VIVALDI’S PINCHGUT

Griselda_program.indd 1 24/11/11 1:50 PM VIVALDI’S GRISELDA

MUSIC Carlo Goldoni, after Apostolo Zeno

CAST Gualtiero In order of appearance Christopher Saunders Griselda Caitlin Hulcup David Hansen Roberto Tobias Cole Costanza Miriam Allan Corrado Russell Harcourt Orchestra of the Antipodes

CONDUCTOR & HARPSICHORD Erin Helyard DIReCTOR Mark Gaal ASSISTANT DIReCTOR Nicholas Gell DeSIGNeR David Fleischer LIGHTING DeSIGNeR Luiz Pampolha

30 November, 3, 4 and 5 December 2011 City Recital Hall Angel Place There will be one interval of 20 minutes. The performance will finish at approximately 10.10 pm on Wednesday, Saturday and Monday, and 7.40 pm on Sunday. Griselda was commissioned by and first performed in the , , on 18 May 1735. Griselda is being recorded live for CD release on the LIVE label, and is also being recorded on Saturday 4 December for broadcast on ABC Classic FM on Sunday 5 December. Any microphones you observe are for recording and not amplification. Edition by Erin Helyard & Mark Gaal

SPONSORS

HEROES OF PINCHGUT

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eRIN HeLyARD CAITLIN HULCUP Conductor Griselda Acclaimed as a virtuosic and eloquent soloist as well as an Australian mezzo- Caitlin Hulcup began her musical inspired and versatile conductor, Erin Helyard is at the forefront training as a violinist. She was awarded Opera Foundation of a new generation of young musicians who combine the latest Australia scholarships that took her to the National Opera Studio in musicological and historical enquiry with a passion for promoting London and to the Vienna State Opera, where she was a company live music in contemporary culture. Erin graduated in harpsichord principal during 2010. performance from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with first class honours and the University Medal. He completed his Masters Caitlin performs extensively in Europe and Australia in opera and degree in fortepiano performance with Tom Beghin at the Schulich concert. Highlights have included touring Paris and Vienna with School of Music, McGill University, Montréal in 2005 and in 2011 Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson, in the role of Albine (Thaïs); he was awarded a PhD in musicology by the same institution. the title role in Handel’s at the Barbican, Teatro Real Madrid, Bavarian State Opera, Theater an der Wien and in Halle; In Canada he has performed with the Theatre of Early Music, Diana / Il Destino (La Calisto) at Théâtre Royal de La Monnaie Les Violons du Roy, Autour de la flûte, Notturna, and Opéra de Montréal. In partnership with Tom under René Jacobs; Meg Page (Falstaff) at Théâtre des Champs Elysées under Daniele Gatti; and Beghin, Erin has appeared with Ensemble Arion, and presented a musical play based on the 1781 Arbaces in Thomas Arne’s Artaxerxes in her debut at the , Covent Garden. She competition between Mozart and Clementi as part of the 2006 Flanders Festival in Bruges; he also has appeared for West Australian Opera as Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Rosina (The Barber of conducted Les Violons du Roy in concerts featuring soprano Hélène Guilmette. Erin has been a Seville), Cherubino (The Marriage of Figaro), Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterly) and in the title role in central member of the award-winning Ensemble Caprice under the artistic directorship of Matthias Carmen, and for Opera Queensland as Hansel (Hansel and Gretel) and Cherubino. Maute, and is featured on the Ensemble’s latest CD releases on Analekta. Recent concert engagements have included Bach cantatas at Konzerthaus Wien and Mozart’s In 2009 Erin conducted Purcell’s The Fairy Queen for Festival Montréal Baroque and Cavalli’s C minor Mass at Laeiszhalle Hamburg. In the coming season she will be performing the roles of L’Ormindo for Pinchgut Opera, where he is Co-Artistic Director with Antony Walker. He was the Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier) and Donna Elvira under Zubin Mehta in Florence (Maggio Musicale) Westfield Concert Scholar for 2009-10, an initiative of the John Ernest Foundation and the Westfield and Valencia respectively. Center; a highlight of his solo concert tour was a recital on historical instruments in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum. In 2012 Erin takes up a lectureship in Period Performance at the New Zealand School of Music, a joint venture of Massey University and Victoria University in Wellington. CHRISTOPHeR SAUNDeRS Gualtiero

