Tragédie lyrique in three acts(1807)
- La vestale, Spontini Mariinsky Theatre Saint Petersburg, Russia Performances (1) Available online until Friday, 31 July 2020 17:00 PST Full Production Video.
- La vestale by Gaspare Spontini is one of those operas of which the name is widely known yet its music is barely known at all. In this context, one must add the word 'today'. Two centuries ago, this opus proved a staggering success and made its creator the foremost opera composer of the Napoleonic age.
- Other articles where La vestale is discussed: Gaspare Spontini: early operas, notably his masterpiece, La vestale (1807), represent the spirit of the Napoleonic era and form an operatic bridge between the works of Christoph Gluck and Richard Wagner.
- La Vestale by Gaspare Spontini. Antonino Votto conducting the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala with Maria Callas, Franco Corelli, Enzo Sordello, Nicolai Rossi-Lemeni, Ebe Stagnani, Vittorio Tatozzi and Nicola Zaccaria. Recorded in Milan on December 7.
Music by Gaspare Spontini
Libretto by Victor-Joseph Étienne de Jouy
In French with German surtitles
New production Theater an der Wien
Premiere: Saturday, 16 November 2019, 7 pm until 10 pm (Intermission: 8.05 pm)
Performances: 18 / 20 / 23 / 25 / 27 November 2019, 7 pm
La Vestale Spontini Libretto
After five years Licinius has returned to Rome as a victorious general. The city prepares a triumphal procession for its hero who, however, desires only to see his beloved Julia again. But now he learns that Julia was forced to become a Vestal Virgin. As such she had to swear a vow of chastity; if she breaks it, she will be walled in alive. Licinius decides to risk abducting Julia from the temple. In the meantime Julia is told that she is the one to crown the young victor with the laurel next day. Her love for Licinius flares up again. At night Licinius enters and tries to take Julia with him. She refuses, but in this moment the sacred fire goes out, which is immediately noticed. Licinius escapes. The high priest sentences Julia to death. Licinius's followers try to resolve Julia, but in the end the goddess herself saves Julia's life: her Vestal veil had been placed on the fireplace, and just before the last stone seals her tomb the goddess Vesta sets fire to the veil with a bolt of lightning, thus reigniting the sacred flame.
Cast
La Vestale Ballet
| Conductor | Bertrand de Billy |
| Director | Johannes Erath |
| Stage design | Katrin Connan |
| Costume design | Jorge Jara |
| Light design | Bernd Purkrabek |
| Video design | Bibi Abel |
| Dramaturgy | Olaf A. Schmitt |
| Julia, eine junge Vestalin | Elza van den Heever |
| Licinius | Michael Spyres |
| Cinna | Sébastien Guèze |
| Hohepriester | Franz-Josef Selig |
| Oberste Vestalin | Claudia Mahnke |
| Anführer der Wahrsager | Dumitru Mădăraşăn |
| Ein Konsul | Ivan Zinoviev |
| Orchestra | Wiener Symphoniker |
| Choir | Arnold Schoenberg Chor (Ltg. Erwin Ortner) |
La vestale
Tragédie lyrique in three acts(1807)
- La vestale, Spontini Mariinsky Theatre Saint Petersburg, Russia Performances (1) Available online until Friday, 31 July 2020 17:00 PST Full Production Video.
- La vestale by Gaspare Spontini is one of those operas of which the name is widely known yet its music is barely known at all. In this context, one must add the word 'today'. Two centuries ago, this opus proved a staggering success and made its creator the foremost opera composer of the Napoleonic age.
- Other articles where La vestale is discussed: Gaspare Spontini: early operas, notably his masterpiece, La vestale (1807), represent the spirit of the Napoleonic era and form an operatic bridge between the works of Christoph Gluck and Richard Wagner.
- La Vestale by Gaspare Spontini. Antonino Votto conducting the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala with Maria Callas, Franco Corelli, Enzo Sordello, Nicolai Rossi-Lemeni, Ebe Stagnani, Vittorio Tatozzi and Nicola Zaccaria. Recorded in Milan on December 7.
Music by Gaspare Spontini
Libretto by Victor-Joseph Étienne de Jouy
In French with German surtitles
New production Theater an der Wien
Premiere: Saturday, 16 November 2019, 7 pm until 10 pm (Intermission: 8.05 pm)
Performances: 18 / 20 / 23 / 25 / 27 November 2019, 7 pm
La Vestale Spontini Libretto
After five years Licinius has returned to Rome as a victorious general. The city prepares a triumphal procession for its hero who, however, desires only to see his beloved Julia again. But now he learns that Julia was forced to become a Vestal Virgin. As such she had to swear a vow of chastity; if she breaks it, she will be walled in alive. Licinius decides to risk abducting Julia from the temple. In the meantime Julia is told that she is the one to crown the young victor with the laurel next day. Her love for Licinius flares up again. At night Licinius enters and tries to take Julia with him. She refuses, but in this moment the sacred fire goes out, which is immediately noticed. Licinius escapes. The high priest sentences Julia to death. Licinius's followers try to resolve Julia, but in the end the goddess herself saves Julia's life: her Vestal veil had been placed on the fireplace, and just before the last stone seals her tomb the goddess Vesta sets fire to the veil with a bolt of lightning, thus reigniting the sacred flame.
Cast
La Vestale Ballet
| Conductor | Bertrand de Billy |
| Director | Johannes Erath |
| Stage design | Katrin Connan |
| Costume design | Jorge Jara |
| Light design | Bernd Purkrabek |
| Video design | Bibi Abel |
| Dramaturgy | Olaf A. Schmitt |
| Julia, eine junge Vestalin | Elza van den Heever |
| Licinius | Michael Spyres |
| Cinna | Sébastien Guèze |
| Hohepriester | Franz-Josef Selig |
| Oberste Vestalin | Claudia Mahnke |
| Anführer der Wahrsager | Dumitru Mădăraşăn |
| Ein Konsul | Ivan Zinoviev |
| Orchestra | Wiener Symphoniker |
| Choir | Arnold Schoenberg Chor (Ltg. Erwin Ortner) |
La vestale
Premiere: 16 November 2019
Directeur: Johannes Erath
Stage designer: Katrin Connan
Costume designer: Jorge Jara
Light designer: Bernd Purkrabek
Video designer: Bibi Abel
