Olympia, Greece and Salammbô (Reyer): Difference between pages

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'''''Salammbô''''' is an [[opera]] in four acts composed by [[Ernest Reyer]] to a [[French language|French]] [[libretto]] by [[Camille du Locle]]. It is based on the novel ''[[Salammbô (novel)|Salammbô]]'' by [[Gustave Flaubert]]. The opera was first performed at the [[La Monnaie|Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie]] in [[Brussels]] on [[February 10]] [[1890]]. It debuted at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] in [[New York City]] on [[March 20]], [[1901]].

'''Olympia''', a city of ancient [[Greece]] in [[Elis]], is known for having been the site of the [[Olympic Games]] in classical times, comparable in importance to the [[Pythian Games]] held in [[Delphi]]. Both games were held every [[olympiad]] (i.e. every four years), the Olympic Games dating back at least as far as [[776 BC]]. At the end of the [[4th century]], emporor [[Theodosius]] abolished them.

==Characters==

Olympia is also known for its gigantic [[Zeus]] statue made of [[ivory]] and [[gold]], one of the [[Seven Wonders of the World]], made by [[Phidias]]. It was housed in the temple of Zeus, very close to which a building was excavated which is large enough to have been the studio of Phidias in which he created the statue. Other evidence found at the site corroborates this opinion.

*Salammbô (Soprano), Hamilcar's daughter

*Shahabarim (Tenor), High Priest of Tanit

*Narr'Havas (Basse chantante), King of Numidia

*Giscon (Bass), Carthaginian general

*Mathô (Tenor), Lybian mercenary

*Hamilcar (Baritone), Carthaginian Suffete

*Spendius (Baritone), Greek slave

*Autharite (Bass), Gaulish mercenary

*Taanach (Mezzo-soprano), Salammbo's servant

==Setting==

Excavation of the Olympia temple district and its surroundings, mostly conducted by [[German]] [[archeologist]]s in the late [[19th century|19th]] and early [[20th century]], also uncovered the [[Hermes]] of [[Praxiteles]] statue and the [[stadium]], where the running contests took place.

*Place: [[Carthage]]

*Time: 240 BC

==Other opera adaptations==

The Olympic flame of the modern-day Olympic Games is lit by reflection of sunlight in a [[parabolic mirror]] at the Olympia stadium and then transported by a torch to the place where the games are to be held.

In [[1863]], [[Modest Mussorgsky]] also started writing text and music for an opera based on Flaubert's novel, but he never managed to complete the work.

For the film score of [[Orson Welles]]' ''[[Citizen Kane]]'', [[Bernard Herrmann]] wrote an aria for the fictional opera ''Salammbô'' performed by Kane's wife.

Contemporary French composer [[Philippe Fénélon]]'s ''Salammbô'' was first performed in the [[Opéra Bastille]] in [[1998]].

[[Category:Operas by Ernest Reyer]]

[[Category:French-language operas]]

[[Category:1901 operas]]

[[Category:Operas]]

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