Sergei Prokofiev’s satirical 1921 opera tells the fairytale story of a younger prince who’s cursed by a witch to fall in love with three oranges. The prince travels to far off lands seeking the citrus fruits, every of which, when peeled, accommodates a princess. The primary two princesses die immediately when uncovered to the weather. The third survives and marries the prince.
The libretto, written by the composer, is predicated on an Italian play (L’amore delle tre melarance) by Carlo Gozzi. The work was commissioned by the Chicago Opera Affiliation throughout Prokofiev’s first journey to the US in 1918. It was set in French, as a result of Russian was deemed unsuitable for American audiences.
Prokofiev’s six-movement orchestral suite begins with The Ridicules. It’s the swirling, buffoonish music of the opera’s prologue wherein the forces of Comedy and Farce are unleashed. At moments, the music anticipates movie scores of John Williams, not solely within the hovering, larger-than-life climaxes, but in addition within the propelling horn ostinato starting at 2:06.
The second motion, The Magician Tchelio and Fata Morgana Play Playing cards, delivers mounting suspense. The livid witch casts her ridiculous curse, and the Prince is swept on his journey by magic swirling winds.
On the coronary heart of the Suite is the quirky, sarcastic March, one among Prokofiev’s most iconic miniatures. The Scherzo which follows is crammed with magical spirits and splashes of coloration amid trumpet foreshadowings of John Williams’ Superman.
The Suite concludes with the plush, impressionistic music of The Prince and the Princess, and the exhilarating ferocity of the witch’s Flight.
Recordings
- Prokofiev: The Love of Three Oranges Suite, Op. 33, Neeme Järvi, Scottish Nationwide Orchestra
Featured Picture: The Love for Three Oranges at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre
