Macbeth - Student Guide

Macbeth

Macbeth

GIUSEPPE VERDIA STUDENT GUIDE

The Story

Act I While traversing a forest after a bloody battle, Macbeth and Banquo encounter a group of witches who give them three unsolicited prophesies. They declare that Macbeth will become the Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland, and Banquo, though he will never reign as king, will be happier than Macbeth and will father future kings. Just then, one of King Duncan’s messengers announces that the Thane of Cawdor has been killed and he has bestowed the title on Macbeth. One of the witches’ prophesies has already come true! Banquo and Macbeth wonder about the others.

Lady Macbeth reads a letter from her husband explaining the witches’ prophesies. She decides that in order to make the second prophesy come true, Macbeth must murder the king. Just then, it is announced that King Duncan is traveling through Scotland and has requested to spend the night at Macbeth’s castle. That night, Macbeth assassinates him. Lady Macbeth hides the evidence, and, in the morning, Macduff and Banquo discover the

murder. Malcolm, King Duncan’s son, flees to England in fear for his life.

Act II As the Macbeths have no children, they are tormented by the prophesy that Banquo will be the father of future kings. Macbeth hires assassins to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Banquo is ambushed and killed, but Fleance escapes. That evening, a feast is prepared in honor of the new king, Macbeth. During the feast, Macbeth is haunted by Banquo’s ghost. Attempting to distract the guests from Macbeth’s crazed actions, Lady Macbeth offers a toast. Macbeth resolves to visit the witches again.

Act III In a dark cave, the witches recite incantations before a bubbling caldron. Macbeth arrives and the witches offer three more prophesies in the form of apparitions that rise

The Characters

Macbeth (baritone) - General in the King’s Army

Lady Macbeth (soprano) - Wife of Macbeth

Banquo (bass) - General in the King’s Army

Macduff (tenor) - Thane of Fife

Malcolm (tenor) - King Duncan’s son

Duncan (silent) - King of Scotland

Fleance (silent) - Banquo’s son Witches (chorus)

from the cauldron. First, he must beware of Macduff. Second, no man born from a woman can harm him. Third, he will rule without fear until the forest of Birnam comes to his castle. Then, eight apparitions of kings file past, all of whom are Banquo’s descendants. Macbeth tries to attack them, but faints.

Act IV Macbeth orders that Macduff and his family be murdered. In England with Malcolm, Macduff learns of the bloody massacre of his wife and children and realizes he is also a target. Both Macduff and Malcolm plot revenge against Macbeth. Meanwhile, a doctor and servants watch over Lady Macbeth who is delirious and walking in her sleep. She is unable to cope with the guilt that plagues her. The news of her eventual death reaches Macbeth as he prepares for battle. Macduff’s army advances disguised as trees and Macbeth receives news that the forest of Birnam approaches. Macduff and Macbeth face off. Macbeth is confident, remembering the second prophesy, until Macduff reveals that he was born by caesarean (not naturally from a woman’s womb) and slays Macbeth. Malcolm is crowned king.

Composer

G

iuseppe Verdi is one of the most well-known Italian composers of opera. Verdi--who was also a farmer, philanthropist, and one of the founding fathers of unified Italy--had a tremendous influence on the Italian people. He was born in a small village in 1813, a time when Italy was divided into city-states and dominated by various ruling powers, including the Napoleonic and AustroHungarian Empires. His parents were poor innkeepers and when Verdi showed musical talent at an early age, a wealthy grocer, Antonio Barezzi from nearby Busseto, paid for his schooling. By age 12, Verdi was the organist at the local church in Busseto and eventually moved in with Barezzi and his family. Verdi taught Barezzi’s daughter to sing and play the piano, and the two fell in love. After Verdi completed his studies, they married and moved to Milan. His first opera premiered in Milan, when Verdi was only 26 years old. Shortly after, while composing his second opera, his wife and two young children fell ill and died suddenly. Verdi sank into a deep depression and vowed never to compose again.

The director of Teatro alla Scala--the largest opera house in Milan--persuaded Verdi to compose an opera based on the biblical story of Babylon. Nabucco, an opera about a Babylonian king who oppresses a nation of Israelites, made Verdi an overnight celebrity. Italian audiences identified with the oppressed people in the opera because they were also struggling for independence. The chorus “Va, pensiero” became the unofficial anthem for the Italian people.

