Hercules

Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), Main Stage, London, Great Britain

Scene 1 from the opera "Hercules", photo 2

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6:45 PM

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Important Info

Type: Opera

City: London, Great Britain

Starts at: 18:45

Intervals: 1

Duration: 3h 30min

Sung in: English

Titles in: English

Ticket delivery: E-Tickets

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

Can I choose my seats?

Cast

Performers

Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Conductor: Laurence Cummings

Bass: Anthony Robin Schneider (Hercules)

Mezzo-Soprano: Avery Amereau (Lichas)

Soprano: Mary Bevan (Iole)

Tenor: Mingjie Lei (Hyllus)

Mezzo-Soprano: Paula Murrihy (Dejanira)

Chorus: Royal Opera Chorus

Creators

Composer: George Frideric Handel

Director: Barrie Kosky

Librettist: Thomas Broughton

Overview

Human weakness. Divine destruction. The Royal Opera's Handel series continues with Barrie Kosky's new production. Laurence Cummings conducts Anthony Robin Schneider, Paula Murrihy, Mingjie Lei, Mary Bevan and Avery Amereau.

As so often in Handel’s dramatic works the central character here is a woman, Dejanira, who’s plagued by pathological jealousy. She’s terrified that her husband Hercules won’t come back from war. Her joy of life returns when he does, but doesn’t last long because Princess Iole, whose father was killed by Hercules, is a member of his retinue. Dejanira projects all her fears onto Iole. Her unfounded jealousy and self-destructive determination grow. She has a cloak, said to possess magical powers, taken to her husband to rekindle their supposedly lost love. But things go badly wrong: the cloak, which bursts into flames, turns out to be poisoned, and Hercules burns alive. Dejanira knows she did wrong. Handel created a closing mad scene for her, the largest in scale in the history of music, and an expressively drawn portrait of a modern woman.

Librettist Thomas Broughton drew on ideas from several poems about Hercules’ death while drawing up his own version, bringing the innocence of those involved and the terrible consequences of their entanglements to the fore. Although published as an oratorio, the work defies classification. It’s more like a piece of music theatre which, unable to compete with spectacular operatic effects on stage or the religious pretensions of oratorio, was not very well received. So Hercules marked a climax in Handel’s dramatic output and a low in his career as an impresario.

History

Premiere of this production: 05 January 1745, King's Theatre, London

Hercules is a Musical Drama in three acts by George Frideric Handel, composed in July and August 1744. The English language libretto was by the Reverend Thomas Broughton, based on Sophocles's Women of Trachis and the ninth book of Ovid's Metamorphoses.

Synopsis

Précis: When the great hero Hercules returns to his wife Dejanira after a long absence, bringing with him as a captive the beautiful Princess Iole, Dejanira becomes consumed with jealousy. In a misguided attempt to secure her husband's fidelity, she inadvertently causes his death and goes mad.

Scene: Greece, in legendary antiquity

Years before the action of the piece, Hercules killed the centaur Nessus as he tried to rape Hercules' wife Dejanira. As he died, Nessus gave Dejanira a cloak soaked with his blood, telling her she should give it to Hercules if she ever doubted his fidelity because if Hercules donned the cloak he would never look at another woman again.

Act I
A royal apartment

Lichas, a royal herald, notices the inconsolable grief of Dejanira, (Accompanied recitative: See, with what sad dejection in her looks) and sympathises (Air: No longer, fate, relentless frown). Dejanira is convinced that her husband, Hercules, has been killed whilst on a military expedition that has kept him apart from her for more than a year (Accompanied recitative:O, Hercules, why art thou absent from me? and Air: The world, when day's career is run). Hyllus, son of Dejanira and Hercules, enters and reports that an oracle has been consulted and indicated that the hero is dead and the summits of Mount Oeta are ablaze with fire (Arioso:I feel, I feel the god, he swells my breast). The prophecy confirms Dejanira's fears and she longs to join her husband in death (Air:There in myrtle shades reclin'd); however Hyllus refuses to give up hope and vows to search for his father to the ends of the earth.(Air: Where congeal'd the northern streams) . The chorus comment on the devotion of Hercules' son and wife (Chorus: O filial piety, O gen'rous love!). Lichas arrives and announces that Hercules has returned alive after conquering Oechalia, much to the relief of Dejanira (Air:Begone, my fears). Lichas is glad that despair has so quickly turned to joy (Air:The smiling hours of joyful train) and the chorus reflect that one should never give up hope (Chorus:Let none despair).

A square before the Palace. Iole and Oechalian virgins, led captive

Among the captives is the princess Iole of legendary beauty. She laments the loss of her freedom (Air:Daughter of gods, bright liberty). Her predicament leaves Hyllus deeply moved. Hercules enters to a march in the orchestra. Despite having ravaged her country and sacrificed her father, Hercules reassures Iole that even though in exile, she may consider herself free. Iole cannot forget her father's death, which she witnessed, and prays that he may rest in peace (Air:My father! Ah, methinks I see). Hercules looks forward to enjoying domestic life after long martial activity (Air: The God of battle quits the bloody field). The chorus celebrate Hercules' glorious accomplishments (Chorus: Crown with festal pomp the day).

