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Productions Zéphyr, Vent de l'Amour | Les Grands Suites | Ontario Dance Weekend David & Jonathas An Opera/Dance Film "This score is of interest for two complementary reasons - historical and aesthetic. The theatre of the Jesuits was most productive during the 17th and early 18th centuries. The success of these productions was of the first order, as contemporary journals record. "David & Jonathas" is the only work to have come down to us complete: consequently it is from this point of view more than just an opera. It is of value as the only relic of the music of the Jesuits of France (also known for their magnificent architecture), during this golden age of French art. "The work is only one of two operas on a Biblical subject composed before the 19th century, in France. The notion of utilizing a Biblical subject in Charpentier's own time was considered scandalous. This is an important point as Charpentier was of the opinion that all art was inseparable from religion, as was universally understood before the Renaissance era. Secondly, the Jesuits commissioned the work for their own school Collège Louis-Le-Grand. For contemporary critics Charpentier was well known for his skill in finding out the appropriate emotion behind the Latin texts universally utilized for liturgical compositions. No other composer of the day was able to go so far in depicting his characters in music. Today, he is also recognized universally as the greatest French sacred composer of the 17th century. The Jesuit librettist Père Bretonneau (the well known author of Christmas carols) gave each character of the drama, clearly-identified passions that the music could heighten. Given the psychological basis for the development of the characters, through both text and music, and the static but intensified nature of the characters interaction, we are not far off the multiple-scene theatre of today. This lends the work great cinematic potential." -- Jean Duron Why "David & Jonathas" Now "Opera is the fastest growing art form in today's entertainment market. The beauty of opera is the way it brings together several different art forms: music, drama, dance and the visual arts, to make one incredible theatrical experience. Adding film to the mix opens up a digital universe that furthers creation and international marketing possibilities." "dance OREMUS danse acquired this sacred opera in 1987 while on tour in NYC and started project development (choreography) immediately. We mounted the opera Prologue in January 1997 with Naxos recording artists Aradia at the Design Exchange, Toronto, with a set, full Baroque orchestra, singers, and Duncan & Baroque dancers from USA and Canada. P-J performed the shadow roles of Saul and Samuel. The current project film Director Helga-Liz Haberfellner attended one of these performances and was initially introduced to P-J Dwyer." "2004 marks the tri-centenary of the composer's death. Plans are to release the film soon after this international celebration. In France an entire year was devoted to Marc-Antoine Charpentier's art, with projects at the Centre Musique Baroque de Versailles, major early music groups, music schools, choral organizations and opera companies." "The relevance of this tragic work now is immediately apparent given the similarities between the time it was created (Paris, 1688) and our own generation. Both periods share the following characteristics: materialism, fashion fads that changed by-the-minute, obsession with pleasure and luxury, the worship of satan by the upper ranks of society, increased violence and murder, abortion, negation of any possibility of the miraculous and mystic (with the introduction of rationalistic philosophy by the Jesuits close to the throne, in the 1680's), rampant immorality, and the supposition that man is God: the deification and worship of the creature over the creator." "In Charpentier's day there was a question of whether the king (Louis XIV) was in fact a "god". The king vacillated trying to gauge public opinion, when presented with the question. He sent it back to the Sorbonne University who answered with a semi-negative decision. The result of this period of French history was the French Revolution, a hundred years later, which utterly destroyed this civilization. We have not learned the lessons of personal or societal history. Many consider our own era apocalyptic. Death and destruction are always the result of rebellion against the eternal values of a just God." -- P-J Dwyer Quotes on "David & Jonathas" "Each act seems a psychological portrait of each
character, David takes up nearly all Act I. Act II
shows Joabel the traitor, contradicted by the
choruses. Act III presents Saul, his great misfortune,
his distress, and then, with no transition, his
delirium or his revolt. And it is only in the last
resort, in Act IV, that the authors bring Jonathan to
sing of his love, the injustice of his fate, and his
hesitation in the face of duty." "The radically static pace of this opera, prefigures
Wagner's "Parsifal" and Debussy's "Pelléas et
Mélisande, by two centuries. Its place is unique in
the baroque opera lexicon. Never an immobile bore, the
score rises to Wagnerian power, e.g. the Prologue and
the death of King Saul in Act V. Unfolding
simultaneously on an interior spiritual level and
exterior level, between the principal characters of
David, Saul and Jonathas, the work is riveting." "David & Jonathas is a deeply civilizing and majestic
force." "I personally strongly identify with the character of
Saul. To directly experience God's curse as a result
of one's own rebellion against His laws, is tragic,
but basically private. To dance this role has not only
been cathartic for me, but has given me compassion for
many of my own generation - lost in a sea of
relativistic thinking, so-called diversity,
pluralistic personal experience and sexual freedom." "Act V is perhaps of value above all in that it
completes the slow shift from Ode to Tragedy in the
course of the work's five acts." "There are only two danced parts in our film, both
shadow-roles: Jonathan & Joabel. The one I will
perform is that of Joabel, the false friend of David.