Giuseppina Strepponi sang the soprano role in Nabucco and became Verdi’s friend and companion.

Over the next ten years, Verdi composed around twenty operas, including his first endeavor with a Shakespearean text: Macbeth (1847). Verdi bought a farm, having grown tired of city life, and settled in the country with Strepponi before they were married. This caused quite a scandal among the local villagers, and resulted in Verdi never speaking to his parents again. During this tumultuous time in his personal life, Verdi’s compositions grew deeper, richer, and more innovative. They were warmly received by the public, namely Rigoletto, Il trovatore, and La traviata. He preferred to stay at his farm and only traveled to premiere his operas in Paris, St. Petersburg, and Cairo. Italy finally united under King Vittorio Emmanuel II and Verdi was one of the first members of the Italian parliament. In his later years, he founded a retirement home for impoverished musicians that is still in existence today. His final operas, Otello and Falstaff, were composed during the very last years of his life and represented his lifelong awe and respect for master playwright William Shakespeare. Verdi died at the age of 88 in 1901 and on the day of his funeral, the entire city of Milan sang “Va, pensiero.”

“There's daggers in men's smiles"

(Act II, Sc. III)

Librettist

FCensorship

Italywasnotaunitednationduring mostofVerdi’slife,butwasoccupiedby AustriaandFrance.WhileItaliansstruggledto gaintheirindependence,theAustrianpolice censoredalloperas,plays,andnewspapersin ordertosuppressrevolutionarypropaganda.Verdi constantlybattledwiththecensorsoverdetailsin hisoperasthatmightsuggestanythingthatcould excitetheItalianpeople.Theyobjectedtosuch topicsas:themurderofkingsonstage,religious rituals,rape,andanunleavingtheconventto marry.DespitetheAustrianpolice’sconstant attempts,Verdioutwittedthemeachtimeand managedtoconveysubtlethemesofnationalismin many,ifnotall,ofhisoperas.(InMacbeth,his chorus“Patriaopressa!

rancesco Maria Piave was born in 1810 in Murano, Italy, during Napoleon’s reign. He met Verdi in the early 1840s, and first wrote the libretto for Ernani, a collaboration that began a lifelong partnership and friendship. Like Verdi, Piave was an Italian patriot who strongly advocated uniting Italy. Piave wrote libretti for many of Verdi’s operas including Macbeth, Rigoletto, and La traviata. Verdi was difficult to work with as he was never satisfied with anyone’s work. After Piave’s many revisions of Macbeth, Verdi sent the mostly finished libretto to another librettist to make a few final changes before it was completed in 1847. Piave accepted Verdi’s offer to write the libretto for Aida, but was unable to complete it because he suffered a debilitating stroke that left him partially paralyzed. Even though Piave was unable to continue writing, he and Verdi remained close friends and Verdi aided his family financially until his death in 1876.

”speakstotheoppressionofa tyrannicalking.)Verdiwasrecognizedasasecret symbolforunitingItalyandItalianswouldchant “VivaVerdi!”inthestreets.Thisnotonlyreferredto theItaliancomposerandnationalist,butthelettersof hisname,whichwereanacronymforVittorio EmmanuelRed’Italia(VictorEmmanuelKingofItaly), wholaterbecamethefirstkingofthenewlyunited country.

The Real Macbeth

Many of the characters in Macbeth were inspired by the lives of real people. The historical Macbeth was the son of one of Scotland’s most powerful nobles. His mother was one of two daughters of King Malcolm II. The king’s other daughter had a son named Duncan, making Macbeth and Duncan cousins. Duncan had a son named Malcolm III. King Malcolm II died and was succeeded by Duncan who was an oppressive king. He was killed by Macbeth’s army, and Macbeth became king. Malcolm III fled to England, afraid of the backlash from his father’s tyranny.

During that time, the Celts did not use bloodlines to dictate their next king. Instead, the mormaer (Celtic for “thane” or “lord”) elders voted for the most capable among them. Murders and assassinations were a common way to eliminate the competition.

Unlike the Shakespearean play, Duncan was not murdered, but killed in battle, and Lady Macbeth was not involved. Shakespeare transformed Duncan from a tyrannical king into a benevolent one because King James I of England, who ruled during Shakespeare’s time, was a descendant of the historical King Duncan. The historical Macbeth was actually a very good and prosperous king. Malcolm III succeeded Macbeth upon his death in battle. The name Macduff is an ancient Scottish family name that dates back to the first century, but Macduff’s character is fictitious. The character of Banquo is also entirely fabricated.

