1935
GERSHWIN, PORGY E BESS: melodramma in tre atti,
su libretto di Dubose Hayward e Ira Gershwin, tratto da Hayward. Teatro Colon,
Buenos Aires. Prima: Dec. 6, 2016. Other performances: 7, 10, 11 and 13. Musical
director: T. Murray. Stage director: C. Crouse Scenography and costume design:
. Mitchell. Lights: K. Rossouw. Choreography: S. Ndaba. Choral director: M. Kernelle.
Chorus of Cape Town Opera. PERSONAGGI: PORGY:
X. Sixaba/L. Kenneth Kula. BESS: N.Yende/P. Sibeko CROWN: M. Mbuyazwe/M. Mndebele.
SPORTING LIFE: L. Moyake/M. Senaoana. CLARA: S. Yakupa/N. Mpofu. JAKE: A. Lodewyk
SERENA: A. Jaftha/T. Mene. MARIA: M. Tini/ F. Mthetwa. Hit: “Summertime and the
livin is easy”.
In ATTO I, at Catfish Row, a black
tenement -- once, a mansion of the aristocracy -- on the waterfront of
Charleston, South Carolina, in the recent past, i.e. c. 1930), it’s a summer
evening. Jasbo Brown entertains the community with his piano playing. Clara sings
a lullaby to her baby ("Summertime") as the working men prepare for a game of craps ("Roll them Bones"). One of the players, Robbins,
scorns his wife Serena's demands that he not play, retorting that on a Saturday
night, a man has the right to play. Clara's husband, the fisherman Jake, tries
his own lullaby ("A woman is a sometime thing") with little effect.
Little by little, other characters in the opera enter Catfish Row, among them
Mingo, another fisherman, and Jim, a stevedore who, tired of his job, decides to give it up and join Jake
and the other fishermen. Porgy, a disabled beggar, enters on his goat cart to
organize the game. Peter, an elderly honey man returns, singing his vendor's
call. Crown, a strong and brutal stevedore, storms in with his woman, Bess, and
buys cheap whiskey and some "Happy
Dust" off the local dope peddler,
Sportin' Life. Bess is shunned by the women of the community, especially the
pious Serena and the matriarchal cookshop owner Maria, but Porgy softly defends
her. The game begins. One by one, the players get crapped out, leaving only
Robbins and Crown, who has become extremely drunk. When Robbins wins, Crown
attempts to prevent him from taking his winnings. A brawl ensues, which ends
when Crown stabs Robbins with a cotton hook, killing him. Crown runs, telling
Bess to fend for herself but that he will be back for her when the heat dies
down. Sportin' Life gives her a dose of happy dust and offers to take her with
him when he goes to New York, but she rejects him. He flees, and Bess begins to
pound on doors, but is rejected by all of the residents of Catfish Row, with
the exception of Porgy, who lets her in. At Serena’s room, the following night,
the mourners sing a spiritual to Robbins ("Gone, gone, gone"). To
raise money for his burial, a saucer is placed on his chest for the mourners'
donations ("Overflow"). Bess enters with Porgy and attempts to donate
to the burial fund, but Serena rejects her money until Bess explains that she
is now living with Porgy. A white detective enters and coldly tells Serena that
she must bury her husband the next day, or his body will be given to medical
students (for dissection).
He suddenly accuses Peter of Robbins's murder. Peter denies his guilt and says
Crown was the murderer. The Detective orders Peter to be arrested as a material
witness, whom he will force to testify
against Crown. Serena laments her loss in "My Man's Gone Now".
The undertaker enters. The saucer holds only fifteen dollars of the needed
twenty-five, but he agrees to bury Robbins as long as Serena promises to pay
him back. Bess, who has been sitting in silence slightly apart from the rest of
those gathered, suddenly begins to sing a gospel song and the chorus joyfully
join in, welcoming her into the community. ("Oh, the Train is at de
Station"). In Act II, at Catfish Row, a month later, in the morning, Jake
and the other fishermen prepare for work ("It take a long pull to get
there"). Clara asks Jake not to go because it is time for the annual
storms, but he tells her that they desperately need the money. This causes
Porgy to sing from his window about his new, happy-go-lucky outlook on life.
("I got plenty o' nuttin"). Sportin' Life waltzes around selling
"happy dust", but soon incurs the wrath of Maria, who threatens him.
("I hates yo' struttin' style"). A fraudulent lawyer, Frazier,
arrives and farcically divorces Bess from Crown. When he discovers Bess and
Crown were not married, he raises his price from a dollar to a dollar and a
half. Archdale, a white lawyer, enters and informs Porgy that Peter will soon
be released. The bad omen of a buzzard flies over Catfish Row and Porgy demands
that it leave now that he finally has found happiness. ("Buzzard keep on
flyin' over".) As the rest of Catfish Row prepares for the church
picnic on nearby Kittiwah Island, Sportin' Life again offers to take Bess to
New York with him; she refuses. He attempts to give her some "happy
dust" despite her claims that she's given up drugs, but Porgy grabs his
arm and scares him off. Sportin' Life leaves, reminding Bess as he goes that
her men friends come and go, but he will be there all along. Bess and Porgy are
now left alone, and express their love for each other ("Bess, You Is My Woman Now"). The chorus re-enters in high spirits as they
prepare to leave for the picnic ("Oh, I can't sit down"). Bess is
invited to the picnic by Maria, but she demurs as Porgy cannot come (due to his
disability, he cannot get on the boat), but Maria insists. Bess leaves Porgy
behind as they go off to the picnic. Porgy watches the boat leave ("I got
plenty o' nuttin"). At Kittiwah Island, that evening, the chorus
enjoys themselves at the picnic ("I ain't got no shame"). Sportin'
Life presents the chorus his cynical views on the Bible ("It Ain't Necessarily So"), causing Serena to chastise them ("Shame on all
you sinners!"). Everyone gets ready to leave. As Bess, who has lagged
behind, tries to follow them, Crown emerges from the bushes. He reminds her
that Porgy is "temporary" and laughs off her claims that she has been
living decently now. Bess wants to leave Crown forever and attempts to make him
forget about her ("Oh, what you want wid Bess?") but Crown refuses to
give her up. He grabs her and will not let her go to the boat, which leaves
without her, and then forcefully kisses her. He laughs at his conquest as her
resistance begins to fail, and commands her to get into the woods, where his
intentions are only too clear. At Catfish Row, a week later, just before
dawn, Jake leaves to go fishing with his crew, one of whom observes that it
looks as if a storm is coming in. Peter, still unsure of his crime, returns
from prison. Meanwhile, Bess is lying in Porgy's room delirious with fever,
which she has had ever since returning from Kittiwah Island. Serena prays to
remove Bess's affliction ("O, Doctor Jesus"), and promises Porgy that
Bess will be well by five o'clock. As the day passes, a strawberry woman, Peter
(the Honey Man) and a crab man each pass by with their wares ("Vendors'
Trio"). As the clock chimes five, Bess recovers from her fever. Porgy
tells Bess that he knows she has been with Crown, and she admits that Crown has
promised to return for her. Porgy tells her she is free to go if she wants to,
and she tells him that although she wants to stay, she is afraid of Crown's
hold on her. Porgy asks her what would happen if there was no Crown, and Bess
tells Porgy she loves him and begs him to protect her, and he promises that she
will never have to be afraid again ("I Loves You, Porgy").
