Philemon und Baucis - Synopsis in English

Synopsis

There are six characters in the opera Philemon und Baucis of which two, Jupiter and Mercury, are speaking roles. The prologue, later called Der Götterrat, of which nearly all the music is lost, deals with the Gods, at the conclusion of which Jupiter and Mercury decide to travel to earth, disguised as pilgrims, to see if there is any reason why mankind should be spared from destruction.

This recording begins after this prologue with the Overture (1). A wild thunderstorm is raging. The stage shows a Phrygian village with the hut of Philemon and Baucis, an old peasant couple. Fields, vineyards and a pleasant countryside are seen in the background. The frightened peasants, among them Philemon and Baucis, huddle together in terror before a storm of almost supernatural intensity. Philemon and Baucis alternately pray to the Gods (2) to lessen the fury of the storm; they fall on their knees, the storm abates and the landscape is bathed in the red of the dying sun. The chorus sings a brief song of thanksgiving, and the peasants, together with Philemon and Baucis, leave the stage.

Jupiter and Mercury enter (3). Jupiter remarks on the wickedness of the Phrygian people, who are only spared by the piety of Philemon and Baucis. He suggests spending the night in the hayloft of that couple. Mercury asks: “What! here, where this very year a thunderbolt struck the only son of these old people?” to which Jupiter remarks: ‘Perhaps this day will see the end of their sorrows.”

In the hut of Philemon and Baucis are two urns, with the ashes of their son, Aret, and his betrothed, Narcissa. A knock on the door and Jupiter and Mercury, still disguised, ask for hospitality for a few hours. Philemon and Baucis invite them in. Mercury asks if they are childless. Philemon points to the urns, and while Baucis goes out to prepare food and lodging for the two travellers, Philemon explains (4) about the love of his only son, Aret, for the beautiful Narcissa. On the first of May they were to be married… Philemon breaks down and (5) is encouraged by the Gods to proceed. In the A major aria “Ein Tag, der allen Freude bringt” (6) he describes how, in the midst of the festivity, they were killed by a bolt from heaven. Haydn presents the poignant scene without too much passion, for Philemon is an old man; but how finely he changes the character of the music from the first part. “A day which brings joy to all…..oh, time of happiness” to the doleful conclusion, “the bridal pair, our pride and joy we saw with lifeless breasts … oh, time of sorrow.” In the meantime (7) Baucis has prepared a hot bath for the tired travellers. She also prepares a modest meal for them of sweet milk, fresh fruit and new bread. She tries in vain to borrow some wine from a neighbour. Jupiter, departing with Mercury, blesses them, leaving Philemon and Baucis alone. Baucis feels their poverty (8) prevents them looking after their guests as they deserve. Philemon suggests (9) that they kill the goose which they had been saving for the wedding meal, and which, after the death of the bridal pair, they had intended to slaughter as an offering to the gods. They decide to sacrifice the calf which their only cow is about to bear instead, and kill the goose for their guests. Jupiter and Mercury return, and Jupiter tells Philemon how happy he is to find such a noble pair among such miserable humanity. As Mercury continues to discourse along these lines, Baucis calls from outside, asking Philemon to help her “catch the sly goose”. Jupiter and Mercury, left alone, contemplate how they may reward their goodness. Jupiter says “I will give this poor couple much more than thrones” and, turning to the two urns containing the ashes of Narcissa and Aret, he restores them to life. A grave intermezzo accompanies the transformation of the two urns into the bridal couple who, as the libretto tells us, “remain immovable for a while and become themselves little by little.” With wild joy the lovers awake and recognize each other, while Jupiter says to Mercury “come, my son, we must leave them to each other”. Aret then sings his beautiful and moving G minor aria with solo oboe (10) to Narcissa, after which she sings hers (12) — the aria in F major with bassoon solo which Haydn some four years later reused in “Il Mondo della Luna”. The two lovers then sing a duet (14) expressing their joy at being reunited and pledging their mutual love.

Philemon and Baucis enter (15) and, upon seeing their beloved children, Baucis faints. As she comes to, and the four happy people are rejoicing, Jupiter and Mercury enter, sitting on a fiery cloud and accompanied by thunder and lightning. The assembled persons fall to their knees in terror. Mercury tells them that this is Jupiter in disguise. Philemon, quaking with fear starts to talk, but is interrupted by Jupiter who says “Do not tremble: the innocent must not tremble. Philemon asks what he may offer as thanks, and Jupiter answers: “A virtuous life’’ and asks what more he may do for them: “Shall I reward you with a mountain of gold?” he asks, “or shall I present you with half the world on a throne?’ Philemon answers that to be Jove’s host is the highest honour, and Baucis point to the young couple, saying “here is our gold, our empire”. Philemon then asks Jupiter for one favour, that his hut become a temple and that he and Baucis become Jupiter’s priests. With crashing thunder and lightning this occurs, the clothes Philemon and Baucis have been wearing are transformed into priestly garments and the hut into a golden temple. The neighbours. frightened by the noise of the thunder, rush onto the stage and, seeing what has occurred, fall to the ground in terror. Jupiter, pointing to Philemon and his family, tells of their goodness. “Let this fate be a great lesson to you: for we do not leave honesty unrewarded.” To the accompaniment of the chorus, trumpets and drums, (16) the gods slowly ascend to heaven.

So the recording ends. The printed libretto continues with the scene dissolving into a triumph of the Imperial family, the Hungarian Nation and, finally, the illuminated gardens of the Esterházy gardens. The music is lost and it is assumed this postlude was dropped when the opera was revived, at Eszterháza and at Pressburg. The complete libretto in English, together with the Ovid story (in the original Latin and Dryden’s English version) is available on our website www.habsburgheritage.com.