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Aleksandra Vrebalov, music, Vida Ognjenovic, libretto multilingual, in Serbian, German and English.
Mileva is an opera about Mileva Maric Einstein, the first wife of Albert Einstein.
The opera is in two-acts (10 scenes), for full orchestra, chorus, 16 soloists, and tape - with documentary audio material such as Albert Einstein’s voice and tamburica band.
The complex character of Mileva Maric is portrayed by two singers – a lyric soprano for young, idealistic Mileva, and a dramatic soprano for Mileva in later years of her marriage with Einstein, as a way to juxtapose different and often conflicting psychological tendencies of the main character.
The libretto is written by a Serbian playwright, Vida Ognjenovic, and is based on Ognjenovic’s play Mileva Einstein. The libretto includes fragments from Shakespeare, and Urworte, a poem by Goethe. The poem is like a thread of memento mori throughout the opera, always sung by Mileva. The languages in the opera are Serbian, English (the excerpt from Shakespeare and the explanation of the E=mc2 formula in Einstein’s original voice) and German (excerpts from Goethe’s Urworte, and Einstein’s letters).
The work is commissioned for the 150th Anniversary of Srpsko Narodno Pozoriste (Serbian National Theater) in Novi Sad, Serbia, Maric’s and Vrebalov’s hometown. Archival recording of the world premiere. Ensemble and soloists of the Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad, Aleksandar Kojic conducting. October 21, 2011.
CASTING:
Mileva I, (junior role) - Lyric Soprano
Mileva II, (senior role) - Dramatic Soprano
Zorka Maric, Mileva’s younger sister - Mezzo-soprano
Albert Einstein - High Baritone
Mrs. Maric, Mileva’s mother - Dramatic Soprano
Mr. Maric, Mileva’s father - Bass
Postman - Tenor
Professor Weber - Tenor
Marcel Grossmann - Tenor
Michael Besso - Tenor
Max Moritz - Tenor
Jacob Erat - Baritone
Werner Conrad - Baritone
Helena - Mezzo-soprano
Milana - Soprano
Ruzica - Dramatic Soprano
Mixed Chorus
Full symphonic orchestra
In two acts, total duration around 90 minutes
Synopsis and Treatment of the Work
ACT I
Scene One. 1898 - At dawn, tamburitza band passes by the Maric family house in Novi Sad, playing a love song (Blue Danube).
Mileva’s younger sister, Zorka Maric is mentally ill. She runs through the garden calling her cats. She wakes up her parents to greet the postman who, she believes, is to bring a long awaited letter from Mileva, who is in Zurich. While parents, disturbed by Zorka’s hallucinations, try to calm her down, the postman indeed arrives. Eager to open the letter, the family quickly bids him goodbye. Mileva (senior) observes the scene. (Aria from Goethe’s Urworte).
Scene Two. At the Polytechnic Institute in Zurich. Although Mileva successfully passes the physics exam, professor Webber tells her that as a woman she has no future in physics. Mileva (junior) disagrees and says that she wants to follow in the steps of Marie Curie. Young Albert Einstein enters the classroom to take the exam. Albert’s brief exchange with professor Webber is interrupted by students who huddle into the lab when they learn that Mileva is going to be their classmate. As they celebrate, Webber leaves.
Scene Three. Late evening. Mileva (junior) and Albert sit in front of Albert’s house because he forgot the key. They talk about love. As Mileva (junior) sings the love aria, Mileva (senior), like a shadow, interjects with fragments from Urworte.
Scene Four. Double Fugue. 1899 - At the Polytechnic lab, Albert and his classmates spend the night working on an experiment. Mileva (junior) joins them in the morning. Albert draws a parallel between music and science (Look how the floor of Heaven is thick inlaid – from Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice), and while his friends make fun of him, Mileva defends his unique and imaginative views. Tired of physics, the group plays Mozart to relax. (quote from the Overture to The Magic Flute)
Scene Five. December 31, 1899. In their Zurich apartment, Mileva (junior) and her girlfriends are setting the dining table for the celebration of the New Year’s Eve. They sing a song from their homeland (Dunave plavi/Blue Danube), and muse about their goals and aspirations for the upcoming century. Mileva’s greatest wish for the future is that Albert succeeds as a scientist. The girls criticize Mileva for loosing herself in her love for Albert, and a brief scene of jealousy occurs between Mileva and Milana, who occasionally plays music with Albert. The young men arrive and the dancing begins. They write down their wishes for the new century and deposit them in a box to be opened ten years later. As the midnight nears, Mephistopheles walks into the room and announces his Century – the group laughs as they recognize their classmate Michele Besso. The celebration continues.
