Before we turn to his operas, let's read a couple of testimonials about Simon Mayr (1763 - 1845) from people whose judgment cannot easily be dismissed: (1)(2)
Overture to La Lodoiska (1796). This early opera premiered successfully in Venice and its performance at La Scala in Milan led to more commissions there.
Tu di quest'anima, a cavatina from Il pazzo per la musica (1796), contralto, flute, guitar, pianoforte and bassoon.
Sinfonia and Scene of Don Febeo from Che Originali! ossia La Musicomania (What an original!, or Music mania) (1798)
Sommi Dei, che I giuramenti(Act I, cavatina), Dove mi guidi? (Ismene, Act II, Invocation scene), Antica notte (Act II, Furies), Ismene … o cara Ismene! (Act II), and Miseri pargoletti (Act II, Voices, Final aria) from Medea in Corinto (1813), a tragic melodrama in two acts about the ancient story of a twisted mother who kills her children to spite her ex-husband. Composed in the early bloom of romanticism and without holding back, the opera exhibits the extremes of human emotion and gives the dramatic soprano a splendid role, which was premiered in 1813 by Isabella Colbran.
Sinfonia from La rosa bianca e la rosa rossa (1813), also performed as Il trionfo dell'amicizia (The triumph of friendship), is set against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses.
Se orror di te non hai (Act I, duet), Io Conosco (Act II, duet), and Se fiero, Ippolito (Act II, Finale) from Fedra (1820), Mayr's penultimate opera, a melodramma serio in two acts. The score was discovered in Verdi's estate. (6)
Here is a documentary on Demetrio (1823), Mayr's last opera. For another twenty-odd years he was to devote himself again to sacred music, teaching and writing.
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(1)"Johann Simon Mayr (1763-1845), Zeitzaugen." Biography at Internationale Simon-Mayr-Gesellschaft e.V. (http://www.simon-mayr.de/biografie/ (10/29/2013)). More testimonials can be found at this site.
(2) Constanze Mozart is often portrayed as a lightweight, but her business skills and life in general after Mozart's death show otherwise. Her effort here to secure the best teacher for her son shows the care of a loving mother.
(3)"Giovanni Simone Mayr (1763-1845)." Announcement of Scientific-critical edition of the complete works G. Ricordi & Co. Bühnen- und Musikverlag GmbH Berlin. (http://www.ricordi.de/werkausgabe-mayr-giovanni-simone.0.html?&L=1 (10/28/2013))
(4) Werner Häußner, "Ein Europäer aus der bayerischen Provinz: Johann Simon Mayr zum 250. Geburtstag. (A European from Bavaria: Johann Simon Mayr on his 250th anniversary)" Article, Reviewpassagen, 06/14/2013. (http://www.revierpassagen.de/18287/ein-europaer-aus-der-bayerischen-provinz-johann-simon-mayr-zum-250-geburtstag/20130614_1446 (11/01/2013))
(5) Felice Romani, "Medea in Corinto." Synopsis, Bayerische Staatsoper. (http://www.bayerische.staatsoper.de/889-ZmxhZz0xJmlkPTE4MzUmbD1lbg-~spielplan~oper~veranstaltungen~vorstellung.html (11/02/2013))
(6) Robert J Farr, "Johann Simon MAYR (1763-1845), Fedra - melodramma serio in two acts (1820)." CD review, MusicWeb International, 03/09/2009. (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/Mar09/Mayr_OC920.htm (11/02/2013))
(7)"Phèdre." Wikipedia page. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ph%C3%A8dre (11/02/2013))
(8) James S. Eisenberg, "Fedra." CD review, Amazon, 06/30/2009. (http://www.amazon.com/Fedra-Mayr/dp/B0021JLRC8 (11/02/2013))
My oldest son who is in Milan to study music and has heard much about your fame and great talent, doesn't stop asking me to recommend him to your kindness and friendship. Honorable Kapellmeister, please don't take it badly if I ask you to accept a young man whose father died all too early for him. - Constanze Mozart to Simon Mayr, Vienna 1807.
There is a sextet in the second act of the opera 'Elena' of the old Mayr from Bergamo which supposedly has the greatest effect. It had such an impact at the Scala in Milan that it drew audiences from 50 miles away. Some people reportedly traveled forty times to Milan for this piece. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to Carl Friedrich Zelter, January 1818.
It was a pleasure to read the beautiful writings on Palestrina of my beloved dramatic teacher Mayr. Please embrace him for me and tell him that my heart owes its fervour to my studies of his excellent compositions which are full of expression and tears. Please tell him that there is no conversation about music here in Paris which doesn't commemorate his name with honor. - Vincenzo Bellini to Cesare Colleoni, Paris 1833.
