It’s an afternoon of the music of Gabriel Faure on this week’s Sunday Opera (10/5 3:00 p.m.) as we return to the Bavarian State Opera for “Penelope” and follow that with three of his instrumental works to round out the afternoon.
“Penelope” is a three-act opera with a libretto by Rene Fauchois and is based on Homer’s “Odyssey,” especially the trials of Penelope as she wards of the many suitors who invade her home to wed her in Ulysses’ absence.It had its world premier in Monte Carol in March of 1913.
The first act opens to find that Penelope (Victoria Karkacheva) has been waiting for ten years for the return of her husband, Ulysses (Brandon Jovanovich), King of Ithaca. In the meantime, she has been besieged by suitors for her hand in marriage. She promises she will choose between them once she has finished weaving a shroud for her father-in-law, Laertes, but every night she unpicks the day's work. Ulysses arrives at the palace disguised as a beggar and is recognized by his old nurse Euryclea (Rinat Shaham).
That night, as ever, Penelope keeps watch for Ulysses' ship on a hilltop overlooking the sea. She talks nostalgically to the shepherd Eumaeus (Thomas Mole). The beggar (Ulysses) offers to help Penelope defeat the suitors. He claims to be a fugitive Cretan
king who has seen Ulysses alive at his court. After Penelope leaves, Ulysses reveals his true identity to the overjoyed shepherds.
The suitors have arranged Penelope's wedding in the palace hall. She tells them that they must decide which one will win her hand by holding a competition to see who can draw Ulysses' bow. Not one of them succeeds. The beggar steps forward and draws the bow with ease, before turning to shoot the suitors. The shepherds join in the killing with their knives. Finally, Ulysses and Penelope are happily reunited.
Other members of the company are Loic Felix, Leigh Melrose, Joel Williams, Zachary Rioux, Dafydd Jones, Valerie Eickhoff, Seonwoo Lee, Martina Myskohlid, Ena Pongrac, Erin Rognerud, and Elene Gvritishvili with conductor Susanna Maikki leading the Bavarian State Orchestra.
Stay tuned after the opera for more of Faure’s music including a piano quartet (No. 2), a piano quintet (also No. 2), and an interesting arrangement of incidental music from two stage works: “Pelleas and Melisande” and “Shylock” into “Emeralds,” the first of three movements for a 1967 George Balanchine ballet entitled “Jewels.” It’s more Faure than at which you can shake a stick, and we hope you’ll tune in for a delightful afternoon.
