Armide (Lully)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other works with the same title, see Armide.

Rinaldo and Armida by Nicolas Poussin

Armide is an opera by Jean-Baptiste Lully. The libretto was written by Philippe Quinault, based on Torquato Tasso's La Gerusalemme liberata (Jerusalem Delivered).

Critics in the 18th century regarded Armide as Lully's masterpiece. Unlike most of his operas, Armide concentrates on the sustained psychological development of a character — not Renaud, whose supposed heroic conflict between love and duty disappears the moment his enchantment is broken — but Armide, who repeatedly tries without success to choose vengeance over love and ultimately achieves neither.

The work is the form of a tragédie en musique, a genre invented by Lully and Quinault.

[edit] Performance history

It was first performed in Paris at the Paris Opera on February 15, 1686.

Roughly 8 decades following L’Orfeo, Jean-Baptiste Lully produces Armide in Paris of 1686 with his longtime peer and professional companion, playwright Jean-Philippe Quinault. Together they had developed tragedie en musique/tragedie lyrique, which served as a new form of opera that combined elements of classical French drama with ballet, French song tradition and a new form of recitative. Armide was one of Lully’s last operas and was therefore extremely developed in style.

The Armide section is an instrumental overture divided into two parts, all with the same highly professional sound, as if to accompany the entrance of some great authority who is highly revered. It is in fact, according to the Norton Anthology of Western Music, a “majesty suitable to the king of France, whose entrance into the theater the overture usually accompanied when he was in attendance” (NAWM p. 520). It is playful and bouncy, but always remaining ceremonious sounding. The first half of the overture is in fact slower than the latter half, which speeds up for the majority but returns back to the slower pace presented in the former half.

During Act II, scene 5, the innocent feel of the overture is drowned away by vicious, fierce drums that remind me of huge waves in the ocean, and use of a wind machine that is suggestive of socerry and abundant magical play. The sound is powerful, full of intentional intensity, and a driving force, a similar feel to that of the French overture. This instrumental introduction prefaces a monologue by enchantress Armide, a monologue that is “one of the most impressive recitatives in all of Lully’s operas” (NAWM p 520). Armide, accompanied by only a continuo, on a high of power tripping and angst, clutches a dagger and expresses to us her unyielding desire to kill a knight by the name of Renaud, who has foiled her plan to keep captive the knights of the Crusades in which she had imprisoned for the sake of her own pleasure. Though not orchestrally elaborate, the techniques of dramatic interpretation of rhythm, impressive use of stressing on downbeats, and exaggerated use of rests beautifully complicate this piece. Renaud underwent taking on the heroic and courageous duty of freeing these knights, much to the vexation of Armide, who now plans to murder him as quickly and swiftly as she can, while he is fast asleep. A stark sense of hesitation washes over her, and her voice grows softer and more full of doubt as it is revealed to both the naieve character and us (as the audience), that this trepidation is being caused by an unforeseen falling in love with the enemy, Renaud. Her love for him grows too intense and overbearing, and inevitably drowns out any malicious desire to dispose of him, in which she was initially so convicted to commit at the beginning of this monologue, “Let us get on with it… I tremble! Let us avenge… I sigh! / My rage is extinguished when I approach him / He seems to be made for love.” The exaggerated use of rests is exemplified perfectly here, in measures 38-42, admist her rage and vengeful monologue, Armide is struck by her contradictory/confusing feelings of love, and the fantastic use of elipses conveys this dramatic hestation and inner turmoil our character is struggling with. A decision far more humane than the murder of Renaud is established with the enchantress’ choice of sorcery over the knight, with its intention to have him fall in love with her. The bass amplifies and is much more emphatic in this part, as well as the style being much more melodic due to the supporting dynamic harmony. The idea is elaborated with accompanying music that feels of love and idealism, similar to the structure of a minuet. Repitition is also prevalent with the orchestra first introducing the entire melody, and Armide echoing its sentiment. A variation begins with Armide’s changing emotions, resulting in a dance-like feel that contains orchestral preludes and a pair of recitative styles.