Massenet's Werther at Teatro Comunale di Bologna
About the Event
Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther, often associated with the 'Werther effect' due to its alleged influence on suicides, portrays the protagonist in a state of isolation, even in the eyes of his beloved Charlotte, who sees him only as a good friend. While the one‐sided love affair may not be as appealing to opera, the librettists for Massenet's adaptation introduce a lightning strike between the two young characters, as well as Charlotte's vow to her dying mother to marry Albert. Although this is not the most radical reinterpretation of the story (as seen in Coccia's 1814 version, where Carlotta and Werther have a happy ending), Massenet's poetic approach effectively heightens Charlotte's torment and the poet's sense of loneliness and sensitivity. Through his passionate yet alienated nature within the bourgeois world, the protagonist's most well‐known aria, 'Pourquoi me réveiller,' stands out as a poignant expression of his emotions, even though it originally belongs to a larger and more elaborate duet.
Cast / Production
Conductor: Riccardo Frizza
Director: Rosetta Cucchi
Production of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna
Orchestra, Chorus White Voices and Technicians of the TCBO
Maestro del Coro Voci Bianche: Alhambra Superchi
