379q

A HISTORICAL AND MUSICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CHARACTERS

IN THE OPERA THE LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES

THESIS

Presented to the Graduate Council of the

North Texas State University in Partial

Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of

MASTER OF MUSIC

By

Antonio Hipolito Perez, B. M.

Denton, Texas

January, 1963

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS .......... . . Pa.iv

Chapter

I. BRIEF HISTORY OF THE COMSIEDIA DELLARTE AND COMIC OPERA . . . . . . . ... . . . . . 1

Commedia delltarte The Comic Opera

II. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE COMPOSER PROKOFIEV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

III. THE OPERA THE LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES . . . . . 17

The Libretto The Evolvement of the Story

IV. THE LINEAGE OF THE CODhEDIA DELLARTE CHARACTERS IN THE OPERA THE LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES *... . *.~~~. .... 21

V. MUSICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE OPERA THE LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES . . . . . . 27

VI. CONCLUSION - - - - - - - - -* . . . . . - * . 52

BIBLIOGRAPHY - - - - - - - - - - -* * * * . . .* . . 56

iii

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure Page

1. Act I, Scene 1, Measures 109-115, the King's Expression of Fear . . . . . . . . .28

2. Act IV, Scene 2, Measures 113-120, Majestic Utterance of the King . . . . . . . . . . . 29

3. Act II, Scene 1, Measures 40-45, Prince's Stylized Crying Motive . . . . . . . . . . . 30

4. Act II, Scene 2, Measures 222-236, Prince's Stylized Laughter Motive . - . . . . . . . . 31

5. Act III, Scene 3, Measures 243-250, Prince's Lyric Passage . - . . - . . . . . . . .. . 32

6. Act III, Scene 3, Measures 451-461, Prince's Heroic Passage . . . a- . . . . . . . . .. . 33

7. Act I, Scene 3, Measures 14-20, Princess u2larissa's Delivery in Declamatory Style . . 34

8. Act I, Scene 3, Measures 14-20, Leandro's Dialogue, Jeclamatory Style . . . . . . . . 35

9. Act I, Scene 1, Measures 244-248, Truffaldino's Leitmotif . . . . . . . . . . 36

10. Act III, Scene 3, Measures 127-133, Truffaldino's Expressive Sympathy in Lyric Passage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

11. Act I, Scene 1, Measures 77-83, Imitation Between Pantalone and the King . . . . . . . 38

12. Act I, Scene 1, Measures 84-87, Homophonically Styled Duet Passage Between Pantalone and the King . . . . . . . . . . . 38

13. Act I, Scene 1, Measures 152-157, Pantalone's Dialogue, Nio Special Effects .0.0...0. . . 39

14. Act IV, Scene 1, Measures 10-16, Celio's Exaggerated Declamatory Emphasis . . . . . . 40

iv

15. Act II, Scene 2, Measures 297-302, Declamatory Utterances Depicting Fata Morgana t s Strong Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

16. Act II, Scene 2, Measures 103-106, Conflict Between Fata Morgana and Celio . . . . . . . 42

17. Act III, Scene 3, Measures 159-167, Princess Linettats Thirst Theme . . . . . . . . . . . 43

18. Act III, Scene 3, Measures 356-362, Princess Ninetta's Thirst Theme Transposed . . . . . 43

19. Act III, Scene 3, Measures 476-483, Princess Ninettats Response to the Prince . . . . . . 44

20. Act III, Scene 3, Measures 605-608, Stylized Cry of Ninetta . . . . . . . . &. . . . . . 45

21. Act III, Scene 2, Measures 196-198, Cook's Lyric Passage . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . 45

22. Act III, Scene 1, Measures 197-203, Smeraldina's Utterance Depicting SelfImportance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

23. Act III, Scene 1, Measures 120-125, Declamatory Utterance of Farfarello without Adornment . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . - * 47

24. Act I, Scene 1, Measures 26-31, the Doctors? Psalmodic Passage . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

25. Act I, Scene 2, Measures 29-35, Little Devils Florid, Stylized Manner . . . . . . 49

26. Prologue, Measures 9-17, Tragedianst Theme Reminiscent of Fata Morganats Curse Theme. . 50

27.Prologue, Measures 61-65, Interplay of Four Theater-Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - 51

V

PageFigure

CHAPTER I

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE COMMEDIA DELLtARTE

AND COMIC OPERA

Commedia dell'arte

The Commedia dell'arte was a form of Italian comedy

prevalent from about 1560 to 1760. It was rooted in the

comedy of ancient Greece and Rome, and it first appeared

during the Middle Ages. By the late sixteenth century Com

media delltarte had acquired definite form and reached the

heights of its popularity. It was performed by wandering

groups of players, who improvised on an established plot or

scenario. Certain of the players wore masks and costumes

representing established character types. Other players,

especially the romantic leads and servettas, representing

youth, did not wear masks. Once an actor had established

himself as a character type, he remained that type through

out his career.2

The typical Commedia dellarte was a racy mixture of

rapid fire, satirical dialogues (frequently in dialect),

1Allardyce Nicoll, Masks, Mimes and Miracles (London, 1931), pp. 215-216.

2Marvin T. Herrick, Italian Comedy in the Renaissance (Urbana, 1960), pp. 58-59.

1

2

slapstick farce, gymnastic or mystifying stunts, clowning,

music and sometimes dancing. All this more or less obscured

the central theme or pretext; the love intrigue.3

The average Commedia dell'arte troupes consisted of about

twelve actors all playing more or less fixed roles. Among

the players in a typical play would be Dottore Grazione, the

old pedant from Bologna; Capitano, the swaggering officer;

Arlecchino (Harlequin) the scheming and cunning principal

servant; Pantalone (Pantaloon), from Venice; Brighella, the

second valet, dishonest and unscrupulous; Pulcinella (Pierrot),

hooknosed and stupid, the ancestor of Punch; the young lovers,

usually named Flaminio or Flavio; and other characters, often

including a Flaminia or a Celia, the saucy and ingenious

Colombina (Columbine), and the maid, Franceschina.4

In the middle of the eighteenth century Carlo Goldoni

brought about innovations in the theatre which practically

caused the disappearance of improvised comedy. Although he

retained many of the Commedia dellcarte characters in his

plays, he eliminated their masks. Lines were specific and

rehearsed. Actors were required to be more versatile. Im

portant also was his introduction to the Italian public of

French plays in translation. 5

3Pierre Louis Duchartre, The Italian Comedy (New York, 1929), p. 51.

4 Herrick, op. cit., p. 212.

5 D. Maxwell White, "Carlo Goldoni," The Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. X (Chicago, 1960).

3

The story of The Love for Three Oranges came about as

a feud between Goldoni and Carlo Gozzi, an actor, critic and

writer who criticized Goldoni's innovations. Goldoni in turn

claimed that it was easier to criticize a play than to com

pose one. Gozzi took Goldonits reply as a challenge and

wrote several fables, among them the Fabia dell'amore della

tre malarancie (The Love for Three Oranges). The dialogue

and plot of this play were intermingled with obvious ridicule

of Goldoni's ideas on playwriting. The audience succumbed to

Gozzi's wit which proved to be Goldoni's personal downfall.6

However, while Gozzi's plays achieved success themselves,

they did little to retard the general decline and demise of

the Commedia dell'arte.7

In 1919 the composer Prokofiev, on a commission from the

Chicago Opera, utilized this satire to compose the work, The

Love for Three Oranges.

The Comic Opera

To the Roman musician is attributed the introduction of

the comical elements which paved the way for the opera buffa

or comic opera.8 Rome was the connecting link between

Florence, the birthplace of opera, and Venice, which

6H. C. Chatfield-Taylor, Goldoni:ABiography (New York, 1913), pp. 415-416.

7Allardyce Nicoll, The Development of the Theatre (New York, 1937), p. 114.

Donald Grout, A Short History of Opera (New York, 1956), p. 69.