Clara watches the water, fearful for Jake. Maria tries to allay her fears,
but suddenly the hurricane bell begins to ring. At Serena’s room, at the
dawn of the next day, the residents of Catfish Row are all gathered in Serena's
room for shelter from the hurricane. They drown out the sound of the storm with
prayers and hymns ("Oh, Doctor Jesus") while Sportin' Life mocks
their assumption that the storm is a signal of Judgment
Day. Clara desperately sings her lullaby
("Summertime"). A knock is heard at the door, and the chorus believes
it to be Death ("Oh there's somebody knocking at the door"). Crown
enters dramatically, having swum from Kittiwah Island, seeking Bess. He shows
no fear of God, claiming that after the long struggle from Kittiwah, God and he
are friends. The chorus tries to drown out his blaspheming with more prayer,
and he taunts them by singing a vulgar song. ("A red-headed woman").
Suddenly, Clara sees Jake's boat float past the window, upside-down, and she
runs out to try to save him, handing her baby to Bess. Bess asks that one of
the men go out with her, and Crown taunts Porgy, who cannot go. Crown goes
himself, yelling out as he leaves "Alright, Big Friend! We're on for
another Bout!" The chorus continue to pray as the storm rises. In Atto II, at Catfish Row, the next night, a
group of women mourn Clara, Jake, and all of those who have been killed in the
storm ("Clara, Clara, don't you be downhearted"). When they begin to
mourn for Crown as well, Sportin' Life laughs at them and is told off by Maria.
He insinuates that Crown may not be dead, and observes that when a woman has a
man, maybe she's got him for keeps, but if she has two men,
then it's highly likely she'll end up with none. Bess is heard singing Clara's
lullaby to her baby, whom she is now taking care of. ("Summertime").
Once Catfish Row is dark, Crown stealthily enters to claim Bess, but is
confronted by Porgy. A fight ensues which ends when Porgy kills Crown. Porgy
exclaims to Bess, "You've got a man now. You've got Porgy!" The
next afternoon, the detective enters and talks with Serena and her friends
about the murders of Crown and Robbins. They deny knowledge of Crown's murder,
frustrating the detective. Needing a witness for the coroner's inquest, he next
questions an apprehensive Porgy. Once Porgy admits to knowing Crown, he is
ordered to come and identify Crown's body. Sportin' Life tells Porgy that
corpses bleed in the presence of their murderers, and the detective will use
this to hang Porgy. Porgy refuses to identify the body, but is dragged off
anyway. Bess is distraught, and Sportin' Life puts his plan into action. He
tells her that Porgy will be locked up for a long time, and points out that he
is the only one still here. He offers her happy dust, and though she refuses,
he forces it on her. After she takes a whiff, he paints a seductive picture of
her life with him in New York ("There's a boat dat's leavin' soon for New
York"). She regains her strength and rushes inside, slamming the door on
his face, but he leaves a packet of happy dust on her doorstep, and settles
down to wait. A week later, on a
beautiful morning, Porgy is released from jail, where he has been arrested for
contempt of court after refusing to look at Crown's body. He returns to Catfish
Row much richer after playing craps with his cellmates. He gives gifts to the
residents, and pulls out a beautiful red dress for Bess. He does not understand
why everyone seems so uneasy at his return. He sees Clara's baby is now with
Serena and realizes something is wrong. He asks where Bess is. Maria and Serena
tell him that Bess has run off with Sportin' Life to New York ("Oh Bess,
Oh Where's my Bess?"). Porgy calls for his goat cart, and resolves to leave
Catfish Row to find her. He prays for strength, and begins his journey.
("Oh, Lawd, I'm on my way")
1938
DALLAPICCOLA, Volo di notte: melodramma in un atto,
tratto dal romanzo d’Antonio di Saint-Exupery. Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires.
Prima: Oct. 23 2016. Other peformances: 25 and 26. Musical director: C.
Baldini. Stage design: M. Znaniecki. Assistant stage director: Z. Dowja. Set
design: L. Scoglio. Costumes: J. Medynska. Lights: B. Palewicz Personnagi. RIVIÈRE:
V. Torres PÉLLERIN: S. Ballerini SIMONA FABIEN: D. Tabernig. OPERADOR DE RADIO:
S. Spina ROBINEAU, UN INSPECTOR: C. Esquivel. The main character of the
meldramma is an aviator, a long-distance mail carrier, during the early days of
flying. He is caught in a storm, with no way to land; and the melodrama occurs
both within his family, anxious for his safe return, and among his employers,
anxious both for his safe return and the success of their enterprise.
IL PRIGIONIERO: melodramma in un prologo e un atto, 1944, tratto
dalla “Tortura per la speranza” nei “Nuovi racconti di crueli” di Augusto
Villiers dell’Isola d’Adamo e da Carlo di Coster, “La leggenda di Thyl
Ulenspiegel e da Lamme Goedzak”. Madre del Prigionero, A. Mastrangelo. PRISIONERO,
L. Estévez; CARCELERO, F. Chalabe; GRAN INQUISIDOR, F. Chalabe. The melodramma opens inside a cell in the inquisitor's prison
with the prisoner and his mother speaking. The prisoner speaks of his torture
and suffering, and also of how the gaoler has brought back his hope and faith,
and has made him wish to return to prayer as he did as a child. The gaoler interrupts
the conversation with news that Flanders is in revolt and that the bell of
Roelandt could soon ring out again, trying to bring new hope to the prisoner.
As the gaoler leaves with the words, “There is one who watches over you. Have
faith, brother, sleep now, and hope," he also does not close the cell door
completely. Upon noticing this, the prisoner rushes out. The action moves out of the
cell and follows the prisoner on his attempt at escape through the underground
passages of the prison. While trying to escape, the prisoner sees but is not
seen by a torturer and is passed unnoticed by two monks too deep in theological
discussion to take notice of him. The prisoner finally believes he can smell
fresh air, and when he hears a bell he believes to be that of Roelandt, he
opens a door to what he hopes is freedom. The final scene finds the prisoner in a garden at night. He is
exuberant at having escaped and moves towards a great cedar tree that is in the
foreground. He makes as if to hug the tree, only to be embraced by the words
and sight of the grand inquisitor, who is seemingly a part of the tree. The
grand inquisitor asks the prisoner, “why do you want to leave us now, on the
very eve of your salvation?”. At this point, the prisoner comes around to the
thought that perhaps his ultimate salvation is to be gained from the stake. The
melodramma concludes with the prisoner's enigmatic whisper of “freedom?”
1847
VERDI, MACBETTO: melodramma
in quattro atti, su libretto di Piave, tratto da Shakespeare. Teatro Colon,
Buenos Aires. Prima: Sept. 27 2016. Other performances: Oct. 1, 2, 4, 5 y 7. Musical
director: S. Ranzani, stage director: M. Lombardero, light design, D. Siliano,
costume design, L. Gutman, light design: H. Efron, projection design: D.
Siliano PERSONAGGI: . MACBETH (baritono) J. Lagunes/F. Veloz LADY MACBETH
(soprano) C. Taigi/M. Ferracani BANQUO: A. Teliga/H. Pérez Miranda MACDUFF
(tenor) G. Manzitti ("Ah, la paterna
mano"). . DAMA DE LADY MACBETH: R. Giordano MALCOLM: G. Weckesser DOCTOR: I.
García.
