HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Giacomo Meyerbeer

Photo: Pierre Petit

Born near Berlin on 5 September 1791 (capital of Prussia at the time), Giacomo Meyerbeer (Jacob Liebmann Beer) composed sixteen operas and about about fifty songs for which he better known than other works including sacred, symphonic and for chamber as well as pieces for piano and organ. Meyerbeer had a rich Jewish financier for a father and, with the exception of Romanos the Melodist with whom these histories began thirteen centuries ago, is the first Jewish composer to find entry into these histories. Meyerbeer studied with Franz Lauska and Muzio Clementi before giving his first public piano performance in 1801, a concerto by Mozart. He then studied with composers Antonio Salieri and Carl Zelter.

French Wikipedia has Meyerbeer completing 'Sonate pour piano en sol majeur' as early as 1803 at about age twelve. He later composed a couple of incomplete operas, 'Abu Hassan' in 1810 and 'Der Admiral' in 1811, that were never performed. He did, however, produce his first theatrical work in 1810 in Berlin, a pantomime ballet called 'Der Fischer und das Milchmädchen oder Viel Lärm um einen Kuss' ('The Fisherman and the Milkmaid or Much Ado About a Kiss') with choreography by Etienne Lauchery. From 1810 to 1812 Giacomo studied under Georg Joseph Voglerh, about the time that he changed his name from Beer to Meyerbeer. His first staged opera, 'Jephtas Gelübde' ('Jephthah's Vow'), premiered in Berlin on 23 December 1812, a singspiel with libretto by Aloys Schreiber. Jephthah is the Biblical figure in the book of 'Judges' who promised God a burnt offering of the first person to greet him upon returning from battle victorious against the Ammonites, which person turned out to be his only daughter.

'Overture' to 'Der Fischer und das Milchmädchen oder Viel Lärm um einen Kuss'

Ballet by Giacomo Meyerbeer

Premiere 26 March 1810 at the Hofoper in Berlin

Czech Chamber Orchestra Pardubice / Dario Salvi

'Overture' to 'Der Admiral' Comic opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer

1811 Never performed

Czech Chamber Orchestra Pardubice / Dario Salvi

'Quintette pour clarinette et cordes' E-flat major Giacomo Meyerbeer

1813 Dedicated to clarinetist Heinrich Joseph Bärmann

Clarinet: Dieter Klöcker

After staging a number of operas in Germany Meyerbeer traveled to Paris and London before arriving in Italy to study Italian opera in 1816. Commencing opera productions there in 1817 ('Romilda e Costanza'), 'Margherita d'Anjou' arrived to La Scala in Milan on 14 November 1820. This work is set during the Wars of the Roses (1455-85) between the red rose House of Lancaster (Margaret) and the white rose House of York while King Henry VI, Margaret's husband, was held prisoner in London by the Yorks (eventually to be executed in 1471).

'Margherita d'Anjou' Opera in 2 acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer

Premiere 14 Nov 1820 at La Scala in Milan Revised 1826 Libretto: Felice Romani

London Philharmonic Orchestra / David Perry

Wikipedia

Meyerbeer's initial resounding success, the one that made his name, was the premiere of 'Il Crociato in Egitto' ('The Crusader in Egypt') in Venice on 7 March 1824 with a libretto by Gaetano Rossi. That show was taken to Florence in May, then London the next year, then Paris where, as the music capital of Europe, everyday success translated into big success. This work is a romance set following the Sixth Crusade of 1228-29. Although it contains a number of historical inaccuracies 'Il crociato in Egitto' is thought to be the last opera to feature a castrato. Castratos had a range from contralto to soprano. Eunuchs had been singing in choirs since about 400 AD. Empress consort, Aelia Eudoxia, of Constantinople employed a eunuch for a choir master. Eunuchs were originally slaves castrated before puberty to ensure submission. They were later found among males who simply never reached puberty. Castration for musical purposes wasn't made illegal until 1861 in Italy. It wasn't forbidden by the Catholic Church until 1878. As for Jewish castration of foreskin on the eighth day of life, Meyerbeer apparently believed, at least for a time, that who didn't bleed on the ninth day would bleed throughout life and after death.

