Chan 3005bookcover.qxd24/7/072:33pmPage1 NN II PERA O ENGLISH CHANDOS LEONCAVALLO PAG PAGLIACCI CHAN 3005(2)

CHAN 3005(2) PAGLIACCI RUSTICANA/LEONCAVALL0: CAVALLERIA MASCAGNI: AA LRAR CAVALLERIA A ALRAR CAVALLERIA CAV MASCAGNI USTICANA USTICANA CHANDOS ENGLISH O PERA I N CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 2

Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857–1919)

AKG Pagliacci (The Touring Company)

Opera in a prologue and two acts by Leoncavallo English translation by Edmund Tracey with amendments by

Tonio (in the play, Taddeo), a clown ...... Canio (in the play, Pagliaccio), leader of the players ...... Dennis O’Neill Beppe (in the play, Harlequin) ...... Peter Bronder tenor Nedda (in the play, Columbina), Canio’s wife ...... Rosa Mannion Silvio, a villager ...... William Dazeley baritone Two locals ...... Paul Parfitt -baritone • Peter Hall tenor

Geoffrey Mitchell Choir The Peter Kay Children’s Choir London Philharmonic Orchestra Brad Cohen assistant conductor , 1894 David Parry

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Prologue Time Page Duet Time Page 1 ‘Hello… Hello…’ 8:12 48 9 ‘Nedda!’ 1:28 55 Tonio Silvio, Nedda 10 ‘Why do you go on with this tormented life?’ 2:44 55 Act I 35:26 [p. 54] Silvio, Nedda Chorus 11 ‘I must be strong’ 3:19 56 2 ‘Hey! They’re back! They’re back!’ 2:58 49 Nedda, Silvio, Tonio Chorus, Canio, Beppe 12 ‘How can you tell me you ever loved me’ 4:18 56 Aria Silvio, Nedda 3 ‘Your most humble servant’ 2:48 50 Scene and Finale Canio, Chorus, Tonio, Beppe 13 ‘Be very careful, and then we can surprise them’ 5:00 57 Cantabile Tonio, Silvio, Nedda, Canio, Beppe 4 ‘If he tried it, I promise you’ 3:09 51 Introduction Canio, Nedda, Chorus 14 ‘Go on stage’ 0:46 59 Chorus Canio 5 ‘Do you hear them playing?’ 4:10 51 Aria Chorus, Canio 15 ‘Put on your costume’ 2:59 60 Introduction Canio 6 ‘The ugly look he gave me!’ 2:44 52 Nedda 16 3:45 60 Aria 7 ‘Swallow, fly away’ 2:23 52 Act II 35:26 [p. 54] Nedda Chorus Duet 17 ‘Ohe! Ohe! Quickly! Hurry!’ 4:07 60 8 ‘It’s you! I thought that you had gone with Canio’ 5:02 53 Chorus, Tonio, Beppe, Silvio, Nedda Nedda, Tonio

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The Play Time Page 18 ‘Pagliaccio, that’s my husband’ 1:40 62 Ruggero Leoncavallo: Pagliacci Nedda (Columbina), Beppe (Harlequin) Serenade Another composer’s success and a court case biographical and musical background. His 19 ‘Oh, Columbina’ 2:45 63 were, in a very real sense, the progenitors of father, as we have seen, was a judge, his mother Beppe (Harlequin), Columbina Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. Had it not been for a painter, famous at the time in Naples, where 20 ‘She’s waiting. She is a goddess!’ 3:50 63 Mascagni’s , produced in the composer was born on 8 March 1857. He Tonio (Taddeo), Columbina, Harlequin 1890, it is doubtful whether the publisher studied with various piano teachers before 21 ‘Arlecchin!’ ‘Columbina’ 1:57 64 Sonzogno would have accepted Leoncavallo’s entering the Naples Conservatory. While a Columbina, Harlequin, Taddeo work or whether the composer would have student he heard Tannhäuser at Bologna, an 22 ‘Pour the potion in his glass at midnight!’ 3:04 65 even taken it to him. experience that made a deep impression on him. Harlequin, Columbina/Nedda, Canio (Pagliaccio), Tonio The story of the court case goes back to the A meeting with Wagner in the town shortly Aria composer’s boyhood. His father was a judge, after made an even deeper impression. 23 ‘No, we’re not in a play!’ 6:31 66 and Leoncavallo vividly recalled the trial of an Apparently Wagner said to him: ‘Voyez, je lutte Canio, Chorus, Silvio, Nedda, Beppe, Tonio actor who, seized with jealousy, murdered his encore’ (See, I’m still struggling). The memory TT 79:45 wife at the end of a performance. The prisoner, of those words cheered Leoncavallo during his apparently a figure of tragic power, faced up to own years of struggle to gain recognition. the accusation, grief-stricken yet unbending. Shortly after completing his studies, when he Leoncavallo remembered years later the man’s was eighteen, he wrote his first , rough voice echoing through the court. This but efforts to get it produced proved abortive. awesome figure, a model for Canio, arose in While earning his living by playing the his mind as a subject for a short, taut drama piano he began composing a Wagner-inspired after Cavalleria rusticana had been produced. trilogy entitled Crepusculum, dealing with the He completed his own libretto and its setting Renaissance in Italy. At one point, while in five months. Sued later for plagiarism, he touring in the Middle East (1882), he was had only to tell the true story for the irate offered the post in Cairo as chief of military author to drop his case. bands, which he might have accepted had the Leoncavallo’s technique is not activities of the British Army not forced him to unexpected from a man with Leoncavallo’s flee to Ismailia disguised as an Arab! 6 7 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 8

Next he completed , part of his following year to conduct a new piece, done for the present with legendary heroes and been as it is had Wagner never existed. trilogy, but though Ricordi had signed a (), written specially for that cloudy myths’ – a sally, of course, at Wagner – However, the work as a whole has a contract for the work, he did not see fit to theatre. He sought in vain to repeat the ‘Their personages are too far removed; they are recognisably Italian flavour: the choral publish it, being more impressed with overwhelming success of Pagliacci, and his not flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones. passages, for instance, place the action Leoncavallo as a poet of the theatre than as a reputation will continue to depend on the Nowadays the demand is for Human unmistakably in Southern Italy and, whether composer. After three years attempting to get survival of his most noted work. Documents, for characters in tale and drama the composer is being unpretentiously and I Medici performed, he wrote Pagliacci, which What is its fascination and worth? Let’s first that are our kin, not our exaggerated selves’. sensuously tuneful as in Beppe’s (Harlequin’s) he gave to Ricordi’s great rival Sonzogno. It look at some contemporary opinions. More recently, more succinctly the critic Spike Serenade or Nedda’s Ballatella, or strongly proved an almost immediate success when Hermann Klein, a leading critic of the time, Hughes wrote that Leoncavallo was fulfilling ‘A impassioned, as in the ‘Ridi, Pagliaccio’ (Make produced at the Teatro dal Verme on 21 May wrote in his memoirs of its first London Long Felt Want’. Here were no longer the it amusing) theme of ‘Vesti la giubba’ (Put on 1892, conducted by Toscanini. So successful performance in May 1893 (when the composer conventional romantic hero, nor yet again your costume), the music evinces a transalpine was it that the following year I Medici was at was present), ‘The fame of Leoncavallo’s figures from Norse saga, but real people – lyricism. These and other set pieces, such as the last staged – in the same theatre. As it proved a sensational opera had preceded it, and the earthy, passionate, full of life. erotic duet for Nedda and Silvio, are fully failure, Leoncavallo did not pursue the public expected something remarkable. They Of course, the tale of the clown whose heart integrated into a unified structure in the remaining parts of the trilogy, Savonarola and were not disappointed. I have rarely seen an is breaking but who must go on playing out his manner of Verdi’s late masterpieces. Cesare Borgia, but Chatterton was eventually audience so breathless with excitement over the comic part is not new; nor is the device of a Leoncavallo brings off a brilliant coup de produced (1896) and then his version of La development of an opera plot’. He then goes play within a play. Leoncavallo’s skill was to théâtre with the Prologue in which Tonio pokes bohème (1897), which suffered virtual eclipse on to describe and praise the cast, Fernando de clothe these devices in music that was his head through the curtain, then comes out in view of Puccini’s more inspired setting of Lucia as Canio, Melba as Nedda and Mario touching, immediately accessible and to tell the members of the audience directly Murger’s novel. Zazà came next (1900) and Ancona as Tonio, adding that ‘Leoncavallo, attractive, tuneful without being tawdry. He that even the actors are men and women like these are the only works of the composer’s still modest and unassuming, waited quietly in the was an accomplished librettist and by adhering themselves, passionate, rejoicing, suffering. seen in Italy today other than Pagliacci. background till the end, and then had to be to the Aristotelian unities of time and space, The play within a play, somewhat reminiscent He continued to write until his death in forced on to the stage by the artists to his scenario is at once credible and swift- of that in Hamlet in its relevance to the main 1919. His later works include such curiosities acknowledge the ovation that awaited him… moving. His characterisation may not run very action, is another effective contrivance calling as Der von Berlin (1904), composed on I found him to be a man of great culture and deep, but it is convincing enough to make us forth delightful commedia dell’arte music from an express commission from Kaiser Wilhelm strong intellect. He is a poet as well as a believe that these are real people. the composer. II, and Are You There?, an operetta written for musician, and in both arts he reveals the grasp For his score, Leoncavallo took just as much In performance, Pagliacci stands or falls by London in 1913. Leoncavallo had already been of a profound thinker’. as he needed from Wagnerian methods. There the writing for, and interpretation of the role in London in 1911 to conduct Pagliacci and Praising the work’s verismo (reality), The is a rudimentary use of Leitmotiv, and neither of Canio. In three moving passages, Zazà at the Hippodrome and returned the Daily Telegraph opined, ‘We appear to have the harmony nor orchestration could have Leoncavallo reveals an honest man felled by 8 9 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 10

jealousy and remorse, a fitting successor to Leoncavallo grants the handsome lover some of different. When he has calmed down he and Pagliaccio (Canio) has gone away for the night. Verdi’s , and requiring a heroic tenor of his most grateful music to sing. All play their Beppe go into the village, and the villagers go Outside Harlequin serenades her. Taddeo like mettle. In ‘Un tal gioco, credetimi’ (If he part in a piece whose dramatic conviction to vespers. (Tonio) enters and declares his secret love for tried it, I promise you) the tone of menace, a never fails to move an audience. Left alone, Nedda becomes worried about her, but she scorns him and he leaves when warning unheeded by Nedda, shows us a Canio’s outburst, but she soon relaxes in the Harlequin enters. Harlequin and Columbina powerful man, one not to be trifled with. In © Alan Blyth evening sunshine. Tonio appears and after she sit down to eat but Pagliaccio returns ‘Vesti la giubba’ (Put on your costume), after Synopsis has finished her song he approaches her and unexpectedly and Harlequin escapes through Nedda’s infidelity has been confirmed, a great The action takes place in a Calabrian village on declares his love. But Nedda laughs at him, and the window. Her farewell words to Harlequin soul is racked with torment as the clown the eve of the Feast of the Assumption. The he gets more and more angry. She is eventually remind Canio of Nedda’s farewell to her secret unburdens his feelings, heartache mingled with opera opens with a prologue when Tonio steps forced to protect herself by striking him in the lover earlier that evening. Canio finds it hard nobility of expression. Finally, in ‘No, in front of the curtain and addresses the face with a whip. He leaves, but swears to keep in character and demands of Pagliaccio non son’ (No, we’re not in a play) audience, reminding them that the actors are revenge. Columbina/Nedda her lover’s name. Nedda Canio reproaches his unfaithful wife, pouring real people and that the story should not be Just after he has gone, Nedda’s lover Silvio desperately tries to keep in character, but out all his grief in the most eloquent passage dismissed as fiction. appears. He urges her to run away with him Canio grows more and more angry. The Leoncavallo ever penned, beginning ‘Sperai, after that night’s performance. At first she does spectators become nervous, and Nedda tries to tanto il delirio accecato m’aveva’ (I hoped, so Act I not agree, but when Silvio questions her love escape. But Canio manages to grab her and he blind was I, so deluded with passion) and The villagers are celebrating the Feast of the she relents. Tonio overhears part of their stabs her. Silvio rushes to try to save her, but he rising at the climax to a top B. If it pierces the Assumption, and when they see that the conversation and he goes to fetch Canio, who too is stabbed. As Canio stands shocked, he heart, as it should, it raises the last pages of the players have arrived in the village rush to greet arrives just in time to hear her calling out to announces to the audience that the play is over. opera from melodrama to true tragedy. them. Canio, the leader of the troupe, comes Silvio who has disappeared over the wall. Tonio is also an interesting creation. Again forward and tells the assembled villagers that Nedda refuses to tell Canio her lover’s name. © Chandos Records Ltd there is a dichotomy, this time between the the performance will take place that evening. Canio, racked with jealousy, dresses for his part fool, Taddeo, who makes love to Nedda as Tonio tries to help Canio’s wife Nedda out of in the comedy. He is sure that her lover will be Alan Opie was born in Cornwall and studied Columbina in the play, and the deformed, the cart she has been riding in, but Canio at the play that evening. at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama pathetic figure who has his love cruelly beaten pushes him out of the way and boxes his ears. and the London Opera Centre. He was down by her in real life. Nedda is an A few of the villagers comment that maybe Act II principal baritone with English National unthinking woman swayed by her basic Tonio and Nedda should not be left alone The audience (including Silvio) is assembled Opera for many seasons, and also sang with all desires, little else. Beppe is the lighthearted, together. Canio is angry and says that while in and Nedda collects their money. The play the other major British Opera companies peace-making member of the troupe. Silvio is a play such a thing may be classed as comedy, begins. Columbina (Nedda) is waiting for her including Covent Garden, something of an operatic cipher though in real life the outcome would be very lover Harlequin (Beppe), as her husband Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Opera 10 11 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 12

North. Foreign operatic engagements have Orchestras, and for the Cincinnati Festival. He Opera (Leicester in Maria Stuarda) and the operatic repertoire includes the title roles in taken him to the opera houses of Bayreuth, is a frequent guest at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Royal Opera Covent Garden (Cassio in Otello, , Owen Wingrave, and , Amsterdam, Chicago, Milan, Munich, Munich. Elsewhere in Europe he has appeared Apparition of Youth in Die Frau ohne Eugene Onegin, Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Berlin, Vienna and Brussels as well as The at the opera houses of Vienna, Bonn, , Schatten). Pelléas, Mowgli (Michael Berkeley’s Baa Baa , New York. Nice, Zurich, Paris, Oslo, Brussels and Black Sheep), Danilo (The Merry Widow) and Alan Opie has won Grammy Awards for Barcelona. Rosa Mannion was born in Liverpool and the Count and Rudolph (Der ferne Klang). He (on Chandos) and Die His many recordings include solo albums, studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music has appeared with the Royal Opera Covent Meistersinger (with the Chicago Symphony Verdi’s Requiem with Sir , La and Drama. She currently studies with Gerald Garden, , Glyndebourne Touring Orchestra under Solti). His other recordings fanciulla del West with Slatkin, videos of Der Martin Moore. She made her Royal Opera Opera, Teatro regio Turin, Opéra de Lyon and include The Barber of Seville and La bohème Rosenkavalier with Solti, with Covent Garden debut as Pamina in 1993, and New Israeli Opera. Recordings include Baa (for Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation), The Kiri te Kanawa conducted by Domingo, has sung with all the major British companies Baa Black Sheep, Britten’s The Rescue of Rape of Lucretia, , and Troilus and Macbeth with Sinopoli and Mefistofele for San in roles such as Constanze (Die Entführung aus Penelope, Busoni’s Doktor , and La bohème Cressida (the production of which was Francisco Opera. For Chandos/Peter Moores dem Serail), Cordelia (Aribert Reimann’s Lear), (for Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation). sponsored by the Peter Moores Foundation, Foundation he has recorded , La bohème Sophie (Werther), Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), and recorded by Chandos). and a solo album. Atalanta (Xerxes), Countess (The Marriage of Geoffrey Mitchell’s singing career encompassed Figaro), Magnolia (Showboat), Violetta (La a remarkably wide repertoire from early to Born in of Irish and Welsh parents, Peter Bronder was born in Hertfordshire of traviata), the four soprano roles in The Tales of contemporary music. This resulted in Dennis O’Neill is one of the world’s leading German/Austrian parentage and studied at the Hoffmann and the title role in Manon. conducting invitations from the BBC and and a specialist in the works of Verdi. and the National Her recordings include Così fan tutte with subsequently to a wider involvement with his He has enjoyed a long association with the Opera Studio. After a season with John Eliot Gardiner, Die Zauberflöte and own singers and this led to the establishment Royal Opera Covent Garden, where his recent Glyndebourne Festival Opera he was principal Orlando with William Christie, Vaughan of the Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. Early roles have included Gustavo (Un ballo in tenor for from 1986 to Williams’s Serenade to Music and Third recordings resulted in the Choir’s long-term maschera), Foresto (Attila), and 1990, where his repertoire included main roles Symphony and Beethoven’s Missa solemnis. involvement with for whom it has Radames (Aida). in La bohème, La traviata, I puritani, La recorded fifteen . The Choir is currently North American engagements have included sonnambula, , Il barbiere William Dazeley is a graduate of Jesus College, enjoying a growing reputation with further The Metropolitan Opera (La traviata, Aida, de Siviglia, Così fan tutte, Die Zauberflöte and Cambridge, and he studied singing at the work from the BBC and international La bohème and ), Chicago Lyric Eugene Onegin. He has also appeared with Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Prizes recording companies. Opera, San Francisco, San Diego, Vancouver (Almaviva in The include the Decca–Kathleen Ferrier Prize, the Opera and concerts with the Philadelphia, Barber of Seville, Vanya in Kát’a Kabanová), Richard Tauber Prize and the Walther Gruner The Peter Kay Children’s Choir provides Cleveland, Montreal and Ottawa Symphony Opera North (Captain in ), Scottish International Lieder Prize. His extensive young singers with opportunities in opera, 12 13 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 14

concerts, commercials (TV and Radio), charity David Parry studied with Sergiu Celibidache Sweden where he conducted an acclaimed He has recorded extensively for the Opera events, festivals and theatre productions in the and began his career as Sir John Pritchard’s production of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Rara label, including Donizetti’s Rosmonda UK, France, Belgium, Holland, , assistant. He made his debut with English Dream. d’Inghilterra which won the Prix Cecilia in Spain and the USA. Its membership is by Music Theatre and went on to become a staff Outside Europe David Parry has appeared at Belgium, and for Chandos he has conducted invitation and audition, drawing participants conductor at Städtische Bühnen the Hong Kong International Festival, with the the award-winning recording of Tosca, three from among those already experienced in and at Opera North. He was Music Director of UNAM Symphony Orchestra at Mexico City, recordings of operatic arias (with Bruce Ford, singing performance at English National Opera 80 from 1983 to 1987 and since 1992 with a tour of in Japan and, in 1996, Diana Montague and Dennis O’Neill), Faust, Opera, where Peter Kay is Children’s Adviser, has been the founding Music Director of the conducting a new production of Kát’a , La bohème, The Elixir of Love the Finchley Children’s Music Group, New contemporary opera festival Almeida Opera. Kabanová for the New Zealand Festival. and highlights from Der Rosenkavalier. London Children’s Choir, The Jennifer He pursues a busy career both in opera and Lilleystone Singers and schools all over London in concert. His repertoire extends from and the south of England. and early nineteenth-century to Janácˇek, Britten and contemporary music. The London Philharmonic Orchestra was In England he has appeared regularly at English formed in 1932 by Sir Thomas Beecham. Over National Opera and in concert with the the years it has attracted an unmatchable series Philharmonia Orchestra. In 1996 he made his of principal conductors, including Sir Adrian debut at the Glyndebourne Festival with Così Boult, Sir John Pritchard, , fan tutte. Sir and Klaus Tennstedt. Its He is a frequent visitor to Spain where he current regular conductors include Music has appeared with most of the opera Director Franz Welser-Möst and President companies and symphony orchestras. He gave Bernard Haitink. the Spanish premiere of Peter Grimes in Since 1964 it has been resident symphony Madrid and in 1996 conducted the first orchestra at Glyndebourne Festival Opera Spanish production of The Rake’s Progress, and, in 1992, became resident symphony inaugurated two new concert halls with orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. It Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and a new opera also tours extensively, being the first house with Carmen. He has also appeared in British orchestra to visit the USSR and Italy, where he conducted China, and its recordings have won many in the Rossini Opera Festival at Pesaro, in Rosa Mannion Dennis O’Neill major awards. France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, and in 14 15 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 16

Whilst still in his early twenties, Peter Moores had started giving financial support to various PETER MOORES, CBE, DL young artists, several of whom – , Colin Davis and the late Peter Moores was born in Lancashire, the son of Sir John Moores, founder of the giant amongst them – were to become world-famous. In 1964 he set aside a substantial part of his Littlewoods mail order, chain store and football pools group. He was educated at Eton and inheritance to establish the Peter Moores Foundation, a charity designed to support those causes Christ Church, Oxford, where he read modern languages – he was already fluent in German dear to his heart: to make music and the arts more accessible to more people; to give and Italian. It was opera, however, which was his great love. He had worked at Glyndebourne encouragement to the young and to improve race relations. Festival Opera before going up to university, and after Oxford he became a production student at the , combining this with a three-year course at the Vienna PETER MOORES FOUNDATION Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. In the field of music, the main areas supported by the Peter Moores Foundation are: By the end of his third year at the Academy Moores had produced the Vienna premiere of the recording of operas from the core repertory sung in English translation; the recording or Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, had worked as Assistant Producer at the San Carlo Opera House, staging of rare Italian opera from the bel canto era of the early nineteenth century (repertoire Naples, the Geneva Festival and Rome Opera, and seemed set for a successful operatic career. which would otherwise only be accessible to scholars); the nurturing of promising young At this point he received a letter from his father asking him to come home as he was needed in opera singers; new operatic work. the firm. Family loyalty being paramount, he returned to Liverpool. The Foundation awards scholarships annually to students and post-graduates for furthering By 1977, he was Chairman of Littlewoods. Three years later their vocal studies at the Royal Northern College of Music. In addition, project awards may be he stepped down from the post, although still remaining on given to facilitate language tuition in the appropriate country, attendance at masterclasses or the Board. He was a director of a merchant bank from 1978 to summer courses, specialised repertoire study with an acknowledged expert in the field, or 1992. From 1981 to 1983 he was a Governor of the BBC, and post-graduate performance training. a Trustee of the Tate Gallery from 1978 until 1985; from 1988 The Foundation encourages new operatic work by contributing to recordings, the publication to 1992 he was a director of Scottish Opera. He received the Christina Burton/PMF of scores and stage productions. Gold Medal of the Italian Republic in 1974, an Honorary MA Since 1964 the Foundation has supported the recording of more than forty operas, many of from Christ Church, Oxford, in 1975, and was made an these sung in English, in translation. It has always been Peter Moores’s belief that to enjoy opera Honorary Member of the Royal Northern College of Music in to the full, there must be no language barrier, particularly for newcomers and particularly in the 1985. In May 1992 he became Deputy Lieutenant of popular repertoire – hence the Opera in English series launched with Chandos in 1995. This Lancashire, and in the New Year’s Honours List for 1991, he includes many of the English language recordings funded by the Foundation in the 1970s and was made a CBE for his charitable services to the Arts. Peter Moores, CBE, DL 1980s and is now the largest recorded collection of operas sung in English.

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Chatterton, doch alle Versuche, sie zur aber durchfiel, sah Leoncavallo davon ab, die Ruggero Leoncavallo: Pagliacci Aufführung zu bringen, waren vergeblich. anderen beiden Teile der Trilogie, Savonarola Leoncavallo verdiente nun zunächst seinen und Cesare Borgia, noch zu komponieren; Lebensunterhalt durch Klavierspielen und doch 1896 wurde endlich Chatterton Der Erfolg eines anderen Komponisten und dazu. Auf einen späteren Plagiatsvorwurf begann mit der Komposition einer von Wagner produziert, und 1897 seine Fassung von La ein Rechtsfall waren – im wahrsten Sinne des antwortete er, er habe nur eine wahre inspirierten Trilogie mit dem Titel bohème, die jedoch von Puccinis wesentlich Wortes – für die Entstehung von Leoncavallos Geschichte erzählt, und der erzürnte Autor Crepusculum, die in der italienischen inspirierterer Vertonung von Murgers Roman Pagliacci verantwortlich. Hätte es nicht schon ließ seine Anklage fallen. Renaissance spielt. Auf einer Reise durch den völlig in den Schatten gestellt wurde. Als Mascagnis Oper Cavalleria rusticana gegeben, Leoncavallos Verismo-Technik überrascht bei Nahen Osten (1882) wurde ihm in Kairo eine nächstes kam Zazà (1900), und damit wären die 1890 zuerst aufgeführt wurde, so wäre zu einem Mann mit seinem biographischen und Stellung als Leiter der Militärkapellen alle Werke des Komponisten genannt, die bezweifeln, ob der Verleger Sonzogno musikalischen Hintergrund kaum. Sein Vater angeboten, die er vielleicht auch angenommen neben Pagliacci heute noch in Italien zu sehen Leoncavallos Werk angenommen oder ob der war, wie bereits erwähnt, Richter, seine Mutter hätte, wäre er nicht durch die Aktivitäten der sind. Komponist es ihm überhaupt angeboten hätte. eine seinerzeit berühmte Malerin in Neapel, britischen Armee gezwungen worden, als Bis zu seinem Tod im Jahr 1919 Die Geschichte des Rechtsfalls reicht in wo Leoncavallo am 8. März 1857 geboren Araber verkleidet nach Ismailia zu fliehen! komponierte Leoncavallo weiterhin für die die Kindheit des Komponisten zurück. Sein wurde. Nachdem er bei verschiedenen Lehrern Als nächstes vollendete er I Medici als Teil Oper. Zu seinen späteren Werken gehören Vater war Richter, und Leoncavallo erinnerte Klavierunterricht genommen hatte, studierte er der Trilogie, doch obwohl Ricordi für das Kuriositäten wie Der Roland von Berlin (1904), sich lebhaft an den Prozeß gegen einen am Konservatorium seiner Heimatstadt. Werk einen Vertrag unterzeichnet hatte, hielt auf ausdrücklichen Wunsch von Kaiser Schauspieler, der am Ende einer Aufführung Während seiner Studienzeit hörte er in er es nicht für zur Veröffentlichung geeignet, Wilhelm II. entstanden, und Are You There?, in einem Eifersuchtsanfall seine Frau Bologna den Tannhäuser – ein Ereignis, das ihn da er von Leoncavallo eher als Librettist denn eine 1913 für London geschriebene Operette. ermordete. Der Gefangene, offensichtlich eine zutiefst bewegte. Als es wenig später in der als Komponist überzeugt war. Nachdem Leoncavallo war bereits 1911 in London Figur von tragischer Größe, stellte sich der Stadt zu einer Begegnung mit Wagner kam, Leoncavallo sich drei Jahre vergeblich um eine gewesen, um dort Pagliacci und Zazà im Anklage – verzweifelt, doch ohne Reue. Noch beeindruckte ihn dies noch mehr. Anscheinend Aufführung bemüht hatte, schrieb er Pagliacci Hippodrome zu dirigieren, und kehrte im Jahre später erinnerte sich Leoncavallo daran, sagte Wagner zu ihm: “Voyez, je lutte encore” und bot diese Oper Ricordis großem Rivalen folgenden Jahr in die Stadt zurück, um ein wie die rauhe Stimme des Mannes durch den (Sehen Sie, ich kämpfe immer noch). In den Sonzogno an. Das Werk wurde zuerst am neues, speziell für dieses Theater komponiertes Gerichtssaal tönte. Diese großartige Gestalt, folgenden Jahren, in denen Leoncavallo selbst 21. Mai 1892 im Teatro dal Verme unter Stück, Zingari (Die Zigeuner), aufzuführen. ein Vorbild für Canio, kam ihm nach der um Anerkennung rang, sollte ihn die Toscanini aufgeführt und war fast unmittelbar Er bemühte sich jedoch vergeblich, den Produktion von Cavalleria rusticana als Thema Erinnerung an diese Worte trösten. Kurze Zeit ein Erfolg. Dieser Erfolg war so überragenden Erfolg von Pagliacci zu für ein kurzes, straffes Drama in den Sinn. nach Abschluß seines Studiums – er hatte durchschlagend, daß im darauffolgenden Jahr wiederholen, und sein Ruhm wird weiterhin Innerhalb von fünf Monaten schrieb er sein mittlerweile sein 18. Lebensjahr erreicht – endlich auch I Medici zur Aufführung kam – von der Rezeption dieses seines bekanntesten eigenes Libretto und komponierte die Musik schrieb Leoncavallo seine erste Oper, ebenfalls im Teatro dal Verme. Da I Medici Werks abhängen. 18 19 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 20