A graduate of London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Christopher Saunders’ opera roles have included Rimenes MARK GAAL (Artaxerxes), Don Polidoro (La inta semplice) and Agenore (Il Director re pastore) for the Classical Opera Company, Covent Garden; Jacquino (Fidelio) for English Touring Opera; Flute (A Midsummer A graduate of the University of Queensland and the National Institute Night’s Dream), Tobias (Sweeney Todd) and Gaston (La traviata) of Dramatic Art (NIDA), Mark Gaal has directed productions for for Opera North; Snout (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) for some of Australia’s leading performing arts organisations. He is Head of NIDA Open, directing its short course programs, studio Glyndebourne Festival Opera; Hylas (The Trojans at Carthage) for courses, and corporate performance program. English National Opera; Arturo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Raffaele (Stiffelio) and Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) for Opera Holland Park, For three years Mark was Director / CEO of the Australian Theatre and Ralph Rackstraw (HMS Pinafore) and Frederic (The Pirates of for Young People (atyp) where he directed Wedekind’s Spring Penzance) for the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company. Awakening, Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Romeo and Juliet, and the premiere production of Concert engagements in the UK have included Britten’s Serenade for , Horn and Strings at the Michael Gow’s All Stops Out, which toured internationally. Barbican Hall, Saint Nicolas with the East of England Orchestra, the Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle with Northern Sinfonia, Acis and Galatea at London’s Wigmore Hall, and for the Prince of For Opera Australia, Mark directed the Australian premiere of Alban Berg’s Lulu. For Sydney Theatre Wales at Gloucester Cathedral. Company, he directed Fassbinder’s The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant and the Australian premiere of Tony Harrison’s The Trackers of Oxyrhynchus, and for Company B Belvoir, he directed Martin Since returning to Australia in 2005, Christopher has appeared with the Tasmanian Symphony Buzacott’s Drums of Thunder and the Indonesian musical Cockroach Opera, a co-production with the Orchestra, Queensland Pops Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia , Sydney Chamber , Aboriginal & Islander Dance Theatre. For HotHouse Theatre, Mark wrote and directed Such a Storm, Canberra Choral Society and Collegium Symphonic Chorus Perth, and in New Zealand with based on Mahler’s song cycle Kindertotenlieder. Christchurch City Choir and Auckland Philharmonia, performing repertoire including Bach’s St John Passion, B minor Mass and Magnificat, Purcell’s King Arthur, Monteverdi’s Vespers, Mozart’s Mark worked in the UK and Germany for The Really Useful Group, and was responsible for the Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War and Creation, Stravinsky’s Les Noces German and Australian premieres of the musical Sunset Boulevard. He has directed several stage and Oedipus Rex and Delalande’s De profundis. He has sung the role of Ferrando (Così fan tutte) productions for television’s Hi-5 which toured nationally, and to Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and in concert for Victorian Opera, appeared as Tamino (The Magic Flute) for Opera Queensland, and the UK. collaborated with State Opera of South Australia on a workshop of Gordon Kerry’s opera Ingkata for the Adelaide Festival. Mark has twice represented NIDA at international festivals: at the UNESCO / ITI Festival, Romania, with his productions of The Libation Bearers (Aeschylus) and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and in Christopher released his first CD recording in 2009: Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel, with songs Beijing, at the Global Alliance of Theatre Schools Festival with Macbeth and the devised work Devour. by Britten and Gurney. Mark has previously directed three productions for Pinchgut Opera: Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, Vivaldi’s and Haydn’s L’anima del ilosofo.

