Phoebe Rankin - Professor Wilson - MUS 120 - 23 March 2014 -Werther by Massenet: A Live from the MET broadcast - Mar 15 10:55 a.m. - Cinemark Carefree W 3305 Cinema Point Directed by Richard Eyre, Massenet’s rendition of Werther from the New York Metropolitan Opera stands to impress with a rivetingly emotional and effervescent performance. An adaption of Goethe’s tragedy The Sorrows of Young Werther, the lyric drama tells the story of a love struck and conflicted poet in late 17th century Germany. The plot centers around complications of the love triangle concerning Werther, Charlotte the girl he loves, and her fiancé and later husband Albert. Werther falls in love with Charlotte the daughter …show more content…
A captivating duet between Koch and Kaufmann, the song showcases the compatibility of their voices all while retaining the fathomless emotional significance of the scene. The song begins as an aria, transitions into a duet as it is discovered that Werther is not actually dead, and ends in a cadenza once he dies. Kaufmann’s voice in this scene is fittingly pianissimo while Koch sings on a more mezzo forte level. The instrumental aspect of the song portrays just as much emotional complexity as the vocals do. The sweeping orchestral piece presents a climactic yet subtle aura to the denouement of the opera. With an unusually jocular element to it, the music contains a somewhat ambiguous nature that is both confusing and perfect for the scene. Mixed into the melody of this piece is the faint singing of the Christmas carol “Noel Jesus Vient De Naitre,” which is a leitmotif and reference to the opening scene. The carol represents loss for Charlotte as it was also played in the depiction her mother’s death. It also is symbolic for ignorance of suffering, a recurring theme within the story. In this instance it is Charlotte’s siblings who are oblivious to the tragedy of Werther’s death and her subsequent morning. However, the tone momentarily segues and takes on a darker and more solemn life as Werther breathes his last
Steven Ozment examines the marriage between a sixteenth century German merchant and his wife. The publication illustrates the adversities of a long distance marriage, the Black Plague that passed through Germany, the passing of little Balthasar, their only child, as well as the trade of business that assists the binding of the two and their union together. Magdalena and Balthasar write letters back and forth to one another in an attempt to keep each other sane. The disposition of their marriage held a robust love for one another. Their letters were exchanged during the time of Balthasar's business travels. The numerous amount of diverse emotions, misfortunes, and affection that Magdalena and Balthasar exuded within their relationship embodied who they were as a couple.
Kleist, Heinrich Von, Ludwig Tieck, and E. T. A. Hoffmann. "Eckbert the Fair."Six German Romantic Tales. Chester Springs, PA: Du¬¬¬four, 1993. 16-33. Print.
Kerschen, Lios. “Critical Essay on ‘Romeo and Juliet’.” Drama for Students. Ed. Anne Marie Hacht. Vol. 21. Detriot: Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center. Web. 4 Dec 2013.
'I also didn 't have anything against Communism and all that [...] ' (p. 44). Does Plenzdorf 's text support or attack the GDR?
Arthur Schnitzler's 1895 play `Liebelei' provoked mass controversy within the Viennese upper class upon its premier in the `Burgtheater', as did many of his plays. This reaction could in part be explained by Schnitzler's "frank description of sexuality"¹ and his crudely realistic portrayal of Viennese society at that time through his application of very common personalities for his characters. In this essay, I intend to demonstrate the insight which Schnitzler gives the reader through the characters of `Liebelei', into Viennese society at the turn of the century.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe began writing The Sorrows of Young Werther in the early part of 1774. It was written during the Sturm and Drang period in Germany. Sturm and Drang, or more conventionally known as Storm and Stress, was an attempt by people in this period to free themselves from the strict rationalism of the enlightenment period. It is about a young man, Werther, who finds himself in an impossible situation. He is in love with a young woman named Charlotte. Despite knowing that Charlotte is already engaged to another man, Werther continues to ...
Both the protagonists, Jane and Mrs De Winter in Rebecca are characterised as naïve females who have encountered traumatic and demoralising events in their early years. Through the subsequence events of the plot, these females undertake a bildungsroman journey to adjust to high class society. The heroine in Rebecca has been constantly haunted by the ghost and ‘femme fatale’ figure of Maximillian’s deceased wife (Rebecca) and is unable to live up to society’s expectations. In contrast, Jane can appear to be left demoralised by her extended family, her Aunt and cousins, where she was abused, from a very young age, for standing up for herself. However, her punishment can be seen as a blessing because the time spent in the ‘red-room’ was the
Goethe, Johnann Wolfgang von. The Sorrows of Young Werther. Trans. Elizabeth Meyer and Louise Bogan. Forward by W.H. Auden. New York: Vintage, 1990.
Perhaps one of the most haunting and compelling parts of Sanders-Brahms’ film Germany Pale Mother (1979) is the nearly twenty minute long telling of The Robber Bridegroom. The structual purpose of the sequence is a bridge between the marriage of Lene and Hans, who battles at the war’s front, and the decline of the marriage during the post-war period. Symbolically the fairy tale, called the “mad monstrosity in the middle of the film,” by Sanders Brahms (Kaes, 149), offers a diagetic forum for with which to deal with the crimes of Nazi Germany, as well a internally fictional parallel of Lene’s marriage.
Sorrow, the Straight Matter of Life. During the process of growing up, we are taught to believe that life is relatively colorful and rich; however, if this view is right, how can we explain why literature illustrates the negative and painful feelings of life? Thus, sorrow is inescapable; as it increases one cannot hide it. From the moment we are born into the world, people suffer from different kinds of sorrow.
Benjamin, Walter. The Origin of German Tragic Drama. Trans. John Osborne. London: n.p., 1998. Print. fourth
10. Walter N. King. Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 , Vol. 8, No. 2, Elizabethan and Jacobean Drama (Spring, 1968) , pp. 283-306
The classic play Romeo and Juliet by the famous playwright William Shakespeare is one of the most beautiful love stories of all time and has captured and inspired readers everywhere. Regardless of the fact that it was written in the 1500’s, it is still being performed and extolled today. There is a multitude of reasons for such continuance of the play. First of all, its everlasting themes of love and hate enable people to deeply relate to the story. Secondly, its memorable characters deeply imprint on the minds of readers. And lastly, above all, is its magnificent language which many writers today regard in awe. These three elements make the acclaimed play, Romeo and Juliet, one of the most timeless stories of our lives.
In conclusion, The Sorrows of Werther opened the creatures eyes to the immediate world around him and the pains associated with life especially when one is rejected by the people they love.
All for Love and Venice Preserved, improvisatory imitations of Shakespeare, are claimed to be the best tragedies of their time. All for Love was not written to compete with Shakespeare or to imitate, but rather to convey Dryden’s career in tragedy. Dryden’s All for Love is a tragedy that represents a past now lost. The characters in Dryden’s work have already made their decisions and we see them living