4

contributed the solo aria. 9 In the first attempts at opera

there were no comic scenes or elements to humanize the

drama.10 In 1632 Steffano composed Santo Alessio, the first

opera to contain elements of the Italian popular comedy

called Commedia delltarte. In this opera some of the stock

characters of the Commedia delltarte are interpolated among

other characters representative of every day people in Rome. 11

Echoing this movement, a musical comedy by Vergilio

Mazzochi and Marco Marazzoli, entitled Che Soffre, p

(Who suffers, will have hope), was produced in Rome in 1639

under the patronage of the Barberini, a powerful Roman family

who contributed many princes to the Church. 1 2 The librettist

for this opera was Giulio Rospigliosi, who later became Pope

Clement IX. To this prince of the church, together with

Mazzochi and Marazzoli, is attributed the foundation of

Italian comic opera.13 Apart from the contributions of these

people, little is known about the history of comic opera as

a separate genre until the rise of the Neapolitan school of

14 the eighteenth century.

The genesis of the southern branch of opera buffa may

be traced to the intermezzi, or musical interludes, which

9Ibid., p. 83. 10Ibid., p. 79. "1Ibid.

12 Paul Henry Lang, Music in the Western Civilization (New York, 1941), p. 347.

13lbid., p. 348. '4Grout, op. _cit., p. 82.

5

were introduced between the acts of operas and dramas, with

the object of relieving the mental strain induced by the

effort of following long performances of a serious nature.

These intermezzi also served to create time for scene

changes, which were often rather long.15 Most of these early

works were related to Commedia dell'arte by their distinct

plots and character types.16

As time went on, these intermezzi took on larger pro

portions and their general characteristics acquired greater

importance, but it was not until well into the eighteenth

century that one of them was promoted to the rank of an in

dependent opera, and, instead of being performed in scraps

between acts of a tragedy, was given for the first time as a

separate work. This honor was accorded to La Serva Padrona

by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, first performed at Naples in

1733. Its successful performance resulted in the writing of

innumerable imitations.1 7 Until this time Italian opera,

founded along the lines of Greek tragedy, had never deigned

to touch modern life at any point. Its subjects were taken

solely from classical legend. Thus it is easy to conceive

the delight of the Italian people in their discovery of opera

15 Ethel Peyser and Marion Bauer, How Opera Grew (New York, 1956), pp. 48-49.

l 6 Grout, op. cit., p. 248.

1 7 Peyser, op. it_., p. 59.

6

based upon mirthful and even farcical stories, interpreted

by characters who might have stepped out of their own market

place or, the Commedia dellfarte.l8

Following the success of Pergolesits La Serva Padrona,

opera buffa began to develop in Naples as a separate form

equal in importance to the opera seria. Most of its characters

were derived from the Commedia dell'arte, or the national

improvised comedy.

Along with the freedom and variety of subjects with

which it dealt, the development of opera buffa in Naples also

gave rise to a musical form which is of importance in the

history of opera, the ensemble finale.

The man responsible for this series of concurrent but

separate vocal lines known as the concerted ensemble finale

is Nicola Logroscino (1700-1763). He seems to have been the

first composer to conceive the idea of working up the end of

an act to a musical climax by bringing all his characters

together and blending their voices into a texture of some

musical complexity.19 Logroscino wrote only in the Neapolitan

dialect; consequently, his worshad little success beyond

his own province. However, his invention was quickly adopted

by all writers of opera and soon became an important factor

WJallace Brockway and Herbert Weinstock, The Opera (New

York, 1941), pp. 4-5.

19rc p Grout, 2p.. it., p. 250.

7

in the development of the art.20 Later composers elaborated

his idea by extending the finale to include more than one

movement. Finally, but not until after many years, it was

21 introduced into opera seria.

Logroscinots reputation was chiefly local, but the work

La Serva Padrona by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi made the

Neapolitan school famous throughout the world.22 La Serva

Padrona was performed in Paris in 1752, and may be said to

have been instrumental in founding the opera comique. 2 3

Rousseau extolled its beauty as a protest against the arid

declamation of the school of Lulli,24 and it was the subject

of one of the bitterest dissensions ever to arise in the

history of music, "The War of the Buffoons." This conflict

ended with composers all across Europe interpolating the

ideas of Pergolesi into their own compositions.25

In France there had been for many years a kind of opera

comique, a species of musical pantomimes called vaudevilles,

which were very popular at fairs.26 The success of the

Italian company which performed the comic operas of Pergolesi,

and others, fired the French composers to emulation, and in

1752 the first French opera comique Le Devin du Village, by

20 Ibid., p. 250. 21Ibid., p. 251.

22Peyser, op. cit., p. 59. 23Grout, 22- cit., p. 256.

24Peyser, o. cit., p. 59. 25Ibid.,Pp. 59-60.

26 Grout, 2p. cit., p. 255.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, was performed at the Academy of

Music.27

At first, lovers of opera comique in Paris had to sub

sist chiefly upon translations from the Italian works;28 but

in 1755 a Neapolitan composer, Egidio Romualdo Duni, came to

Paris and created with his Fille MalGardee the modern French

opera comique.29

The early days of opera comique in Paris were disrupted

by the jealousy existing between the French and Italian

schools, but in 1762 with the opening of the new Theatre de

L'Opera Comique, the Salle Favart, there began a new and

brilliant period for the French art. 3 0

A leading composer of the eighteenth century opera comique

was Ernest Modeste Gretry (1742-1813) who combined his Italian

training with Gallic music. His masterpiece, Richard Coeur

de-lion, is considered a landmark of the early romantic opera,

and with him closes the first period of opera comique.31

Meanwhile, comic opera in Italy was pursuing its triumphant

course. The introduction of the finale brought the two great

divisions of opera into closer connection, and most of the

great composers of this period succeeded as well in opera

buffa as in opera seria. The impetus given to the progress

of the art by the brilliant Neapolitan school was ably

27Ibid., p. 256. 28Land, -2. _cit., p. 551.

29 Ibid., p. 551. 30 1bid. 3lIbid, pp. 552-553.

9

sustained by such composers as Nicola Piccinni (1728-1800),

a composer who is known principally as the unsuccessful rival

brought forward by the Italian party in Paris in the vain

hope of crushing Gluck.32

At the end of the eighteenth century Italian comic opera

is best represented by Il Matrimonio Segreto written by

Domenico Cimarosa, at Vienna in 1792. His talent was thoroughly

Italian, untouched by German influence, and he excelled in

portraying the gay superficiality of the Italian character

without attempting to delve below the surface.33

A contemporary of Cimarosa was Giovanni Paisiello (1741

1818), a composer whose works, though immensely popular in

their day, did not possess individuality enough to withstand

the ravages of time. Paisiello deserves to be remembered as

the first man to write an opera on the tale of Il Barbiere di

Sivaglia. This work, though coldly received when it was

first performed, ended by establishing so firm a hold upon

the affections of the Italian public that when Rossini tried

to produce his opera on the same subject, the Romans at first

refused to give it a hearing. 3 4

The traditions of Italian comic opera were sustained in

the nineteenth century by Rossini (Barber of Seville, Italian

in Algiers, The Thieving Magpie), Donizetti's(Elixir of Love,

3 2 Grout, o. cit., p. 241.

33Ibid., pp. 253-254. 34Ibid., pp. 25lv252.

10

Don Pasquale, and his French opera comique The Daughter of

the Regiment), and ultimately Verdi with his two comic

operas (Un Giorno di Regno and Falstaff). Falstaff may be

considered the culmination of the Italian comic opera in the

nineteenth century. 3 5

Wars and rumors of wars stunted musical development of

all kinds in Germany during the earlier years of the eighteenth

century. After the death of Reinhardt Keiser, in 1739, the

glory of opera declined at Hamburg, and opera seems to have

lain under a cloud until the advent of Johann Adam Hiller

(1728-1804), the inventor of the Singspiel. Hiller's sing

spielswere vaudevilles of a simple and humorous description,

interspersed with music, occasionally concerted numbers of a

very simple description, but more often songs derived from

the traditions of the German lied.36 Hiller's operettas were

very popular, but, in spite of his success, it was felt by

many of the composers who imitated him that his combination

of dialogue and music was inartistic, and attempts were made

to solve the difficulty by relegating the music to a merely

incidental position and conducting all the action of the piece

by means of the dialogue. Nevertheless, the older form of

the singspiel retained its popularity, and although founded

upon incorrect aesthetic principles, was the legitimate

35Ibid., p. 355. 36Ibid., pp. 265-266.

