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In Focus
Antonín Dvořák
Rusalka
Premiere: National Theater, Prague, 1901
4HE¬ONLY¬OPERA¬BY¬THE¬GREAT¬#ZECH¬COMPOSER¬!NTONÓN¬$VO‡RÉK¬THAT¬HAS¬SO¬FAR¬
GAINED¬AN¬INTERNATIONAL¬FOLLOWING¬2USALKA¬IS¬IN¬MANY¬WAYS¬A¬DElNITIVE¬EXAMPLE¬
OF¬ LATE¬ 2OMANTICISM¬ &OLKLORE¬ EVOCATIONS¬ OF¬ THE¬ NATURAL¬ AND¬ THE¬ SUPERNATURAL¬
WORLDS¬AND¬EVEN¬A¬POIGNANT¬INTERPRETATION¬OF¬THE¬IDEA¬OF¬A¬LOVEDEATH¬ARE¬ALL¬
CONTAINED¬IN¬THIS¬VERY¬HUMAN¬FAIRY¬TALE¬4HE¬OPERA¬TELLS¬OF¬A¬WATER¬NYMPH¬THE¬
TITLE¬CHARACTER¬WHO¬LONGS¬TO¬BECOME¬HUMAN¬SO¬SHE¬CAN¬WIN¬THE¬LOVE¬OF¬A¬PRINCE¬
4HE¬ STORY¬ HAS¬ A¬ STRONG¬ NATIONAL¬ mAVOR¬ AS¬ WELL¬ AS¬ UNIVERSAL¬ APPEAL¬ INFUSED¬ BY¬
THE¬2OMANTIC¬SUPERNATURALISM¬OF¬&RIEDRICH¬DE¬LA¬-OTTE¬&OUQUÏS¬NOVELLA¬5NDINE¬
PREVIOUSLY¬ SET¬ AS¬ AN¬ OPERA¬ BY¬ %4!¬ (OFFMANN¬ 4CHAIKOVSKY¬ AND¬ OTHERS¬ AND¬
(ANS¬ #HRISTIAN¬ !NDERSENS¬ 4HE¬ ,ITTLE¬ -ERMAID¬ 4HE¬ OPERA¬ WAS¬ WRITTEN¬ FOR¬ THE¬
.ATIONAL¬ 4HEATER¬ IN¬ 0RAGUE¬ AN¬ INSTITUTION¬ WITH¬ A¬ MISSION¬ TO¬ DEVELOP¬ #ZECH¬
CONSCIOUSNESS¬ AND¬ PATRIOTISM¬ DURING¬ A¬ TIME¬ WHEN¬ THE¬ COUNTRY¬ WAS¬ SUBJECTED¬
TO¬ THE¬ !USTRO(UNGARIAN¬ %MPIRE¬ 4HE¬ COMPOSERS¬ NATIONAL¬ CONSCIOUSNESS¬ THE¬
FOLKLORIC¬AMBIENCE¬OF¬THE¬PIECE¬AND¬THE¬FACT¬THAT¬ITS¬WRITTEN¬IN¬#ZECH¬HAVE¬ALL¬
ASSURED¬THE¬OPERAS¬POPULARITY¬WITH¬THE¬#ZECH¬PUBLIC¬FOR¬WHOM¬IT¬IS¬CONSIDERED¬
A¬NATIONAL¬TREASURE
The Creators
!NTONÓN¬ $VO‡RÉK¬ n¬ WAS¬ A¬ #ZECH¬ COMPOSER¬ CELEBRATED¬ DURING¬ HIS¬
LIFETIME¬ FOR¬ HIS¬ CHAMBER¬ CHORAL¬ AND¬ SYMPHONIC¬ MUSIC¬ (IS¬ MANY¬ WORKS¬ TO¬
ACHIEVE¬INTERNATIONAL¬POPULARITY¬INCLUDE¬THE¬3TRING¬1UARTET¬.O¬¬/P¬¬h4HE¬
!MERICANv¬¬THE¬0IANO¬4RIO¬.O¬¬/P¬¬h$UMKYv¬¬THE¬2EQUIEM¬
¬ THE¬ 3LAVONIC¬ $ANCES¬ ¬ ¬ THE¬ #ELLO¬ #ONCERTO¬ ¬ AND¬ NINE¬
PUBLISHED¬ SYMPHONIES¬ $VO‡RÉK¬ WAS¬ ESPECIALLY¬ POPULAR¬ IN¬ ,ONDON¬ AND¬ IN¬ .EW¬
9ORK¬ WHERE¬ HE¬ SERVED¬ FOR¬ A¬ WHILE¬ AS¬ DIRECTOR¬ OF¬ THE¬ .ATIONAL¬ #ONSERVATORY¬ OF¬