In ATTO I, in Scotland, in the 11th
century, at a heath, groups of witches gather in a wood beside a battlefield, exchanging
stories of the evils they have done. The victorious generals Macbetto and Banco
enter. The witches hail Macbetto as ‘thane of Glamis’, a title he already holds
by inheritance, ‘thane of Cawdor’, and king hereafter. Banco is greeted as lesser
than Macbetto but greater, never a king himself, but the progenitor of a line
of future kings. The witches vanish. Messengers from the king appear naming
Macbetto, thane of Cawdor. Macbetto protests that the holder of that title is
still alive. The messengers reply that the former thane has been executed as a
traitor. Banco mistrusts the witches and is horrified to find that they have
spoken the truth. Macbetto and Banco muse that the first of the witches' prophecies
has been fulfilled. Macbetto ponders how close he is to the throne, and whether
fate will crown him without his taking action, yet dreams of blood and
treachery, while Banco ponders on whether the minions of hell will sometimes
reveal an honest truth in order to lead one to future damnation. At Macbeth's castle, lady
Macbeth reads a letter from Macbetto telling
of the encounter with the witches. She is determined to propel Macbeth to the
throne, by fair means or foul (“Vieni,
t'affretta”, Come! Hurry!"). Lady Macbeth is advised that King Duncan
will stay in the castle that night; she is determined to see him killed (Or tutti, sorgete/ "Arise now,
all you ministers of hell"). When Macbetto returns, she urges him to take
the opportunity to kill the King. The King and the nobles arrive and Macbetto
is emboldened to carry out the murder (Mi
si affaccia un pugnal?/"Is this a dagger which I see before
me?") but afterwards is filled with horror. Disgusted at his cowardice,
Lady Macbeth completes the crime, incriminating the sleeping guards by smearing
them with Duncan's blood and planting on them Macbeth's dagger. Macduff arrives for an appointment with the king, while Banco
stands guard, only for Macduff instead to discover the murder. He rouses the
castle while Banco also bears witness to the fact of Duncan's murder. The
chorus calls on God to avenge the killing (Schiudi, inferno/ "Open wide thy gaping maw, O Hell"). In act II, in a room in the
castle. Macbetto is now
king: Duncan's son Malcolm has fled the country, suspicion having conveniently
fallen on him for his father's murder. But Macbeth is still disturbed by the
prophecy that Banco, not he, will found a great royal line. To prevent this he
tells his wife that he will have both Banco and his son murdered as they come
to a banquet (“La luce langue”/
"The light fades"). Lady Macbeth exults in the powers of darkness. Outside the castle, a gang of
murderers lie in wait. Banco is apprehensive (Come dal ciel precipita/O, how the darkness falls from
heaven"). Banco is caught, but enables his son Fleanzio to escape. At a dining hall in the castle. Macbetto
receives the guests and Lady Macbeth sings a brindisi (Si colmi il
calice/Fill up the cup). The assassination is reported to Macbetto but
when he returns to the table the ghost of Banco is sitting in his place. Macbetto
raves at the ghost and the horrified guests believe he has gone mad. Lady
Macbeth manages to calm the situation once - and even mocks it by calling for a
toast to the absent Banco (whose death is not yet public knowledge), only for
the ghost to appear a second time and terrify Macbetto into insanity again.
Macduff resolves to leave the country, saying it is ruled by a cursed hand and
only the wicked may remain: the other guests are terrified by Macbeth's talk of
ghosts, phantoms and witches. The banquet ends abruptly with their hurried,
frightened departure. In Act III, the witches' cave. The witches gather around a cauldron
in a dark cave. Macbeth enters and they conjure up three apparitions for him.
The first advises him to beware of Macduff. The second tells him that he cannot
be harmed by a man 'born of woman'. The third that he cannot be conquered till
Birnam Wood marches against him (O
lieto augurio/O, happy augury! No wood has ever moved by magic power). Macbetto
is then shown the ghost of Banco and his descendants, eight future Kings of
Scotland, verifying the original prophecy (Fuggi regal fantasima/Begone, royal phantom that reminds me of
Banco). Macbetto collapses, but regains consciousness in the castle. The act
ends with Macbeth recovering and resolving to assert his authority: Vada in fiamme, e in polve cada/Macduff's
lofty stronghold shall be set fire). A herald announces the arrival of the
Queen (Duet: Vi trovo alfin!/I've
found you at last). Macbetto tells his wife about his encounter with the
witches and they resolve to track down and kill Banco's son, as well as Macduff
and his family (whom they do not yet know has already fled the country).
(Duet: Ora di morte e di vendetta /
"Hour of death and of vengeance"). In Act 4, near the
border between England and Scotland. Scottish refugees stand near the
English border (Patria oppressa/Down-trodden
country"): While each version uses the same libretto, the music of this
chorus is different. It begins with a less ominous, much shorter orchestral
introduction and is sung straight through by the entire chorus. In a revised
version: the music is divided into sections for the male and female members,
then it unites them towards the end. The revised version is 2 minutes longer
than the original.In the distance lies Birnam Wood. Macduff is determined to
avenge the deaths of his wife and children at the hands of the tyrant (Ah, la paterna mano/Ah, the paternal
hand). He is joined by Malcolm, the son of King Duncan, and the English army.
Malcolm orders each soldier to cut a branch from a tree in Birnam Wood and
carry it as they attack Macbeth's army. They are determined to liberate
Scotland from tyranny (La patria
tradita/Our country betrayed). At
Macbeth's castle, a doctor and a servant observe the Queen as she walks
in her sleep, wringing her hands and attempting to clean them of blood (Una macchia è qui tuttora/ Yet here's
a spot). She raves about the deaths of both Duncan and Banco, and even about
the deaths of Macduff's family, and that all the perfumes of Arabia would not
clean the blood off her hands: all are things that the horrified witnesses
would never dare to repeat to any living man. Scene 3: The battlefield. Macbeth has learned that an army of
Scottish rebels backed by England is advancing against him, but is reassured by
remembering the words of the apparitions, that no man born of woman can harm
him. However in an aria (Pietà,
rispetto, amore/Compassion, honour, love) he contemplates the fact that
he is already hated and feared: there will be no compassion, honour and love
for him in his old age even if he wins this battle, nor kind words on a royal
tomb, only curses and hatred. He receives the news of the Queen's death with
indifference. Rallying his troops he learns that Birnam Wood has indeed come to
his castle. Battle is joined. Macduff
pursues and fights Macbeth who falls. He tells Macbeth that he was not
"born of woman" but "ripped" from his mother's womb.
Fighting continues. Mortally wounded, Macbeth, in a final aria, Mal per me che m'affidai/
"Trusting in the prophecies of Hell" - proclaims that trusting in
these prophecies has caused his downfall. He dies on stage, while Macduff's men
proclaim Malcolm to be the new King. Macduff pursues and fights Macbeth who
falls wounded. He tells Macbeth that he was not "born of woman" but
"untimely ripped" from his mother's womb. Macbeth responds in anguish
(Cielo/Heaven) and the two
continue fighting, then disappear from view. Macduff returns indicating to his
men that he has killed Macbeth. He then turns to Malcolm, hailing him as King.
The scene ends with a hymn to victory sung by bards, soldiers, and Scottish
women (Salve o re/Hail, oh King).
Malcolm as King, and Macduff as hero, together swear to restore the realm to
greatness.
1900
PUCCINI, TOSCA: melodramma in tre atti, su libretto
di Illica e Giacosa, tratto da Sardou. Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires. Estreno: Ag.
20 1016. Other performances: 23, 26, 28, 30 and 31. Musical director: Carlos Vieu.
Set designs, scenography, and lights: R. Oswald. Stage director: A. Lápiz. Assistant
director: C. Prego. Assitant lights:: R. Conde. Assistant costume: A. Lápiz. PERSONAGGI:
FLORIA TOSCA: E. Westbroek/E. Senda: MARIO CAVARADOSSI: M. Álvarez/E. Folger. BARON
SCARPIA: C. Álvarez/F. Veloz SACRISTÁN: L. Gaeta/G. Gibert.
In Act 1, inside the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle, Cesare
Angelotti, former consul of the Roman Republic and now an escaped political
prisoner, runs into the church and hides in the Attavanti private chapel – his
sister, the Marchesa Attavanti, has left a key to the chapel hidden at the feet
of the statue of the Madonna.
The elderly Sacristan enters
and begins cleaning. The Sacristan kneels in prayer as the Angelus sounds. The painter Mario Cavaradossi arrives to
continue work on his picture of Mary
Magdalene. The Sacristan identifies a
likeness between the portrait and a blonde-haired woman who has been visiting
the church recently (unknown to him, it is Angelotti's sister the Marchesa).