11

forerunner of such works as Mozart's Magic Flute and

Beethoven's Fidelio.3 7

One of the most important composers of this period is

Mozart. With the comic operas The Marriage of Figaro, and

Cosi fan tutti, modeled after the Italian comic idiom, Mozart

surpassed them with his sheer musical genius and his under

lying concept of opera as a strictly musical affair rather

than a drama in which music was a means of expression.38

Nineteenth century Germany witnessed the appearance of

many minor comic opera composers, none of whom contributed

in a lasting fashion to the repertoire. The one great

operatic influence was Richard 'Wagner, and his comic opera

Die Meistersingers von Nurnberg was the outstanding lyric

comedy of nineteenth century Germany.

Composers of the late nineteenth and twentieth century

continued to follow the precedents of early opera buffa.

Particularly notable are Puccini's Gianni Schicchi; Strauss'

Der Rosenkavalier, and Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges.

37Ibid., p. 267. 38Ibid., p. 274.

CHAPTER II

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE COMPOSER PROKOFIEV

Sergei Prokofiev was born in the year 1891, in the town

of Sontsovkal, Russia. His father, an agronomist, managed

the estate of the landowner Sontsov. His mother Marya was

an excellent pianist and teacher, and to her Sergei attrib

utes his early musical training. By the time he was six

years old he played the piano well and in a primitive way

began to fashion compositions.1

By the age of thirteen he had written the words and music

to two operas, The Giant (performed privately by his relatives),2

The Feast During the Plague, and also fragments of a third

opera, a four-movement symphony, a number of piano pieces, and

other miscellaneous compositions.3 He brought some of his

music to the composer Sergei Taneyev, who recognized a creative

talent in the boy. Taneyev advised intensive study, and at the

age of thirteen Prokofiev entered the St. Petersburg conser

vatory. He remained there ten years, during which time he

studied with the composers Rimsky-Korsakov, Tcherepnin, and

Lyadov.4

lIsrael V. Nestyev, Sergei Prokofiev (New York, 1946), pp. 3-4.

2Ibid p. 5. 3Ibid., p.8. 4Nicolas Slonimsky, "Prokofiev,"1 Baker's Biographical

Dictionary of Musicians, 5th ed. (New York, 195ST,4p.I251.

12

13

Prokofiev wrote numerous works while still a student.

Included among these are the first works: Piano Sonata No. 1,

Opus 1; Four Etudes, for piano Opus 2; two choral works,

Opus 7; two songs, Opus 9; and Ballade, for the cello and

piano, Opus 15. Most of the compositions written during

these years were considered rather extreme, so much so that

during an examination in 1909 the faculty were taken aback

by his departure from convention. 5

In the spring of 1914 Prokofiev was graduated with

diplomas in composition, piano and conducting. He also won

the honored Rubinstein Prize for his Second Piano Concerto,

though the more conservative professors objected violently

to his advanced technique. 6

Soon after leaving the Conservatory, Prokofiev went on

a holiday to London where he met Diaghilev, impresario of the

Ballet Russe. So impressed was Diaghilev with the young

composer, that he commissioned him to write the music for a

ballet. Meanwhile, World War I began in Europe. Prokofiev

reentered the Conservatory to study organ, and at this time

his classical tendencies were revived.7 The ballet which he

was commissioned to write was put off until a suitable subject

was available.

Finding a suitable subject was not easy, but Prokofiev

finally found one which intrigued him. This concerned the

5Nestyev, p* ci. p. 16. 6 Ibid., pp. 32-33. 7Ibid*., p. 50.

14

ancient race of the Scythians and their gods. Diaghilev did

not approve the theme; he felt it unsuitable for ballet

treatment. Prokofiev was so taken with the subject that,

since Diaghilev did not want it, he decided to write an or

chestral suite around it. The Scythian Suite (Ala and Lolly)

was heard for the first time at a concert conducted by

Alexander Siloti on January 16, 1916.

Although Diaghilev did not like the theme of the Scythians,

he did approve another subject which engaged Prokofiev at

this time. In Russian folklore, Prokofiev came upon a tale

of a buffoon. He used it as a text for the ballet Chout.

On May 17, 1921, the work was introduced in Paris by the

Ballet Russe with outstanding success.

There were other works completed during this period: the

Concerto Number 1 for violin and orchestra and the Classical

Symphony, which he completed in his mountain retreat.9

A convenient avenue of escape was afforded Prokofiev

when he found that it was becoming entirely unbearable for a

composer in Russia under the new regime. He undertook an

American tour with funds provided by the Koussevitzky pub

lishing house.10 His American debut took place in New York

City on November 20, 1918, in a piano recital featuring some

of his own works. The critics were unmerciful with the

8 Ibid., p. 41. 9Ibid., p. 56.

l0Ibid., pp. 56-57.

15

composer, describing his compositions as Bolshevistic,

Russian chaos, and an orgy of dissonant sounds.11

He was better received in Chicago and was given an im

portant commission there. In January, 1919, Italo Campanini,

impresario of the Chicago Opera, contracted with him to write

a new opera for the company.12 Unfortunately, not until the

fall of 1921, after Mary Garden became director of the com

pany, was the opera performed by the Chicago Opera.

Prokofiev changed countries again, making his home in

Ettal, 3avaria, leaving each year for concert engagements

in European centers.13 He continued writing major works dur

ing this time. The ballet Le Pas d'acier (The Age of Steel)

was introduced in Paris by the Ballet Russe on June 8, 1927,

and scored a triumph when performed in London. The Boston

Symphony introduced his Symphony Number 4, written in 1930

to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of that organization.

In 1932 Prokofiev decided to return to Russia. His

music from this point on bore the influence of Soviet ideology

and was tailored to specific Soviet needs. He wrote music

scores for the films Lieutenant Ki je and Alexander Nevsky,

the first adapted into an orchestral suite, the latter revised

and expanded into a cantata. For children, he wrote songs

and the symphonic tale Peter and the Wolf.

Upon the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Prokofiev

plunged into the war effort writing military marches and

llIbid., p. 77. 12Ibid., p. 29. 13Ibid., p. 92.

16

anti-fascist popular songs. He composed the Symphonic Suite

in 1941 reflecting the impact of the war in this work. In

1942 he composed the piano Sonata Number 7, which is sometimes

known as the Stalingrad Sonata. With this sonata he won the

Stalin Prize. Two years later the Symphony Number 5 came

into being. The Symphony was a success in both Russia and

the western world. The most significant work of these war

years was the opera War and Peace. This work, which is in

five acts, utilizes sixty characters, and also requires two

evenings to perform.

Prokofiev spent the last years of his life in Moscow.

He died there on March 5, 1953. Of his music, he is quoted

as stating in his autobiography:

It is divided into five lines along which my talent is developed: 1. classical, 2. innovationary, 3. dynamic force of music, 4. lyric, 5. grotesque. The classic line I owe to my mother, who was an excellent pianist and used to play Beethoven sonatas regularly. 4

14 Rena Moisenko, "Prokofiev," Realist Music (London, 1949), p. 173.

CHAPTER III

THE OPERA THE LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES

The Libretto

As stated in an earlier chapter, the story of The Love

for Three Oranges is based on an old Venetian fairy tale

adapted for the theatre by Carlo Gozzi in 1761 in an attempt

to ridicule and overthrow the influence of Carlo Goldoni's

literary and theatrical innovations of the same period.

In this modern four-act interpretation of the Commedia

delltarte atmosphere, Prokofiev has incorporated the Gozzi

play by means of adapting the libretto himself and adding a

card scene between Fata Morgana, the witch, and Celio, the

magician, plus a few episodes related to this.

In recent adaptations the opera has been divided into

two acts, thereby coming closer to the Gozzi original, which

was in three acts.1 The final scene, which in the play oc

curred in the kitchen, in the opera is placed in the throne

room.2 Another innovation which Prokofiev has interpolated,

is the utilization of a chorus onstage to comment on the

'Eric Bentley, "The Love for Three Oranges," ChrysalisThe Pocket Review of the Arts, XII (New York, 1959),3-21.

2Ibid, p. 19.

17

proceedings of the characters in the course of the opera,

creating an audience within an audience as in Leoncavallots

Pagliacci. . . a play within a play.

In this operatic adaptation the libretto retains several

of the basic Commedia dell'arte characters, and likewise

concerns itself with a fairy tale kingdom. The chorus is

separated into several contending groups, each clamoring for

its particular preference in entertainment. The groups

represented are: Lovers of Tragedy, Lovers of Comedy, Lovers

of Romantic plays, Lovers of Light Entertainment and the

Ridiculers.