-USIC¬4HIS¬SHORTLIVED¬BUT¬INmUENTIAL¬INSTITUTION¬ON¬%AST¬TH¬3TREET¬WAS¬OPEN¬
TO¬ALL¬STUDENTS¬REGARDLESS¬OF¬BACKGROUND¬)T¬WAS¬HERE¬THAT¬$VO‡RÉK¬EXPERIENCED¬
!FRICAN!MERICAN¬AND¬.ATIVE¬!MERICAN¬MUSIC¬SOME¬OF¬WHICH¬WOULD¬INmUENCE¬
HIS¬MOST¬SUCCESSFUL¬COMPOSITION¬THE¬3YMPHONY¬.O¬¬h&ROM¬THE¬.EW¬7ORLDv¬
9ET¬HE¬ALSO¬COMPOSED¬NINE¬OPERAS¬INCLUDING¬2USALKA¬AND¬WAS¬PUZZLED¬THAT¬HIS¬
SUCCESS¬ AS¬ A¬ SYMPHONIC¬ COMPOSER¬ PREVENTED¬ HIM¬ FROM¬ BEING¬ TAKEN¬ SERIOUSLY¬
AS¬AN¬OPERA¬COMPOSER¬BEYOND¬HIS¬NATIVE¬"OHEMIA¬*AROSLAV¬+VAPIL¬n¬
WAS¬A¬#ZECH¬AUTHOR¬AND¬POET¬(E¬WROTE¬THE¬LIBRETTO¬FOR¬2USALKA¬BEFORE¬MEETING¬
$VO‡RÉK¬ WHO¬ BECAME¬ ENTHUSIASTIC¬ ABOUT¬ THE¬ WORK¬ WHEN¬ THE¬ DIRECTOR¬ OF¬ THE¬
.ATIONAL¬4HEATER¬IN¬0RAGUE¬SHOWED¬IT¬TO¬HIM¬
In Focus
continued
The Setting
4HE¬OPERA¬TAKES¬PLACE¬IN¬AN¬UNSPECIlED¬FAIRYTALE¬SETTING¬#ONTRASTING¬UNSPOILED¬
AND¬hHONESTv¬NATURE¬THE¬WOODS¬AND¬LAKE¬OF¬THE¬FRAMING¬ACTS¬WITH¬CORRUPT¬HUMAN¬
CULTURE¬THE¬PRINCES¬PALACE¬IN¬!CT¬))¬WAS¬A¬FAVORITE¬THEME¬OF¬2OMANTIC¬ARTISTS¬
The Music
4HE¬ ORCHESTRAL¬ SCORE¬ OF¬ 2USALKA¬ IS¬ MAGICALLY¬ EVOCATIVE¬ PARTICULARLY¬ FOR¬ THE¬
PASSAGES¬DEPICTING¬THE¬FOREST¬AND¬THE¬LAKE¬IN¬!CTS¬)¬AND¬)))¬4HE¬DELICACY¬OF¬THESE¬
MOMENTS¬HAS¬LED¬SOME¬CRITICS¬TO¬LABEL¬$VO‡RÉKS¬WRITING¬hIMPRESSIONISTICv¬4HESE¬
SCENES¬ ARE¬ EFFECTIVELY¬ CONTRASTED¬ WITH¬ THE¬ BRIGHT¬ BRASS¬ mOURISHES¬ DEPICTING¬
THE¬ GLITTERING¬ COURT¬ OF¬ THE¬ PRINCE¬ 4HE¬ VOCAL¬ WRITING¬ IS¬ BUILT¬ AROUND¬ EMOTIONAL¬
OUTBURSTS¬ RIDING¬ WAVES¬ OF¬ ORCHESTRAL¬ SOUND¬ NOTABLY¬ IN¬ THE¬ lNAL¬ CONFRONTATION¬
BETWEEN¬THE¬HERO¬AND¬HEROINE¬RATHER¬THAN¬A¬STANDARD¬DUET¬WITH¬BOTH¬CHARACTERS¬
SINGING¬AT¬ONCE¬EACH¬CHARACTER¬SINGS¬STRAIGHTFORWARD¬PHRASES¬THAT¬CAPTURE¬THE¬
IRRECONCILABLE¬STATES¬OF¬THESE¬ESTRANGED¬CHARACTERS¬!S¬OPPOSED¬TO¬SOME¬OF¬HIS¬
CONTEMPORARIES¬$VO‡RÉK¬WAS¬NOT¬OPPOSED¬TO¬WRITING¬ARIAS¬AND¬SET¬PIECES¬WHERE¬
THE¬mOW¬OF¬THE¬DRAMA¬WARRANTED¬"ESIDES¬THE¬SOPRANOS¬RAVISHING¬h3ONG¬TO¬THE¬