Worin liegen die Faszination und Bedeutung verzichten zu wollen” – natürlich ein genug, uns glauben zu machen, daß es sich um Spiel im Spiel erinnert in seiner Relevanz für von Pagliacci? Hierzu zunächst einige Seitenhieb gegen Wagner. “Solche wirkliche Personen handelt. die Haupthandlung an den gleichen Kunstgriff zeitgenössische Äußerungen. Hermann Klein, Persönlichkeiten sind zu entrückt, sie sind Für seine Vertonung verwendete in Hamlet und bietet dem Komponisten eine ein führender Kritiker der Zeit, schrieb in nicht Fleisch von unserem Fleisch, nicht Blut Leoncavallo gerade nur so viel von Wagners weitere wirkungsvolle Gelegenheit, seinen Memoiren von der ersten Londoner von unserem Blut. Heutzutage verlangt man Methoden, wie er benötigte. Es findet sich ein wundervolle commedia dell’arte-Musik zu Aufführung im Mai 1893 (bei der der nach dramatischen Geschichten aus dem rudimentärer Gebrauch der Leitmotivtechnik, schreiben. Komponist anwesend war): “Der Ruhm von wirklichem Leben, nach Charakteren, die uns und weder Harmonik noch Orchestrierung In der Aufführung steht und fällt Pagliacci Leoncavallos sensationeller Oper war dem gleich sind und nicht überhöhte Versionen wären ohne Wagners Vorbild denkbar. mit der Rolle des Canio und ihrer Werk vorausgeeilt, und die Öffentlichkeit unserer selbst.” In jüngerer Zeit schrieb der Insgesamt jedoch ist das Werk dezidiert Interpretation. In drei bewegenden Passagen erwartete etwas ganz Besonderes. Sie wurde Kritiker Spike Hughes pointierter, Leoncavallo italienischer Prägung: Die Chorpassagen zum enthüllt Leoncavallo einen ehrlichen Mann, nicht enttäuscht. Ich habe selten ein Publikum erfülle “ein schon lange bestehendes Beispiel siedeln die Handlung unverkennbar der von Eifersucht und Reue zerstört wird – so atemlos von der Entwicklung eines Bedürfnis”. Hier sei nicht länger der im südlichen Italien an, und die Musik zeigt ein würdiger Nachfolger von Verdis Otello, der Opernplots erregt gesehen.” Klein fährt fort konventionelle romantische Held, noch einen transalpinen Lyrismus, ganz gleich ob auch nach einem Heldentenor gleichen mit einer Beschreibung und lobenden walteten Gestalten aus nordischen Sagen, der Komponist unprätentiös und sinnlich Kalibers verlangt. In “Un tal gioco, credetimi” Würdigung der Sänger, Fernando de Lucia als sondern wirkliche Menschen, erdverhaftet, melodiös ist wie in Beppes (Harlekins) (If he tried it, I promise you) verrät der Canio, die Melba als Nedda und Mario leidenschaftlich, voller Leben. Serenade oder Neddas Ballatella, oder überaus bedrohende Ton, den Nedda nicht als Ancona als Tonio; er fügt hinzu: “Leoncavallo, Natürlich ist die Geschichte vom Clown, leidenschaftlich wie in dem “Ridi, Pagliaccio” Warnung erkennt, einen kraftvollen Mann, mit zurückhaltend und bescheiden, wartete bis dessen Herz zerbricht und der doch seine (Make it amusing)-Thema von “Vesti la dem nicht zu spaßen ist. Nachdem sich in zum Schluß ruhig im Hintergrund und mußte komische Rolle weiterspielen muß, nicht neu; giubba” (Put on your costume). Diese und “Vesti la giubba” (Put on your costume) dann von den Künstlern auf die Bühne noch ist es der Kunstgriff eines Spiels im Spiel. andere Versatzstücke, wie etwa das erotische Neddas Untreue bestätigt hat, wird die Qual gezwungen werden, um die ihn erwartenden Leoncavallos Talent war es, diese Dinge in Duett für Nedda und Silvio, sind nach der Art einer großen Seele enthüllt, als der Clown Ovationen entgegenzunehmen… Ich lernte Musik zu kleiden, die anrührte, unmittelbar von Verdis späten Meisterwerken vollkommen seine Gefühle ausschüttet und dabei seine ihn als einen Mann von großer Kultiviertheit attraktiv und eingängig war, melodiös ohne in eine einheitliche Struktur integriert. Herzenspein mit noblem Ausdruck vermischt. und starkem Intellekt kennen. Er ist Dichter abgegriffen zu sein. Er war ein versierter Ein brillanter coup de théâtre gelingt In “No, Pagliaccio non son” (No, we’re not in a ebenso wie er Musiker ist, und in beiden Librettist und vermochte es, seine Szenerie Leoncavallo mit dem Prolog, in dem Tonio play) schließlich macht Canio seiner treulosen Künsten zeigt er den Zugriff eines originären durch Beachtung der Aristotelischen Einheit seinen Kopf durch den Vorhang steckt, um Frau Vorwürfe und schüttet seinen ganzen Denkers.” von Zeit und Raum zugleich glaubwürdig zu sodann herauszukommen und dem Publikum Kummer aus in der beredtesten Passage, die Den Verismo des Werks preisend bemerkte gestalten und zügig zu entwickeln. Seine zu erklären, daß selbst die Schauspieler Leoncavallo je schrieb; sie beginnt mit den der Daily Telegraph: “Wir scheinen vorerst auf Charakterisierungen mögen nicht sehr Männer und Frauen wie sie sind, Worten “Sperai, tanto il delirio accecato legendäre Helden und nebulöse Mythen tiefgehend sein, doch sie sind überzeugend leidenschaftlich, voller Freude, voller Leid. Das m’aveva” (I hoped, so blind was I, so deluded 20 21 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 22

with passion) und erreicht ihren Höhepunkt und zum Publikum spricht; er erinnert die erscheint, und nachdem Nedda ihr Lied fortgegangen ist. Von draußen bietet ihr auf dem hohen H. Wenn diese Stelle so ins Zuhörer daran, daß es sich bei den beendet hat, spricht er sie an und erklärt ihr Harlekin eine Serenade dar. Taddeo (Tonio) tritt Herz sticht wie es der Komponist beabsichtigt Schauspielern um wirkliche Menschen handelt seine Liebe. Doch Nedda lacht ihn aus, und er ein und eröffnet ihr seine heimliche Liebe, hat, so erheben sie die letzten Seiten der Oper und daß die Geschichte nicht als fiktiv abgetan wird immer wütender. Sie sieht sich schließlich doch sie weist ihn zurück; er geht, als Harlekin vom Melodram auf die Höhe echter Tragödie. werden sollte. gezwungen, ihn mit einer Peitsche ins Gesicht erscheint. Harlekin und Kolumbine setzen sich Auch Tonio ist eine interessante Gestalt. zu schlagen, um sich selbst zu schützen. Er läßt zu einer Mahlzeit nieder, doch unerwartet kehrt Wiederum gibt es eine Zweiteilung, diesmal I. Akt sie allein, schwört jedoch, sich zu rächen. Pagliaccio zurück und Harlekin muß durch das zwischen dem Narren, der im Spiel Nedda in Die Dorfbewohner feiern das Fest Mariae Unmittelbar nach seinem Abgang erscheint Fenster fliehen. Kolumbines Abschiedsworte an der Gestalt der Kolumbine den Hof macht, Himmelfahrt; als sie sehen, daß die Neddas Liebhaber Silvio. Er drängt sie, nach Harlekin erinnern Canio an Neddas Abschied und der deformierten jämmerlichen Figur, die Schauspieler im Dorf angekommen sind, eilen der Vorstellung am Abend mit ihm von ihrem heimlichen Liebhaber früher am er im wirklichen Leben abgibt und dessen sie ihnen zur Begrüßung entgegen. Canio, der davonzulaufen. Sie sträubt sich zunächst, gibt Abend. Canio fällt es schwer, in seiner Rolle zu Liebe grausam zurückgewiesen wird. Nedda ist Leiter der Truppe, tritt hervor und teilt den jedoch nach, als Silvio ihre Liebe in Frage bleiben, und er verlangt von Kolumbine/Nedda, eine gedankenlose Frau, von kaum etwas Dorfleuten mit, daß die Aufführung am Abend stellt. Tonio belauscht einen Teil ihrer den Namen ihres Liebhabers preiszugeben. anderem getrieben als ihren niederen stattfinden wird. Tonio versucht, Canios Frau Unterhaltung und holt sogleich Canio, der Nedda versucht verzweifelt, ihre Rolle Instinkten. Beppe ist das heitere, friedliebende Nedda beim Aussteigen aus ihrem Karren gerade rechtzeitig hinzukommt, um zu hören, weiterzuspielen, doch Canio wird immer Mitglied der Truppe. Silvio erfüllt in dieser behilflich zu sein, doch Canio stößt ihn zur wie Nedda dem hinter einer Mauer wütender. Die Zuschauer werden unruhig, und Oper die Rolle eines bloßen Versatzstücks, Seite und verpaßt ihm eine Ohrfeige. Einige verschwundenen Silvio etwas zuruft. Nedda Nedda versucht zu entfliehen. Doch es gelingt obwohl Leoncavallo den schönen Liebhaber der Dorfleute bemerken, daß man Tonio und weigert sich, Canio den Namen ihres Canio, sie zu ergreifen, und er ersticht sie. einige seiner dankbarsten Partien singen läßt. Nedda vielleicht besser nicht alleine Liebhabers zu verraten. Canio packt die Silvio eilt herbei und versucht sie zu retten, All diese Charaktere haben ihre Rolle in einem zusammenlassen sollte. Canio ist wütend und Eifersucht, doch er muß sich für seine Rolle in doch auch er wird erstochen. Schockiert von Stück, dessen dramatische Überzeugungskraft sagt, daß so etwas in einem Schauspiel als der Komödie kostümieren. Er ist sich sicher, seiner Tat verkündet Canio dem Publikum, daß noch jedes Publikum bewegt hat. Komödie gelten möge, im wirklichen Leben daß Neddas Liebhaber dem Schauspiel am das Schauspiel vorbei ist. jedoch hätte es andere Konsequenzen. Abend beiwohnen wird. © Alan Blyth Nachdem er sich wieder beruhigt hat, geht er © Chandos Records Ltd mit Beppe ins Dorf, während die II. Akt Übersetzung: Stephanie Wollny Inhaltsangabe Dorfbewohner den Vespergottesdienst Das Publikum (darunter auch Silvio) ist Die Handlung spielt in einem kalabrischen besuchen. versammelt, und Nedda kassiert das Alan Opie wurde in Cornwall geboren und Dorf am Vorabend des Fests Mariae Nedda bleibt alleine zurück; sie macht sich Eintrittsgeld. Kolumbine (Nedda) erwartet studierte an der Guildhall School of Music and Himmelfahrt. Die Oper beginnt mit einem Sorgen über Canios Ausbruch, doch bald ihren Liebhaber Harlekin (Beppe), da ihr Drama und dem London Opera Centre. Prolog, in dem Tonio vor den Vorhang tritt entspannt sie sich in der Abendsonne. Tonio Ehemann Pagliaccio (Canio) über Nacht Er war viele Jahre lang erster Bariton an der 22 23 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 24

English National Opera und hatte außerdem In Nordamerika war er unter anderem an Welsh National Opera; sein dortiges Ihre Diskographie umfaßt Così fan tutte Engagements an allen großen britischen der Metropolitan Opera (La traviata, Aida, La Repertoire umfaßte Hauptrollen in La bohème, unter John Eliot Gardiner, Die Zauberflöte und Opernhäusern, darunter das Royal Opera bohème und Rigoletto), an der Chicago Lyric La traviata, I puritani, La sonnambula, Lucia di Orlando unter William Christie, ferner Covent Garden, die Glyndebourne Festival Opera, an den Opernhäusern von San Lammermoor, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Così fan Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music und Opera und Opera North. Im Ausland führten Francisco, San Diego und Vancouver engagiert tutte, Die Zauberflöte und Eugen Onegin. Er dessen Dritte Sinfonie sowie Beethovens Missa ihn Gastspiele nach Bayreuth, Paris, und hat Konzerte mit den Sinfonieorchestern trat außerdem in der English National Opera solemnis. Amsterdam, Chicago, Mailand, München, von Philadelphia, Cleveland, Montreal und auf (Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Vanya Berlin, Wien, Brüssel und an die Metropolitan Ottawa sowie beim Cincinnati Festival in Kát’a Kabanová), ferner in der Opera North William Dazeley ist Absolvent des Jesus Opera in New York. gegeben. Er ist häufig an der Bayerischen (Hauptmann in Wozzeck), der Scottish Opera College in Cambridge und hat an der Für Peter Grimes (in der Chandos- Staatsoper in München zu Gast und ist in (Leicester in Maria Stuarda) und der Royal Guildhall School of Music and Drama Gesang Produktion) und Die Meistersinger (mit dem Europa außerdem an den Opernhäusern von Opera Covent Garden (Cassio in Otello, studiert. Unter seinen Auszeichnungen sind Chicago Symphony Orchestra unter Solti) Wien, Bonn, Köln, Nizza, Zürich, Paris, Oslo, Erscheinung der Jugend in Die Frau ohne der Decca–Kathleen-Ferrier-Preis zu nennen, wurde Alan Opie mit Grammy Awards Brüssel und Barcelona aufgetreten. Schatten). der Richard-Tauber-Preis und der ausgezeichnet. Zu seinen weiteren Aufnahmen Zu seinen zahlreichen Aufnahmen zählen internationale Liederpreis Walther Gruner. gehören Il barbiere di Siviglia und La bohème Soloalben, Verdis Requiem mit Sir Colin Rosa Mannion wurde in Liverpool geboren Sein umfangreiches Opernrepertoire schließt (bei Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation), Davis, La fanciulla del West mit Slatkin und und studierte an der Royal Scottish Academy die Titelrollen von Don Giovanni, Owen sowie The Rape of Lucretia, Gloriana folgende Videos: Der Rosenkavalier mit Solti, of Music and Drama; zur Zeit ist sie Wingrave, Billy Budd und Eugen Onegin ein, und Troilus and Cressida (diese Produktion Die Fledermaus mit Kiri te Kanawa unter der Schülerin von Gerald Martin Moore. 1993 Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Pelléas, Mowgli wurde wiederum von der Peter Moores Leitung von Placido Domingo, Macbeth mit gab sie ihr Royal Opera Covent Garden (Michael Berkeleys Baa Baa Black Sheep), Foundation gefördert und bei Chandos Sinopoli und Mefistofele für San Francisco Debüt als Pamina; seither ist sie in allen Danilo (Die lustige Witwe) sowie den Grafen aufgenommen). Opera. Für Chandos und die Peter Moores führenden britischen Opernhäusern und Rudolph (Der ferne Klang). Er ist an der Foundation hat er Tosca, La bohème und ein aufgetreten. Ihr Repertoire umfaßt die Royal Opera Covent Garden, der Opera North Dennis O’Neill, der als Sohn irischer und Soloalbum aufgezeichnet. Constanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, und der Glyndebourne Touring Opera walisischer Eltern in Wales geboren wurde, ist die Cordelia in Aribert Reimanns Lear, die aufgetreten, am Teatro regio in Turin, an der einer der führenden Tenöre der Welt und Verdi- Peter Bronder wurde in Hertfordshire als Kind Sophie in Werther, die Sophie in Der Opéra de Lyon und der New Israeli Opera. Er Spezialist. Er unterhält seit langem deutscher und österreichischer Eltern geboren. Rosenkavalier, die Atalanta in Xerxes, die hat unter anderem Baa Baa Black Sheep, Verbindungen zur Londoner Royal Opera Er studierte an der Royal Academy of Music Gräfin in Le nozze di Figaro, die Magnolia in Brittens The Rescue of Penelope, Busonis Doktor Covent Garden und hat dort in letzter Zeit und am National Opera Studio. Nach einer Showboat, die Violetta in La traviata, die vier Faust, und La bohème (für Chandos/Peter Gustavo (Un ballo in maschera), Foresto (Attila), Spielzeit an der Glyndebourne Festival Opera Sopranrollen in Les Contes d’Hoffmann sowie Moores Foundation) auf Tonträger Don Carlos und Radames (Aida) gesungen. war er von 1986 bis 1990 erster Tenor der die Titelrolle in Manon. aufgezeichnet. 24 25 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 26

Geoffrey Mitchell hat im Lauf seiner Children’s Music Group, im New London Leeds. Von 1983 bis 1987 fungierte er als sowie ein neues Opernhaus mit Carmen ein. Gesangskarriere ein erstaunlich umfangreiches Children’s Choir, bei den Jennifer Lilleystone Musikdirektor für Opera 80 und seit 1992 ist In Italien leitete er Ricciardo e Zoraide bei dem Repertoire erschlossen, von alter bis hin zu Singers und an Schulen überall in London und er der Musikdirektor (und Gründer) des Rossini-Festival in Pesaro. Er tritt in zeitgenössischer Musik. Daraus ergaben sich im Süden Englands. zeitgenössischen Opern-Festivals Almeida Frankreich, Deutschland, Belgien, den erst Dirigieraufträge von der BBC, dann eine Opera. Niederlanden und Schweden auf, wo er eine ausgedehntere Zusammenarbeit mit seinen Seit seiner Gründung im Jahr 1932 durch Parrys Tätigkeitsbereich ist nicht nur das gefeierte Inszenierung von Brittens Sängern, die wiederum zur Gründung des Sir Thomas Beecham hat das London Opernhaus, sondern auch der Konzertsaal. A Midsummer Night’s Dream dirigierte. Geoffrey Mitchell Choir führte. Frühe Philharmonic Orchestra unter der Leitung Sein Repertoire erstreckt sich von Mozart Außerhalb Europas ist David Parry bei Schallplattenaufnahmen hatten zur Folge, daß unzähliger prominenter Chefdirigenten und der italienischen Oper des frühen dem Hongkong International Festival und der Chor langfristige Beziehungen zu Opera gestanden, darunter Sir Adrian Boult, Sir John 19. Jahrhunderts bis zu Janácˇek, Britten und mit dem UNAM Symphony Orchestra in Rara einging, für die er 15 Opern Pritchard, Bernard Haitink, Sir Georg Solti zeitgenössischer Musik. In England dirigiert er Mexico City aufgetreten, war mit Carmen aufgezeichnet hat. Derzeit genießt er dank und Klaus Tennstedt. Im Augenblick zählen zu regelmäßig an der English National Opera und in Japan auf Tournee und leitete eine weiterer Verpflichtungen für die BBC und seinen regulären Dirigenten der Musikdirektor konzertiert mit dem Philharmonia Orchestra. Neuinszenierung von Kát’a Kabanová für internationale Schallplattenfirmen wachsendes des Orchesters, Franz Welser-Möst und der 1996 machte er mit Così fan tutte sein Debüt das Festival in Neuseeland. Ansehen. Präsident, Bernard Haitink. bei dem Glyndebourne Festival. Parry hat zahlreiche Werke für das Label Seit 1964 ist das London Philharmonic David Parry gastiert häufig in Spanien, Opera Rara eingespielt, u.a. Rosmonda Der Kinderchor Peter Kay Children’s Choir Orchestra Residenzorchester bei der wo er bereits mit den meisten Opern- d’Inghilterra von Donizetti, das in Belgien mit bietet jungen Sängern Gelegenheit, in Opern Glyndebourne Festival Opera und seit 1992 an kompanien und Sinfonieorchestern aufgetreten dem Prix Cecilia ausgezeichnet wurde; für und Konzerten aufzutreten, in Werbespots der Royal Festival Hall. Es unternimmt ist. Die spanische Premiere von Peter Grimes Chandos hat er eine preisgekrönte Tosca (TV und Radio), bei Wohltätigkeits- zahlreiche Konzertreisen und besuchte als fand unter seiner Leitung in Madrid statt; aufgenommen, drei Aufnahmen operatischen veranstaltungen, auf Festivals und in erstes britisches Orchester die UdSSR und 1996 dirigierte er die erste spanische Arien (mit Bruce Ford, Diana Montague und Bühnenproduktionen in Großbritannien, China. Seine Platteneinspielungen sind Inszenierung von The Rake’s Progress Dennis O’Neill), Faust, Don Pasquale, La Frankreich, Belgien, den Niederlanden, vielfach preisgekrönt worden. (Strawinsky) und weihte zwei neue Konzertsäle bohème, L’elisir d’amore und Auszüge vom Deutschland, Spanien und den USA. Neue mit der Neunten Sinfonie von Beethoven Rosenkavalier. Mitglieder werden auf Einladung und durch David Parry studierte bei Sergiu Celibidache Vorsingen gewonnen, deren Teilnehmer bereits und begann seine Laufbahn als Sir John Erfahrungen mit Gesangsauftritten gemacht Pritchards musikalischer Assistent. Er haben, und zwar an der English National debütierte mit dem English Music Theatre und Opera, wo Peter Kay als Children’s Adviser – wurde Kapellmeister an den Städtischen Kinderberater – tätig ist, in der Finchley Bühnen Dortmund sowie an Opera North in 26 27 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 28

d’inspiration wagnérienne, intitulée œuvres du compositeur continuant à être Ruggero Leoncavallo: Pagliacci Crepusculum, qui avait trait à la Renaissance en représentées de nos jours en Italie, en plus de Italie. A un moment donné, au cours d’une Pagliacci. tournée au Moyen-Orient (1882), il se vit Il continua d’écrire jusqu’à sa mort en 1919. C’est au succès d’un autre compositeur et à un raconter que c’était une histoire véridique pour offrir un poste de chef de musique militaire au Ses dernières œuvres incluent des compositions procès que le Pagliacci (Paillasse) de que l’auteur courroucé abandonnât toute Caire. Peut-être aurait-il accepté si les activités étonnantes comme Der Roland von Berlin Leoncavallo doit d’exister. Sans Cavalleria poursuite. de l’armée britannique ne l’avaient pas forcé à (1904), écrite sur la commande expresse du rusticana de Mascagni, qui fut mise en scène en La technique vériste de Leoncavallo ne s’enfuir à Ismaïlia déguisé en Arabe! Kaiser Guillaume II, et Are You There?, opérette 1890, il est peu probable que l’éditeur surprend guère de la part d’un homme ayant Il acheva ensuite I Medici, une partie de sa écrite pour la scène de Londres en 1913. Sonzogno eût accepté l’œuvre de Leoncavallo, ses antécédents familiaux et musicaux. Comme trilogie, mais bien que Ricordi eût signé un Leoncavallo qui s’était déjà rendu à Londres en ou même que le compositeur la lui eût nous l’avons vu, son père était juge, sa mère contrat pour l’œuvre, ce dernier ne jugea pas 1911 pour diriger Pagliacci et Zazà à présentée. peintre qui jouissait alors d’une certaine utile de la publier, étant plus impressionné par l’Hippodrome, y retourna l’année suivante L’histoire du procès remonte à l’enfance du réputation dans la ville de Naples où le les dons de poète lyrique de Leoncavallo que pour diriger une nouvelle composition, Zingari compositeur. Son père était juge et Leoncavallo compositeur était né le 8 mars 1857. Il fut par ses dons de compositeur. Après avoir passé (Les bohémiens), écrite spécialement pour ce se rappelait très nettement – ce qui n’est guère l’élève de plusieurs professeurs de piano avant trois années à tenter de faire jouer l’œuvre, le théâtre. Ses efforts pour réitérer l’énorme surprenant – du procès d’un acteur qui, saisi de d’entrer au conservatoire de Naples. Pendant compositeur écrivit Pagliacci qu’il présenta à succès de Pagliacci se montrèrent vains, et sa jalousie, avait tué sa femme à la fin d’une ses années estudiantines, il entendit Tannhaüser Ricordi, le grand rival de Sonzogno. L’opéra fut réputation continue d’être assise sur la survie représentation. Le prisonnier, apparemment à Bologne et en fut très impressionné, mais, créé au Teatro dal Verme, le 21 mai 1892, sous de son œuvre la plus célèbre. personnage aux dimensions tragiques, fit face à peu après, une rencontre avec Wagner dans la direction de Toscanini, et remporta un En quoi l’œuvre nous fascine-t-elle? Que l’accusation, accablé de douleur et pourtant cette ville l’impressionna encore davantage. succès quasi-immédiat. Ce succès fut tel que vaut-elle? Examinons d’abord quelques inflexible. Des années plus tard, Leoncavallo se Wagner lui aurait apparemment dit: “Voyez, je l’année suivante I Medici parvint enfin à être opinions d’alors. Hermann Klein, grand rappelait encore de la voix lutte encore.” Le souvenir de ces paroles joué – dans le même théâtre. Ce fut un échec, critique de l’époque, relata dans ses mémoires rude de l’homme, qui résonnait dans le apporta du réconfort à Leoncavallo durant les et Leoncavallo ne chercha pas à faire jouer les la première à Londres de l’opéra qui eut lieu tribunal. Il lui vint à l’esprit, après la mise en années où il dut lui-même lutter pour être autres parties de la trilogie, Savonarola et en mai 1893 (en présence du compositeur): scène de Cavalleria rusticana, que cette reconnu. Peu après avoir achevé ses études, à Cesare Borgia, toutefois Chatterton finit par “La renommée du sensationnel opéra de silhouette impressionnante, le modèle de l’âge de dix-huit ans, il écrivit son premier être mis en scène (1896), suivi par une version Leoncavallo l’avait précédé, et le public Canio, pourrait faire le sujet d’un court opéra Chatterton, mais, en dépit de ses efforts, de La bohème (1897), d’ailleurs quasiment s’attendait à voir quelque chose de drame poignant. Il en écrivit le livret et la mise ne parvint pas à le faire jouer. éclipsée par la mise en musique plus inspirée remarquable. Il ne fut pas déçu. J’ai rarement en musique en cinq mois. Lorsqu’il fut plus Tandis qu’il gagnait sa vie en jouant du que fit Puccini du roman de Murger. Zazà vu une salle tenue en haleine de la sorte par le tard poursuivi pour plagiat, il lui suffit de piano, il se mit à composer une trilogie vint ensuite (1900), et ce sont là toutes les développement d’une intrigue d’opéra.” Puis il 28 29 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 30

