Bérénice (1909 Magnard / Magnard), opera (music & libretto)

Bérénice <French> (1909) is an opera, set to music by Albéric Magnard.

• Libretto by the Composer, after Bérénice (1670 Racine), play.

Abstract

"Tragédie en musique 3 Akte op. 19." Based on Racine's play, ended with Berenice leaving Titus in order to save him from sinking into a life of lies and compromise.

Editions

Written between 1905 and 1908, was first published in 1909.

Performance history

Premiered at Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique, Paris, France: 15 December 1911.

Rarely performed, the opera was broadcast on French radio in 1936 and 1961, and again in 1992 at the Montpellier Radio Festival. It was revived on stage in Marseille in 2001 conducted by Gaetano Delogu and at the Grand Théâtre de Tours in 2014 for the Magnard centenary, conducted by Jean-Yves Ossonce. A concert performance was given in 2011 at the Carnegie Hall by the American Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leon Botstein.

Notable productions (selected)

• Bérénice (1911 Ruhlmann / @1909 Magnard), opera, Paris premiere (cast)

• Bérénice (1992 Soustrout / @1909 Magnard), opera, Montpellier production, sound recording (cast)

• Bérénice (2001 Delogu / @1909 Magnard), opera, Marseille production, sound recording (cast)

• Bérénice (2011 Botstein / @1909 Magnard), opera, New York (Carnegie) production (cast)

• Bérénice (2014 Ossonce / @1909 Magnard), opera, Tours production (cast)

External links

• Wiki.en