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DAvID HANSeN TObIAS COLe Ottone Roberto David Hansen’s opera roles have included Athamas in Handel’s Tobias Cole has performed throughout Australia, the UK and USA. (Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels); Bertarido in Handel’s A Churchill Fellowship in 1993 enabled him to study with Ashley Rodelinda (Teatro Arriaga Bilbao); in Handel’s Julius Stafford at London’s Royal College of Music; in 2002, as winner of Caesar (Den Norske Opera); Purcell’s the Metropolitan Opera Young Artist Study Award, he spent three (Aix-en-Provence Festival); Trinculo in the American premiere of months studying at the ‘Met’ in New York. Thomas Adès’s The Tempest (Santa Fe Opera); the title roles in Handel’s Fernando (Il Complesso Barocco) and Monteverdi’s Toby made his US debut in 2004 with the Chicago Opera Theatre, L’Orfeo (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin); and for Victorian Opera, as Ottone in The Coronation of Poppea; he returned to Chicago Nerone in Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea and the title role as Apollo in Britten’s Death in Venice and Oberon in A Midsummer in Julius Caesar. Night’s Dream. His concert engagements have included Carmina burana (Berlin Other highlights have included Handel’s Deidamia at the London Philharmonic), the title role in Handel’s Solomon (Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment), Messiah Handel Festival with Keith Warner; Purcell’s The Fairy Queen at the English Bach Festival; Oberon, (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Thomas Adès’s The Tempest (Concertgebouw), Schnittke’s Seid nüchtern Medoro () and the title role in Julius Caesar for Opera Australia; Medoro for West Australian und wachet… (BBC Symphony Orchestra), Handel arias with the New World and Melbourne Opera; Julius Caesar for Opera Queensland; Pergolesi’s for The Australian Ballet; Symphony Orchestras, and concerts with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. and the title role in Xerxes for NBR New Zealand Opera. He won a Green Room Award for his interpretation of the same role with Victorian Opera, for whom he has also appeared as Tolomeo His debut recording, Purcell: Music for Queen Mary, with the Academy of Ancient Music and the in Julius Caesar, Studz in Alan John’s How to Kill Your Husband, and as the Roasted Swan in Choir of King’s College Cambridge, was released on EMI Classics. Carmina burana, a role he recently reprised for West Australian Symphony Orchestra. He appeared Forthcoming engagements include the title role in Handel’s with Orchestra laVerdi Barocca, in Shaun Parker’s This Show is about People at the Melbourne and Sydney Festivals (2007 and 2008 Sesto in Julius Caesar, Nerone in The Coronation of Poppea for Teatro Villamarta and Teatro respectively) and sang the role of Athamas in Pinchgut Opera’s debut production, Semele. Calderón, Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria with Den Norske Opera and the title role in In concert, Toby has sung in Messiah, Bach’s B minor mass and selected cantatas, Purcell’s Bontempi’s Il Paride at the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music. Come Ye Sons of Art and Dido and Aeneas, and John Adams’ El Niño with Sydney Philharmonia; David was born in Sydney, Australia. He studied singing with Andrew Dalton at the Sydney Bach’s St John Passion with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra; and Mozart’s Requiem with the Conservatorium of Music, and furthered his studies with James Bowman and David Harper. Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. In 2012, Toby returns to Opera Australia as Oberon.

MIRIAM ALLAN Costanza RUSSeLL HARCOURT Born in Newcastle (Australia), Miriam Allan has been based in Corrado England since 2003. She has been a soloist with leading orchestral Russell Harcourt studied voice with Rowena Cowley and graduated and choral organisations all over the world: the Monteverdi with a Bachelor of Music degree from the Sydney Conservatorium Choir and English Baroque Soloists, London Baroque, Les Arts of Music before completing a Master of Arts in Opera Performance Florissants, Auckland Philharmonia, Concerto Copenhagen, with Distinction at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He is an Il Fondamento, Gewandhaus Chamber Choir, Leipzig Chamber alumnus of the Britten–Pears Young Artist Programme and in 2008 Orchestra, Concerto Köln, ChorWerk Ruhr, Pinchgut Opera, won the Dame Joan Sutherland Award National Vocal Competition Australian Chamber Orchestra, Chacona and Arcadia. She has and the People’s Choice Award. been fortunate to work with many of the finest directors and conductors, including John Eliot Gardiner, Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Russell studied part-time at the National Opera Studio and was an Laurence Cummings, William Christie and Roy Goodman. associate of the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He has performed in master classes for Miriam appears on numerous recordings, highlights among which include The Fairy Queen and Emma Kirkby, Michael Chance, Andreas Scholl and Rosalind Plowright. Dardanus with Pinchgut Opera, The Wonders of the World and Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Russell made his opera debut in 2007 as Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Western Messiah, Joshua, Israel in Egypt and Belshazzar. Australian Academy of Performing Arts, his concert debut in 2009 as a guest artist at the Australian Miriam recently toured Australia with Ironwood ensemble for Musica Viva and performed Messiah Festival of Chamber Music, and his debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in the Crush with the Queensland and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras directed by Stephen Layton. She made Room as part of the Deloitte Ignite 2010 series. her debut with Glyndebourne Festival Opera in Purcell’s Fairy Queen in 2009, continuing with that Roles at the Royal Academy of Music have included Athamas in Handel’s Semele and Volano production to Paris, Caen and New York in 2010. Engagements in 2011 have included a concert of in Cavalli’s Giasone (Jason). Other roles have included Fox / Coachman in Jonathan Dove’s The madrigals by Monteverdi with Les Arts Florissants; in December she makes her debut with the Bach Adventures of Pinocchio for Opera North, and Armindo in Handel’s Partenope for Opera Australia. Collegium Japan. In addition, he has appeared as alto soloist in Messiah, Judas Maccabaeus, Israel in Egypt and Miriam is a vocal coach at Westminster Abbey, and Head of Singing at Bloxham School, Oxfordshire. Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. Recent engagements have included the role of Zelim in Vivaldi’s La verità in cimento for Garsington Festival Opera, and the alto solos in Bach’s St Matthew Passion.