The Evolvement of the Story

The Prince, a hypochondriac, is growing worse every day

because of the bad poetry being fed to him by the blackguard

Prime Minister Leandro. The king's niece, Clarissa, is in

love with Leandro. She and the slave, Smeraldina, plot to

gain the kingdom with the aid of a witch, Fata Morgana. On

the side of the king are Celio and the court jester, Truf

faldino, who is called in by the friend and adviser to the king,

Pantalone, to make the prince laugh--the only cure for the

prince's malady. After all of Truffaldino's efforts have

failed, the prince starts to laugh when the witch Fata Morgana

appears on the scene and accidently falls, gesticulating

ridiculously. The prince's unseemly laughter angers the witch,

and she in turn pronounces a curse upon him. He must travel

19

far, blown by rampant winds, in search of three oranges with

which he will fall in love. To the dismay of the king and

court, the prince departs with Truffaldino in quest of his

goal. Guided by the words of the good magician Celio, they

finally reach their destination, Creonta's castle. There

they encounter a fierce cook, guardian of Creontats oranges.

Truffaldino entrances the cook with a magic ribbon provided

for him by Celio; the prince steals the.oranges, and the two

escape. In a desert, they are all but overcome by thirst.

While the prince sleeps, Truffaldino cuts open two of the

oranges, only to find in each of them a princess who in turn

must have water to survive. Not having any water, they die

almost immediately. Truffaldino becomes frightened and runs

away. The prince awakes and cuts open the third orange him

self, and the Princess Ninetta emerges. They fall madly in

love with each other at first sight, but she too must die for

lack of water. At the last possible moment she is saved from

death by one of the spectators who brings a bucket of water

from his seat, and places it on the stage!

The prince leaves the princess to go and fetch his father

the king, Fata Morgana appears and stabs the princess with a

magic hatpin, transforming her into a pigeon, while Smeraldina

takes her place. Returning to the scene with his father, the

prince realizes Smeraldina is not Ninetta and he refuses to

marry her. However, he is forced by the king to keep his

20

word. All leave for the castle where amidst preparations for

the wedding, the pigeon (Ninetta) appears. The magician

Celio pulls the pin and the princess resumes her human form.

The king sees the error of the situation, the prince and

Ninetta are married, and the culprits, Leandro, Clarissa,

and Smeraldina are condemned to sweeping out the kitchen

forever.

CHAPTER IV

THE LINEAGE OF THE COPNEDIA DELLARTE CHARACTERS IN THE

OPERA THE LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES

In tracing the lineage of the Commedia dell'arte char

acter Pantaloon, who is the friend and confidant to the king,

both in the fable, Fabia dell'amore della tre malarancie, and

the opera, The Love for Three Oranges, one can find a probable

beginning in the ancient Roman theatre, in the Fabula Attel

lana in which the characters used masks. Such characters

may have also been derived from earlier Greek farces. Their

exact origin is uncertain, for the only history of these

Commedia dell'arte characters depends on fragmentary evidence

derived from the letters and diaries of the period before

1600.

Representing one of the basic masks of the Commedia

delltarte characters, Pantalone is described as a Venetian

merchant, good-natured, shrewd and canny; preserving a childish

simplicity. As Pantalone grew older historically he developed

into a character best described as senile, lecherous and

avaricious, sometimes wealthy, sometimes poor. Most of the

time he was married and cuckolded. If he was a widower he

Marvin Theodore Herrick, Italian Comedy in the Renaissance (Urbana, 1960), p. 211.

21

22

pursued younger girls, who often as not married younger men.

If he had a daughter he tried to deter young men from marrying

her (e.g., Bartolo in The Barber of Seville). His costume or

mask was aquiline with a long drooping moustache and a pointed

beard that gave him a rather sharp face. He walked across

the stage with robinhood-type slippers, his withered thighs

exposed in scarlet tights, with a flowing black or purple

coat on his long thin frame. He had a tall, red, woolen cap

used by Venetian merchants of that time, and occasionally

carried a leather-like purse, resembling a phallus, the sub

ject of pertinent jokes from his fellow actors. 2

Next to be considered is the doctor attired in the flow

ing robes symbolic of the medical profession, elderly in ap

pearance and exuding a sinister effect similar to that of

Pantalone. He was originally a Doctor of Law, but in the

seventeenth century became a Doctor of Medicine. From his

mouth flowed thB worst conceivable Latin, in which tongue he

vainly attempted to express himself. As to his knowledge of

medicine, he often prescribed panaceas that were dangerous to

the health of his patient. In his earlier law practice he in

variably lost the cases of his clients because of his inadequate

acquaintance with the law. Like Pantalone he was avaricious

and lecherous. His speeches bored the audience and his love

2Thelma Niklaus, Harlequin Phoenix (London, 1956), p. 37.

23

affairs or advances often elicited yawns and giggles from the

object of his amorous pursuit. Consequently, he never suc

ceeded, much to his chagrin.3 His regalia consisted of a

mask with a black nose and forehead, and veined-like cheeks,

indicating an addiction to the bottle.4

With the growth of the Commedia delltarte throughout

Italy, these characters took on regional names and slight

costume changes, never changing the original mask. In time,

Pantalone and the doctor became one character.5 The doctor

disappeared to some extent but in places like Naples he became

Bisegliese or Pasquariello. In Rome he became Ciccombimbo,

Cassandrino, and in Sicily, Il Barone. In other places he

became a variation with certain of the doctors characteristics

still apparent. Pantalone finally emerges as Pantaloonin

nineteenth century English comedy, and presently, Pantaloon,

friend and confidant of the king in Prokofiev's opera The

Love for Three Oranges.

Arlecchino, the oldest and most typical of the Italian

masks, is the most fascinating and mysterious of characters

ever created.7 He has endured the rigors of time from the

Renaissance to present day. With his inception in the Commedia

delltarte he has traveled all over the world in pottery,

painting, poetry, literature and sculpture.8 His costume

3lbid., p. 38*. 4Ibid. 51bid., p. 39.

6 Ibid. 7Ibid., p. 18. 81bid.

24

consisted of a multi-colored, tight-fitting suit, which

represented his humble station in lif e. On his head he wore

a round cap with a tuft made of a rabbit's foot. His mask

was black with a bristly moustache and he carried a sword or

bat in his belt.9 Always agile and always gay he amused

audiences with his absurdities and his perpetual motion. In

the hands of able actors he sired a succession of gradually

modified offspring with the names of Zaccagnine, Trivelino,

Mestolino, Bagatino, Guazeto, and Truffaldino--the name he

assumes in The Love for Three Oranges.lO

In this opera Truffaldino and Pantalone are the only true

masks in that they do not deviate from the original Commedia

delltarte prototypes. Other mimes in the opera (notably

Celio and the doctors) carry the names of Commedia dell'arte

characters, but they neither wear the masks nor identify them

selves with the characteristics of their original namesakes.

In association with Arlecchino comes Brighella. He is

the clever but cowardly servant who helps his master to de

ceive his relations. He also seduces his neighbor's wife or

daughter. He wore a costume consisting of white, banded with

green, a short cloak, a green and white cap, and a well-filled

purse. A sharp dagger in his belt symbolized his unscrupulous

9James Cleaver The Theatre Thr the (London, 1948), P. 58.

10Niklaus, op. ., p.o42o

25

character. 1 Like Arlecchino, Brighella gave birth to a

variety of assimilated types, including the unscrupulous

Beltramo, Scapino (Pergolesis _La Serva Padrona), Fenocchino,

Flautino, Gradelino, Mezzetino and Figaro (The Barber of

Seville).12

The four main masks, with their attendant groups, were

accompanied by a multitude of other characters far too numerous

and varied to be described in toto. Discussion will be limited

therefore to those additional characters whose types figure

importantly in The Love for Three Oranges.

Perhaps, first consideration should be given to Colombina,

servetta or soubrette, the sweetheart of Arlecchino. Like

her lover Arlecchino she underwent a long series of transfor

mations. Her other names included Olivetta, Nespolia, Spinetta,

Franceschina, Diamantina, Susanna (Marriage of Faro),

Colombina, and in her historical development she acquired

some degree of sophistication.13 In The Love for Three Oranges

she is represented by Smeraldina, Fata Morgana's servant.

She is also represented, in name only, by the first two prin

cesses in the oranges: Linetta and Nicoletta.

The next woman on the list is the mistress of Colombina-

Colombina is only allowed to play the roles of the young

soubrette. This woman, appearing under the pseudonym of

Beatrice, Valeria, Isotta, Ginerva, running the gamut of

11lIbid.,P. 33. 12Ibid., p. 42. 13Ibid., p. 47.

26

female roles from noble woman to courtesan, has, through the

years, added refinement to her original naivete. She became

Lavinia, Lucrezia, Rosina (e.g. Marriage of Fiaro), Isabella,

Lucia, Pandolfina, Flaminia and Ortensia, with Isabella being

her generic name.14 In The Love for Three Orgnges she assumes

the role of Clarice, niece of the king. Throughout the course

of her development she had no special costumes, simply dress

ing to fit her period and station in life.15

Next in the passing review of characters were the straight

characters under the names of Fabio, Ottavio (Don Giovanni),

Silvio (Pagliacci), Leandro, Lelio and Flavio. They were

important to the plot in that they served as a foil for the

comic characters and won the girl in the end. These men used

no masks as they represented the epitome of youth.16 In The

Love for Three Oranges the straight characters are represented

by the prince, and Leandro, the prime minister.

These are the basic characters of the Commedia delltarte

as represented in Prokofiev t s The Love for Three Oranges,

together with a survey of their generic background and their

part in the sixteenth century art form.

14Ibid., pP. 47-48. 15Ibid., p. 48.

1Cleaver, _op*. ci_., p. 64.

CHAPTER V

MUSICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE OPERA

THE LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES

As with several of Prokofiev's early works, the libretto

to The Love for Three Oranges is based on a quite unpoetic

conversational text, which would seem completely unsuited to

musical treatment. For Prokofiev, however, this type of li

bretto served as a point of departure in his efforts to

broaden the expressive possibilities of the operatic genre.1

His aim was to set the text in a style of vocal declamation

fashioned upon a flexible reproduction of natural speech

inflections.

In The Love for Three Oranges this declamatory style is

further complicated by the plot in which everything is styl

ized, ironic, and unreal. Consequently, the singer is often

transformed into a mime who, instead of singing beautiful

arias, is obliged to demonstrate the most diverse and ec

centric vocal effects. 2

Twenty-seven of the operas thirty-one characters or

groups of characters sing in a speech-inflected declamatory

manner. Within this framework, however, each character or

1lIsrael V. Nestyev, Prokofiev (Stanford, 1961), p. 486.

2Ibid., p. 163.

27

group of characters has its own identifying peculiarities.

The first character of importance to consider is the king.

In one instance, occurring in Act I, Scene 1, the king,

alone with Pantalone who is his confidant, expresses the fear

that his son will die of melancholia, leaving no one to in

herit the throne. The vocal line, as shown in Figure 1, is

keenly sensitive to the emotional content of the words and

to their stresses and inflections, and rises and falls in an

artistic approximation of real speech patterns.

tow Jr.- T-s 17MIL -AM--= bkAk 0 AM Am- JF'K

+1 1 Awth- AL ME= Ic 4 R r Ar

IL

Und ich bin alt! 'Wer soll mein scho"Ges Reich der - einst er be&?

A suis si vieuxl>w M4"-"#? V. I

OWNER

Celli 66 1 An a LAft

I

t

VPW 6*F .101esp esp"ss.AM

IL

0

Poeo PHI animato. L_ I K I II I 1::!m __

I Idd

pip qw 1 11 4L -4-lf v

Ganz un .mo**g lich Cla RE n cc mei- ne

so of ceiii AM Am Ida ov", or ow 0 Aw Ask I

It

60 60*OPP

odqq-7 FP_ U6 V. 1 Id f I RE

"1 .8t __

Fig. N--Act I, Scene 1, measures 109-115, the king's expression of fear.

Roi.

Avi.

So Imat. .0 6:tL,&- & j&L-. LJ.ris Piu anim 0. lool .1for - -I,&.*

29

Although The Love for Three Oranges is a comedy, the

king is not a comic figure. He is a warm and human father,

and he has regal authority. Prokofiev delineates these dif

fering aspects of the king's character by interpretive

modifications of the declamatory style. In contrast to the

above example, Figure 2 shows the king in Act IV, Scene 2,

pronouncing judgement upon Smeraldina, Leandro, and Clarissa.

Der esnig Rei, esuevewemes.

H6rt jetzt das Ur - - il I A _os . ~5g . .dt:

8 - - - - - - - " " " " " " " " "

FA I. I I - IArm twi I I A IWLIJ1 1ILiLVD.-

die Sk -vin Sme-ral -di - - ao 81 .Ob. S.a, Fag. "91 .di S

O 9 a-a Maww

'dlls- Ff

Fig. 2--Act IV, Scene 2, measures 113-120, majestic utterances of the king.

Re'.

p. p. L. 'ma,

30

Here his majestic utterances are sustained musically by long

note values in the vocal line, forceful dynamics for the voice

and orchestra; and in the orchestra a pedal point in the low

register, above which harmonic and melodic figures hover

repetitiously.

The main figure in The Love for Three Oranges, and the

one to whom Prokofiev gives the most elaborate musical treat

ment, is the prince. The plot of the opera hinges upon the

fact that the prince is dying of melancholia and can only be

cured if he can be made to laugh. In Act II, Scene 1, as

shown in Figure 3, the hypochrondriacal prince, grieving

characteristically and bemoaning his melancholic fate, breaks

into a stylized crying motive which lasts for twenty-nine

measures.

Fig. 3--Act II, Scene 1, measures 40-45, princes stylized crying motive.

31

After all intentional efforts to make the prince laugh

have failed, he bursts into laughter at the accidental gyra

tions of the old witch Fata Morgana when she is tripped by

Truffaldino, the court jester. This passage, seen in Figure

4, occurs in Act II, Scene 2, in Prokofiev's stylized per

cussive-harmonic manner, and continues for fifty-seven

measures.

'Waes. - - d*mm MOD

PI. ha -ha -ha. hal Ha ha. ha, haha- ha, ha-ha. ha, ha- ha- ia, ha-ha- a, A .As .W Ad AbJ .Ais, ..As. sAA As s. Ai, As.W -.Asp

a a -L

--- 4T000 84

ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha - hal Ha-ha-ka . a, ha-ha-ha. ha, As.oAst sAs.As hAxJs. As .Ad E.An.As .Adl, Aa hA .Aw

A >W d

Fig. 4--Act II, Scene 2, measures 222-236, prince's stylized laughter motive.

*

frrqw WSW 0 0

32

After having the curse of the three oranges placed upon

him by the enraged Fata Morgana, the prince succeeds in en

during the misfortunes awaiting him in his search for the

oranges. It is during the acknowledgement of his love for

the once-imprisoned Princess Ninetta that the prince sings

one of the few completely lyrical passages in the opera, as

shown in Figure 5.

A, TombGRti ageieeuz. '- An AD 4. J - 4#f

sin, zes - sin, oh, ich such - te dich auf der Airs . cee ., Pri ces . -, be t 1 cerchede.pviaqvej

Moderato (Passionato e maestoeo). Nk rz 06111 emress.

Bassi, Fag. e Arpa

ben tnto

gan - zen Er- del Prin zes sin, Prin - zes - sin, oh, ich lie be dich mehr. ais asNMAe! Prif. e- - se, Prim. Ces . Se, je 'a do re biei plu&

_ _ ff

Fig. 5--Act III, Scene 3, measures 243-250, prince's lyric passage.

33

In the preceding example, it can also be noted that

while the word treatment is still syllabic, the vocal line

becomes melodic in character, rising high in the tessitura.

It is supported by a richly colored accompaniment.

Later in the same scene, as shown in Figure 6, the heroic

element, similar to Siegfriedts sword scene in Wagnerts Die

Walki're, appears.

K U' - .hin. Ich ent - going dem tud -1i - chen 1.6f - fel, re, ai bra - t4 is a low .cA* na - tl . qe

Cor."

und ent kam . der furcht-ba - ren K6 chin. Lie be ist j1i pass 4 ('es. /br es1 e Cu.si . e. Nesx uso a.

Fig. 6--Act III, Scene 3, measures 451-461, princes heroic passage.