décrit les participants et en fait l’éloge, L’histoire du clown dont le cœur est brisé Pagliaccio” (Make it amusing) de “Vesti la puissance, à ne pas traiter à la légère. Dans Fernando de Lucia en Canio, Melba en Nedda mais qui doit continuer à jouer son rôle giubba” (Put on your costume), la musique “Vesti la giubba” (Put on your costume), après et Mario Ancona en Tonio, ajoutant: comique jusqu’au bout n’est bien sûr pas exhale un lyrisme . Ces passages et que l’infidélité de Nedda a été confirmée, nous “Leoncavallo, modeste et sans prétentions, nouvelle; pas plus que le procédé qui insère d’autres, comme le duo érotique de Nedda et voyons une âme noble assaillie par le tourment attendit tranquillement dans l’ombre jusqu’à la une pièce à l’intérieur d’une autre pièce. L’art Silvio, sont pleinement intégrés dans une tandis que le clown déverse ses sentiments, le fin, puis les artistes durent le faire entrer de de Leoncavallo fut de revêtir ces procédés structure unifiée à la manière des derniers chagrin se mêlant à la noblesse d’expression. force sur la scène pour répondre à l’ovation qui d’une musique à la fois touchante, chefs-d’œuvre de Verdi. Finalement, avec “No, Pagliaccio non son” (No, l’attendait… J’ai trouvé que c’était un homme immédiatement accessible et agréable, mais Leoncavallo réussit un brillant coup de we’re not in a play), Canio fait des reproches à fort cultivé et d’une grande intelligence. Il est à mélodieuse sans être vulgaire. C’était un théâtre avec le Prologue dans lequel Tonio son épouse infidèle, donnant libre cours à son la fois poète et musicien et, dans ces deux arts, librettiste accompli, qui en respectant l’unité passe la tête entre les rideaux, puis s’avance chagrin dans le passage le plus éloquent jamais il montre l’emprise d’un penseur accompli.” de lieu et de temps aristotélicienne produisit pour raconter directement aux membres du écrit par Leoncavallo, commençant par “Sperai, Vantant le vérisme de l’œuvre, le Daily un scénario immédiatement crédible et public que les acteurs eux-mêmes sont des tanto il delirio accecato m’aveva” (I hoped, so Telegraph émit l’opinion suivante: “Il semble dépourvu de lenteur. Il se peut qu’il ait campé hommes et des femmes comme eux, avec leurs blind was I, so deluded with passion) pour que, pour le moment, nous en ayons fini des ses personnages sans grande profondeur, mais il passions, leurs joies et leurs souffrances. atteindre un sommet en si aigu. Si ce passage héros légendaires et des mythes nébuleux” – ce les a rendus suffisamment convaincants pour La pièce insérée dans l’autre pièce, rappelant perce le cœur, comme de juste, il fait passer les qui était bien sûr une pointe envoyée à Wagner nous faire croire qu’ils sont réels. en quelque sorte celle d’Hamlet par le dernières pages de l’opéra du mélodrame à la – “Leurs personnages sont bien trop éloignés de Pour sa partition, Leoncavallo n’emprunta rapport qui la lie à l’action principale, est une vraie tragédie. nous: ils ne sont ni de notre chair, ni de notre que le nécessaire aux méthodes wagnériennes. autre invention efficace qui inspire une Tonio est aussi une création intéressante. sang. De nos jours, on exige des documents On y trouve une utilisation rudimentaire du délicieuse musique de commedia dell’arte au On se trouve à nouveau en présence d’une authentiquement humains, des personnages de Leitmotiv, et l’harmonie et l’orchestration compositeur. dichotomie, cette fois entre le bouffon récits et de théâtre qui sont comme nous, et n’auraient certainement pu être les mêmes si Sur scène, la réussite de Pagliacci repose sur courtisant Nedda en Colombine dans la pièce, non pas l’exagération de nous-mêmes.” Plus Wagner n’avait existé. Toutefois, il se dégage de l’écriture et l’interprétation du rôle de Canio. A et la silhouette difforme et pathétique voyant récemment, et de façon plus succincte, le l’ensemble de l’œuvre une saveur bien l’aide de trois passages émouvants, Leoncavallo dans la réalité son amour pour la jeune femme critique Spike Hughes écrivit que Leoncavallo italienne: les passages choraux, par exemple, dépeint un honnête homme abattu par la cruellement repoussé à coups de fouet. Nedda avait satisfait “un besoin longtemps ressenti”. situent l’action en Italie du Sud, et, que le jalousie et le remords, digne successeur de est une femme sans discernement, qui ne On ne se trouvait plus en présence d’un héros compositeur écrive des passages d’une beauté l’Otello de Verdi, et nécessitant un ténor semble guidée que par ses désirs instinctifs. romantique conventionnel, ni même du retour voluptueuse et sans prétention comme dans la héroïque de même envergure. Dans “Un tal Beppe est l’aimable membre pacificateur de la persistant de personnages issus des sagas sérénade de Beppe (en Arlequin) ou la gioco, creditimi” (If he tried it, I promise you), troupe, tandis que Silvio fait en quelque sorte nordiques, mais de personnages authentiques, ballatella de Nedda, ou des morceaux le ton de la menace, avertissement ignoré par figure de nullité opératique, bien que terre à terre, passionnés, pleins de vie. passionnés comme dans le thème “Ridi, Nedda, nous montre un homme plein de Leoncavallo donne à cet amant de belle mine 30 31 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 32

une de ses musiques les plus élégantes. Tous dans une comédie, ce genre d’incident pourrait collecte l’argent. La pièce commence. Alan Opie est né en Cornouailles et a fait ses jouent leur rôle dans cette composition si passer pour drôle, mais que, dans la réalité, les Colombine (Nedda) attend son amoureux études à la Guildhall School of Music and convaincante sur le plan dramatique qu’elle ne événements risqueraient de prendre une Arlequin (Beppe), car son mari Pagliaccio Drama et au London Opera Centre. Principal manque jamais d’émouvoir son public. tournure bien différente. Lorsqu’il s’est calmé, (Canio) est absent pour la nuit. Dehors, baryton de l’English National Opera pendant lui et Beppe se rendent au village et les Arlequin lui donne la sérénade. Taddeo plusieurs saisons, il a également chanté avec les © Alan Blyth villageois partent aux vêpres. (Tonio) entre et déclare son amour secret principales troupes lyriques britanniques Traduction: Marianne Fernée Restée seule, Nedda s’inquiète de l’éclat de pour elle mais celle-ci le dédaigne et il s’en va comme le Royal Opera Covent Garden, Canio, mais bientôt le crépuscule exerce sur au moment où arrive Arlequin. Arlequin et Glyndebourne Festival Opera et Opera North. Argument elle son effet apaisant. Tonio apparaît et, à la Colombine s’asseoient et mangent mais Sa carrière internationale l’a conduit sur les L’action se déroule dans un village de Calabre à fin de sa chanson, il s’approche d’elle et lui Pagliaccio revient à l’improviste et Arlequin scènes lyriques de Bayreuth, Paris, Amsterdam, la veille de la fête de l’Assomption. L’opéra déclare son amour. Mais Nedda se rit de lui, ce s’échappe par la fenêtre. Ses mots d’adieu à Chicago, Milan, Munich, Berlin, Vienne, débute par un prologue durant lequel Tonio qui excite sa colère. Elle doit finalement se l’intention d’Arlequin rappellent à Canio Bruxelles et New York (The Metropolitan apparaît devant le rideau et s’adresse au public, défendre en le frappant au visage avec son l’adieu de Nedda à son amant mystérieux un Opera). lui rappelant que les acteurs sont des personnes fouet. Il s’en va tout en jurant de se venger. peu plus tôt dans la soirée. Canio parvient Alan Opie a remporté un Grammy pour son réelles et que l’histoire ne doit pas être Peu après son départ, l’amant de Nedda, difficilement à demeurer dans le strict cadre enregistrement de Peter Grimes (chez Chandos) considérée comme une fiction. Silvio, fait son apparition. Il la presse de de son personnage et exige de et celui des Meistersinger (avec le Chicago s’enfuir avec lui après la représentation du soir. Colombine/Nedda qu’elle lui avoue le nom de Symphony Orchestra placé sous la direction de Acte I D’abord elle refuse, mais lorsque Silvio son amant. Nedda essaie desespérément de Solti). Il a également gravé Il barbiere di Les villageois célèbrent la fête de l’Assomption l’interroge au sujet de son amour pour lui, elle s’en tenir à son rôle, mais Canio entre dans Siviglia et La bohème (pour Chandos en et lorsqu’ils voient les comédiens pénétrer dans se laisse fléchir. Tonio entend une partie de leur une colère de plus en plus noire. Les collaboration avec la Peter Moores le village, ils se précipitent pour les accueillir. conversation et s’empresse d’aller chercher spectateurs s’impatientent et Nedda tente de Foundation), The Rape of Lucretia, Gloriana et Canio, le chef de la troupe, vient au devant Canio qui arrive juste à temps pour l’entendre s’échapper. Mais Canio parvient à Troilus and Cressida (une production financée d’eux et déclare à l’assemblée des villageois appeler Silvio qui a disparu derrière le mur. l’empoigner et la poignarde. Silvio accourt par la Peter Moores Foundation et enregistrée que la représentation aura lieu le soir même. Nedda refuse d’avouer à Canio le nom de son pour la sauver, mais il est poignardé à son par Chandos). Tonio tente d’aider l’épouse de Canio, Nedda, amant. Canio, rongé par la jalousie, revêt son tour. Canio complètement sous le choc, à descendre de la charette dans laquelle elle est costume de scène. Il est persuadé que l’amant annonce à l’assistance que la représentation Né au Pays de Galles de parents irlandais et arrivée mais Canio le repousse et lui donne une assistera à la représentation de la soirée. est terminée. gallois, Dennis O’Neill est l’un des grands gifle. Quelques villageois remarquent qu’il ne ténors de notre temps, et un spécialiste des faudrait peut-être pas laisser Tonio et Nedda se Acte II © Chandos Records Ltd œuvres de Verdi. Il jouit d’une longue retrouver seuls. Canio est en colère et dit que, Le public (y compris Silvio) est réuni et Nedda Traduction: Karin Py association avec le théâtre de Royal Opera 32 33 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 34

Covent Garden de Londres où il a chanté ainsi qu’au National Opera Studio à Londres. (Showboat), Violetta (La traviata), ainsi que les La carrière de chanteur de Geoffrey Mitchell a récemment les rôles de Gustavo (Un ballo in Après une saison à Glyndebourne Festival quatre rôles de soprano dans Les Contes couvert un répertoire d’une remarquable maschera), Foresto (Attila), Don Carlos et Opera, il devient le premier ténor de Welsh d’Hoffmann et le rôle titre dans Manon. étendue allant de la musique ancienne à la Radames (Aida). National Opera de 1986 à 1990, où son Ses enregistrements comprennent Così fan musique contemporaine. Elle prit son essor à la En Amérique du Nord, il s’est produit au répertoire comprenait des rôles principaux tutte avec John Eliot Gardiner, Die Zauberflöte suite de plusieurs invitations à diriger que lui Metropolitan Opera de New York (La traviata, dans La bohème, La traviata, I puritani, La et Orlando avec William Christie, la Serenade to offrit la BBC, et à une collaboration plus Aida, La bohème et Rigoletto), à Lyric Opera de sonnambula, Lucia di Lammermoor, Il barbiere Music et la Troisième Symphonie de Vaughan étroite avec ses propres chanteurs. C’est ainsi Chicago, à San Francisco, San Diego et à di Siviglia, Così fan tutte, Die Zauberflöte et Williams ainsi que la Missa solemnis de qu’il fut amené à fonder le Geoffrey Mitchell l’Opéra de Vancouver. Il a également donné Eugène Onéguine. Il a également fait des Beethoven. Choir avec lequel il a enregistré quinze opéras des concerts avec les orchestres de Philadelphie, apparitions à l’English National Opera pour Opera Rara. Jouissant d’une réputation Cleveland, Montréal, Ottawa et dans le cadre (Almaviva dans Il barbiere di Siviglia, Vanya William Dazeley est diplômé du Jesus College grandissante, ils ont d’autres projets avec du festival de Cincinnati. En Europe, il est dans Kát’a Kabanová), à l’Opera North (le de Cambridge, et a étudié le chant à la la BBC et des maisons de disques fréquemment invité par le Bayerische Capitaine dans Wozzeck), à le Scottish Opera Guildhall School of Music and Drama de internationales. Staatsoper de Munich, et a chanté dans les (Leicester dans Maria Stuarda) ainsi qu’au Londres. Il est lauréat du Decca–Kathleen opéras de Vienne, Bonn, Cologne, Nice, Royal Opera Covent Garden (Cassio dans Ferrier Prize, du Richard Tauber Prize et du The Peter Kay Children’s Choir offre à de Zurich, Paris, Oslo, Bruxelles et Barcelone. Otello, l’apparition de la Jeunesse dans Die Walther Gruner International Lieder Prize. Son jeunes chanteurs la possibilité de se produire à Son importante discographie comporte des Frau ohne Schatten). vaste répertoire inclut les rôles titres de Don l’opéra, au concert, à la télévision, à la radio, albums en soliste, le Requiem de Verdi avec Giovanni, Owen Wingrave, Billy Budd et Eugène lors de galas de bienfaisance, dans des festivals Colin Davis, La fanciulla del West avec Slatkin, Rosa Mannion est née à Liverpool et étudia à Onéguine, Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Pelléas, et des productions théâtrales en Grande- des vidéos de Der Rosenkavalier avec Solti, Die la Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Mowgli (Baa Baa Black Sheep de Michael Bretagne, en France, en Belgique, aux Pays- Fledermaus avec Kiri te Kanawa sous la Drama et elle poursuit actuellement sa Berkeley), Danilo (Die lustige Witwe) et le Bas, en Allemagne, en Espagne e aux Etats- direction de Placido Domingo, Macbeth avec formation auprès de Gerald Martin Moore. Comte et Rudolph (Der ferne Klang). Il s’est Unis. Ses membres sont recrutés sur invitation Sinopoli, et Mefistofele pour le San Francisco Elle fit ses débuts au Royal Opera Covent produit au Royal Opera Covent Garden, à et sur audition, attirant des participants Opera. Pour Chandos et la Peter Moores Garden dans Pamina en 1993 et elle chanté l’Opera North, avec le Glyndebourne Touring possédant déjà une expérience de la scène à Foundation, il a enregistré Tosca, La bohème et avec les plus grandes compagnies britanniques Opera, au Teatro regio de Turin, à l’Opéra de l’English National Opera où Peter Kay est un album en soliste. dans des rôles tels que Constance (Die Lyon et au New Israeli Opera. Parmi ses conseiller pour enfants, et au le Finchley Entführung aus dem Serail), Cordélia (Lear de enregistrements figurent Baa Baa Black Sheep, Children’s Music Group, le New London Peter Bronder est né à Hertfordshire de Aribert Reimann), Sophie (Werther), Sophie The Rescue of Penelope de Britten, Doktor Faust Children’s Choir, les Jennifer Lilleystone parents d’origine allemande et autrichienne. (Der Rosenkavalier), Atalanta (Xerxes), La de Busoni, et La bohème (pour Chandos/Peter Singers, et dans des écoles de Londres et du Il fit ses études à le Royal Academy of Music Comtesse (Le nozze di Figaro), Magnolia Moores Foundation). sud de l’Angleterre. 34 35 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 36

Le London Philharmonic Orchestra, qui a été du XIXe siècle à Janácˇek, Britten et à la Il a réalisé un grand nombre son enregistrement primé de Tosca, trois formé par Sir Thomas Beecham en 1932, a musique contemporaine. En Angleterre, d’enregistrements pour le label Opera Rara, disques d’aries operatiques (avec Bruce Ford, attiré au fil des années une série inégalable de il a fait des apparitions régulières à l’English entre autres Rosmonda d’Inghilterra de Diana Montague et Dennis O’Neill), Faust, premiers chefs, dont Sir Adrian Boult, Sir John National Opera et lors de concerts avec le Donizetti, qui a remporté le prix Cecilia en Don Pasquale, La bohème, L’elisir d’amore et Pritchard, Bernard Haitink, Sir Georg Solti et Philharmonia Orchestra. En 1996, il a fait ses Belgique, et c’est chez Chandos qu’il a dirigé extraits du Rosenkavalier. Klaus Tennstedt. Parmi les chefs qui le dirigent débuts au Festival de Glyndebourne avec Così régulièrement à l’heure actuelle se trouvent son fan tutte. directeur musical, Franz Welser-Möst, et son Il se rend fréquemment en Espagne où il président, Bernard Haitink. s’est produit avec la plupart des troupes d’opéra L’orchestre, qui est depuis 1964 l’orchestre et des orchestres symphoniques. Il a donné la symphonique en résidence au Glyndebourne première espagnole de Peter Grimes à Madrid Festival Opera, est devenu en 1992 l’orchestre et, en 1996, a dirigé la première mise en scène symphonique en résidence au Royal Festival espagnole de The Rake’s Progress. Il a aussi Hall. Il effectue aussi de vastes tournées – il a inauguré deux nouvelles salles de concert avec été le premier orchestre à se rendre en URSS et une interprétation de la Neuvième Symphonie en Chine – et ses enregistrements ont remporté de Beethoven et un nouvel opéra avec Carmen. maintes récompenses prestigieuses. Il s’est également produit en Italie où il a dirigé Ricciardo e Zoraide au Festival d’opéra de David Parry étudia avec Sergiu Celibidache et Pesaro (consacré à Rossini), mais il s’est aussi commença sa carrière comme assistant de rendu en France, en Allemagne, en Belgique, Sir John Pritchard. Il fit ses débuts avec aux Pays-Bas, et en Suède où il a dirigé une l’English Music Theatre et devint plus tard mise en scène très applaudie du Midsummer chef appointé du Städtische Bühnen Night’s Dream de Britten. Dortmund et d’Opera North. Directeur Hors d’Europe, David Parry s’est produit au musical d’Opera 80 de 1983 à 1987, il est Festival international de Hong Kong, a dirigé depuis 1992 le directeur musical fondateur du l’UNAM Symphony Orchestra à Mexico, a fait festival d’opéra contemporain Almeida Opera. une tournée consacrée à Carmen au Japon, et, Il poursuit une carrière très active à l’opéra en 1996, a dirigé une nouvelle mise en scène et dans les salles de concert. Son répertoire de Kát’a Kabanová au Festival de Nouvelle- va de Mozart et de l’opéra italien du début Zélande. 36 37 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 38

rinascimentale. Ad un certo punto di un suo appaiono in Italia, oltre Pagliacci. Ruggero Leoncavallo: Pagliacci viaggio nel Medio Oriente (1882) gli venne Leoncavallo continuò a scrivere fino alla sua offerto al Cairo l’incarico di dirigente delle morte nel 1919. Le sue più tarde composizioni bande militari, impiego che forse avrebbe includono certe curiosità come Der Roland von Il successo di un altro compositore ed un La tecnica verista di Leoncavallo non è accettato se le attività dell’esercito britannico Berlin (1904), composta su espressa processo in tribunale furono, in senso assai inaspettata in un uomo con i suoi precedenti non lo avessero costretto a rifugiarsi ad Ismailia commissione del Kaiser Wilhelm II, e Are You reale, i progenitori di Pagliacci di Leoncavallo. biografici e musicali. Suo padre, come si è travestito da arabo! There?, un’operetta scritta per Londra nel Se non fosse stato per Cavalleria rusticana di visto, era magistrato, sua madre una pittrice a I Medici, parte della sua trilogia, venne 1913. Leoncavallo era stato a Londra nel 1911 Mascagni, rappresentata nel 1890, c’è da quel tempo famosa a Napoli, dove il successivamente completata ma sebbene a dirigere Pagliacci e Zazà all’Hippodrome e vi chiedersi se l’editore Sonzogno avrebbe compositore era nato il 8 marzo 1857. Ricordi avesse firmato un contratto per l’opera tornò l’anno seguente a dirigere un nuovo accettato l’opera di Leoncavallo o se il Leoncavallo studiò con vari maestri di piano non ritenne opportuno pubblicarla, avendo pezzo, Zingari, scritto espressamente per quel compositore gliela avrebbe persino portata. prima d’iscriversi al Conservatorio di Napoli. una migliore opinione di Leoncavallo come teatro. Invano tentò di ripetere lo schiacciante La storia del processo risale all’infanzia del Mentre era studente assistette ad una poeta del teatro che come musicista. Dopo aver successo di Pagliacci, e la sua reputazione compositore. Suo padre era magistrato e non esecuzione del Tannhäuser a Bologna, tentato per tre anni di farla eseguire, continuerà a dipendere dalla sopravvivenza sorprende che Leoncavallo abbia conservato un’esperienza che gli fece una profonda Leoncavallo scrisse Pagliacci che diede a della sua opera più famosa. vivida memoria del processo di un attore che, in impressione. Un incontro con Wagner nella Sonzogno, grande rivale di Ricordi. L’opera Qual’è il suo fascino e quale il suo valore? un attacco di gelosia, aveva ucciso la moglie alla stessa città poco dopo lo colpi ancora più ebbe quasi immediato successo allorché venne Consideriamo anzitutto alcune opinioni fine di una rappresentazione. L’accusato – a profondamente. A quanto pare Wagner gli rappresentata al Teatro dal Verme il 21 maggio contemporanei. Hermann Klein, un influente quanto pare una figura di tragica potenza – aveva disse: “Voyez, je lutte encore” (Vedete, mi 1892. Tale fu il successo che l’anno dopo critico dell’epoca, scrisse nelle sue memorie fatto fronte all’accusa, accasciato dal dolore ma batto ancora). La memoria di quelle parole I Medici venne finalmente messa in scena – della prima esecuzione di Pagliacci a Londra con irremovibile fermezza. Anni dopo rincuorò Leoncavallo durante gli anni in cui nello stesso teatro. Poiché fece fiasco nel maggio 1893 (alla quale fu presente il Leoncavallo ricordava la ruvida voce dell’uomo lui stesso si batteva per farsi apprezzare. Poco Leoncavallo non persistette con le parti compositore). “La fama della sensazionale che risonava attraverso il tribunale. Questa dopo aver finito gli studi, quando aveva rimanenti della trilogia, Savonarola e Cesare opera di Leoncavallo l’aveva preceduta, e il temibile figura, modello per Canio, diciotto anni, compose la sua prima opera, Borgia, ma Chatterton finì per essere pubblico si aspettava qualcosa di eccezionale. gli balzò alla mente quale soggetto per un Chatterton, ma gli sforzi per farla rappresentare rappresentata nel 1896; fece seguito la sua Non fu deluso. Raramente ho visto un dramma breve e conciso dopo la rimasero futili. versione de La bohéme (1897), che venne pubblico trattenere a tal punto il fiato per rappresentazione di Cavalleria rusticana. Scrisse il Mentre si guadagnava da vivere suonando il virtualmente eclissata dalla più ispirata versione l’eccitazione allo svolgimento della trama di libretto e compose la musica in cinque mesi. piano cominciò a comporre una trilogia di Puccini del romanzo di Murger. Venne poi un’opera.” Continua poi a descrivere e a lodare Citato in seguito per plagio, bastò che rivelasse la d’ispirazione wagneriana, intitolata Zazà (1900), e queste sono le uniche gli interpreti: Fernando de Lucia (Canio), vera storia perché l’irato autore ritirasse l’accusa. Crepusculum, ambientata nell’Italia composizioni di Leoncavallo che ancora Melba (Nedda) e Mario Ancona (Tonio), 38 39 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 40

aggiungendo che “Leoncavallo, modesto e nuova la trovata di un dramma all’interno del una struttura unificata alla maniera dei infedele, scaricando tutta la sua angoscia nel più schivo, ha aspettato in silenzio nello sfondo dramma. L’abilità di Leoncavallo sta nell’aver capolavori del tardo Verdi. eloquente passaggio che Leoncavallo abbia mai fino alla fine, e poi gli interpreti hanno dovuto dato a questi espedienti una veste musicale Leoncavallo realizza un brillante coup de scritto, cominciando con “Sperai, tanto il costringerlo a presentarsi sulla scena per capace di commuovere, immediatamente théâtre con il Prologo, in cui Tonio caccia la delirio accecato m’aveva” (I hoped, so blind was ricevere l’ovazione che l’attendeva… L’ho accessibile ed attraente, melodiosa senza cattivo testa fuori del sipario e poi esce a dire I, so deluded with passion), e salendo al trovato uomo di grande cultura e forte gusto. Valente librettista, e rispettoso delle direttamente agli spettatori che anche gli attori culmine fino ad un si acuto. Se trafigge il cuore intelligenza. È un poeta, oltre che un unità aristoteliche di tempo e spazio, egli riusci sono uomini e donne come loro, soggetti alla – come dovrebbe – trascina le ultime pagine musicista, e in ambedue le arti rivela la a creare un canovaccio che è al contempo passione, alla gioia, al tormento. Il dramma dell’opera dal melodramma alla vera tragedia. percettività di un profondo pensatore.” credibile e agile. La sua caratterizzazione può all’interno del dramma, che abbastanza ricorda Tonio è anche lui una creazione interessante. Nel lodare il verismo dell’opera il Daily non penetrare molto in profondità, ma è quello dell’Amleto nella sua pertinenza Anche qui c’è una dicotomia, questa volta fra il Telegraph stimò che “Ci sembra che ne abbastanza convincente da indurci a credere all’azione principale, è un’altra invenzione semplicione che fa all’amore con Nedda – abbiamo abbastanza, per il momento, di eroi che queste persone siano reali. d’effetto che ispira al compositore deliziosa Colombina – nella commedia, e la figura leggendari e di miti fumosi” – una stoccata, Per la sua partitura Leoncavallo prese giusto musica da commedia dell’arte. patetica e deforme che vede il suo amore naturalmente, a Wagner. “I loro personaggi ci quanto gli occorreva dai metodi wagneriani. Nell’esecuzione Pagliacci si regge interamente crudelmente calpestato da lei nella vita reale. sono troppo distanti; non sono carne della C’è un uso rudimentale del Leitmotiv, e né sulla scrittura e sull’interpretazione della parte Nedda è una donna scervellata dominata dalle nostra carne e ossa delle nostre ossa. Il nostro l’armonia né la strumentazione avrebbero di Canio. In tre toccanti passaggi Leoncavallo sue voglie elementari e nient’altro. Beppe è il tempo vuole Documenti umani, personaggi potuto essere come sono se Wagner non fosse rivela un uomo onesto, distrutto dalla gelosia e membro spensierato, il paciere della troupe. che nella storia e nel dramma sono nostri mai esistito. Peraltro, il lavoro, nel suo insieme, dal rimorso, legittimo successore dell’Otello Silvio è una specie di nullità operistica, anche consanguinei, non un’esagerata espressione di ha un riconoscibile gusto italiano: i passaggi verdiano, che richiede un tenore eroico dello se la musica accordata da Leoncavallo al noi stessi.” Più recentemente, più corali, per esempio, pongono l’azione stesso stampo. In “Un tal gioco, credetemi” (If bell’amoroso è fra le più gradite da cantare. succintamente, il critico Spike Hughes scrisse inequivocabilmente nell’Italia Meridionale, e he tried it, I promise you) il tono è di minaccia, Tutti i personaggi sostengono la loro parte in che Leoncavallo appagava “Un desiderio da sia che il compositore appaia spontaneamente e un avvertimento che Nedda non raccoglie; ci un pezzo la cui convinzione drammatica non tempo avvertito”. Qui non c’era più il sensualmente melodioso, come nella Serenata mostra un uomo di carattere fermo, con il quale manca mai di appassionare il pubblico. convenzionale eroe romantico, ne venivano di Beppe (Arlecchino), o nella Ballatella di non si scherza. In “Vesti la giubba” (Put on riproposte figure delle saghe nordiche, ma Nedda, oppure frenetico come nel tema di your costume), dopo che l’infedeltà di Nedda è © Alan Blyth personaggi veri, terreni, appassionati, pieni di “Ridi, Pagliaccio” (Make it amusing), in “Vesti stata confermata, un’anima grande è torturata La trama vita. la giubba” (Put on your costume), la musica dal tormento: nello sfogo del pagliaccio lo L’azione si svolge in un paesino della Calabria Naturalmente, la storia del clown dal cuore manifesta un lirismo transalpino. Questi, ed sconforto si mischia alla nobiltà d’espressione. alla vigilia della Festa dell’Assunzione. L’opera infranto, che però deve continuare a recitare altri numeri vocali, come l’erotico duetto di Infine, in “No, Pagliaccio non son” (No, we’re comincia con un prologo nel quale Tonio si fino in fondo la commedia, non è nuova; né è Nedda e Silvio, sono pienamente integrati in not in a play) Canio rimprovera la moglie presenta alla ribalta e si rivolge al pubblico, 40 41 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 42

