"The action takes place in maytime in a rococo château near Paris at the time Gluck was beginning his opera reforms there. About 1775. The birthday of the young widowed Countess, Madeleine, is to be celebrated. Flamand, a composer, and Olivier, a poet, are listening to the rehearsal of Flamand's sextet. written for the occasion, while the theatre director, La Roche, is asleep. While listening, Flamand and Olivier discover that they are both in love with the Countess. What will impress her more: Flamand's music or Olivier's poetry? Prima la musics, dopo le parole, or prima le parole, dopo la musics? They agree to let the Countess decide. La Roche awakens and joins the argument, Neither poetry nor music, he says, is the greatest of the arts. His own, the art of theatrical production, overshadows them both and uses them as its servants. He believes in entertainment: splendid decor, top notes and beautiful women, such as the actress Clairon, who has recently had an affair with Olivier. La Roche reveals that she is on her way to the chateau to play opposite the Count in Olivier's play. Flamand, Olivier and La Roche leave to prepare for the rehearsal in the theatre.
"The Count and Countess enter. They engage in a discussion about the merits of music and poetry. The Count admits that music leaves him cold, that words will always be superior to music. He teases his sister about her interest in the composer Flamand. She, in turn, brings up the name of Clairon. He admits he is interested in the actress, but praises a life of quickly-won, quickly-lost attachments.
"La Roche and his proteges return, and Clairon arrives for the rehearsal She and the Count read a scene from Olivier's play, which ends with the Count's declamation of a passionate sonnet. He is congratulated, and La Roche leads them both off to rehearsal, leaving Flamand and Olivier alone with the Countess. Olivier remarks that the Count addressed the sonnet to the wrong person: it was written for the Countess, and he recites it again to her. Flamand rushes off to set it to music. In Flamands absence, Olivier declares his love to the Countess.
"Flamand returns to sing the sonnet he has just set. Olivier and Flamand quarrel about the true authorship of the sonnet, but the Countess decides the issue: it is now hers! La Roche takes Olivier away to rehearsal.
"Flamand in his turn is able to declare his love to the Countess. He asks her to decide: music or poetry. Flamand or Olivier? She promises that he shall have the answer the next morning at eleven o'clock. The Countess is left alone with her thoughts and the sounds of the rehearsal next door. She orders refreshments for the company.
"When the rehearsal is over the Count and his sister discuss the progress of their love affairs. The other participants return. While refreshments are served, La Roche introduces a ballerina who performs for the company. Flamand and Olivier resume their argument of words versus music. The others join in. The Count ridicules opera — all operal La Roche introduces a pair of Italian singers who perform a duet. Then he tells of the spectacle he has planned for the Countess's birthday: The Birth of Pallas Athena and The Fall of Carthage. The company make cruel fun of his grandiose and traditional ideas, while the Italian singers worry whether they will be paid and stuff themselves with food. La Roche finally gets a chance to speak for himself and bitterly assails his attackers, expressing his intense faith in the theatre. He wants drama to show human beings in all their aspects as creatures of flesh and blood, and orders Flamand and Olivier to create good new works that speak for their time. His listeners are deeply moved and, as a sign of their reconciliation, Olivier and Flamand agree to write an opera. The Count has a very original idea: write an opera on the events of that very day at the chateau, depicting the company as its characters. The suggestion is accepted by everyone.
"When the company has broken up, eight servants enter and comment on the events of the afternoon from their point of view 'backstage' as they put it — for isn't the whole world playing at theatre? The major-domo gives them the night off. Then appears Monsieur Taupe, the prompter, who had fallen asleep during the rehearsal. He tells the major-domo that, in fact, he is the most important person in the theatre because without him the show couldn't go on. But now he has been left behind. The major-domo offers to help in his predicament.