The Curse

The world of theater includes many traditions, stories, and superstitions. One of the most widely known is the “curse of Macbeth.” Shakespeare’s play has always been associated with bizarre and disastrous occurrences, some resulting in death. The curse is said to be so powerful that even if the play itself is not being performed, uttering the word Macbeth while in the theater (unless it is in a line in the play) will curse the entire venue and bring bad luck to the production. In order to reverse the curse, the person who spoke the forbidden word must exit the theater, turn around three times, shout a profanity, and ask to be readmitted. Having done this, they may also decide to recite lines from one of Shakespeare’s comedies to bring good luck. To avoid invoking the curse in the first place, Shakespeare’s Macbeth is commonly referred to simply as “The Scottish Play.”

Verdi’s Macbeth

Verdi insisted on writing the first draft of the libretto himself in prose, and then gave it to his librettist, Piave, to turn into verse form. Much of the libretto remained true to Shakespeare’s words, but since Verdi did not speak English, he worked from an Italian translation. Throughout the production of the opera, Verdi insisted that this work “serve the poet before the composer,” which was an unusual request in the realm of opera, where conventions indicated that the music dominate all theatrical aspects. Verdi explained that there were really only three important characters in this opera: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and the witches. All others were secondary. This is reflected in the ways in which he adapted the play.

In the bel canto style, Verdi was expected to give the prima donna a certain amount of music to sing, and therefore accentuated the role of Lady Macbeth even more than Shakespeare. Specifically, he gave her several prominent arias, added her direct influence in the murder of Banquo, and expanded the sleepwalking scene. Verdi also increased the number of witches from three to an entire chorus and expanded their small sections of verse from the play to be entire scenes in the

Costume Designs by Alberto Spiazzi for Washington National Opera

opera. By bringing out the female roles in Macbeth, Verdi hinted at his own fascination with witchcraft and the supernatural. Verdi downplayed Duncan’s role, and kept this character merely as a silent walk-on accompanied by a provincial Italian processional, further highlighting the three most important characters.

Verdi wrote many specific instructions in the score such as where the orchestra was to be placed, specific lighting and staging notes, and the characters’ intentions, all to evoke the intensity of the drama. At its premiere, Macbeth received mixed reviews, but was generally considered a success. To the criticism that Verdi did not know Shakespeare, he replied: “It may be that I did not do Macbeth justice, but to say that I do not know, I do not understand, and do not feel Shakespeare, no, by God, no! He is my favorite poet. I have known him from my childhood and read and reread him continually.”

Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Shakespeare based his play primarily on the Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland, a work of fiction by Raphael Holinshed written in 1587. The character of Lady Macbeth however, was taken from a wellknown Scottish couple, James and Elizabeth Stewart, who lived during Shakespeare’s lifetime. Elizabeth was a scheming woman who was said to consort with witches. The couple worked their way up the social hierarchy through deceit and lies. James became the Chancellor of Scotland only to be hunted by his enemies and brutally murdered.

Plays of the time (as well as operas) often had political overtones. King James I of England was known for his Scottish heritage and was fascinated by the supernatural. He was very literary and published several books, including one that denounced witchcraft. He is most well known for his translated and authorized version of the Bible known today as the King James Bible. Knowing this, Shakespeare emphasized the elements of witchcraft in his telling of Macbeth and added Lady Macbeth’s influence in Duncan’s murder.

Verdi and Shakespeare

Verdi had great admiration for his “favorite poet,” who predated

him by almost 300 years. He began reading Shakespeare’s plays as a boy (in Italian, because he never learned English). Verdi had ambitions of composing operas from Shakespeare’s plays early on, but was afraid of being unable to do them justice. His favorite play was King Lear and he attempted to turn it into an opera more than once, but was never satisfied. Much later in life, he composed Macbeth, the first of three Shakespearian plays he adapted for opera. His second and third attempts at adapting Shakespeare were even more successful, and were the last

two operas he ever composed: Otello and Falstaff (based on The Merry Wives of Windsor). Because of Verdi’s immense love and respect for Shakespeare’s work, he found it more important to stay true to the play and only add elements to the opera that would bring out the dramatic qualities, than to follow Italian operatic conventions of the day. Verdi was extremely specific and was reported to have driven the entire opera house crazy with his demands in lighting, costumes, placement of the orchestra, special effects, setting, and even how the singers should depict the drama both physically and vocally. Verdi’s attention to detail in all aspects of the production was unique.

