Εισαγωγη του συνθετη

The comic genre is a style which has developed only to a limited extent, by no means as explosively as that of the serious field. Georges Bizet also probably recognised this with his buffa operas Don Procopio and Docteur Miracle, expressly designated by him as "copies" , which reflect opera buffa, artificially intensified, and yet let Bizet's originality shine through. Later, this style and its characteristic features were again taken up by Mascagni, Busoni and also Wolf-Ferrari. In addition, French opera-comique developed a type of its own which was shaped by Auber and Offenbach in particular and was continued by Honegger, Reynaldo Hahn and Satie. In this earlier French tradition I see, even if at a distance, my musical farce, whose title both forms a slightly altered anagram of the Offenbach character Olympia and is an allusion to the aphrodisiac yolimbine. The piece consists of 20 self-contained single numbers, not connected by recitative or action-carrying dialogue, which make reference to various types of music and genres. The link with epic theatre is dear, without that imposing on its course. Practically no direct speech takes place; report and meditation predominate, yet in a way that does not hold up the course of the action. As in the period before music-drama, the music is frequently autonomous, neither emotionally nor illustratively accompanying an action deployed in prose. This permits a diverse employment of types of numbers in specific genres, e.g. operetta entree (In the park), comic opera final fugue, operatic ensemble (Sextet of widows), cantata (Songs of praise and Marriage duet), Singspiel couplets (Herbert), a cappella madrigal (Breakfast, Wind), parody (Murder at the opera), pantomime (Seduction of the policemen), slapstick (tape montage in 'The police take action"), finally revue and musical (Song of praise, Deliverance). The mixture of genres also governs the construction as a whole: Yolimba is a coloratura singer - singing and acting separated -, Wallerstein is a spoken role, the Comedian Harmonists are the model of the three men. The individual number dominates, exclusively and without transitions.

Yolimba is a play of episodes or stages, as inevitably arises if a magic speil functions as the crux of a drama. The relationship with the Besserungsstück (moral play in which a character is cured of a fault bya dream experience) of Raimund or Nestroy, the machine comedy and magic farce is evident. My musical farce is to be understood as an attempt to contribute to the theatre of artifical entertainment, not at all as comic opera and its offshoots.

Yolimba was written in 1962/63 and was first performed in Wiesbaden in 1964. The producer was Hans Neugebauer, as in 1961 for the first performance of the ballet-opera La Buffonata in Heidelberg; the stage design was by the Polish animated cartoon-film maker Jan Lenica. The piece was revised for the performance in the Gärtnerplatz theatre in Munich in 1970: introductory and dosing numbers (ln the park) were added, the first version's spoken scenes with Herbert and the widows were replaced by musical numbers. This version is the one current today, and it also served as the model for the recording.

Wilhelm Killmayer (1991)

Περιληψη

Scene I, "In the Park": Strollers talk about everyday things. Scene 2, "The Power of Magic": While Möhringer starts up the machines in his laboratory, the three gentlemen sing about the secret of magic as found in wondrous feats from Alexander to Karajan. Scene 3, "Möhringer": Möhringer informs the public of his intent to create a magical creature which will eradicate the vice of love. Scene 4, "Yolimba is Created": Möhringer develops Yolimba in a test tube to the enthusiastic comments of the gentlemen. Scene 5, "Yolimba Shoots": Möhringer commands Yolimba to kill every person who speaks of love. After checking her reactions, he packs her in a crate and sends her to Professor Wallerstein. Scene 6, "Great Hymn of Praise to the Post": A hymn is sung to the accomplishments of the postal service, which serves the good of mankind. Scene 7, "Breakfast": Wallerstein has breakfast in the midst of his happy family, after wh ich he turns his attention to the morning mail. He finds Möhringer's crate, opens it, and Yolimba jumps out. Scene 8, "The Seduction of the Professor": The gentlemen observe how Yolimba gets Wallerstein to utter the word "love" in order to shoot hirn. Scene 9, "Murder at the Opera": Yolimba shoots .the tenor before the eyes of the entire opera audience when he sings the word "amore" in a duet. Scene 10, "A Worthwhile Evening": The audience gives Yolimba a vigorous round of applause. Scene 11, "The Police Intervene": After Yolimba and the public have left the hall, three policemen inspect the victim and begin to search for the murderer. Rumors have it that the slayer is the park. Yolimba. sitting there on a bench. is unmasked as the murderess. Scene 12 "Great Hymn of Praise to the Police": The admirers of order praise the vigilance of the police. which gives decent citizens a feeling of security. Scene 13 "The Seduction of the Policemen": Yolimba keep; putting off her imprisonment: she finally succeeds m having the policemen says the word "love" whereby she kills all three with one single shot: Scene 14, "Möhringer's Triumph": Thrilled by the success of his invention. Möhringer takes stock by barring the names of the deceased in his notebook. Scene 15. "The Six Widows": The widows can hardly wait for the billposter Herbert to arrive. Scene 16. "Here comes Herbert": Herbert introduces himself as the most terrific fellow they've ever seen. He reads the texts of his posters. but stops short of uttering the word "love". Over whelmed. Yolimba throws away her pistol and tells Herbert she loves him. Scene 17, "Great Hymn of Praise 10 Conjugal Life": The people sing of marital bliss among the middle classes. Yolimba and Herbert are married. Scene 18. "The Wild Wind": The gentlemen struggle against a coming storm which sweeps them away and blows Möhringer into the house. Möhringer knocks Herbert down and sets out after Yolimba. who has fled on a bicycle. He hides in a garbage can. Herbert calls for the garbage collectors, who empty the can, whereby Möhringer explodes with a terrifying bang. Scene 19. "Redemption": As Möhringer dies. his victims return to life and sing a hymn to love. Scene 20. "Great Hymn of Praise to the Garbage Collectors, the Limits of Magc and Finale": While the remnants of Möhringer's clothing are stuffed into a garbage can, everyone joins in to sing about the liberation from the adversity of magic.

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