34

The preceding passage, which is thirty-nine measures in

length, rises from pianissimo to fortissimo, then returns to

pianissimo again, forming a messa di voco of magnificent

proportions.

The ungainly Princess Clarissa, niece of the king, is

a straight character whose function is to pose a threat to

the throne should the prince die. Her speeches are delivered

in a straight-forward, declamatory style without any special

musical motive, as may be seen in Figure 7 below.

Clear.

Clar.

A I I

Prinz ge - stor - ben und ich Ierr-sche-rin des Kii-nig-reichs ge - wor - d&n, Arin .ev Mue, is suis JW . NiiSh du i .no do uam mn . ae,

4oc 4eomso

dan nhmeihSezu a en h tatmtmi andA r e XJ3L WKSu i~es ePi e e es4.puse 4 n.dm

. - e 3, me6ure6 -, wriness Clarissa's delivery in declamatory style.

Clarissats cohort in her plan to take over the throne

is Leandro. Like Clarissa, he is portrayed without any

119 a

35

comical bent, and, as shown in Figure 8, his dialogue is purely

declamatory in nature.

Lies.

IMAndantino. Leandre, sesmis a j* aan-

rV Mei - ne Wiinsche seh ich, wer - den ver

ITu.... d. sirMs Wmbiwmf cn.uem qua de" ob .

V-Ie

- ei telt. Es hin - dert mich so vie lee dran, die eta . ege,, 4. gatuda .E ieund. - .. . . des. La

I WINI

Fig. 8--Act I, Scene 3, measures 14-20, dialogue, declamatory style.

Leandro's

Truffaldino, friend of the prince and jester to the

court, is delineated in an expressive declamatory style.

There is occasionally a trace of the grotesque in his clumsy

physical movements. An orchestral dance-like representation

of this character trait constitutes the only element in the

opera resembling a leitmotif. It occurs as in Figure 9. At

several other points in the score the dance-like motive can

. be found in fragmented and varied forms.

K 1K 1K K

MJEL= +

. 36

I

/

Truf -fal

Dove ch Ca ch ich of - fen

Le imp ffrOp P In as m u Ift

P ---k -

Fig. 9--Act I, Scene 1, measures 244-248, Truffaldino t s leitmotif.

Figure 10 portrays Truffaldino, who, being a sympathetic

confidant of the prince, is also capable of a warmly expres

sive human emotion which is somewhat imitative of the prince.

37

TrCa'.

schon.

Fig. 10--Act III, Scene 3, measures 127-133, Truffaldino's

expressive sympathy in lyric passage.

As has been noted, the association between the characters

Truffaldino and the prince was one of devoted friendship.

This is also true of the relationship between the characters

Pantalone and the king. Their empathy is at once conveyed

musically in two brief instances. First, as may be seen in

Figure 11, by the use of imitation:

XV F snjajon Zd assat rit. POCO mono M0880. t

7Der Kunig, entkdsst die Irxie. Ar -mer Piz!A- nr Piz

Le Roi susoie par us smvement wmgiqwe de la stain PU . M~fM a Op-8

kes midecins, qui A'n toxt empoitant leurs instruments. dr.sec deseepoir.

Ar -mer Prinz! Ar -mer, ar - mer Sohn!

Paua vr o" **l-AeU.reuX on fasht. wPoco meno mosso. av.s

A ?1.01\ 'elli

n olto espsress.

Fig. ll--Act I, Scene 1, measures between Fantalone and the king.

77-83, imitation

and secondly,

in Figure 12.

35 Andante.

in a homophonically styled duet

Sie aiederolen den Berich 4er Arie. 7VTee, repetent 4a conclshios des Mideciow. TI

Ach sie ha- ben fest-ge-sttellt. Les doc-teurs out con-sta-M... PP

Ach sie Ka-ben fet-ge-stelit. .. '

Andante. Les docJeurs oid con-sta.t... A V-ni oul IOntiC.

P

CI. bat.

& ig. i2--3ct I, 1cene 1, measures styled duet passage between Pantalone

84-87, homophonically and the king.

passage shown

Pa nt.

Rot.

39

Pantalone's character throughout the opera is one of

simplicity. As may be seen in Figure 13, his dialogues are

almost always presented without any unusual vocal effects.

Pent.

Am Hof ist's viel zu trau- rig. Die Leu . e scheichen wie 001W sest biea trop iris .is. Los rem me hi~oad, ks

- I'Ob. 09 V-ni '

Pa's'.

Kran-ke ge-seakten Kopfes. Wie soil der Prinz jemals hier das La-chen Ua. S.. bas6.a ci mer..ies. Ceu..msst voule. voua 91W le Prin.ee puis.

Fig. 13--Act I, Scene 1, measures 152-157, Pant5alone s dialogue, no special effects.

The magician Celio and the wit ch Fata Morgana are two

characters who may be discussed together in order to point

out the contrast between them. First, Celio's magic is used

to assist the king and the prince, whereas Fata Mvorgana's

evil craft is directed so as to aid the cause of Leandro and

Clarissa against the king. Secondly, Celio, although pos

sessing extraordinary powers of magic, is nevertheless portrayed

as a human character, and his musical substance is mainly

40

limited to exaggerated declamatory passages. Figure 14

shows an example of this.

14731Zhllio

Ach!_____ Du e- len - de He -xe, du Ak!______I -rw le #or cie ,rep

______________ i e col !!Eno

AV, **

IMMI I I

F4 _1 lmf

z E I L E- E I

Fig. 14--Act IV, Scene 1, measures 10-16, Celio's exaggerated declamatory emphasis.

On the other hand, Fata Morgana's witchery is more

clearly revealed. Also, her musical character appears stronger

than Celio's in that her negativistic power seems to produce

music that is outweighed only by such other musical occur

rances as the heroic theme of the prince, and the strength of

the king's pronouncements .of judgement. In Figure 15 may be

seen a characteristic example of Fata Morganats musical style.

nhil

41

Pala mora4,U essmht .u Priwce.

Scheu sal! Ho rel H - re mei- ne Am . . tre .. e cox . e s . na

/Quar- .______.._tr!

IMI il 4

C. F

(WAN.__ __ &~

Fig. 15--Act II, Scene 2, measures 297-302, declamatory utterances depicting Fata Morganals strong character.

Finally, the conflict between Fata Morgana and Celio,

which is clearly illustrated at the condLusion of the card

game in Act II, Scene 2, may be seen in Figure 16. It is

here that Fata Morgana laughs triumphantly (supported by her

Little Devils) while Celio curses her vehemently.

i Ir%

42

V' P.at@ Mergene, ,dwsetoiwd. .

M& A%' V" ad r

I

D~..

r fi mt aw& f ma ;pop I&a .l AW -kb IL

ataka a fahaha fat fahaba hat m. .A . AS .A.As.M.M &.A.Ag.

Theheft., eisU, .r*&end.

Ver - fluch tet Du Ver fluch tet Du Ver fluch tet Du Ver me..i Si m . eeiss.. WSmsew

Fa-ta Mor-ga -a, Fa-ta Mor-ga -a, a-ta Mor-ga -a, hi.NtMar .. uS, Ate . -. s, A t e Fa . Mo. us,

pa o tr oa 1 mt LimtoMms a.to L o o

Id~lL-A IWAdd

w

Fig. 16--Act II, Scene 2, measures 103-106, conflict between Fata Morgana and Celio.

The next group of characters to be discussed are the

three Princesses, Linetta, Nicoletta, and Ninetta, who have

been imprisoned within the three oranges. Each of the

princesses appears as a "straight" character. Each is doomed

to die when emerging from her orange unless there is water

for her to drink. Each princess speaks the same words as she

emerges from her orange; and each princess has the same

musical theme, except that upon the appearance of the second

and third princesses, Prokofiev transposed the musical motive

a whole tone higher each time. Thus, in Figure 17, the first

princess' (Linetta) motive appears:

43

EAndatino.

A #-Liowtk

Was a ser schnell Ach, gib mir Was-ser sonst muss ich e - - end Bern. i beir.! A beir., d . gr&.ce, Si . vos j. ume ws

Quart.,Ob.,Fag.

Fig. 17--Act III, Scene 3, measures 159-167, Princess Linettats thirst theme.

while the third princess' (Ninetta) motive begins a major

third higher, as shown in Figure 18.