Act II
An apartment

Iole desires a simple form of happiness far removed from the machinations of power (Air: How blest the maid). Meanwhile, Dejanira, convinced that Hercules has been unfaithful to her, believes Iole's beauty proves his betrayal (Air: When beauty sorrow's livery wears), even though her suspicions are resolutely refuted by Iole (Air: Ah, think what ills the jealous prove!). Lichas observes how Dejanira's jealousy increases (Air: As stars, that rise and disappear). The chorus reflect on the corrosive effects of jealousy (Chorus: Jealousy! Infernal pest). Hyllus, having declared his love to the captive princess, is rejected by her (Air: Banish love from thy breast), which distresses him (Air: From celestial seats descending). The chorus reflect on the power of love (Chorus:Wanton god of am'rous fires).

Another apartment

Dejanira accuses her husband of tainting his reputation, an accusation he rejects (Air: Alcides' name in latest story). She insists he has disgraced himself by becoming besotted with Iole (Air: Resign thy club and lion's spoils). Hercules advises his wife to put aside these unjust suspicions, but Dejanira is consumed with jealousy (Air: Cease, ruler of the day, to rise). When Hercules is summoned to celebrate the rites of his victory, Dejanira gives Lichas a garment for her husband as a token of reconciliation. Lichas is pleased by this apparent sign of marital harmony (Air: Constant lovers, never roving). The blood-soaked cloak, entrusted to her by the centaur Nessus as he lay dying, appears to possess the power to lead a heart back to faithfulness. Meanwhile, Dejanira takes great pains to convince Iole that she regrets her accusations (Duet: Joys of freedom, joys of pow'r). The chorus hope that the marriage of Hercules and Dejanira will be a happy one once more (Chorus: Love and Hymen, hand in hand).

Act III

Lichas recounts how Hercules received Dejanira's gift and how the cloak was impregnated with a deadly poison which burnt and melted the flesh from his bones (Air: O scene of unexampl'd woe). The chorus lament the terrible news (Chorus: Tyrants now no more shall dread).

The Temple of Jupiter

As his son watches, Hercules dies in appalling suffering and cursing Dejanira's vengeance (Accompanied recitative: O Jove, what land is this). His last wish, that he be carried to the summit of Mount Oeta and set upon a funeral pyre, clarifies the oracle pronouncement in the first act. Hyllus hopes his father's ignominious death will not be widely known (Air: Let not fame the tidings spread).

The Palace

Dejanira, hearing of Hercules' agonising end, realises she should not have trusted the dying words of Nessus. Discovering that she has been the instrument of her beloved husband's death, she sinks into madness. (Accompanied recitative: Where shall I fly? Where hide this guilty head?) Such misfortune arouses the pity of Iole (Air: My breast with tender pity swells). A priest of Jupiter announces that Hercules has been lifted up to Olympus to join the gods there for all eternity. Hyllus pays tribute to his father's ascension to heaven (Air:He, who for Atlas propp'd the sky). Jove ordains the marriage of Hyllus and Iole, a decree that is received with joy by Hyllus and obedience by Iole (Duet: O prince, whose virtues all admire). The chorus praise the king of the gods (Chorus: To him your grateful notes of praise belong).

Venue Info

Royal Opera House (Covent Garden) - London
Bow St, Covent Garden

The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in London and Great Britain. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.

The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Originally called the Theatre Royal, it served primarily as a playhouse for the first hundred years of its history. In 1734, the first ballet was presented. A year later, Handel's first season of operas began. Many of his operas and oratorios were specifically written for Covent Garden and had their premieres there.

The current building is the third theatre on the site following disastrous fires in 1808 and 1856. The façade, foyer, and auditorium date from 1858, but almost every other element of the present complex dates from an extensive reconstruction in the 1990s. The main auditorium seats 2,256 people, making it the third largest in London, and consists of four tiers of boxes and balconies and the amphitheatre gallery. The proscenium is 12.20 m wide and 14.80 m high. The main auditorium is a Grade I listed building.

The Royal Opera, under the direction of Antonio Pappano, is one of the world’s leading opera companies. Based in the iconic Covent Garden theatre, it is renowned both for its outstanding performances of traditional opera and for commissioning new works by today’s leading opera composers, such as Harrison Birtwistle, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Thomas Adès.

The Royal Ballet is one of the world’s greatest ballet companies. Under the directorship of Kevin O’Hare, the Company unites tradition and innovation in world-class performances at our Covent Garden home.

The Company’s extensive repertory embraces 19th-century classics, the singular legacy of works by Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton and Principal Choreographer Kenneth MacMillan and a compelling new canon by Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor and Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon.

The Orchestra performs in concerts of their own, including performances at the Royal Opera House with Antonio Pappano. They have also performed at venues worldwide including Symphony Hall (Birmingham), Cadogan Hall, the Vienna Konzerthaus and on tour with The Royal Opera.

Members of the Orchestra play an active role in events across the Royal Opera House, including working with the Learning and Participation teams. The Orchestra accompanies performances that are streamed all over the world, including through cinema screenings and broadcasts. They appear on many CDs and DVDs including Pappano’s acclaimed studio recording of Tristan und Isolde with Plácido Domingo and Nina Stemme.

The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House was founded in 1946 when the Royal Opera House reopened after World War II.