Semele

Semele                                                                       George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Early in 1744, when Handel announced the premiere of Semele, he announced a new work ‘after the manner of an oratorio.’ It was indeed performed without sets or costumes and with soloists, chorus and orchestra placed on the stage as in a concert. However, the original audience of Semele at the Covent Garden Theatre had quite a shock. Instead of the traditional biblical drama that they might have been expecting for Lent, they were faced with something entirely different. The work fused elements of opera, oratorio, and classical drama and many protested that Semele was really an opera in disguise - it was viewed as highly controversial. 

Indeed, Semele resembled Handel's earlier Italian operas, focusing as it did on the tragedy played out by its characters, more than on the commentary of the chorus. William Congreve's libretto, from which Handel's was adapted, had originally been written decades earlier to be set as an opera. Although it was in English like the oratorios that Handel was writing at the time, it made extensive use of the conventions of Italian opera, conventions such as da capo forms (A-B-A) for most of its arias, as well as a good deal of dramatic recitative. Furthermore, like many early operas, Semele drew its inspiration from classical myth - in this case from Ovid’s Metamorphoses which was one of the best-known classical texts and would have been familiar to Handel’s eighteenth-century audience. Replacing the familiar biblical heroes were a host of lascivious Roman gods, and their mortal playthings. Far from being a sacred drama, Semele was a provocatively secular story of seduction, adultery, and revenge.           

In part, presenting Semele ‘after the manner of an oratorio’ was a business decision for Handel, who infuriated his competitors in the opera world by producing what was essentially an opera without any of the costs of sets or costumes.  But the production proved controversial with the London public. While it was a success with some listeners, many others, who had become accustomed to biblical subjects in their oratorios, found the story of Semele's passion for a god to be too licentious for the genre. Dr. Delany, a clergyman, refused to attend - although his wife went to every performance. Charles Jennens, the librettist of Messiah and of several other Handel oratorios, sneered at the composer's attempt to pass off Semele as an oratorio, calling it ‘a bawdy opera.’ Perhaps as a result, Semele ran for only four nights, returned once in December 1744, and was never again staged by Handel – it vanished completely until the 20th century.

The story and the music                 
The story of Semele is the story of the birth of the god Bacchus, a god perhaps best known today for introducing the pleasures of wine but also associated with ecstasy, frenzy, and madness. Semele, a princess of Thebes, is beloved by Jupiter and, to her ruin, is infatuated by his attentions. Juno, always jealous of her wandering husband, appears to Semele in disguise and convinces her that she deserves to see her lover not only in his human guise but in his true divine form. Jupiter tries to dissuade her, but Semele pressures him to grant her wish. Accordingly, he appears to her in thunder and lightning, and she is consumed. From the flames, Jupiter snatches the baby that Semele is carrying and (though not told in this libretto) sews it up inside his thigh to mature, later to be born as the god Bacchus.

Considering the nature of the story - the birth of the orgiastic god Bacchus, Semele as the mother of madness and intoxication, her ecstatic love for Jupiter, and her immolation - we might expect a fiery, passionate treatment. But the tone of Handel's Semele is rather different. The music is not music of abandon and madness – it is extraordinarily beautiful and contains some of Handel's most famously elegant arias. Semele's great aria and chorus, ‘Endless pleasure, endless love,’ for example, is a gavotte, a beautiful and joyous dance that is more courtly than passionate. And her immolation occurs during a relatively brief accompanied recitative.

The reason for the difference in tone lies in the fact that Semele's ecstasy and the Dionysian madness that might attract writers of another era are not the focus for Handel and his eighteenth-century audience. Indeed, the birth of Bacchus is treated here almost as an afterthought. It is announced at the very end of the opera by the serene Apollo, and it leads to a happy finale. For Handel the real focus is on Semele's inappropriate love. She attempts to rise above her place in the order of things and mix with the gods, and in so doing she brings about her own demise. The myth of Semele is one of many in which mortals go beyond the set boundaries and are consumed by a divine fire. This is a lesson about order, both in nature and society - the opposite of what we might expect today from a Bacchus myth. It tells the audience that deceptions and artifice are necessary to maintain an orderly society, that there are dangers in stripping away all illusions. Semele should have been content with Jupiter as she knew him and should not have demanded to see to his innermost being.

