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Sources: John Rosselli, The Opera Industry in Italy from Cimarosa to Verdi: The Role of the Impresario (Cambridge University Press), © 1984. Map found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Italy_unification_1815_1870.jpg generoussupporters: thanksEducation our PittsburghOpera 412-281-0912ext242 [email protected] of DirectorEducation MarilynEgan, Ph.D.Michalka pleaseprograms, contact: PittsburghOpera's education moreinformationFor on Anne L. & George H. Clapp Charitable Trust Trust Charitable Clapp H. George & L. Anne Pennsylvania Department of Community & & Community of Department Pennsylvania The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Inc. Group, Services Financial PNC The McCreery Fund of The Buhl Foundation Foundation Buhl The of Fund McCreery Pennsylvania Department of Education Education of Department Pennsylvania William V. & Catherine A. McKinney McKinney A. Catherine & V. William Frick Fund of The Buhl Foundation Foundation Buhl The of Fund Frick Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Shield Blue Cross Blue Highmark Allegheny Regional Asset District District Asset Regional Allegheny Pennsylvania Council on the the on Arts Council Pennsylvania Bobby Rahal Motorcar Company Company Motorcar Rahal Bobby National Endowment for the Arts Arts the for Endowment National United States Steel Corporation Corporation Steel States United Clearview Federal Credit Union Union Credit Federal Clearview The Guilds of Pittsburgh Opera Pittsburgh of Guilds The American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. Outfitters, Eagle American Pittsburgh, PA15222 First Commonwealth Financial Financial Commonwealth First The Berkman Charitable Trust Trust Charitable Berkman The 2425 Liberty Avenue www.pittsburghopera.org BRIDGES & Company, Inc. Inc. Company, & BRIDGES Fort Pitt Capital Group, Inc. Inc. Group, Capital FortPitt Economic Development Development Economic Jack Buncher Foundation Foundation Buncher Jack The Massaro Corporation Corporation Massaro The Charitable Foundation Foundation Charitable Chautauqua Opera Guild Guild Opera Chautauqua R. K. Mellon Foundation Foundation Mellon K. R. The Heinz Endowments Endowments Heinz The Giant Eagle Foundation Foundation Eagle Giant The Grable Foundation Foundation Grable The The Hearst Foundation Foundation Hearst The Bayer USA Foundation Foundation USA Bayer UPMC Health System UPMCHealth Eden Hall Foundation Foundation Hall Eden Benedum Foundation Foundation Benedum Dominion Foundation Foundation Dominion Pittsburgh Opera Hefren-Tillotson, Inc. Hefren-Tillotson, Triangle Tech Group Tech Triangle PPG Industries, Inc. Inc. Industries, PPG Eaton Corporation Corporation Eaton FISA Foundation Foundation FISA EQT Foundation Foundation EQT Reed Smith LLP LLP Smith Reed Levin Furniture Furniture Levin
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Il matrimonio segreto (The Secret Marriage) Music by Domenico Cimarosa ● Libretto by Giovanni Bertati Study Guide to the Opera
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Marriage à la Mode , a series of six paintings by William Hogarth, 1743 – 1745. The Secret Marriage Synopsis Characters of the Opera A Master of Dramma Giocoso by Jill Leahy Adapted from Opera Theatre of St. Louis Domenico Cimarosa was born on December 17, 1749 in Setting: We are in the household of Geronimo, a wealthy citizen of Paolino [pah-oh-LEE-noh] tenor Clerk of Geronimo who is secretly married to Aversa, a small town in southern Italy not far from Naples. His Bologna. He has two daughters, Elisetta and Carolina, and a sister parents were poor but, as was often the case in those times, they Fidalma, who runs the household. He also has a young secretary, his daughter Carolina. In order to gain Paolino, who is secretly married to the younger daughter, Carolina. Geronimo’s approval of their marriage, sent Cimarosa to a nearby monastery where he could receive a Paolino arranges a marriage contract free education. Showing great promise, Cimarosa was awarded a between Elisetta and Count Robinson. scholarship to a prestigious music school in Naples and he ACT I. Paolino and Carolina discuss how to stay calm ("Cara, non dubitar" ). Paolino is working to arrange a continued his studies there under several Italian music masters. Carolina [kah-roh-LEE-nah] soprano marriage contract between Elisetta and his patron, Count Geronimo’s younger daughter who is #1 The Marriage Contract shows an Beginning at the age of 23, and for much of the rest of his life, Robinson, hoping that as soon as Geronimo's older secretly married to Paolino. arranged marriage between the son of bankrupt Earl Squanderfield and the daughter of a Cimarosa composed operas, mostly dramma giocoso (a.k.a. daughter is well married, his marriage to the younger one wealthy, miserly city merchant. (Painting #2 on p 1.) opera buffa ), and sacred pieces. He traveled throughout Italy will be acceptable. Count Robinson has written a letter Geronimo [jay-ROH-nee-moh] bass conducting his music and creating works for the “ stagione” , which expressing interest—tempted by Elisetta's substantial A rich merchant who is deaf. He is the father dowry—and Geronimo is thrilled to think that his daughter of Elisetta and Carolina, brother of Fidalma, is Italian for “season”, an organizational system used by larger and employer of Paolino. houses for presenting opera. He was a member of the Neapolitan will be a Countess ( "Udite, tutti udite" ). Fidalma confesses to her niece that she is in love, too, but only School, a group of composers who lived and worked around Elisetta [eh-lee-ZEH-tah] soprano Naples, which was a significant musical center in the 1700s. reveals in an aside to the audience that she has her eye Older daughter of Geronimo and sister of on Paolino. Carolina. As the elder daughter, she must be Cimarosa composed over 80 operas and was celebrated as a married before Carolina. composer during his lifetime, although he is not as famous today