ricodandogli che gli attori sono persone vere e Silvio, che l’esorta a fuggire con lui quella sera Nedda/Colombina il nome del suo amante. La bohème (per la Chandos/Peter Moores che la storia non andrà presa superficialmente dopo la recita. Dapprima Nedda non Nedda tenta disperatamente di continuare la Foundation), The Rape of Lucretia, Gloriana e come una drammatica finzione. acconsente, ma quando Silvio mette in dubbio commedia, ma Canio s’infuria sempre più. Il Troilus and Cressida (la cui produzione venne il suo amore ella cede. Non visto, Tonio ha pubblico s’innervosisce e Nedda cerca di sponsorizzata dalla Peter Moores Foundation Atto I ascoltato parte della loro conversazione e va a fuggire, ma Canio riesce ad afferrarla e la ed incisa da Chandos). Gli abitanti del paese stanno festeggiando prendere Canio che arriva guisto in tempo per pugnala. Silvio accorre a difenderla ma l’Assunzione e quando vedono che sono sentire Nedda rivolgersi a Silvio mentre egli anche lui viene colpito. Canio, impetrito dallo Nato nel Galles da genitori irlandesi e gallesi arrivati in paese i commedianti si affrettano ad sparisce al di là del muretto. Nedda si rifiuta di shock, annunzia al pubblico che la commedia è Dennis O’Neill è fra i principali tenori di andare a salutarli. Canio, il capocomico, si fa svelare a Canio il nome del suo amante. Roso finita. rinomanza mondiale ed uno specialista nel avanti e dice agli astanti che la recita avrà luogo dalla gelosia Canio si veste per la parte che © Chandos Records Ltd repertorio verdiano. E’ da anni felicemente la sera stessa. Tonio cerca di aiutare Nedda, la reciterà nella commedia. È sicuro che l’amante Traduzione: Marcella Barzetti impegnato in una lunga collaborazione con la moglie di Canio, a scendere dal carro sul quale della moglie sarà presente quella sera alla recita. Royal Opera Covent Garden per la quale ha è arrivata, ma Canio lo respinge e lo Alan Opie è nato in Cornovaglia e ha studiato recentemente cantato i ruoli di Gustavo (Un schiaffeggia. Alcuni paesani commentano che Atto II alla Guildhall School of Music and Drama e al ballo in maschera), Foresto (Attila), Don Carlos forse sarebbe meglio non lasciare Tonio e Il pubblico (che include Silvio) si è radunato e London Opera Centre. Per molte stagioni ha e Radames (Aida). Nedda soli insieme. Canio s’infuria e dice che Nedda va in giro raccogliendo i denari dei fatto parte della English National Opera come I suoi ingaggi nel Nord America hanno sebbene certe cose possano essere classificate biglietti. Comincia la commedia. Colombina primo baritono ed ha inoltre cantato per tutte incluso la Metropolitan Opera (La traviata, come una commedia in una recita, nella realtà (Nedda) sta aspettando il suo amante le principali compagnie liriche britanniche Aida, La bohème e Rigoletto), la Chicago Lyric il risultato potrebbe essere ben diverso. Arlecchino (Beppe) giacche il marito, Pagliaccio comprese la Royal Opera Covent Garden, Opera, , San Diego Quando si è calmato va in paese con Beppe e i (Canio), passa la notte via da casa. Fuori, Glyndebourne Festival Opera e Opera North. Opera, Vancouver Opera e concerti con le paesani vanno ai vespri. Arlecchino le fa la serenata. Taddeo (Tonio) Ingaggi all’estero lo hanno portato ai teatri orchestre sinfoniche di Philadelphia, Rimasta sola Nedda si preoccupa della entra e le dichiara di amarla in segreto, ma lei lirici di Bayreuth, Parigi, Amsterdam, Chicago, Cleveland, Montreal, Ottawa, e per il Festival sfuriata di Canio ma non tarda a rilassarsi al lo respinge e lui parte mentre entra Arlecchino. Monaco di Baviera, Berlino, Vienna, Brusselle, di Cincinnati. E’ di frequente ospite della sole pomeridiano. Appare Tonio e quando Colombina e Arlecchino si siedono a mangiare, nonchè al Teatro alla Scala e al Metropolitan Bayerische Staatsoper di Monaco di Baviera. Nedda ha finito la sua canzone le si avvicina e ma d’improvviso arriva, inaspettato, Pagliaccio Opera di New York. Altrove in Europa ha cantato nei teatri lirici di le dichiara il suo amore, ma Nedda lo deride e e Arlecchino scappa dalla finestra. L’addio di Alan Opie ha vinto un Premio Grammy per Vienna, Bonn, Colonia, Nizza, Zurigo, Parigi, lui si fa sempre più irato. Alla fine ella è Colombina ad Arlecchino ricorda a Canio quello la sua incisione di Peter Grimes (per Chandos) Oslo, Brusselle e Barcellona. costretta a difendersi colpendolo al viso con la di Nedda al suo amante segreto poco prima nel ed ancora per Die Meistersinger (con la Chicago La sua vasta discografia comprende albums frusta. Tonio parte giurando vendetta. pomeriggio. Canio stenta a continuare a Symphony Orchestra diretta da Solti). Gli altri di pezzi solistici, il Requiem di Verdi con Sir Partito Tonio arriva l’amante di Nedda, recitare la sua parte ed esige da suoi dischi includono Il barbiere di Siviglia e Colin Davis, La fanciulla del West con Slatkin, 42 43 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 44

videoregistrazioni di Der Rosenkavalier con Martin Moore. Ha debuttato al Royal Opera (Der ferne Klang). Ha cantato per la Royal di beneficienza, festival e produzioni teatrali, in Solti, Die Fledermaus con Kiri te Kanawa, Covent Garden nel 1993 nella parte di Opera Covent Garden, Opera North, Gran Bretagna, Francia, Belgio, Olanda, diretta da Domingo, Macbeth con Sinopoli Pamina, ed ha cantato con tutte le principali Glyndebourne Touring Opera, Teatro regio di Germania, Spagna ed USA. I suoi membri e Mefistofele per San Francisco Opera. Per compagnie britanniche nei ruoli di Constanze Torino, Opéra de Lyon e New Israeli Opera. I sono stati prescelti tra adolescenti con la Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation ha (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Cordelia suoi dischi includono Baa Baa Black Sheep, esperienza di esecuzioni corali, previo invito ed inciso Tosca, La bohème e un album di pezzi (Lear di Aribert Reimann), Sophie (Werther), The Rescue of Penelope di Britten, il Doktor audizione presso l’English National Opera, di solistici. Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Atalanta (Xerxes), Faust di Busoni, e La bohème (per cui Peter Kay è consultente, il Finchley la Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro), Magnolia Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation). Children’s Music Group, il New London Peter Bronder è nato nello Hertfordshire da (Showboat), Violetta (La traviata), i quattro Children’s Choir, The Jennifer Lilleystone genitori austro-tedeschi ed ha studiato alla soprani ne Les Contes d’Hoffmann e la parte di La carriera vocale di Geoffrey Mitchell si Singers, nonché varie scuole di tutta Londra e Royal Academy of Music e al National Opera protagonista in Manon. distingue per il repertorio eccezionalmente dell’Inghilterra meridionale. Studio. Dopo una stagione con la Le sue registrazioni discografiche includono ampio, che va dalla musica antica a quella Glyndebourne Festival Opera è stato primo Così fan tutte con John Eliot Gardiner, Der contemporanea. Tale fatto gli ha fruttato La London Philharmonic Orchestra, costituita tenore con la Welsh National Opera dal 1986 Zauberflöte e Orlando con William Christie, la numerosi inviti della BBC ad esibirsi nel ruolo nel 1932 da Sir Thomas Beecham, ha attratto al 1990. Il suo repertorio per questa compagnia Serenade to Music e la Terza Sinfonia di di direttore e, in seguito, un’attività più nel corso degli anni una successione ha incluso ruoli principali in La bohème, La Vaughan Williams e la Missa solemnis di impegnativa in sintonia con propri cantanti incomparabile di primi direttori, tra cui traviata, I puritani, La sonnambula, Lucia di Beethoven. nonché la consequente formazione del Sir Adrian Boult, Sir John Pritchard, Bernard Lammermoor, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Così fan Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. Dopo le prime Haitink, Sir Georg Solti e Klaus Tennstedt. tutte, Die Zauberflöte e Eugene Onegin. Ha William Dazeley si è laureato presso Jesus registrazioni su disco il complesso ha potuto Attualmente si alternano periodicamente sul cantato inoltre con la English National Opera College, Cambridge, e ha studiato canto alla stabilire regolari rapporti di lavoro con la podio il Direttore musicale Franz Welser-Möst (Almaviva nel Barbiere di Siviglia, Vanya in Guildhall School of Music and Drama. I premi compagnia Opera Rara, per la quale ha ed il Presidente Bernard Haitink. Kát’a Kabanová), Opera North (Il Capitano in da lui conseguiti includono il Decca-Kathleen registrato ben 15 opere. Attualmente gode di Dal 1964 questo complesso è l’orchestra Wozzeck), Scottish Opera (Leicester in Maria Ferrier Prize, il Richard Tauber Prize e il crescente reputazione grazie agli ulteriore sinfonica stabile della Glyndebourne Festival Stuarda), e la Royal Opera Covent Garden Walther Gruner International Lieder Prize. Il incarichi ricevuti dalla BBC e dalle case Opera (Compagnia lirica del Festival (Cassio in Otello, Apparizione della gioventù suo esteso repertorio lirico comprende la parte discografiche internazionali. omonimo) e dal 1992 del Royal Festival Hall. ne Die Frau ohne Schatten). di protagonista in Don Giovanni, in Owen Inoltre, ha effettuato tournée in ogni parte del Wingrave, in Billy Budd e in Eugene Onegin, The Peter Kay Children’s Choir (Coro di mondo ed è la prima orchestra britannica ad Rosa Mannion è nata a Liverpool ed ha Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Pelleas, Mowgli fanciulli) offre ai giovani cantanti buone esibirsi nell’URSS e in Cina. Le sue studiato alla Royal Scottish Academy of Music (Baa Baa Black Sheep di Michael Berkeley), prospettive in materia di opera lirica, concerti, registrazioni discografiche le hanno meritato and Drama; attualmente studia con Gerald Danilo (Die lustige Witwe) e il Conte e Rodolfo annunci pubblicitari televisivi e radio, attività numerosi importanti premi. 44 45 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 46

David Parry ha studiato con Sergiu due nuove sale di concerti con la Nona Celibidache ed ha iniziato la sua carriera come sinfonia di Beethoven ed un nuovo teatro lirico assistente di Sir John Pritchard. Ha fatto il suo con la Carmen. Altre tournées l’hanno portato debutto con l’English Music Theatre ed è poi in Italia, dove ha diretto Ricciardo e Zoraide al diventato direttore stabile della Städtische Festival Rossini di Pesaro, in Francia,

Bühnen Dortmund e di Opera North. Dal Germania, Belgio, Olanda, e Svezia dove ha Turner Carpenter Robert 1983 al 1987 è stato direttore artistico di diretto con grande successo A Midsummer Opera 80 e dal 1992 Direttore Musicale Night’s Dream di Britten. fondatore del festival di opera contemporanea Fuori d’Europa David Parry si è esibito al dell’Almeida Opera. festival internazionale di Hong Kong, con Svolge un’intensa attività sia nel teatro lirico l’UNAM Symphony Orchestra a Città del sia in campo sinfonico. Il suo repertorio va da Messico e in una serie di rappresentazioni della Mozart e l’opera italiana del Ottocento a Carmen in Giappone. Nel 1996 ha diretto Janácˇek e Britten e la musica contemporanea. Kát’a Kabanová in un nuovo allestimento per il In Inghilterra ha diretto frequentemente alla festival della Nuova Zelanda. Alan Opie Peter Bronder English National Opera ed in concerti Ha inciso numerosi dischi per Opera Rara, sinfonici con la Philharmonia Orchestra. Nel fra l’altro quello di Rosmonda d’Inghilterra di 1996 ha debuttato al Glyndebourne Festival Donizetti, che ha vinto il Priz Cecilia in Opera con Così fan tutte. Belgio; per Chandos ha diretto l’acclamato Dirige spesso in Spagna nella maggior parte disco della Tosca, tre dische di grandi arie dei teatri lirici e con orchestre sinfoniche. Ha operistiche (con Bruce Ford, Diana Montague diretto la prima spagnola di Peter Grimes a e Dennis O’Neill), Faust, Don Pasquale, La Madrid e nel 1996 il primo allestimento bohème, L’elisir d’amore e brani del spagnolo della Rake’s Progress, ha inaugurato Rosenkavalier.

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Prologue So then, his tale of love (The curtain rises.) There’s the comic, the leading actor! is just the same as Give him a welcome. Chorus Tonio the love of real people; You are our favourite star, 2 Hey! 1 Hello… Hello… it tells of love our favourite actor! They’re back! They’re back! Dear ladies and gentlemen, you’ll pardon me and its gloomy outcome, You’re welcome! They’ve all come back… for this solo performance. of the pangs a lover feels, Now make us laugh again The leading man… I am the Prologue. and that if rage consumes them with your performance! His pretty wife… Our author has decided men can be cynical. Come on, come on, and all their company. we’ll all wear masks again Dear public, remember we’re ready to applaud you. You hear the laughter as in the old days, that when we’re performing Just look… Just look… he’ll tell a story and since he is reviving in our costumes and our make-up, The sad one, he’s so funny! and make a joke. all these ancient customs we have feelings too, Just look, the sad one, And look at that one… he sends me to raise the curtain. we have all suffered, isn’t he funny! bowing so formally, isn’t he funny! But not to say, as in the past: for we are flesh and blood, We want to laugh! Come on! He’s pulling faces, isn’t he funny! ‘These actors pretend to be sad, our hearts beat as yours do, The lads all cheer with excitement. Canio they’re weeping, and that in this world They’re going mad as they cheer. Thank you! Thank you! And now… they’re in agony, full of sorrows but it’s not like real life; like you we all fight for survival! Boys Chorus and Boys don’t be upset by them’. Now you know what we’re here for. Now then, here is our Give us a play tonight! No! No! The author will show you, I think you’ll find the story will grip you. favourite comic! Canio (beating the drum to drown the voices of the here in our theatre, Come on, bring up the curtain! Canio (from behind ) crowd ) a slice of life as we live it. Go to the devil, you! Listen to me. He has a theory that man Act I Beppe (from behind ) Chorus and Boys and the actor are one, Scene 1 Stop! Stop, you little bastard! Oh, please stop it! and that our work is done only for people. The entrance of a village, where two roads meet. On You’ll drive us mad! We just show them the truth in life. the right a travelling theatre. As the curtain rises, (Boys whistle and shout behind, and then enter Canio He weaves his timeless story, sounds of an out-of-tune trumpet and a drum are running.) Now will you let me speak? made up of memories, heard; laughter, shouting, whistling, voices Chorus and Boys made up of passion. approaching. Enter villagers in holiday attire. Tonio They’ve got their costumes, Chorus and Boys He wept as he wrote it, looks up the road on the left. Then, worried by the and make-up. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! real tears of sorrow, crowd which stares at him, he lies down in front of Just look at that one. He’s right. and his sobbing the theatre. The time is 3 o’clock. There is bright They’re wonderful. That’s enough of that, inspired these brooding melodies. sunlight. Aren’t they a sight to see. we’ll listen and let him speak. 48 49 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 50

Aria Boys (making fun) Another Local (joking) Nedda (aside) Canio Handsome lover! You should be careful. Has he found out? (Beppe drags off the cart. Tonio chases the boys away.) He only wants to stay here 3 Your most humble servant Chorus to be alone with Nedda! has written a new play. Tonio (aside, as he goes) Oh, come now, Tonight you may see it One day I’ll get you, you bastard! Canio (smiling, with a frown) do you mean what you’re saying? but only if you pay! Eh! Eh! You think so? Canio You’ll like the new tale (Tonio enters the theatre. A group of locals goes up Cantabile Me? I’m joking. I made it up! with its comedy touches: to Canio.) I love my darling Nedda. you’ll see me prevail Canio A Local (egged on by the others) (Canio approaches Nedda and kisses her forehead.) with a handsome young duchess! 4 If he tried it, I promise you Friend, now will you have a drink? Boys and Women (rushing to the left and looking (He indicates Nedda.) he’d find he had to reckon with me. We’ll all invite you if you’d like to join us. off ) The tragical Tonio I mean it. Please, say yes. 5 will surely amuse you, Let Tonio and all of you remember: Do you hear them playing? and then he’ll confuse you, Canio (gesturing around him) Men there’ll be a surprise! Yes, I’d like to. Here is life, there the theatre: It’s time for church. Come here, won’t you honour us, the two are very different. We’d better be going. dear friends, with your presence Beppe (joining them) Yes, the two are very different. Sweet is the sound at half past eleven. What a good idea, If, in a play, the husband of their musical piping, I won’t be long. Chorus surprises his fair lady deep is the note So long as you make us laugh, (Canio passes towards the theatre. Beppe throws his embraced by some young officer, of the Vesper bell chiming! that’s all that we ask for: whip in front of the theatre and goes in to change he’ll preach a funny sermon, Let’s be going. at half past eleven. his clothes.) full of outrage, and the officer Come on. will give him such a thrashing! We’re going to service. (Tonio advances to help Nedda down from the cart, Canio (calling) Then the public applaud him Women but Canio, who has already alighted, boxes his ears.) Hey, Tonio! and you all laugh your heads off! Ah! Come on! Canio (knocking Tonio aside and helping Nedda Come and join us. But if Nedda deceived me Hear the bells ring, down) and betrayed me, They call us to service. Let her go! Tonio (from within) I can tell you there’d be tears The lights will need some fixing. instead of laughter, Canio Chorus (laughing) Set one up for me. and the ending would be tragic! As long as you’re there tonight Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! If she tried it, I promise you, at half past eleven. That surprised you, handsome lover! she’d certainly regret it!

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(Canio smiles and nods to those who have invited so afraid that he might read Fly up higher and higher, Tonio him, and disappears behind the theatre. The pipers in my eyes fast as an arrow, Your song gave me such pleasure, enter with young and old villagers in couples, the secret I’m hiding. thirsty for the sunlight and just to hear you made me feel happy. addressing those who are on the stage.) If ever he discovered, and thirsty for heaven’s blue: he’d beat me like a dog. follow your true love, Nedda (laughing mockingly) Chorus Ha! Ha! What an inspiration! Come on! Come on! I’m crazy… forget him! your dream of flying together. (Both groups join and form in couples.) It’s just his jealousy You’re soaring, soaring Tonio Ding dong, do you hear the bells? that makes me frightened. you are lost to view. Don’t mock me, Nedda! Young lovers, come on! Oh, how enchanting the summer sun is! Winds may pursue you, I feel life pulsing through me and storms may blow around you, Nedda We go to Vespers, hand in hand. Why? Don’t you deserve it? As the sunset glows and everything within me fly little swallow, defying them all. so bright and so fair, seems to burn with desires Though sheets of lightning Tonio our mothers are watching us, I cannot fathom. in a flash surround you, I’m not tall and handsome, so better take care! (looking to the sky) you’re soaring, soaring, I know you despise me, All the world is bright with Ah, the swallows are flying. you are lost to view. I know I arouse youth and with love: Just watch them diving Soaring on high only hatred in you. but the old eyes are watching us, and soaring… but for what? to find an airy heaven, And yet I am human, they do not approve! Who knows? My mother knew, seen in your dreams, I long to be happy, Ding dong, the bells ring out their song she could see in the cards what would happen, but forever denied. I have a heart too. and all the world is bright and she knew what the birds sang; Ever higher you fly, But when you ignore me with youth and love. now I remember drawn by the power and don’t even see me, the song she sang me. that rules over your spirit. I try to keep quiet (The couples go off by road at the back. The chorus Ah! Ah! On high, on high, on high. and not show my grief: goes out and is heard singing in the distance. Canio believe what I tell you, Aria (During her song, Tonio comes out from behind the and Beppe, now in their street clothes, leave with 7 to me you’re an angel, Swallow, fly away, theatre and stands listening in rapture. At the end of the locals. Nedda is left alone.) I’ve fallen in love! no one can catch you, her song, Nedda turns and sees him.) spread out your wings, (approaching her) Scene 2 fly up in the ocean of blue. Duet Allow me, I beg of you, to tell you… Introduction But swallow have a care now, Nedda (sharply) the sun will scorch you, Nedda (breaking in and bursting into laughter) Nedda (musing) 8 It’s you! you’re soaring, soaring, You love me! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! 6 The ugly look he gave me! I thought that you had gone with Canio. you are lost to view! (elegantly, taking up a fan) I turned away, There’s time for your words of love. 52 53 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 54

This evening I’ll hear them. Nedda (with studied insolence) Oh, how I loathe you, to have his way, Oh, really master Tonio. the sight of you! and to make love; Tonio Your hunchback isn’t the trouble. You’re twisted in your mind and body, he tried to kiss me. Nedda! Or should I give you a thrashing filthy! He was like some wild beast! for you to satisfy your lust? Nedda Scene 3 Silvio This evening you’ll tell Tonio My God! Duet me the story on stage, You’re laughing, you despise me! Nedda on stage and in costume. Now, as God is my witness, Nedda! Silvio (appearing on the wall) Oh, he’ll regret it. I swear that you’ll be sorry! 9 Nedda! Tonio I tamed him nicely, Don’t mock me, Nedda! Nedda Nedda I gave him a beating! I’ll show you. Silvio! Nedda (bowing theatrically) Silvio (approaching Nedda sadly and tenderly) Wait till Canio hears the story! Here so early? There’s time then! You’ll tell me 10 Why do you go on This is madness. the story, on stage. Tonio (moving towards her) with this tormented life? Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! But not before I kiss you! Silvio (laughing) Nedda, Nedda! So what! Don’t worry, (He takes her hand and leads her downstage.) Tonio Nedda (drawing back) I’m certain no one saw me. You will decide my fate. Believe what I tell you, Watch out! Nedda! Nedda, don’t leave me! to me you’re an angel! Canio and Beppe Tonight the show will end, Don’t mock me, no! Tonio (rushing to catch her) are drinking with their cronies, you will have gone tomorrow. Don’t mock me! I’ll take you if I have to! I saw them going, I promise! Don’t be frightened. Nedda! Nedda! Nedda (picking up the whip, and striking Tonio in Nedda I was longing to see you, When you have gone away the face) Don’t bother. I just had to. and left me lonely, ah then, Don’t bother, you’re wasting your time. Don’t you dare touch me! what shall I do? Nedda Tonio (screaming and drawing back) My life will be over! Tonio We must be careful; Now I take an oath To me you’re an angel, and Tonio might have seen you. Nedda (moved) I’ve fallen in love! by all that’s holy, Silvio! Nedda! Nedda, I’ll get you Silvio (laughing) and I’ll make you suffer! Oh, scared of Tonio? Silvio No, I’m here and I must tell you now. Nedda, Nedda, I beg of you, You’ve got to stay and listen! Nedda (motionless, watching him as he goes off ) Nedda You don’t love Canio. I love you, I’m going mad for you. Viper! Go! That Tonio is a monster! You have never loved him, I’ve got to have you, I’ve got to! I see now what you’re made of! He loves me and just now he tried to… 54 55 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 56

you told me how you hated My love, my love. Nedda (overcome and yielding) Scene 4 and Finale your cheap and false way of life in the theatre. (Tonio appears from the back.) Never forget (Tonio and Canio appear.) If you love me so much, Ah, stay here with me, my love! and never reproach me. if you mean all you say, No, you don’t love me! Can you not see in my eyes Tonio (holding Canio back) 13 come away with me now. Tonio (choking) how much I love you? Be very careful, Nedda, be mine! Ah! I’ve got you, you vermin! Let me stay close and then we can surprise them. beside you, your arms around me, Nedda (He hurries off by the path, threatening.) 11 I must be strong, one sweet lifetime of love Silvio (half over the wall and holding on to it) do not tempt me, do not destroy me! Nedda we two together! At dead of night Silvio, Silvio, What! You are my master, I’ll hide over there! no, no, you are dreaming, it can’t be! Silvio I am yours forever. (leaping over) Trust and believe what I say, You don’t love me! Take me and hold me, Don’t let them see you. I’ll follow and obey you, Come down and you will find me. I live for you alone! Nedda never to part. (He disappears.) Don’t spoil this love of ours, Ah, yes, I love you! don’t wreck the joy we’ve known! Silvio Silvio Nedda (to Silvio) I must be strong, I must be strong, Never to part. Yes, tonight I love you so! Then stay here, do not leave me! 12 How can you tell me and forever I’ll be yours. I must be strong, I love you so! Nedda and Silvio you ever loved me, And yet, who knows? How I’ve longed for this moment of passion. Canio Sometimes I like this sort of life. how can you go (From where he is standing he overhears the words, Fate decides what’s to be, and leave me to die? Nedda and shouts.) our words can’t help at all! Why did you kiss Take me away with you, we cannot part now. Ha! But still my love is true, and why did you hold me, Silvio Nedda (turning at the shout and seeing Canio, calls I cannot tear it from me. were all your kisses I’ll take you away with me, we cannot part now. towards the wall) It lives here in my heart of love a lie? You’ll come? Hurry! this sweet love you awakened! Have you forgotten long hours of loving? Nedda (Canio rushes to the wall, but Nedda bars his way. Silvio I can’t forget them, Yes, kiss me! There is a short struggle. He pushes her aside and Ah! Nedda, my love! and long for more. jumps over the wall.) Nedda, don’t leave me. I want to hold you, Nedda and Silvio But what am I to do, I want to kiss you. Yes, I’ll love you for ever! Nedda (listening anxiously) How can I live without you? I want to love you for evermore! Dear God, Don’t go! Nedda! protect him now! 56 57 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 58

Tell me his name. Beppe Tonio (softly to Canio, pushing him down to the Canio (offstage) Oh, what is this? front) Coward, I’ll get you! Nedda (turning) Let her be, I tell you. Calm down a bit. Who? It’s time for the performance. Stop shouting. Tonio (laughing comically) Any moment now they’ll all be coming. Pretend it’s all a joke. Ha! Ha! Ha! Canio Now, listen, just control yourself! Her lover will come back, You! God is my witness. then we will find a way! Nedda (turning to Tonio) Canio (struggling) And I’ll tell you the reason I will observe her. Well done, my clever Tonio! Don’t try to stop me! (drawing a dagger from his belt) You do the show as usual. Who is he? Who is he? Tonio why I haven’t Who knows, maybe he’ll come Part of the service! cut your throat. Beppe to see her act tonight, It’s because, before I plant it Tonio, and he’ll betray himself. Nedda in your treacherous bosom, help me to hold him. Calm down. You like to stir up trouble. you shameless harlot, You must deceive them both I’ll make you tell me Canio Tonio (bowing) to get your way. who is your lover, tell me! Who is he? I can do even better, (Beppe comes from the theatre. Tonio goes up.) don’t you worry. Nedda (Tonio, seizing him by the arm, leads him down left.) Nedda Your threats are useless. Beppe You disgust me. I hate you! I swear I’ll tell you nothing. Beppe We’re waiting, Canio, Come on now, you mustn’t shout so loud! Your costume’s here, Tonio Canio (shouting) Here comes the public. get ready. Oh, don’t you know yet, Who is it? Who is it? (to Nedda) (to Tonio) that’s what I like! Spit it out, you wretched woman! And Nedda, get away from him, And you, give us a drum roll, Tonio. (Canio re-enters, from over the wall, out of breath it’s time to go and dress. Nedda (Both go off behind the theatre.) and mopping his forehead.) (pushing her towards the theatre) No! I would rather die! We all know Introduction Canio (with suppressed anger) (Beppe appears from the left.) Canio has a temper. What a fool they’ve made me! Canio It’ll pass. Lost him! It’s clear Canio (rushing on Nedda, but Beppe holds him 14 Go on stage, that he knows his way around. back, snatches the knife from him and throws it Canio (holding his head in his hands) and my life broken in pieces. (furiously to Nedda) away) I hate her, I hate her! I won’t know what I’m saying, I shall find him: Damn you, I’ll kill you! how can I do it? the lover who just left you. (Beppe goes with Nedda into the theatre.) But no, you have to. Force yourself! 58 59 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 60

Well! 16 Intermezzo Men (Tonio exits behind the theatre, carrying away the (angrily) Just look around, those pretty girls drum. Beppe goes to settle the women who are Call yourself a man! Act II are so attractive, quarelling about their seats.) (mocking) (Beppe comes from behind, blowing a trumpet; aren’t they attractive! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Tonio follows, beating the big drum, and goes to Oh, Lord, what a crush! Women You’re just an actor! take up his position on the left of the theatre. Come here and sit by me Will you stop pushing me! (taking his head in his hands in despair) Meanwhile, people come from all directions to the you lovely creature! I wasn’t pushing you! play and Beppe places the benches for the women.) I’ll tell you the story! Stop pushing! You’re crazy! Aria Stop! Who? Scene 1 Women Canio Stop! Oh Beppe, lend a hand. I hate the way they push! 15 Put on your costume Women and Men (from behind the scene) I’m so exhausted. 17 and your wig and your make-up. Ohe! Ohe! Tonio Men They pay their money, Quickly! Hurry! Get to your places! Sit down along the side here! and you must make them laugh. Let’s get a move on! Come on! See, they have come to blows! If, in the play, Hurry along with you, Hurry along! Sit down! Will no one stop them? your lady takes a lover, come on, look lively! Sit down and stop that dreadful noise. make it amusing, Let’s get a move on, Women and Men Stop all that shouting there! be sure to raise a laugh. don’t waste time! Down in the front row! (Silvio passes on the right seeing Nedda going round You turn to laughter your pain Down in the front row! Tonio (beating a drum) with a plate for the money, and approaches her.) and betrayal, Hurry along with you Come on, be quick, you tell a story, or they’ll have started. Beppe we’re nearly starting! pull faces, play the part. Aren’t there a few more seats Sit down and don’t make such a noise! Ah! Make it amusing, Chorus down in the front there? though your life has been shattered. Hurry along with you, Well, here we are. Silvio Who wants to know or they’ll have started! Come, we are ready now, Nedda! that grief has poisoned your heart? we want some action. Don’t be impatient! Nedda Why do we have to wait? Will you stop pushing me. Be careful! (He moves slowly towards the theatre weeping, We want some action! If you don’t move now Don’t let him see you! pushes the curtain roughly as if not wishing to enter, we’ll miss the start! Give us the play! then begins to weep again. He takes his head in his Silvio hands and hides his face, takes a few steps towards Tonio Tonio I shall be waiting the curtain. He enters and disappears.) We’re nearly ready! Come on, be quick, after the show. We’re nearly ready, quickly, quickly! we’re nearly starting. 60 61 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 62