-OONv¬FAMOUS¬FROM¬CONCERTS¬AND¬RECITALS¬LONG¬BEFORE¬THE¬REST¬OF¬THE¬OPERA¬WAS¬
KNOWN¬OUTSIDE¬OF¬THE¬#ZECH¬WORLD¬THERE¬IS¬THE¬MEZZOS¬HUMOROUS¬!CT¬)¬SOLO¬AND¬
EVEN¬A¬STRAIGHTFORWARD¬THOUGH¬IRONIC¬BRIDAL¬CHORUS¬IN¬!CT¬))¬!DDITIONAL¬CONTRAST¬
EXPRESSED¬IN¬A¬RUSTIC¬FOLKLORIC¬STYLE¬IS¬PROVIDED¬BY¬THE¬SERVANTS¬IN¬!CT¬))¬4HESE¬
VARIOUS¬ STRANDSˆIMPRESSIONIST¬ STATELY¬ RUSTICˆARE¬ INTERWOVEN¬ THROUGHOUT¬ THE¬
OPERA¬TO¬ILLUSTRATE¬THE¬MANY¬DIMENSIONS¬OF¬THE¬STORY
Rusalka at the Met
2USALKA¬CAME¬TO¬THE¬-ET¬IN¬¬WITH¬*OHN¬&IORE¬CONDUCTING¬THE¬3LOVAK¬SOPRANO¬
'ABRIELA¬"ENA
‡ CKOVɬIN¬THE¬TITLE¬ROLE¬AND¬A¬CAST¬THAT¬ALSO¬INCLUDED¬.EIL¬2OSENSHEIN¬
‡
*ANIS¬-ARTIN¬$OLORA¬:AJICK¬AND¬3ERGEI¬+OPTCHAK¬"EN¬(EPPNER¬SANG¬THE¬ROLE¬OF¬
THE¬PRINCE¬FOR¬lVE¬PERFORMANCES¬IN¬THAT¬ORIGINAL¬RUN¬2ENÏE¬&LEMING¬SANG¬THE¬
TITLE¬ROLE¬FOR¬THREE¬PERFORMANCES¬IN¬¬CONDUCTED¬BY¬*OHN¬&IORE¬AND¬FOR¬THREE¬
PERFORMANCES¬IN¬¬CONDUCTED¬BY¬!NDREW¬$AVIS¬ALL¬OPPOSITE¬$OLORA¬:AJICK
6ISIT¬METOPERAORG
Program Note
N¬THE¬WHOLE¬$VO‡RÉK¬HAD¬EXCELLENT¬RELATIONS¬WITH¬HIS¬CRITICS¬AND¬AUDIENCE¬
BUT¬ HE¬ WAS¬ SOMEWHAT¬ IRKED¬ TO¬ lND¬ THAT¬ HE¬ HAD¬ BEEN¬ TYPECAST¬ AS¬ AN¬
INSTRUMENTAL¬COMPOSER¬AS¬THIS¬OUTBURST¬FROM¬¬REVEALS¬h)N¬THE¬LAST¬
lVE¬YEARS¬)¬HAVE¬WRITTEN¬NOTHING¬BUT¬OPERAS)¬CONSIDER¬OPERA¬THE¬MOST¬SUITABLE¬
FORM¬FOR¬THE¬NATION)¬AM¬VIEWED¬AS¬A¬COMPOSER¬OF¬SYMPHONIES¬AND¬YET¬)¬PROVED¬
LONG¬YEARS¬AGO¬THAT¬MY¬MAIN¬BIAS¬IS¬TOWARDS¬DRAMATIC¬CREATIONv¬(E¬WAS¬CERTAINLY¬
CORRECT¬ AFTER¬ RETURNING¬ HOME¬ TO¬ "OHEMIA¬ FROM¬ THE¬ 5NITED¬ 3TATES¬ IN¬ ¬ HE¬
HAD¬WRITTEN¬NOTHING¬BUT¬ PROGRAM¬MUSIC¬AND¬OPERA¬WITH¬THE¬EXCEPTION¬OF¬TWO¬
STRING¬QUARTETS¬)N¬FACT¬HIS¬lNAL¬SYMPHONY¬THE¬GREAT¬h&ROM¬THE¬.EW¬7ORLDv¬OF¬
¬WAS¬AT¬LEAST¬HALF¬A¬TONE¬POEM¬BASED¬AS¬IT¬WAS¬ON¬,ONGFELLOWS¬ 3ONG¬OF¬
(IAWATHA
$VO‡RÉK¬ WAS¬ DETERMINED¬ TO¬ DO¬ FOR¬ #ZECH¬ NATIONAL¬ MUSIC¬ WHAT¬ HE¬ HAD¬
SO¬ SUCCESSFULLY¬ DONE¬ IN¬ .EW¬ 9ORK¬ (E¬ WROTE¬ FOUR¬ SYMPHONIC¬ POEMS¬ BASED¬
