Bastien und Bastienne
one-act singspiel by W. A. Mozart
Shepherd and Shepherdess Reposing (1761), by François Boucher
Librettist
LanguageGerman
Based onLes Amours de Bastien et Bastienne by Justine Favart and Harny de Guerville

Bastien und Bastienne (Bastien and Bastienne), K. 50 (revised in 1964 to K. 46b) is a one-act singspiel, a comic opera, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Bastien und Bastienne was one of Mozart's earliest operas, written in 1768 when he was only twelve years old. It was allegedly commissioned by Viennese physician and 'magnetist' Dr. Franz Mesmer (who himself would later be parodied in Così fan tutte) as a satire of the 'pastoral' genre then prevalent, and specifically as a parody of the opera Le devin du village by Jean-Jacques Rousseau.[1] The German libretto is by Friedrich Wilhelm Weiskern, Johann Heinrich Friedrich Müller and Johann Andreas Schachtner, based on Les Amours de Bastien et Bastienne by Justine Favart and Harny de Guerville. After its supposed premiere in Mesmer's garden theater (that is only corroborated by an unverified account of Nissen), it was not revived again until 1890. It is not clear whether this piece was performed in Mozart's lifetime. The first known performance was on 2 October 1890 at Architektenhaus in Berlin.[2][3]

The opera is written in both French and German manners. Many of the melodies are French in manner, but Bastienne's first aria is true German lied. This melody is also used in Mozart's Trio in G for Piano, Violin and Violoncello, K. 564 (1788). Another purely German lied is Bastienne's aria "I feel certain of his heart".[1] Mozart utilizes the orchestra sparingly, with the exception of the reconciliation scene.[1]

The opening theme of Mozart's overture resembles that of the first movement of Beethoven's Symphony no. 3, Eroica (in a different key). It is unlikely that Beethoven was familiar with Mozart's youthful opera. In any case, opening a movement with an arpeggio of the tonic chord was an extremely common occurrence in the Classical period. The resemblance is likely coincidental.

Although he was very young, Mozart already had excellent vocal writing skills and a knack for parody and whimsy which would reach full flower in his later works. Bastien und Bastienne is possibly the easiest to perform of Mozart's juvenile works.

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere cast, 2 October 1890
(Conductor: – )
Bastienne, a shepherdess soprano
Bastien, her lover tenor
Colas, a quack magician bass

Synopsis

Place: A pastoral village
Time: Indeterminate

Bastienne, a shepherdess, fears that her "dearest friend", Bastien, has forsaken her for another pretty face, and decides to go into the pasture to be comforted by her flock of lambs.

Before she can leave, however, she runs into Colas, the village soothsayer. Bastienne requests the help of his magical powers to help win back her Bastien. Colas (being a soothsayer) knows all about the problem, and comforts her with the knowledge that Bastien has not abandoned her, rather, he's merely been distracted lately by 'the lady of the manor'. His advice is to act coldly towards Bastien, which will make him come running back.

Bastien is heard approaching, so Bastienne hides herself. Bastien swaggers in, proclaiming how much he loves Bastienne. Colas informs him that Bastienne has a new lover. Bastien is shocked and asks the magician for help.

Colas opens his book of spells and recites a nonsense aria filled with random syllables and Latin quotations. Colas declares the spell a success and that Bastienne is in love with Bastien once more. Bastienne, however, decides to keep up the game a bit longer and spurns Bastien with great vehemence. Bastien threatens suicide, which Bastienne merely shrugs off.

Finally, the two decide that they have gone far enough and agree to reconcile. Colas joins them as they all sing a final trio in praise of the magician.

Noted arias

  • "Mein liebster Freund hat mich verlassen" – Bastienne
  • "Ich geh' jetzt auf die Weide" – Bastienne
  • "Befraget mich ein zartes Kind" – Colas
  • "Wenn mein Bastien einst im Scherze" – Bastienne
  • "Würd' ich auch, wie manche Buhlerinnen" – Bastienne
  • "Grossen Dank dir abzustatten" – Bastien
  • "Geh'! du sagst mir eine Fabel" – Bastien
  • "Diggi, daggi, shurry, murry" – Colas
  • "Meiner Liebsten schöne Wangen" – Bastien
  • "Er war mir sonst treu und ergeben" – Bastienne

Recordings

Year Cast
(Bastien, Bastienne, Colas)		 Conductor,
orchestra		 Label[4]
Catalogue number
c. 1940[5]Paul Derenne
Martha Angelici
André Monde		 Gustave Cloëz
Orchestre du Conservatoire de Paris		 78rpm set: L'Anthologie Sonore
Cat: FA 801-806[6]
1952Waldemar Kmentt
Ilse Hollweg
Walter Berry		 Sir John Pritchard
Wiener Symphoniker		 LP: Philips
Cat: ABL 3010
1956Richard Holm
Rita Streich
Toni Blankenheim		 Christoph Stepp
Münchner Kammerorchester		 CD: Deutsche Grammophon
Cat: 474 738 2
1957Three soloists of Wiener Sängerknaben Edouard Lindenberg
Wiener Kammerorchester		 LP: Philips
1965Peter Schreier
Adele Stolte
Theo Adam		 Helmut Koch
Kammerorchester Berlin		 CD: Berlin Classics
Cat: 0091292 BC
1969Thomas Lehrberger
Ileana Cotrubaș
Peter van der Bilt		 Leopold Hager
Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg		 CD: ORFEO
Cat: C 705061 B
1976Claes H. Ahnsjo
Edith Mathis
Walter Berry		 Leopold Hager
Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg		 LP: Deutsche Grammophon
Cat: 2537 038
1976Adolf Dallapozza
Brigitte Lindner
Kurt Moll		 Eberhard Schoener
Bayerisches Staatsorchester		 LP: EMI Electrola
Cat: 1C 065 30231
1986Three soloists of Wiener Sängerknaben:
Dominik Orieschnig
Georg Nigl
David Busch		 Uwe Christian Harrer
Wiener Symphoniker		 CD: Philips
Cat: 422 527-2
1989Vinson Cole
Edita Gruberová
László Polgár		 Raymond Leppard
Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra		 CD: Sony Classical
Cat: 45855
1990Ralph Eschrig
Dagmar Schellenberger
René Pape		 Max Pommer
Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester Leipzig		 CD: Berlin Classics
Cat: 0010102BC
1991Dongkyu Choy
Eva Kirchner
Thomas Müller De Vries		 René Clemencic
Alpe Adria Ensemble		 CD: Nuova Era
Cat: 7344
2006Bernhard Berchtold
Evmorfia Metaxaki
Radu Cojocariu		 Elisabeth Fuchs
Junge Philharmonie Salzburg		 DVD: Deutsche Grammophon
Cat: 000440 073 4244 2

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Anon. (1940). Bastien et Bastienne (Media notes). Paul Derenne, Martha Angelici, André Monde, Gustave Cloëz orchestra. L'Anthologie Sonore. FA 801-806 – via music.damians78s.co.uk.
  2. ↑ Bastien und Bastienne, performance history, Opera Glass, Stanford University
  3. ↑ Casaglia, Gherardo (2005)."Bastien und Bastienne, 2 October 1890". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
  4. ↑ "Bastien und Bastienne discography". www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk. Archived from the original on 14 October 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  5. ↑ Roberge, Pierre-F. "W. A. Mozart: Bastien et Bastienne". Medieval Music & Arts Foundation. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  6. ↑ Settlemier, Tyrone (March 7, 2012). "L'Anthologie sonore 78rpm numerical listing discography". The Online Discographical Project. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
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