Charpentier’s David and Jonathan
A story of David the Giant Slayer
All About the Show
Charpentier’s David and Jonathan is sung in French with English surtitles above the stage. If you’d like to educate yourself on the show before you get there, we have put everything in one spot for you!
Ready to purchase tickets to the show? Click Here!
In a Nutshell
An explosive psychological drama between King Saul, his son Jonathan, and David the Giant Slayer. Marshall Pynkoski and Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg’s production of Charpentier’s David and Jonathan received international acclaim in Versailles, and now makes its breathtaking Canadian debut with Opera Atelier at the TELUS Centre for Perfroming Arts and Learning at Koerner Hall.
Beyond the Brief
David and Jonathan is one of the greatest opera/ballets of 17th century France, written by one of the era’s greatest composers, Marc Antoine Charpentier (1643 – 1704). It was first performed at the Collège Louis-le-Grand, Paris, on 28 February 1688. The opera’s premiere attracted the attention of Le Mercure Galant, in which it was given a most glowing review.
The opera presupposes the audience is intimately familiar with the story of David and Jonathanas found in the Hebrew Bible’s books of Samuel and explores the explosive relationship between Saul, King of Israel, David, the Slayer of the giant Goliath, and Jonathan, Saul’s son.
Before the opera opens, David has defeated the Philistine giant Goliath and has gone on to become inseparable from Saul, the King of Israel. In addition to David’s growing prowess as a warrior, his singing and musical abilities were often used to calm the violent fits of rage from which Saul suffered.
Saul’s jealousy of David’s popularity, however, becomes an obsession, and by the time the opera opens, Saul has attempted to murder David, who in turn has been forced to flee for his life and make his services available to the Philistines – Israel’s traditional enemies. Saul is convinced that a battle between himself and David is inevitable, and the opera opens with a terrifying prologue, in which Saul visits a witch who is able to foretell the future in order to determine his fate. The witch conjures the ghost of Samuel (who reigned prior to Saul), who predicts that Saul will lose his crown, his glory, his life and his son, and that God has forsaken him.
Act 1
The act opens with a celebration of singing and dancing to welcome David back to the Philistine camp. Achis, the king of the Philistines, seeks a truce with Saul, and David himself longs for peace and to be reunited with Jonathan.
David’s aria: “D’un zèle extrême”
David expresses his passionate devotion to Jonathan.
Jonathan’s aria: “Du plus grand des amants”
Jonathan reflects on the depth of his love for David.
Act 2
Joabel, the leader of the Philistine army, undermines the proposed truce between Saul and Achis and tries to incite David to battle. David, meanwhile, is reunited with Jonathan, and together with singers and dancers the celebrate the joys of their mutual love and of peace.
David’s aria: “O que la fortune est cruelle”
David laments his cruel fate and separation from his family.
Saul’s aria: “Je n’ai plus de tranquillité”
King Saul sings about his inner turmoil and jealousy toward David.
Act 3
Saul plots David’s destruction and attempts to convince his son Jonathan to avenge him. When Jonathan refuses, Saul’s rage becomes uncontrollable, and David escapes back to the Philistine camp.
David’s aria: “Sous les ombres propices”
David reflects on seeking divine guidance and peace.
Jonathan’s aria: “Que de trouble et de douleur”
Jonathan expresses his emotional conflict between his love for David and loyalty to his father.
Act 4
David is briefly reunited with Jonathan, but they are forced to admit that should they meet each other in battle, they will be forced to try to destroy one another. Military music signals that the battle is about to begin.
David’s aria: “Je voudrais être un innocent”
David longs for innocence and peace amidst the chaos surrounding him.
Jonathan’s aria: “Tendre amour, que je te suive”
Jonathan’s aria, declaring his unwavering devotion and loyalty to David.
Act 5
During the ensuing battle, Jonathan is mortally wounded and dies in David’s arms. Saul, seeing he is defeated, stabs himself but also dies in the arms of David, who is heartbroken at the death of both Saul and Jonathan. The act finishes with celebratory music for soloists, chorus and corps de ballet, acknowledging David as the new King of Israel. In the midst of this celebration, David’s heartbreaking statement is, “I have lost all that I love – for me, all is lost.”
David’s aria: “Mon sort est de fuir sans cesse”
David reflects on the inevitable nature of his fugitive life.
Jonathan’s aria: “Ciel! Que de chagrins”
Jonathan laments the pain and sorrow of being separated from David.
About the Composer
Marc-Antoine Charpentier was one of the greatest composers of French Baroque Music. Born in 1643, his music education began at an early age.
At 17, he moved to Rome, where for three years he studied with some of the masters fo Roman oratorio.
After his return to France, he began to write music for Molière’s comédie ballets. Charpentier entered the service of the Jesuits in 1688, creating sacred compositions which include his opera David and Jonathan for the Collége Louis-le-Grand.
Charpentier returned to producing opera following the death of his rival, Jean Baptiste Lully in 1687 but it was difficult to escape the enormous success and influence of Lully’s productions. Charpentier ended his career as the master of music at the Sainte-Chappelle from 1698 to 1704.
Cast
Artists of Atelier Ballet