ON¬ LEGENDS¬ AS¬ WELLKNOWN¬ TO¬ #ZECH¬ AUDIENCES¬ AS¬ ,ONGFELLOWS¬ POEM¬ WAS¬ TO¬
!MERICANS¬AND¬lNISHED¬HIS¬OUTPUT¬OF¬PROGRAM¬MUSIC¬WITH¬THE¬AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL¬
h(EROS¬3ONGv¬"UT¬EVEN¬THIS¬WAS¬NOT¬ENOUGH¬FOR¬$VO‡RÉK¬IN¬HIS¬ATTEMPTS¬TO¬REACH¬
AN¬AUDIENCE¬!¬SYMPHONY¬OR¬SYMPHONIC¬POEM¬MIGHT¬ONLY¬BE¬PROGRAMMED¬FOR¬
ONE¬OR¬TWO¬PERFORMANCES¬A¬YEAR¬WHILE¬AN¬OPERA¬ON¬THE¬OTHER¬HAND¬MIGHT¬BE¬
PLAYED¬MANY¬TIMES¬3O¬$VO‡RÉK¬TURNED¬EXCLUSIVELY¬TO¬OPERA¬FOR¬THE¬REMAINDER¬OF¬
HIS¬LIFE¬4HE¬lRST¬OF¬THESE¬NEW¬WORKS¬4HE¬$EVIL¬AND¬+ATE¬WAS¬A¬TRADITIONAL¬VILLAGE¬
OPERA¬WITH¬PEASANTS¬AND¬FOLK¬DANCES¬)T¬WAS¬A¬SUCCESS¬BUT¬$VO‡RÉK¬CONTINUED¬TO¬
LOOK¬FOR¬A¬SUBJECT¬THAT¬WOULD¬BE¬SOMEHOW¬EVEN¬MORE¬QUINTESSENTIALLY¬#ZECH¬
AND¬BY¬THE¬PARADOX¬OF¬NATIONAL¬MUSIC¬COULD¬THUS¬ACHIEVE¬A¬UNIVERSAL¬STATUS¬4HAT¬
SUBJECT¬WAS¬2USALKA
4HE¬ EVENTS¬ THAT¬ LED¬ TO¬ THE¬ CREATION¬ OF¬ 2USALKA¬ COALESCED¬ IN¬ ¬ WHEN¬
A¬ COMPOSER¬ IN¬ SEARCH¬ OF¬ A¬ LIBRETTO¬ FOUND¬ A¬ LIBRETTIST¬ IN¬ SEARCH¬ OF¬ A¬ COMPOSER¬
$VO‡RÉK¬HAD¬ALWAYS¬BEEN¬FASCINATED¬BY¬LEGENDS¬THE¬WORD¬h,EGENDAv¬APPEARS¬
LIKE¬A¬LEITMOTIF¬THROUGH¬HIS¬WORKS¬AND¬SKETCHES¬AND¬WAS¬PARTICULARLY¬ATTRACTED¬TO¬
THE¬STORIES¬OF¬+*¬%RBEN¬BASING¬WORKS¬SUCH¬AS¬h4HE¬3PECTRES¬"RIDEv¬AND¬ALMOST¬
CERTAINLY¬HIS¬,EGENDS¬ON¬THE¬WORKS¬OF¬THAT¬WRITER¬"EGINNING¬IN¬¬$VO‡RÉK¬WROTE¬
A¬SERIES¬OF¬FOUR¬TONE¬POEMS¬ON¬%RBENS¬RATHER¬GHOULISH¬TALES¬AND¬EXPERIMENTED¬
WITH¬MUSICAL¬NARRATIVE
4HE¬ YOUNG¬ POET¬ *AROSLAV¬ +VAPIL¬ n¬ WAS¬ ALSO¬ DEEPLY¬ ATTACHED¬ TO¬
%RBENS¬STORIES¬h)¬GOT¬MY¬INSPIRATION¬IN¬THE¬LAND¬OF¬!NDERSEN¬ON¬THE¬ISLAND¬OF¬
"ORNHOLM¬ WHERE¬ )¬ WAS¬ SPENDING¬ MY¬ SUMMER¬ HOLIDAYS¬ 4HE¬ FAIRYTALES¬ OF¬ +AREL¬
*AROMIR¬ %RBEN¬ AND¬ "OäENA¬ .EMCOVɬ
‡
ACCOMPANIED¬ ME¬ TO¬ THE¬ SEASHORE¬ !ND¬
THERE¬ MERGED¬ IN¬ !NDERSENS¬ FAIRYTALES¬ THE¬ LOVE¬ OF¬ MY¬ CHILDHOOD¬ DAYS¬ AND¬
THE¬ RHYTHM¬OF¬ %RBENS¬ BALLADS¬ THE¬MOST¬BEAUTIFUL¬#ZECH¬ BALLADSv¬ (IS¬ LIBRETTO¬