Cavaradossi describes the "hidden harmony" ("Recondita
armonia") in the contrast between the
blonde beauty of his painting and his dark-haired lover, the singer Floria
Tosca. The Sacristan mumbles his disapproval before leaving. Angelotti emerges and tells
Cavaradossi, an old friend who has republican sympathies, that he is being
pursued by the Chief of Police, Baron Scarpia. Cavaradossi promises to assist
him after nightfall. Tosca's voice is heard, calling to Cavaradossi.
Cavaradossi gives Angelotti his basket of food and Angelotti hurriedly returns
to his hiding place. Tosca enters and suspiciously asks Cavaradossi what he has
been doing – she thinks that he has been talking to another woman. Cavaradossi
reassures her and Tosca tries to persuade him to take her to his villa that
evening: "Non la sospiri, la nostra casetta" ("Do you not long for
our little cottage"). She then expresses jealousy over the woman in the
painting, whom she recognises as the Marchesa Attavanti. Cavaradossi explains
the likeness; he has merely observed the Marchesa at prayer in the church. He
reassures Tosca of his fidelity and asks her what eyes could be more beautiful
than her own: "Qual'occhio al mondo/What eyes in the world"). After
Tosca has left, Angelotti reappears and discusses with the painter his plan to
flee disguised as a woman, using clothes left in the chapel by his sister.
Cavaradossi gives Angelotti a key to his villa, suggesting that he hide in a
disused well in the garden. The
sound of a cannon signals that Angelotti's escape has been discovered. He and
Cavaradossi hasten out of the church. The Sacristan re-enters with choristers,
celebrating the news that Napoleon has apparently been defeated at Marengo. The
celebrations cease abruptly with the entry of Scarpia, his henchman Spoletta
and several police agents. They have heard that Angelotti has sought refuge in
the church. Scarpia orders a search, and the empty food basket and a fan
bearing the Attavanti coat of arms are found in the chapel. Scarpia questions
the Sacristan, and his suspicions are aroused further when he learns that
Cavaradossi has been in the church; Scarpia mistrusts the painter, and believes
him complicit in Angelotti's escape. When Tosca arrives looking for her lover,
Scarpia artfully arouses her jealous instincts by implying a relationship
between the painter and the Marchesa Attavanti. He draws Tosca's attention to
the fan and suggests that someone must have surprised the lovers in the chapel.
Tosca falls for his deceit; enraged, she rushes off to confront Cavaradossi.
Scarpia orders Spoletta and his agents to follow her, assuming she will lead
them to Cavaradossi and Angelotti. He privately gloats as he reveals his
intentions to possess Tosca and execute Cavaradossi. A procession enters the
church singing the Te Deum;
exclaiming 'Tosca, you make me forget even God!', Scarpia joins the chorus in
the prayer. In Act 2, Scarpia's apartment in the Palazzo Farnese, that evening Scarpia,
at supper, sends a note to Tosca asking her to come to his apartment. He has
been unable to find Angelotti, but has arrested Cavaradossi. As Cavaradossi is
brought in and questioned, the voice of Tosca, singing a celebratory cantata in another room in the Palace, can be heard.
Cavaradossi denies knowing anything about Angelotti's escape. Tosca arrives,
just in time to see her lover taken to an antechamber to be tortured. He is
able to speak briefly with her, telling her to say nothing. Tosca is told by
Scarpia that she can save her lover from indescribable pain if she reveals
Angelotti's hiding place. She resists, but hearing Cavaradossi's cries of pain,
eventually tells Scarpia that Angelotti is in the well in the garden of
Cavaradossi's villa. Scarpia
orders the torture of Cavaradossi to cease and the wounded painter is brought
back in. He recovers consciousness and, learning of Tosca's betrayal, is
furious with her. Sciarrone, a police agent, enters with news of Napoleon's
victory at Marengo; Cavaradossi gloats, telling Scarpia that his rule of terror
will soon be at an end, before being dragged away by Scarpia's men. Scarpia,
left with Tosca, proposes a bargain: if she gives herself to him, Cavaradossi
will be freed. She is revolted, and repeatedly rejects his advances. Outside
she hears the drums that announce an execution; as Scarpia awaits her decision,
she prays to God for help, asking why He has abandoned her: "Vissi
d'arte" ("I lived for
art"). Scarpia remains adamant despite her pleas. When Spoletta brings
news that Angelotti has killed himself, and that everything is in place for
Cavaradossi's execution, Tosca, in despair, agrees to submit to Scarpia in
return for Cavaradossi's freedom. Scarpia tells his deputy Spoletta to arrange
a mock execution, both recalling that it will be "as we did with Count
Palmieri". Following
Spoletta's departure, Tosca imposes the further condition that Scarpia provide
a safe-conduct out of Rome for herself and her lover. While he is signing the
document, Tosca quietly takes a knife from the supper table. As Scarpia
triumphantly embraces her, she stabs him, crying "this is Tosca's kiss!".
As Scarpia falls dead, she declares that she now forgives him. She removes the
safe-conduct from his pocket, lights candles in a gesture of piety and places a
crucifix on the body before leaving. In
Act 3, at the upper parts of
the Castel Sant'Angelo, early the following morning, a
shepherd boy sings (in Romanesco
dialect) "Io de' sospiri" ("I
give you sighs") as church bells sound for matins. Cavaradossi is led in by guards and informed that he has
one hour to live. He refuses to see a priest, but asks permission to write a
letter to Tosca. He begins to write, but is soon overwhelmed by memories (E lucevan le stelle/And
the stars shone). Tosca enters and shows him the safe-conduct. She tells him
that she has killed Scarpia and that the imminent execution is a sham:
Cavaradossi must feign death, but afterwards they can leave Rome together,
before Scarpia's body is discovered. Cavaradossi is amazed at the courage shown
by one so gentle and tender: "O dolci mani" ("Oh sweet
hands"). The pair ecstatically plan the life they will live away from
Rome. Tosca then anxiously instructs Cavaradossi on how to play his part in the
mock execution convincingly. She tells him that he will be shot with blanks by
the firing squad and instructs him to fall down as if dead. He agrees to act
"like Tosca in the theatre". Cavaradossi
is led away, and Tosca watches with increasing impatience as the execution is
prepared. The men fire, Cavaradossi falls, and Tosca exclaims "Ecco un
artista!" ("What an actor!"). When the soldiers have all left,
she hurries towards Cavaradossi, only to find that he is really dead; Scarpia
has betrayed her. Heartbroken, she clasps his lifeless body and weeps. The
voices of Spoletta, Sciarrone and soldiers are heard, indicating that Scarpia's
body has been found, and that Tosca is known to have killed him. As Spoletta,
Sciarrone and the soldiers rush in, Tosca rises, evades their clutches, and
runs to the parapet. Crying "O Scarpia, Avanti a Dio!" (O Scarpia, we
meet before God), she hurls herself over the edge to her death.
1964
ZIMMERMANN, I SOLDATI: melodramma
in quattro atti di Zimmermann tratto da Lenz. Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires.
Prima: July 12, 2016. Other perforamnces: 15, 17, 19 and 20. Musical director: B.
Brönnimann. Assistant musical director: H. Kussel. Stage director: P. Maritano.
Set designs: E. Bordolini . Costume design: S. Nunzio. Video design: E.
Szwarcer. PERSONAGGI: MARIE: S. Elmark.
CHARLOTTE: J. Riley CONDESA DE LA ROCHE: N. Nadelmann. DESPORTES: T. Randle STOLZIUS:
L. Melrose. WESENER: F. Olsen . HIJO DEL CONDE: S. Ballerini. EISENHARDT: H. Iturralde.
MADRE DE STOLZIUS: E. Fuentes. MADRE DE WESSENER: V. Dupuy. CAPT. PIRZEL: I. Maier. OFICIALES: C. Ullán, S.
