Hidden treasures - Andre-Ernest-Modeste Grétry - Andromaque (1780) - Selected highlights

Painting: "Captive Andromache" by Lord Frederick Leighton.

History (based on materials from the "Voix des Art" blog): Taking up the tradition of French tragedie lyrique of Lully and Rameau, no composer was more influential in France during the latter half of the eighteenth century than Gluck. While it is dubious if Gretry, a much more lighthearted composer than his contemporary (remembered chiefly for his light operas comiques, in particular, the charming "L'amant jaloux" and the elegant "Zemire et Azor"), was truly influenced by Gluck's work, the controversial success of the premiere of "Armide" in 1777 may well have played a decisive role in Gretry's decision to accept the commission to compose his first tragedie lyrique, "Andromaque", an ambitious setting of the famous "hit" tragedy by Jean Racine (more famously set by Rossini), which would prove to be his only serious work to be formally performed in his lifetime. Legal wrangling with the Comedie Francaise which held the performance rights to the play delayed the first performance of the new opera until the 6th of June, 1780. However, the opera did not manage to win true praise on its first run. Gretry and his librettist, Louis-Guillaume Pitra, made significant alterations to the opera, most notably replacing Racine's tragic ending with a happy finale, in advance of a revival of the opera in 1781. After this second run which won the favour of audiences "Andromaque" basically disappeared, being performed only in 2009.

Narrative: The plot follows Racine's tragedy closely, though with some obligatory changes in the order of the scenes and with omissions of practically all secondary characters, moving the focus on the central quartet of characters. It is a most effective narrative, combining both striking simplicity and great emotional power, somehow overlooked by operatic librettists: Orestes (baritone) is in love with Hermione (mezzo-soprano) who only wishes to please the King of Epirus, Pyrrhus (tenor), who is in love with Andromaque (soprano) who is determined to honor the memory of her murdered husband, Hector, and to protect the future of their son Astyanax. At the climax, provoked by Hermione's desperation, Pyrrhus is murdered by Oreste's men in a mad rage, Hermione takes her own life by the side of Pyrrhus and Oreste goes mad. A true stage work seemingly created to become an opera.

Music: Sadly, "Andromaque" is not a masterpiece. One would be hard-pressed to find anything out of sorts in Gretry's music which is a remarkable achievement for a light composer: the music is filled with numerous striking gestures in the style of Gluck (the title heroine's moving Act III prayer is actually a set of linking ariosos, expressive accompanied recitative and choral interjections), the passionate recitatives and the short but expressive and handsome arias are wonderfully drawn, vividly reimaging the ideals of Rameau; all four characters are sharply fleshed out, though only the emotionally unstable Pyrrhus and the understatedly tragic Andromaque become truly engaging individuals. One reviewer even goes as far as suggesting that Gretry foreshadows the advent of romantism (indeed, the link to Cherubini is quite clear). In truth, the only thing that the work lacks is a few immediately memorable melodies which would engage the listener breathless. As it is, "Andromaque" deserves our undivided admiration but somehow fails to inspire. This is especially sad when one considers the numerous jewels of Gretry's score: Pyrrhus' long scene in Act I paints a vivid picture of a strong man whose self-assurance is seriously wounded with gorgeous string pizzicatos and wind combinations; Hermione's arias, though weaker than either her lover's or her rival's, are nonetheless effective vehicles for a dramatic mezzo; Andromaque's tender appeal in Act II, the highpoint of the whole opera, to Pyrrhus to spare her son is graced by elegant echoing of the soprano's line by the strings; Oreste, the least well described of the four main protagonists, provides a strong closing word to the opera which effectively counterpoints his confused ramblings with the chorus' calls for the traitors' death. There is no doubt that "Andromaque" is a fine work, suffering, ironically, only from our desire for something to linger in our mind after each encounter.

Recording: The 2010 Glossa recording of the complete score is an infinitely attractive reading, combining clear direction from Herve Niquet, electrifying playing from Le concert spirituel and a committed team of singers.

Karine Deshayes - Andromaque,
Maria Riccarda Wesseling - Hermione,
Sebastien Gueze - Pyrrhus,
Tassis Christoyannis - Oreste.

Hope you'll enjoy :)!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• classic
• opera
• Gretry
• Racine

[TAMdeGledel]

Vous avez tort. C'est un chef-d'œuvre. Les récitatifs sont d'une beauté ineffable (Qui en écrit de si réussi à l'époque ? Salieri peut-être...), des harmonies audacieuses, un drame conduit au pas de charge.

Alors oui, les airs sont peu développés, c'est une tragédie lyrique quoi!!

[KyrieEleison46]

Beautiful! ♪♪♪

[Teonareine]

It is a wonderful music, thanks !