Gioachino Rossini Moïse et Pharaon
ou Le Passage de la Mer Rouge
Opera in four acts
Text by Luigi Balocchi and Etienne de Jouy after Andrea Leone Tottola's libretto to Rossini's azione tragico-sacra Mosè in Egitto
New production
In French with German and English surtitles
Duration of the performance: approx. 3 hours
2 breaks
PREMIERE
- 11 August 2009, 19:30
- 18 August 2009, 18:30
- 20 August 2009, 18:30
- 23 August 2009, 15:00
- 25 August 2009, 18:30
Print programme (PDF)
Ildar Abdrazakov, Moïse
Juan Francisco Gatell, Eliézer, his brother
Nicola Alaimo, Pharaon
Nino Surguladze, Sinaïde, his wife
Eric Cutler, Aménophis, their son
Marina Rebeka, Anaï
Barbara Di Castri, Marie, her mother, Moïse's sister
Saverio Fiore, Aufide
Alexey Tikhomirov, Osiride, High Priest of Isis
Ante Jerkunica, A Mysterious Voice
Concert Association of the Vienna State Opera Chorus
Vienna Philharmonic
“Let my people go,” the black slaves sang in the cotton
fields. They wanted to free themselves from the merciless
slavery of their white masters. Moses was to go to
the Pharaoh, they sang: “Go down, Moses, go down to
Egyptland, tell old Pharaoh, let my people go.” But the
Pharaoh was just as unwilling as the plantation owners
to let the suppressed people of Israel go. An angry
god Jahveh forced him with a series of terrible plagues
to change his relentless attitude. These plagues, and
ultimately a spell of darkness, demonstrated Jahveh’s
implacable power.
Rossini describes this story from the Old Testament
in a Grand Opéra. Its focus, however, is the touching
love story between Anais, Moses’ niece, and Amenophis,
the Pharaoh’s son, who try to find their small happiness
among these great troubles. Anais ultimately decides
in favor of her faith and her people. The Israelites
begin their wearisome trek through the desert to the
promised land Canaan, pursued by armored cavalry.
When they arrive at the Red Sea, Moses parts the waters
and the people of Israel reach the other side safely.
The Pharaoh’s troops, however, drown in the floods
of the sea.
Jürgen Flimm