Plot

Goethe’s play is a tale of competing ambition and love. Clavigo is a Spanish writer and archivist of the King. In his younger and poorer days, he fell in love with and became engaged to the charming but sickly Marie. However, when his star started to rise, his friends convinced him that Marie would hold his career back. At best, she’d be a distraction; at worst, she’d prevent an advantageous marriage. So he broke the engagement. Marie’s brother Beaumarchais (yes, the French playwright—this is loosely based on real events) has come to Spain to confront Clavigo. He exorts a (potentially career-killing) written confession of wrongdoing from Clavigo but promises not to have it published until Clavigo can ask Marie for pardon and renew their engagement. Clavigo successfully does this. Marie, upon hearing of this, dies. Clavigo (who has not heard the news) stumbles upon her funeral procession and is distraught. Beaumarchais fatally stabs Clavigo, and Clavigo accepts his death as atonement for his crime (@Ilana Walder-Biesanz).

Instrumentation/vocal roles

Bariton (Clavigo), Soprano (Marie), Beaumarchais (Tenor), Sophie (Mezzo soprano/Alto), String quartet

Premiere

07/09/24, Budapest Music Center, Budapest (Hungary). Performers: Márta Murányi, Anna Molnár, Georgi Sztojanov, Zsombor Cserményi; Classicus Quartet (Eszter Kökény, Alíz Gál-Szabó, Péter Tornyai, Tamás Zétényi).