Stravinsky The Rake's Progress
Plot Synopsis and Character Description of English Drama
Oct 27, 2008
The Rake's Progress is an English morality three-act opera composed by Igor Stravinsky (June 17, 1882 – April 6, 1971). The librettists are W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman. It is inspired by a series of eight paintings by Hogarth. It was first performed in Venice, Teatro la Fenice, September 11, 1951. Setting is in England in the 18th century.
Notable arias: "Here I stand" (Tom), "Quietly night" (Anne)
The Rake's Progress is influenced by Hogarth's pictures with a touch of "Faust" in the character of Nick Shadow. Stravinksy's setting goes back to the Mozartian 18th century mood, but with Stravinsky's orchestral style.
Characters / Roles
- Tom Rakewell, suitor of Anne (tenor)
- Nick Shadow, Devilish manservant (baritone)
- Trulove, Anne's father (bass)
- Anne Trulove, His daughter (soprano)
- Mother Goose, a whore (mezzo soprano)
- Baba the Turk, Bearded lady (mezzo soprano)
- Sellem, An auctioneer (tenor)
Plot Summary / Synopsis
Act I
Scene 1. The Garden of Trulove's House in the Country
Trulove does not approve of Tom Rakewell as a suitor for his daughter, Anne. Tom brushes off Trulove's offer of a job. Nick Shadow arrives with the news that Tom is a rich man, having acquired wealth from a forgotten uncle who has recently died. Shadow proposes to work for Tom for a year and a day. Trulove's family joys are interrupted when Shadow hurries Tom off to London to settle his estate.
Scene 2. Mother Goose's Brother in London
Shadow brings Tom to Mother Goose's, a London brothel. There, roaring boys and whores boasts of their triumphs. When Mother Goose and Shadow ask Tom about love, he remembers Anne and resolves to leave the place, but Shadow persuades him to stay. Mother Goose claims him for the night.
Scene 3. The Garden of Trulove's House
Knowing Tom's weak character, Anne decides to go to London and find him.
Act II
Scene 1. The Morning Room of Tom's House in London
Tom is bored with his life in London. Shadow convinces him to wed Baba the Turk, the bearded lady of the circus. This way he is not governed by his conscience or his appetites, Shadow reasons, and that marrying Baba will prove his freedom. Amused by the prospect, they arranged the marriage.
Scene 2. A Street in Front of Tom's House
Anne arrives only to discover Tom returning home with his new bride, Baba.
Scene 3. Tom's Morning room
Tom's coldness infuriates Baba. Tom sleeps and dreams of a machine that turns stones into bread. Shadow enters with a machine. Tom tells him that he dreamed he had invented a machine that will restore beauty on earth. When Shadow demonstrates the machine, Tom is ecstatic and agrees with Shadow to put the machine in the market. Shadow is amused how shallow minded can Tom be.
Act III
Scene 1. Tom's Morning Room
Tom's business venture has ruined him with his property being auctioned off, including Baba, pretending to be a statue with a wig. Sellem, the auctioneer, begins the auction. When he tries to auction off Baba, she comes back to life. She tells Anne that Tom loves her, that she is going back to the circus.
Scene 2. A Churchyard
Shadow brings Tom to a graveyard to get his wages. He claims Tom's soul as a payment for his services and suggests they play a game. If Tom can correctly guess three cards that Shadow will pull out of the deck, he is free. If not, his soul is forfeit. Through luck, Tom guesses them all. Mortified, Shadow makes Tom insane before sinking into the grave he dug for Tom.
Scene 3. Bedlam
Tom is in bedlam and raves that he is Adonis. When Anne visits him, Tom acclaims her as his Venus, before he finally dies. She forgives him.
Epilogue
The stage lights go up and the five main characters - Baba, Tome, Shadow, Anne and Trulove - draw the moral of the story briefly: "for idle hands and hearts and minds the devil finds a work to do," with Stravinsky's cheerful music, successfully following Mozart's Don Giovanni, to a lighter Stravinskian mood.
Sources:
Martin, Nicholas Ivor. The Da Capo Opera Manual. New York: Da Capo Press, 1997
Morley, (Sir) Alexander F. The Harrap Opera Guide. London: Harrap, 1970
