Stay cozy with these five winter masterworks
Welcome to CODA! Coda comes from the Latin word for “tail,” and in music, it indicates an additional passage at the end of a piece of music, a final flourish that compliments what’s come before. CODA goes beyond the curtain call to explore this unique and astonishing art form. Whether you’re a first-time opera-goer or a seasoned audience member, CODA is for you. Biweekly, we’ll enhance your experience of opera with behind-the-scenes highlights, educational articles, listening lists, and much, much more!?
Thanksgiving has come and gone, and the winter holiday season is upon us! With so much going on in our lives and in the world, the joy that often accompanies this time of year can feel out of reach. While we can’t make the clock go faster or help you with your holiday baking, we can offer up some wintery selections that will bring warmth to your heart. We hope you love these magical masterpieces as much as we do!?
The Snow Maiden by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Rimsky-Korsakov’s romantic opera, The Snow Maiden, is the perfect piece for those of us who are already longing for spring. Of his 15 operas, The Snow Maiden was Rimsky-Korsakov’s favorite. His colorful score features imaginative depictions of nature and an abundance of Russian folk melodies. Based on the Russian folktale, the opera tells us the story of Snow Maiden, who has been raised in the icy winter grip of her father, Grandfather Frost, and mother, Spring Beauty. Envious of the mortals in the village nearby, she yearns to experience their human emotions, and begs her parents to let her join them. In the village, she becomes involved in a romantic entanglement, but having a heart of ice, does not have the capacity to fall in love. When she witnesses the true happiness between the boy with whom she had been fascinated and another girl, Snow Maiden implores Spring Beauty to enable her to feel this same passion, no matter the cost. Her wish is granted, with disastrous consequences. Upon falling in love, Grandfather Frost’s winter spell is broken and in a ray of sunlight, Snow Maiden melts away.?
El Ni?o - John Adams
Described as an "opera-oratorio", John Adams’ El Ni?o is an eclectic retelling of the Christmas story from a variety of perspectives. The first half focuses on Mary's thoughts before the birth in the stable in Bethlehem, and the second half covers the aftermath of the birth, Herod's massacre of the innocents, and the early life of Jesus. While the text follows the traditional biblical story, it also incorporates text from the Wakefield Mystery Plays, Martin Luther's Christmas Sermon, the Gospel of Luke, and several gnostic gospels from the Apocrypha. Also included are poems by Rosario Castellanos, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Gabriela Mistral, Vicente Huidobro, Rubén Darío, librettist Peter Sellars, and Adams himself. More so than the gospels, these poems form the emotional and psychological core of El Ni?o. These moments dive deep into the human heart, offering the direct, personal perspective of women on the joys, anxieties, and uncertainties of pregnancy, labor, and motherhood. Adams’ score is compelling, emotional, and accessible - a wonderful addition to every music lover’s listening list.
Judas Maccabaeus by George Frederic Handel??
While not strictly opera, Handel’s masterful oratorio has enough drama to satisfy any opera fan. The story of a people's triumph, Judas Maccabaeus is Handel at his heroic, glorious best. It was an immediate success, and Handel witnessed 54 performances of it during his lifetime. Judas Maccabaeus tells the story of the Jewish leader who defended his country from invasion by the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, preventing the imposition of Hellenism upon Judaea, and preserving the Jewish religion. After the death of his father, Judas took over the rebel leadership. He proved to be a military genius, overthrowing four Seleucid armies in quick succession and restoring the Temple of Jerusalem. This deed is celebrated in the Jewish festival of lights, Hanukkah. The rousing choruses and bravura arias have made Judas Maccabaeus Handel’s second most popular oratorio (after Messiah). The oratorio’s themes of liberty, courage, triumph over oppression, and peace make it just as relevant today as it was when it was written.?
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Werther by Jules Massenet
If you’re in the mood for a story that will match the gloom outside, look no further than Massenet’s Werther. Loosely based on Goethe’s semi-autobiographical epistolary novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther, this tragic tale of unrequited love has touched the hearts of audiences since its premiere in 1892. The story surrounds the romantic poet, Werther, and his love, the engaged Charlotte. While the story begins in July, Charlotte’s young brothers and sisters are already practicing a Christmas song. Months pass, and Charlotte marries. Though Werther continues to declare his love, Charlotte remains faithful, and rejects him. On Christmas Eve, Charlotte is rereading Werther’s letters when he arrives, and as he recites her a poem, he realizes she does not return his love. He leaves, borrowing pistols from Charlotte’s husband. Charlotte has a terrible premonition, and rushes to Werther’s side, but it is too late. Werther has shot himself, and is dying of his injuries. She tearfully, finally, tells Werther that she loves him. Outside, snow begins to fall, and the children’s Christmas carol can be heard as Werther’s life ends. The juxtaposition of tragedy and joy makes for an unforgettable operatic moment.??
We love this full production from the Paris Opera. Watch it here.?
The Ballad of the Brown King by Margaret Bonds
American composer Margaret Bonds wrote dozens of works for the voice, but The Ballad of the Brown King may be her most frequently performed. The poet Langston Hughes, who frequently collaborated with Bonds, wrote the libretto. The original, seven-movement version of The Ballad of the Brown King for voice and piano was premiered in 1954, with Margaret Bonds herself at the piano. Later, inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, Bonds quickly set about revising the work and asked Langston Hughes to provide text for two additional movements. This expanded orchestral version (now comprising nine movements) was completed in August 1960 and premiered on network television in a CBS television special titled Christmas U.S.A. This performance was dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. The Ballad of the Brown King focuses on the African king, Balthazar, of the Three Kings, and the perspective is introduced succinctly in the libretto’s opening line: “Of the three wise men who came to the king, one was a brown man, so they sing.” The neo-romantic composition skillfully incorporates jazz, calypso music, folk songs, and African American spirituals, creating a unique style that is all Bonds’s own.?
This newsletter is focused on wintry operas with full recordings on YouTube, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the modern masterpieces that aren’t yet commercially available. New classics like The Snowy Day, Silent Night, The Miracle of Hanukkah, El Milagro del Recuerdo, Three Decembers, It’s A Wonderful Life, and others are welcome additions to the operatic canon.?
Stay warm, and enjoy the magic of the season! We hope you will share this music with those you hold dear.?
Join us for the second half of our 2023/24 mainstage season, featuring The Anonymous Lover and Eurydice. Explore the power, depth, and complexity of our most human of emotions: love.
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