I can hardly express in simple words my great joy at obtaining the music of our godly Mayr. - Gaetano Donizetti to Antonio Dolci, January 1838.An now let's listen to some excerpts of Mayr operas and discover why Compa (Papa) Simon is nicknamed the "Father of Italian Opera."(3) We will hear all the trends of the day, starting with an unmistakable Mozart influence and later turning into--very--dramatic romanticism. His music fills the gap between classical opera, Rossini, and later Verdi. Throughout it is supported by splendid instrumental writing, especially in the woodwinds.
Overture to La Lodoiska (1796). This early opera premiered successfully in Venice and its performance at La Scala in Milan led to more commissions there.
Tu di quest'anima, a cavatina from Il pazzo per la musica (1796), contralto, flute, guitar, pianoforte and bassoon.
Sinfonia and Scene of Don Febeo from Che Originali! ossia La Musicomania (What an original!, or Music mania) (1798)
His one-act farces are popular at carnival. His fame spreads beyond Italy with his opera buffa "Che originali!" (What an original). Paris, Munich and Lisbon perform the work which in subtle satire mocks the foibles of a music-loving but uneducated amateur. It remains in the Italian repertoire until 1830; today it is again very popular in a revival at the Hamburg chamber opera.(4)
Sommi Dei, che I giuramenti(Act I, cavatina), Dove mi guidi? (Ismene, Act II, Invocation scene), Antica notte (Act II, Furies), Ismene … o cara Ismene! (Act II), and Miseri pargoletti (Act II, Voices, Final aria) from Medea in Corinto (1813), a tragic melodrama in two acts about the ancient story of a twisted mother who kills her children to spite her ex-husband. Composed in the early bloom of romanticism and without holding back, the opera exhibits the extremes of human emotion and gives the dramatic soprano a splendid role, which was premiered in 1813 by Isabella Colbran.
With Medea in Corinto arguably the most important Italian opera composer between Mozart and Rossini, Giovanni Simone Mayr, landed one of his biggest hits in Naples in 1813 ... the music for this downright impossible and unorthodox operatic character – after having been rarely performed for almost 200 years – has now slowly regained its rights, even if its story continues to be massively unsettling.(5)
Sinfonia from La rosa bianca e la rosa rossa (1813), also performed as Il trionfo dell'amicizia (The triumph of friendship), is set against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses.
Se orror di te non hai (Act I, duet), Io Conosco (Act II, duet), and Se fiero, Ippolito (Act II, Finale) from Fedra (1820), Mayr's penultimate opera, a melodramma serio in two acts. The score was discovered in Verdi's estate. (6)
In the absence of her royal husband Thésée, Phèdre ends by declaring her love to Hippolyte, Thésée's son from a previous marriage.(7)
The title character is the best drawn in the opera, and her psychological twists and turns are convincing and surprisingly modern. Complex characters with a nasty edge, such as Phaedra, Medea, and Athaliah seemed to bring out the best in the composer.(8)
Here is a documentary on Demetrio (1823), Mayr's last opera. For another twenty-odd years he was to devote himself again to sacred music, teaching and writing.
________________________________________________________________
(1)"Johann Simon Mayr (1763-1845), Zeitzaugen." Biography at Internationale Simon-Mayr-Gesellschaft e.V. (http://www.simon-mayr.de/biografie/ (10/29/2013)). More testimonials can be found at this site.
(2) Constanze Mozart is often portrayed as a lightweight, but her business skills and life in general after Mozart's death show otherwise. Her effort here to secure the best teacher for her son shows the care of a loving mother.
(3)"Giovanni Simone Mayr (1763-1845)." Announcement of Scientific-critical edition of the complete works G. Ricordi & Co. Bühnen- und Musikverlag GmbH Berlin. (http://www.ricordi.de/werkausgabe-mayr-giovanni-simone.0.html?&L=1 (10/28/2013))
(4) Werner Häußner, "Ein Europäer aus der bayerischen Provinz: Johann Simon Mayr zum 250. Geburtstag. (A European from Bavaria: Johann Simon Mayr on his 250th anniversary)" Article, Reviewpassagen, 06/14/2013. (http://www.revierpassagen.de/18287/ein-europaer-aus-der-bayerischen-provinz-johann-simon-mayr-zum-250-geburtstag/20130614_1446 (11/01/2013))
(5) Felice Romani, "Medea in Corinto." Synopsis, Bayerische Staatsoper. (http://www.bayerische.staatsoper.de/889-ZmxhZz0xJmlkPTE4MzUmbD1lbg-~spielplan~oper~veranstaltungen~vorstellung.html (11/02/2013))
(6) Robert J Farr, "Johann Simon MAYR (1763-1845), Fedra - melodramma serio in two acts (1820)." CD review, MusicWeb International, 03/09/2009. (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/Mar09/Mayr_OC920.htm (11/02/2013))
(7)"Phèdre." Wikipedia page. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ph%C3%A8dre (11/02/2013))
(8) James S. Eisenberg, "Fedra." CD review, Amazon, 06/30/2009. (http://www.amazon.com/Fedra-Mayr/dp/B0021JLRC8 (11/02/2013))