Christoph Willibald Gluck
Armide
Heroic drama in 5 Acts
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Christoph Willibald Gluck
Armide
Heroic drama in 5 Acts
- Instrumentation Soloists and Orchestra
- Composer Christoph Willibald Gluck
- Editor Jürgen Sommer
- Series B
- Editor Klaus Hortschansky
- Lyricist Philippe Quinault
- Edition Piano Reduction
- Publisher Bärenreiter Verlag
- Order no. BA5846-90
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Description:
The episode of Armida from Torquato Tasso's epic poem La Gerusalemme liberata (1575) has been one of the most popular opera subjects since the 17th century and has inspired numerous composers, including Lully, Haydn, Rossini and Dvorák, to set it to music. Gluck's Armide, which had its successful premiere in Paris in 1777, is the third opera that the composer wrote for the Académie Royale de Musique.
The beautiful sorceress Armide holds the crusader Renaud captive on her island. After the brave hero is initially unimpressed by Armide's charms, the two eventually fall in love. Only when Renaud is reminded of his crusade vows by the other knights does he leave the desperate Armide, whereupon she curses the unfaithful man, destroys her magical castle and disappears on a winged chariot. Intimate monologues alternate with large choral and ballet scenes. The characterization is musically finely differentiated. In stark contrast to the pastoral moments are the effective intrusions of the supernatural, such as the appearance of hatred personified and the spirits of hell.
The beautiful sorceress Armide holds the crusader Renaud captive on her island. After the brave hero is initially unimpressed by Armide's charms, the two eventually fall in love. Only when Renaud is reminded of his crusade vows by the other knights does he leave the desperate Armide, whereupon she curses the unfaithful man, destroys her magical castle and disappears on a winged chariot. Intimate monologues alternate with large choral and ballet scenes. The characterization is musically finely differentiated. In stark contrast to the pastoral moments are the effective intrusions of the supernatural, such as the appearance of hatred personified and the spirits of hell.