Pygmalion is a

monodrama A monodrama is a theatrical or operatic piece played by a single actor or singer, usually portraying one character. In opera In opera, a monodrama was originally a melodrama with one role such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau's '' Pygmalion'', which w ...

in one act by composer

Georg Benda Georg Anton Benda (; 30 June 17226 November 1795) was a Kingdom of Bohemia, Bohemian composer, violinist and ''Kapellmeister'' of the Classical period (music), classical period. Biography Born into a Benda family, family of notable musicians in ...

with a German libretto by

Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter (3 September 1746 – 18 March 1797) was a German poet, dramatist, and opera librettist. Biography He was born at Gotha. He started out studying law, but early on was influenced to write for the theatre. After the compl ...

. The

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 ...

's first performance was at the , the court theatre in

Gotha Gotha () is the fifth-largest city in Thuringia, Germany, west of Erfurt and east of Eisenach with a population of 44,000. The city is the capital of the district of Gotha and was also a residence of the Ernestine Wettins from 1640 until the ...

, on 20 September 1779. ''Pygmalion'' was the fourth of the five theatrical collaborations of Benda and Gotter. Gotter based his text on

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Republic of Geneva, Genevan philosopher (''philosophes, philosophe''), writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment through ...

's 1762 play '' Pygmalion''. Benda's

melodrama A melodrama is a Drama, dramatic work in which plot, typically sensationalized for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodrama is "an exaggerated version of drama". Melodramas typically concentrate on ...

is unusual as it has no singing roles. Two of the three characters, Pygmalion and

Galatea Galatea is an ancient Greek name meaning "she who is milk-white". Galatea, Galathea or Gallathea may refer to: In mythology * Galatea, three different mythological figures from Greek mythology In the arts * '' Aci, Galatea e Polifemo'', ca ...

, are spoken roles; the other,

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is often called Earth's "twin" or "sister" planet for having almost the same size and mass, and the closest orbit to Earth's. While both are rocky planets, Venus has an atmosphere much thicker ...

, is silently acted on stage. __NOTOC__

Synopsis

Pygmalion, having renounced women, is in love with the statue he has made, his Galatea. Venus allows her to come to life, giving him final happiness.

Discography

* ''Benda Melodramas: Ariadne auf Naxos/Pygmalion'' with conductor

Christian Benda Christian Benda is a conductor, composer and cellist, descended from the eighteenth-century Benda family of composers. He performs worldwide both as a soloist and a conductor. His numerous recordings include many classical standards such as Mozart ...

and the . Cast: Brigitte Quadlbauer (Ariadne) and Peter Uray (Pygmalion). Released in 1996 on the

Naxos Naxos (; , ) is a Greek island belonging to the Cyclades island group. It is the largest island in the group. It was an important centre during the Bronze Age Cycladic Culture and in the Ancient Greek Archaic Period. The island is famous as ...

label.

References

External links

*
''Pygmalion''
at Naxos Records {{Authority control Operas Operas set in Cyprus German-language operas 1779 operas Operas by Georg Benda Melodramas Monodrama Operas based on Metamorphoses Works based on Pygmalion from Ovid's Metamorphoses