Macbeth

Macbeth – Giuseppe Verdi | Opera

An opera-thriller about the corrupting force of power.

Approximate running time: 2 hours 50 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission
Language: Performed in Italian, with surtitles in Czech and English
Recommended age: Suitable for audiences aged 12 and up

Throughout his life, Giuseppe Verdi was an ardent admirer of William Shakespeare, the globally celebrated Elizabethan playwright. When in the summer of 1846 the Italian master sought the subject for his tenth opera, he ultimately opted for Macbeth. A supreme operatic dramatist, Verdi recognised how much potential the story of the corrupting force of power offered. In Macbeth, he started pursuing the path towards musical drama, in which singing reflects the characters’ psychology and inner emotions, with the dramatic content being far more important than bel canto.

For the Italian opera scene, Macbeth was a bold choice indeed. Lacking a love story, which was unprecedented for the genre, with the plot replete with violence, murder, military conflict, gruesome actions and supernatural elements, the big question was how the local audience would respond to the piece. Yet the first night, on 14 March 1847 in Florence, conducted by Verdi himself, was a resounding success. The new opera was soon staged to great acclaim all over Italy, as well as in a number of theatres in Europe, North and South America. In 1865, Verdi substantially revised it for the Théâtre-Lyrique in Paris, which presented the new version, in French translation, on 21 April that year. The second Macbeth, however, was poorly received and did not fare well. Only in the 1960s did the opera enjoy a revival, and its revised version, in Italian, has ever since been a staple of the repertoire of theatres worldwide.

Surprisingly, it took a very long time before Verdi’s Macbeth was presented in Prague. It was first staged here on 30 November 1935 at the Neues deutsches Theater (today’s State Opera).

Synopsis

Place: Scotland

Time: 11th century

Act 1

Scene 1: A heath

Groups of witches gather in a wood beside a battlefield, exchanging stories of the evils they have done. The victorious generals Macbeth and Banco enter. The witches hail Macbeth as Thane of Glamis (a title he already holds by inheritance), Thane of Cawdor, and king "hereafter." Banco is greeted as "lesser than Macbeth, but greater", never a king himself, but the progenitor of a line of future kings. The witches vanish, and messengers from the king appear naming Macbeth Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth protests that the holder of that title is still alive, but the messengers reply that the former Thane has been executed as a traitor. Banco, mistrusting the witches, is horrified to find that they have spoken the truth. In a duet, Macbeth and Banco muse that the first of the witches' prophecies has been fulfilled. Macbeth ponders how close he is to the throne, and whether fate will crown him without his taking action, yet dreams of blood and treachery: while Banco ponders on whether the minions of Hell will sometimes reveal an honest truth in order to lead one to future damnation.

Scene 2: Macbeth's castle

Lady Macbeth reads a letter from her husband telling of the encounter with the witches. She is determined to propel Macbeth to the throne – by fair means or foul.

[Revised version, 1865: Vieni! t'affretta!/ "Come! Hurry!"].

Lady Macbeth is advised that King Duncan will stay in the castle that night; she is determined to see him killed (Or tutti, sorgete / "Arise now, all you ministers of hell"). When Macbeth returns she urges him to take the opportunity to kill the King. The King and the nobles arrive and Macbeth is emboldened to carry out the murder (Mi si affaccia un pugnal? / "Is this a dagger which I see before me?"), but afterwards is filled with horror. Disgusted at his cowardice, Lady Macbeth completes the crime, incriminating the sleeping guards by smearing them with Duncan's blood and planting on them Macbeth's dagger. Macduff arrives for an appointment with the King, while Banco stands guard, only for Macduff instead to discover the murder. He rouses the castle while Banco also bears witness to the fact of Duncan's murder. The chorus calls on God to avenge the killing (Schiudi, inferno, . . / "Open wide thy gaping maw, O Hell").

Act 2

Scene 1: A room in the castle

Macbeth is now king: Duncan's son Malcolm has fled the country, suspicion having conveniently fallen on him for his father's murder: but Macbeth is still disturbed by the prophecy that Banco, not he, will found a great royal line. To prevent this he tells his wife that he will have both Banco and his son murdered as they come to a banquet. There follows her aria Trionfai! / I have triumphed!.

[1865 revised version: In her aria, La luce langue / "The light fades", Lady Macbeth exults in the powers of darkness]

Scene 2: Outside the castle

A gang of murderers lie in wait. Banco, sensing danger shares his misgivings with his son. (Come dal ciel precipita / "O, how the darkness falls from heaven"). The murderers attack and stab him to death, but his son escapes.

Scene 3: A dining hall in the castle

Macbeth receives the guests and Lady Macbeth sings a brindisi (Si colmi il calice / "Fill up the cup"). The assassination is reported to Macbeth, but when he returns to the table the ghost of Banco is sitting in his place. Macbeth raves at the ghost and the horrified guests believe he has gone mad. Lady Macbeth manages to calm the situation once – and even mocks it by calling for a toast to the absent Banco (whose death is not yet public knowledge), only for the ghost to appear a second time and terrify Macbeth into insanity again. Macduff resolves to leave the country, saying it is ruled by a cursed hand and only the wicked may remain: the other guests are terrified by Macbeth's talk of ghosts, phantoms and witches. The banquet ends abruptly with their hurried, frightened departure.

