I see a lot of opera Potions are abundant Poisoning happens rather a lot It is usually fatal It is rarely instantaneous It is sometimes accidental;

Transcription

1 Alex Campbell

2 I see a lot of opera Potions are abundant Poisoning happens rather a lot It is usually fatal It is rarely instantaneous It is sometimes accidental; often preventable It rarely affects the victim s ability to sing These people need help! In opera, nobody ever calls a poisons centre

3 Can history and clinical presentation give clues as to likely poisons involved? Is treatment possible in some cases? How effective are operatic medical practitioners? Is operatic epidemiology helpful? Are operatic poisonings remotely realistic?

4 Retrospective observational review All operatic outings seen between 1977 and 2011 inclusive Unsystematic Duplicate visits to the same opera ignored Careful review of opera texts (Language) Finance Time

5 476 different operas surveyed (some obvious tox. omissions) 57 (11.97%) involved potions or poisons (inc. Ethanol) Ethanol intoxications surprisingly common Few poisons are named usually involve plants Children rarely affected Veterinary poisoning is reported but not seen Antidotes / antagonists are mentioned and sometimes used They are always effective!

6 Medical prescriptions modern operas throwing up a few Brews and recipes made by witches Love potions / (death potions) Love suppressants Knock-out drops Memory wipers Death simulators Longevity enhancers

7 Example 1 Opera: Rusalka Composer: Antonin Dvořák Witch: Jezibaba Purpose of potion: To render the water-nymph Rusalka human, but mute Recipe: 1 drop dragons blood; 10 drops bile; the still warm and beating heart of a bird. Note: Must be stirred in presence of a jumping cat Effective?: Yes (and no!) Fatal: No

8 Example 2 Opera: Macbeth Composer: Giuseppe Verdi Witches: Lots - none named Purpose of potion: Unclear Recipe: Poisonous toad, briar roots (dug at midnight), viper s tongue, bat fur, monkey blood, dog s tooth, finger of an infant boy strangled at birth, a Tartar s jaw, a heretic s heart Effective?: Not stated Fatal: Not known

9 Example 3 Opera: Königskinder Composer: Engelbert Humperdinck Witch: unnamed Purpose of bread mix: Fatal poisoningindiscriminate Recipe: Usual bread ingredients; unspecified black and red powders Effective: Very Fatal: Yes young prince (tenor), goose-girl (soprano) both children

10 Opera: Tristan und Isolde Composer: Richard Wagner Potion made by: Isolde s mother Composition: Not stated Effective?: You decide.

11 This is Act 2. They took the potion at the end of Act 1. I estimate at least 8 weeks has elapsed This duet lasts a further 36 minutes.. Do not worry - I am not going to play the whole opera.. I am very glad Tristan and Isolde do not live near me

12 Opera: Tristan und Isolde Composer: Richard Wagner Potion made by: Isolde s mother Composition: Not stated Effective?: You decide. Fatal: No Isolde s mother also gave her death drafts, a universal antidote and analgesics

13 Isolde: Für Weh und Wunden gab sie Balsam; für böse Gifte Gegen-gift; für tiefstes Weh für hochstes Leid gab sie den Todes-Trank She gave balsam for pain and wounds; antidote for deadly poisons and for deepest sorrow or highest grief she gave the death draught

14 Opera: Un ballo in maschera Composer: Giuseppe Verdi Potion recipe: c/o Madame Ulrica Recipe: Unclear involves a herb to be harvested at the foot of a gallows at midnight Effective?: Not known

15 Generally no recipes all very effective Examples: Wagner: Die Walküre Wagner: Siegfried (potion unused) Janáček: Jenufa (non-teratogenic) Strauss, R: Die Frau ohne Schatten None fatal

16 Generally no recipes all very effective Usually have reversing agents / antagonists Examples: Wagner: Gotterdammering Strauss, R: Die Ägyptische Helena None fatal directly

