Mozart – Apollo and Hyacinth, 2007
(an education project with Queen’s College)
WA Mozart (1756-1791)
Apollo and Hyacinth (Apollo et Hyacinthus) K38
A musical intermezzo to a Latin comedy
Original
Latin libretto by Rufinus Widl
English translation by Gilly French and Jeremy
Gray
First performed in the Great Hall of the University
of Salzburg, 13 May 1767
Cast
| Oebalus, King of Lacedaemonia | Tom Raskin |
| Melia, his daughter | Deborah Brougham (Queen’s College) |
| Hyacinthus, his son | Theodora Hand (Queen’s College) |
| Zephyrus, friend of Hyacinthus | Katie Danaher (Queen’s College) |
| Apollo, a god in disguise | Katya Farkas (Queen’s College) |
| Subjects of Oebalus | Queen’s College Chamber Choir |
| Sacrificial victim | Anna Stedman (Queen’s College) |
| The Spirit of Hyacinthus | Theodora de Jasay (Queen’s College) |
| Conductor | Gilly French |
| Director | Jeremy Gray |
| With the Orchestra of Bampton Classical Opera | |
This production is undertaken as an education project in association with Queen’s College London
Synopsis - Cast -
Notable proof of his musical
art
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Synopsis
Act 1
Preparations are being undertaken by
Hyacinth, son of King Oebalus, for an important
sacrifice to the god Apollo. His friend Zephyr,
who claims to plan to marry Hyacinth’s
sister Melia, is nevertheless insanely jealous
of Hyacinth’s
obsession with Apollo and makes unwelcome advances
to him. King Oebalus and Melia arrive, but
a thunderstorm suddenly disrupts the sacrificial
ceremony (Chorus: Guardian of our sacred
land) and is taken as a sign of Apollo’s
displeasure. Oebalus blames his children, but
Hyacinth suspects Zephyr’s blasphemy.
Hyacinth attempts to calm the mood by explaining
the capricious but ultimately friendly ways
of the gods (Aria: Often gods will terrify).
Apollo, who has been banished by his father Jupiter, suddenly appears disguised as a shepherd, and asks for protection in Oebalus’ kingdom. He reveals his identity and allows Melia to fall in love with him, but also arouses the jealousy of Zephyr by embracing Hyacinth (Aria: The shepherd Apollo looks after his children).
Act 2
Oebalus announces to Melia’s
intense delight that Apollo has requested her
hand in marriage. Melia wonders where Apollo
is, and is told that he is throwing the discus
with Hyacinth. She sings in praise of her own
fame and happiness (Aria: I’ll gladly,
he’s bade me!). Zephyr brings the
news that Hyacinth has been felled by the discus
thrown by Apollo. Incredulous, Melia is ordered
by her father to banish Apollo. Zephyr learns
for the first time that Melia is now engaged
to Apollo and attempts to win her back for
himself, proclaiming the many faults of the ‘murderer’ (Aria: Two
you must choose between) but Melia is
too distraught to accept him. Apollo encounters
Zephyr and angrily has him carried away by
the winds. Melia refuses to listen to Apollo’s
pleading, taking him to be a double murderer,
and banishes him (Duet: How could you deceive?)
Act 3
Oebalus finds the body
of Hyacinth, who with his dying breath reveals
that it was Zephyr who killed him, out of revenge
for his obsessive friendship with Apollo. Oebalus
is distraught (Aria: A ship on the ocean
in fierce stormy weather). Melia arrives,
and she and her father express their horror
at their error and their behaviour to Apollo
(Duet: Son
beloved, god revered). The god nevertheless
returns and, through his love of Hyacinth,
transforms him into a flower. Apologies are
made, and Apollo and Melia resume their engagement
to general rejoicing (Trio: After the storms
and the fierce threat’ning thunderclouds).
Synopsis - Cast - Notable
proof of his musical art
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Notable proof of his musical art…
Mozart’s first true opera is by any standards a remarkable achievement. Commissioned in 1767 for a student performance by members of the Syntax class at Salzburg University , the three acts were performed between the acts of a more serious work, a Latin play in five acts, Clementia Croesi. The soloists were boys aged from 12 to 18, with Oebalus performed by a 22 yr-old, and the music – as the Director of the Salzburg Gymnasium proudly recorded – was ‘composed by Wolfgang Mozart, a child of eleven, and delighted everyone, and at night he gave us notable proofs of his musical art at the harpsichord.’ Mozart’s name was already renowned around Europe as a prodigy virtuoso at the keyboard (he had travelled to London in 1764), but this was arguably his first significant success as a composer, even though by then he had composed several symphonies, arias, piano music and violin sonatas. Apollo and Hyacinth already reveals a grasp of human character and motivation, allied to a language dependent on melodic beauty and rhythmic intensity. One may suspect that the immensely talented Leopold Mozart may have ‘helped his son with his coursework’ on this occasion – it is hard to believe that the boy could have created such a compelling work unaided, but the work shows precocious sophistication, alternating recitative of unusually developed harmonic interest with freshly scored and dynamic musical numbers. Attractively varied and eminently singable arias abound, although the high points are two marvellous duets: for the crossed Melia and Apollo in Act 2 and the expressive and intense andante in Act 3 for Melia and Oebalus, a piece of remarkable sophistication and breathtaking beauty, which Mozart later recycled in his Symphony K43.
This is a remarkable composition, and our performances provide a very rare opportunity to hear it sung by youthful voices as at its Salzburg première. Our production comes a few days after the composer’s birthday, and therefore a year after a day of celebration held at Queen’s College in honour of his 250 th birthday on 27 January 2006 - a day which included live and recorded music, chocolates all the way from Vienna, artwork, a class in Viennese waltzes, an Austrian lunch, puzzles and games.
Apollo and Hyacinth is the third and most developed education collaboration between Queen’s College and Bampton Classical Opera, following projects on Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and his unfinished opera The Cairo Goose.
Synopsis - Cast - Notable
proof of his musical art
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