Open the floodgates

By Chen Jie (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-04-01 07:47

"He knows how to work on the orchestra and inspire the performers. It's great to have such an opportunity to collaborate with him, to learn from him."

The three-act opera King of the Ys composed by French musician Edouard Lalo (1823-92) has rarely been heard in today's opera houses. But Lalo's score is a work of high drama and great beauty, with a musical style that hints of Wagner, yet preserves the elegance of the story's French roots.

Lalo worked on the opera for more than 10 years before it was finally premiered at the Opera Comique in Paris in 1888. It met with immediate success and the composer considered this work to be his greatest achievement.

The story is based upon a legend of love and loss. Magared and Rozenn, daughters of the King of Ys, are in love with Mylio. But the warrior has only eyes for Rozenn.

In revenge Magared betrays her father's city to Karnac, a defeated enemy. To him she gives the keys of the sluices, which stand between the town and the sea. When the town and all its inhabitants are about to be swept away, the girl, in remorse, throws herself into the sea. St Corentin, patron saint of Ys, accepts her sacrifice and the sea abates.

To add drama to this production, NCPA technicians have their hands full. To portray the flooding scene about 13 tonnes of water will fall onto stage.

(China Daily 04/01/2008 page19)

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