Die Königin von Saba (
The Queen of
Sheba) is an
opera in four acts by
Karl Goldmark. The
German libretto was by
Hermann Salomon Mosenthal and is
loosely based on Biblical texts concerning the
Queen of Sheba's visit to the court of
King Solomon as recorded in
First Kings (largely copied in
2 Chronicles ). The plot centres on a
love triangle not found in the Bible
between the Queen of Sheba, Assad (an ambassador at the court of
Solomon), and Sulamith (Assad's betrothed).
The opera
was first performed at the Hofoper
(now the State Opera) in Vienna
, on 10 March
1875. It became
Goldmark's most famous opera and subsequent performances have been
mounted internationally.
Creating the opera
Goldmark's interest in the subject of the Queen of Sheba was
inspired by his pupil,
mezzo-soprano
Caroline Bettleheim, whose
beauty was once compared to that of the Queen of Sheba by a friend
of Goldmark. Bettleheim possessed a striking voice and the role was
written to show off her wide range and dramatic skills. However,
Bettleheim never performed the role as the opera took twelve years
to make it to the stage. Goldmark began working on the opera in
1863, but the libretto proved unsuitable. Mosenthal's libretto was
provided two years later but Goldmark was not satisfied with the
happy ending. After some deliberation, Goldmark rewrote the ending
of the opera to finish with the tragic death of Assad.
Performance history
After a long gestation,
Die Königin von Saba finally made
it to the stage on 10 March 1875 at the Hofoper in Vienna. Although
written for a mezzo-soprano, the role of the Queen of Sheba went to
acclaimed
dramatic soprano Amalie Materna who had originated several
roles in
Wagner's
operas. The premiere was highly successful, partly due
to the theatre manager's ability to persuade Goldmark to make
sizable cuts following the dress rehearsal. Performances in
numerous European cities followed, and the work became particularly
popular in Italy for several decades. The opera made its United
States premiere at the
Metropolitan
Opera on 2 December 1885.
Roles
Solomon and the Queen of Sheba by Giovanni Demin (1789-1859)
Synopsis
Place and
Time: Jerusalem
and the surrounding desert, 10th Century BC
Act 1: A hall in Solomon’s palace
Sulamith, the daughter of the High Priest, is anxiously waiting for
fiance, Assad, to return to court from his diplomatic assignment to
plan for the arrival of the Queen of Sheba to the court of King
Solomon. The couple are scheduled to marry the following day.
Upon his
return to the palace, Assad meets with Solomon and reveals to him
that he has fallen in love with a mysterious woman among the cedar
forests of Lebanon
and does not
love Sulamith. Before Solomon can reply, the Queen of Sheba
arrives with her consort. As she greets the king, she pulls back
her veil, revealing to Assad that she is in fact the mysterious
woman he had met on his journey. The queen, however, pretends not
to know Assad to his confusion. After the queen leaves, Solomon
counsels Assad to not pursue his infatuation but to continue with
his marriage to Sulamith.
Act 2: The garden of the palace at night
The Queen of Sheba has slipped away from the social gathering being
held in her honor inside the palace. As she reflects on Assad's
impending marriage, Astaroth, her slave, informs her that Assad is
nearby and then proceeds to lure Assad to her mistress with a
seductive oriental vocalise. Assad and the Queen engage in a
fervent conversation that climaxes in a passionate duet and
embrace. The Guardian of the Temple arrives at daybreak and
disrupts their tryst with a call for the Sons of Israel to
pray.
The wedding party arrives and Assad and Sulamith are about to be
married in front of the Ark of the Covenant when the Queen appears
to give a wedding present. The Queen continues to treat Assad like
a stranger which throws him into distress. He commits blasphemy by
referring to the Queen as his god, causing an uproar which ends the
wedding ceremony. Assad is led off to await punishment, most likely
his execution.
Act 3: The court of King Solomon
Celebrations in honour of the Queen of Sheeba continue with a
performance of
Bienentanz der Almeen, a ballet, and a
bacchanal. Worried for Assad's fate, the Queen pleads for Solomon
to give Assad mercy. He refuses and the Queen leaves plotting
revenge. Sulamith, along with her companions, enter the court
singing a mournful song. She too pleads for Assad's life to be
spared in an aria that eventually culminates into a large ensemble.
Still unmoved, Solomon replies with an ominous prophesy about
Sulamith's fate. Distraught, she leaves the palace for the desert
to bewail her impending future.
Act 4: The vicinity of Sulamith's desert retreat
Assad has been banished by Solomon to the desert. The Queen of
Sheba seeks him out to attempt to convince him to come back with
her to her kingdom. She finds him alone, not too far from
Sulamith's retreat, and tries to seduce him. He rejects her
advances and in a bitter soliloquy reveals his regret and desire
for a death that might redeem his offense against God. Assad then
prays for Sulamith, during which time he is engulfed in a violent
sandstorm. He is later found barely alive by Sulamith and her
companions. He begs for her forgiveness, which she bestows just
before he dies in her arms.
Musical analysis
Die Königin von Saba is written in the style of
grand opera; with the usual large-scale cast and
orchestra, the use of local color, and a plot based on a historic
event that is typical of that genre. The vocal writing includes
solo recitative and aria passages, duets, and large-scale choruses.
Some of the more beautiful moments of the opera are Assad’s short
arietta "Magische Töne" in Act 2 and the final duet in Act 4, both
of which display Glodmark's lyricism at its best.
Although Goldmark was never an ardent follower of Wagner, the
orchestration of
Die Königin von Saba is reminiscent of
the effects and formal fluidity that characterized so much of
Wagner's works. Although Goldmark never adopted a fully-fledged
system of leitmotifs, certain passages are reminiscent of
Tristan und Isolde. The
work also owes some influence to the dramatic sensibilities of
Meyerbeer.
Although there are obvious influences in the work, Goldmark's own
voice and sensibilities shine through. One of the more arresting
features of the opera is his use of local colour. The music for the
Queen of Sheba displays a sultry eroticism with oriental flair.
Then there is the music for the High Priest and other religious
characters which pulls on Jewish religious music and at times
recalls
Sarastro, and that of the
Ark of the Covenant. The religious
character of this part of the opera may well have been influenced
by the ideas of the great Viennese cantor
Salomon Sulzer, who was concerned to restore
Jewish music to its oriental origins.
Recordings
- Karl Goldmark: Die Königin Von
Saba - Complete recording from a live 1970
performance of the work by the American Opera Society Orchestra
conducted by Reynald Giovaninetti with Arley Reece as Assad and
Alpha Floyd as the Queen of Sheba. The CD also includes excerpts
from the opera in a studio recording made in Vienna (1903 - 1909)
with Leo Slezak as Assad and Elsa Bland
as the Queen of Sheba). Label: Gala
- Goldmark: Die Königin Von
Saba - Excerpts from the opera recorded in 1980 by
the Hungarian State Orchestra, conducted by Adam Fischer with
Siegfried Jerusalem as Assad and
Klara Takács at the Queen of Sheba. Label: Hungaroton
Sources
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