Cefalo e Procri
Encyclopedia
Cefalo e Procri is a chamber opera in three scenes and a prolog by Ernst Krenek
, his opus 77, begun in 1933 and finished August 3, 1934. The Italian libretto by Rinaldo Küfferle (1903-1955, now remembered for many singing translations from Russian) was commissioned by Universal Edition
for the third Venice Festival
.
, who had taken a great interest in the festival, was intent on courting an Austrian composer. Alfredo Casella
(perhaps unaware of Der Diktator
) was responsible for steering the commission to Krenek.
The half hour work premiered September 15, 1934 after the original conductor, bewildered by the twelve-tone score, was replaced by Hermann Scherchen
. An anticipated companion piece by Honegger never materialized, and the program was shared with Vittorio Rieti
's Teresa nel bosco and Antonio Veretti's Una favola di Andersen
. Krenek had written to Küffele to suggest something from Ovid
's Metamorphoses, though he seems to have been taken back by Küffele's choice of subject; perhaps Procis (who was courted in disguise by her husband) was inspired by a production of Cosi fan tutte
at the festival, which also saw the Italian premiere of Die Frau ohne Schatten
. Krenek called his work a fable, using not the phrase "favola in musica" but "Moralità pseudo-classica" in homage to the later Italian baroque opera, and set it as a series of arias and recitatives. Audience reaction was lukewarm and the reviews mixed; the loudest ovations were for Küffele, wearing a fascist uniform.
liked the score, whose flexible handling of the row was similar to his own approach. Krenek himself scarcely ever mentioned his "brief and issueless flight into Italian opera" again.
Ernst Krenek
Ernst Krenek was an Austrian of Czech origin and, from 1945, American composer. He explored atonality and other modern styles and wrote a number of books, including Music Here and Now , a study of Johannes Ockeghem , and Horizons Circled: Reflections on my Music...
, his opus 77, begun in 1933 and finished August 3, 1934. The Italian libretto by Rinaldo Küfferle (1903-1955, now remembered for many singing translations from Russian) was commissioned by Universal Edition
Universal Edition
Universal Edition is a classical music publishing firm. Founded in 1901 in Vienna, and originally intended to provide the core classical works and educational works to the Austrian market...
for the third Venice Festival
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
.
Background
The festival came at a time of great tension between Italy and Germany over assassination attempts on the Italian-backed dictator Engelbert Dollfuß, and Benito MussoliniBenito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
, who had taken a great interest in the festival, was intent on courting an Austrian composer. Alfredo Casella
Alfredo Casella
Alfredo Casella was an Italian composer, pianist and conductor.- Life and career :Casella was born in Turin; his family included many musicians; his grandfather, a friend of Paganini's, was first cello in the San Carlo Theatre in Lisbon and eventually was soloist in the Royal Chapel in Turin...
(perhaps unaware of Der Diktator
Der Diktator
Der Diktator is a tragic opera in one act with words and music by Ernst Krenek, his opus 49 and the first of three one-acters which premiered on May 6, 1928 in Wiesbaden...
) was responsible for steering the commission to Krenek.
The half hour work premiered September 15, 1934 after the original conductor, bewildered by the twelve-tone score, was replaced by Hermann Scherchen
Hermann Scherchen
Hermann Scherchen was a German conductor.-Life:Scherchen was originally a violist and played among the violas of the Bluthner Orchestra of Berlin while still in his teens...
. An anticipated companion piece by Honegger never materialized, and the program was shared with Vittorio Rieti
Vittorio Rieti
Vittorio Rieti was an Jewish-Italian composer. Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Rieti moved to Milan to study economics. He subsequently studied in Rome under Respighi and Casella, and lived there until 1940....
's Teresa nel bosco and Antonio Veretti's Una favola di Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
. Krenek had written to Küffele to suggest something from Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
's Metamorphoses, though he seems to have been taken back by Küffele's choice of subject; perhaps Procis (who was courted in disguise by her husband) was inspired by a production of Cosi fan tutte
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
at the festival, which also saw the Italian premiere of Die Frau ohne Schatten
Die Frau ohne Schatten
Die Frau ohne Schatten is an opera in three acts by Richard Strauss with a libretto by his long-time collaborator, the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal. It was written between 1911 and either 1915 or 1917...
. Krenek called his work a fable, using not the phrase "favola in musica" but "Moralità pseudo-classica" in homage to the later Italian baroque opera, and set it as a series of arias and recitatives. Audience reaction was lukewarm and the reviews mixed; the loudest ovations were for Küffele, wearing a fascist uniform.
Critical assessment
John Stewart (Ernst Krenek: the Man and His Music) gives an unfavorable assessment ("Küffele should have found some way to leave the dog out") but does note that Alban BergAlban Berg
Alban Maria Johannes Berg was an Austrian composer. He was a member of the Second Viennese School with Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern, and produced compositions that combined Mahlerian Romanticism with a personal adaptation of Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique.-Early life:Berg was born in...
liked the score, whose flexible handling of the row was similar to his own approach. Krenek himself scarcely ever mentioned his "brief and issueless flight into Italian opera" again.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 15 September 1934 (Conductor: ) |
|---|---|---|
| Cefalo | tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
|
| Procri | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
|
| Diana | contralto Contralto Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above... |
|
| Aurora | soprano | |
| Crono | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
|