Bürgi, N. Aufer CAPT. MARY: A. Meerapfel. CAPT. HAUDY: L. Garay. CONDE OBRIST: C.
Marco.
In ATTO I, Marie
has moved from Armentières to Lille with her father Wesener, a fancy goods
merchant. She writes a letter to the mother of her fiancé, Stolzius, a young
draper in Armentières, while her sister Charlotte does needlework. Charlotte’s
aria: Herz, kleines Ding, uns zu
quälen. An argument breaks out between the sisters, Charlotte being
scornful of Marie's love for Stolzius. Stolzius has been lovesick since Marie's
departure for Lille, but he is encouraged when his mother brings him a letter. Desportes
is a French-serving nobleman from Hainaut,
and one of Wesener's customers. He courts the commoner Marie and wins her
affection. Her father, however, forbids her to go with him to the theatre: for
a commoner to accompany an officer in public would damage the family name. At
the trenches in Armentières, officers discuss with Padre Eisenhardt the
relative merits of comedy. Captain Haudy, one of the officers, holds the view
that it has more value than a sermon. Eisenhardt maintains that comedy
undermines the soldiers' sense of what is right – their loose morals have
already brought misery to countless young women. Haudy counters with the
argument, "once a whore, always a whore". No, replies Eisenhardt, a
whore would never be a whore if she were not forced to become one. Wesener
advises his daughter to be cautious in her dealings with Desportes, although he
secretly harbours the hope that she may marry the young aristocrat. In the
meantime, he says, it would not be wise to give up Stolzius altogether. As
stormclouds gather, Marie grows anxious at what lies ahead and the dilemma
builds in her heart. In ATTO II the officers discuss politics and philosophize,
at the Madame Roux’s café. When the Colonel and Eisenhardt leave, a jazzy dance
begins (Rondeau à la marche), led by the Andalusian waitress (O Angst, Tausendfach Leben/Götter wir sind).
After five couplets, this screeches to a halt upon the return of the
Colonel and Eisenhardt with Haudy. Stolzius arrives. The officers make
insinuating remarks about Marie's relationship with Desportes. Maria has
received a reproachful letter from Stolzius. Maria reads it in tears. Desportes
enters. He scornfully dictates to her a brusque reply. His flattery finally has
the desired effect: his spot with Maria is won. In the room next door,
Wesener's mother sings the song, “Rösel
aus Hennegay” with its prophetic line: some day your cross will come to you. On a partitioned stage
appear Marie and Desportes as a couple engrossed in love play, and Stolzius and
his mother, trying to convince her son that having broken off his engagement,
the soldier's whore Maria is not worthy of him. Stolzius defends Maria and
swears revenge on Desportes.. In ATTO
III, a conversation between Eisenhardt and Capt. Pirzel, whose odd
behaviour is portrayed as the result of the monotony of military service,
reveals that Capt. Mary, a friend of Desportes, is to be transferred from
Armentières to Lille.. In order to move closer to Maria Stolzius offers Capt.
Mary his services as a batman.. Desportes has left Maria. When Maria starts
accepting gifts from Capt. Mary, her sister Carlotta labels her a soldier's
girl. Maria claims she only behaved in this way in order to get news of
Desportes. Capt. Mary invites Maria and Carlotta for a drive; neither of them
recognizes the identity of his batman Stolzius. Gräfin de la Roche reproaches
her son, the count, for his behaviour toward Maria. Maria advises him to leave
town and, in order to protect Marie from the advances of other officers, she
declares herself willing to take the girl into her own house as a companion. The
Gräfin goes to find Marie at Wesener's house. In Charlotte's presence, she
makes her offer, persuading Marie it is the only way she can now save her
honour. Ach, ihr Wünsche junger Jahre.
In ATTO IV, what the future holds in store for Marie is a living
nightmare. Having turned down the Gräfin's offer in order to try to renew her
contact with Desportes, she is now subjected by Desportes to the attentions of
his young gamekeeper, who makes a brutal sexual assault. Dishonored and
discredited, Marie wanders aimlessly while the Gräfin, the Young Count, Wesener,
Charlotte, Pirzel, and Eisenhardt all search for her. In Scene 2, Captain Mary and Desportes
are eating their evening meal. Stolzius, who is serving them, overhears their
conversation and learns of Marie's fate. He hands Desportes a bowl of poisoned
soup and, before drinking some of the soup himself, triumphantly reveals his
identity to the dying Desportes. Stolzius dies. As Eisenhardt sings the Pater noster, Marie, now sunk to the
level of a street beggar, encounters her father and asks him for alms. Wesener
does not recognize her, but, out of concern for his daughter, gives her money.
He then joins an endless procession of enslaved and fallen soldiers, in which
the drunken officers also take part. The procession builds to a vision of Hell:
one human is raped by another, the individual by the collective conscience and,
in this instance, by the power of the army.
1689
PURCELL, “ENEA E DIDONE, versione di Attilio
Cremonesi, melodramma in un prologo e tre atti, su libretto di Nahum Tate,
tratto dal Canto IV dell’Eneide di Virgilio. DIDO Y ENEAS, Teatro Colon, Buenos
Aires. Estreno: Junio 7, 2016. Otras funciones: 8, 10, 11 y 12. Musical
director: C. Moulds. Choreography: S. Waltz.Set designs: T. Schenk y S. Waltz. Light
designs: T. Reuther. Costume designs: C. Birkle. Orchestra: Academy for Old
Music, Berlino. Chorus: Vocal consort, Berlino.
PERSONAGGI: DIDONE: A. Ugolin
(voz)/Y. Schnell (danza). ENEA: R. Willcox (voz)/V. Puodziunas (danza) BELINDA:
D. York (voz)/S. Queliz (danza)
In ATTO I, at her court, Dido is with her attendants. Her attendant
Belinda tries to cheer up Dido. But Dido is full of sorrow and says that peace
and her are “strangers grown”. Belinda believes the source of this grief to be
the Trojan Enea, and suggests that Carthage's troubles could be resolved by a
marriage between the two. Didone and Belinda talk for a time. Dido fears that
her love will make her a weak monarch. Belinda and another attendant reassure
her that “the hero loves as well.” Enea enters the court and is at first
received coldly by Didone. She eventually accepts his proposal of marriage. In
ATTO II, at a cave, a sorcerer is
plotting the destruction of Carthage and its queen, and summons companions to
help with evil plans. The plan is to send a trusted elf disguised as Mercurio,
someone to whom Eneas will surely listen, to tempt him to leave Didone and sail
to Italy. This would leave Didone heartbroken, and she would surely die. The
chorus join in with terrible laughter, and the sorceress decides to conjure up
a storm to make Didone and her train leave the grove and return to the palace.