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DAvID FLeISCHeR NICHOLAS GeLL Designer Assistant Director David Fleischer is a set and costume designer based in Sydney, Originally from Melbourne, Nicholas Gell is undertaking the Bachelor a graduate of NIDA, where his credits include And Tell Sad of Dramatic Arts (Acting) course at NIDA. He recently performed Stories of the Deaths of Queens… (set and costume design), in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, directed by Mel Shapiro. Last The Importance of Being Earnest (set design), Trace (set and year, Nicholas was a featured performer in the Pinchgut production costume), and Women Beware Women (costume design). While L’anima del ilosofo and he is an Assistant Tutor on NIDA short still a student, David was asked to design a piece for Sydney course programs. Dance Company as part of their ‘New Breed’ season, staged Pinchgut Opera would like to acknowledge the support of NIDA in at the Sydney Opera House in 2009. His early background as a realising this production. musician has put David in good stead to design across a variety of disciplines including theatre, dance and opera. Since graduating two years ago, David has designed for most theatre companies/venues in Sydney. He has worked with directors such as Lee Lewis, Craig Ilott and Kate Cherry, and has assisted designers Michael Scott-Mitchell and Alice Babidge, among others. His design credits include 10,000 Beers, No Way to Treat a Lady and Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Darlinghurst Theatre), Bill W. and Dr. Bob (Carriageworks), Woyzeck (Belvoir St Downstairs and Brisbane Festival), Dirtyland (New Theatre), The Brothers Size (Griffin Theatre), Der gelbe Stern (Seymour Centre) and Intersection (Milk Crate Theatre). He has been Assistant Designer for The SOPHIe MACKAy Oresteia and The White Guard (Sydney Theatre Company), and Boundary Street (Black Swan State Stage Manager Theatre Company). Sophie Mackay studied Design for Theatre and Television at Charles Griselda is David’s first collaboration with Pinchgut Opera. Sturt University. Her stage management credits include The Merry Widow, Macbeth, Of Mice and Men, Capriccio, Der Rosenkavalier, Manon, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Candide (Opera in the Domain), The Gondoliers, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Barber of Seville, , The Marriage of Figaro, Julius Caesar and Turandot (Opera Australia); Poor Boy, Travesties, Rabbit, Gallipoli and The LUIz PAMPOLHA Serpent’s Teeth (Sydney Theatre Company); The Busy World Is Lighting Designer Hushed (Ensemble Theatre); Into (Riverside Theatre / Sydney Festival); The Barber of Seville (Pacific Opera); Love’s Triumph and Luiz Pampolha is a graduate of NIDA, and a member of the Bench (Three Ways Theatre Company); Così (Riverina Theatre Illuminating Engineering Society of Australia and New Zealand. Company); Blind City (New Mercury Theatre); and various concerts His lighting design credits include Rabbit, The Removalists, and productions at the Sydney Opera House. Love-Lies-Bleeding, Saturn’s Return, Waikiki Hip, The 7 Stages of This is Sophie’s third Pinchgut season. Grieving and Romeo and Juliet (Sydney Theatre Company); The Call, Concussion, The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table, The Nightwatchman and The Kid (Griffin Theatre Company); Antigone and Ruben Guthrie (Company B); Hitler’s Daughter, Fox, Thursday’s Child, The Prospectors, I am Jack and Milli, Jack and the Dancing Cat (Monkey Baa); The CODA Collective, danceTANK, PIP eDWARDS Emergence (Sydney Opera House); Capture the Flag (Critical Maid Stages); Disarming Rosetta (HotHouse); Kreutzer vs Kreutzer (Australian Chamber Orchestra); and The Cunning Little Vixen (Sydney Chamber Opera). Pip Edwards is about to enter her third year of a Bachelor of Dramatic Arts (Acting) at NIDA, where her roles have included He has also designed and co-designed productions for international arts festivals in Edinburgh, Cunningham in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Rose in The Wellington, Belfast, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. American Clock, Olive in Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Perdita Luiz was nominated for Best Lighting Design in 2006 and 2007 (Sydney Theatre Awards) and in in The Winter’s Tale, ‘2’ in pool (no water), and Bearded Lady in 2010 (Green Room Awards). the short film Hirsute. Before NIDA, her roles included Abigail in The Crucible, Tyler in Some Girls, Kiki in Cellblock Booty, Dorothy in Home Economics and Meg in Away. Her feature film credits include Fiona in Who’s That Boy? and Talk Show Host in Little Black Dress. Her television credits include The Naughty Rude Show and Rush. Pip is originally from Melbourne, where she completed a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Drama, Film and Philosophy) degree and has been involved in multiple theatre companies.

