BB 62, Sz.48, Op.11 A kékszakállú herceg vára, opera/Duke Bluebeard's Castle, opera (1911, rev. 1912/18)
Béla Bartók (born Bartók Béla Viktor János) (1881-1945) is one of the most important composers of the earlier half of the 20th century. His works can be divided roughly into four periods, each with unique colors. The first period is reminiscent of Strauss and Wagner, in a late romantic idiom. The second period utilizes folk music and modern harmonies reminiscent of Schoenberg and Debussy. The third is characterized by mathematical elements and conquest for unique harmony. The last period is characterized by the simplification of textures. His best-known works include the second violin concerto, six string quartets, second piano concerto, concerto for orchestra, and music for strings, percussion, and celesta.
The only opera of Bartók was dedicated to his wife. It is an opera of a single act, based on the libretto by Béla Balázs, a poet, and also his friend. The libretto is based on Charles Perrault’s La Barbe bleue, but only roughly. For an opera, the vocal part is extremely simple. The only vocal force is the duke and his wife (Judith). It was written for the Ferenc Erkel Prize, but was rejected due to being not “dramatic”. The first group of judges saw the unusually small vocal force, and decided that this was not fit for an opera performance. So, the premiere was only in 1918, after the success of the Wooden Prince.
The premiere at Royal Hungarian Opera House on 24 May 1918 was quite successful, but the critics were skeptical about the libretto. Moreover, Balázs fled Hungary after the failed attempt for Hungarian (Soviet) Republic, and this opera was banned from performances until 1936. This performance was extremely successful, and established this opera as one of the most important Hungarian operas. However, currently, it is not performed that often, due to difficult vocal parts (chromaticism) and the difficulty of Hungarian language itself.
The stage is a dark hall with 7 doors, with each door having light shining from it (except 6th door), different colors for each door. The torture chamber - Blood-red, The armory - Yellowish-red, The treasury - Golden, The garden - Bluish-green, The kingdom - White, The wives - Silvery. Also, whenever a door is opened, a ghostly sigh is supposed to flow out, which is created either by instruments or voices.
It is scored for 4 flutes (3rd and 4th doubling two piccolos), 2 oboes, cor anglais, 3 clarinets in A and B♭ (1st and 2nd doubling two E♭ clarinets, 3rd doubling bass clarinet), 4 bassoons (4th doubling contrabassoon), 4 horns, 4 trumpets in B♭, 4 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, side drum, tamtam, cymbals, suspended cymbals, xylophone, triangle, 2 harps, celesta, organ, and strings. There are also 4 Trumpets and 4 Alto trombones on stage.
All of the commentaries and analyses are in the comments.
Note: Timestamps are for scenes that I deemed important, so it differs from the division in commercial recording. The opera itself is in 1 continuous act, without breaks or definite scenes.
(0:00) Prologue
(1:15) Start of the music
(2:30) “Megérkeztünk”
(5:07) “Ez a Kékszakállú vára!”
(10:02) “Gyere vezess Kékszakállú, Mindenhová vezess engem.”
(15:40) First Door Opens
(18:11) “Nézd csak, nézd csak, hogy dereng már!”
(20:11) Second Door Opens
(21:14) “Itt a másik patak, Szép fénypatak. Látod? Látod?”
(24:05) Third Door Opens
(25:57) “Vérfolt van az ékszereken!”
(26:30) Fourth Door Opens
(30:12) “Fehér rózsád töve véres, Virágaid földje véres!”
(31:10) Fifth Door Opens
(35:03) “De két ajtó csukva van még.”
(36:42) “Adok neked még egy kulcsot.”
(37:22) Sixth Door Opens
(42:17) “Kékszakállú . . . Szeress engem.”
(43:30) “Mondd meg nekem Kékszakállú, Kit szerettél én elottem?”
(47:41) “Fogjad . . . Fogjad . . . Itt a hetedik kulcs.”
(48:57) Seventh Door Opens
(51:40) “Hajnalban az elsot leltem, Piros szagos szép hajnalban.”
(52:11) “Másodikat délben leltem, Néma égo arany délben.”
(52:43) “Harmadikat este leltem, Békés bágyadt barna este.”
(53:19) “Negyediket éjjel leltem…”
(55:11) “És mindeg is éjjel lesz már…”
Source: English/Hungarian Wikipedia, preface from 2007 Bartok Records Edition, original research
Recording by Pierre Boulez, Jessye Norman, László Polgár, Nicholas Simon ([ Ссылка ])
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