Hidden treasures - Gaspare Spontini - La vestale (1807) - Selected highlights

Painting: "Cymon and Iphigenia" by Frederick Leighton.

History (based on materials from the Grove Dictionary): Having garnered only modest attention in his native Italy, Gaspare Spontini (1774-1851) established himself in Paris around 1804. His first Gallic works were met with little praise, however, 1805 proved to be a turning point in his career: he was appointed Empress Josephine's court composer, and the librettist Etienne du Jouy, after being rejected by Mehul, Boieldieu, and Cherubini, offered the young composer to work on "La vestale", the writer's first tragedie lyrique. The score was drafted by the summer of 1805, but due to the opposition of the jury of the Opéra (which called the music "bizarre" and "noisy"), the opera's premiere was postponed until the 15th of December, 1807. The success was unprecedented: the first production ran for two hundred performances. The critics hailed the coming of the most significant work of the decade, while Napoleonic France gained a musical symbol. However, despite this triumph, the coming of the twentieth century was unkind to the opera: its only significant revival came in 1954, when the work was produced as a vehicle for Callas.

Narrative: The subject of Spontini's opera, despite its revolutionary standing, was in no way modern, as Gluck (1755), Cimarosa (1789), Beethoven (1803) were among the composers who worked on variations of the story. It is a dramatically simple and strikingly effective plot in the style of Racine: upon returning to Rome after a victorious campaign, Licinius (tenor) finds his beloved Julia (soprano) has become a priestess of Vesta. His attempt to kidnap and reclaim her, however, results in the expiration of the eternal flame which Julia was supposed to guard. Julia is interrogated by the High Priest (bass) but refuses to name Licinius. She is sentenced to death by burial for licentiousness. Even when Licinius admits his intrusion, Julia claims not to recognize him. This potent narrative is only hampered by the inclusion of an obligatory happy ending which involves a lightning reigniting the sacred flame which saves Julia from her poor fate.

Music: Considering the initial popularity and critical recognition of the work (Berlioz was one of the opera's great admirers), my expectations were quite high. "La vestale", however, proved to be a most painful disappointment (all too similar to the misgivings I currently have towards Spohr's "Faust"). One could speak at great lengths on how Spontini approaches the dramatic excellence of his predecessors: the basic framework and the pragmatism of Gluck, the visual pomp of Lully and the stunning blur between recitative and arioso of Rameau are undoubtedly echoed by Spontini. The best example of their influence on Spontini is the dark "Greek" chorus which sets the tone for the opera's finale. But Spontini's opera lacks one important characteristic that is an important element of the works of the above-mentioned trio: musical inspiration and, even more importantly, refinement. Especially evident is the absence of anything particularly memorable or sublime in the score. There are, of course, some "hidden treasures": two lovely contrasting prayers for the vestals at the start of Act I and Act II, some wonderful orchestral moments, as well as some fresh ariosos for the undeniably sympathetic Julia (her Act II "fury" aria is easily the work's best solo number). But the remaining two and a half hours of the work which include two musically unremarkable ballets, several routine arias, dramatically ineffective finales are unemotional at best. I am reminded of the pretensions of Spohr's "Jessonda". But Spontini, unlike Spohr whose music truly lacks only unity, not beauty, proves to be a basically flawed composer: the harmonies are crude, the melodies - underdeveloped and simplistic, the orchestral effects - rather too direct and lacking in any kind subtlety (Licinius' Act III aria is, sadly, an example of this). At any rate, I would sincerely recommend Mercadante's treatment of the same subject as a substitute to Spontini's work. A most unusual case: an opera with a rich theatrical libretto which is lost because of the composer's inability to set it to similarly enchanting music.

Recording: The 1993 Sony set is the only recording that presents the opera in near complete form and in acceptable sound. Muti, directing the Orchestra and Chorus of la Scala, leads a thoroughly sound performance. The cast is competent, though only Michaels-Moore, an ardent baritone Licinius, is above criticism. Sadly, Huffstodt, singing Julia, despite rare sincerity, is plagued by a persistent tremolo that distracts from her achievements. Still, this is. perhaps, the best overall recording of the opera.

Julia - Karen Huffstodt,
High Priestess (mezzo-soprano) - Denyce Graves,
Licinius - Anthony Michaels-Moore,
Cinna - J. Patrick Raftery,
High Priest - Dimitri Kavrakos.

Hope you'll enjoy :).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• belcanto
• classical
• Spontini
• coloratura
• romantic

[amazily2010]

Grandiosos orquesta y coro junto a un reparto que no pasa de lo correcto - y eso siendo bondadosos- , pero al mismo tiempo es la única grabación que permite apreciar en su verdadera dimensión la grandeza de esta obra maestra de Spontini. Las demás están llenas de cortes, o cuentan con un sonido demasiado defectuoso, pese a la gloria de escuchar a Callas, Corelli o Gencer. Quien quiera conocer la obra tiene que recurrir a esta, y alternar las arias grabadas por Callas en estudio.

[wattever333]

one of the only operas about Roman mortals.

Callas performed it a few times. The live rec of the complete opera sounds terrible.

I have this recording, it's awful. Huffstodt sounds like the "Singing Sword" in Bugs Bunny, which was actually a musical saw.

There are recordings of other operas of Spontini with Tebaldi (Fernand Cortez & Olimpia)