The libretto of the opera “Sapho” by G. Massenet and the literary source of it
Background. The creativity by J. Massenet, one of the largest Western European composers of the second half of the XIX century, in recent years is attracting increasing interest. The life and the career of the composer are considered in works of foreign and domestic researchers. The history of creation and performing of his works attract their attention too. However only the most popular operas by the composer – “Manon” and “Werther” – are analyzed in details. Other operas by the composer were not examined carefully, among these and “Sapho”. The French lyrical opera (one of the most important opera traditions of the second half of the XIXth century) exerted greatly on opera creativity by J. Massenet. The libretto of the French lyrical operas is considered as weakness of this genre. We believe it necessary to dispel this stereotype by the way of analysis the libretto of the opera “Sapho”. It is also necessary to compare the libretto to his primary source materials. Objectives of this research is studying of the libretto of the opera “Sapho” by J. Massenet and his comparison with literary primary sources – the novel by A. Daudet and the play by A. Daudet‑A. Belot. Detailed analysis of the operatic libretto will allow to gain more complete impression about opera creativity by J. Massenet. The method of the comparative analysis is used in the article. The method allows to analyze the features revealing similarity and distinctions of the libretto of the opera “Sapho”, of the novel by A. Daudet and the play by A. Daudet–A. Belot. Results of research. The opera “Sapho” has been written in 1897 on A. Bernede and A. Kaen’s libretto. The literary primary source of the libretto is the novel of the same name by A. Daudet. It was popular at the end of the XIXth century. The novel is devoted to unfortunate love the former courtesan Fanny Legrand (known as Sapho) and the provincial young man Jean Gossen. There are the lines of the social drama clearly expressed in the opera and there is an ethical pathos. It is caused by novel realism A. Doudet. But first of all “Sapho” – the lyrical drama. The “super idea” of the opera is hopelessness of love, some kind of semantic formula of many samples of opéra lirique. From the novel and the play the main heroes and features of their characters pass into the libretto: the main stages of relationships of Jean and Fanny (the acquaintance – happiness – the quarrel and parting at the initiative of the hero – the attempt of reconciliation at the initiative of the heroine – reunion of the heroes – the final parting at the initiative of the heroine), and also the main conflict situations (Jean/Fanny; Fanny/Césaire and Divonna; Fanny/Kaudal). That the literary primary source of the libretto is not only the play, but also the novel, the scene of acquaintance of heroes demonstrates, which is completely repeating the similar scene of the novel and is absent in the play. Consideration of the verbal basis of the opera is impossible without disclosing the nature of the dramatic conflict. The antinomy of ethical values constitutes the ideological, semantic and dramatic theme of the novel by A. Doudet, the plays by A. Doudet‑A. Belot and the libretto by A. Bernede and A. Kaen. This conflict realized itself by opposing of two local societies: the capital city – bohemian Paris, the vice, and the provincial-idyllic, pastoral Provence, the personification of virtue. In psychological personification of terms, the said antithesis is refracted in the soul-throwing of the protagonists of the opera, the lyrical pair Fanny and Jean. In fact, the question is the incompatibility of two cultures: a bustling big city and patriarchal life in the bosom of nature. In accordance with the differentiation of cultural spaces the actors are grouped. City bohemian environment is represented by figures of Kaudal, Bordery, the owner of the hotel, a collective “portrait” of frivolous pleasure-seekers. The world of Provence is personified through the images of Divonna, Césaire, Irene and Jean. Fanny occupies an intermediate position between the two societies, representing both a member of the bohemian society and opposition to him. Conclusions. Thus, two lines are combined in dramaturgy of “Sapho”. The algorithm of their alternation creates special illumination of a love story. The detailed description of the differentiated social environment and detailed characteristics of minor characters alternates with the line of development of relationship of the main characters. At the same time the antithesis Paris – Provence influences to psychological states of the main characters and strongly connects them with an environment and its morals. Each of the landmarks of development of the libretto plot is based on the scenes of the novel. Analysis of the libretto of the opera “Sapho” confirms the thesis about its fullest correspondence (as far as possible within the musical-theatrical genre) to the “letter and spirit” of the primary (the novel by A. Doudet) and the secondary (A. Doudet‑A. Belot’s play) of the literary sources. This allowed the authors of the opera to create a convincing dramatic performance with many-valued characters, a non banal dramatic conflict that grows out from a private love story into something more significant – into the opposition of two cultures, two different worlds, hereupon the opera “Sapho” stays relevant and in our time.