ENTITLED¬ 2USALKA¬ HAD¬ BEEN¬ lNISHED¬ IN¬ ¬ BUT¬ HE¬ COULD¬ NOT¬ lND¬ ANY¬ TAKERS¬
AMONG¬ HIS¬ COMPOSER¬ FRIENDS¬ *OSEF¬ "¬ &OERSTER¬ *OSEF¬ 3UK¬ AND¬ /SKAR¬ .EDBAL¬
WHO¬WERE¬ENGAGED¬WITH¬OTHER¬PROJECTS¬4HROUGH¬THE¬NEWSPAPERS¬HE¬HEARD¬THAT¬
$VO‡RÉK¬WAS¬LOOKING¬FOR¬A¬NEW¬LIBRETTO¬AND¬$VO‡RÉK¬HAD¬APPARENTLY¬HEARD¬ABOUT¬
+VAPILS¬LIBRETTO¬FROM¬FRIENDS¬4HE¬COMPOSER¬READ¬IT¬AND¬WAS¬ENTRANCED
O
Program Note
continued
0OSSESSED¬OF¬A¬LIBRETTO¬THAT¬SATISlED¬HIS¬NEEDS¬$VO‡RÉK¬AS¬WAS¬HIS¬CUSTOM¬
COMPLETED¬THE¬WORK¬IN¬A¬RELATIVELY¬SHORT¬TIME¬4HE¬lRST¬DRAFT¬OF¬THE¬OPENING¬ACT¬
WAS¬BEGUN¬ON¬!PRIL¬¬¬AND¬THE¬WORK¬WAS¬COMPLETED¬MOSTLY¬AT¬$VO‡RÉKS¬
COUNTRY¬HOME¬6YSOKɬBY¬THE¬END¬OF¬.OVEMBER¬SEVEN¬MONTHS¬LATER
/NE¬ OF¬ THE¬ ESSENTIAL¬ QUALITIES¬ OF¬ 2USALKA¬ IS¬ THE¬ WAY¬ IN¬ WHICH¬ IT¬ ALTERNATES¬
LYRICAL¬SCENES¬WITH¬STRIKING¬MOMENTS¬OF¬CONmICT¬4HE¬FORMER¬INVOKING¬NATURE¬AND¬
ITS¬INHABITANTS¬AND¬CREATING¬A¬KIND¬OF¬WOODLAND¬PASTORAL¬INCLUDE¬THE¬CHORUSES¬
OF¬ WOOD¬ SPRITES¬ AND¬ 2USALKAS¬ h3ONG¬ TO¬ THE¬ -OONv¬ 4HESE¬ OPENING¬ SCENES¬
DRAPED¬ IN¬ FOREST¬ AND¬ WATER¬ IMAGES¬ MAY¬ DISGUISE¬ THE¬ FACT¬ THAT¬ ALMOST¬ ALL¬ THE¬
CHARACTERS¬ARE¬ENGAGED¬IN¬A¬COMPLEX¬SERIES¬OF¬STRUGGLES¬)N¬ORDER¬TO¬CREATE¬A¬
SERIES¬OF¬CHARGED¬ENCOUNTERS¬+VAPIL¬ADAPTED¬THE¬STORY¬SHREWDLY¬&OR¬EXAMPLE¬
IN¬HIS¬VERSION¬OF¬THE¬LEGEND¬THE¬PRINCESS¬BECOMES¬AN¬INTERLOPER¬PURE¬AND¬SIMPLE¬
AND¬HER¬CONTROLLED¬HYSTERIA¬IS¬PART¬OF¬WHAT¬DISTRACTS¬THE¬PRINCE¬*EäIBABA¬IS¬TRULY¬
A¬WITCH¬FROM¬AN¬%RBEN¬BALLAD¬BOTH¬A¬REAL¬HUMAN¬WOMAN¬AND¬A¬SPELLCASTER¬AN¬
OPERATIC¬COMBINATION¬OF¬THE¬WITCH¬IN¬(ANSEL¬AND¬'RETEL¬THE¬1UEEN¬OF¬THE¬.IGHT¬
IN¬$IE¬:AUBERmÚTE¬AND¬THE¬NURSE¬IN¬2OMEO¬AND¬*ULIET¬(ER¬ENIGMATIC¬INTERACTION¬
WITH¬2USALKA¬IS¬AN¬ANIMATING¬FEATURE¬OF¬THE¬DRAMA
-OST¬ NOTABLE¬ THOUGH¬ IS¬ THE¬ RELATIONSHIP¬ BETWEEN¬ 2USALKA¬ AND¬ THE¬ TWO¬
PRIMARY¬MALE¬CHARACTERS¬IN¬THE¬OPERA¬THE¬WATER¬GNOME¬6ODNÓK¬AND¬THE¬PRINCE¬)N¬
OTHER¬VERSIONS¬OF¬THE¬LEGEND¬THE¬WATER¬GNOME¬IS¬EITHER¬A¬DISAGREEABLE¬CHARACTER¬