He is driven by jealous spite and pure hate, seeking
to destroy that which is good and therefore represents
the diabolic par excellence. Two of the three
principal characters Saul and David are so formed in
the opera, that any dance centred on these two roles
would only obscure the clarity of their parts and
conflict. Jonathas is a different matter altogether,
as he represents the emotional world and pure,
selfless love divided between loyalties, to his father
and best friend. Utilizing a shadow dancer for him
will give the audience a strong theatrical opportunity
to further experience this dichotomy. The dancer will
act as his interior structure: heart/soul/conscience,
while the singer will create a parallel
characterization, concentrating on the mind and
physical reality of the man." David and Jonathas Marc-Antoine Charpentier, 1688, Paris Argument Of The Prologue It is related in the Holy Scriptures that Saul, perceiving that Heaven did not answer him regarding the success of the battle that he was to wage against the Philistines, disguised himself and went to consult a Witch. She called up Samuel who predicted the death of Saul and his children, and the coronation of David, whom Saul persecuted. The Witch, seeing Samuel, was afraid, taking him for a god, and at the same time she recognized Saul. We see Saul with the Witch. Actors Of The Prologue Saul, King of the Israel Argument Of The Tragedy Saul, in pursuit of David, lost the battle against the Philistines, Jonathan, Saul's son and David's friend, was slain. Saul fell upon his own sword, killing himself, By the death of Saul and of Jonathan, the crown fell to David. Taken from the Old Testament: First book of Samuel. The action takes place on mount Gilboa, between the encampments of Saul and the Philistines. Actors Saul, King of Israel Act One: Having vanquished the Amalekites, David is recalled to the camp of the Philistines from which he had been banished throught the jealousy of the chieftains of the army. A troop of warriors, captives and shepherds whom he rescued begin to sing his praises. Achish, from whom he had previously withdrawn, goes to receive him outside the camp and tells him that there must be a meeting, in that very place, between Saul and him, and that they should consult together whether to make peace or war. Act Two: David and Jonathan's first concern is to ask to see one another during the truce. Joabel, jealous of David's fame, and hoping that he will be slain in battle, attempts to persuade him to fight, but in vain. He then conspires to go to Saul and accuse David of planning to deceive Saul under the pretence of a false peace. David and Jonathan begin to enjoy the pleasures of the peace that has been promised and has re-united them. Act Three: Saul, suspecting David of everything and constantly seeking to get rid of him, readily believes Joabel's accusations. As a condition for concluding peace he demands that David be delivered to him. Achish, his protector, is convinced of his innocence and refuses. However, David appears before Saul with Jonathan. Saul accuses him of treason. David dumbfounded and seeing that his presence agitates Saul, withdraws. Saul pursues him and Joabel rejoices in the successful outcome of his accusation. Act Four: Saul, all the more enkindled against David, whom he sees increasingly supported by the King of the Philistines, is thereby filled with new suspicions, and finally declares himself for war. Achish, learning of the turmoil reigning in his army, stirred up by Joabel's intrigues, is strongly in favour, too, and calls for a battle. David, having retired to the Philistine camp, is met by Jonathan. What grief they both feel at being compelled to separate in this way. David declares that far from fighting Saul, he will think only of saving his Prince and his friend. Act Five: The battle is is engaged and Saul loses. Jonathan, mortally wounded, is brought to Saul: the Prince and his unfortunate father are in despair. He goes in search of David; but David appears at his side, in search of Jonathan. What grief! Jonathan dies in the arms of his friend. Saul, on the point of falling into the hands of the Philistines, falls on his own sword and is brought back in this condition. At the same time Achish appears in triumph and tells David that the Israelites have chosen him to be king. David withdraws, dismayed and striken with grief. A clash of arms.
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