|Startsida | Sångare | Andra artister och kreatörer | Libretton | Operahus | Jag och min operavärld | Sökord |
|Startsida | Sångare | Andra artister och kreatörer | Libretton | Operahus | Jag och min operavärld | Sökord |
Music: Igor Stravinsky. Lyrics: after an fabel by W.H Auden and Chester Kallman.
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First performance at Teatro de la Fenice in Venice on 11 of September 1951.
| Role | Voicetype |
|---|---|
| Trulove | bass |
| Anne,his daughter | soprano |
| Tom Rakewell | tenor |
| Nick Shadow | baritone |
| Mother Goose | mezzosoprano |
| Baba the Turk | mezzosoprano |
| Sellem,auctionist | tenor |
| Mentalhospitals,principal | bass |
Time and place: England, 1700-century.
Tom Rakewell, a young and impecunious country gentleman, is in love with Anne Trulove, but her father the sQuire, though anxious for their happiness, secretly doubts Tomīs strength of character. He feels that his suspicions are confirmed when Tom refuses his offer of steady employment in the City. Tom is content to put his trust in Fortune. A stranger, who announces himself as Nick Shadow, suddenly arrives with the news that an unknown uncle of Tomīs has died and left him a fortune. Tom must go at once to London to wind up his uncleīs estate and Shadow offers himself as Tomīs servant and guide through the intricacies of London life. The question of his salry can be decided in due course - a year and a day thence. Tom shall pay him what his services prove to have been worth. Tom takes leave of Anne and her father and sets off with Shadow for London.
Shadow introduces Tom to the opportunities bestowed by his new-found wealth. With whores and roaringboys as an apprentice audience, Tom repeats the catechism of his new creed to Mother Goose, who presides as Lady Bishop in the ceremony of initiation. His responses are correct until a question about the meaning of love revives memories of Anne and his former happiness. Mother Goose persuades him to drink more deeply and his remorse vanishes. The whores offer to help banish his sadness, but Mother Goose claims him as her own.
Months have passed but Anne has heard no news of Tom. She senses that Tom needs her and resolves to go in search of him in London.
Tom is surfeited and bored by his life in London and seeks in vain for happiness. Shadow exhorts him to marry Baba the Turk, the new sensation of St GilesīFair. Only if he acts freely can he be happy. To be free he must defy the tyranny of appetite and duty - the bearded Baba is the antithesis of appetite and he owes her no duty. She is therefore the perfect agent for his happiness. Tom allows himself to be persuaded by Shadow and sets off to woo and win her as his bride.
Anne finds her wy to Tomīs house and sees him arrive home, escorting a closed sedan chair. She greets him, but he begs her to return home and forget him. London is no place for her goodness and virtue. Anne reaffirms her love for Tom but leaves him shamed when she learns that the impatient occupant of the sedan chair is Baba the Turk, now his wife. Tom leads the veiled Baba to the house. The townspeople crowd round the door begging for a glimpse of her and in response to their excited requests, she unveils.
Bab sits at breakfast with Tom among the bric-ā-brac of presents given to her on a series of triumphant European tours by her countless admirers. Tom is bored and infuriates her with his indifference. She accuses him of retaining his love for Anne and rages and screams her jealousy until Tom silences her. Then he relapses into sleep - l The last refugee of the bored. Shadow now prepares to complete Tomīs downfall by adding financial disaster to his moral and domestic ruin. He wheels in a fantastic bogus machine for converting stones into bread. Tom wakes and tells Shadow that he has been dreaming of just such a machine. He does not realize that it is bogus, but believes that it will cure poverty and bring hiom happiness to the wretched. Thus with good deeds he may again be worthy of Anneīs love. He leaves to devote all his energies to collecting money for this noble and philanthropic scheme.
Tomīs financial bubble has burst, bringing ruin to himself and to countless innocent investors in his scheme. A crowd of inquisitive townfolk flocks to attend the auction of his belongings. Anne arrives to ask news of Tom, but no-one can tell her where to find him. The auctioneer, Sellem begins to auction the contents of the house. The bidding is spirited, until he offers a mysterious object,. It is Baba, who springs to the defence of her belongings, unconscious of the intervening time since Tom silenced her. Tom and Nick are heard singing from the street, mocking Baba. Anne returns at the sound of voices. Baba tells her that it is Anne whom Tom still loves and that her love may still be able to save him. Anne rushes out to seek for Tom, and Baba determines to go back to her true profession, the stage.
A year and a day have passed since Shadow entered Tomīs service. He now claims his wages. Tomīs soul. An open grave is waiting. He first offers Tom a choice of death by poison, steel, rope or gun and then proposes that they play cards to decide Tomīs fate. Shadow attempts to cheat, but memories of Anne inspire Tom to win the game. Shadow is enraged at being outwitted, but though cheated of Tomīs soul, takes his revenge by striking him with insanity.
Tom is confined among the lunatics in Bedlam. He thinks himself to be Adonis and when Anne comes to visit him, believes that she is Venus, whom he has long been seeking. He asks her forgiveness for so long disdaining her love. She comforts him and sings him to sleep with a lullaby. Her love is unaltered, but realising that it is Venus and not herself whom Tom now needs, she sadly agrees to return home with her father. Tom wakes to find Venus has gone and his heart breaks in despair. The lunatics join in mourning Adonis, Venusīs beloved.
The principals join in pointing out the moral of the fable, that the Devil finds work for idle hands.
John Cox
