Zémire et Azor (Gretry) Schwetzingen 2023 Amelia Scicolone, Patrick Kabongo, Raphael Wittmer
MORE VIDEO FILES: VIDEO
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Zémire et Azor
- Composer: Grétry André, Ignaz Holzbauer, Niccolò Jommelli
- Libretto: Jean-François Marmontel based on La Belle et la bête (Beauty and the Beast) by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, Mattia Verazi Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: Schlosstheater Schwetzingen, Germany, Nationaltheater Mannheim
- Recorded: May 28, 2023
- Type: Staged Opera Live
- Singers: Amelia Scicolone, Patrick Kabongo, Raphael Wittmer, Thomas Berau, Seunghee Kho, Maria Polańska
- Conductor: Bernhard Forck
- Orchestra: Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Information about the Recording
- Published by: OperaVision
- Date Published: 2023
- Format: Streaming
- Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
- Subtitles: yessubs, ensubs, desubs, itsubs
- This Recording is NOT AVAILABLE from a proper commercial or public source
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
Zémire et Azor (Zémire and Azor, not to be confused with the Dutch semi-opera Zemire en Azor) is an opéra comique, described as a comédie-ballet mêlée de chants et de danses, in four acts by the Belgian composer André Grétry. The French text was by Jean-François Marmontel based on La Belle et la bête (Beauty and the Beast) by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, and Amour pour amour by Pierre-Claude Nivelle de La Chaussée. The opera includes the famous coloratura display piece La Fauvette in which the soprano imitates birdsong.
Synopsis
Having been shipwrecked in a storm, the merchant Sander and his servant Ali find their way to a strange palace. A banquet has been laid, though there is no sign of the owner, and the two help themselves to the feast. When Sander plucks a rose from the palace garden to give to his daughter Zémire, the beast-like Azor appears. He is the owner of the palace and says Sander must pay with his life for stealing the rose, unless he can persuade one of his daughters to take his place. When she hears what has happened, Zémire agrees to sacrifice her life for her father and Ali leads her to the palace, where she almost faints at the fearsome sight of Azor. However, Azor proves to be a kind host, showing Zémire her family in a magic mirror and even allowing her to visit home again so long as she promises to return. After a stay with her family, Zémire decides to return to Azor and finds him in despair because he believes she has abandoned him. She protests that she cares about him and the magic spell on Azor is lifted now he has found love. He changes from a beast to a handsome prince and claims his kingdom with Zémire at his side.
Quoted from Wikipedia