The Nightingale

the Nightingale ( The Nightingale ) is a lyric tale in three acts composed by Igor Stravinski on a booklet of Stepan Mitousso and the type-setter according to Hans Christian Andersen. Its creation took place on May 26th 1914 with the Opéra of Paris.

Composition

Igor Stravinski began the Nightingale in 1908. The composition was stopped after act I when Diaghilev ordered the Bird of fire to the type-setter. In 1913, the Free Theater of Moscow required of him to finish the composition of the opera. Finally, Stravinski will nevertheless adapt its opera for the Russian Ballets, which will assemble it in 1920 under the title the Song of the nightingale .

Characters

the nightingale (Soprano)
the cooker (soprano)
death (viola)
the fisherman (Tenor)
the emperor of China (Baritone)
the chamberlain (low)
the bonze (low)
three emissary of Japan (1 tenor, 2 low)
courtiers, of the spirits (chorus)

Summary of the intrigue

Argument

In China, fabulous times.

Act I

A forest in seaside, the night. A fisherman in his boat listens to the splendid song of the nightingale. Courtiers arrive and invite the nightingale to sing in front of the emperor of China. The bird accepts.

Act II

The palate of the emperor. After an interval with the chorus, where the scene is dissimulated by a veil, the nightingale sings for the emperor who is very moved. Emissary of Japan bring a mechanical bird singing to the sovereign. As soon as this false nightingale starts to sing, truth flies away. The emperor, upset this escape, condemns it to the banishment.

Act III

The room of the emperor. Death carries the crown of the sick emperor. The emperor calls his musicians, but it is the nightingale which arrives. Death returns the crown to the emperor by hearing the splendid song of the bird. The courtiers are able to greet the emperor that they believe dead, but this one rises and greets its subjects.

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