'Il Crociato in Egitto' Opera seria in 2 acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer

Premiere 7 March 1824 at La Fenice in Venice Libretto: Gaetano Rossi

Opera Rara Orchestra and Chorus / Roderick Brydon London 1972

Wikipedia

An even greater success was Meyerbeer's production of 'Robert le Diable' at the Paris Opera on 21 November 1831 with libretto by Eugène Scribe and Casimir Delavigne. Being his tenth, 'Robert le Diable' was a grand opera, a term that could refer to either a huge production and/or the Paris Opera. Scribe was a major French librettist of the period who worked throughout the years with Daniel Auber, and with whom Meyerbeer collaborated on several more operas. As for 'Robert the Devil', this late Gothic or dark Romantic work concerns the 13th century legend by one anonymous about the hermit warrior, Robert, whose mother, the Duchess of Auburt, had appealed to Satan that she might give child. Robert is born to become a troublemaker as a youth but repents while yet a teenager. He then becomes a hero in battles against the Saracens, but turns away from marriage and empire to remain a hermit.

'Robert le Diable' Opera in 5 acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer

Premiere 21 Nov 1831 at Opéra Le Peletier in Paris

Libretto: Eugène Scribe / Germain Delavigne

L'Opera de Paris / Conducting: Thomas Fulton / Robert: Rockwell Blake 1985

Wikipedia

In 1832 Meyerbeer became Kapellmeister to the court of Frederick William III of Prussia. His opera, 'Les Huguenots', was the second to appear at the Paris Opera in 1836 with libretto by Scribe and Émile Deschamps. This work is an ill-fated romance between a Catholic and a Protestant set on the eve of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in August of 1572. Huguenots were French Calvinists. 'Les Huguenots' has been called Meyerbeer's masterpiece, but it failed to charm Robert Schumann who cast no pearls before Jews, so to speak. Schumann was but one of Meyerbeer's detractors for whom his Judaism got mixed into musical criticism.

'Les Huguenots' Opera in 5 acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer

Premiere 29 Feb 1836 at Opéra Le Peletier in Paris

Libretto: Eugène Scribe / Emile Deschamps

The Australian Opera / Sydney Opera House

Directing: Lofti Mansouri Conducting: Richard Bonynge

Wikipedia

'Le Prophète' arrived on 16 April 1849 with libretto again by Scribe, that concerning the life of Anabaptist, John of Leiden. That failed to charm Richard Wagner for the same cause as Schumann: Meyerbeer's Judaism. Other Jewish composers for whom Wagner had small taste included Moscheles and Mendelssohn. Wagner felt that Meyerbeer had no place in musical history, believing his work to be superficial and his success more purchased than earned. Indeed, Meyerbeer had always been wealthy and staged spectacles exceedingly costly to produce. Howsoever, Wagner's sentiments found agreement much later when in 1933 the Nazi regime banned Meyerbeer altogether.

'Le Prophete' Grand opera in 5 acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer

Premiere 16 April 1849 at the Théâtre Impérial de l’Opéra-Comique in Paris

Libretto: Eugène Scribe / Emile Deschamps

Chor und Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper / Marcello Viotti

Wikipedia

The next to last opera that Meyerbeer premiered during his lifetime was 'Le Pardon de Ploërmel' on 4 April 1859 with libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré. That was also his final opera insofar as it is usually grouped with its revision titled 'Dinorah' staged at Covent Garden in London on 26 July 1859. 'Dinorah' tells of the romance between a peasant girl and a goatherd named Hoel complicated by a cursed treasure. This was and remains one of Meyerbeer's more popular works, performed numerously in London and Paris over the years.

'Dinorah' Comic opera in 3 acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer

Premiere 26 July 1859 at Covent Garden in London

Revision of 'Le Pardon de Ploërmel' which had premiered 4 April 1859 at Opera Comique in Paris

Libretto: Jules Barbier w Michel Carré

Direction: Pierre Jordan Theatre Imperial de Compiegne Oct 2002

Wikipedia

Meyerbeer died in Paris on 2 May 1864, the day after finishing 'L'Africaine' ('The African Woman')staged posthumously the next year in Paris on 28 April 1865. Wikipedia has Meyerbeer and Scribe working on that since 1837 as 'L'Africaine', changing it to 'Vasco da Gama' in 1853 in which the African queen is switched to an Indian royalty. As Scribe had died in 1861 it was a version altered and renamed 'L'Africaine' by François-Joseph Fétis that appeared at the Paris Opera in 1865. 'L'Africaine' tells of the unhappy romance between one Queen Sélika and the Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama.