Synopsis
The story is based on the life of Joseph Carey
Merrick, known as "Elephant Man".
By contrast with the well-known film of David Lynch, the
libretto is based not on the memoirs of Dr. Treves, who
tends to give himself the leading role, but on various
biographies of "Elephant Man".
Joseph Carey Merrick died at the age of 27 and it is almost certain he committed
suicide. He suffered from a very rare though clearly defined neural-fibromatosis,
rather like some of todayÕs genetic diseases. It was the evolution of
his disease that marginalized Joseph Merrick, and it was quite deliberately that
he decided to exhibit himself, as he had no other resources.
Act 1 takes place in the world of the circus, the world of ÒshowmenÓ,
of presenters of freaks.
We are introduced to the director of the show, Tom Norman, a young man claiming
to be a friend of the great Barnum. He is assisted by a young lad, Jimmy.
For Norman, being a presenter of freaks is a trade, a profession, and he considers
his freaks as artistes, treating them as such, and no differently.
The show was designed to impress passers-by, in other words the poorer classes
of Whitechapel.
The first act ends with a police ban on the show, requested by Dr. Treves of
London Hospital.
Such bans led to the decline of the ÔFreak ShowÕ, the Ôexhibition
of fairground monsters in England, and Joseph Merrick ended up with itinerant
companies in Europe, before being abandoned on the wayside like a dog. When the
police found him again in England disembarking from a liner, Joseph Merrick was
by then a man living in terror, unable to speak, ill, having lost all identity,
and having as sole possession a visiting card of Dr. Treves of London Hospital.
Act 2 features the arrival of Joseph Merrick in London Hospital where he is taken
care of by Dr. Treves.
Once there, Joseph Merrick keeps his life hidden, together with his past, his
intelligence, his sensitivity towards doctors. His arrival causes a great stir
among the patients who sing the ÔPrayer of the illÕ for him. He
finds refuge in his situation as a medical case, and it is a long time before
he reveals his personality.
And, as is often the case in hospital, it is with the nurses that he regains
the faculty of speech, life and human dignity, especially with the nurse looking
after him, Mary, who shows him compassion bordering on love.
It is with her that he regains normality.
Act 3
Joseph Merrick is shown to doctors in a kind of conference-spectacle for the
Pathological Society.
As the statutes of London Hospital do not allow it to receive incurable patients,
Dr. Treves calls on private funding, through the intermediary of The Times, in
order to be able to keep Joseph Merrick. This financial operation gives Joseph
Merrick media celebrity and brings fame to Dr. Treves.
Joseph Merrick rebels against this situation and almost comes to regret Tom NormanÕs
exhibitions.
Dr. Treves discovers, to his great surprise, that not only Joseph Merrick is
not a mental defective, but he is very intelligent and highly cultivated.
Joseph Merrick refuses to accept MaryÕs feelings for him, out of modesty
and through consciousness of his condition.
Act 4
Joseph Merrick has become famous, receiving guests in his private ward in London
Hospital. He is feted, adulated, asked for in marriage by a fashionable actress
(a coloratura who has a big "number"), is visited by dukes and duchesses,
and even members of the royal family come to see him in London Hospital.
He is naturally captivated by this sudden celebrity, but at the same time, he
finds escape from his illness through reading.
Dr. Treves informs him, despite MaryÕs pleas, that his illness is getting
worse and that it will lead to total decline and inevitable death.
In April 1890, Joseph Merrick realises his dream of lying down flat, just the
once, like everyone, like a man.
Joseph Merrick knows very well that in lying down, he will die, as the neck bones
will break under the weight of his deformed head.
He had realised that his disease was approaching its conclusion, that he was
reaching his end.
His last words are a prayer and a call to God:
" My God, are you for me as you are for others?"
Orchestration
• 2 flutes
(fl in G, piccolo)
• 2 oboës (English Horn)
• 3 clarinets (Bass Clarinet)
• 3 bassoons (Contrebassoon)
• 4 horns
• 2 trompets
• 3 trumbons (Bass Trumbon)
• 1 tuba
• 1 harp
• 1 celesta
• 1 timpanist
• 2-3 percussions (Vibra-Xylo-Tam-Tam-Bells-Toms-Cymbales suspendues -Bass
Drum -Cymbales frappées-Side Drums-small percussions)
• Strings (minimum 10-8-6-5-4 with 2 Bass 5 strings)
• Mixed Choir
• Act I 42 minuts
• Act II 43 minuts
• Intermission
• Act III 33 minuts
• Act IV 27 minuts
Full Symphonic Orchestra
Total length : 2 hours 30 minuts
CD
NAXOS 8.557 608/9
Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
(Solo Violin : Ron Patterson)
Choeur Français d'Opéra
Conducted by Laurent Petitgirard
Recorded in Monte-Carlo may 1999, 11-22.
Total Length : 2h26' (2 CD)
Artistic Director : Etienne Collard
Singers Coach : Mari Laurila
Chorus Master : Claire Levacher
Cast
| Elephant Man |
Contralto |
Nathalie STUTZMANN |
| Doctor Treves |
Baryton |
Nicolas RIVENQ |
| Tom Norman |
Tenor |
Robert BREAULT |
| Mary |
Soprano |
Marie DEVELLEREAU |
| Eva Lückes |
Mezzo |
Sophie KOCH |
| Carr Gomm |
Bass |
Nicolas COURJAL |
| The Colorature |
Colorature |
Celena NELSON |
| Jimmy |
Soprano (child) |
Damien GRELIER |
| Boy 1 |
Tenor |
Christophe CRAPEZ |
| Boy 2 |
Baryton |
Francis DUDZIAK |
| The young girl |
Soprano |
Liliana FARAON |
| The Father |
Baryton |
Yves BLANCHARD |
| The Mother |
Mezzo |
Françoise FAIDHERBE |
| Women 1 |
Soprano |
Agnès POLY |
| Women 2 |
Mezzo |
Mari LAURILA |
"JOSEPH MERRICK THE ELEPHANT MAN"
S.A.C.D.'s 2001 AWARD
SELECTIONED BY THE FONDATION BEAUMARCHAIS
NOMINATION AT THE 2001 FRENCH CLASSICAL AWARDS
CD OF THE MONTH BY "CLASSICA"
DVD OF THE MONTH BY "THE GRAMOPHONE"
FIRST PERFORMANCES, TELEVISION
Joseph Merrick the
Elephant Man was premiered on 7 February 2002 at the State Opera
House, Prague, for a total of 6 performances.
The opera was performed again during the
Prague Spring Festival (29 May 2002)..
The production was in French. Stage direction by
Daniel Mesguich, set design
and costumes by
Frédéric Pineau, music director
Laurent
Petitgirard.
This production is co-produced by Nice Opera (3 performances 29 November - 3
December 2002)
The
Minessota Opera did present a new production in Saint Paul, May 2006, 13-21.
The Nice performances were filmed for the French TV Network (OSF Productions)
by Jean-David Curtis.
A 52’ ‘making of’ film by François Roussillon, An Opera
for Elephant Man, shot during and after the recordings in Paris, Monte Carlo
and London, was broadcasted by France 3 in november 2002 and october 2003.
The recording is available on the Naxos label.
The DVD is available on the Marco
Polo label, the film of the opera has been broadcasted on TF1 in 2006 and 2007, by Mezzo in 2006 and 2007.
AT THE PRAGUE STATE OPERA
Performances in 2002 on 7/02 (premiere), 9/02-13/02-17/02-24/02-03/03
Spring of Prague : 29/05/2002
CAST IN PRAGUE :
Orchestra and Chorus from the Prague State Opera,
Chorus Master : Claire Levacher
Musical Director: Laurent Petitgirard
Stage Director: Daniel Mesguich
Assistant : Philippe Noël
Art Director and Costumes : Frédéric Pineau
Lightning : Patrick Méeus
| Elephant Man |
Contralto |
Jana SYKOROVA |
| Doctor Treves |
Baryton |
Petteri FALCK |
| Tom Norman |
Tenor |
Philippe DO |
| Mary |
Soprano |
Marie DEVELLEREAU |
| Eva Lückes |
Mezzo |
Petra LINTYMEROVA |
| Carr Gomm |
Bass |
Tomas BARTUNEK |
| The Colorature |
Colorature |
Dagmar VANKATOVA - M.TODORCOVA |
| Jimmy |
Soprano |
Jitka BURGETOVA - Jana KOUCKA |
| Boy 1 |
Tenor |
Jiri HRUSKA |
| Boy 2 |
Baryton |
Marian REHOR - Zdenek MUSIL |
| The young girl |
Soprano |
Martina BAUEROVA - Jana MARKVARTOVA |
| The Father |
Baryton |
Libor NOVAK |
| The Mother |
Mezzo |
Jana LEVICOVA |
| Women 1 |
Soprano |
Daniela RADOSA - Erika JARKOVSKA |
| Women 2 |
Mezzo |
Martina PODESTOVA - Jarmila HOLUBOVA |
AT THE NICE OPERA (coproduction
with Prague)
Performances : 29/11/2002 (premiere) and 01-03/12/2002
CAST IN NICE
:
Orchestra and Chorus from the Nice's Opera
Chorus Master : Giulio Magnanini
Singing Master : Mari Laurila
Music Director: Laurent Petitgirard
| Elephant Man |
Contralto |
Jana SYKOROVA |
| Doctor Treves |
Baryton |
Nicolas RIVENQ |
| Tom Norman |
Tenor |
Robert BREAULT |
| Mary |
Soprano |
Valérie CONDOLUCI |
| Eva Lückes |
Mezzo |
Elsa MAURUS |
| Carr Gomm |
Bass |
Nicolas COURJAL |
| The Colorature |
Colorature |
Magali LEGER |
| Jimmy |
Soprano |
Mari LAURILA |
| Boy 1 |
Tenor |
Gilles SANJUAN |
| Boy 2 |
Baryton |
Bernard IMBERT |
| The young girl |
Soprano |
Liesel JÜRGENS |
| The Father |
Baryton |
Eric FERRI |
| The Mother |
Mezzo |
Ivanca DEVENA |
| Women 1 |
Soprano |
Corinne PARENTI |
| Women 2 |
Mezzo |
Cristina GRECO |
ST PAUL-MINNEAPOLIS / MINNESOTA OPERA
13-21 MAY 2006
CAST IN MINNEAPOLIS :
Music Director: Antony WALKER
Stage Director and Choreographer: Doug VARONE
Art Director : Christine JONES
Costumes : James SCHUETTE
Lighting Designer : Jane COX
Doug Varone's Dance Company
| Elephant Man |
Contreténor |
David WALKER |
| Le docteur Treves |
Baryton |
Christopher SCHALDENBRAND |
| Tom Norman |
Ténor |
Theodore CHLESTOS |
| Mary |
Soprano |
Alison BATES |
| Eva Lückes |
Mezzo |
Kendall GLADEN |
| Carr Gomm |
Basse |
Seth KEETON |
| La Colorature |
Colorature |
Marie Wilson |
| Jimmy |
Soprano |
|
| Garçon 1 |
Ténor |
John Michael MOORE |
| Garçon 2 |
Baryton |
Edward MOUT |
| Le Père |
Baryton |
Raymond AYERS |
