Ève
Ève is an oratorio composed by Jules Massenet, featuring a French libretto by Louis Gallet. It premiered at the Cirque d’été in Paris on March 18, 1875, following Massenet’s earlier oratorio, Marie-Magdeleine, composed two years prior. Ève (1875) offers a fresh interpretation of the biblical tale of Adam and Eve. Scored for orchestra, chorus, and three soloists, the oratorio embodies characteristic textures of the Late-Romantic and Impressionist periods.[2]
Principal characters
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Ève (soprano)
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Adam (baritone)
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Le Récitant (tenor)
With principal parts for Adam and Eve, the chorus remains present throughout as agents for both good and evil or as the voice of nature
Structure and story
.Èveis a recounting of the story of Adam and Eve, and an interpretation of the biblical narration of Eve succumbing to evil’s temptation to commit original sin, and the fallout that occurs thereafter. It can be considered as a three-part oratorio consisting of five smaller pieces (one of which is a short prologue).
Premiere Partie
Following the introduction “La Naissance de la femme,” depicting the creation of the first woman, Ève joins Adam in the Garden of Eden. In the pivotal piece “Adam et Ève,” they share a serene piety that mirrors the idyllic existence described in Genesis 2:15-25, portraying a tranquil harmony in their surroundings.
Deuxieme Partie
Ève dans la Solitudemarks a turning point when Ève becomes tempted by the forbidden fruit while Adam sleeps.
Troisieme Partie
Ève brings the fruit to Adam, which they share inLa Faute, and this disruptive mistake culminates in a riotous final piece,La Malediction, in which they are struck by God’s curse and are cast out of Eden forever.
Belief UnderlyingEve
Eveis simple and untheatrical. With principal parts for Adam and Ève, the chorus remains present throughout the work as an agent for both good and evil. Gallet’s libretto for Ève contains a few important changes from the biblical story, which greatly affect the meaning of the oratorio: the tree of knowledge of good and evil becomes the tree of science, “The Voices of the Night” replace the serpent, the forbidden fruit is now “the fruit of love,” and the chorus replaces God’s interaction with Adam and Eve by acting as “The Voices of Nature.[3]
Importance of the Oratorio in Massenet’s work
In 1873 Massenet initiated a series of sacred dramas based on the lives of female biblical characters. The two oratoriosEveandMarie Magdaleinelaid the foundation of Massenet’s inclination for themes with an amalgam of eroticism and religiosity that would develop in many of his later operas such asHerodiadeandEsclaramonde. These operas build on themes present in his formative works: the conflict among religion, eroticism, and orientalism.Thaisconstitutes perhaps the most open exploration of his analysis of the religious and the erotic.[4]
Legacy
Ève is infrequently staged in modern times, but recordings of the oratorio are commercially accessible. One notable rendition is available on the Erol label (1995), conducted by Jean-Pierre Lore and performed by the French Oratorio Orchestra and Choir. Additionally, a live performance conducted by Jean-Pierre Faber and performed by the Euregio Symphony Orchestra and Three Nation Choir is available on the Arte Nova label. The most recent recorded performance is by the Orchestra Sinfonica Ab Harmoniae under the direction of Daniele Agiman in 2009.[5][6]