"The Countess enters, followed by the major-domo, who gives her two messages that her brother will not be home for dinner that evening. and that Olivier will call the next morning at eleven to hear from her the ending of the opera. The Countess exclaims that since the sonnet, the composer and the poet are fated to be inseparable — now they will both wait on her tomorrow at the same time! She sings two verses of the sonnet to herself. Which of the two men does she love? After an agony of indecision and self searching, she gazes at herself in the mirror and wonders if she can find an ending to the opera 'that is not trivial'. The major-domo solves the problem by announcing that dinner is served." (From the liner notes.)
Performers: Wiener Philharmoniker, Ulf Schirmer, Kiri Te Kanawa, Håkan Hagegård, Uwe Heilmann, Olaf Bär, Victor von Halem, Brigitte Fassbaender, Werner Hollweg, Hans Hotter
1.1. Einleitung
1.2. Szene I: 'Bezaubernd Ist Sie Heute Wieder!'
1.3. Szene I: 'Bei Sanfter Musik Schläft Sich's Am Besten'
1.4. Szene II: 'Der Strom Der Töne Trug Mich Fort'
1.5. Szene III: 'Die Bühne Ist Fertig'
1.6. Szene IV: 'Sie Ist Doch Gekommen! Du Hast Es Erreicht'
1.7. Szene IV: 'Ihr Geht. Entließ Euch Schon Die Macht'
1.8. Szene IV: 'Kein Andres, Das Mir So Im Herzen Loht'
1.9. Szene V: 'Lassen Sie Ihn Gewähren'
1.10. Szene VI: 'Kein Andres, Das Mir So Im Herzen Loht'
1.11. Szene VI: 'Wie Schön Die Worte, Kaum Kenn' Ich Sie Wieder!'
1.12. Szene VII: 'Verraten Hab' Ich Meine Gefühle!'
1.13. Szene VII: 'Sie Erzählten Beredsam Von Eurem Empfinden'
1.14. Szene VIII: 'Welch' Köstliche Begegnung!'
1.15. Szene IX: 'Wir Kehren Zurück In Die Welt Des Salons'
1.16. Szene IX, Tanz: I. Passepied ('Was Sagt Ihr?')
1.17. Szene IX, Tanz: II. Gigue ('Ich Bin Fest Entschlossen, Auf Keinen Fall Mehr')
1.18. Szene IX, Tanz: III. Gavotte
2.1. Szene IX: 'Eure Kunst Entzückt Und Begeistert Mich'
2.2. Szene IX: 'Tanz Und Musik Stehn Im Bann Des Rhythmus'
2.3. Szene IX: 'Eine Oper Ist Ein Absurdes Ding'
2.4. Szene IX: Duett Der Italienischen Sänger. 'Addio Mio Vita'
2.5. Szene IX: 'Darf Ich Sie Nach Paris Zurückbringen'
2.6. Szene IX, Oktett: Teil I. Lach-Ensemble ('Sie Lachen Ihn Aus')
2.7. Szene IX, Oktett: Teil II. Streit-Ensemble ('Aber So Hört Doch!')
2.8. Szene IX: 'Hola! Ihr Streiter Im Apoll!'
2.9. Szene IX: 'La Roche, Du Bist Groß! La Roche, Du Bist Monumental!'
2.10. Szene IX: 'Das Ist Mehr Als Eine Versöhnung'
2.11. Szene IX: 'Wählt Doch Einen Vorwurf, Der Konflikte Schildert, Die Auch Uns Bewegen'
2.12. Szene X: 'Gut In Eure Mäntel Gehüllt'
2.13. Szene XI: 'Das War Ein Schöner Lärm'
2.14. Szene XII: 'Herr Direktor...'
2.15. Szene XIII: Andante Con Moto (Mondscheinmusik)
2.16. Szene XIII: 'Wo Ist Mein Bruder?'
2.17. Szene XIII: 'Kein Andres, Das Mir So Im Herzen Loht'
2.18. Szene XIII: 'Du Spiegelbild Der Verliebten Madeleine'
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