When the spell is prepared, the witches vanish in a thunderclap. At a
grove during the middle of a hunt, Enea and Didone are accompanied by their
train. They stop at the grove to take in its beauty. A lot of action is going
on, with attendants carrying goods from the hunt and a picnic possibly taking
place. Enea and Didone are together within the activity. This is all stopped
when Didone hears distant thunder, prompting Belinda to tell the servants to
prepare for a return to shelter as soon as possible. As every other character
leaves the stage, Enea is stopped by the sorceress's elf (disguised as
Mercurio). This pretend Mercurio brings the command of GIOVE that Enea is to
wait no longer in beginning his task of creating a new Troy on Latin soil. Enea
consents to the wishes of what he believes are the gods, but is heart-broken
that he will have to leave Didone. Enea then goes to prepare for his departure
from Carthage. In ATTO III,
at the harbor, preparations are being made for the departure of the Enea’s
fleet. The sailors sing a song, which is followed shortly by the sorceress and
her companions' sudden appearance. The group is pleased at how well their plan
has worked, and the sorceress describes her further plans for the destruction
of Eneas in the ocean. All the characters begin to clear the stage after a
dance and then disperse. At the palace Didone and Belinda are shocked at
Eneas’ disappearance. Didone is distraught and Belinda comforts her. Suddenly
Enea returns. But Didone is full of fear before Enea speaks. His words only
serve to confirm her suspicions. Didone derides Enea’s reasons for leaving, and
even when Enea says he will defy the gods and not leave Carthage, Didone rejects
him for having once thought of leaving her. After Didone forces Enea to leave,
she states that death must come when he is gone. Dido's come to a conclusion,
as the Queen of Carthage sings her last aria, When
I am laid in Earth. The chorus concludes the opera once
Dido is dead by ordering the cupids to scatter roses on her tomb, soft and
gentle as her heart, to keep there their watch, never to part.
1805
BEETHOVEN, FIDELIO: melodramma in due atti, su libretto
di Giuseppe Sonnleithner, tratto da Bouilly. Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires. Prima:
maggio 17, 2016. Other performances: 20, 21, 22 and 24. Musical director: F.
Rettig.Stage director, stage design and costume design: Eugenio Zanetti. Assistant
set and costume: S. Sabas. Light: E. Sirlin. PERSONAGGI: FLORESTÁN: Z.
Todorovich/E. Folger. LEONORA (FIDELIO): E. Matos/C. Filipcic. PIZARRO: H.
Miranda/L. Estévez. DON FERNANDO: H. Iturralde/A. Meerapfel. ROCCO: M. Hemm/L.
Debevec. MARCELINA: J. Livieri/O. Favaro. JAQUINO: S. Bürgi/A. Quiroga.
In Act I, in Seville, in the late 18th
century, at a Spanish state miles a few miles from Seville, two years prior to
the opening scene, the nobleman Florestan has exposed or attempted to expose
certain crimes of the nobleman Pizarro. In revenge, Pizarro has secretly
imprisoned Florestan in the prison over which he is governor. The jailer of the
prison, Rocco, has a daughter, Marzelline, and a servant Jaquino. Florestan's
wife, Leonore, came to Rocco's door dressed as a boy seeking employment named
Fidelio, and Rocco hired her. On orders, Rocco has been giving Florestan
diminishing rations until he is nearly starved to death. Jaquino and Marzelline
are alone in Rocco's house. Jaquino asks Marzelline when she will agree to
marry him, but she says that she will never marry him now that she has fallen
in love with Fidelio. She is unaware that Fidelio is actually Leonore in
disguise. ("Jetzt,
Schätzchen, jetzt sind wir allein"
[Now, darling, now we are alone]). Jaquino leaves, and Marzelline expresses her
desire to become Fidelio's wife ("O wär ich schon mit dir vereint" [If only I were already united with thee]). Rocco
enters, looking for Fidelio. Fidelio enters carrying a heavy load of newly
repaired chains. Rocco compliments Fidelio, and misinterprets her modest reply
as hidden attraction to his daughter. Marzelline, Leonore, Rocco, and Jaquino
sing a quartet about the love Marzelline has for Fidelio (Mir ist so wunderbar/A wondrous feeling fills me). Rocco tells Leonore that as
soon as the governor has left for Seville, she and Marzelline can be married.
He tells them, however, that unless they have money, they will not be happy. (Hat man nicht
auch Gold beineben/If you don't have money on you).
Leonore says that she wants something else at least as much as money: to know
why Rocco will not permit her to help him in the dungeons, because he always
comes back out of breath. Rocco says that there is a prison where he can never
take her, and inside is a man who has wasted away for two years because of his
powerful enemies. Marzelline begs her father to keep Leonore away from such a
terrible sight. Instead Rocco and Leonore sing of courage (Gut, Söhnchen,
gut/All right, sonny, all right), and
soon Marzelline joins in their acclamations. All but Rocco leave. A march is played as Pizarro enters with guards. Rocco gives
Pizarro a message with a warning that the minister plans a surprise visit
tomorrow to investigate accusations that Pizarro is a tyrant. Pizarro exclaims
that he cannot let the minister discover the imprisoned Don Florestan, who has
been thought dead. Instead, Pizarro will murder Florestan (Ha, welch ein
Augenblick/Hah! What a moment). Pizarro orders
that a trumpet be sounded at the minister's arrival. He offers Rocco money to
kill Florestan, but Rocco refuses ("Jetzt, Alter, jetzt hat es Eile!" [Now, old man, we must hurry!]), and instead Pizarro
orders him to dig a grave in the ruined well in the dungeons. When the grave is
ready, Rocco should sound the alarm. Pizarro will then come disguised into the
dungeon, and kill Florestan himself. Leonore has seen Pizarro plotting. She is
agitated, but thoughts of her husband calm her down (Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin, Komm,
Hoffnung, lass den letzten Stern/Scum, where
are you off to so fast, Come, hope, let the last star). Jaquino begs Marzelline
to marry him, but she refuses. Leonore, hoping to find Florestan, asks Rocco to
let the poor prisoners roam in the garden and enjoy the beautiful weather.
Marzelline also begs him, and Rocco agrees to distract Pizarro while the
prisoners are set free. The prisoners, overjoyed at their freedom, sing
joyfully (O welche lust/O what a joy), but, remembering that they could be caught,
are soon quiet. Rocco reenters and tells Leonore of his success with Pizarro:
Pizarro will allow the marriage, and Leonore will be permitted to join Rocco on
his rounds in the dungeon (Nun sprecht, wie ging's/Speak,
how did it go). They prepare to go to the cell of a prisoner who, says Rocco,
must be killed and buried within the hour. Leonore is so shaken that Rocco
tries to persuade her to stay behind, but she insists on coming. As they
prepare to leave, Jaquino and Marzelline rush in and tell Rocco to run: Pizarro
has learned that the prisoners are free, and he is furious ("Ach, Vater,
Vater, eilt/O, father, father, hurry). Before
they can move, Pizarro enters and demands an explanation. Rocco pretends that
they are celebrating the King's naming day, and suggests quietly that Pizarro
save his anger for the prisoner in the dungeons below. Pizarro tells him to
hurry and dig the grave, then announces that the prisoners will be shut in
again. Rocco, Leonore, Jacquino, and Marzelline reluctantly usher the prisoners
back to their cells (Leb wohl, du warmes Sonnenlicht/Adieu,
warm sunshine). In Act II, Florestan is
alone in his cell, deep inside the dungeons. He sings first of his trust in
God, then has a vision of Leonore coming to save him (Gott! Welch Dunkel hier/God! What darkness here. In des Lebens Frühlingstagen/In the spring days of life. He collapses and falls asleep.
Rocco and Leonore come to dig his grave and find him asleep. As they dig Rocco
urges Leonore to hurry (Wie kalt ist es in diesem unterirdischen Gewölbe/How cold it is in this underground chamber]/Nur hurtig
fort, nur frisch gegraben/Come get to work and dig). This is
the Gravedigging Duet. Florestan awakes and Leonore recognizes him. When
Florestan learns at last that he is in Pizarro's prison, he asks that a message
be sent to his wife, Leonore Florestan, but Rocco says it is impossible.
Florestan begs for a drop to drink, and Rocco tells Leonore to give him one.
