''Daphne'' or ''Die Verwandelte Daphne'' (''Daphne Metamorphosed''), HWV 4, is an

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

composed by

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

for the

Oper am Gänsemarkt The Oper am Gänsemarkt was a theatre in Hamburg, Germany, built in 1678 after plans of Girolamo Sartorio at the Gänsemarkt square. It was the first public opera house to be established in Germany: not a court opera, as in many other towns. ...

in Hamburg in 1706, to a libretto by Hinrich Hinsch. The opera, based on the

Daphne Daphne (; ; , , ), a figure in Greek mythology, is a naiad, a variety of female nymph associated with fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of freshwater. There are several versions of the myth in which she appears, but t ...

myth, was the second part of a double opera. Both works were first performed in Hamburg in January 1708. While the music is lost, the libretto survived, and two suites were reconstructed.

History

Georg Friedrich Händel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque music, Baroque composer well-known for his opera#Baroque era, operas, oratorios, anthems, concerto grosso, concerti grossi, ...

composed ''Die Verwandelte Daphne'' at the request of

Reinhard Keiser Reinhard Keiser (9 January 1674 – 12 September 1739) was a German opera composer based in Hamburg. He wrote over a hundred operas. Johann Adolf Scheibe (writing in 1745) considered him an equal to Johann Kuhnau, George Frideric Handel and Georg ...

, the manager of the

in 1706. The opera was the second part of a double opera, with the first part, '' Florindo''. Origibally both works were planned for one evening. The libretto, based on the

myth, was by , a lawyer, who also wrote the text for Keiser's first opera in Hamburg, ''Mahumet II'' (1696), based on the life of

Mehmet II Mehmed II (; , ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror (; ), was twice the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from August 1444 to September 1446 and then later from February 1451 to May 1481. In Mehmed II's first reign, ...

. Hinsch had been writing librettos since 1681. He died in 1712. After completing ''Daphne'', Händel only taught and studied music by colleagues. He prepared his departure to Italy where he planned to study further; he copied Keiser's opera '' Octavia'' and took it along on his journey. ''Daphne'' was first performed at the Theater am Gänsemarkt in January 1708. It was probably directed from the

harpsichord A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...

Christoph Graupner Christoph Graupner (10 May 1760) was a German composer and harpsichordist of late Baroque music who was a contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann and George Frideric Handel. Life Born in Hartmannsdorf near Kirchberg i ...

. Only fragments of the score survive, but a copy of the libretto exists in the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

Roles

Phoebus Apollo is one of the Olympian deities in ancient Greek and Roman religion and Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the Sun and light, poetry, ...

, in love with Daphne *

, daughter of Pineus, to marry Florindo * Florindo, son of Enipheus, to marry Daphne, secretly loved by Alfirena * Lycoris, nymph, in love with Florindo * Damon, shepherd, in love with Lycoris *

Galathea ''Galathea'' is a genus of squat lobsters in the family Galatheidae. It is one of the largest genera of squat lobsters that in 2008 contained 73 species (17 in the Atlantic Ocean, 25 in the Indian Ocean and 43 in the Pacific Ocean The ...

, old nymph, Daphne's confidante * Alfirena, daughter of Apidinus, secretly in love with Florindo * Tyrsis, shepherd from Arcadia, Damon's friend * Cupido, god of love * shepherds, priests

Plot

The plot rests on a conflict between gods Phoebus and Cupido. It follows traditions to deal with love, often unrequited and leading to suffering, and depicts complex intrigue and intricate love relationships, alluding to death, hatred and revenge.

Suites

Two suites from ''Daphne'' were reconstructed and were published by Bärenreiter in a collection of single pieces orchestral music by Handel, as part of their complete edition of Handel's works, one in B-flat major, HWV 352, and one in G major, HWV353. The Suite in G major was recorded as part of a collection of Handel's music for Hamburg, ''Handel in Hamburg'', by the ensemble Parley of Instruments conducted by Peter Holman and released in 1998.

References

Cited sources

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External links

Die verwandelte Daphne
(libretto)

Handel Society * * {{Authority control Operas by George Frideric Handel 1708 operas Operas Opera world premieres at the Hamburg State Opera German-language operas Lost operas