Catulli Carmina

SYNOPSIS

On the proscenium stage, young men and women are exchanging increasingly sensuous endearments of love, commented on by a group of bad-tempered old men who interrupt with vehement outbursts on the inanity of love. The old men cite the amorous play of the Roman poet Catullus which is about to be acted out on the main stage: the senior citizens intend to teach the hot-blooded youngsters a strict lesson.
The action begins: Catullus and his beloved Lesbia come together in a tender lovers’ tryst. Intoxicated by love, the poet falls asleep with his head lying in Lesbia’s lap. She however succeeds in extricating herself and disappears into the tavern where she indulges shamelessly in exploits with other men. Catullus discovers her in the act and is speechless – much to the joy of the old men who see their theory of the vanity of all faithfulness confirmed.
A short time later in the middle of the night: Catullus lies in wait in a state of anguish in front of Lesbia’s house. He dreams that his beloved is even betraying him with his friend Caelus. He awakes with a start and suspects gloomily that the dream was more than a mere nightmare. The old men applaud enthusiastically.
In desperation, Catullus indulges in a flirtation with a whore, but still cannot forget Lesbia. On the contrary: he searches for her everywhere. When he finally discovers her in the arms of his friend, he is broken-hearted and his love for Lesbia is immediately extinguished. Even Lesbia’s anguish in her loss cannot change the poet’s decision.
And the effect of the play on the lovers? Love’s labour’s lost! The enamoured young persons have long turned their backs on the action and have already resumed their sensuous declamations of love.

COMMENTARY

In the summer of 1930, Orff spent a vacation on the Lago di Garda and also visited the small town of Sirmione with its local attraction the grottos of the Roman poet Catullus (actually an ancient Roman bath complex). There Orff purchased a postcard with a picture of the grotto above a quotation of the Roman poet’s most famous distich: Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, fortasse requiris. / nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior [I hate and I love. Perhaps you ask why do I do this? / I do not know, but I feel it happen and am torn apart]. Orff was utterly hypnotised by these two verses and, during his journey home the following day, already began sketches for a choral setting of these lines. Once back home, Orff immediately purchased a volume of poetry by Catullus and created musical settings of nine further poems.
When Orff was repeatedly approached with the request to compose a supplementary work for Carmina Burana, the composer returned to his ten choral settings of Catullus texts. He considered that these choral movements would be a perfect basis for a madrigal comedy and, while perusing his volume of Catullus’ verses, a libretto began to form in his mind inspired by the dialogue structure of the Roman’s poetry. Orff extended the already existing choral movements and dramatized them, added the solo vocal roles of Catullus and Lesbia and developed the framework of the plot. In adherence to the Renaissance form of madrigal comedy, the Catulli Carmina were to be represented by dancers and sung by an a-cappella choir seated in the orchestra.
A special musical feature of this composition is Orff’s first utilisation of a purely percussive orchestra which additionally included four pianos with their wide range of percussive techniques.