Florestan does not recognize Leonore but tells her she will be rewarded in
Heaven ("Euch werde Lohn
in bessern Welten" [You shall be rewarded in
better worlds]). She begs Rocco to be allowed to give Florestan a crust of
bread, and he agrees. Florestan eats. Rocco obeys his orders and sounds the
alarm for Pizarro, who appears and asks if all is ready. Rocco says that it is
and tells Leonore to leave, but instead she hides. Pizarro reveals his identity
to Florestan, who accuses him of murder (Er sterbe, doch er soll erst wissen/Let him die! But first he should know). As Pizarro
brandishes a dagger, Leonore leaps between him and Florestan and reveals her
identity. Pizarro raises his dagger to kill her but she pulls a gun and
threatens to shoot him. Just then the trumpet is heard, announcing the arrival
of the minister. Jaquino enters, followed by soldiers, to announce that the
minister is waiting at the gate. Rocco tells the soldiers to escort Governor
Pizarro upstairs. Florestan and Leonore sing to their victory as Pizarro
declares he will have revenge, and Rocco expresses his fear of what is to come
(Es schlägt der
Rache Stunde/Revenge's bell tolls). Together,
Florestan and Leonore sing a love duet ("O namenlose Freude!/O unnamed joy). Here overture "Leonore No. 3" is
sometimes played. The prisoners and townsfolk sing to the day and hour of
justice which has come (Heil sei dem Tag, Hail to the day). The minister, Don
Fernando, announces that tyranny has ended. Rocco enters, with Leonore and
Florestan, and he asks Don Fernando to help them (Wohlan, so helfet! Helft den Armen/So help! Help the poor ones). Rocco explains how Leonore
disguised herself as Fidelio to save her husband. Marzelline is shocked. Rocco
describes Pizarro's murder plot, and Pizarro is led away to prison. Florestan
is released from his chains by Leonore, and the crowd sings the praises of
Leonore, the loyal savior of her husband (Wer ein holdes Weib errungen/Who has got a good wife).
1787
MOZART, DON GIOVANNI: melodramma in due atti, su
libretto di Lorenzo da Ponte. di Mozart, libretto di Lorenzo da Ponte. Teatro
Colon, Buenos Aires. Prima, Apr. 5, 2016. Other performances: 6, 8, 9, 10 and
12. Conducted by M. Piollet, stage director by E. Sagi, stage design by D.
Bianco, costume designs by R. Schussheim, light design by R. Conde. DON GIOVANNI,
E. Schrott/H. Miranda; DONNA ANNA: P. Almerares/D. Tabernig; DONNA ELVIRA, M.
Bayo/M. Ferracani; DON OTTAVIO ("Dalla sua pace"), D. Korchak/S.
Bürgi; LEPORELLO, S. Orfila/L. Debevec; ZERLINA, J. Livieri/M. Pavón. MASETTO, M.
Salvo; IL COMMENDATORE, L. Debevec. Hit:
“Dalla sua pace la mia dipende.”
In Act I, in the the
garden of the Commendatore, Leporello, Giovanni's servant, complains of
his lot (Notte e giorno
faticar/Night and day I slave away).
Leporell is keeping watch while Giovanni enters the Commendatore's house to
rape his daughter Anna.. He is masked and Anna insists on knowing identity (Non sperar, se
non m'uccidi ch'io ti lasci fuggir mai/Do
not hope unless you kill me, that I shall ever let you run away). Before he can
break free from her grasp she cries for help. The Commendatore appears and
forces Giovanni to fight a duel while Anna flees. Giovanni kills the
Commendatore with his sword and escapes with Leporello. Anna returns with her
fiancé Ottavio and is horrified to see her father lying dead in a pool of
blood. She makes Ottavio swear vengeance against the unknown murderer (Ah, vendicar,
se il puoi, giura quel sangue ognor/Ah,
swear to avenge that blood if you can). In a public square outside Giovanni's palace, Giovanni and
Leporello arrive and hear Elvira sing of having been abandoned by her lover.
She is seeking revenge (Ah, chi mi dice mai/ah, who could ever tell me). Giovanni
starts to flirt with Elvira. It turns out it is he the former lover she is weeping
about. Elvira and Giovanni recognise each other. Elvira reproaches him
bitterly. He shoves Leporello forward, ordering him to tell Elvira the truth and
then hurries away. Leporello tells Elvira that Giovanni is not worth her
feelings for him: he is unfaithful to everyone, his conquests include 640 women
in Italy, 231 in Germany, 100 in France, 91 in Turkey, and 1,003 in Spain (Madamina il catalogo è questo/My dear lady, this is the catalogue). Elvira vows
vengeance. In the open country,
a marriage procession enters with Zerlina and Masetto. Giovanni and Leporello
arrive. Giovanni is attracted to Zerlina. He attempts to remove Masetto by
offering to host a wedding celebration at his villa. On realising that Giovanni
means to remain behind with Zerlina, Masetto gets angry (Ho capito, signor, sì/I understand, yes, my lord) but is forced to leave. Zerlina
and Giovanni are soon alone and he immediately begins his seductive arts (Là ci darem la mano/There we will entwine our hands). Elvira arrives and
thwarts the seduction (Ah, fuggi il traditor/Flee from the traitor). Elvira
leaves with Zerlina. Anna and Ottavio enter and plot vengeance on murderer of
Anna's father. Anna, unaware that she is speaking to her attacker, pleads for
Giovanni's help. Giovanni is relieved that he is unrecognized and readily
promises help. He asks who has disturbed her peace. Before Anna can answer,
Elvira returns and tells Anna and Ottavio that Giovanni is a false-hearted
seducer. Giovanni tries to convince Anna and Ottavio that Elvira is insane (Non ti fidar, o
misera/Don't trust him, o sad one).
Giovanni leaves. Anna suddenly recognizes him as her father's murderer and
tells Ottavio the story of his intrusion. She claims she was deceived at first
because she was expecting a night visit from Ottavio himself, but managed to
fight Giovanni off after discovering the imposture, leading to the events we
have already witnessed (Or sai chi l'onore rapire a me volse/Now you know who
wanted to rob me of my honour). Ottavio, not yet convinced -- Anna having only
recognised Giovanni's voice, not seen his face -- resolves to keep an eye on
his friend (Dalla sua pace
la mia dipende/On her peace my peace depends).
Leporello informs Giovanni that all the guests of the peasant wedding are in the
villa and that he distracted Masetto from his jealousy. Zerlina returns with
Elvira, makes a scene and spoils everything. Giovanni remains cheerful and
tells Leporello to organise a party and invite every woman he can find. (Fin ch'han dal
vino calda la testa/Till they are tipsy). They hasten to
the villa. In the garden of Giovanni's
villa, Zerlina follows Masetto and tries to pacify him (Batti, batti o
bel Masetto/Beat, o beat me, handsome Masetto).
Just as Zerlina manages to persuade Masetto of her innocence, Giovanni's voice
from offstage startles and frightens her. Masetto hides, resolving to see for
himself what Zerlina will do when Giovanni arrives. Zerlina tries to hide from Giovanni,
but he finds her and attempts to continue the seduction, until he stumbles upon
Masetto's hiding place. Confused but quickly recovering, Giovanni reproaches
Masetto for leaving Zerlina alone, and returns her temporarily to him. Giovanni
leads both offstage to his ball. Three masked guests – Anna, Ottavio, and
Elvira – enter the garden. From a balcony, Leporello invites the three to his
Giovanni's party. They accept the invitation and Leporello leaves the balcony.
Alone, Ottavio and Anna pray for protection, Elvira for vengeance (Protegga il
giusto cielo/May the just heavens protect us)..
At the ball, as the merriment,
which features three separate chamber orchestras proceeds, Leporello distracts
Masetto by dancing with him, while Giovanni leads Zerlina to a private room.
When Zerlina screams for help, Giovanni tries to fool the onlookers by dragging
Leporello into the room and threatening to kill him for assaulting Zerlina.
Ottavio produces a pistol and the three guests unmask and declare that they
know all. Despite being denounced on all sides, Giovanni escapes. In Act 2, outside Elvira's house Leporello threatens to leave Giovanni.