Nis. Wadan ..

N... Was - ser schnell I Ach, gib mir W -e, nt muss ish

Fig. 8--ct III, Scene 3, measures 356-362, Princess Ninctta's thirst theme transposed.

A touch of delicat e lyricism (that~ succ eeds in sending

the lyricists happily on their way home) is found in Princess

i'inetta's brief melody, shown in Figure 19, as she responds

to the prince's impassioned heroic theme (see Figure 6).

44

AnM'1110.

A Niette, Sim ext

9) Lie - ber Prinz

V. I con W0 01 mnPrice.,

be dich so 1.s esim a -

0)

.9 N

C'RO

cellij77

will Visehr, sowur.

toi quefat - ten - dais,

6Im"'

______ i0

M-D 1 nch

=F

32 poco rit.

treu dir blei - ben e -

suis telle - sent Aeu . reuse

Die Lyrischen, erscheime" gerausckhos. Les Lyriquer, San bruil

rstaae'st Sur Scine.

Pp

Lieb - lich Doedne e

A rk

poco rit. V :

A iii' liii I I f-I I

of Quart., Arpa

Fig. 19--Act III, Scene 3, measures 476-483, Princess I1inetta's response to the prince.

After the prince has left, Ninetta, alone on the desert,

is set upon by Smeraldina, one of Fata Morgana's servants.

Sreraldina sticks Ninetta with a pin, turning her into a

pigeon. Jinettats cry, seen in Figure 20, is highly stylized,

becoming less and less audible as she is transformed.

ich bin arif e - wig

IW~in.

a

19) - - - - -P p

45

zmergasne steCt eine gross* Zauberandot in Ninefts Kopf. 1MNafaseuEgiMs# mWprha de M*WeWul wmgm does Is We ue gr&4 e pip e mgiqm.

Ak

8P __ _ __ _ __ _

AI 61P6 K __

Fig. 20--Act III, Scene 3, cry oL Ninetta.

measures 605-608, stylized

'he menacing

prot esque

cook, guardian of Greontals oranges, is a

'igure who is characterized by a rather disjointed,

wije-ran e eclmtOn in the bass register. Under the spell

of CelioKs ma:ic ribbon, however, the cook becomes entranced

and sigL6s as ii rically as a songbird, as may be seen in Figure

21.

Das Band - chen ist so sch6n, ich will es

Ja mais je n'ai iron . vi use eie mer .

3cene 2, measures 196-198, cook Is1 i. 11-assage. lr passage.

N.net a t elfent st-., J i

I

46

The character, Smeraldina, fits several descriptions.

She is Leandro's servant, and at the same time she is in

collusion with Fata Morgana. Through her endeavors, Leandro

and Clarissa are united with Fata Morgana in attempting to

usurp the throne. Smeraldina is always somewhat over-dramatic,

and exudes self-importance, as may be seen in Figure 22.

sehr ernst sm L..uder. gsdraldsue, coe e L da W pore d on ein .

Las -se Dir sa -gen Nicht so schnell, Lean - der mse la7-2O3 Smeifa's

Us ins ,ewLfinmporti-se.

T-ba c. sord

ddirein gros - see Un - . glick I

AVPV-Ri own sord.

Fi.22--Act ill, Scene i, measures 197-203, Smeraldina's

utt- ranc~e depictin-- self -import ance.

47

Another of Fata Morganats helpers is Farfarello, a devil,

who scornfully provides Celio with information, but will not

swerve in his devotion to Fata Mvorgana. His musical depiction

has few distinguishing features, and as shown in Figure 23,

his dialogue is declamatory without adornment.

Farf

Doch dann musst ich wei-ter -zieh'n und liess sie lie -gen.

Afais A P'en -ferfjai Ae des -cendre, ef its to= b# rent.

Fig. 23--Act III, Scene 1, measures 120-125, declamatory

utterance of Farfarello without adornment.

There remain three very interesting groups of characters

to be discussed. First, consider the characters known as

doctors. In Act I, scene 1, the doctors give the king a diag

nosis of the prince's malady. Their diagnosis is given in a

fast, chant-like, syllabic, declamatory style, shown in

Figure 24, and shifting in meter from 5/8 to 3/4 to 6/8 to

5/8 to 2/4, etc., the full value of each measure always being

expended'in successive eighth notes (see Fig. 24). This

&ffect is similar to the one achieved by Moussorgsky in the

~o -O tW Idiot" in his opera, Boris Godounov.

Md

Aid.

rz in den Schlasfen, dauern-de Geb-sucht, ganz un-moig-li-che Ver- u ng, fortwihmende *S mmx tv 4w - ft, mw A-pep Si. ,#I ls~sdw oer . rm ,l M. to ru-'aw.

or OWN 711FI IIIIF

IF w

Fa o.. . . * *

+ *--7~

Fig. 24--Act I, Scene 1, measures 26-31, the doctors? psalmodic passage.

A second group of interest is the chorus of little

devils. They sing in a florid, stylized manner, which makes

little use of words, but strives rather for repetition of

weird or fantastic sounds, as may be seen in Figure 25.

49

Die bleime Ten/el

pguasC~b..,C..,GacaF. gHil

I hL IhI now

idm

Fig. 25--Act I, Scene 2, measures 29-35, little devils' florid, stylized manner.

The final group includes the trgdas the comedians,

the empty heads, and the lyricists. These characters appear

together in the Prologue, demanding various styles of theater

to suit their own whims. Their arguments continue throughout

the course of the opera. It is interesting to note that the

tragedians' first theme, shown in Figure 26, is strikingly

similar to the curse of Fata Margana.

50

Die Tragisches, von "echts, a tind Regenschirme schwingend. LeS Twasi@eS, I. In baissOmimt do la couidoftsposM en br asmsrms t ppli

Tra - g - -dienl Tra -g - - dienl Gebt

ft!ut. s _ _._ _ _ _ _____

I 1IJ A ~i ~iI

W~.tK

Tftg.- dien! Gebt uns Wel

T..g. JW.- ten-pro - ble - me

men .dige ies

Fig. 26--Prologue, measures 9-17, tragedians? theme reminiscent of Fata Morgana's curse theme.

The comedians? theme is also quite imitative of the

tragedians? theme, perhaps an attempt by Prokofiev to dis

tinguish the fine line which exists between comedy and

tragedy. The empty heads chatter in a quick, incessant man

ner, while the lyricist s sing lyrically of romance and happy

endings. The musical interplay of these four theater-types

is clearly represented in Figure 27.

te Tra -go pr . di. 4

gu -

6 1 41 4 Em :mop

strim.ol

Pa-ra-si - ten! Pa-ra -si - ten! Pa-rn- Si - ten! Pig.ra.i L.e, Para.si . tea! Ps.r.si . tea!

stris-. . - - - -

p erme1.33 ow w

Tra - go - dien Don nos OS

Fig. 27--Prologue, measures 61-65, interplay of four theater-types.

51

?.'tea Vidr&

C.m.

Seg -o t i g, trau - - men -de es .L. . .LL, dee. . ..L L

la-chen und nicht denken wol-len, la- chen und nicht den - - ken! ers p pes , ass r. r.ve, rie, . . - -. IW

dienl Ko- m . - - dient Gebt uns,gebt uns

nosdon. nos no" du op.- mi.-ts,

CHAPTER VI

CONCLUSION

The purpose of this research has been to seek out the

historical and musical elements in relationship to the char

acters used by Prokofiev in his opera, The Love for Three

Oranges.

The essential quality of The Love for Three Oranges is

a satire on the whole make-up of opera. The plot's basis is

a romantic fairytale; the characterizations reveal the pre

tentiousness and the would-be estheticism of the traditional

operatic stage (as has been seen in Gozzits original intent

to ridicule Goldoni); and the musical texture finds interwoven

the mannerisms of Rimsky-Korsakov (the toy-like march), Mous

sorgsky (declamatory style), Wagner (leitmotif), and Verdi

(choral interjections). What the audience sees is not a real

drama, but a parody performed by mimes; everything is stylized,

ironic, and unreal.

Using the basis of the plot, taken from the Carlo Gozzi

play, Prokofiev worked out a phantasmagoria in four acts and

ten scenes. The scenes go by swiftly and efficiently.