ACT II
Scene One. 1901 - Mileva (junior) is pregnant and leaving Zurich to spend the summer with her family, while Albert, who just graduated, plans to look for a job. She promises to study while away in Serbia, and asks Albert to write a letter to her father promising that they would get married as soon as he finds a job. Albert embraces Mileva (junior) and asks whether she loves him, while Mileva (senior) responds with a fragment from Urworte: “Some hearts in general loving float, the noblest, yet, their all to one devote.”
Scene Two. 1901 - At the Maric estate, Zorka questions her parents about Mileva’s frail condition while Mileva is sleeping. Mileva (junior) wakes up and learns that Albert’s letter has not arrived, but one in which Mrs. Einstein speaks against Mileva’s relationship with her son, has. Mileva tries to convince her parents that Albert is the perfect man for her. Zorka gives Mileva a little cat and asks her what name to give it – Mileva at first believes the question is about the kitty’s name, but realizes that Zorka is asking about the baby. To Zorka’s confusion and horror, Mileva says that the baby would be given away and named by someone else.
Scene Three. 1906 - At Einsteins’ home, friends are celebrating Albert’s success. Albert comments on Mileva’s dark mood and reminds her that their most difficult years are behind them. He says that his success is also hers. As everyone leaves, Mileva junior and Mileva senior sing a duet, a lullaby for their lost baby girl.
Scene Four. 1915 – Parallel scene at the Maric estate in Novi Sad and Albert’s office in Berlin. Zorka’s mental condition has worsened over years. Mileva (senior) is visiting with Milana and Helena and they talk about their student days. Mileva asks the women to keep from her parents that Albert is in Berlin. He is seeing another woman. Milana and Helena criticize Mileva for being overly protective of him. Helena opens the old box with wishes for the new century, and they realize that Mileva’s wishes are the only ones that came true. Her three wishes were - Albert, Albert, Albert.
Albert’s colleagues and old friends comment on Albert’s list of marital rules written for Mileva. They try to convince him to visit her and work on their relationship. Albert tells them that that chapter of his life is closed. A documentary audio of Einstein’s voice explaining the E=mc2 formula ends the scene.
Scene Five. Epilogue - 1948 – In a hospital, while Mileva (junior) sings a fragment from Urworte, Mileva (senior) talks to her father and her best friend Helena, both of whom are dead. She tells them about important events that took place in recent years such as Albert’s immigration to the United States, Zorka’s and mother’s death, hospitalization of her mentally ill son Tete. Having an insight into the limitations of human happiness in the infinity of the Universe, Mileva sums up her life.
PERFORMANCES
*February 6, 2014 - Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad
*November 22, 2013 - 21c Liederabend Op. 3, BAM/Next Wave, NYC excerpt from Act II, Lullaby
*December 12, 2012 - Croatian National Theater in Zagreb
*October 12, 2012 - Armel Opera Festival in Szeged, Hungary
*January 24, 2012 - Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad
*January 23, 2012 - Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad
*November 3, 2011 - Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad
*October 25, 2011 - BEMUS Festival Belgrade
*October 21, 2011 - Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad
AWARDS
November 3, 2012, Composers’ Association of Serbia 2012 Mokranjac Prize for the best work premiered in Serbia in the previous year.
October 15, 2012, Victoria Markaryan wins the Armel Opera Competition with her performance as Mileva Junior
March 28, 2012, Novi Sad, Serbian National Theater Annual Awards:
*Gold Medal Jovan Djordjevic for contribution to opera to Aleksandra Vrebalov
*Conducting award to Aleksandar Kojic for musical direction of Mileva
*Awards for best roles to:
Violeta Sreckovic, mezzosoprano for Mileva Senior
Darija Olajos, soprano for Mileva Junior
Jelena Koncar, mezzosoprano for Zorka
March 10, 2012, Muzika Klasika Magazine Composer of the Year 2011
Aleksandra Vrebalov for Mileva