Women and Men (As the curtain opens, Columbina is seated near the Serenade Taddeo (without moving) Let’s start, we’re ready now. table; from time to time she looks anxiously to the I am here, yes! 19 Why are we waiting? Let’s start! door on the right. She rises, goes to look out of the Oh, Columbina, let our We want to see some action! window, and then returns to the front, walking love affair begin. Columbina Let’s start! Let’s start! about restlessly.) Poor Arlecchin… Has Pagliaccio come home yet? With love I’m sighing, Beppe Columbina maybe I’m dying. Taddeo Stop shouting! Damn it all! 18 Pagliaccio, that’s my husband, Ah, won’t you let me in! Oh, no, not yet! Some haven’t paid yet! dines out this evening, won’t be home till late. Give it to Nedda! (Columbina sits down again impatiently. She gets Columbina (coming downstage) Columbina (aside) I’ll give the signal Women and Men up and comes downstage.) I’d really like to kick him! in a moment, he’s waiting, he’ll see it I’ve paid! I’ve paid! That idiotic servant, (to Taddeo) and then we’ll be together. It’s time to start! Come on, old Taddeo, Now, did you buy a chicken? why on earth is he so late? why are we waiting? (Columbina sits again at the table. Tonio, dressed as Taddeo (Columbina, hearing the sound of a guitar offstage, It’s time to start! Come on, Taddeo, peeps through the door and watches Here you are, goddess from heaven! rushes to the window with a cry of joy, but does not ring up the curtain! Nedda.) (He kneels down and offers his basket.) open it.) We’ll make a scene My lady, I and the chicken Taddeo (in mock tragic style) yes, yes, we’ll all start yelling! Harlequin (offstage) implore your favour. 20 She’s waiting. You know quite well Columbina, faithful Fate has chosen this moment (lifting his hands and the basket upwards) it’s gone half past eleven. Arlecchino’s near. for me to tell you She is a goddess! (A bell is heard being rung.) Can you not hear? of the love in my heart. (The audience laughs.) Ah! They must be starting! With love he’s sighing, See, I am your slave, I long to woo her, No shouting, no yelling, they’re starting! maybe dying my queen. We’re ready! Hoorah! Hoorah! Hoorah! if you don’t appear! I long to tell her Won’t you let me kiss of my love. Columbina (interrupting) The Play your pretty lips, my dear? If she spurns me I’ll compel her! I hope you didn’t spend much money? Scene 2 Do not delay. Gone is the husband, The curtain of the theatre is drawn aside. The scene, How I adore you, and there’s my angel. (Columbina snatches the basket from him, places it roughly painted, represents a little room with two here I implore you: Why won’t she see me? on the table, then goes to the window, opens it and side doors, and a practicable window at the back. one loving kiss There’s no one by to catch us. makes a signal.) and then I’ll go away. Oh, turn and kiss me. Ah. There is a table and two common chairs on the Taddeo right. Nedda is dressed as Columbina. Columbina (turning without rising) Nothing to speak of. You’re there, numbskull! Oh, my queen, how I love you! 62 63 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 64

Columbina (close to the table) Columbina Taddeo (He enters with mock alarm.) Canio (pointedly) Leave it here and be off! Oh, I’m so hungry! I warn you, Too early? Taddeo (Columbina takes knives, forks and spoons for two, Pagliaccio is here. He’s in a passion. You’re trembling, I know you’re faithful, and places the chicken on the table, while He’s got a weapon! my little darling. you’d not deceive your husband, Harlequin takes up the bottle which he left on the He will kill you. (still trying to restrain himself ) (sneering) ground.) I’ll hide behind this curtain! Ah! What about the table: so honest, you’d not deceive him! You see, my love, (Spectators laugh.) there are places for two. this tasty dish: (Meanwhile Harlequin jumps in through the Nedda I hope it will excite you. Columbina (to Harlequin) window, puts down a bottle and goes cautiously Hurry! I sat there behind Taddeo.) Harlequin with Taddeo. And, though you’d spurn me, Why yes, my love, Harlequin (as he leaps out of the window) In fright he hid behind the curtain. 22 spurn me so harshly, and here’s a glass Pour the potion in his glass at midnight! (going towards the door) You’ll never force me to forget you. of wine that will delight you! (Canio, dressed as Pagliaccio, enters.) Come out! Tell him! No, never! Columbina and Harlequin Columbina (at the window) Tonio (from behind, pretending to be afraid ) My appetite is keener Harlequin (taking Taddeo by the ear and kicking Yes, tonight… Believe her, sir. She is faithful! when I take wine at dinner! him) And forever I shall be yours. She’d never tell a lie, Off with you quickly! Harlequin Canio (aside) she’d not deceive you. My greedy Columbina! Just the same promise Taddeo (The audience laughs loudly.) Heavens! A lover! Columbina that she gave to her lover! I do as you command, sir, Oh, pour me out another! (advancing to play his part) Canio (fiercely, to the audience) God help me! and give my blessing. Harlequin Stop your laughing! (aloud ) (retreating to the door) Columbina! (softly, to Nedda) I heard another voice. Yes, I’ll keep a lookout. (He takes a little phial which he has concealed I mean it! I have the right, (Taddeo exits and the spectators laugh and applaud. about him.) Nedda the right of every husband. Columbina and Harlequin watch each other with Here’s a potion that I’ve prepared; What nonsense! What is his name? exaggerated looks of love.) Give it to Pagliaccio: You’ve been drinking? Nedda Columbina It will make him drowsy, Canio (restraining himself with difficulty) But who? 21 Arlecchin! and then we’ll run away! Been drinking? Canio Columbina Yes! (eyeing her with meaning) All evening! Harlequin Tell me now. I want to know his name, Oh, lovely! Nedda Columbina! You must surrender the handsome lover to my undying love! You’re home so early. 64 65 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 66

who embraced and kissed you. Canio Nedda (trying to resume the play, with a forced Silvio Oh, I could kill you! I hoped, so blind was I, smile) If only I could help… so deluded with passion, You really mean to frighten me, Oh, my God, what will happen! Nedda (joking) that you’d be kind and pity me. I’d never have believed it! Pagliaccio! Pagliaccio! I gave everything up for you We’re only playing comedy. Beppe Go in and stop them, Tonio. Aria to keep you happy. (going towards the door) I believed like a blind man Don’t be so fierce and tragic. Tonio (holding Beppe) Canio that you were true to me. It’s true I had a caller. 23 Let them finish! No, we’re not in a play! But no, you are possessed I offered him some supper. You see how pale I am, in heart and soul by evil: His name… It was only, Beppe well that’s from horror you don’t care about me, that boy Arlecchino! I am frightened. and shame that you betrayed me. you have no sense of shame! (laughter in the crowd, immediately checked at Nedda See, the actor is human, You deserve no remorse, you know his broken heart Canio’s attitude) You shout and threaten. you worthless little peasant. Nothing can stop my loving. is bleeding, he must have vengeance! I long to wipe your Canio (violently) No! We’re not in a play! loathsome presence from the world. Ah, you’re still playing. Canio Have you forgotten me, You haven’t understood me. Ah! how I nursed you Women and Men Give me your answer. Nedda to health and fed and clothed you. Bravo! Who is he? Who is your lover? Who is he? I will not say! You were helpless and starving. Nedda (calm and serious) No! I swear it, I will die first! Nedda (bursting out) I even married you Enough! You’ve decided No! No! You can kill me! Canio and gave you love I’m not worth keeping, You want to, I can see it. Who is he? like some stupid old madman! so kick me out this minute. (He falls overwhelmed on the chair by the table.) Why don’t you do it? Nedda (defiantly) Canio (laughing) I’m not afraid to die! No! Groups of Women Ha! Ha! That’s just exactly Great acting, he has made me cry. what you’d like Men and Women Canio You’d think he really meant it. so you could turn This isn’t acting. Who is he? Sounds like they mean it. Groups of Men to see your lover. Will you shut up! The Crowd Will you shut up! You’d like that. Can it be true, they mean it? Ah! Stop talking there! No! By God. You’re going nowhere until I know your lover. Silvio (drawing his dagger) Silvio (aside) What’s his name? Look at the knife he has! If I could only help her! He’ll kill her! 66 67 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 68

(Some of the women run away, and some of the men Women hold Silvio, not understanding his excitement. Heaven forgive them! Nedda tries to escape towards the spectators, but (The crowd tries to disarm Canio.) Canio seizes her, and strikes her with his knife.) Tonio (to the spectators) Chorus (all rising to their feet, general confusion) Our comedy is over! Dear God! Translation: Edmund Tracey with amendments by David Parry Canio (to Nedda) Take that, you slut!

Chorus and Beppe Duncan Russell Stop him! Oh, help! Canio And as your blood is choking you, say his name. Nedda (shrieking) Ah! (Nedda falls, making a gurgling sound in her throat.) Where are you (with a last effort), Silvio? Silvio Nedda! (Canio turns at the voice of Silvio, rushes toward him, and stabs him in the heart.) David Parry Canio Ah! It’s you! You’re welcome! (Silvio falls as if struck by lightning.) Men Arrest him! 68 69 CHAN 3003 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:42 pm Page 70

Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos CHAN 3004 CHAN 3003 CHAN 7023/4 CHAN 3000(2) CHAN 3014(3) CHAN 3008(2) CHAN 3029

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Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos CHAN 3017(2) CHAN 3019(3) CHAN 3006 CHAN 3010 CHAN 3023(2) CHAN 3013

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Opera in English on Chandos

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CHAN 3011(2) CHAN 3027(2) Producer Brian Couzens Sound engineer Ben Connellan Assistant engineer Richard Smoker Editor Jonathan Cooper Recording venue Blackheath Halls; 7–10 August 1997 Staging director Duncan Williams Front cover Photograph of Dennis O’Neill by Clive Barda Design Cass Cassidy Operas administrator Sue Shortridge Booklet typeset by Dave Partridge Booklet editors Kara Reed and Finn S. Gundersen P 1998 Chandos Records Ltd C 1999 Chandos Records Ltd Chandos Records Ltd, Colchester, Essex, England Printed in the EU 74 75 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 2 AKG (1863–1945)

Cavalleria rusticana (Country Manners) Melodrama in one act Libretto by G. Targioni-Tozzetti and G. Menasci English translation by Edmund Tracey

Turiddu, a village lad ...... Dennis O’Neill tenor Santuzza, a village girl ...... soprano Alfio, the village carter ...... Phillip Joll baritone Lola, Alfio’s wife ...... Diana Montague mezzo-soprano Lucia, Turiddu’s mother ...... Elizabeth Bainbridge

Geoffrey Mitchell Choir London Philharmonic Orchestra Brad Cohen assistant conductor David Parry Pietro Mascagni, c. 1890

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Time Page Time Page 1 Prelude 2:40 40 13 ‘No, no, Turiddu’ 5:56 46 Siciliana Santuzza, Turiddu 2 ‘Oh, Lola, with your skin white as the lily’ 1:56 40 14 ‘Oh! So my prayer has been answered!’ 3:58 47 Turiddu Santuzza, Alfio 3 Prelude (conclusion) 3:30 40 15 ‘I’d like to thank you’ 2:05 48 4 ‘Ah! Ah!’ 2:46 40 Alfio, Santuzza Chorus 16 Intermezzo 3:59 48 5 ‘Spring has returned’ 5:29 40 Scene: Chorus and Brindisi Chorus 17 ‘The service is over this Easter’ 2:52 48 Scene and Alfio’s Song Chorus, Turiddu, Lola 6 ‘Tell me, mamma Lucia’ 5:06 40 18 ‘Neighbours, with a glass I meet you’ 2:33 48 Santuzza, Lucia Turiddu, Chorus, Lola 7 ‘Horses champing at the bit’ 2:54 41 Finale Alfio, Chorus 19 ‘All the blessings of Easter!’ 2:25 49 Scene and Prayer Alfio, Chorus, Turiddu, Lola 8 ‘Good for you, Mister Alfio’ 0:33 42 20 ‘Alfio, listen’ 2:45 50 Lucia, Alfio, Santuzza Turiddu, Alfio, Lucia 9 ‘I must be going!’ 7:41 42 21 ‘The wine is making me talk nonsense’ 6:00 50 Alfio, Chorus, Santuzza, Lucia Turiddu, Lucia, Santuzza, Lola, Chorus Romance and Scene TT 79:31 10 ‘You know your son, Turiddu’ 6:34 43 Santuzza, Lucia Scene 11 ‘What do you want, Santuzza?’ 3:52 43 Turiddu, Santuzza Lola’s Song 12 ‘Sweet flow’rs I bring you’ 3:55 44 Lola, Turiddu, Santuzza

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Despite his inexperience and his superior ‘Ah! Turiddu. Do you really mean to kill me?’ Pietro Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana allegiance to this first-born but still ‘Yes, I told you! Since I saw my old woman unperformed (which he with the fowls, I can’t get her out of my eyes.’ persisted in preferring to Cavalleria), Mascagni ‘Then open your eyes, then!’ Alfio shouted at The launch of Cavalleria rusticana at the evocation of Japan six years ahead of Madama was confident of the theatricality of his him; ‘I’ll give you more than you asked for.’ Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 17 May 1890 was Butterfly). The English conductor Mark Elder subject: And as the carter stood on guard, doubled up perhaps the most successful premiere in the told me how much he admired the wholly I composed the opera in a little more than fifty so as to keep his left hand over his wound, history of opera. Overnight the twenty-six- neglected which had flopped at La days, but the choice of subject is something which hurt him, his elbow almost brushing the year-old Pietro Mascagni was catapulted from Scala in 1913. The Italian Carlo Rizzi, when much more long standing. I was present some ground, suddenly he seized a handful of dust provincial obscurity to dizzying fame, to be conducting the double bill of Cavalleria years ago at a performance of Verga’s drama and threw it full in his enemy’s eyes. hailed as the heir of Verdi. Verismo was rusticana and Pagliacci, told me he thought the and carried away from it a strong and ‘Ah!’ screamed Turiddu, blinded. ‘I’m done!’ defined. operas very different and unrelated but that he unforgettable emotion. There was such strong He tried to save himself by jumping Fifty-five years later, just after the end of preferred the former. passion in those scenes that I remained deeply desperately backwards, but Alfio caught him up World War Two, Mascagni died in the Roman The praise which Mascagni particularly struck by it. From that time on I felt that if a with another stab in the stomach, and a third in hotel which had been his home for the valued was from the artists who took part in composer knew his business he would create a the throat. previous eighteen years, a bitter old relic the premiere and from the orchestra and really theatrical work. ‘– and there! That’s for the house which you contaminated by his association with the chorus who, on leaving rehearsals in the Giovanni Verga’s drama derived from his adorned for me! And now your mother can fascist regime of Mussolini. (The Teatro theatre, said to their friends, ‘You’re going to short story, which even today captures in seven mind her fowls –’ dell’Opera di Roma, as the Costanzi is now hear something really astounding!’ Cavalleria or eight pages the essence of Sicily. Violence Turiddu reeled about for a moment or two known, still has an inscription to Benito rusticana was one of three operas which won lurks beneath the languor. Cheeky humour here and there among the cactuses, then fell like Mussolini Duce high above its proscenium.) the competition for one-act operas sponsored cloaks sexual passion. Speech is both direct a stone. The blood gurgled frothing from his In the post-war era his other operas, by which by the publisher Edoardo Sonzogno. Curiously and oblique, for some things just do not need throat, he couldn’t even gasp: Oh, Mother! he set such store, were disregarded and even Sonzogno’s impression, given after conferring saying in this closed society. Read it in D.H. Mascagni began his composition at the end. Cavalleria rusticana was patronised as the with the judges but before seeing the opera in Lawrence’s wonderfully earthy translation. While waiting for his reluctant librettist to cruder makeweight for Leoncavallo’s more the theatre, was: ‘You are a good musician, but Here is the final page: deliver a text: sophisticated Pagliacci. I fear that the opera is not theatrical’. One of They were both good fighters with the knife. I thought about the finale more than anything Today Mascagni is coming back into the judges Giovanni Sgambati, professor at Alfio struck the first thrust, and Turiddu was else. I heard that ‘Hanno ammazzato compare fashion with serious musicians. The Rome Santa Cecilia, was more percipient: quick enough to catch it on his arm. When he Turiddu’ [They’ve done it – they’ve killed Opera inaugurated its 1996 season with a ‘Discussion is useless; this is music which gave it back, he gave a good one, aiming at the Turiddu!] ringing in my ears, but didn’t see the superb new production of his (an pleases the public.’ groin. possibility of it coming off if I couldn’t find the

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phrase and concluding orchestral harmonies Alfio and Mother Lucia about Turiddu’s fateful evening in 1890, I think that my heart as the villagers gather in front of the church. which would make a strong effect. I don’t know supposed journey to Francofonte to buy wine. would have burst. Santuzza leads them in the Easter Hymn. how it happened, but the finale dropped all of a And then to the way in which the brindisi, As the villagers go into church Santuzza sudden into my mind, in a flash, one morning when the wine is drunk, is followed by the © Nicholas Payne explains to Lucia why she stopped her on the main street of Camosa while I was going short scene in which Alfio deliberately spills speaking. Turiddu has betrayed his love to her to give a music lesson. And they were those same the wine as prelude to the challenge, the Synopsis and gone back to his old love Lola, although seventh chords which I have scrupulously kept in dignified menace of which is worthy of Verga. Turiddu, a Sicilian village lad, has promised Lola is married to Alfio. Lucia pities Santuzza the manuscript. Thus I began my opera at the Mascagni hated his operas to be labelled himself to Lola, but is called up to serve a year and goes into church to pray for her while end. verismo and always denied that Cavalleria in the army. When he returns Lola has Santuzza waits and confronts Turiddu, telling It was a bold stroke to end the opera with a rusticana was. But he acknowledged that, by married Alfio. He turns to Santuzza and they him that she knows where he spent the night. spoken (or screamed) line. More dangerous contrast with the mythical and classical become lovers, but tiring of this Turiddu turns She also tells him that she still loves him and still to interrupt the evocative prelude to the subjects of his competitors, the secret of his back to Lola and is pursuing a secret affair will forgive him. Turiddu denies that he loves opera with a song sung behind the curtain, so opera’s success was that ‘there is much with her. Lola and reproaches Santuzza for her jealousy. much so that Mascagni omitted it from his humanity and that the passion is expressed The opera opens with an orchestral prelude. Their argument is interrupted when Lola is submission to the Sonzogno judges and only with an impetus and fire which are the Sicilian Turiddu is heard singing a serenade to Lola in heard singing as she comes through the square revealed his daring at the oral examination. temperament exactly’. the distance. It is Easter Sunday and the on her way to church. As she goes in the Turiddu’s siciliana, sung in Sicilian dialect, Truth, and melody. Mascagni treasured a villagers are moving through the square. argument continues. Santuzza begs Turiddu to immediately conveys both the locality and the visit to Verdi at Sant’Agata where the old Santuzza asks for news of Turiddu from his stay, but he flings her to the ground and illicit affair which is the mainspring of the composer was overheard reading Cavalleria mother, Lucia, who says that he went over to follows Lola into church. action. rusticana at the piano. The following morning Francofonte to buy wine, but Santuzza replies No sooner has Turiddu gone than Alfio The other song, Lola’s stornello, which Verdi said, ‘So it is not true that the tradition that he was seen in the village the previous appears, looking for Lola. In her anger interrupts the big central duet for Santuzza of Italian melody is finished’. night. Santuzza explains that Lola has betrayed him and Turiddu, is not Sicilian at all but an As I write this, I am listening to two Alfio the carter sings of his pleasure in his with Turiddu. Alfio swears to have revenge. imitation of an old Tuscan stornello. The compact disc compilations of veristic opera itinerant life and asks Lucia, who keeps the A musical intermezzo reflects the blessing of excuse is that Turiddu, returned from sent to me by the Casa Sonzogno. Le grandi local wine shop, for some wine, but Lucia says Easter Day. soldiering on the Italian continent, showed off voci of the past bring these melodies vividly to that Turiddu has gone to collect it from The congregation comes out of the church. by teaching this Tuscan song to his girlfriend. life today. Most of all Mascagni loved the Francofonte. Alfio knows he has not, having Turiddu is in high spirits because he is with It is not just the set pieces which distinguish tenor voice. As I listen to Caruso and Gigli, himself seen him earlier that morning near his Lola, and stops to have a drink at his mother’s Cavalleria rusticana. Listen to how the Easter Pertile and Taccani, tears spring from my eyes. own cottage. Lucia wants to question him wine shop, inviting the villagers to join him. Hymn is set up by the terse exchange between If I had been present at the Costanzi on that further, but Santuzza stops her, and Alfio leaves Alfio approaches and Turiddu offers him a 8 9 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 10

drink which he refuses. The women leave, in Europe he has appeared at the opera houses Opera, Washington Opera, and the Opera Opera Covent Garden, The Metropolitan taking Lola with them and Alfio challenges of Vienna, Bonn, Cologne, Nice, Zurich, Company of Philadelphia. Recordings include, Opera in New York, the Théâtre royal de la Turiddu to fight him. They arrange to meet Paris, Oslo, Brussels and Barcelona. for Opera Rara, Mercadante’s , Monnaie in Brussels, the Opéra national de beyond the vegetable gardens. His many recordings include solo albums, Donizetti’s Rosmonda d’Inghilterra and Maria Paris-Bastille, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires Turiddu begs his mother for her blessing Verdi’s Requiem with Sir Colin Davis, La di Rudenz, Rossini’s Ricciardo e Zoraide and and the Bayreuth and Salzburg Festivals. and asks her to look after Santuzza if he fanciulla del West with Slatkin, videos of Der Pacini’s Maria, regina d’Inghilterra. Engagements have included Iphigénie en should not return. He leaves and Santuzza Rosenkavalier with Solti, Die Fledermaus with Tauride (in Buenos Aires, Madrid and with arrives to comfort Lucia. There is a scream Kiri te Kanawa conducted by Domingo, Welsh-born Phillip Joll studied at the Royal Welsh National Opera), Le Comte Ory (in from the distance – there has been a fight and Macbeth with Sinopoli and Mefistofele for San Northern College of Music with Nicholas Lausanne, Rome and Glyndebourne), La Turiddu has been killed. Francisco Opera. For Chandos/Peter Moores Powell and Frederick Cox, and later at clemenza di Tito and Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice Foundation he has recorded Tosca, La bohème London’s National Opera Studio. His roles (Glyndebourne), and Ariadne auf Naxos in © Chandos Records Ltd and a solo album. with Welsh National Opera have included Lisbon. Diana Montague’s many recordings Wotan in the Ring cycle under Sir Reginald include I Capuleti e i Montecchi, , Lucia Born in Wales of Irish and Welsh parents, Soprano Nelly Miricioiu is acclaimed as one Goodall (including the cycles at Royal Opera di Lammermoor, Iphigénie en Tauride, Il Dennis O’Neill is one of the world’s leading of the most exciting and versatile artists of our Covent Garden), Don Fernando (), the crociato in Egitto (for Opera Rara) as well as a tenors and a specialist in the works of Verdi. day, with a wide repertoire that includes the title role in Wozzeck and Orest (Elektra). In the recital disc of operatic arias (for Chandos/Peter He has enjoyed a long association with the heroines of Donizetti, Bellini, Verdi and 1996/97 season he returned to his home Moores Foundation). Royal Opera Covent Garden, where his recent Puccini. In 1986 she made her Vienna State company as Rigoletto, his debut in that role, roles have included Gustavo (Un ballo in Opera debut in Manon Lescaut which was and as Simon Boccanegra in the new Elizabeth Bainbridge was born in Lancashire maschera), Foresto (Attila), Don Carlos and followed by La bohème, Lucia di Lammermoor, production conducted by Carlo Rizzi. He has and studied at the Guildhall School of Music Radames (Aida). La traviata and Maria Stuarda. She has also also performed at the Royal Opera Covent and Drama. She made her debut at the Royal North American engagements have appeared at English National Opera (La Garden, for Scottish Opera and for Opera Opera Covent Garden in Die Walküre in 1964, included The Metropolitan Opera (La traviata), Teatro alla Scala, Milan, the Opéra- North. Recordings include Parsifal, Tristan and joined the Company the following year. traviata, Aida, La bohème and Rigoletto), Comique and Opéra national de Paris-Bastille, und Isolde and Martinu˚’s The Greek Passion. Roles include Mistress Quickly, Suzuki, Chicago Lyric Opera, San Francisco, San and at the opera houses of Madrid, Berlin Amneris, Emilia, Erda, Arvidson, Filipyevna, Diego, Vancouver Opera and concerts with (Deutsche Oper), Brussels (Theâtre royal de la Diana Montague studied at the Royal She-Ancient (The Midsummer Marriage), the Philadelphia, Cleveland, Montreal and Monnaie), Toulouse, Munich, Monte Carlo, Northern College of Music. Since her debut as Grandmother Buryja (Jenu˚fa) and Auntie Ottawa Symphony Orchestras, and for the Stuttgart and Copenhagen. Internationally Zerlina with Glyndebourne Touring Opera she (Peter Grimes). She appeared with the Royal Cincinnati Festival. He is a frequent guest at Nelly Miricioiu has appeared at The has appeared in the world’s leading opera Opera at the Teatro alla Scala (1976), in South the Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich. Elsewhere Metropolitan Opera, New York, San Francisco houses and concert halls including the Royal Korea and Japan (1979), at the 1984 Olympic 10 11 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 12

Arts Festival, Los Angeles, and in the 1985 and, in 1992, became resident symphony Madrid and in 1996 conducted the first the UNAM Symphony Orchestra at Mexico Athens Festival. Recordings include Norma, orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. It Spanish production of The Rake’s Progress, City, with a tour of Carmen in Japan and, in Les Troyens, The Cunning Little Vixen, Dido also tours extensively, being the first inaugurated two new concert halls with 1996, conducting a new production of Kát’a and Aeneas and The Midsummer Marriage. British orchestra to visit the USSR and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and a new opera Kabanová for the New Zealand Festival. China, and its recordings have won many house with Carmen. He has also appeared in He has recorded extensively for the Opera Geoffrey Mitchell’s singing career major awards. Italy, where he conducted Ricciardo e Zoraide Rara label, including Donizetti’s Rosmonda encompassed a remarkably wide repertoire in the Rossini Opera Festival at Pesaro, in d’Inghilterra which won the Prix Cecilia in from early to contemporary music. This David Parry studied with Sergiu Celibidache France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, and in Belgium, and for Chandos he has conducted resulted in conducting invitations from the and began his career as Sir John Pritchard’s Sweden where he conducted an acclaimed the award-winning recording of Tosca, three BBC and subsequently to a wider involvement assistant. He made his debut with English production of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s recordings of operatic arias (with Bruce Ford, with his own singers and this led to the Music Theatre and went on to become a staff Dream. Diana Montague and Dennis O’Neill), Faust, establishment of the Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. conductor at Städtische Bühnen Dortmund Outside Europe David Parry has appeared Don Pasquale, La bohème, The Elixir of Love Early recordings resulted in the Choir’s long- and at Opera North. He was Music Director at the Hong Kong International Festival, with and highlights from Der Rosenkavalier. term involvement with Opera Rara for whom of Opera 80 from 1983 to 1987 and since it has recorded fifteen operas. The Choir is 1992 has been the founding Music Director of currently enjoying a growing reputation with the contemporary opera festival Almeida further work from the BBC and international Opera. recording companies. He pursues a busy career both in opera and in concert. His repertoire extends from Mozart The London Philharmonic Orchestra was and early nineteenth-century Italian opera formed in 1932 by Sir Thomas Beecham. to Janácˇek, Britten and contemporary music. Over the years it has attracted an unmatchable In England he has appeared regularly at series of Principal Conductors, including Sir English National Opera and in concert with Adrian Boult, Sir John Pritchard, Bernard the Philharmonia Orchestra. In 1996 he made Haitink, Sir Georg Solti and Klaus Tennstedt. his debut at the Glyndebourne Festival with Its current regular conductors include Music Così fan tutte. Director Franz Welser-Möst and President He is a frequent visitor to Spain where he Bernard Haitink. has appeared with most of the opera Since 1964 it has been resident symphony companies and symphony orchestras. He gave orchestra at Glyndebourne Festival Opera the Spanish premiere of Peter Grimes in 12 13 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 14

Whilst still in his early twenties, Peter Moores had started giving financial support to various PETER MOORES, CBE, DL young artists, several of whom – Joan Sutherland, Colin Davis and the late Geraint Evans Peter Moores was born in Lancashire, the son of Sir John Moores, founder of the giant amongst them – were to become world-famous. In 1964 he set aside a substantial part of his Littlewoods mail order, chain store and football pools group. He was educated at Eton and inheritance to establish the Peter Moores Foundation, a charity designed to support those Christ Church, Oxford, where he read modern languages – he was already fluent in German causes dear to his heart: to make music and the arts more accessible to more people; to give and Italian. It was opera, however, which was his great love. He had worked at Glyndebourne encouragement to the young and to improve race relations. Festival Opera before going up to university, and after Oxford he became a production student at the Vienna State Opera, combining this with a three-year course at the Vienna PETER MOORES FOUNDATION Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. In the field of music, the main areas supported by the Peter Moores Foundation are: By the end of his third year at the Academy Moores had produced the Vienna premiere of the recording of operas from the core repertory sung in English translation; the recording Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, had worked as Assistant Producer at the San Carlo Opera or staging of rare Italian opera from the bel canto era of the early nineteenth century House, Naples, the Geneva Festival and Rome Opera, and seemed set for a successful operatic (repertoire which would otherwise only be accessible to scholars); the nurturing of career. At this point he received a letter from his father asking him to come home as he was promising young opera singers; new operatic work. needed in the firm. Family loyalty being paramount, he returned to Liverpool. The Foundation awards scholarships annually to students and post-graduates for furthering By 1977, he was Chairman of Littlewoods. Three years later their vocal studies at the Royal Northern College of Music. In addition, project awards may be he stepped down from the post, although still remaining on given to facilitate language tuition in the appropriate country, attendance at masterclasses or the Board. He was a director of a merchant bank from 1978 summer courses, specialised repertoire study with an acknowledged expert in the field, or to 1992. From 1981 to 1983 he was a Governor of the BBC, post-graduate performance training. and a Trustee of the Tate Gallery from 1978 until 1985; from The Foundation encourages new operatic work by contributing to recordings, the 1988 to 1992 he was a director of Scottish Opera. He received Christina Burton/PMF publication of scores and stage productions. the Gold Medal of the Italian Republic in 1974, an Honorary Since 1964 the Foundation has supported the recording of more than forty operas, many of MA from Christ Church, Oxford, in 1975, and was made an these sung in English, in translation. It has always been Peter Moores’s belief that to enjoy Honorary Member of the Royal Northern College of Music in opera to the full, there must be no language barrier, particularly for newcomers and particularly 1985. In May 1992 he became Deputy Lieutenant of in the popular repertoire – hence the Opera in English series launched with Chandos in 1995. Lancashire, and in the New Year’s Honours List for 1991, he This includes many of the English language recordings funded by the Foundation in the 1970s was made a CBE for his charitable services to the Arts. Peter Moores, CBE, DL and 1980s and is now the largest recorded collection of operas sung in English.

