| Operas by Sergei Prokofiev |
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Maddalena (1911–1913) |
The Love for Three Oranges (Russian: Любовь к трём апельсинам, or Lyubov k Tryom Apelsinam in transliteration) is an opera composed in 1919 by Sergei Prokofiev to a libretto based on the play L'Amore delle tre melarance by Carlo Gozzi.
The play itself is based on Giambattista Basile's fairy tale "The Love for Three Oranges" (#408 in the Aarne-Thompson classification system). The absurd story is in the Commedia dell'Arte tradition, and concerns a young prince, cursed by a wicked witch and forced to voyage into distant lands in search of three oranges, each of which contains a princess. The libretto was adapted by Prokofiev and Vera Janacopoulos from Vsevolod Meyerhold's translation of Gozzi's play. The adaptation modernized some of the Commedia dell'Arte influences and also introduced a healthy dose of Surrealism. At its première, the opera was sung in French, as L'Amour des trois oranges.
The best-known piece in the opera is the "March." It is a popular orchestral selection, and was used by CBS in the series The FBI in Peace and War that was broadcast 1944-1958.
The opera was given its premiere performance on December 30, 1921 at the Chicago Opera, with the composer himself conducting. It has become Prokofiev's most widely performed opera, having entered the standard repertoire of many opera companies.
Contents |
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 30 December, 1921 (Conductor: Sergei Prokofiev ) |
|---|---|---|
| The King of Clubs, ruler of an imaginary kingdom | bass | James Francis |
| The Prince, his son | tenor | José Mojica |
| Princess Clarissa, the King's niece | alto | Irène Pavlovska |
| Leandro, the Prime Minister | baritone | William Beck |
| Truffaldino, the court jester | tenor | Octave Dua |
| Pantalone, the King's advisor | baritone | Désiré Defrère |
| Tchelio, a magician | bass | Hector Dufranne |
| Fata Morgana, a witch | soprano | Nina Koshetz |
| Princess Ninetta | soprano | Jeanne Dusseau |
| Princess Linetta | alto | Philine Falco |
| Princess Nicoletta | mezzo-soprano | Frances Paperte |
| Smeraldina, Fata Morgana's servant | mezzo-soprano | Jeanne Schneider |
| Farfarello, a devil | bass | James Wolf |
| The Gigantic Cook, the custodian of the three Oranges | bass | Constantin Nikolay |
| The Master of Ceremonies | tenor | Lodovico Oliviero |
| The Herald | bass | Jerome Uhl |
| Ten Ridiculous People; Advocates of Tragedy, Comedy, Lyric Drama and Farce; Little Devils; courtiers, monsters, drunkards, gluttons, guards, servants, soldiers | ||
Synopsis
- Time:
- Place:
Prologue
Cranks, Empty Heads, and advocates of Tragedy, Comedy, Lyric Drama and Farce argue before the curtain goes up for a play.
Act 1
The King of Clubs learns that his son's hypochondria can only be cured with laughter, so he and his jester Truffaldino, arrange a grand entertainment. But Leandro and Clarice (the king's niece) plot to kill the Prince so that Clarice can accede to the throne.
Act 2
All efforts to make the Prince laugh fail, until Fata Morgana, an enemy of the king, is knocked over by Truffaldino and falls down. The prince laughs and she curses him: from hence forth, he will suffer a "love of three oranges." He rushes off with Truffaldino to seek them.
Act 3
The prince and Truffaldino learn where the three oranges are and are warned that they must have water available when the oranges are opened. They find the oranges in the palace of the witch Creonta, steal them, carry them off into the surrounding desert, and open them. Fairy princesses emerge and two of them die of thirst. The Cranks give the prince water to save the third princess, Ninetta. He goes off to look for clothing for her so he can take her home, and while he is gone, Fata Morgana turns her into a rat and substitutes her servant Smeraldina.
Act 4
Everyone returns to the king's palace, where Ninetta is restored to her normal form. The plotters are sentenced to die but Fata Morgana helps them escape, and the opera ends with everyone praising the prince and his new princess.[1]
Selected recordings
| Orchestra | Choir | Conductor | Record Company | Year of Recording | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyon Opera Orchestra | Lyon Opera Chorus | Kent Nagano | Virgin Classics | 1989 | CD |
| Lyon Opera Orchestra | Lyon Opera Chorus | Kent Nagano | Arthaus Musik | 1989 | DVD |
| Kirov Theater Orchestra | Kirov Theater Chorus | Valery Gergiev | Philips | 2001 | CD |
| Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra | Opera Australia Chorus | Richard Hickox | Chandos Records | 2005 | CD |
| Moscow Radio Orchestra | Moscow Radio Choir | D.Dalgat | Period (Thrift Edition) | 1950? | LP |
Suite from The Love for Three Oranges, Op. 33bis
Prokofiev compiled an orchestral suite from the opera for concert use. The suite lasts for 15-20 minutes, and is in 6 movements:
- Ridiculous Fellows
- Magician Celio and Fata Morgana Play Cards (Infernal Scene)
- March
- Scherzo
- The Prince and the Princess
- Flight
Selected recordings
| Orchestra | Conductor | Record Company | Year of Recording | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Symphony Orchestra | Leonard Slatkin | RCA Victor (BMG Classics) | 1998 | CD |
| ORTF National Orchestra | Lorin Maazel | Sony Classical | 1991 | CD |
| Royal Scottish National Orchestra | Neeme Järvi | Chandos | 1989 | CD |
March and Scherzo from The Love for Three Oranges, Op. 33ter
A transcription for piano by the composer himself.
Sources
- ^ Richard Taruskin, "Love for Three Oranges," New Grove Dictionary of Opera
- Frolova-Walker, Marina (2005). "11. Russian opera; Two anti-operas: The Love for Three Oranges and The Nose". in Mervyn Cooke. The Cambridge Companion to Twentieth-Century Opera. London: Cambridge University Press. pp. 182–186. ISBN 0-521-78393-3.
External links
- Prokofiev.org
- MIDI for March from the Love for Three Oranges
- Gozzi, Carlo. The Love Of Three Oranges: A Play For The Theatre That Takes The Commedia Dell'arte Of Carlo Gozzi And Updates It For The New Millennium. ISBN 1-4116-1032-6. (New translation by Hillary DePiano)
- Reflections on International Narrative Research on the Example of The Tale of the Three Oranges
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