Goyescas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Goyescas is an nationalistic opera in three acts by Enrique Granados to a Spanish libretto by Fernando Periquet y Zuaznabar.
It was inspired by the paintings of Francisco Goya, subtitled Los majos Enamorados ("the gallants of love"). The composer wrote, "I am enamored with the psychology of Goya, with his palette, with him, with his muse the Duchess of Alba, with his quarrels with his models, his loves and flatteries. That whitish pink of the cheeks, contrasting with the blend of black velvet; those subterranean creatures, hands of mother-of-pearl and jasmine resting on jet trinkets, have possessed me".
However the opera was not written as an entirely new work. Granados had previously written a piano suite Goyescas, which had had its premiere at the Palace of Catalan Music, Barcelona, on March 11, 1911. The opera was based on themes from the suite, which he orchestrated and augmented to form a three-act work. The libretto had to be fitted to existing melodies, the reverse of the usual way of writing an opera.
The opera was first performed at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City, on January 28, 1916. It was well received by the audience. Its success led to Granados being invited to perform a piano recital at the White House by President Woodrow Wilson. By accepting the invitation, Granados had to postpose his return to Spain. He and his wife lost their lives by drowning on 24 March when their ship, the French steamer Sussex, was torpedoed by a German U-boat in the English Channel. Their original travel plans would have avoided this tragedy.
The Intermezzo from the opera is well known as a stand-alone piece, and many arrangements of it have been made.
 |
This article about an opera or opera-related subject is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