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gewannen. Sonzognos Eindruck, nachdem er Schelmischer Humor kaschiert sexuelle Pietro Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana mit den Preisrichtern konferiert, aber bevor er Leidenschaft. Die Sprache ist zugleich direkt die Oper im Theater gesehen hatte, lautete und verblümt, denn manche Dinge brauchen seltsamerweise: “Sie sind ein guter Musiker, in dieser geschlossenen Gesellschaft einfach Die Premiere von Cavalleria rusticana am Heute kommt Mascagni bei ernsthaften aber ich fürchte, die Oper ist nicht nicht gesagt zu werden. Es ist interessant, Teatro Constanzi in Rom am 17. Mai 1890 Musikern wieder in Mode. Die römische Oper bühnenwirksam.” Giovanni Sgambati, einer Auszüge aus der wunderbar derben englischen war womöglich die erfolgreichste in der hat ihre Spielzeit 1996 mit einer der Preisrichter und Professor an der Übersetzung von D.H. Lawrence zu lesen Geschichte der Oper. Über Nacht wurde der hervorragenden Neuinszenierung seiner Iris Akademie Santa Cecilia, was scharfsichtiger: (siehe Seite 7). 26-jährige Pietro Mascagni von provinzieller eingeleitet (die sechs Jahre vor Madama “Jegliche Diskussion ist zwecklos; dies ist Mascagni begann mit seiner Komposition Bedeutungslosigkeit in schwindelerregende Butterfly bereits Japan heraufbeschwört). Der Musik, die dem Publikum gefällt.” am Ende. Während er darauf wartete, daß sein Ruhmeshöhen versetzt, dazu bestimmt, als englische Dirigent Mark Elder erzählte mir, Trotz seiner Unerfahrenheit und widerstrebender Librettist einen Text lieferte, Erbe Verdis gepriesen zu werden. Der verismo wie sehr er die 1913 an der Mailänder Scala unverbrüchlichen Treue gegenüber seiner dachte er mehr über das Finale nach als über zeichnete sich ab. durchgefallene und seither völlig in ersten, immer noch unaufgeführten Oper alles andere. Fünfundfünfzig Jahre später, bald nach dem Vergessenheit geratene Oper Parisina Guglielmo Ratcliff (die er der Cavalleria Das “Hanno ammazzato compare Turiddu” Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs, starb Mascagni bewundert. Und der Italiener Carlo Rizzi, der weiterhin vorzog) was Mascagni von der klang mir in den Ohren, aber ich sah keine in jenem römischen Hotel, das in den sowohl Cavalleria rusticana als auch Pagliacci Bühnenwirksamkeit seines Stoffs überzeugt. Möglichkeit, es wirkungsvoll auf die Bühne zu vorangegangenen achtzehn Jahren sein dirigiert hat, teilte mir seine Auffassung mit, Ich habe die Oper in kaum mehr als fünfzig bringen, wenn es mir nicht gelang, die Phrase Domizil gewesen war, ein erbitterter Zeuge der daß die Opern ganz verschieden und nicht Tagen komponiert, doch die Auswahl des Stoffs und abschließenden Orchesterklänge zu finden, Vergangenheit, geschädigt durch seine miteinander verwandt seien, daß er jedoch der ist ein wesentlich langfristigeres Unterfangen. Es die einen starken Effekt bewirken würden. Ich Beziehungen zum faschistischen Regime erstgenannten den Vorzug gebe. herrschte derart starke Leidenschaft in diesen weiß nicht, wie es geschah, aber das Finale kam Mussolinis. (Das Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Das Lob, das Mascagni besonders schätzte, Szenen, daß ich davon tief beeindruckt blieb. mir plötzlich in den Sinn, blitzartig eines wie sich das Teatro Costanzi inzwischen nennt, war das der Künstler, die an der Uraufführung Fortan war ich überzeugt, daß ein Komponist, Morgens auf der Hauptstraße von Camosa, als trägt über dem Proszenium immer noch eine beteiligt gewesen waren, sowie das der wenn er sein Geschäft versteht, ein wahrhaft ich unterwegs war, um eine Unterrichtsstunde zu Inschrift zu Ehren des Duce Benito Angehörigen von Chor und Orchester, die bühnenwirksames Werk hervorzubringen geben. Und es waren dieselben Septakkorde, die Mussolini.) In der Nachkriegsära blieben seine beim Verlassen der Proben zu ihren Freunden imstande sein würde. ich gewissenhaft im Manuskript vermerkt habe. übrigen Opern, auf die er große Stücke hielt, sagten: “Ihr werdet etwas wirklich Giovanni Vergas Drama geht auf seine So fing ich meine Oper am Ende an. unbeachtet und selbst Cavalleria rusticana Erstaunliches zu hören bekommen!” Cavalleria eigene Kurzgeschichte zurück, die auch nach Es war ein kühner Streich, die Oper mit wurde gönnerhaft als plumper Notbehelf für rusticana war eine von drei Opern, die einen heutigem Maßstab auf sieben oder acht Seiten einem gesprochenen (bzw. geschrieenen) Satz Leoncavallos anspruchsvollere Oper Pagliacci vom Verleger Edoardo Sonzogno die Essenz Siziliens einfängt. Unter der zu beenden. Noch gewagter war es, das behandelt. ausgeschriebenen Wettbewerb für Einakter allgemeinen Mattigkeit lauert Gewalt. sinnträchtige Vorspiel der Oper mit einem

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hinter dem Vorhang gesungenen Lied zu würdevolle Bedrohlichkeit wird Verga ich Caruso und Gigli, Pertile und Taccani um ein paar Flaschen, aber sie sagt ebenfalls, unterbrechen; Mascagni jedenfalls ließ es in durchaus gerecht. lausche, steigen mir Tränen in die Augen. daß Turiddu nach Francofonte gefahren der Vorlage aus, die er zum Sonzogno- Es war Mascagni nicht recht, daß seine Wäre ich an jenem schicksalhaften Abend sei, um welchen zu holen. Alfio weiß, daß Wettbewerb einreichte, und verriet sein Opern unter der Bezeichnung verismo geführt 1890 im Teatro Costanzi zugegen gewesen, das nicht stimmt, denn er hat ihn am waghalsiges Vorhaben erst bei der mündlichen wurden, und er hat immer geleugnet, daß der wäre mir, glaube ich, das Herz zersprungen. Morgen in der Nähe seines eigenen Hauses Befragung. Turiddus siciliana, im sizilianischen Begriff auf Cavalleria rusticana zutraf. gesehen. Lucia will ihn ausfragen, aber Dialekt gesungen, vermittelt auf einen Schlag Immerhin aber räumte er ein, daß im © Nicholas Payne Santuzza hält sie davon ab, und Alfio gesellt sowohl den Ort der Handlung als auch die Gegensatz zu den mythischen und klassischen sich zu den Dorfbewohnern vor der Kirche. verbotene Liebesbeziehung, die deren Sujets seiner Konkurrenten das Geheimnis des Inhaltsangabe Santuzza stimmt allen voran die Osterhymne Haupttriebfeder ist. Erfolges seiner Oper darin begründet lag, daß Turiddu, ein sizilianischer Bauernbursche, ist an. Das andere Lied, Lolas stornello, welches in ihr “viel Humanität enthalten ist und daß mit Lola verlobt, wird jedoch für ein Jahr zum Während die Dorfbewohner in die Kirche das große zentrale Duett von Santuzza die Leidenschaft mit einer Dringlichkeit und Militärdienst einberufen. Als er zurückkehrt, gehen, erklärt Santuzza Lucia, warum sie sie und Turiddu unterbricht, ist überhaupt einem Feuer zum Ausdruck gebracht wird, die hat Lola Alfio geheiratet, worauf Turiddu sich davon abgehalten hat, zu sprechen. Turiddu nicht sizilianisch, sondern einem alten dem sizilianischen Temperament genau Santuzza zuwendet. Sie werden ein Liebespaar, hat sie betrogen und ist zu seiner alten toskanischen stornello nachempfunden. Der entsprechen”. doch Turiddu hat die Beziehung bald satt; er Geliebten Lola zurückgekehrt, obwohl Lola Vorwand dafür lautet, daß Turiddu, der als Wahrhaftigkeit und Melodik. Gern wendet sich wieder Lola zu und fängt mit Alfio verheiratet ist. Lucia bemitleidet Soldat auf dem italienischen Festland gedient erinnerte sich Mascagni an einen Besuch bei insgeheim eine Affäre mit ihr an. Santuzza und begibt sich in die Kirche, um für hat, nach seiner Rückkehr damit aufschneidet, Verdi in Sant’ Agata, wo er dem alten Die Oper beginnt mit einem sie zu beten. Santuzza dagegen wartet auf indem er seiner Geliebten dieses toskanische Komponisten lauschte, wie dieser am Klavier Orchestervorspiel. Man hört Turiddu in der Turiddu und stellt ihn zur Rede. Sie Lied beibringt. Cavalleria rusticana vom Blatt spielte. Am Ferne eine Serenade für Lola singen. Es ist behauptet, zu wissen, wo er die Nacht Es sind nicht nur die Standardensembles, folgenden Morgen sagte Verdi dann: “Es ist Ostersonntag, und die Dorfbewohner haben verbracht hat. Außerdem sagt sie, daß sie ihn die Cavalleria rusticana auszeichnen. Man also doch nicht wahr, daß die Tradition der sich auf dem Platz versammelt. Santuzza immer noch liebe und ihm verzeihen wolle. braucht sich nur anzuhören, wie die italienischen Melodik am Ende ist.” erkundigt sich nach Turiddu bei seiner Mutter Turiddu streitet ab, Lola zu lieben, und macht Osterhymne durch den knappen Wortwechsel Ich höre mir, während ich dies schreibe, Lucia. Die sagt, er sei nach Francofonte Santuzza Vorwürfe wegen ihrer Eifersucht. Ihr zwischen Alfio und Mamma Lucia über zwei CDs mit Auszügen aus Verismo-Opern gefahren, um Wein zu kaufen, aber Santuzza Wortwechsel wird durch Lola unterbrochen, Turiddus angebliche Fahrt nach Francofonte an, die mir von der Casa Sonzogno entgegent, daß er am vergangenen Abend im die auf dem Weg zur Kirche singend über den zum Weinkauf vorbereitet wird, oder wie auf zugeschickt wurden. Die grandi voci der Dorf gesehen worden sei. Platz schreitet. Nachdem sie drinnen ist, geht das Trinklied (brindisi) die kurze Szene folgt, Vergangenheit erwecken diese Melodien heute Alfio, der Fuhrmann, singt von der Freude, der Streit weiter. Santuzza fleht Turiddu an, zu in der Alfio in Vorlauf zu seiner anschaulich zum Leben. Am meisten hat die ihm sein Wanderleben bereitet, und bittet bleiben, doch er stößt sie zu Boden und folgt Herausforderung Wein verschüttet; deren Mascagni die Tenorstimme geliebt. Während Lucia, die den örtlichen Weinhandel betreibt, Lola in die Kirche. 18 19 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 20

Kaum ist Turiddu fort, da erscheint Alfio Verbindungen zur Londoner Royal Opera Künstlerinnen unserer Zeit mit einem Zyklus den Wotan gesungen (auch am Royal auf der Suche nach Lola. In ihrem Zorn klärt Covent Garden und hat dort in letzter Zeit erstaunlichen Repertoire gepriesen, das die Opera Covent Garden), Don Fernando Santuzza ihn darüber auf, daß Lola ihn mit Gustavo (Un ballo in maschera), Foresto (Attila), Heldinnen von Donizetti, Bellini, Verdi und (Fidelio), die Titelrolle von Wozzeck und Orest Turiddu betrogen hat. Alfio schwört Rache. Don Carlos und Radames (Aida) gesungen. Puccini umfaßt. 1986 gab sie ihr Debüt an der (Elektra). In der Spielzeit 1996/97 ist er zu Ein musikalisches Intermezzo bietet den In Nordamerika war er unter anderem an Wiener Staatsoper in Manon Lescaut, gefolgt seiner Heimattruppe zurückgekehrt, wo er Ostersegen dar. der Metropolitan Opera (La traviata, Aida, La von La bohème, Lucia di Lammermoor, La erstmals als Rigoletto zu sehen war, und als Die Gemeinde verläßt die Kirche. Turiddu bohème und Rigoletto), an der Chicago Lyric traviata und Maria Stuarda. Außerdem ist sie Simon Boccanegra in einer von Carlo Rizzi ist gehobener Stimmung, weil er mit Lola Opera, an den Opernhäusern von San an der English National Opera (La traviata), dirigierten Neuproduktion. Außerdem ist er zusammen ist. Er macht auf einen Schluck im Francisco, San Diego und Vancouver engagiert am Teatro alla Scala, an der Opéra comique, am Royal Opera Covent Garden aufgetreten, Weinhandel seiner Mutter Halt und lädt die und hat Konzerte mit den Sinfonieorchestern der Opéra national de Paris-Bastille, am an der Scottish Opera und an der Opera Dorfbewohner zum Mittrinken ein. Alfio tritt von Philadelphia, Cleveland, Montreal und Opernhaus von Madrid, an der Deutschen North. Zu seinen Aufnahmen zählen Parsifal, herzu, und Turiddu bietet ihm Wein an, den Ottawa sowie beim Cincinnati Festival Oper Berlin, dem Théâtre royal de la Monnaie Tristan und Isolde und Martinus° Griechische er ablehnt. Die Frauen entfernen sich, gegeben. Er ist häufig an der Bayerischen in Brüssel, in Toulouse, München, Monte Passion. darunter auch Lola, und Alfio fordert Turiddu Staatsoper in München zu Gast und ist in Carlo, Stuttgart und Kopenhagen aufgetreten. zum Zweikampf heraus. Sie verabreden sich Europa außerdem an den Opernhäusern von Sie hat auch an der Metropolitan Opera in Diana Montague hat am Royal Northern zum Duell hinter den Gemüsegärten. Wien, Bonn, Köln, Nizza, Zürich, Paris, Oslo, New York, der San Francisco Opera, der College of Music studiert. Seit ihrem Debüt Turiddu bittet seine Mutter um ihren Segen Brüssel und Barcelona aufgetreten. Washington Opera und bei der Opera als Zerlina an der Glyndebourne Touring und trägt ihr auf, sich um Santuzza zu Zu seinen zahlreichen Aufnahmen zählen Company of Philadelphia gastiert. Zu ihren Opera ist sie in den führenden Opernhäusern kümmern, falls er nicht zurückkehrt. Er geht, Soloalben, Verdis Requiem mit Sir Colin Aufnahmen zählen, für Opera Rara, und Konzertsälen der Welt aufgetreten, und Santuzza erscheint, um Lucia zu trösten. Davis, La fanciulla del West mit Slatkin und Mercadantes Orazi e Curiazi, Donizettis darunter auch am Royal Opera Covent Da ertönt in der Ferne ein Schrei. Turiddu ist folgende Videos: Der Rosenkavalier mit Solti, Rosmonda d’Inghilterra und Maria di Rudenz, Garden, an der Metropolitan Opera New im Kampf getötet worden. Die Fledermaus mit Kiri te Kanawa unter der Rossinis Ricciardo e Zoraide und Pacinis Maria, York, dem Théâtre royal de la Monnaie in Leitung von Placido Domingo, Macbeth mit regina d’Inghilterra. Brüssel, der Opéra national de Paris-Bastille, © Chandos Records Ltd Sinopoli und Mefistofele für San Francisco am Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires sowie bei Übersetzung: Anne Steeb/Bernd Müller Opera. Für Chandos und die Peter Moores Der gebürtige Waliser Phillip Joll hat am den Festspielen von Bayreuth und Salzburg. Foundation hat er Tosca, La bohème und ein Royal Northern College of Music bei Nicholas Sie hat unter anderem Iphigénie en Tauride Dennis O’Neill, der als Sohn irischer und Soloalbum aufgezeichnet. Powell und Frederick Cox studiert und später (in Buenos Aires, Madrid und an der Welsh walisischer Eltern in Wales geboren wurde, ist am National Opera Studio in London. An der National Opera), La clemenza di Tito und einer der führenden Tenöre der Welt und Verdi- Die Sopranistin Nelly Miricioiu wird als eine Welsh National Opera hat er unter anderem in Glucks Orfeo ed Euridice (Glyndebourne), Le Spezialist. Er unterhält seit langem der interessantesten und vielseitigsten dem von Sir Reginald Goodall geleiteten Ring- Comte Ory (in Lausanne, Rome und 20 21 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 22

Glyndebourne) und Ariadne auf Naxos in Repertoire erschlossen, von alter bis hin zu China. Seine Platteneinspielungen sind 1996 dirigierte er die erste spanische Lissabon gegeben. Die zahlreichen zeitgenössischer Musik. Daraus ergaben sich vielfach preisgekrönt worden. Inszenierung von The Rake’s Progress Schallplattenaufnahmen Diana Montagues erst Dirigieraufträge von der BBC, dann eine (Strawinsky) und weihte zwei neue Konzertsäle umfassen I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Norma, ausgedehntere Zusammenarbeit mit seinen David Parry studierte bei Sergiu Celibidache mit der Neunten Sinfonie von Beethoven Lucia di Lammermoor, Iphigénie en Tauride, Il Sängern, die wiederum zur Gründung des und begann seine Laufbahn als Sir John sowie ein neues Opernhaus mit Carmen ein. crociato in Egitto (für Opera Rara) sowie ein Geoffrey Mitchell Choir führte. Frühe Pritchards musikalischer Assistent. Er debütierte In Italien leitete er Ricciardo e Zoraide bei dem Programm mit Opernarien (für Chandos und Schallplattenaufnahmen hatten zur Folge, daß mit dem English Music Theatre und wurde Rossini-Festival in Pesaro. Er tritt in die Peter Moores Foundation). der Chor langfristige Beziehungen zu Opera Kapellmeister an den Städtischen Bühnen Frankreich, Deutschland, Belgien, den Rara einging, für die er 15 Opern Dortmund sowie an Opera North in Leeds. Von Niederlanden und Schweden auf, wo er eine Elizabeth Bainbridge wurde in Lancashire aufgezeichnet hat. Derzeit genießt er dank 1983 bis 1987 fungierte er als Musikdirektor für gefeierte Inszenierung von Brittens geboren und hat an der Guildhall School of weiterer Verpflichtungen für die BBC und Opera 80 und seit 1992 ist er der Musikdirektor A Midsummer Night’s Dream dirigierte. Music and Drama studiert. Sie gab 1964 ihr internationale Schallplattenfirmen wachsendes (und Gründer) des zeitgenössischen Opern- Außerhalb Europas ist David Parry bei Royal Opera Covent Garden Debüt in der Ansehen. Festivals Almeida Opera. dem Hongkong International Festival und Walküre und trat im folgenden Jahr dort ins Parrys Tätigkeitsbereich ist nicht nur das mit dem UNAM Symphony Orchestra in Ensemble ein. Zu ihren Partien gehören Seit seiner Gründung im Jahr 1932 durch Opernhaus, sondern auch der Konzertsaal. Mexico City aufgetreten, war mit Carmen Mistress Quickly, Suzuki, Amneris, Emilia, Sir Thomas Beecham hat das London Sein Repertoire erstreckt sich von Mozart in Japan auf Tournee und leitete eine Erda, Arvidson, Filipjewna, She-Ancient (The Philharmonic Orchestra unter der Leitung und der italienischen Oper des frühen Neuinszenierung von Kát’a Kabanová für Midsummer Marriage), die alte Buryjovká unzähliger prominenter Chefdirigenten 19. Jahrhunderts bis zu Janácˇek, Britten und das Festival in Neuseeland. (Jenu˚fa) und Auntie (Peter Grimes). Sie hat gestanden, darunter Sir Adrian Boult, Sir John zeitgenössischer Musik. In England dirigiert er Parry hat zahlreiche Werke für das Label mit der Royal Opera am Teatro alla Pritchard, Bernard Haitink, Sir Georg Solti regelmäßig an der English National Opera Opera Rara eingespielt, u.a. Rosmonda Scala gastiert (1976), außerdem in Südkorea und Klaus Tennstedt. Im Augenblick zählen zu und konzertiert mit dem Philharmonia d’Inghilterra von Donizetti, das in Belgien mit und Japan (1979), beim Olympic Arts Festival seinen regulären Dirigenten der Musikdirektor Orchestra. 1996 machte er mit Così fan tutte dem Prix Cecilia ausgezeichnet wurde; für in Los Angeles (1984) und beim Athener des Orchesters, Franz Welser-Möst und der sein Debüt bei dem Glyndebourne Festival. Chandos hat er eine preisgekrönte Tosca Festival 1985. Zu ihren Aufnahmen zählen Präsident, Bernard Haitink. David Parry gastiert häufig in Spanien, aufgenommen, drei Aufnahmen operatischen Norma, Les Troyens, Das schlaue Füchslein, Seit 1964 ist das London Philharmonic wo er bereits mit den meisten Opern- Arien (mit Bruce Ford, Diana Montague und Dido and Aeneas und The Midsummer Orchestra Residenzorchester bei der kompanien und Sinfonieorchestern aufgetreten Dennis O’Neill), Faust, Don Pasquale, La Marriage. Glyndebourne Festival Opera und seit 1992 ist. Die spanische Premiere von Peter Grimes bohème, L’elisir d’amore und Auszüge vom an der Royal Festival Hall. Es unternimmt fand unter seiner Leitung in Madrid statt; Rosenkavalier. Geoffrey Mitchell hat im Lauf seiner zahlreiche Konzertreisen und besuchte als Gesangskarriere ein erstaunlich umfangreiches erstes britisches Orchester die UdSSR und 22 23 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 24

crains que l’opéra ne soit pas théâtral.” L’un truculente traduction anglaise que D.H. Pietro Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana des membres du jury, Giovanni Sgambati, Lawrence a fit de ce drame (voir page 7). professeur à l’Académie Sainte-Cécile, Mascagni a commencé la composition par la percevait mieux les choses: “La discussion est fin, en attendant le librettiste, qui ne montrait La présentation de Cavalleria rusticana au Aujourd’hui, Mascagni revient à la mode inutile; c’est une musique qui plaît au public.” pas beaucoup d’entrain à lui remettre son texte: Teatro Costanzi de Rome, le 17 mai 1890, est chez les musiciens sérieux. L’Opéra de Rome a Malgré son inexpérience et une fidélité Je pensais au finale plus qu’à tout autre chose. sans doute la création qui a remporté le plus inauguré sa saison 1996 avec une superbe absolue à son premier ouvrage, pas encore J’ai entendu sonner à mes oreilles cet “Hanno de succès dans toute l’histoire de l’opéra. Du nouvelle production de son Iris (évocation du représenté à l’époque, Guglielmo Ratcliff (qu’il ammazzato compare Turiddu” [On a tué jour au lendemain, à l’âge de vingt-six ans, Japon en avance de six ans sur Madama a toujours persisté à préférer à Cavalleria), Turiddu], mais je ne voyais pas la possibilité de Pietro Mascagni s’est trouvé propulsé de Butterfly). Le chef d’orchestre anglais Mark Mascagni était persuadé que son sujet était fait le faire ressortir sans trouver la phrase et les l’obscurité provinciale vers une renommée Elder m’a dit combien il admirait Parisina, pour le théâtre. harmonies orchestrales de conclusion qui étourdissante et a été considéré comme ouvrage totalement négligé qui fit un fiasco à J’ai composé l’opéra en un peu plus de cinquante produiraient un grand effet. Je ne sais pas l’héritier de Verdi. Le vérisme venait de trouver en 1913. Lorsqu’il a dirigé dans la jours, mais le choix du sujet remonte à une date comment c’est arrivé, mais le finale m’est venu à sa définition. même soirée Cavalleria rusticana et Pagliacci, beaucoup plus ancienne. J’ai assisté, il y a l’esprit d’un seul coup, en un éclair, un matin Cinquante-cinq ans plus tard, juste après la l’Italien Carlo Rizzi, m’a dit qu’il trouvait ces quelques années, à une représentation du drame dans la rue principale de Camosa, alors que fin de la Seconde guerre mondiale, Mascagni opéras très différents et sans lien de parenté, de Verga et j’en ai gardé une émotion profonde j’allais donner une leçon. Et ce sont ces mêmes meurt dans l’hôtel romain où il habitait mais qu’il préférait le premier. et inoubliable. Il y avait une passion si forte dans sept accords que j’ai scrupuleusement conservés depuis dix-huit ans, vieille relique amère, Mascagni attachait beaucoup de prix aux ces scènes que j’en suis resté bouleversé. A partir dans le manuscrit. J’ai ainsi commencé mon contaminée par ses sympathies envers le compliments des artistes qui participaient à la de ce moment, j’ai senti que, si un compositeur opéra par la fin. régime fasciste de Mussolini. (Le Teatro création, et à ceux de l’orchestre et du chœur connaissait son affaire, il créerait une œuvre Il était audacieux d’achever l’opéra sur une Costanzi, connu aujourd’hui sous le nom du qui, en quittant le théâtre après les répétitions, réellement théâtrale. phrase parlée (ou criée). Encore plus Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, porte encore à disaient à leurs amis: “Vous allez entendre Le drame de Giovanni Verga est tiré d’une dangereux d’interrompre le prélude évocateur l’avant-scène une inscription au Duce Benito quelque chose de vraiment stupéfiant!” de ses nouvelles, qui, même aujourd’hui, capte de l’opéra par un air chanté derrière le rideau, Mussolini). Durant la période qui suit la Cavalleria rusticana est l’un des trois ouvrages en sept ou huit pages l’essence de la Sicile. La à tel point que Mascagni a omis de le guerre, ses autres opéras, dont il faisait grand lyriques couronnés au concours d’opéras en un violence se dissimule sous la langueur. Un soumettre au jury de Sonzogno et qu’il n’a cas, sont négligés et même Cavalleria rusticana acte organisé par l’éditeur Edoardo Sonzogno. humour effronté masque la passion sexuelle. révélé son audace qu’à l’examen oral. La est traité avec condescendance comme le Curieusement, Sonzogno, après s’être Le discours est à la fois direct et indirect, car Sicilienne de Turiddu, chantée en dialecte complément rudimentaire de l’ouvrage plus entretenu avec les membres du jury, mais certaines choses n’ont tout bonnement pas sicilien, exprime d’emblée le lieu et la liaison sophistiqué de Leoncavallo, Pagliacci avant d’avoir vu l’opéra au théâtre, avait dit à besoin d’être dites dans cette société fermée. Il illicite que constitue le mobile principal de (Paillasse). Mascagni: “Vous êtes un bon musicien, mais je est intéressant de lire une partie de la l’action.