Prokofiev does not delve into his characters psychologically,

but merely amuses himself in satirizing theatrical conventions

and unreal situations. For example, the magician Celio and

52

53

Fata Morgana are shown furiously playing cards while little

demons fiendishly dance and howl; at the royal festivities

monsters with huge heads arrive followed by gluttons and

drunkards who immediately start a fracas; and the fierce cook,

supposedly a female but sung by a basso profundo who guards

the magic oranges, threatens to kill the prince and Truffaldino

with a soup ladle. All of the characters are stylized, por

trayed ironically and are exaggerated. For instance, the

character of the prince is that of a hypochondriac, perpetually

sick, groaning and whining, while the king grieves incon

solably over the condition of his son and heir.

As was pointed out in Chapter V of this research, Prokofiev

delineated the characterizations of the prince, the king,

Leandro, Clarissa, Pantalone and other personages of the opera

with concise strokes. The aptly caught speech inflections

on the part of the composer are the success of these char

acterizations. He subjects them to good intentioned carica

ture, but mainly he tried to capture realistically the

idiosyncrasies of Russian speech. There are many examples of

Prokofievts sensitivity to the nuances of human speech. He

ingeniously embodied it in a musical declamation to bring out

this speech-inflected idea.

Prokofiev completely shunned the use of the aria (with

the exception of Fata Morgana's quasi-aria in Act II). He

also avoided the ensemble and choral interlude and cast the

musical structure in a declamatory style with an orchestral

54

accompaniment continuously weaving about descriptively. The

recitative, or the dialogue of the-characters, is lively,

short and witty. There are also brief remarks in recitative

or equally short leitmotive phrases in the orchestra such as

the leitmotive of Truffaldino, which is reminiscent of many

of Prokofievts scherzo themes. The princes love theme, the

theme of the kings suffering and many others have the char

acter of brief orchestral themes. The choral parts are reduced

to short recitative phrases and dynamic exclamations, except

for the doctors chorus in the beginning of the first scene

of the opera. If Prokofiev had extended the doctors? utter

ances, they would sound reminiscent of the declamatory style

of Moussorgsky.

The recitative of the opera varies from expressively

melodic phrases to psalmody and to purely odd devices such

as the howling of the little demons, the moaning glissando

of the prince, and the hoarse bass sonorities of the fat cook.

There are also lyrical passages occupying significant places

in the opera such as the princes love theme, heard immediately

after the witches curse; the brief episodes of the three

princesses, and the armorous entreaties between the prince

and Ninetta. Fearful of being caught unaware, the composer

quickly interjects the love scene with the lyricists jesting,

for they have at last seen love and kisses.

The texture of the music throughout the opera is of a

light, simple, and transparent quality. Also, in the music,

55

there are images of contrasting worlds--the make-believe

world of the theatre and the real world with caricatured

people. This is nothing new, for in many classical operas

there can be found the mixture of the imaginary with the real.

But in The Love for Three Oranges the characters are brought

out in a rather grotesque and ironic manner. Boris Asafyev,

a champion of Prokofiev's music has said:

One could hardly imagine an opera more antithetical to wagnerian opera than The Love for Three Oranges. Here, instead of endless stretches from word and reflection, we find adventure, theactrically formulated and tersely characterized in music; instead of complicated dramatic clashes, the improvisation of masques; instead of the romantic and the mystical, a gyod-natured theatre magic which deceives no one.

Despite all of its varied ingredients, The Love for

Three Oranges has not become a part of the standard repertoire.

The reason for this is probably due to the peculiarities of

Prokofiev's operatic style. There are many distractions in

the opera which tend to draw the listener's attention away.

But for the March and the Scherzo the opera lacks good de

velopment in its music and for this reason these usually are

the only two numbers that are performed. Since the use of

the voice is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the

operatic genre, it is an oddity that the vocal parts are

seldom sung in performance and the numbers are nearly always

performed as orchestral compositions.

1Ibid., p. 200.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

Abraham, Gerald, E Soviet Composers, London, Oxford University Press, 1944.

Brockway, Wallace and Weinstock, Herbert, The Opera: History of Its Creation and Performance, 1600-i941, New York, Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1941.

Cleaver, James, The Theatre Through the Ages, London, George G. Harrap and Company, Ltd., 194r7

Duchartre, Pierre Louis, The Italian Comedy, London, George G. Harrap and Company, Ltd., 1929.

Einstein, Alfred, Gluck, New York, E. P. Dutton, 1936.

Elson, Arthur, The Book of Musical Kno New York, Houghton Mifflin and Company, 1927.

Ewen, David, Encyclopedia of the p New York, A. A. 4yn, Inc., 1955.

Fellner, Rudolph, Opera Themes and Plots, New York, Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1961.

Gozzi, Carlo, The Memoirs of Count Carlo Gozzi, translated by John Add-ingt-n-ymond-s,-onon, John C. Nimmo, 1890.

Grout, Donald Jay, A Short History of Opera, New York, Columbia University Press, 1957

Herrick, Marvin Theodore, Italian Comedy in the Renaissance, Urbana, The University of Illinois Press, 1960.

Kennard, Joseph Spencer, The Italian Theatre from the Close of the Seventeenth Century, New York, William Edwin Rudge, 1932.

Kobbe, Gustav, Kobbets Complete r Book, rev. ed., by the Earl of Harewood, London and New York, William Clowes and Sons, Ltd., 1958.

56

57

Lang, Paul Henry, Music in the Western Civilization, New York, W. W. Norton andTCompany, Inc., 1941.

Lee, Vernon (Violet Paget), Studies of the Eighteenth Century in Italy, Chicago, A. C. McClure and Company, 1907.

Moisenko, Rena, Realist Music, London, Meridian Books, Ltd., 1949.

Nestyev, Israel V., Sergei Prokofiev, New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1946.

Nestyev, Israel V., Prokofiev, translated by Florence Jonas, Stanford, Stanford University Press, 1961.

Nicoll, Allardyce, The Development of the Theatre, New York, Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1937.

Newman, Ernest, Great Operas, Vols. I and II, New York, Vintage Books, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., and Random House, Inc.,P 1958.

Niklaus, Thelma, Harlequin Phoenix, London, The Bodley Head, Ltd., 1956.

Peyser, Ethel and Bauer, Marion, How Opera Grew, New York, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1956.

Strunk, Oliver, Source Rading in Music History, New York, W. W. Norton and Company, Inc., 1950.

Taylor, H. C. Chatfield-,Goldoni: A Biography, New York, Duffield and Company, 1913.

Articles

Bentley, Eric, "Fabia dell'amore della tre malarancie," Chrysalis--The Pocket Review of the Arts, XII (Issue 630,1959, 3-21.

Eaton, Quaintance, "The Love for Three Oranges," Musical America, LXIX (November 15, 1949), 3.

Fairbank, Janet A., "The Love for Three Oranges," New Republic, XXIX (February, 1922), 282.

Henderson, W. J.. "The Love for Three Oranges," The Independent and Weekly Review, CVIII (March 4, 19227TF227.

58

Pirrota, Nino, "Commedia dell'arte and Opera," The Musical Quarterly, XLI, No. 3 (July, 1955), 305-324.

Sargeant, 'Winthrop, "Prokofiev's Oranges," New Yorker, XXV (November 12, 1949), 134.

Smith, Cecil, "Operatic Parable," New Republic, CXXI (November 28, 1949), 37.

'att, Douglas, "Nonsense and No Nonsense," New Yorker, XXVI (April 1, 1950), 100.

Wheeler, Edward J., "The'Terrible InfantP of Russian Music Finds Refuge in America," Current Opinion, LXV (December, 1918), 371.

"The Love for Three Oranges," Life Magazine, XXIX (October 2, 1950), 79-81.

"The Love for Three Oranges," New York Times Magazine, November 13, 1949, pp. 42-43.

"Again, Oranges," Newsweek, XXXIV (November 14, 1948), 86.

"Three Oranges," Time, LV (April 3, 1950), 69.

Encyclopedia Articles

Blom, Eric, "Prokofiev, Sergei," Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, edited by Eric Blom, 5th ed., Vol. VI, New York, St. Martins Press Inc., 1959.

Prokofiev, Sergei, Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, edited by INicolas Slonimsky, 5th ed., New York, G. Schirmer, Inc., 1958.

White, D. Maxwell, "Carlo Goldoni," Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. X, Chicago, Encyclopadia BritannicaInc., 1960.