Lady Macbeth

During the 16th and 17th centuries, women were rarely thought of or portrayed as strong, cunning, witty, and intelligent. Shakespeare, however, created many strong and multidimensional female characters in his plays that were often the primary force for driving the plot forward. Lady Macbeth, Cleopatra (Anthony & Cleopatra), and Kate (Taming of the Shrew) are dominant female characters who are said to exhibit the typically masculine characteristics of ambition and violence to achieve power. They portray these traits, however, through the characteristically more feminine act of manipulation. Even Shakespeare’s female characters that are not as openly violent, exhibit manipulation, jealousy, and anger, and at times lead the character into madness. Ophelia in Hamlet is one example.

Throughout opera history, Lady Macbeth stands out as one of the few powerful and evil female characters. Most operatic stories portray women as maternal, romantic, comedic, or tragic figures. The Queen of the Night in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and the Witch in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel are two other well known examples of antagonistic female characters.

Shakespeare’s plays, which showcase strong complex female characters, lend themselves nicely to be adapted into bel canto opera. Verdi took the opportunity to write a disturbingly dramatic aria for Lady Macbeth in which she, a shadow of her former self, is sleepwalking and going crazy. It was not uncommon for bel canto operas to have a “mad scene.” The most well known example is in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. Both Lady Macbeth and Lucia are driven to madness from extreme emotional and psychological distress brought on by their participation in a murder. The difference between the two is that Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking and Lucia is not. The first soprano who was to sing Lady Macbeth, Verdi dismissed, because she was “too pretty” in both looks and voice. He wanted Lady Macbeth to be ugly with a

hard-edged, dark voice. Upon rehearsing the sleepwalking scene repetitively, he is said to have driven the singer crazy with his specificity in direction and vocal technique. Once she mastered the scene however, it was unlike any in an opera before it and she was given a standing ovation night after night.

The “mad scene” is in sharp contrast to Lady Macbeth’s other arias and duets with Macbeth earlier in the opera. In Act I, she is a devious, persuasive, power-hungry woman who convinces her husband to commit murder in order to become king. The Murder Duetfollows, where Lady Macbeth is an accomplice to the murder and reassures her husband of the power he has gained. In the second duet at the beginning of Act II, Lady Macbeth continues her strong resolve, manipulating her husband to commit another murder out of fear of the prophesies. Finally, she breaks under the emotional and psychological strain while attempting to protect her husband by singing a brindisi (a drinking song) to distract the guests at the banquet. Lady Macbeth begins to waver, attempting to portray a strong hostess throughout most of the aria, but almost to the point of hysteria.

Witchcraft

Fascination with and belief in witches has existed since antiquity in many cultures. The term “witch” usually refers to one who consorts with evil. In Europe, in the mid-13th through the 17th century, witch hunts were popular, as the evils of witchcraft were reinforced by teachings from the Old Testament. Both men and women were accused of witchcraft and persecuted, but it was more common for women to be accused because they were believed to be irrational and of a weaker temperament, thus more likely to yield to witchcraft. As King of Scotland, James IV (later King James I of England) had more than 8,000 people burned at the stake for witchcraft; he even published a book on the subject called Deamonology. It was clear that witchcraft fascinated and intimidated him. However, after becoming King of England, he dismissed witchcraft as a combination of fraud and hysteria. Witch hunts continued throughout the 18th century in colonial America, most famously in Salem, Massachusetts.

At the Opera H

ouse

You will see a full dress rehearsal, an opportunity to get an insider’s look into the final moments of preparation before an opera opens. The singers will be in full costume and makeup, the opera will be fully staged, and a full orchestra will accompany the singers, who may choose to “mark,” or not sing in full voice, in order to save their voices for the performances. A final dress rehearsal is often a complete run through, but there is a chance the director or conductor will ask to repeat a scene or two. This is the last opportunity the performers have to rehearse with the orchestra before opening night, and therefore need this valuable time to work. The following tips will help you better enjoy your experience of a night at the opera.

