| Hector Berlioz |
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Operas
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Béatrice et Bénédict (Beatrice and Benedick) is an opera in two acts by Hector Berlioz. Berlioz wrote the French libretto himself, based closely on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.
Berlioz composed the score of Béatrice et Bénédict following the completion of Les Troyens in 1858. It was first performed at the Theater der Stadt, Baden-Baden on 9 August 1862.[1] Berlioz conducted the first two performances of a German version in Weimar, where, as he wrote in his memoirs, he was "overwhelmed by all sorts of kind attention."
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The first performances of the opera in France took place at the Opéra-Comique in 1890. It was again produced at that theatre in 2010. Although rather infrequently performed and not part of the standard operatic repertoire, other recent productions have included Amsterdam and Welsh National Opera tour in 2001, Santa Fe Opera in 2004, Strasbourg in 2005, Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2007, Houston Grand Opera in 2008, and Opera Boston in 2011.
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 9 August 1862 (Conductor: Hector Berlioz)[2] |
|---|---|---|
| Héro | soprano | Monrose |
| Béatrice | mezzo-soprano | Anne-Arsène Charton-Demeur |
| Bénédict | tenor | Achille-Félix Montaubry |
| Don Pedro | bass | Mathieu-Émile Balanqué |
| Claudio | baritone | Bernard Lefort |
| Somarone | bass | Victor Prilleux |
| Ursule | contralto | Coralie Geoffroy |
| Léonato | spoken | Guerrin |
| People of Sicily, Lords, Ladies, Musicians, Maids - Chorus | ||
Don Pedro, prince of Aragon, is visiting Messina after a successful military victory over the Moors, which is celebrated by all of Sicily. He is joined by two friends and fellow soldiers, Claudio and Bénédict. They are greeted by Léonato, governor of Messina, together with his daughter, Héro, and niece, Béatrice.
Héro awaits the return of her fiancé, Claudio. Béatrice inquires about and scorns Bénédict. They trade insults and tease each other. Bénédict swears to his friends that he will never marry. Later, Claudio and Pedro scheme to trick Bénédict into marrying Béatrice. Knowing that he is listening, Léonato assures Pedro that Béatrice loves Bénédict. Upon hearing this, Bénédict resolves that Béatrice's love must not go unrequited, and so he decides to pursue her. Meanwhile, elsewhere, Héro and her attendant, Ursula, manage to play a similar trick on Béatrice who now believes that Bénédict is secretly in love with her.
To celebrate the pending wedding of Claudio and Héro, Léonato hosts a masquerade party. A local music teacher, Somarone, leads the group in song and everybody enjoys themselves except Béatrice who realizes that she has fallen in love with Bénédict. As she turns to leave she is met by Bénédict, prompting an exchange in which they both attempt to conceal their love for each other. A notary solemnizes the marriage and, as arranged by Léonato, asks a second couple to come forward. Bénédict summons the courage to declare his love to Béatrice and the two sign the wedding contract along with Héro and Claudio.
There are several recordings of the opera, and the overture, which refers to several passages in the opera without becoming a pot-pourri, is frequently heard in concerts and has been recorded many times.
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