Act 3

The witches' cave

The witches gather around a cauldron in a dark cave. Macbeth enters and they conjure up three apparitions for him. The first advises him to beware of Macduff. The second tells him that he cannot be harmed by a man 'born of woman'. The third that he cannot be conquered till Birnam Wood marches against him. (Macbeth: O lieto augurio / "O, happy augury! No wood has ever moved by magic power")

Macbeth is then shown the ghost of Banco and his descendants, eight future Kings of Scotland, verifying the original prophecy. (Macbeth: Fuggi regal fantasima / "Begone, royal phantom that reminds me of Banco"). He collapses, but regains consciousness in the castle.

[Original 1847 version: The act ends with Macbeth recovering and resolving to assert his authority: Vada in fiamme, e in polve cada / "Macduff's lofty stronghold shall / Be set fire....".][28][29]

A herald announces the arrival of the Queen (Duet: Vi trovo alfin! / "I've found you at last"). Macbeth tells his wife about his encounter with the witches and they resolve to track down and kill Banco's son, as well as Macduff (of whose flight they do not yet know) and his family. (Duet: Ora di morte e di vendetta / "Hour of death and of vengeance").

Act 4

Scene 1: Near the border between England and Scotland

Scottish refugees stand near the English border (Chorus: Patria oppressa / "Down-trodden country"):

[Original 1847 version: While each version uses the same libretto, the music of this chorus is different. It begins with a less ominous, much shorter orchestral introduction and is sung straight through by the entire chorus.]

[1865 revised version: the music is divided into sections for the male and female members, then it unites them towards the end. The revised version is 2 minutes longer than the original.]

In the distance lies Birnam Wood. Macduff is determined to avenge the deaths of his wife and children at the hands of the tyrant (Ah, la paterna mano / "Ah, the paternal hand"). He is joined by Malcolm, the son of King Duncan, and the English army. Malcolm orders each soldier to cut a branch from a tree in Birnam Wood and carry it as they attack Macbeth's army. They are determined to liberate Scotland from tyranny (Chorus: La patria tradita / "Our country betrayed").

Scene 2: Macbeth's castle

A doctor and a servant observe the Queen as she walks in her sleep, wringing her hands and attempting to clean them of blood (Una macchia è qui tuttora! / "Yet here's a spot"). She raves about the deaths of both Duncan and Banco, and even about the deaths of Macduff's family, and that all the perfumes of Arabia would not clean the blood off her hands: all are things that the horrified witnesses would never dare to repeat to any living man.

Scene 3: The battlefield

Macbeth has learned that an army of Scottish rebels backed by England is advancing against him, but is reassured by remembering the words of the apparitions, that no man born of woman can harm him. However, in an aria (Pietà, rispetto, amore / "Compassion, honour, love") he contemplates the fact that he is already hated and feared: there will be no compassion, honour and love for him in his old age even if he wins this battle, nor kind words on a royal tomb, only curses and hatred. He receives the news of the Queen's death with indifference. Rallying his troops he learns that Birnam Wood has indeed come to his castle. Battle is joined.

[Original 1847 version's ending: Macduff pursues and fights Macbeth who falls. He tells Macbeth that he was not "born of woman" but "ripped" from his mother's womb. Fighting continues. Mortally wounded, Macbeth, in a final aria – Mal per me che m'affidai / "Trusting in the prophecies of Hell" – proclaims that trusting in these prophecies has caused his downfall. He dies on stage, while Macduff's men proclaim Malcolm to be the new King.]

Macduff pursues and fights Macbeth who falls wounded. He tells Macbeth that he was not "born of woman" but "untimely ripped" from his mother's womb. Macbeth responds in anguish (Cielo! / "Heaven") and the two continue fighting, then disappear from view. Macduff returns indicating to his men that he has killed Macbeth. He then turns to Malcolm, hailing him as King. The scene ends with a hymn to victory sung by bards, soldiers, and Scottish women (Salve, o re!/ "Hail, oh King!). Malcolm as King, and Macduff as hero, together swear to restore the realm to greatness.

Program and cast

Conductor: Hermann Bäumer

Macbeth - Ólafur Sigurdarson

Lady Macbeth - Daniela Schillaci

Banco - Iurie Maimescu

Macduff - Kyungho Kim

Malcolm - Josef Moravec

Doctor - Ivo Hrachovec

Maid of honor - Lucie Hájková

Servant of Macbeth - Libor Novák; Michael Skalický

Assassin - Tomáš Bartůněk; Andrey Styrkul

First apparition - Alexander Laptěv; Andrey Styrkul

Second apparition - Gabriela Pešinová; Eliška Rokos Mourečková

Third apparition - Lubomira Popova Alabozova; Markéta Frýdová

Stage director: Martin Čičvák

Sets: Hans Hoffer

Costumes: Marija Havran

Movement coach: Tomáš Krivošík

Chorus master: Adolf Melichar

Dramaturgy: Jitka Slavíková

State Opera Chorus
State Opera Orchestra
Pupils of the Olga Kyndlová Ballet School