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L’autre air, le stornello (refrain) de Lola, qui à Sant’ Agata, où il avait surpris le vieux Santuzza demande des nouvelles de Turiddu à rendre à l’église. Lorsqu’elle y entre, la interrompt le grand duo central de Santuzza et compositeur en train de déchiffrer Cavalleria la mère de celui-ci, Lucia. Elle lui répond qu’il discussion reprend. Santuzza supplie Turiddu Turiddu, n’a rien de sicilien, mais c’est une rusticana au piano. Le lendemain matin Verdi est allé à Francofonte acheter du vin, mais de rester, mais il la jette à terre et suit Lola imitation d’un vieux stornello toscan. Il se disait: “Ainsi, il est faux d’affirmer que la Santuzza lui affirme qu’on l’a vu au village la dans l’église. justifie par le fait que Turiddu, qui a été soldat tradition de la mélodie italienne est morte.” nuit précédente. Turiddu n’est pas sitôt parti qu’apparaît sur le continent italien, parade en enseignant En écrivant ce texte, j’ai écouté deux Alfio, le charretier du village, chante le Alfio à la recherche de Lola. Dans sa colère, cette chanson toscane à sa petite amie. compilations sur disque CD d’opéras véristes plaisir qu’il prend à sa vie itinérante et Santuzza lui explique que Lola le trompe avec Ce ne sont pas les seuls morceaux qui que m’a envoyées la Casa Sonzogno. Le grandi demande du vin à Lucia, la cabaretière. Turiddu. Alfio jure de se venger. distinguent Cavalleria rusticana. Ecoutez voci du passé font aujourd’hui revivre avec Celle-ci lui répond que Turiddu est allé en Un intermezzo musical évoque la comment l’Hymne pascal est mis en évidence éclat ces mélodies. Mascagni aimait avant tout chercher à Francofonte. Mais Alfio sait que bénédiction du jour de Pâques. par l’échange succinct entre Alfio et Mamma la voix de ténor. En écoutant Caruso et Gigli, c’est faux, puisqu’il l’a vu de ses yeux au début Les fidèles sortent de l’église. Turiddu est Lucia à propos du voyage présumé de Turiddu Pertile et Taccani, des larmes me montent aux de la matinée près de sa propre maison. Lucia très gai, car il est avec Lola. Il s’arrête pour à Francofonte pour acheter du vin. Ensuite, yeux. Si j’avais été présent au Teatro Costanzi veut lui poser d’autres questions, mais boire un verre au cabaret de sa mère et invite lorsque le vin est bu, voyez la façon dont le en cette soirée historique de 1890, je pense Santuzza l’interrompt et Alfio s’en va, alors les villageois à se joindre à lui. Alfio s’approche brindisi est suivi d’une courte scène dans que mon cœur aurait explosé. que les villageois se réunissent devant l’église. et Turiddu lui offre un verre, qu’il refuse. Les laquelle Alfio renverse délibérément le vin: Entraînés par la voix de Santuzza, ils chantent femmes sortent, emmenant Lola avec elles; c’est un prélude au défi, dont la menace © Nicholas Payne l’hymne pascal. Alfio provoque Turiddu en duel. Ils décident solennelle est digne de Verga. Lorsque les villageois entrent dans l’église, de se retrouver de l’autre côté des potagers. Mascagni détestait que l’on qualifie ses Synopsis Santuzza explique à Lucia pourquoi elle l’a Turiddu supplie sa mère de le bénir et lui opéras de “véristes” et a toujours nié Turiddu, jeune villageois sicilien, s’est engagé empêchée de parler. Turiddu a trahi son amour demande de veiller sur Santuzza s’il ne revenait l’appartenance de Cavalleria rusticana à ce envers Lola, mais il est appelé à servir un an et est retourné à son ancienne passion, Lola, pas. Il s’en va et Santuzza arrive pour genre. Mais il reconnaissait que, par dans l’armée. A son retour, il découvre que bien que celle-ci ait épousé Alfio. Lucia a pitié réconforter Lucia. On entend un cri dans le opposition aux sujets mythiques et classiques Lola a épousé Alfio. Il se tourne vers Santuzza, de Santuzza et entre dans l’église afin de prier lointain. Un duel a eu lieu et Turiddu a été de ses concurrents, le secret du succès de son dont il devient l’amant, mais Turiddu se lasse pour elle, pendant que Santuzza attend et tué. opéra résidait dans le fait qu’il “y a beaucoup de Santuzza, revient vers Lola et a une liaison affronte Turiddu; elle lui révèle qu’elle sait où d’humanité et que la passion s’exprime avec un secrète avec elle. il a passé la nuit. Elle lui dit aussi qu’elle © Chandos Records Ltd élan et une fougue qui caractérisent L’opéra commence par un prélude l’aime encore et lui pardonnera. Turiddu nie Traduction: Marie-Stella Pâris exactement le tempérament sicilien”. orchestral. On entend Turiddu chanter au loin aimer Lola et reproche à Santuzza sa jalousie. Vérité et mélodie. Mascagni gardait une sérénade à Lola. C’est le dimanche de Leur discussion est interrompue par la voix de Né au Pays de Galles de parents irlandais et précieusement le souvenir d’une visite à Verdi Pâques et les villageois traversent la place. Lola, qui chante en traversant la place pour se gallois, Dennis O’Neill est l’un des grands 26 27 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 28

ténors de notre temps, et un spécialiste des La soprano Nelly Miricioiu est saluée comme National Opera ses rôles ont été ceux de Lausanne, Rome et Glyndebourne), La œuvres de Verdi. Il jouit d’une longue étant l’une des artistes de notre temps les plus Wotan dans le cycle du Ring sous la direction clemenza di Tito et Orfeo ed Euridice de Gluck association avec le théâtre de Royal Opera passionnantes et aux talents les plus multiples. de Reginald Goodall (incluant des cycles au (Glyndebourne) ainsi que dans Ariadne auf Covent Garden de Londres où il a chanté Elle possède un éblouisant répertoire Royal Opera Covent Garden), Don Fernando Naxos à Lisbonne. Diana Montague a réalisé récemment les rôles de Gustavo (Un ballo in comprenant les héroïnes de Donizetti, Bellini, (Fidelio), le rôle titre dans Wozzeck et Oreste de nombreux enregistrements, gravant entre maschera), Foresto (Attila), Don Carlos et Verdi et Puccini. En 1986, elle fit ses débuts à (Elektra). Pour la saison 1996/1997, il est autres I Capuletti e i Montecchi, Norma, Lucia Radames (Aida). l’Opéra d’Etat de Vienne dans Manon Lescaut revenu au Welsh National Opera où il a fait di Lammermoor, Iphigénie en Tauride, Il En Amérique du Nord, il s’est produit au qui furent suivis de La bohème, Lucia di ses débuts dans le rôle de Rigoletto, et dans crociato in Egitto (pour Opera Rara) Metropolitan Opera de New York (La traviata, Lammermoor, La traviata et Maria Stuarda. une nouvelle production de Simon Boccanegra ainsi qu’un disque d’airs d’opéra (pour Aida, La bohème et Rigoletto), à Lyric Opera de Elle s’est également produite à l’English sous la direction de Carlo Rizzo. Il a Chandos en association avec la Peter Moores Chicago, à San Francisco, San Diego et à National Opera (La traviata), au Teatro alla également chanté au Royal Opera Covent Foundation). l’Opéra de Vancouver. Il a également donné Scala de Milan, à l’Opéra comique et l’Opéra Garden, au Scottish Opera et à l’Opera North. des concerts avec les orchestres de national de Paris-Bastille, à Madrid, Berlin Ses enregistrements comportent Parsifal, Elizabeth Bainbridge est née dans le comté de Philadelphie, Cleveland, Montréal, Ottawa et (Deutsche Oper), Bruxelles (Théâtre royal de Tristan und Isolde et La Passion grecque de Lancashire, et a fait ses études à la Guildhall dans le cadre du festival de Cincinnati. En la Monnaie), Toulouse, Munich, Monte Carlo, Martinu.° School of Music and Drama de Londres. Elle Europe, il est fréquemment invité par le Stuttgart et Copenhague. Aux Etats-Unis, fit ses débuts au Royal Opera Covent Garden Bayerische Staatsoper de Munich, et a chanté Nelly Miricioiu a chanté au Metropolitan Diana Montague a fait ses études au Royal dans Die Walküre en 1964, et entra dans la dans les opéras de Vienne, Bonn, Cologne, Opera de New York, au San Francisco Opera, Northern College of Music. Depuis ses débuts compagnie l’année suivante. Ses rôles furent Nice, Zurich, Paris, Oslo, Bruxelles et au Washington Opera et avec l’Opera dans le rôle de Zerlina avec le Glyndebourne Mistress Quickly, Suzuki, Amneris, Emilia, Barcelone. Company of Philadelphia. Parmi ses Touring Opera, elle s’est produite sur les plus Erda, Arvidson, Filipyevna, une Ancienne (The Son importante discographie comporte des enregistrements figurent, pour Opera Rara, grandes scènes lyriques et dans les principales Midsummer Marriage), Grand-mère Buryja albums en soliste, le Requiem de Verdi avec Orazi e Curiazi de Mercadante, Rosmonda salles de concert du monde comme le Royal (Jenu˚fa) et Auntie (Peter Grimes). Elle s’est Colin Davis, La fanciulla del West avec Slatkin, d’Inghilterra et Maria di Rudenz de Donizetti, Opera Covent Garden, le Metropolitan Opera produite avec le Royal Opera au Teatro alla des vidéos de Der Rosenkavalier avec Solti, Die Ricciardo e Zoraide de Rossini et Maria, regina à New York, le Théâtre de la Monnaie à Scala de Milan en 1976, en Corée du Sud et le Fledermaus avec Kiri te Kanawa sous la d’Inghilterra de Pacini. Bruxelles, l’Opéra national de Paris-Bastille, le Japon en 1979, à l’Olympic Arts Festival de direction de Placido Domingo, Macbeth avec Teatro Colon à Buenos Aires; elle a participé Los Angeles en 1984, et au festival d’Athènes Sinopoli, et Mefistofele pour le San Francisco Phillip Joll est né au Pays de Galles. Il a fait aux festivals de Bayreuth et Salzbourg. en 1985. Parmi ses enregistrements figurent Opera. Pour Chandos et la Peter Moores ses études au Royal Northern College of Music Elle a chanté, entre autres, dans Iphigénie en Norma, Les Troyens, Le Petit renard rusé, Dido Foundation, il a enregistré Tosca, La bohème et avec Nicholas Powell et Frederick Cox, puis au Tauride (à Buenos Aires, Madrid et avec le and Aeneas et The Midsummer Marriage. un album en soliste. National Opera Studio de Londres. Au Welsh Welsh National Opera), Le Comte Ory (à La carrière de chanteur de Geoffrey Mitchell a 28 29 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 30

couvert un répertoire d’une remarquable récompenses prestigieuses. avec Carmen. Il s’est également produit en scène de Kát’a Kabanová au Festival de étendue allant de la musique ancienne à la Italie où il a dirigé Ricciardo e Zoraide au Nouvelle-Zélande. musique contemporaine. Elle prit son essor à David Parry étudia avec Sergiu Celibidache et Festival d’opéra de Pesaro (consacré à Rossini), Il a réalisé un grand nombre la suite de plusieurs invitations à diriger que commença sa carrière comme assistant de Sir mais il s’est aussi rendu en France, en d’enregistrements pour le label Opera Rara, lui offrit la BBC, et à une collaboration plus John Pritchard. Il fit ses débuts avec l’English Allemagne, en Belgique, aux Pays-Bas, et en entre autres Rosmonda d’Inghilterra de étroite avec ses propres chanteurs. C’est ainsi Music Theatre et devint plus tard chef Suède où il a dirigé une mise en scène très Donizetti, qui a remporté le prix Cecilia en qu’il fut amené à fonder le Geoffrey Mitchell appointé du Städtische Bühnen Dortmund et applaudie du Midsummer Night’s Dream de Belgique, et c’est chez Chandos qu’il a dirigé Choir avec lequel il a enregistré quinze opéras d’Opera North. Directeur musical d’Opera 80 Britten. son enregistrement primé de Tosca, trois pour Opera Rara. Jouissant d’une réputation de 1983 à 1987, il est depuis 1992 le directeur Hors d’Europe, David Parry s’est produit au disques d’aries operatiques (avec Bruce Ford, grandissante, ils ont d’autres projets avec musical fondateur du festival d’opéra Festival international de Hong Kong, a dirigé Diana Montague et Dennis O’Neill), Faust, la BBC et des maisons de disques contemporain Almeida Opera. l’UNAM Symphony Orchestra à Mexico, a Don Pasquale, La bohème, L’elisir d’amore et internationales. Il poursuit une carrière très active à l’opéra fait une tournée consacrée à Carmen au Japon, extraits du Rosenkavalier. et dans les salles de concert. Son répertoire et, en 1996, a dirigé une nouvelle mise en Le London Philharmonic Orchestra, qui a été va de Mozart et de l’opéra italien du début formé par Sir Thomas Beecham en 1932, a du XIXe siècle à Janácˇek, Britten et à la attiré au fil des années une série inégalable de musique contemporaine. En Angleterre, premiers chefs, dont Sir Adrian Boult, Sir John il a fait des apparitions régulières à l’English Pritchard, Bernard Haitink, Sir Georg Solti et National Opera et lors de concerts avec le Klaus Tennstedt. Parmi les chefs qui le dirigent Philharmonia Orchestra. En 1996, il a fait ses régulièrement à l’heure actuelle se trouvent son débuts au Festival de Glyndebourne avec Così directeur musical, Franz Welser-Möst, et son fan tutte. président, Bernard Haitink. Il se rend fréquemment en Espagne où il L’orchestre, qui est depuis 1964 l’orchestre s’est produit avec la plupart des troupes symphonique en résidence au Glyndebourne d’opéra et des orchestres symphoniques. Il a Festival Opera, est devenu en 1992 donné la première espagnole de Peter Grimes à l’orchestre symphonique en résidence au Madrid et, en 1996, a dirigé la première mise Royal Festival Hall. Il effectue aussi de vastes en scène espagnole de The Rake’s Progress. Il a tournées – il a été le premier orchestre à se aussi inauguré deux nouvelles salles de concert rendre en URSS et en Chine et ses avec une interprétation de la Neuvième enregistrements ont remporté maintes Symphonie de Beethoven et un nouvel opéra 30 31 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 32

Malgrado la sua inesperienza e la sua – Sì, ve l’ho detto; ora che ho visto la mia Pietro Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana superiore fedeltà alla primogenita ma tuttora vecchia mel pollaio, mi pare di averla sempre non rappresentata Guglielmo Ratcliff (che si dinanzi agli occhi. ostinò a preferire a Cavalleria) Mascagni aveva – Apriteli bene, gli occhi! – gli gridò compar Il lancio di Cavalleria rusticana al Teatro (un’evocazione del Giappone che di sei anni fiducia nella teatralità del suo soggetto. Alfio – che sto per rendervi la buona misura. – Costanzi di Roma il 17 maggio 1890 fu forse precede ). Il direttore Ho composto l’opera in poco più di cinquanta Come egli stava in guardia tutto raccolto per la premiere di maggior successo nella storia d’orchestra inglese Mark Elder mi ha detto di giorni, ma la scelta del soggetto è di gran lunga tenersi la sinistra sulla ferita, che gli doleva, a dell’opera. Dalla sera alla mattina il aver molto ammirato la del tutto negletta antecedente. Fui presente alcuni anni fa ad una quasi strisciava per terra col gomito, acchiappò ventiseienne Pietro Mascagni venne catapultato Parisina che fece fiasco alla Scala nel 1913. rappresentazione del dramma di Verga e ne rapidamente una manata di polvere e la gettò dall’oscurità della provincia ad una fama da L’Italiano Carlo Rizzi, quando diresse riportai una forte ed indimenticabile emozione. negli occhi del’avversario. capogiro, fino ad essere dichiarato l’erede di l’accoppiamento Cavalleria rusticana e C’era una passione così potente in quelle scene – Ah! – urlò Turiddu accecato – son morto. – Ei Verdi. Il Verismo ebbe la sua definizione. Pagliacci, mi disse che a suo parere le due che ne rimasi profondamente colpito. Da allora cercava di salvarsi, facendo salti disperati Cinquantacinque anni più tardi, subito opere erano molto differenti e non ho sentito che se un compositore sapeva il suo all’indietro; ma compar Alfio lo raggiunse con dopo la fine della seconda guerra mondiale, imparentate ma che lui preferiva la prima. mestiere ne avrebbe creato un vero pezzo un’altra botta nello stomaco e una terza nella Mascagni moriva a Roma in quella camera La lode particolarmente cara a Mascagni era teatrale. gola. d’albergo dove aveva vissuto per diciotto anni, quella degli interpreti che presero parte alla Il dramma di Giovanni Verga derivava dalla – E tre! questa è per la casa che tu m’hai amaro vecchio cimelio, contaminato dalla sua premiere e quella degli orchestrali e coristi i sua novella che ancor oggi cattura, in sette o adornato. Ora tua madre lascerà stare le galline. alleanza con il regime fascista di Mussolini. Il quali, uscendo dal teatro dopo le prove, dissero otto pagine, la quintessenza della Sicilia. La – Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, già Teatro ai loro amici: “Sentirete qualcosa di veramente violenza è in agguato dietro il languore. Un Turiddu annaspò un pezzo di qua e di là fra i Costanzi, ancora reca una lapide al Duce sorprendente!” Cavalleria rusticana fu una umorismo sfrontato maschera la passione fichidindia e poi cadde come un masso. Il sangue Benito Mussolini in alto sul proscenio. delle tre opere che vinsero il concorso per carnale. Il discorso è al contempo diretto ed gli gorgogliava spumeggiando nella gola, e non Nell’era postbellica le altre sue opere, sulle un’opera in un atto sponsorizzato dall’editore obliquo, giacché ci sono cose che non occorre potè proferire nemmeno: – Ah! mamma mia! – quali aveva tanto fidato, giacevano ignorate e Edoardo Sonzogno. Stranamente, dire in questa impenetrabile società. Questa è Mascagni cominciò la sua composizione persino Cavalleria rusticana veniva trattata con l’impressione di Sonzogno dopo aver conferito l’ultima pagina della novella. dalla fine. Mentre aspettava che il suo condiscendenza quale rozza zavorra per la più con i giudici ma prima di aver visto l’opera in Entrambi erano bravi tiratori; Turiddu toccò la riluttante librettista gli consegnasse un testo, fine Pagliacci di Leoncavallo. teatro fu: “È’ un buon musicista, ma temo che prima botta, e fu a tempo a prenderla nel Ho pensato al finale più che a qualsiasi altra Oggi Mascagni sta tornando in auge presso l’opera non sia teatrale.” Uno dei giudici, braccio; come la rese, la rese buona, e tirò cosa. Ho sentito “Hanno ammazzato compare musicisti autorevoli. L’Opera di Roma ha Giovanni Sgambati, professore a Santa Cecilia, all’anguinaia. Turiddu” ronzarmi nelle orecchie, ma non inaugurato la sua stagione 1996 con una fu più perspicace: “Le discussioni sono inutili; – Ah! compare Turiddu! avete proprio intenzione vedevo la possibilità di riuscita se non trovavo la magnifica nuova produzione della sua Iris questa è musica che piace al pubblico.” di ammazzarmi. frase e la armonie orchestrali conclusive che

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facessaro un forte effetto. Non so com’è andata, Mamma Lucia circa il presunto viaggio di occhi. Se fossi stato presente al Costanzi a responde che ha esaurito le scorte ed inviato il ma il finale mi è piombato nella mente d’un Turiddu a Francofonte per acquistare del vino. quella serata fatale del 1890 credo che mi figlio Turiddu a Francofonte per la relativa tratto, una mattina, per il corso di Camosa E poi il modo in cui il Brindisi, quando viene sarebbe scoppiato il cuore. provvista. Alfio sa bene che non è vero, in mentre andavo a far lezione. Ed erano quegli bevuto il vino, è seguito dalla breve scena in quanto lui stesso l’aveva visto di prima mattina stessi accordi di settima che ho scrupolosamente cui Alfio di proposito versa il vino a preludere © Nicholas Payne nei pressi della sua casa. Mamma Lucia mantenuto nel manoscritto. Fu così che la sfida, la cui dignitosa minaccia è degna di desidera un chiarimento, ma Santuzza l’arresta cominciai la mia opera dalla fine. Verga. La trama in tempo, ed Alfio esce dalla rivendita mentre i Fu un colpo ardito quello di finire l’opera Mascagni non poteva sopportare che le sue Il giovane Turiddu, che abita in un paese della paesani si radunano di fronte alla chiesa. con una frase parlata (o urlata). Ancora più opere venissero classificate come verismo, e Sicilia, si fidanza con Lola ma viene quindi Santuzza intona l’inno pasquale. pericoloso era interrompere il suggestivo sempre negò che Cavalleria rusticana vi chiamato alle armi per un anno. Al congedo Mentre i fedeli entrano nella chiesa ella preludio dell’opera con una canzone cantata appartenesse. Ma pure riconobbe che, in apprende che la sua promessa ha frattanto spiega a Mamma Lucia perchè ha smesso di dietro il sipario, tant’è vero che Mascagni contrasto con i soggetti classici o mitologici sposato il carrettiere Alfio e quindi rivolge parlarle: Turiddu ha tradito il suo amore l’omise dalla sua presentazione ai giudici di dei suoi rivali, il segreto del successo della sua l’attenzione a Santuzza, che diventa sua riprendendo la relazione con la vecchia fiamma Sonzogno e solamente rivelò la sua bravata opera era dovuto al fatto che “c’è tanta amante. Stanco dell’avventura, fa ritorno a Lola malgrado il matrimonio con Alfio. La all’esame orale. La siciliana di Turiddu, cantata umanità e che la passione è espressa con un Lola, con cui intrattiene una relazione donna commisera Santuzza ed entra nella in dialetto siciliano, immediatamente evoca sia impeto ed un fuoco che sono esattamente il clandestina. chiesa per recitare una preghiera. La ragazza la località sia l’illecita relazione che è la causa temperamento siciliano”. L’opera inizia con un preludio. Giunge da rimane all’esterno ed affronta Turiddu, al quale prima dell’azione. Verità e melodia. Mascagni tenne in gran lontano il canto di Turiddu, che fa una dichiara di sapere dove ha trascorso la notte. L’altra canzone (lo stornello di Lola), che pregio una visita a Verdi a Sant’Agata allorché serenata alla sua fiamma. È domenica di Gli professa ancora una volta il proprio amore interrompe il grande duetto centrale di il vecchio compositore fu scoperto a leggere Pasqua e la gente del luogo si affolla sulla ed aggiunge che è disposta a perdonarlo. Santuzza e Turiddu, non è affatto siciliana, ma Cavalleria rusticana al pianoforte. La mattina piazza. Santuzza chiede notizie di Turiddu a Turiddu nega i propri sentimenti per Lola e la è un’imitazione di un vecchio stornello dopo Verdi disse: “Allora non è vero che la sua madre Lucia, la quale afferma che si è rimprovera della gelosia. La discussione è toscano. La scusa è che Turiddu, tornato da tradizione della melodia italiana è finita.” recato al vicino borgo di Francofonte per interrotta dal canto di Lola, che attraversa la fare il soldato nel continente italiano, si fa Mentre sto scrivendo ascolto due raccolte in l’acquisto di una partita di vino. La ragazza piazza in direzione della chiesa. Riprende la bello insegnando questa canzone toscana alla CD di opere veriste che mi sono state inviate tuttavia replica che il giovane è stato visto la lite. Santuzza supplica il giovane di rimanere, sua amante. dalla Casa Sonzogno. Le grandi voci del passato notte prima nel paese. ma egli la getta a terra e segue Lola. Non sono solo i singoli numeri che vividamente portano oggi queste melodie a Alfio il barrocciaio esprime con il canto il Subito dopo compare Alfio, in cerca della contraddistinguono Cavalleria rusticana. Si nuvoa vita. Sopra ogni cosa Mascagni amò la piacere della sua vita di girobago. Entra nella moglie. In un momento di collera, Santuzza ascolti come l’inno pasquale è messo in voce tenorile. Ascoltando Caruso e Gigli, bottega del vino di Mamma Lucia e le chiede gli rivela il tradimento di Lola. Alfio giura di evidenza dal conciso colloquio fra Alfio e Pertile e Taccani, mi vengono le lacrime agli di servirgli una caraffa, ma la donna gli vendicarsi. 34 35 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 36