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ORCHeSTRA OF THe ANTIPODeS Pinchgut was set up by accident. One day in early 2000, Alison Johnston, Anna Cerneaz, Erin Helyard, Anna McDonald and Liz and Ken Nielsen were talking, over coffee, about music. This was not unusual. We often did that. Someone wondered if there was a different way of doing opera. A way Antony Walker Music Director of putting the music first and having the other elements – sets, costumes, production – support the Alison Johnston Manager music but not get in its way. By the second cup of coffee we had agreed to set up an opera company. Initially formed as the Baroque arm of Sinfonia Australis, Orchestra of the Antipodes has rapidly developed City Recital Hall Angel Place had recently opened and we thought it would be perfect – a fairly small a thriving life of its own. Its members have played in many acclaimed and admired ensembles in Australia space, where the audience would feel close to the musicians, and with a lovely acoustic for voice. and world wide, including Les Arts Florissants, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Academy of Antony Walker, the already very well-known conductor, came on board, so we reckoned we had all Ancient Music, Florilegium, Concerto Copenhagen, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Amsterdam Baroque of the artistic and business skills needed to produce and sell an opera. Orchestra, The English Concert, the Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, Australian We had no strategic plan, just a rough budget for the first production. No government grants, just Brandenburg Orchestra, Il Giardino Armonico, Les Talens Lyriques and the Venice Baroque Orchestra. confidence that we would find enough people who wanted to help us. Its debut CD, Handel’s Messiah (also released on DVD), has drawn widespread critical acclaim; a It was not intended that we would concentrate on Baroque opera. We wanted to give audiences the subsequent disc of Bach Arias and Duets with and Sally-Anne Russell quickly became a best chance to hear Australia’s young singers and musicians, many of whom live overseas but are happy to seller, and was nominated for an ARIA Award in 2004. Recent ABC Classics releases include the complete return here to perform. We started with Handel’s Semele in 2002 – because we had some musicians Brandenburg Concertos, Mozart’s Requiem, Magniicat with Emma Kirkby, and a disc of Baroque choruses who were very experienced in playing on period instruments in Baroque style. Though technically an performed with , Hallelujah!. Last year’s Pinchgut Opera production, Haydn’s L’anima del ilosofo, oratorio, Semele was described at the time of its first production in 1744 as a ‘bawdy opera’. was released on CD in September on the Pinchgut LIVE label. More were composed before 1750 than after. Except perhaps for a few from Handel, very Recent projects have included the Australian premiere of Francesco Cavalli’s L’Ormindo and Marc-Antoine few are performed these days. We think there is a huge treasure trove of marvellous works that Charpentier’s David et Jonathas for Pinchgut Opera, concerts at the Art Gallery of NSW, and recordings Australian audiences have not seen. Cavalli, Vivaldi, Monteverdi, Rameau and Charpentier are of Mozart’s Exultate, jubilate with soprano Sara Macliver and Bach arias with bass-baritone Teddy Tahu almost unheard of, as opera composers, in this country. Other companies do the more familiar Rhodes. In 2009 Orchestra of the Antipodes performed Dido and Aeneas and Acis and Galatea for Opera operas excellently; we want to help audiences discover something new. Perhaps in the future we Australia. will add some modern works to our repertoire! We must admit that we have surprised ourselves at the way Pinchgut has thrived over the ten years. Violin Bass We are now quite well known in Europe and the US among opera lovers, though several people Brendan Joyce Kirsty McCahon from Europe have said to us: ‘Can you do that? Can you just start an opera company?’ Perhaps Matthias Albanus, Tyrol, Austria, c.1730 Giuseppe Abbati, Modena, Italy, c.1750 only in Australia. Anna McMichael Kees Boersma Camilli Camillus, Mantua, Italy, 1742 Auguste Bernadel, Paris, France, c.1860 In the first few years we had a small group of supporters who were willing to underwrite our business, and since 2007, we are fully supported by our audiences (box office and donations Matt Bruce Lute making up 90% of our budget) and government and sponsors (the remaining 10%). In 2012, we Mark Pengilley, Melbourne, Australia, 1986, after Simon Martyn-Ellis will need to make 95% of our budget supported by our audiences, as the Australia Council has not Giovanni Paolo Maggini Theorbo by Jiˇrí Cepalák,ˇ Prague, 2004 continued the $40,000 grant we have received for the past few years. It will be tough, but we are Dominic Glynn Baroque Guitar by Marcus Wesche, Bremen, 2011 confident we can do it. Simon Brown, Sydney, Australia, 2005, after Tommie Andersson Guarnerius All our productions have been broadcast by ABC Classic FM and all but one recorded for CD – Theorbo by Peter Bifin, Armidale, Australia, 1995, originally by ABC Classics but recently by our own label Pinchgut LIVE. Matt Greco after Wendelio Venere, Padova, Italy, 1611 David Christian Hopf, Quittenbach, Germany, 1760 Guitar by Peter Bifin, Armidale, Australia, 1989, Opera Australia welcomed us right from the beginning and have helped with rehearsal space, props Miranda Hutton after Stradivarius, Cremona, Italy, 1680 and costumes (as well as, occasionally, releasing singers). Annette Voll, The Hague, The Netherlands, 2009, Horn We have worked very hard to build our supporter base and make them feel involved in and close after Stradivarius Darryl Poulsen to the company. We estimate that we now have a core of about 2000 people who feel part of Skye McIntosh Richard Seraphinoff, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, Pinchgut. Many of these book seats as soon as the box office opens in July, often because they Richard Duke, Holborn, London, 1763 2011, after Christopher Hofmaster, London, have favourite seats. And they bring their friends and try to persuade everyone they know to come. Lathika Vithanage c.1760 Are you a member of this Pinchgut family? To find out more, contact Anna Cerneaz Simon Brown, Sydney, Australia, 2008 Lisa Wynne-Allen (p: 02 9389 8117 or e: [email protected]) Robin Wilson Richard Seraphinoff, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, Lu-Mi, Beijing, China, 2010, after Stradivarius 2011, after Christopher Hofmaster, London, We are all looking forward to the next twenty years. c.1760 Viola Ken Nielsen This hand-made Baroque horn appears on loan Heather Lloyd whose opinions are not necessarily those of the Pinchgut board and management. Ian Clarke, Biddeston, Australia, 1998, after from the Brass Area, School of Music, Australian Andrea Guarneri, Cremona, Italy National University, Canberra. Charlotte Burbrook de Vere Harpsichord Past productions John D Johnston, Sydney, Australia, 2004, after Erin Helyard Handel’s Semele (2002) G B Guadagnini Colin Booth, Wells, UK, 1999, after Vincenzio Sodi, Purcell’s The Fairy Queen (2003) Florence, Italy, c.1750 Cello Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo (2004) Stewart Smith Anthea Cottee Rameau’s Dardanus (2005) Peter Walmsley, London, England, c.1735 Carey Beebe, Sydney, Australia, 2002, after Giovanni Natale Boccalari, Naples, Italy, 1679, Mozart’s Idomeneo (2006) Viola da gamba Supplied by Carey Beebe Vivaldi’s Juditha Triumphans (2007) Laura Vaughan Charpentier’s David + Jonathan (2008) Bass viola da gamba by Henner Harders, Mansfeld, Germany, 2007, after Michel Colichon, Pitch A440 Cavalli’s L’Ormindo (2009) Paris, France, 1691 Temperament 1/5 comma Italy pre 1739 Haydn’s L’anima del ilosofo: Orpheus and Eurydice (2010)