OR¬MERELY¬BENIGN¬)N¬2USALKA¬HE¬IS¬A¬FASCINATING¬PERSONALITY¬TEASED¬BY¬THE¬SPRITES¬
AS¬A¬KIND¬OF¬hDIRTY¬OLD¬MANv¬HE¬IS¬NONETHELESS¬DEEPLY¬SYMPATHETIC¬TO¬THE¬WOES¬
OF¬2USALKA¬AND¬AT¬LEAST¬PART¬OF¬THE¬TIME¬FUNCTIONS¬AS¬A¬'REEK¬CHORUS¬INTONING¬
h"EDA¬
‡
2USALKA¬ BEDAv¬
‡
h!LAS¬ 2USALKA¬ ALASv¬ REMINDING¬ THE¬ HEROINE¬ AND¬ THE¬
AUDIENCE¬OF¬HER¬CRUEL¬FATE¬0ERHAPS¬MOST¬INTERESTING¬IS¬THE¬INTERACTION¬BETWEEN¬
2USALKA¬ AND¬ THE¬ PRINCE¬ 2ENDERED¬ MUTE¬ BY¬ *EäIBABA¬ IN¬ A¬ FATEFUL¬ COMPROMISE¬
2USALKA¬IS¬IN¬REALITY¬ONLY¬PART¬HUMAN¬$ESPITE¬HER¬DEEP¬LOVE¬FOR¬THE¬PRINCE¬SHE¬
CANNOT¬GIVE¬HIM¬THE¬PASSION¬HE¬NEEDS¬4HE¬PRINCE¬IS¬NOT¬SIMPLY¬AN¬INCONSTANT¬
LOVER¬PUNISHED¬BY¬THE¬SPIRIT¬WORLD¬FOR¬HIS¬PHILANDERING¬BUT¬RATHER¬A¬VICTIM¬OF¬AN¬
INEVITABLE¬SERIES¬OF¬CONSEQUENCES¬STEMMING¬FROM¬A¬SUPERNATURAL¬AGREEMENT¬HE¬
NEVER¬ACCEPTED¬OR¬UNDERSTOOD
4HE¬ MUSICAL¬ CONCEPTION¬ OF¬ THE¬ OPERA¬ REmECTS¬ THIS¬ INTERACTION¬ BETWEEN¬
CONmICT¬AND¬EVOCATION¬!T¬ITS¬CORE¬IS¬A¬SERIES¬OF¬mEXIBLE¬LEITMOTIFS¬STANDING¬FOR¬
BOTH¬SPECIlC¬AND¬HIGHLY¬GENERAL¬STATES¬7E¬HEAR¬MANY¬OF¬THEM¬IN¬THE¬OVERTURE¬
WHICH¬OPENS¬WITH¬A¬lGURE¬THAT¬INTRODUCES¬US¬TO¬THE¬ENCHANTED¬WORLD¬.EXT¬WE¬
HEAR¬THE¬CENTRAL¬THEME¬OF¬THE¬WORK¬2USALKAS¬MOTIVE¬WHICH¬APPEARS¬IN¬DOZENS¬
OF¬PERMUTATIONS¬)N¬THE¬SECOND¬ACT¬FOR¬EXAMPLE¬IT¬IS¬THE¬BASIS¬FOR¬A¬BALLET¬WHILE¬
IN¬ THE¬ LAST¬ ACT¬ IT¬ BECOMES¬ A¬ FUNERAL¬ MARCH¬ FOR¬ THE¬ PRINCE¬ $VO‡RÉK¬ WAS¬ ALREADY¬
WORKING¬ WITH¬ THIS¬ IDEA¬ DURING¬ HIS¬ !MERICAN¬ YEARS¬ 4HE¬ MOTIF¬ IS¬ A¬ COMMON¬
MELODIC¬TYPE¬THAT¬CAN¬BE¬EASILY¬LINKED¬WITH¬THE¬NOTION¬OF¬REACHING¬FOR¬SOMETHING¬
ATTAINING¬ IT¬ FOR¬ AN¬ INSTANT¬ AND¬ THEN¬ FALLING¬ BACK¬ THE¬ MAIN¬ THEME¬ OF¬ "ERLIOZS¬
3YMPHONIE¬&ANTASTIQUE¬IS¬A¬LONGER¬VERSION¬OF¬THE¬SAME¬TYPE¬OF¬MOTIF¬4HE¬THIRD¬
MOTIF¬INTRODUCED¬IN¬THE¬OVERTURE¬IS¬TAKEN¬FROM¬THE¬HUNTERS¬SONG¬OF¬!CT¬)¬)T¬IS¬
Program Note
continued
SIMPLE¬ARDENT¬AND¬TRIADIC¬A¬RICH¬CONTRAST¬TO¬2USALKAS¬MORE¬AMBITIOUS¬MATERIAL¬
