Šarlatán
| Šarlatán | |
|---|---|
| Opera by Pavel Haas | |
 The composer and librettist | |
| Translation | The Charlatan |
| Librettist | Haas |
| Language | Czech |
| Based on | Doktor Eisenbart by Josef Winckler |
| Premiere | 2 April 1938 |
Šarlatán (English: The Charlatan),
Performance history
The opera was composed between 1934 and 1937. Haas completed his work on the libretto on 1 July 1934.
The opera was not seen again on stage until
Instrumentation
Piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets (B♭), bass clarinet (B♭), 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns (F), 3 trumpets (B♭), 5 trombones, tuba, harp, xylophone, timpani, cymbals, small and large drums, triangle, violins I and II, viola, cello and double bass
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 2 April 1938 Conductor: Guido Arnoldi[5] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pustrpalk, a travelling quack doctor, the title's charlatan | baritone | Václav Bednář | |
| Rozina, his wife | soprano | Božena Žlábková | |
| Members of Pustrpalk's troupe: |
Bakalář (Bachelor), dressed as Harlequin | tenor | Gustav Talman |
| Kyška (Sour milk), a cook, dressed as Scapino | tenor | Josef Kejř | |
| Pavučina (Cobweb), dressed as Pantalone | bass | Vladimír Jedenáctík | |
| Zavináč (Pickled herring), dressed as Pierrot | tenor | Antonín Pelz | |
| Ohnižer, (Fire-eater), dressed as Pulcinella | tenor | Pavel Mrázek | |
| Provazolezec, (Tightrope walker), dressed as Columbine | bass | Leonid Pribytkov | |
| Krotitel hadů (Snake-charmer), dressed as Brighella | bass | Vlastimil Šíma | |
| Theriac seller (Potion seller) | bass | Jan Frank | |
| 2 Servants | baritone bass |
Josef Příhoda František Šíma | |
| Amaranta, a beauty | soprano or mezzo-soprano |
Alexandra Čvanová | |
| Jochimus, a monk | baritone | Géza Fišer | |
| his servant | tenor | Karel Spurný | |
| Apothecary | bass | Jan Frank | |
| Town physician | bass | Bedřich Zavadil | |
| Deserter | tenor | Karel Spurný | |
| Innkeeper | tenor | Karel Vacek | |
| Šereda (monster), a travelling healer | tenor | Emil Olšovský | |
| his servant | Otto Strejček | ||
| The King | bass | Nikola Cvejić | |
| 3 Students | tenor baritone bass |
Antonín Pelz Jan Frank František Šíma | |
| A man with a crutch | tenor | Antonín Vacek | |
| Another man | Josef Kopelský | ||
| Carpentry apprentice | Josef Sokol | ||
| The voice of the mad miller | Rudolf Walter | ||
| Dance master | Josef Sokol | ||
| Horn player | Ladislav Huňka | ||
| Darmožrout | Pavel Korenkov | ||
| Soldier | Josef Tupý | ||
| Villagers, children, Pustrpalk's musicians, soldiers, porters | |||
Synopsis
- Place: A village in central Europe
- Time: After the Thirty Years' War
Act 1
Scene 1: Outside the village near a war-damaged mill
Doctor Pustrpalk's troupe are putting on a show to attract the villagers and telling stories about the doctor's miraculous cures. He arrives and offers advice and cures to all and sundry.
Scene 2: In the shadow of the mill
In the evening, the men of the village scavenge in the ruins. They wonder at Pustrpalk's endless travels, his achievements and his constant good humour.
Scene 3: At Pustrpalk's encampment
A few days later, Pustrpalk's troupe are making preparations to move to their next venue. Amaranta's unexpectedly large and flamboyant dress will clearly not allow her to enter the waggon. There is a commotion, during which Jochimus arrives to rescue Amaranta, but he is chased away by the villagers. Pustrpalk's wife, Rozina, catches him with Amaranta, and a furious argument between the two women develops, to the amusement of the villagers. Pustrpalk slashes Amaranta's dress to enable her to get into the waggon, and they, Rozina and the troupe depart. As they leave, Jochimus, crying "Revenge!", appears amid the laughing crowd.