Segue un intermezzo, che descrive la incluso la Metropolitan Opera (La traviata, National Opera (La traviata), al Teatro alla compagnia teatrale gallese, debuttando quindi benedizione pasquale. Aida, La bohème e Rigoletto), la Chicago Lyric Scala di Milano, all’Opéra comique e all’Opéra nello stesso ruolo e in quello di Simon I fedeli escono dalla chiesa. Turiddu, felice Opera, San Francisco Opera, San Diego national de Paris-Bastille nonché alla Deutsche Boccanegra nella nuova produzione di Carlo per la presenza di Lola, si ferma alla bottega Opera, Vancouver Opera e concerti con le Oper di Berlino, all’Théâtre royal de la Rizzi. Si è anche esibito al Royal Opera della madre per una sbicchierata, a cui invita i orchestre sinfoniche di Philadelphia, Monnaie di Bruxelles e nei teatri lirici di Covent Garden, come pure per la compagnia paesani. Si avvicina Alfio, che rifiuta il Cleveland, Montreal, Ottawa, e per il Festival Madrid, Tolosa, Monaco di Baviera, Stoccarda, Scottish Opera ed Opera North. Tra le opere bicchiere di vino offertogli da Turiddu. Le di Cincinnati. E’ di frequente ospite della Monte Carlo e Copenhagen. Le tournée della da lui registrate su disco vanno ricordate in donne si allontanano in compagnia di Lola ed Bayerische Staatsoper di Monaco di Baviera. Miricioiu hanno incluso la Metropolitan particolare Parsifal, Tristan und Isolde e La Alfio sfida a duello il rivale. I due giovani Altrove in Europa ha cantato nei teatri lirici di Opera di New York, come pure i teatri lirici di Passione greca di Martinu˚. decidono di incontrarsi oltre gli orti. Vienna, Bonn, Colonia, Nizza, Zurigo, Parigi, San Francisco, Washington e Philadelphia. Nel Turiddu prega la madre di benedirlo e di Oslo, Brusselle e Barcellona. quadro della sua attività discografica, va Diana Montague ha studiato presso il Royal avere cura di Santuzza nel caso di un suo La sua vasta discografia comprende albums ricordata la registrazione, per Opera Rara, Northern College of Music. Dal suo debutto mancato ritorno. Mentre scompare dalla scena di pezzi solistici, il Requiem di Verdi con Sir delle opere Orazi e Curiazi di Mercadante, come Zerlina insieme con la Glyndebourne entra la ragazza, che consola Mamma Lucia. Si Colin Davis, La fanciulla del West con Slatkin, Rosmonda d’Inghilterra e Maria di Rudenz di Touring Opera è apparsa nei teatri e nelle sale ode un grido lontano: Turiddu è rimasto videoregistrazioni di Der Rosenkavalier con Donizetti, Ricciardo e Zoraide di Rossini e da concerto più importanti del mondo, ucciso nel duello! Solti, Die Fledermaus con Kiri te Kanawa, Maria, regina d’Inghilterra di Pacini. compresi la Royal Opera Covent Garden, il diretta da Domingo, Macbeth con Sinopoli e Metropolitan Opera di New York, il Théâtre © Chandos Records Ltd Mefistofele per San Francisco Opera. Per la Il baritono gallese Phillip Joll studiò al Royal royal de la Monnaie a Bruxelles, l’Opéra Traduzione: Marcella Barzetti Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation ha inciso Northern College of Music con Nicholas national de Paris-Bastille, il Teatro Colon di Tosca, La bohème e un album di pezzi solistici. Powell e Frederick Cox e successivamente al Buenos Aires, oltre ai festival di Bayreuth e Nato nel Galles da genitori irlandesi e gallesi National Opera Studio londinese. Alla Welsh Salisburgo. Dennis O’Neill è fra i principali tenori di Il soprano Nelly Miricioiu è ritenuta una delle National Opera (la Compagnia lirica gallese) Tra i suoi impegni figurano Iphigénie en rinomanza mondiale ed uno specialista nel cantanti più entusiasmanti e versatili dei nostri ha sostenuto la parte di Wotan nel ciclo Der Tauride (a Buenos Aires, Madrid e con la repertorio verdiano. E’ da anni felicemente giorni, grazie allo straordinario repertorio di Ring des Nibelungen sotto la direzione di Sir Welsh National Opera), Le Comte Ory (a impegnato in una lunga collaborazione con la opere liriche con le eroine di Donizetti, Reginald Goodall (esperienza ripetutasi al Losanna, Roma e Glyndebourne), La clemenza Royal Opera Covent Garden per la quale ha Bellini, Verdi e Puccini. Nel 1986 esordì con Royal Opera Covent Garden), di Don di Tito e Orfeo ed Euridice di Gluck recentemente cantato i ruoli di Gustavo (Un Manon Lescaut all’Opera di Stato di Vienna, Fernando (in Fidelio) e di Oreste (in Elektra), (Glyndebourne), e Ariadne auf Naxos a ballo in maschera), Foresto (Attila), Don Carlos dove in seguito ha cantato nella Bohème, in nonché il ruolo di protagonista nel Wozzeck di Lisbona. Le molte registrazioni effettuate da e Radames (Aida). Lucia di Lammermoor, nella Traviata e in Alban Berg. Durante la stagione 1996/97 ha Diana Montague comprendono: I Capuleti e i I suoi ingaggi nel Nord America hanno Maria Stuarda. Si è pure esibita alla English sostenuto la parte di Rigoletto per la Montecchi, Norma, Lucia di Lammermoor, 36 37 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 38

Iphigénie en Tauride, Il crociato in Egitto di direttore e, in seguito, un’attività più David Parry ha studiato con Sergiu due nuove sale di concerti con la Nona (per Opera Rara), oltre una raccolta di arie impegnativa in sintonia con propri cantanti Celibidache ed ha iniziato la sua carriera come sinfonia di Beethoven ed un nuovo teatro d’opera (per Chandos/Peter Moores nonché la consequente formazione del assistente di Sir John Pritchard. Ha fatto il suo lirico con la Carmen. Altre tournées l’hanno Foundation). Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. Dopo le prime debutto con l’English Music Theatre ed è poi portato in Italia, dove ha diretto Ricciardo e registrazioni su disco il complesso ha potuto diventato direttore stabile della Städtische Zoraide al Festival Rossini di Pesaro, in Nata nella contea inglese di Lancashire, stabilire regolari rapporti di lavoro con la Bühnen Dortmund e di Opera North. Dal Francia, Germania, Belgio, Olanda, e Svezia Elizabeth Bainbridge effettuò gli studi al compagnia Opera Rara, per la quale ha 1983 al 1987 è stato direttore artistico di dove ha diretto con grande successo A conservatorio londinese Guildhall School of registrato ben 15 opere. Attualmente gode di Opera 80 e dal 1992 Direttore Musicale Midsummer Night’s Dream di Britten. Music and Drama. Nel 1964 fece il suo crescente reputazione grazie agli ulteriore fondatore del festival di opera contemporanea Fuori d’Europa David Parry si è esibito al debutto al Royal Opera Covent Garden con incarichi ricevuti dalla BBC e dalle case dell’Almeida Opera. festival internazionale di Hong Kong, con Die Walküre e l’anno successivo entrò a far discografiche internazionali. Svolge un’intensa attività sia nel teatro lirico l’UNAM Symphony Orchestra a Città del parte della compagnia omonima. Ha sia in campo sinfonico. Il suo repertorio va da Messico e in una serie di rappresentazioni della sostenuto, tra l’altro, la parte di Quickly, La London Philharmonic Orchestra, Mozart e l’opera italiana del Ottocento a Carmen in Giappone. Nel 1996 ha diretto Suzuki, Amneris, Emilia, Erda, Arvidson, costituita nel 1932 da Sir Thomas Beecham, Janácˇek e Britten e la musica contemporanea. Kát’a Kabanová in un nuovo allestimento per il Filipyevna, della Vecchia (ne The Midsummer ha attratto nel corso degli anni una successione In Inghilterra ha diretto frequentemente alla festival della Nuova Zelanda. Marriage), Nonna Buryja (in Jenu˚fa) e della incomparabile di primi direttori, tra cui Sir English National Opera ed in concerti Ha inciso numerosi dischi per Opera Rara, Zietta (in Peter Grimes). La Bainbridge si è Adrian Boult, Sir John Pritchard, Bernard sinfonici con la Philharmonia Orchestra. Nel fra l’altro quello di Rosmonda d’Inghilterra di esibita con la Royal Opera al Teatro alla Scala Haitink, Sir Georg Solti e Klaus Tennstedt. 1996 ha debuttato al Glyndebourne Festival Donizetti, che ha vinto il Priz Cecilia in nel 1976, nella Corea del sud et nel Giappone Attualmente si alternano periodicamente sul Opera con Così fan tutte. Belgio; per Chandos ha diretto l’acclamato nel 1979, all’Olympic Arts Festival 1984 di podio il Direttore musicale Franz Welser-Möst Dirige spesso in Spagna nella maggior parte disco della Tosca, tre dische di grandi arie Los Angeles e al Festival d’Atene 1985. Le sue ed il Presidente Bernard Haitink. dei teatri lirici e con orchestre sinfoniche. Ha operistiche (con Bruce Ford, Diana Montague registrazioni discografiche includono Norma, Dal 1964 questo complesso è l’orchestra diretto la prima spagnola di Peter Grimes a e Dennis O’Neill), Faust, Don Pasquale, La Les Troyens, L’astuta piccola volpe, Dido and sinfonica stabile della Glyndebourne Festival Madrid e nel 1996 il primo allestimento bohème, L’elisir d’amore e brani del Aeneas e The Midsummer Marriage. Opera (Compagnia lirica del Festival spagnolo della Rake’s Progress, ha inaugurato Rosenkavalier. omonimo) e dal 1992 del Royal Festival Hall. La carriera vocale di Geoffrey Mitchell si Inoltre, ha effettuato tournée in ogni parte del distingue per il repertorio eccezionalmente mondo ed è la prima orchestra britannica ad ampio, che va dalla musica antica a quella esibirsi nell’URSS e in Cina. Le sue contemporanea. Tale fatto gli ha fruttato registrazioni discografiche le hanno meritato numerosi inviti della BBC ad esibirsi nel ruolo numerosi importanti premi. 38 39 CHAN 3005 BOOK.qxd 24/7/07 2:35 pm Page 40

Cavalleria rusticana 5 Spring has returned and the trees are all Santuzza Alfio I only want to ask you, and I beg your 7 Horses champing at the bit, 1 Prelude blossoming, Clear is the song of the lark in the sky. forgiveness, where shall I find him? Harness fastened good and tight, The curtain is down. Crack of the whip and away! Whisper your words of love, ah, feel my heart Lucia Winds may chill me to the bone, Siciliana beating faster, I don’t know, I don’t know. I don’t want trouble. Now hold me close, hear my reply. Rain may soak me through and through, Turiddu (The women enter the stage.) Santuzza I travel every day. 2 Oh, Lola, with your skin white as the lily, The breezes blow across the golden meadow. Mamma Lucia, I beg you, I implore you, do as Horses champing at the bit, Show me your smiling mouth, red as the cherry. The sweetness of your singing comes to greet us. our Harness fastened good and tight, Out of your window lean, so I can see you. At sunset, as we leave the fields behind us, Lord once did… forgive the sinner. Tell me, for Jump in the wagon Oh, what a sweet hour of joy, if I could kiss you! We like to fancy you will come to meet us, pity’s sake, where is Turiddu? Crack of the whip and away! Blood has stained the ground all round your With smiling eyes come to meet us, Chorus Lucia doorway; Eager with longing… how we rush to embrace What a fine profession, He went to get the wine from Francofonte. Does it mean I must die because I love you? you. Taking each commission Were I to die and Heav’n opened above me, (The men enter.) Santuzza And riding everywhere! I would not enter without you, nothing would Work for today is now over: No! They say he was here till after midnight. Yes, riding here and there. move me. Ah! The virgin is rejoicing, her son is arisen from death. Lucia Alfio 3 Prelude (conclusion) Whisper your words of love, ah, feel my heart It can’t be, it can’t be. He did not come home Jump in the wagon. The curtain rises. beating faster, all evening. Come inside. And now my journey’s over Scene. A square in a village in Sicily, at back on I kiss my faithful Lola, Now hold me close, hear my reply! Santuzza the right, a church, with practicable door; on the Why, I’m her only care. No, I cannot go into your house? Not into your left, an inn and the cottage of old Lucia. Time, Scene and Alfio’s Song house! Chorus Easter Day. At first the stage is empty. (Bells Santuzza (enters, and goes towards Lucia’s cottage) I have become an outcast! Ah! ringing in church.) Then peasants, men, women, 6 Tell me, mamma Lucia… and children cross the stage. The church door opens Lucia Alfio and the crowd enters. This movement of people Lucia (coming out) You’re hiding something about Turiddu? Horses champing at the bit, continues to the end of the Chorus, then the stage is Santuzza? What do you want? Harness fastened good and tight, Santuzza again empty. Santuzza It’s Easter and I am here! If you knew how I suffer! (The chorus of women enters.) Chorus Is Turiddu here? (Cracking of whip and bells heard from without. It’s Easter and I am here, 4 Ah! Ah! Lucia Enter the chorus.) I’m here! You’re mad. You think of nothing but Turiddu.

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Chorus Chorus (in the church) Lucia Beg forgiveness for me. I’ll find Turiddu. What a fine profession, Regina caeli, laetare Now tell me what the trouble is, Santuzza? I’ll try once more to plead with him for mercy. Taking each commission Alleluja! Lucia And riding everywhere! Quia, quem meruisti portare Romance and Scene Blessed Mary in Heaven, look down in pity! And riding here and there! Alleluja! Santuzza Resurrexit sicut dixit. (Lucia goes into the church.) (The Chorus leaves the stage, some enter the church, 10 You know your son, Turiddu, promised to marry Now rejoice, for our Saviour is risen, others go various ways.) Lola. Even death He could scorn and defy. Scene He vowed that he would be faithful when he Unto us He had granted salvation, Scene and Prayer became a soldier. We will share in His glory on high. Turiddu (enters) He gave his word that he’d keep faith forever. 11 What do you want, Santuzza? Lucia Santuzza But soon, she married Alfio; then when your son 8 Good for you, Mister Alfio, so cheerful, always Now rejoice, for our Saviour is risen, came back here Santuzza helping us out. Let us all share in His glory on high. In the heat of his passion he turned to me for I wished to see you. Alfio (gaily) comfort. Lucia, Santuzza and Chorus Turiddu Mamma Lucia, I’d love a glass of wine from He said he loved me, I loved him, ah! I loved him. Now rejoice for our Saviour is risen, It’s Easter and Mass is beginning. Francofonte. That wicked girl, hating to see me happy, Let us share in His glory, Never thinking of Alfio, burning with rage and Santuzza In His glory on high. Lucia envy, I know, I have to talk to you. Alleluja! All gone. Turiddu went yesterday to get some. She took Turiddu, she took him from me. Now rejoice for our Saviour is risen, Turiddu So, in shame and dishonour, I am deprived of Alfio Even death He could scorn and defy. Where is my mother? my lover: He must be back. I noticed him this morning, Now rejoice for our Saviour from death has arisen. Lola and he are one again. Santuzza not far away from my place. We will share in His glory on high. Ah! I weep, and I weep despairing! I have to talk to you. Lucia (surprised) Now rejoice and give praise, Really? To the glory of God. Lucia Turiddu Miserable creatures. The world is full of sadness Not here, not here! Santuzza Santuzza (quickly to Lucia) this blessed Easter morning. Be quiet. Oh, my Lord! Santuzza Santuzza Where have you been? Alfio (All enter the church, with the exception of I’m damned forever. Turiddu 9 I must be going! You’ll want to go to church. Santuzza and Lucia.) You go to church now, implore the grace of What do you mean? To Francofonte. Heaven.

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Santuzza Santuzza There are so many things I want to tell you. Lola (to Turiddu, ironically) That is a lie! Of course she’s very pretty. Maybe I’ll even whisper that I love you. Ah! Stay with Santuzza. Sweet flow’rs I bring you. Oh! Turiddu Turiddu Santuzza (to Turiddu with authority) (entering and breaking off) Santuzza, take my word. Stop it! I’ve told you! Yes, stay here, I’ve something else to tell you. Turiddu, have you seen my Alfio? Santuzza Santuzza Lola Turiddu Oh, what a liar! Last night I saw you turn off Lovers, lovers… oh, how I hate you! Well, it may be important, I’d better leave you. I only got back here just now. from the road. And then as day was dawning, Turiddu (Exit into Church.) someone saw you near the gateway to Lola. Lola Santuzza! Some little problem must have delayed him. Turiddu (scornfully) Turiddu Santuzza He should be here by this time. And you? You’re Ah, how could you… how could you do it? Ah, you’ve been spying? That dirty little slut has spoiled our happy life! not going in to hear the service? Santuzza Santuzza Turiddu Turiddu (confused) She is guilty and so are you. No, no, I swear it. We heard the news from Listen, Santuzza, stop this I tell you, your jealous Santuzza was just saying… Alfio, Turiddu (rushing upon her) ravings do not impress me. Lola’s husband, as he passed by just now. Santuzza Ah, by God! Santuzza (with anguish) I was saying that it’s Easter, and the Lord knows Turiddu Santuzza (retaining him) Beat me, insult me, and still I will love you. all our secrets. A fine reward for the love that I’ve shown you! Tear me to pieces! But how I suffer, I cannot bear it. Do you want him to kill me? Lola (pointing to the church) Turiddu Turiddu You’re not coming to Mass? Santuzza No! Listen, Santuzza, stop this I tell you, your jealous Oh, never even think it. Santuzza ravings do not impress me. Stop this, Santuzza. Not I… no one should go who knows at heart Santuzza Turiddu Stop this I tell you. that she’s a sinner. Turiddu, I beg you. Leave me alone then, leave me then. Don’t think (breaking off hearing that Lola approaches) that you can soften my righteous anger with Lola Turiddu Lola’s Song your pleading eyes. I give thanks to my Saviour. I kneel in worship. No! Lola (behind the scenes) Santuzza Santuzza (ironically, with bitterness) Santuzza 12 Sweet flow’rs I bring you. So do you love her? Oh, you’re so clever, you are so clever, Lola! I beg you, listen! There are so many things I want to tell you. 13 No, no, Turiddu, don’t leave me alone, I implore Turiddu Maybe I’ll even whisper that I love you. Turiddu (to Lola) you. No! (always coming nearer) Let’s go now, let’s go now. You cannot want to turn me away? No, no, Sweet flow’rs I bring you. Why should we stay and argue? Turiddu.

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Turiddu Turiddu Santuzza Alfio (surprised) Why do you follow me? Go! Go! No, Turiddu, don’t leave me alone, What are you saying? Why do you spy on me? I implore you, do not leave me alone, Santuzza Santuzza Yes, even here outside the church? I implore you, Turiddu! Ah! No, Turiddu, I beg you, how can you drive Yes, while you are travelling in far-off cities, Santuzza me away? Turiddu going about your business, Lola was playing false Stay, I implore you, you cannot leave me? Please No use saying you’re sorry after you’ve hurt me, and has betrayed you! Turiddu don’t abandon me. No, no, Turiddu, don’t leave still saying you’re sorry when it’s all over! Ah! full of self pity, always whining, saying you’re Alfio me alone, I implore you. sorry after you’ve hurt me, just saying you’re Santuzza (threatening) Ah, in the name of God, what are you saying? Turiddu sorry when it’s all over. Go! Go! Go! I warn you! Santuzza You’re always here like a spy, you bore me! Santuzza Turiddu The truth. Santuzza No! No! No! See your Santuzza weeps and The very sight of you disgusts me. Turiddu betrayed me and sullied my honour, See how your Santuzza weeps and implores implores you, Then your wife Lola took him away from me! (He dashes her to the ground and rushes into the you. How you hurt me, how can you wound how can you hurt me, hurt me when I am church.) Alfio (threateningly) me, when I’m unhappy? unhappy? If you are lying, I will tear your heart out. Santuzza (in the excess of fury) Turiddu Turiddu Santuzza Full of self pity… Go! I have told you, go! And you, be damned this Easter. I curse you! Why should I tell lies and try to trick you? Saying you’re sorry when it’s all over. Santuzza (She falls down in the greatest anguish.) Better believe what I say! No, Turiddu, stay I implore you. Santuzza (Enter Alfio. He crosses towards Santuzza.) My shame will speak for me, See your Santuzza weeps and implores you. My shame and my sorrow: Turiddu How can you hurt me when I’m unhappy? Santuzza (to Alfio) What I am telling you is true, I swear, I swear! Weeping and whining, saying you’re sorry after 14 Oh! So my prayer has been answered! Turiddu betrayed me and sullied my honour, you’ve hurt me! Turiddu Mister Alfio! Then Lola stole his heart away from me! Go! Go! Santuzza Santuzza Alfio Alfio (after a pause) Oh! Turiddu! Will you drive me away? How far on is the service? 15 I’d like to thank you for all that you have told me. Turiddu Ah! You cannot leave me, leave me forever? Santuzza Santuzza Always wailing… Turiddu It’s nearly over. You’re not needed. (artfully) There’s no forgiveness for what I have said! Santuzza Won’t you go away? Lola’s companion is Turiddu! Do not leave me, I beg of you. No! Turiddu! Ah! Full of self pity, weeping and whining…

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Alfio (with the greatest violence) Lola Lola, Turiddu and Chorus Lola No, not for those two, for them and for their I’m going home. I can’t think what’s happened Drink up, drink up, drink up and have another! My God! What will they do? lying. to Alfio! Chorus (Some women of the Chorus consult between I’ll have revenge before this day is done! Turiddu Neighbours, with a glass I meet you, themselves, they go to Lola and tell her.) Santuzza You needn’t worry, he’ll be back soon. Pour the wine and come to treat you. Chorus You can’t forgive what I have said. (to the Chorus which is going away) What are friends if they can’t greet you Poor neighbour Lola, let’s get away from here. There’s no forgiveness for what I have said! My friends, don’t go away: With a laughter, full of joy? (joyfully) Long live wine that flows to cheer you, (The women lead Lola out.) Alfio Let’s have a drink together! Makes life happy for all those near you! I’ll have revenge, before this day is done! (They all come to the table and take drinking cups.) Long live wine that flows to fire you. Turiddu I’ll have revenge to quench my burning anger. Have you anything more to say to me? 18 Neighbours, with a glass I meet you, May the wine inspire you all! For all the love I had has turned to hate. Pour the wine and come to treat you. Long live wine! Alfio Santuzza (with fury) What are friends if they can’t greet you Viva, Viva! Drink up! Long live wine! I? Nothing! There’s no forgiveness for what I have said! With a laughter full of joy? Drink up! Long live wine that flows to cheer you, Turiddu 16 (Enter Alfio.) Intermezzo Makes life happy for all those near you! All right then… I am here when you want me. Scene: Chorus and Brindisi Long live wine that flows to fire you, Finale Alfio May the wine inspire you all! You’re ready? (Lucia crosses the stage and enters the house.) Alfio Chorus 19 All the blessings of Easter! Turiddu Chorus Viva! Viva! I’m ready. 17 The service is over this Easter, Chorus We’re going home again to greet our loved ones Turiddu (he drinks) Neighbour Alfio, we greet you! (They embrace, Turiddu bites Alfio’s right ear, as a and say: To all your lovers! Turiddu challenge.) The grace of God has spread its joy in every Lola (to Turiddu) Very welcome… in time to join the party: heart on this glorious day. Alfio I drink to your good fortune! (filling a glass) take it, let the wine cheer you! Well now, Turiddu, I see you really mean it. (Lola and Turiddu come out of the church.) Turiddu Alfio (artfully) I’m glad that we have reached an understanding! Turiddu (to Lola who is going) Your health! Thank you… I cannot take the wine you offer, it would burn like a poison! Well, neighbour Lola, are you going to leave us Chorus Turiddu and not a single word of greeting? 20 Viva! Your health! I drink to you my brother! Turiddu (throwing away the wine) Alfio, listen. Do as you like! I know that I am guilty;

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And I assure you, as God is my witness Turiddu (with indifference) (Women enter in terror, one of them cries. They Composed Mascagni/Ed. Edmund Tracey I’d let you tear my heart out like a dog. Oh nothing. rush up. Voices in the distance are heard © 1986 Casa Musicale Sonzogno/Ascherberg But I must not die, 21 The wine is making me talk nonsense. approaching.) Hopwood & Crew Ltd. (sadly) But pray to God to save me, Ascherberg Hopwood & Crew Ltd, Santuzza and Lucia (screaming) I cannot abandon my poor Santuzza, Yes, pray to God to save me. London W1Y 3FA. Ah! One who truly loved me. Dear mother, hold me tightly, Reproduced by permission of International Music (with violence) give me your blessing, try to forgive me. (Santuzza falls senseless, Lucia faints.) Publications Ltd. I’ll drive my knife into your heart, I swear! Goodbye! If things go badly, always love my Santuzza, Chorus (with terror) Alfio (coldly) dear mother. Goodbye! Ah! Turiddu, you will kill me if God wills it. One of us has to die and we both know it. (Exits hastily.) (Exits.) Lucia Turiddu Turiddu? What are you saying? Mamma, mamma, this new wine really is (Lucia goes to the bottom of the stage and calls powerful. desperately.) This evening… surely. I must have drunk too Turiddu, Turiddu, ah! many glasses. I had better be going. (Enter Santuzza.) But first, dear mother, comfort me and bless me, As on that day I left to join the army, Lucia Duncan Russell And one thing, mamma, remember, if I should Santuzza! (embracing Lucia) never see you again… Love my poor Santuzza, ah, love her like a Santuzza mother, Mother Lucia! For I made a promise that one day we’d be (The stage is filled with people. Agitation and fear married. on all faces. The people scan each other’s faces and Love her like a mother, my poor Santuzza, ask questions. A woman’s voice is heard in the If things go badly! distance.) Lucia Lola I do not understand. What are you saying? There’s been a fight. Turiddu has had his throat cut! David Parry

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Phillip Joll Diana Montague

Nelly Miricioiu Dennis O’Neill

Elizabeth Bainbridge

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Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos CHAN 3003 CHAN 3004 CHAN 7023/4 CHAN 3000(2) CHAN 3014(3) CHAN 3008(2) CHAN 3029

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Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos CHAN 3017(2) CHAN 3006 CHAN 3010 CHAN 3019(3) CHAN 3023(2) CHAN 3013

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Opera in English on Chandos You can now purchase Chandos CDs directly from us. For further details please telephone +44 (0) 1206 225225 for Chandos Direct. Fax: +44 (0) 1206 225201. Chandos Records Ltd, Chandos House, Commerce Way, Colchester, Essex CO2 8HQ, United Kingdom. E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.chandos.net

Any requests to license tracks from this or any other Chandos disc should be made directly to the Copyright Administrator, Chandos Records Ltd, at the above address.

Chandos 20-bit Recording The Chandos policy of being at the forefront of technology is now further advanced by the use of 20-bit recording. 20-bit has a dynamic range that is up to 24dB greater and up to 16 times the resolution of standard 16-bit recordings. These improvements now let you the listener enjoy more of the natural clarity and ambience of the ‘Chandos sound’.

Rodgers Touring Organ 960 supplied by Abinger Organ Hire CHAN 3011(2) CHAN 3027(2) Producer Brian Couzens Sound engineer Ben Connellan Assistant engineer Richard Smoker Editor Jonathan Cooper Recording venue Blackheath Halls; 3–5 August 1997 Front cover Photograph of Dennis O’Neill by Clive Barda Design Cass Cassidy Operas administrator Sue Shortridge Booklet typeset by Dave Partridge Booklet editors Kara Reed and Finn S. Gundersen Copyright Warner Chappell PP 1998 Chandos Records Ltd PC 1999 Chandos Records Ltd Chandos Records Ltd, Colchester, Essex, England Printed in the EU

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SOLOISTS/LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA/PARRY Printed in the E1 DDD CHAN 3005(2) assistant conductor 1999 Chandos Records Ltd c David Parry David Geoffrey Mitchell Choir Mitchell Geoffrey Brad Cohen Cohen Brad 2-disc set London Philharmonic Orchestra London Philharmonic The Peter Kay Children’s Choir* Kay Children’s The Peter tenor tenor tenor tenor 1998 Chandos Records Ltd soprano soprano baritone baritone baritone contralto p DIGITAL mezzo-soprano Peter Hall Peter • bass-baritone CHANDOS (1857–1919) Paul Parfitt Paul ), Canio’s wife...... Rosa Mannion Mannion wife...... Rosa ), Canio’s ) Bronder ...... Peter ), leader of the players...... Dennis O’Neill O’Neill ), leader of the players...... Dennis (Country Manners) (1863–1945) ), a clown...... Alan Opie Opie ), a clown...... Alan Columbina Harlequin Pagliaccio Taddeo (The Touring Company)* (The Touring , a village girl...... Nelly Miricioiu , a village girl...... Nelly , a village lad...... Dennis O’Neill , a village lad...... Dennis

(in the play, (in the play, (in the play, (in the play, (in the play, (in the play, (in the play, (in the play,

, a villager...... William Dazeley Dazeley , a villager...... William , Turiddu’s mother...... Elizabeth Bainbridge Bainbridge mother...... Elizabeth Turiddu’s , , the village carter...... Phillip Joll , the village carter...... Phillip 20 Montague wife...... Diana , Alfio’s bit Pagliacci Alfio Lola Lucia TT 79:45 CHANDOS RECORDS LTD Colchester . Essex . England Pietro Mascagni Pietro rusticana Cavalleria in one act Melodrama and G. Menasci Targioni-Tozzetti G. by Libretto Tracey Edmund translation by English Turiddu Santuzza TT 79:31 Leoncavallo Ruggero and two acts in a prologue Opera Leoncavallo by Libretto Parry David by with amendments Tracey Edmund translation by English Tonio Canio Beppe Beppe Nedda Nedda Silvio locals...... Two

MASCAGNI: CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA/LEONCAVALLO: PAGLIACCICHANDOS CHAN 3005(2) INLAY BACK.qxd 24/7/07 2:39 pm Page 1 24/7/07 2:39 INLAY BACK.qxd CHAN 3005(2)