ASSOCIATED¬WITH¬THE¬PRINCE¬IT¬SUGGESTS¬HIS¬STRAIGHTFORWARD¬PASSION¬AND¬IMPLIES¬
HIS¬INABILITY¬TO¬FULLY¬UNDERSTAND¬THE¬COMPLEXITY¬OF¬HIS¬COMPANION¬7E¬ALSO¬HEAR¬
A¬ MOTIF¬ MADE¬ UP¬ OF¬ ND¬ NOTES¬ SLIDING¬ UP¬ TO¬ FOUR¬ REPETITIONS¬ OF¬ THE¬ HIGHEST¬
NOTE¬ 4HIS¬ STRANGE¬ AND¬ DISTURBING¬ IDEA¬ WILL¬ INTERRUPT¬ 2USALKAS¬ FAMOUS¬ h3ONG¬
TO¬ THE¬ -OONv¬ AND¬ REAPPEAR¬ CONSTANTLY¬ THROUGHOUT¬ THE¬ WORK¬ TO¬ REMIND¬ US¬ OF¬
THE¬DISSONANCE¬THAT¬LIES¬AHEAD¬4HE¬OVERTURE¬CONCLUDES¬WITH¬A¬SLOW¬CHROMATIC¬
DESCENT¬WHICH¬PERHAPS¬SUGGESTS¬THE¬INEXORABLE¬PULL¬OF¬THE¬WATERS¬OR¬EVEN¬FATE¬
ITSELF¬)TS¬MOST¬STRIKING¬APPEARANCE¬OCCURS¬JUST¬AFTER¬THE¬DEATH¬OF¬THE¬PRINCE¬WHEN¬
IT¬IS¬ACCOMPANIED¬BY¬THE¬WATER¬GNOMES¬TORMENTED¬CALL
4HERE¬ ARE¬ TWO¬ OTHER¬ WIDELY¬ USED¬ MOTIVES¬ 4HE¬ lRST¬ IS¬ INTRODUCED¬ AT¬ THE¬
BEGINNING¬ OF¬ !CT¬ )¬ JUST¬ AS¬ THE¬ SPRITES¬ ARE¬ COMING¬ OUT¬ TO¬ PLAY¬ AND¬ BECOMES¬
ASSOCIATED¬ BOTH¬ WITH¬ THEM¬ AND¬ WITH¬ *EäIBABA¬ WHILE¬ THE¬ PASSIONATE¬ FOURNOTE¬
lGURE¬THAT¬ENDS¬THE¬ACT¬IS¬ASSOCIATED¬WITH¬UNCONTROLLABLE¬DESIREˆIT¬WELLS¬UP¬AND¬
ACCOMPANIES¬THE¬lNAL¬SCENE¬AS¬WELL
4HESE¬ MOTIVES¬ BECOME¬ PART¬ OF¬ A¬ CONTINUOUS¬ ACCOMPANIMENT¬ GORGEOUSLY¬
ORCHESTRATED¬OUT¬OF¬WHICH¬STRIKING¬SET¬PIECES¬OCCASIONALLY¬APPEAR¬JUST¬AS¬2USALKA¬
APPEARS¬OUT¬OF¬THE¬WATERS¬4HERE¬ARE¬TWO¬SCENES¬WITH¬THE¬WOOD¬SPRITES¬IN¬THE¬lRST¬
AND¬LAST¬ACTS¬THE¬WATER¬GNOMES¬DEVASTATING¬ARIA¬IN¬!CT¬))¬2USALKAS¬THREE¬SONGS¬
MEMORABLE¬ ARIAS¬ AND¬ ARIETTAS¬ BY¬ THE¬ PRINCE¬ *EäIBABA¬ AND¬ THE¬ PRINCESS¬ AND¬
OF¬ COURSE¬ INSTRUMENTAL¬ MARCHES¬ AND¬ DANCES¬ )N¬ MANY¬ CASES¬ THESE¬ SET¬ PIECES¬
ARE¬PUNCTUATED¬INTERRUPTED¬OR¬SUBTLY¬ACCOMPANIED¬BY¬THE¬RANGE¬OF¬MOTIVES¬)T¬
IS¬THIS¬COMBINATION¬OF¬ONGOING¬ORCHESTRAL¬TEXTURE¬AND¬INDIVIDUAL¬hNUMBERSv¬OF¬
GREAT¬CHARM¬THAT¬IS¬A¬DISTINGUISHING¬CHARACTERISTIC¬OF¬THE¬OPERA
"Y¬THE¬TIME¬$VO‡RÉK¬TURNED¬HIS¬HAND¬TO¬2USALKA¬HE¬WAS¬A¬MOST¬EXPERIENCED¬
COMPOSER¬AND¬ONE¬OF¬HIS¬SPECIAL¬GIFTS¬WAS¬THE¬ABILITY¬TO¬COMMAND¬MANY¬DIFFERENT¬
