Par HINDEMITH PAUL. The opera is set in a variety of locations between the years 1608 and 1630 and throws a spotlight on individual scenes, sometimes presented simultaneously, from the life of the astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630); the opera takes its name from Kepler’s theoretical work ‘Harmonices mundi’. Hindemith utilises substantial historical studies as the basis for his sketches of individuals within Kepler’s circle who each accompany the astronomer’s scientific endeavours with a variety of personal ambitions. The military commander Wallenstein attempts to utilise Kepler’s astrological abilities to realise his own pretensions to power while Kepler’s assistant Ulrich aspires to scientific fame and recognition. Kepler’s mother urges her son to apply his scientific abilities to the services of her black magic and the Lutheran minister Hizler forbids the astronomer to receive communion because Kepler questions the doctrine of Holy Communion in the Lutheran church and expresses sympathy for Calvinist doctrine. The few figures shed in a positive light include Kepler’s wife Susanna who supports her husband’s pursuit of truth and knowledge and the child Susanna who listens to the voices of nature and the moon in her childish naivety, thereby gaining revelatory knowledge. At the end of his life, Kepler takes stock of his situation, succumbs to a state of resignation and considers death as the greatest harmony of all. In his state of agony, music of the spheres can be heard; the constellations appear as allegorical figures in the opera and contradict Kepler’s negative concepts: lying beyond all that can be researched by mankind is a final majestic realm with the powers to ‘permit us to be amalgamated into a gigantic harmony of the spheres.’ / Date parution : 2022-07-20/ Répertoire / Opéra

Opera in three acts edited by Alan Curtis. This opera was first performed in Venice in 1666. It may with justice be considered to be the finest opera written between Monteverdi's 'Poppea' and the dramatic works of the mature Purcell. Having in 1983 presided over the first modern revival of 'Il Tito' in Innsbruck the city of its original commissioning Alan Curtis has now produced the first complete performing edition to be drawn from available sources.

Opera in three acts. Leos Janácek began composing his seventh opera, ?The Cunning Little Vixen?, based on the popular feuilletons of Rudolf Tesnohlídek, in January 1922. The first copy of the score, since lost, was completed by Václav Sedlácek in October 1923, while the second copy was prepared by Jaroslav Kulhánek in January 1924. The world premiere took place on 6 November 1924 under the direction of Ota Zítek and was conducted by Frantisek Neumann. The vocal score was published in Czech before the event and then again in 1925 along with the German translation by Max Brod, which is something of a separate version of the text in its own right. This volume of the complete edition reprints the critical edition by Jirí Zahrádka, which was published by Universal Edition in 2010. The present edition newly includes transcriptions of the libretto in three languages (Cz/Eng/Ger) and a detailed Critical Report (Eng). The edition draws on all extant sources and ? in consideration of Janácek?s active participation in rehearsals for the premiere production ? integrates both the dynamics of Franti?ek Neumann and the performance markings of Sir Charles Mackerras into the musical text. This is the third opera to be published in the complete edition, following ?Fate? and ?The Makropulos Affair?.