"Iolanthe" (opera): a summary of Hertz's drama

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The idea of creating this opera arose after P. I. Tchaikovsky got acquainted with the drama of the Danish writer G. Hertz called “The Daughter of King Rene”. It is noteworthy that the libretto for the future opera was written by the composer's brother M. I. Tchaikovsky after the premiere of the play King René's Daughter on the stage of the Moscow Maly Theater. We know this drama under the name "Iolanthe". The opera, the summary of which turned out to be the subject of interest today, is a truly touching lyrical work.

The Blind Princess

What is this drama about? The action takes place in the distant XV century, in the territory of southern France in the province of Provence. It is there, in the mountains, that the majestic castle is located, where the only daughter of a powerful king lives. The girl is incredibly beautiful, but naturally afflicted with a terrible disease. She is completely blind.

Her father, King Rene, loves his daughter very much and is trying by all means to cure the unfortunate girl (by the way, her name is Iolanthe). The opera, the summary of which we recall, tells us about the royal ban on his subjects to talk about sunlight and colors that fillpeace.

Healer's Verdict

At the same time, Rene continues to actively look for a way to cure her daughter. He summons from a distant country a famous Moorish doctor named Ebn-Hakia. In order not to embarrass the girl, the Mauritanian doctor examines her during sleep. Ebn-Hakia informs the king of the bad news. In his opinion, Iolanthe's sight can be restored, but for this the girl herself must really want this.

Rene is confused. How will he discover the surrounding world in which Iolanthe lives? The opera (a summary, of course, will not convey the lyrics of the music) reveals father's feelings and doubts very clearly.

Lost travelers

While the king was painfully pondering his next steps, two lost travelers accidentally wander into the royal garden. These are young nobles Gottfried Vaudemont - a Burgundian knight, and his faithful friend Duke Robert. The young men do not know that they have ended up in the royal garden, and they are trying to find someone who could tell the way to the servants who lost them.

Wandering through the royal garden, they accidentally find Iolanthe sleeping on the terrace of the palace. And if Robert rather indifferently accepted this fact, then Vaudemont was amazed from the very beginning by the beauty of the girl. The libretto of the opera Iolanta (P. I. Tchaikovsky wrote it in 1891) tells us that the behavior of the young Duke Robert is explained by falling in love with the Lorraine Countess Matilda. However, the word of honor given by his parents obliged Robert to connect his life with Princess Iolanthe, the daughter of King Rene, whom henever saw. Speaking about his feelings to Vaudemont, Robert complains about the injustice of fate. But Vaudemont advises his friend not to rush and rely on the wisdom of King René. Say, he will surely understand Robert and cancel the engagement.

Awakened Desire

How does the libretto of the opera "Iolanta" continue? We will continue the summary from the moment when Iolanthe, having heard unfamiliar voices, wakes up. She rushes to meet the young nobles and, confronting them, asks who they are and where they came from in the garden. Vaudemont explains to the girl that they are lost travelers. The girl offers them wine, but Robert, fearing a trap, refuses and leaves to look for the stray servants.

Vaudemont is amazed by the beauty of Iolanthe, but finds out that the girl is completely blind. She doesn't even know that rose flowers have different shades. Vaudemont talks about the beauty of the world around him, but Iolanta (the summary does not fit the entire dialogue) does not understand the young man. Everything that Vaudemont described did not fit in her head. She does not know how to react to this, whether she wants to see the world around her.

Having learned about this, the king became angry. But at the same time, he saw a chance to bring Iolanta into exactly that exciting state of which the doctor had spoken. René threatens Vaudémont with execution if the girl is unable to see as a result of the treatment. Iolanthe, frightened for the life of Vaudemont, who has already become close, assures her father that she wants to see. The doctor starts the operation.

Happylovers

Duke Robert appears here with his faithful servants. He gets a little embarrassed when he sees King René. After all, he will have to connect his life with his daughter. Vaudemont hints to Robert that the time has come for an explanation with the king. Having cast aside doubts, Robert confesses to the king his love for Countess Matilda and asks to save him from the word given by his parents. Oddly enough, Rene agrees. He refuses his long-standing agreements with the parents of the young man, according to which Iolanthe should become Robert's wife.

The opera, the summary of which is already coming to an end, ends with the princess "getting" her sight. To celebrate, King René gives his daughter's hand to Vaudémont.