Pyramus and Thisbe (opera)
Encyclopedia
Pyramus and Thisbe is a "mock opera
" by the German-born
composer John Frederick Lampe
on the story of Pyramus and Thisbe
. It was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre, London
on 25 January 1745. The anonymous libretto
(possibly the work of the composer or Henry Carey
) is based on Richard Leveridge
's The Comickal Masque of Pyramus and Thisbe (1716), itself inspired by the "play within a play" in Act Five of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
" by the German-born
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
composer John Frederick Lampe
John Frederick Lampe
John Frederick Lampe was a musician.He was born in Saxony, but came to England in 1724 and played the bassoon in opera houses. His wife, Isabella Lampe, was sister-in-law to the composer Thomas Arne with whom Lampe collaborated on a number of concert seasons...
on the story of Pyramus and Thisbe
Pyramus and Thisbe
Pyramus and Thisbe are two characters of Roman mythology, whose love story of ill-fated lovers is also a sentimental romance.The tale is told by Ovid in his Metamorphoses.-Plot:...
. It was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 25 January 1745. The anonymous libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
(possibly the work of the composer or Henry Carey
Henry Carey (writer)
Henry Carey was an English poet, dramatist and song-writer. He is remembered as an anti-Walpolean satirist and also as a patriot. Several of his melodies continue to be sung today, and he was widely praised in the generation after his death...
) is based on Richard Leveridge
Richard Leveridge
Richard Leveridge was an English bass singer of the London stage and a composer of baroque music, including many popular songs....
's The Comickal Masque of Pyramus and Thisbe (1716), itself inspired by the "play within a play" in Act Five of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
.
Recording
- Pyramus and Thisbe Mark Padmore, Susan Bisatt, Opera Restor'd, The Parley of Instruments, conducted by Peter Holman (Hyperion, 1995)
Sources
- The Viking Opera Guide ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)
- Magazine de l'opéra baroque (in French)