Late Romantics in Central Europe # 4

End of this series with a late romantic experiment. It's the trilogy "Hippodamia", consisting of three "stage melodramas" by the composer Zdeněk Fibich on text by Jaroslav Vrchlický, premiered between 1890 and 1893.
The dramas are entirely spoken. The music is always present, following the the quick dialogue; only in some brief passages it comes to the foreground. Does this work? Being words and music two separated entities, it was difficult for me to appreciate both, at the expense of the music. I guess that if one understands Czech and doesn't need the translation (here provided) things get easier. Vrchlický's epic stories are captivating.


Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Zdeněk Fibich (1850-1900)
1. The Courtship of Pelops
(Námluvy Pelopovy), text by Jaroslav Vrchlický (1853-1912)

Actors: Jaroslava Adamová, Eduard Cupák, Rudolf Hrusinský
Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra, Jaroslav Krombholc
directed by Lubomír Poživil
Supraphon SU3031-2 612 (1996). Recorded 1980-81
[flac, cue, log, scans]  DOWNLOAD


Zdeněk Fibich
2. The Atonement of Tantalus
(Smír Tantalův), text by Jaroslav Vrchlický

Actors: Jaroslava Adamová, Eduard Cupák, Martin Růžek
Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra, František Jílek
directed by Lubomír Poživil
Supraphon SU 3033-2 612 (1996). Recorded 1983
[flac, cue, log, scans]  DOWNLOAD


Zdeněk Fibich
3. The Death of Hippodamia
(Smrt Hippodamie), text by Jaroslav Vrchlický

Actors: Jaroslava Adamová, Eduard Cupák, Josef Vinklář
Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra, František Jílek
directed by Lubomír Poživil
Supraphon SU 3035-2 612 (1996). Recorded 1984
[flac, cue, log, scans]  DOWNLOAD