Dress in what is comfortable for you, whether it is nice jeans or a suit, keeping in mind this is an opera house. Please do not take off your shoes or put your feet on the seat in front of you. Live theater is usually more formal than a movie theater.

“Dressy-casual” is usually what people wear - unless it is opening night, which is typically quite formal. Any night at the opera can be a fun opportunity to get dressed in formal attire.

watch alarms, and other electronic devices that make noise.

At the very beginning of the opera, the concertmasterof the orchestra will ask the oboist to play the note “A.” Listen carefully. You will hear all the other musicians in the orchestra tune their instruments to match the oboe’s “A.”

Taking photos or making audio or video recordings is strictly forbidden.

Do not chew gum, eat, drink, or talk during the performance. If you must visit the restroom during the performance, please exit quickly and quietly. An usher will let you know when you can return to your seat.

After all the instruments are tuned, the conductor will arrive. Be sure to applaud!

Arrive on time. Latecomers will be seated only at suitable breaks and often not until intermission.

Please respect other patrons’ enjoyment by not leaning forward in your seat so as to block the person’s view behind you. Also please turn off cell phones, pagers,

Feel free to applaud (or shout Bravo!) at the end of an aria or chorus piece to signify your enjoyment. The end of a piece can be identified by a pause in the music. Singers love an appreciative audience!

Go ahead and laugh when something is funny!

Let the action on stage surround you. As an audience member, you are a very important part of the process that is taking place. Without you, there is no show!

Read the English supertitles projected above the stage. Operas are usually performed in their original language. Opera composers find inspiration in the natural rhythm and inflection of words in particular languages. Similar to foreign films, supertitles help the audience gain a better understanding of the story.

Listen for subtleties in the music. The tempo, volume, and complexity of the music and singing depict the feelings or actions of the characters. Also, notice repeated words or phrases; they are usually significant.

Have fun and enjoy the show!!

WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA EDUCATIONAND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

AREMADEPOSSIBLEBYTHEFOLLOWINGFUNDERS:

$50,000 and above

Mr. and Mrs. John Pohanka

$25,000 and above

Friedman Billings Ramsey

$15,000 and above

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts

John and Cora H. Davis Foundation

$10,000 and above

Clark-Winchcole Foundation

Philip L. Graham Fund

Jacob & Charlotte Lehrman Foundation

The Honorable and Mrs. Jan M. Lodal

Prince Charitable Trusts

The Washington Post Company

$5,000 and above

Theodore H. Barth Foundation International Humanities

$2,500 and above

Mr. Walter Arnheim

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation

Target

The K.P. and Phoebe Tsolainos Foundation

$1,000 and above

Dr. and Mrs. Ricardo Ernst

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Professor Martin Ginsburg

Horwitz Family Fund

Credits

Writer:

Rebecca Kirk

Education and Community Programs Associate

Graphic Design:

Suzan L. Reed

Suzan Reed Graphics

Editors:

Michelle Krisel Director, Center for Education and Training

Caryn Fraim Associate Director, Education and Community Programs

Stephanie Wright Education and Community Programs Manager

Hannah Grove-DeJarnett Communications Coordinator

Catherine Zadoretzky Editorial Assistant

Founded in 1956, Washington National Opera is recognized as one of the leading opera companies in the United States. Under the leadership of General Director Plácido Domingo, Washington National Opera continues to build on its rich history by maintaining consistently high artistic standards and balancing popular grand opera with new or less frequently performed works.

As part of the Center for Education and Training at Washington National Opera, Education and Community Programs provides a wide array of programs to serve a diverse local and national audience of all ages. Our school-based programs offer students the opportunity to experience opera through in-depth, yearlong school partnerships: the acclaimed Opera LookIn, the District of Columbia Public Schools Partnership, and the Kids Create Opera Partners (for elementary schools), and the Student Dress Rehearsal (for high schools) programs. Opera novices and aficionados of all ages have the opportunity to learn about the season through the Opera Insights series, presented on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. All Insights are free, open to the pubic, and archived on the WNO website. Outreach to the greater Washington, D.C. community is achieved through our Library Program, the Family Look-In, and the Girl Scout Program. Our summer training programs give youth age 10-18 an opportunity to experience firsthand what goes into an opera performance through Opera Camp for Kids, which culminates in WNO’s Family Opera, and Opera Institute for Young Singers.

For more information on the programs offered by Washington National Opera, please visit our website at www.dc-opera.org