When the Count arrives, he is disappointed to find that it is #3 The Inspection shows the Count as some of his contemporaries, such as Mozart and Salieri. not Carolina who has been offered to him ( "Senza tante Fidalma [fee-DAHL-mah] contralto and a prostitute, with syphilis, visiting a quack. Sister of Geronimo, aunt of Carolina and In 1787, he received an invitation from the Empress Catherine II cerimonie" ). He tells Paolino that he will be content with a (Catherine the Great) to come to St. Petersburg, where he stayed smaller dowry and sends him off to arrange the match. Elisetta. She is in love with Paolino. until Emperor Leopold II invited him to Vienna in 1792. There, Carolina doesn't dare tell the Count that she is married, so Count Robinson bass Cimarosa collaborated with Giovanni Bertati to adapt The when she admits she has no lover, it excites him further. A wealthy nobleman and former employer of Clandestine Marriage , a 1766 comedy by George Colman the She tries to convince him that she has no desire or Paolino. He is betrothed to Elisetta for a Elder and David Garick. The idea for the play came from a series qualification to be a countess ( "Perdonate, signor mio" ), large dowry, but prefers to marry Carolina instead, for a smaller dowry. of William Hogarth paintings from 1743-1745 called Marriage à la but he continues to pursue her. Elisetta accuses them both Mode . The six pictures pointedly skewered upperclass 18th- of betraying her, and the commotion attracts Fidalma, who century society, depicting disastrous results of marrying for joins Carolina in trying to calm Elisetta ( "Lasciatemi, signore"). Everyone tries at once to explain #4 The Toilette shows the Countess money. Il matrimonio segreto was Cimarosa's masterpiece: Verdi his or her feelings to the confused and exasperated Geronimo ( "Orsù, saper conviene" ). and lover hosting a reception in her bedroom. considered it to be the model opera buffa and the Naples Intermission audience received it with great acclaim. ACT II. Geronimo insists that the Count must honor his contract and marry Elisetta, but the Count refuses. When he offers to accept a smaller dowry with Carolina's hand instead, Geronimo is Later, Cimarosa returned to Italy where he became involved in delighted to save face and money—as long as Elisetta agrees. Paolino is distraught, and throws some political intrigues that resulted in his being banished from himself on Fidalma's mercy, but is stunned to find that she hopes to marry him ( "Sento, ahimé! Naples. He died at the age of 52 on January 11, 1801 in Venice. che mi vien male" ). He faints, giving her the idea that he returns her emotion and making Carolina think she has been betrayed, but he promises that they will leave the house at dawn and take The Librettist Devoted to Dramma Giocoso refuge in the house of a relative ( "Pria che spunti in ciel l'aurora" ). by Jill Leahy #5 The Bagnio shows the Count fatally Giovanni Bertati was born on July 10, 1735 in a province of The Count tells Elisetta all his bad habits and physical defects, hoping she'll reject him, but she wounded by his wife’s lover. Venice called Martellago. He wrote his first libretto at the age of stands firm—and he finally confesses that he cannot abide her. Geronimo can't persuade her 28, and from then on, he worked prolifically, creating at least 70 either. Fidalma suggests sending Carolina to a convent, and Geronimo agrees ( "Deh! lasciate known librettos during the course of his long career. Bertati visited ch'io respiri" ). Carolina is broken-hearted and tries to confess her predicament to the Count, but Vienna several times, and was fortunate enough to win the favor of they are interrupted by her sister, her aunt, and her father, who are gleeful at having caught them Emperor Leopold II, who gave him the title of Poeta Cesareo together ( "Sortite, sortite" ). Geronimo sends Paolino off with a letter to the Mother Superior. ("Imperial Poet") of the Italian Opera in Vienna, replacing Lorenzo da Ponte, who had fallen out of the emperor’s good graces. During After a brilliant and farcical finale, Paolino and Carolina finally confess they have been married for Bertati’s career as a librettist, he almost exclusively wrote drammi two months. Geronimo and Fidalma are furious, but the Count and Elisetta advise them to forgive giocosi . While Il matrimonio segreto is considered Cimarosa’s the newlyweds, adding that they themselves will marry after all ( "Ascoltate un uom di mondo" ). #6 The Lady’s Death shows the masterpiece, it was also Bertati’s most celebrated libretto. Countess poisoning herself; her baby is infected.