exit. Battle noises off stage. Macbeth enters, pursued by Macduff.)
The killer overtook you, my children!
Away, born of a woman, you will not kill me!
No, not born, I was cut out of the womb.
(They fight. They go backstage. The women and children enter.)
Oh, ill-fated day!
Pray that the battle is over soon!
(Enter Malcolm and English Soldiers, leading Macbeth's Captive Soldiers.)
MALCOLM
Where is the vanquished?
Get out, villain!
He fell, struck by me!
New king, vivat to you!
Macbeth is smitten. Down, tyrant, down!
Victory ended our bloody battle.
Long live the hero, our Macduff is avenged!
Greetings to the king, we carry ours: praise and glory to you!
Honor and glory!
Thank you, oh God!
To the defender we sing a hymn of praise and glory!
Let us assure the king of our saint's love!
The rising star will give you glory, and peace, and silence,
with holy faith, we will all follow you with a living hope!
MALCOLM
Scotland, friends, I am devoted with all my heart.
For many years we will forget strife and war!
Betrayed by the soul, with living faith!
I am devoted to Scotland with all my soul, with all my soul!
Giuseppe Verdi
(1813 - 1901)
Macbeth
Opera in four acts
libretto by F. M. Piave and A. Maffei based on Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name.
First production: Florence, theater "La Pergola", March 14, 1847.
(recording of the 1st edition)
The action takes place in Scotland and then on the border of Scotland and England in 1040.
Action one.
Generals Macbeth and Banquo return after a successful campaign against the Norwegians. Suddenly, witches block their way. Turning to Macbeth, the sorceresses in turn call the warrior the Glamiss and Cawdor thanes, they prophesy the Scottish crown to him. The knight is surprised: after all, if he should become a Glamis thane by right of inheritance, then the Cawdorian thane is alive, like Macbeth's cousin, the Scottish king Duncan. Banquo witches promise that he will become "not a king, but an ancestor of kings". Macbeth is puzzled - not his descendants will rule the country. Witches disappear. Ambitious aspirations are born in the souls of both commanders. They are overtaken by messengers sent by Duncan: Cawdor the traitor is executed, his possessions and title pass to Macbeth. He shudders - the first part of the prediction has come true, which means that the rest of the prophecies may come true. The desire for power wakes up in him: "a bloody plan, do not tempt me ..." The witches rejoice, now they have Macbeth in their hands ...
Inverness Castle. Lady Macbeth reads a letter from her husband who informs her of the predictions. They must certainly come true. If Macbeth is only vain, his wife will push him to deceit and cruelty. Nothing will stop her on her way to the throne. Servants report the arrival of Duncan, who will spend the night at Brother Macbeth's castle. Lady Macbeth assures her husband that this is a sign from above. The knight hesitates: the good Duncan is the brother and benefactor of the Glamis thane. The Lady reproaches Macbeth for not being a man. He begins to imagine a hand holding out a dagger. Overcoming doubts, Macbeth breaks into the bedroom and kills the sleeping Duncan. But, from that moment on, peace of mind and sleep are lost forever. In vain Lady Macbeth tries to calm her husband. The wife's bloody dagger is placed on the king's servants. The news of Duncan's murder causes universal horror and anger.
Action two.
Macbeth is gloomy: according to the prediction, the descendants of Banquo should ascend the throne after him. So far, both the commander himself and his son Fliens are alive. That's not why Duncan was killed. Their fate is also decided, they are doomed.
Banquo goes to a feast in the castle to Macbeth, who has ascended the throne. He is overcome by ominous premonitions: he doubts who the real killers of the king are. Another moment and the commander falls, struck by the hands of mercenaries, but before his death, Banquo manages to warn his son about the danger. Fliance flees.
The Scottish thanes gathered for a feast hosted by the new king. Only Banquo is missing. Macbeth addresses the question: why is his dear friend absent? The assassins who entered tell the king that Banquo's son managed to escape. Macbeth is disturbed by the news - this is a bad sign. Suddenly, the ghost of Banquo with a bloodied forehead appears before him, who takes his royal place.
Not understanding what is happening, the guests are surprised by the behavior of the monarch. Lady Macbeth calms the guests and tries to cheer them up by singing a drinking song. Before Macbeth, the bloody shadow rises again. The king, seized with fear, no longer controls himself. The guests disperse in horror.
Action three.
Macbeth decides to learn his fate from Hecate and goes to the lair of witches. In answer to his question, he hears three prophecies: Macbeth must avoid meeting with Macduff, Thane of Fife; Macbeth cannot be defeated by anyone born of a woman; Macbeth can be calm until the Birnam Forest moves on him ... The knight calms down - there has not yet been a case for the forest to move. However, he wants to hear another prophecy. Macbeth has a vision - eight young men holding mirrors and crowned with crowns - a symbol of the future. In the last of them, the knight recognizes Banquo. Macbeth draws his sword to strike him, but the vision disappears. The frightened knight loses consciousness. When he comes to, the witches and spirits disappear. Lady Macbeth appears. The husband gives her the words of the prophecy. The castle of the Thane Macduff of Fife must burn to the ground.
Action four.
Scottish refugees remember their unfortunate homeland. Among them is Macduff, whose wife and son died at Fife. Prince Malcolm, son of the slain Duncan, approaches at the head of the English troops. Macduff orders each warrior to cut off a branch from the nearby Birnam forest in order to hide the number of troops from the enemy.
Dark night. Lady Macbeth, as in a dream, wanders around the castle. The queen has lost her mind. She sees the ghosts of people killed on her orders: the son and wife of Macduff. She tries in vain to wash the blood stain off her hands. The doctor and the maid with deep sorrow observe the insanity of their mistress.
Macbeth prepares for the upcoming battle. And although he has too few people, he is confident in his invulnerability. The maidservant who enters informs him of the queen's death. "Life is a story written by a fool," exclaims Macbeth and runs to the loopholes.
Seeing the forest approaching him, he remembers the ill-fated prediction. The battle begins. With ease, Macbeth defeats the knights attacking him, but Macduff, thirsting for revenge, appears before him.
The king still hopes for victory, because he cannot fall at the hands of a man born of a mother. Macduff exclaims that he was cut out of his mother's womb before his time. Macbeth is amazed. All predictions came true, his death is inevitable. Dying Macbeth curses witches and the ill-fated crown...
Actors and performers:
Macbeth- Peter Glossop
Lady M.- Rita Hunter
Banco - John Tomlinson
Macduff- Kenneth Collins
Malcolm- Richard Graeger
lady- Milla Andrew
Medico- Christian du Plessis
BBC concert orchestra and chorus
John Matheson
5-07-1978
Format:FLAC
Volume: 627 MB
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