CMLII. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus: Der Schauspieldirektor, K. 486/Bastien und Bastienne, K. 50

CMLII. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)

Der Schauspieldirektor, K. 486 (1786)
Bastien und Bastienne, K. 50 (1768)
Alfred Kleinheinz, Frank
Radu Cojocariu, Buff/Colas
Bernhard Berchtold, Monsieur Vogelsang / Bastien
Evmorfia Metaxaki, Mademoiselle Silberklang / Bastienne 1
Aleksandra Zamojska, Madame Herz / Bastienne 2
Salzburg Marionette Theatre
Junge Philharmonie Salzburg
Elisabeth Fuchs, cond.
(1:47:58)

This delightful blend of late and early operas from Salzburg 2006 is true magic.

Der Schauspieldirektor, K. 486 (Part One) (1786)

1. Overture

2. "Setzt euch" (Frank, Buff)
3. "10, Sie nehmen den Stuhl" (Frank, Buff)
4. "So, Herrschaften, jetzt überlegt sich einmal jeder von Ihnen" (Frank, Buff)
5. "Um Gottes willen, Buff, was will denn der jetzt da?" (Frank, Buff)
6. "Was ist denn jetzt? Buff, was ist das?" (Frank, Buff)
7. "Buff! Hast du nicht alle Tassen im Schrank?" (Frank, Buff)

The impresario Frank and his assistant Buff are planning to perform Bastien und Bastienne and have to address the difficult question of how to find the most suitable singers for the work's three roles. Countless artistes, male and female, have applied and have been invited to an audition. The contestants arrive, nervous and sweating. At their head are Madame Herz and Mademoiselle Silberklang. Both consider themselves to be unrivalled as singers, and both are convinced that they will be ideal as Bastienne. Buff insists that the audition gets under way. The undignified casting session pursues its course, and it is virtually all the same whether the humiliations to which the singers are subjected are inflicted on human beings or wooden puppets. With some applicants it is clear from the outset that they are unsuitable, and yet time and again they are invited to give of their best, pouring themselves into their art with a devotion bordering on self-sacrifice and even risking a nervous breakdown. The situation acquires a comic dimension only when the puppets collapse with a clatter. A singer is soon found for the role of Bastien, but in the case of Bastienne, only a play-off between Madame Herz and Mademoiselle Silberklang will decide the matter.

8. No. 1 Arietta: "Da schlägt die Abschiedsstunde" (Madame Herz)

Madame Herz opens the proceedings. Like all the main characters in this production, she is depicted onstage by both a singer and a marionette. In the course of the aria the singer starts striking poses and threatens to add a histrionic element all of her own, at which point the marionette interrupts her, refusing to allow any such involvement in the role.

9. "Ganz wunderbar" (Frank)
10. No. 2 Rondo: "Bester jüngling" (Mademoiselle Silberklang)

By the end the impresario is satisfied and even enthusiastic. He invites Mademoiselle Silberklang on to the stage. She too gives her all, laying it on even more thickly than her predecessor and ending her aria with a triumphant smile.

11. "Das war auch ganz wunderbar, Chef" (Buff, Frank)

Before Frank can come to a decision, his assistant, Buff, interrupts and praises Mademoiselle Silberklang, Frank feels that he has been driven into a corner, but once again it is Buff who provides a solution; for the present, both candidates shall take on the role of Bastienne. Frank initially thinks this idea absurd, but then sees that it is eminently reasonable. They prepare to run through the work with Madame Herz alternating with Mademoiselle Silberklang. The surprised Buff is asked to take on the part of the sorcerer Colas.

Bastien und Bastienne, K. 50 (1768)

12. Intrada

13. No. 1 Aria: "Mein liebster Freund hat mich verlassen" (Bastienne)

14. "Bastien! Bastien!" (Bastienne)
15. No. 2 Aria: "Ich geh jetzt auf die Weide" (Bastienne)

The shepherdess Bastienne thinks that her friend has abandoned her. The sheep that she tends are no substitute for human company. Her sense of abandonment in love is joined by a feeling of loneliness. She cannot imagine how she can continue to live in such a state.

16. No. 3 Entry of Colas

17. No. 4 Aria: "Befraget mich ein zartes Kind" (Colas)

The sorcerer Colas sees at once that Bastienne can be helped only if she can win back her lover. And for this he needs no sorcery, but only psychology -- as it would be called a century later.

18. Herr Colas, entschuldigen Sie" (Bastienne, Colas)

19. No. 5 Aria: "Wenn mein Bastien einst im Scherze" (Bastienne)

Bastienne is like a child of nature and lacks the appropriate reflex to switch from genuine grief to calculation in order to win back her lover. If such deception were to succeed, it would be like magic, and so Colas, a sorcerer, has to whisper in her ear and tell her the appropriate patterns of behaviour. He points out that  Bastien's new lover is the lady of the manor, who has more to offer in every way. In spite of this, Bastienne cannot understand why Bastien has rejected her. She plans to take her own life.

20. "Was soll der Unsinn?" (Colas, Bastienne)
21. No. 6 Aria: "Würd ich auch, wie manche Buhlerinnen" (Bastienne)

Colas prevents her and attempts to explain to her that it is only human to succumb to the temptations of the lady of the manor. Bastienne's self-confidence returns. She too could have gentlemen lovers in town if she were to fall for every piece of flattery. But her true feelings cannot be bought with all the money in the world. Nor will she have anything to do with the decadence of the upper classes.

22. "Sei unbesorgt, deine Schönheit hält ihn fest" (Colas, Bastienne)
23. No. 7 Duet: "Auf den Rat, den ich gegeben" (Colas, Bastienne)

Colas continues to encourage her. Her beauty, he says, still affects Bastie. All she has to do is make him jealous by pretending to be unfaithful, and in that way she will win him back. His unhappiness is her strength. Bastienne understands what has to be done but still does not think that she is capable of such an action. Colas convinces her that she will achieve her aim only by pretence and by punishing her lover. She agrees and promises to make a genuine effort.

24. "Da läuft die hin, die treue Unschuld" (Colas)
25. No. 8 Aria: "Großen Dank dir abzustatten" (Bastien)

Bastien arrives. The lady of the manor has evidently tired of him, bringing him down to earth with a bump. He confides in Colas, promising that from now on Bastienne will be the sole object of his attentions.

26. "Bist du der leeren Schmeicheleien nun endlich satt!" (Colas, Bastien)
27. No. 9 Aria: "Geh! Du sagst mir eine Fabel" (Bastien)

Colas deputizes for Bastienne and tells Bastien that his shepherdess has found another lover. But Bastien does not believe him. He knows his Bastienne and knows that she would never give her heart to another.

28. "Es ist nun mal die Wahrheit" (Colas, Bastien)
29. No. 10 Aria: "Diggi, daggi, schurry, murry" (Colas)

Colas finally persuades Bastien that the story about the alleged rival is true. Although Bastien tells Colas that he is trying to make a fool of him, his remark does not ring true. And how does Colas react? He says simply: "Yes, I'm making a fool of you. Bastienne does not have another lover." Silence. Colas senses exactly what is going on in Bastien's mind and the anguish that he feels, even though he has not real reason for doing so. The idea of it is enough. Only now does his remorse seem credible. Colas keeps him in suspense a little longer, but then tells him what he must do to win back Bastienne. He sings a magic song, something that Bastien does not find particularly funny.

30. "Ist die Hexerei nun vorbei?" (Bastien, Colas)
31. No. 11 Aria: "Meiner Liebsten schöne Wangen" (Bastien)

Colas finally convinces Bastien to forget his little adventures and seek his happiness with Bastienne alone. Utterly convinced by this and even adopting a note of exaggerated trust, Bastien sings a song in praise of fidelity. "Poor but happy" is his motto.

31. "Da ist sie" (Bastien, Bastienne)
32. No. 12 Aria: "Er war mir sonst treu und ergeben" (Bastienne)

The lovers' reunion, with its happy ending, is inevitable, and of course it exudes innocence and sweetness. Bastienne is convinced that Bastien has never loved another woman.

34. "Verzeih, Bastienne, ich versteh dich" -- "Stopp! Licht!" (Bastien, Bastienne, Frank, Buff)
35. No. 13: "Geh hin!" -- "Ich will mich in die Stadt begeben" (Bastien, Bastienne)

Banal though it may seem at first, what happens next is decisive: in a strophic duet, both of them make clear to themselves and to each other what has happened and just how they have behaved.

36. "Sieh, wer da kommt" (Bastien, Bastienne)
37. No. 14: "Dein Trotz vermehrt sich durch  mein Leiden?" (Bastien, Bastienne)

38. "Was ist? Was hält dich auf?" (Bastien, Bastienne)
39. No. 15 Duet: "Geh, Herz von Flandern!" (Bastienne, Bastien)

In order to reassure each other that they have fully understood the situation, they go over their roles once again, roles that had earlier been entirely serious. In this way, they free themselves in no small way from their emotional inhibitions. If you want to go then go, go or stay, I'll just go hang and then come back.

40. No. 16 Trio: "Kinder! Kinder!" (Colas, Bastien, Bastienne)

Colas is pleased to note that his little course in psychology has borne fruit. He has no intention of taking it any further: the degree of understanding that the two lovers have reached is exactly right. General happiness.

Der Schauspieldirektor (Part Two)

41. "Hallo, was machst du vorm Vorhang?" (Frank, Mademoiselle Silberklang, Madame Herz)
42. No. 3 Trio: "Ich bin die erste Sängerin" (Mademoiselle Silberklang, Madame Herz, Monsieur Vogelsang)

There is something soberingly naïve about the two rivals Madame Herz and Mademoiselle Silberklang when they claim -- without wit or pretence -- that each is better than the other, a claim that they proceed to put to the impresario.

43. "Es lebe die Einigkeit?" (Buff, Frank, Madame Herz, Mademoiselle Silberklang)
44. No. 4 Final Chorus: "Jeder Künstler strebt nach Ehre" (Mademoiselle Silberklang, Madame Herz, Monsieur Vogelsang, Butt)

There is still a way out for the impresario as he needs not only a leading soprano but also a cover for the role of Bastienne. And so he engages the pair of them as first and second cast. Rivalry keeps the opera industry afloat, says Mademoiselle Silberklang. But no one should blow their own trumpet, adds Madame Herz.