17 Generally no recipes all very effective Time limited action Interesting pharmacodynamics here Examples: Bellini: I Capuleti e I Montecchi Gounod: Romeo et Juliette Ponchielli: La Gioconda None fatal directly

18 Opera: Vĕc Makropulos Composer: Leoš Janáček Potion maker: Hieronymous Makropulos, physician to Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II Purpose of potion: To add another 300 years to lifespan Side effects: E.M. was unconscious for a week after taking it (aged 16) Recipe: not revealed though appears on stage Effective?: Very E.M. is 316 years old Fatal: No

19 Opera: Cosi fan tutte Simulated arsenic poisoning by Ferrando and Guglielmo, whilst in disguise, as part of a bet... Odd way to woo Cured by Mesmerism (magnetic withdrawal) Guglielmo cannot forgive his fiancé Fiordiligi her apparent infidelity and wishes she was drinking poison at their wedding celebration. Does it end happily ever after? Should he not have some professional help?

20 Abundant Used to loosen people up / disgrace them Love potion substitute Mass intoxications hard to quantify Particularly common in operetta Champagne is blamed for the entire plot of Johann Strauss Die Fledermaus

21 J. Strauss: Die Fledermaus, Eine Nacht in Venedig Verdi: Otello, Falstaff, La Traviata, Macbeth Rossini: La Cenerentola, Il Comte Ory, Il Barbiere di Siviglia Britten: Albert Herring, Peter Grimes Chabrier: L Etoile Offenbach: La Périchole

22 3 operas involve plant related deaths All occur in sopranos All are suicides Conclusion: Sopranos are good herbalists Giacomo Puccini: Suor Angelica Léo Delibes: Lakmé Giacomo Meyerbeer: L Africaine

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24 Dose: 1 leaf Datura stramonium Time to death: 10 minutes approx Signs described: Blurred vision, darkness Signs evident: Ability to sing stratospherically high notes and long phrases Expected: Onset of signs mins., Anticholinergic signs Verdict: Toxic plant unrealistic presentation

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27 Dose: Inhaled vapours from hand-crushed blossom of Hippomane mancinella (Manchineel tree) Time to death: Signs evident: Expected: <45 minutes approx Hallucinations, dyspnoea (short phrases) Skin irritation, physostigmine like signs upon ingestion Verdict: Toxic plant unrealistic presentation

28 7 further instances All sopranos Agents NK Small doses poisons in rings, phials, other small containers

29 18 attempts (2 unsuccessful) Sopranos most likely victims Basses most likely poisoners Some particularly successful/ vindictive lady poisoners Lucrezia Borgia Katarina Ismailova Le Princess de Bouillon

30 Case history Victim: Simon Boccanegra, Doge of Genoa (baritone) Poisoner: Paolo Albiani (bass-baritone) Poison:? Administered: in water Early signs: Bitter taste, drowsiness (quick onset / short duration) Time interval enough time for the quashing of a politcally motivated insurrection in C.14 Italy Later signs: fire coursing through veins, pyrexia, gradual fading death over 5 minutes

31 History and clinical / musical presentation not helpful Epidemiology shows few trends, though most facets of toxicology seem to be covered. Mass poisonings are rare (1 x atomic radiation!) Sopranos are the at risk population Operatic characters should be wary of basses Opera s medics are conspicuous by their absence An operatic PCC is definitely needed How about an opera about the EAPCCT?

32 Eine Oper ist ein absurdes Ding. Befehle werden singend erteilt, über Politik im Duett verhandelt. Man tanzt um ein Grab, und dolchstiche werden melodisch verabreicht. The Count in Capriccio by Richard Strauss An opera is an absurd thing. Orders are given in song; politics discussed in duet. Graves are danced upon and stabbings take place to music.

33 Musical excerpts: Donizetti: Il Campanello Singers: Angelo Romero & Enzo Dara Wagner: Tristan und Isolde Singers: Birgit Nilsson & Wolfgang Windgassen Live from Bayreuth 1967 Offenbach: La Périchole Singer: Claudia Novikova