Like so many dramas of the time, rather than presenting a realistic mirror, Semele offers a reflection of an idealised society within which the audience might find certain moral ‘truths.’  It shows an ordered world from which the real world of the eighteenth century could draw a lesson. Yet it does not become two-dimensional. It has glorious, moving, and theatrical music, a broad dramatic sweep, and vividly drawn characters ranging from the comical god of sleep to jealous Juno to the tragic Semele.

For his own performances of Semele, Handel had an experienced cast of singers who had performed with him many times. The brilliant title role was written for Elisabeth Duparc (called La Francesina), who, the eighteenth-century historian Dr. Burney tells us, was known for her ‘lark-like execution’ and ‘natural warble, and agility of voice, which Handel afterwards seems to have had great pleasure in displaying.’ Burney's description comes vividly to life when we hear the trills and other ornaments which Handel wrote into Semele's arias, ‘Myself I shall adore’ and ‘The morning lark.’

The first Jupiter, John Beard, had sung with Handel since the age of 15 and performed more of Handel's music than any other singer, including tenor parts in the oratorios and odes, as well as in many operas. He was known to be an expressive actor, and it was for his fine voice that Handel wrote the work's most famous aria, ‘Where'er you walk.’ But given the drama's warning about Semele's attempt to mix with the gods, it is ironic that this original Jupiter had created a real-life scandal in London by marrying above his station.       

Synopsis

Jupiter, king of the gods, takes the mortal Princess Semele to a secret hiding place on a mountain to be his mistress. When Jupiter's wife, Juno, hears of her husband's adultery she is enraged, and plots to ensure Semele's downfall. In disguise, Juno appeals to the girl's vanity and persuades her to insist on seeing her lover in his divine form. Jupiter reluctantly agrees but his thunderbolts burn and consume Semele. From her ashes, though, arise her unborn child by Jupiter - Bacchus, God of wine and ecstasy.

Act 1

In the temple of Juno, Cadmus, King of Thebes, is preparing for the marriage of his daughter Semele to Athamas, Prince of Boeotia. Signs from the goddess indicate she approves of the match (accompanied recit: ‘Behold! Auspicious flashes rise’ and chorus: ‘Lucky omens bless our rites’). However, the bride has been inventing one excuse after the other to put off the wedding and her father and would-be bridegroom urge her to hesitate no longer (duet: ‘Daughter, hear! Hear and obey’). To herself, Semele reflects on her dilemma - she does not wish to marry Prince Athamas as she is in love with Jove himself and calls on him to assist her (accompanied recitative: ‘Ah me! What refuge now is left me?", arioso: ‘O Jove! In pity teach me which to choose’ and aria: ‘The morning lark’). Athamas, observing her, takes her physical signs of emotional upheaval as evidence she is in love with him (aria: ‘Hymen, haste, thy torch prepare’).       

Ino, Semele's sister, now appears, also in a state of distress as she is in love with Athamas (quartet: ‘Why dost thou thus untimely grieve?’) Jupiter has heard Semele's prayer, and his thunderbolts interrupt the proceedings and alarm the observers (chorus: ‘Avert these omens, all ye pow'rs’). The priests of Juno order the wedding abandoned and everyone to leave the temple (chorus: ‘Cease, cease your vows’), which all do except for Athamas, in despair at his wedding being cancelled, and Ino, hopelessly in love with him (aria: ‘Turn, hopeless lover’). Athamas can see she is upset, without guessing why, and he can feel for her in her distress because he is upset too (aria: ‘Your tuneful voice my tale would tell’). Athamas is astonished when she tells him bluntly that she loves him (duet: ‘You've undone me’).         

Cadmus interrupts their confusion and describes the extraordinary event he has just witnessed: as they fled the temple Semele was suddenly carried off by an eagle (accompanied recitative: ‘Wing'd with our fears’). The priests and augurs identify this eagle as Jupiter himself (chorus: ‘Hail Cadmus, hail!’). As the act ends, Semele is seen enjoying her role as the god's new mistress (aria: ‘Endless pleasure, endless love’).

Act 2

Scene One

Juno, suspicious of her husband's conduct, has sent her helper Iris to find out what she can. Iris reports that Jove has installed Semele as his mistress in a palace atop a mountain (aria: ‘There, from mortal cares retiring’). The outraged Juno swears to have revenge (accompanied recitative: ‘Awake, Saturnia, from thy lethargy!’). Iris warns her it will not be an easy task—the palace is guarded by dragons that never sleep (accompanied recitative: ‘With adamant the gates are barr'd’). Juno decides that she and Iris will pay a visit to the god of sleep in his cave, to get magical assistance to put the dragons to sleep (aria: ‘Hence, Iris, hence away’).

