Overview
Synopsis
After his father’s untimely death, Hamlet is suspicious of his uncle Claudius, the new king, and his mother, Queen Gertrude. His suspicions are confirmed when he is visited by his father’s ghost, who demands that Hamlet take vengeance against them for his murder. Hamlet becomes so obsessed with the idea of taking a life that he neglects his other duties. One such duty was the care of his beloved Ophelie, who strays into madness believing that Hamlet no longer loves her. After spending such a long time considering the purpose of life, it is the reality of Ophelie’s death which finally persuades Hamlet to seek vengeance in his father’s name. He kills Claudius, sends his mother to a convent, and is crowned King of Denmark.
Ambroise Thomas’s operatic retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is a distilled version of this classic story, which focuses only on the important plot points in Hamlet’s life. Many of the original characters are removed, and the ending is fundamentally changed. Instead of dying from his own inaction, Hamlet realises the correct course of action, inspired by Laerte’s immediate desire for vengeance for his sister’s death, and another visit from his father’s ghost.
Show Information
- Music
- Ambroise Thomas
- Based On Book By
- William Shakespeare
- Libretto
- Michel Carré , Jules Barbier
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 5
- First Produced
- 1868
- Genres
- Drama, Tragedy
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Elsinor, Denmark, 16th century
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Mostly Male Cast, Professional Opera, Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Elderly, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass-Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Act One
Scene One - Elsinor, a hall in the palace
- Prélude
- No. 1 Introduction, March and Chorus ‘Que nos chants montent jusqu'aux cieux’ - Chorus
- ‘O toi qui fus la femme de mon frère’ - Le Roi, Chorus, La Reine
- No. 2 Recitative and duet ‘Vains regrets! Tendresse éphémère!’ - Hamlet
- ‘Monseigneur!’ - Ophélie, Hamlet
- ‘Doute de la lumière’ - Hamlet, Ophélie
- No. 3 Recit and Cavatina of Laërte ‘Salut Au Prince Hamlet! Pour Mon Pays, En Serviteur’ - Laërte, Hamlet, Ophélie, Chorus
- No. 4 Chorus of Officers and Pages ‘Nargue de la tristesse!’ - Chorus, Horatio, Marcellus
Scene Two - The Esplanade
- Prélude
- No. 5 ‘Viendra-T-Il?’ - Horatio, Hamlet, Marcellus
- Invocation ‘Spectre Infernal! Image Vénérée! - Hamlet, Horatio, Marcellus
- Entr’acte
Act Two
Scene One
- No. 6 Ophélie's Aria ’Adieu, dit-il, ayez foi!’’ - Ophélie
- No. 7 Recitative ‘Je croyais près de vous trouver mon fils’ - La Reine, Ophélie
- Arioso ‘Dans son regard plus sombre’ La Reine, Ophélie
- No. 8 Duet ‘L'âme de votre fils est à jamais troublée’ Le Roi, La Reine, Hamlet
- No. 9 Chorus of Comedians ‘Voici les histrions mandés par vous’ - Marcellus, Horatio, Chorus
- No. 10 Drinking Song’ O vin, dissipe la tristesse’ - Hamlet, Chorus Marcellus, Horatio
Scene Two - The grand hall of the palace, preparing for a festival
- No. 11 Danish March
- Recitative and prologue ‘Belle, permettez-nous’ - Hamlet, Ophélie
- Pantomime and finale ‘C'est le vieux Roi gonzague’ - Hamlet, Le Roi, La Reine, Chorus, Ophélie
- ‘O mortelle offense!’ - Le Roi, Ophélie, Marcellus, Polonius, Horatio, La Reine, Chorus
Act Three - A room in the Queen’s apartments
- No. 13 Monologue ‘Etre ou ne pas être’ - Hamlet
- No. 14 Recitative and Aria ‘Je t'implore, ô mon frère!’ - Le Roi, Hamlet, Polonius
- No. 15 Trio ‘Allez dans un cloître, allez, ophélie’ - Hamlet, La Reine, Ophélie
- No. 16 Grand Duet ‘Hamlet, ma douleur est immense’ - La Reine, Hamlet
- ‘Mon fils!’ - Le Spectre, Hamlet, La Reine
Act Four - A shaded area with great trees
- No. 17 Entr’acte and Village Dance ‘La Fête du Printemps’ - Chorus
- No. 18 Scène and aria of Ophélie ‘Mais quelle est cette belle et jeune danoise’ - Chorus, Ophélie
- ‘Et maintenant écoutez ma chansons!’ - Ophélie
- ‘Sa raison a fui sans retour - Chorus
- Final ‘Le voilà! Je crois l’entendre’ - Ophélie, Chorus
- No. 19 Waltz-Ballet
- No. 20 Humming Chorus
Act Five - The Cemetery of Elsinor
- No. 21 Song of the Gravediggers ‘Dame ou prince, homme ou femme’ - Les Deux Fossoyeurs, Hamlet
- No. 22 Aria ‘La fatigue alourdit mes pas...Comme une pâle fleur’ - Hamlet
- Scene and Recitative ‘Mais qui marche dans l'ombre?’ - Hamlet, Laërte
- No. 23 Funeral March and Chorus ‘Ecoute! Quel est ce bruit de pas?’ - Hamlet, Laërte, Chorus
- No. 24 Finale ‘Ophélie ! Hamlet !’ - Hamlet, Le Roi, La Reine, Marcellus, Horatio, Polonius, Le Spectre
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.