Giovanni calms Leporello with a peace offering of money (Eh via buffone/Go on,
fool). Wanting to seduce Elvira's maid and believing that she will trust him
better if he appears in lower-class clothes, Giovanni persuades Leporello to
exchange cloak and hat with him. Elvira comes to her window (Ah taci, ingiusto
core/Ah, be quiet unjust heart). Seeing an opportunity for a game, Giovanni
hides and sends Leporello out in the open wearing Giovanni's cloak and hat.
From his hiding place Giovanni sings a promise of repentance, expressing a
desire to return to her and threatening to kill himself if she does not take
him back, while Leporello poses as Giovanni and tries to keep from laughing.
Elvira is convinced and descends to the street. Leporello, continuing to pose
as Giovanni, leads her away to keep her occupied while Giovanni serenades her maid with his mandolin (Deh vieni alla finestra/Ah,
come to the window). Before Giovanni can complete his seduction of the maid,
Masetto and his friends arrive, searching for Giovanni with the intent of killing
him. Giovanni, disguised as Leporello, convinces the posse that he also hates
Giovanni, and joins the hunt. After cunningly dispersing Masetto's friends
(Metà di voi qua vadano/Half of you go this way), Giovanni takes Masetto's
weapons away, beats him up, and runs off, laughing. Zerlina arrives and
consoles the bruised and battered Masetto (Vedrai carino/You'll see, dear one).
In a courtyard, Leporello
abandons Elvira (Sola, sola in buio loco/All alone in this dark place). As
Leporello tries to escape, Ottavio arrives with Anna, consoling her in her
grief. Just as Leporello is about to slip through the door, Zerlina and Masetto
open it and, seeing him dressed as Giovanni, catch him before he can escape.
When Anna and Ottavio notice what is going on, all move to surround Leporello,
threatening him with death. Elvira tries to protect the man who she thinks is
Giovanni, claiming that he is her husband and begging for pity. The other four
are resolved to punish the traitor. Leporello removes his cloak to reveal his identity.
He begs for mercy sees an opportunity to run off (Ah pietà signori miei/Ah,
have mercy, my lords). Ottavio is now convinced that Giovanni was the murderer
of Anna's father and swears vengeance (Il mio tesoro/My treasure). Elvira is sfurious
at Giovanni for betraying her. She also feels sorry for him (Mi tradì
quell'alma ingrate/That ungrateful wretch betrayed me). In a graveyard with the statue of the Commendatore, Leporello tells Giovanni
of his brush with danger. Giovanni taunts him, saying that he took advantage of
his disguise as Leporello by trying to seduce one of Leporello's women. But
Leporello is not amused, suggesting it could have been his wife. Giovanni laughs
aloud at Leporello’s protests. The statue warns Giovanni that his laughter will
not last beyond sunrise. At the command of his master, Leporello reads the
inscription upon the statue, “Here am I waiting for revenge against the
scoundrel who killed me” (Dell'empio
che mi trasse al passo estremo qui attendo la vendetta). Leporello
trembles. The unabashed Giovanni asks Leporello to invite the statue to dinner,
threatening to kill him if he does not. Leporello makes several attempts to invite
the statue to dinner. For fear cannot complete the task (O statua gentilissima/O
most noble statue). It falls upon Giovanni himself to complete the invitation,
thus sealing his own doom. Much to his surprise, the statue nods its head and
responds affirmatively. At Anna's room,
Ottavio pressures Anna to marry him. Anna thinks it inappropriate so soon after
her father's death. Ottavio accuses Anna of being cruel. Anna assures him that
she loves him and is faithful (Non mi dir/Tell me not). In his chambers, Giovanni revels in the
luxury of a great meal served by Leporello, and musical entertainment during
which the orchestra plays (O quanto in sì bel giubilo" from Vicente Martín y Soler's, “Una cosa rara,” “Come
un agnello” from Giuseppe Sarti's
“Fra i due litiganti il terzo gode”
and “Non più andrai”
from “Le nozze di Figaro” (Già la mensa preparata/Already the table is prepared).
Elvira appears. She says she no longer feels resentment for Giovanni, only pity
(L'ultima prova dell'amor mio/The final proof of my love). Surprised by her
lack of hatred, Giovanni asks what it is that she wants. Elvira begs him to
change his life. Giovanni taunts her and then turns away, praising wine and
women as the support and glory of humankind (sostegno e gloria d'umanità). Hurt and angry, Elvira gives up
and leaves. A moment later, Elvira’s scream is heard from outside the walls of
the villa. She returns only to flee through another door. Giovanni orders
Leporello to see what has upset her; upon peering outside, the servant also
cries out, and runs back into the room, stammering that the statue has appeared
as promised. An ominous knocking sounds at the door. Leporello is paralyzed by
fear and cannot answer the door. So Giovanni opens it himself, revealing the
statue of the Commendatore (Don Giovanni, a cenar teco m'invitasti/Don
Giovanni, you invited me to dine with you), the Commendatore offers a last
chance to repent. Giovanni adamantly refuses. The statue disappears. Don
Giovanni cries out in pain and terror. He is surrounded by a chorus of demons who
carry him down to hell. Leporello watches from under the table and cries out in
fear. Anna, Ottavio, Elvira, Zerlina, and Masetto arrive, searching for the
villain. They find instead Leporello hiding under the table, shaken by the
supernatural horror he has witnessed. Giovanni is dead. Anna and Ottavio will
marry when Anna's year of mourning is over. Elvira will spend the rest of her
life in a convent. Zerlina and Masetto will finally go home for dinner. Leporello
will go to the tavern to find a better master. The concluding ensemble delivers
the moral of the opera (Such is the end of the evildoer: the death of a sinner
always reflects his life/Questo è il fin di chi fa mal, e de' perfidi la morte
alla vita è sempre ugual).
1971
GINASTERA, “BEATRICE CENCI:
melodramma in due atti su libretto di William Shand e Alberto Girri, tratto da
Shelley. Teatro Colon, Buenos
Aires. Prima: Marzo 15, 1016. Other performances: 18 and 20. Conductor, G.Scarabino;
stage director, A. Tantanian, set designs & costumes by O. Puppo, lights by
D. Seldes; projections by M. Vecco. BEATRICE: M. Ferracani/D. Tabernig; CONTE
FRANCESCO CENCI: V. Torres/L. Estévez.. LUCREZIA: A. Malvino/M. Mirabelli.
ORSINO: G. Manzitti/F. Chalabe. BERNARDO:
F. Machado/R. Arbizu ANDREA: M. Salvo/E. Bulacios.
The setting of Ginastera’s
melodramma is the Palazzo Cenci Palace, Roma, in the late 16th century. The count Francesco Cenci has
arranged for a masked ball to celebrate the death of his two sons. The Roman people
despise the count. His daughter Beatrice and his second wife Lucrezia live in
fear of him. Beatrice wishes to escape and asks her former suitor, who has now
taken holy orders, Orsino, to deliver a letter to Clemente VIII. However, Orsino
destroys the letter. At the ball, the guests are repelled at the idea of the count
is celebrating the deaths of his sons. The guests leave, to the terror of
Beatrice, who does not wish to be alone in her father’s company. Then, Orsino
enters and hides his destruction of Beatrice’s letter. He lies and says that
Clemente VIII has rejected her plea. Left alone, Francesco Cenci rapes his
daughter. When in exile after reporting the count’ss act, Giacomo, Beatrice’s brother,
convinces Beatrice to kill the count. Beatrice hires two assassins, Olimpio and
Marzio, while Lucrezia gives the count a sleeping potion. Olimpio and Marzio
kill the count. Months later, Orsino announces that the count’s body has been found.
Marzio is killed, while Olimpio confessed to the murder. It is Beatrice who is
arrested for the crime, bound and tortured, before she is executed at the
scaffold.
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