Act 2
Scene 1: Outside the ruined mill
A month later, Pustrpalk reflects on the devastation caused by war and the declining health of the old miller. With Rozina watching, Amaranta behaves coolly towards him. Zavináč and Provazolezec suspect that Pustrpalk will disappear with Amaranta and the troupe's money, and plan to rob him while he sleeps. Overhearing their plot, he confronts them, but then decides that he will share out the gold among the entire troupe. They all think that he has gone mad, but he does indeed dole out the money. Drink flows freely, and soon Zavináč and Provazolezec are arguing about which of them deserves the credit for the strange turn of events. The row awakens the old miller, who throws down a lantern which kills Zavináč. The men set light to the mill, destroying it and killing the miller, to Amaranta's horror. As the troupe rejoice drunkenly, they do not notice that Pustrpalk and Amaranta have departed.
Scene 2: A fairground
A year later, Šereda, another quack doctor with his own troupe, is extolling his magic oven, which the townspeople investigate. Pustrpalk and Amaranta, accompanied by Bakalář carrying Pustrpalk's potions, appear, and amicably agree to join forces with Šereda. The latter warns Pustrpalk that the King is in the area, looking for dissidents and beautiful women. Masked revellers in fancy dress arrive together with a tall peasant, the King in disguise. Feeling faint, the King calls for Pustrpalk's latest remedy. It proves so successful that he rejects Pustrpalk's invitation to join his troupe and instead hands out gold and medals. Pustrpalk in his hour of triumph looks around for Amaranta, but he is deflated when he discovers that she has been spirited away by Jochimus.
Act 3
Scene 1: Outside Pustrpalk's tent
Several years later, Jochimus, gravely ill, visits Pustrpalk and apologises for his past behaviour. He asks Pustrpalk to treat him and is carried into the tent. Pustrpalk performs the operation and emerges, but soon afterwards it is clear that the monk is dead. Pustrpalk fears that he will be hanged, but, before he can flee, some soldiers and an apothecary, summoned by Jochimus's servant, surround the tent. A doctor and a number of villagers appear, some vilifying Pustrpalk and others praising him. They eventually unite to call for the charlatan to be strung up, but Pustrpalk has made his escape.
Scene 2: Beside the newly-rebuilt mill
Five years later, Pustrpalk's troupe discuss their master, who is drinking too much and no longer recognises them. He shambles in, asking for a drink. When three students arrive, Pustrpalk buys them drinks and they eventually work out that he is the famous doctor. This gives him a new lease of life, and the members of the troupe reminisce about some strange cases that he has treated. A drinking-song develops but suddenly Pustrpalk has a vision of Jochimus, with offstage voices chanting "Charlatan!". He strikes out, falls, asks God to forgive him and dies. All kneel and make the sign of the cross.[6]
Recording
- Vladimír Chmelo (Doktor Pustrpalk), Anda-Louise Bogza (Rozina), Jiří Kubík (Jochimus), Jitka Svobodová (Amaranta), Ladislav Mlejnek (Pavučina), Leo Marian Vodička (Kyška), Miroslav Švejda (Bakalář), Prague Philharmonic Choir, Prague State Opera Orchestra, conductor Israel Yinon; Decca Records 460 042-2 (1997)
Notes
- ^ Peduzzi (1993), p. 65.
- ^ Peduzzi (1993), p. 70.
- ^ Movements: I. Trionfale, II. Allegretto, III. Con moto, IV. Gaiamente, V. Andante con moto, VI. Allegro vivace
- ^ Peduzzi (1993), p. 79.
- ^ Pavel Haas: Šarlatán, Kapitoly ke genezi a recepci opery. (in Czech)
- ^ The synopsis is based on the one in the Wexford Festival Opera programme book.
Sources
- ISBN 80-85048-41-8.