MUSICAL¬DIALECTS¬/NE¬DELIGHTFUL¬FEATURE¬OF¬THE¬OPERA¬IS¬THE¬MANNER¬IN¬WHICH¬THESE¬
NUMEROUS¬SUBSTYLES¬INTERACT¬$VO‡RÉK¬WAS¬ALWAYS¬MAD¬FOR¬7AGNER¬AND¬ECHOES¬
OF¬ 4ANNHËUSER¬AND¬OTHER¬OPERAS¬CAN¬BE¬HEARD¬IN¬HIS¬SYMPHONIES¬TONE¬POEMS¬
AND¬CHAMBER¬WORKS¬7E¬KNOW¬THAT¬HE¬HAD¬MANY¬DISCUSSIONS¬ABOUT¬7AGNER¬IN¬
.EW¬9ORK¬IN¬THE¬EARLY¬S¬WITH¬HIS¬FRIEND¬!NTON¬3EIDL¬THE¬CONDUCTOR¬OF¬THE¬
.EW¬9ORK¬0HILHARMONIC¬WHO¬PREMIERED¬THE¬SYMPHONY¬h&ROM¬THE¬.EW¬7ORLDv¬
.OT¬ ONLY¬ DOES¬ THE¬ OVERALL¬ MUSICAL¬ CONCEPTION¬ OF¬ 2USALKA¬ OWE¬ A¬ GREAT¬ DEAL¬ TO¬
7AGNER¬BUT¬SEVERAL¬OF¬ITS¬MOTIVES¬ARE¬DECIDEDLY¬7AGNERIAN¬MOST¬NOTABLY¬THE¬
SLOW¬ CHROMATICALLY¬ DESCENDING¬ THEME¬ 9ET¬ THE¬ SINGING¬ OF¬ THE¬ WOOD¬ SPRITES¬ IN¬¬
!CT¬)¬THE¬OPENING¬OF¬!CT¬))¬AND¬THE¬!CT¬))¬7EDDING¬#HORUS¬FEATURE¬A¬DIFFERENT¬
STYLE¬ENTIRELY¬CLOSER¬TO¬THE¬ 3LAVONIC¬$ANCES¬THAN¬TO¬ ,OHENGRIN¬WHILE¬A¬CERTAIN¬
MODAL¬ LYRICISM¬ HEARD¬ BOTH¬ IN¬ *EäIBABAS¬ !CT¬ )¬ SONG¬ SOUNDING¬ REMARKABLY¬ LIKE¬
THE¬SONG¬OF¬*IRKA¬THE¬3HEPHERD¬IN¬4HE¬$EVIL¬AND¬+ATE¬AND¬THE¬!CT¬)))¬SONG¬OF¬THE¬
WOOD¬SPRITES¬RECALLS¬$VO‡RÉKS¬h!MERICANv¬STYLE
2USALKAS¬h3ONG¬TO¬THE¬-OONv¬IS¬COMPOSED¬OF¬AT¬LEAST¬FOUR¬DIFFERENT¬STYLISTIC¬
STRANDS¬!S¬AN¬INTRODUCTION¬WE¬HEAR¬STOCK¬LATETHCENTURY¬hWATER¬SOUNDSv¬FROM¬
THE¬HARP¬4HE¬lRST¬PART¬OF¬THE¬ARIA¬IS¬A¬KIND¬OF¬MODAL¬PASTORAL¬TINTED¬WITH¬ARCHAIC¬
Program Note
continued
FOLK¬GESTURES¬4HE¬MOST¬CONSPICUOUS¬SECTION¬FEATURING¬THE¬HEARTRENDING¬UPWARD¬
LEAP¬ INVOLVES¬ ONE¬ OF¬ $VO‡RÉKS¬ FAVORITE¬ COMPOSITIONAL¬ GAMBITS¬ A¬ SEEMINGLY¬
STRAIGHTFORWARD¬CHORD¬PROGRESSION¬INTO¬WHICH¬IS¬INSERTED¬A¬hSURPRISEv¬INmECTION¬
WHICH¬ IN¬ THIS¬ CASE¬ LENDS¬ THE¬ ARIA¬ ITS¬ ESPECIALLY¬ BRIGHT¬ AND¬ SHIMMERING¬ QUALITY¬
&INALLY¬THE¬TWO¬STANZAS¬OF¬THE¬ARIA¬ARE¬SEPARATED¬BY¬ONE¬OF¬THE¬MAIN¬LEITMOTIFS¬
OF¬THE¬WORK¬THE¬ASCENDING¬CHROMATIC¬MOTIVE¬THAT¬CAN¬BE¬LINKED¬TO¬THE¬hSPOOKYv¬
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