Scene Two

Semele awakes and regrets that the dream she was having of being with her lover has ended (aria: ‘O sleep, why dost thou leave me?’). When Jupiter enters, in the form of a young man, she tells him how difficult it is for her when he is absent. He explains that she is a mortal, unlike him, and needs to rest from their lovemaking from time to time. He attempts to assure her of his fidelity (aria: ‘Lay your doubts and fears aside’). Semele sings of her passionate love for him (aria: ‘With fond desiring’). The chorus of Loves and Zephyrs sing of lovers' joys (chorus: ‘How engaging, how endearing’).

Semele, however, is beginning to be unhappy that her lover is a god and she a mere mortal. This sign of an ambition to immortality from Semele worries Jupiter who decides he must distract her from such thoughts (aria: ‘I must with speed amuse her’). The Loves and Zephyrs advise Semele to put aside worries and enjoy the delights of love while she can (chorus: ‘Now Love that everlasting boy invites’). Jupiter has arranged for Semele's sister Ino to be magically transported to the palace, to keep her company, and promises that the gardens and environs will be paradise (aria: ‘Where'er you walk’). He leaves, and Ino appears, describing the wondrous experience of being flown there by winged zephyrs (aria: ‘But hark, the heav'nly sphere turns round’). The sisters sing of the joy they are experiencing, hearing the music of the spheres (duet: ‘Prepare then, ye immortal choir’) and nymphs and swains declare that this part of the earth has become a heaven (chorus: ‘Bless the glad earth’).

Act 3

Scene One

Juno and Iris arrive and wake Somnus (accompanied recitative: ‘Somnus, awake’), to his displeasure (aria: ‘Leave me, loathsome light’). He only gets out of bed when he hears Juno mention the beautiful nymph Pasithea (aria: ‘More sweet is that name’). Juno promises he will have the nymph if he will lend her magical aid to put the dragons that guard the palace where Semele is ensconced as her husband's mistress to sleep and transform her into the likeness of Semele's sister Ino. Somnus agrees (duet: ‘Obey my will’).

Scene Two

Semele is still feeling rather unhappy about the discrepancy between herself and her lover (aria: ‘My racking thoughts’). Juno, in the form of Semele's sister Ino, enters and feigns astonishment at Semele's increased beauty. She exclaims that Semele must have become a goddess herself and gives her a mirror (‘Behold in this mirror’). Semele is enraptured by her own beauty (aria: ‘Myself I shall adore’). ‘Ino’ advises Semele to insist that Jupiter appear to her in his real, godlike form, and that will make her immortal herself (accompanied recitative: ‘Conjure him by his oath’).            

Semele is very grateful for this advice (aria: ‘Thus let my thanks be paid’). ‘Ino’ leaves and Jupiter enters, eager to enjoy Semele (aria: ‘Come to my arms, my lovely fair’) but she puts him off (aria: ‘I ever am granting’). He swears to give her whatever she desires (accompanied recitative: ‘By that tremendous flood, I swear’) and she makes him promise to appear to her in his godlike form (accompanied recitative: ‘Then cast off this human shape’). He is alarmed and says that would harm her (aria: ‘Ah, take heed what you press’), but she insists he keep his oath (aria: ‘No, no, I'll take no less’) and leaves.            

Jupiter knows this will mean her destruction and mourns her impending doom (accompanied recitative: ‘Ah, whither is she gone’). Juno triumphs in the success of her scheme (aria: ‘Above measure is the pleasure’).

Scene Three

Semele, granted her wish to see Jupiter in his true godlike form, is consumed by his thunderbolts, and as she dies she regrets her own foolishness and ambition (accompanied recitative: ‘Ah me! Too late I now repent’). Watching this, the priests of Juno express their amazement (chorus: ‘Oh, terror and astonishment!’). Athamas is now glad to accept Ino as his bride (aria: ‘Despair no more shall wound me’). The god Apollo descends on a cloud and announces that the unborn child of Semele and Jupiter will arise from her ashes (accompanied recitative: ‘Apollo comes, to relieve your care’). The child will be Bacchus, God of wine and ecstasy, a god ‘more mighty than love’. All celebrate the fortunate outcome (chorus: ‘Happy, happy shall we be’).