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SyNOPSIS DIReCTOR’S NOTe Appearing in the 14th century, as the climactic episode in Boccaccio’s Decameron and in Chaucer’s ACT 1 Canterbury Tales, the Griselda story speaks to us today. At its core, it concerns the pursuit of professional success, at any personal cost. This is as it ever was, topical. King Gualtiero’s marriage to Griselda, a former bag lady, is unpopular with his subjects. Gualtiero tells Reworking a libretto by Apostolo Zeno, playwright Carlo Goldoni and Vivaldi open their version Griselda that he is replacing her with a more royal consort. She returns her crown to him; he immediately with a crisis: the opinion polls look bad for King Gualtiero. His people are tired of Queen Griselda, a leaves to greet his new bride. woman of humble birth. A petulant public demands he have a nobler consort. The court noble Ottone, who desires Griselda, promises to kill Gualtiero if she will love him instead. Were Gualtiero to convince others of Griselda’s loving, loyal nature, she might become acceptable. She rejects his suit. So Gualtiero tells Griselda he is bringing a bride of noble birth to the kingdom and commands her to Gualtiero’s bride-to-be Costanza arrives with her lover Roberto, torn between her feelings for Roberto leave, thereby unleashing a series of trials testing Griselda’s resolve and spirit. and the prospect of becoming queen. However, Gualtiero’s keen eye on the result, on satisfying his subjects, and in pursuit of the truth about Griselda, leaves him blind to the damage wrought by his scheme. It doesn’t let him see the Corrado allows Griselda one last moment to bid her son Everardo farewell. Ottone surprises them, and anguish his wife suffers. when Griselda again refuses his love, he takes the child away hostage. Other characters in the opera are equally driven: court noble, Ottone, lusts after Griselda. He threatens to kill the king unless Griselda has an affair with him. ACT 2 Costanza, the bride to be, comes to the court with her lover, Roberto, torn between loving him and wanting to be Queen. The king’s confidant, Corrado, has his ambitions too: witness to the Ottone delivers an ultimatum to Griselda: either she agrees to marry him, or Everardo dies. In humiliations Griselda endures, wanting to keep his career on course, and not cross the king, he despair, she at first agrees to the bargain to save her son, but her devotion to Gualtiero proves does little when things get murky. stronger than her maternal love; she calls down the justice of heaven on Ottone as he leaves to carry out his threat. In the face of such conspiracies, Griselda resists. Her resilience is admirable, yet the extent of her suffering reveals a complex ambiguity: it’s as though Vivaldi and Goldoni want to shake us up when it comes to thinking about the mechanics of power and marriage. Through her endurance of her INTeRvAL ongoing degradation, Griselda gambles masochistically with her sanity, and for his part in his pursuit of ambition, Gualtiero’s sadism might just be triggering his own demise. These complexities resonate not only with the struggles that might exist within a domestic union, Ottone reflects on the anguish he feels at Griselda’s rejection. Meanwhile, Costanza and Roberto but with the power that individuals seek and play out in public life. The opera is fuelled by this continue to struggle with the conflicting demands of love and loyalty. Griselda, now living rough tension between professional ambition and personal sacrifice, by behaviour that is both horrific and again, cries herself to sleep. Costanza arrives and finds herself strangely drawn to Griselda; she utterly human. begs Gualtiero to let her employ Griselda as her maid. Mark Gaal © 2011 Corrado arrives with news that Ottone is approaching, intending to abduct Griselda. Gualtiero tells her to accept her fate, but changes his mind at the last minute, and has Ottone escorted away.

ACT 3 Griselda overhears Costanza and Roberto declaring their love for each other; furious at their betrayal of Gualtiero, she launches into a tirade of reproaches, but when Gualtiero arrives, he tells Griselda the matter is none of her business, and orders her to serve Costanza without question, even if she is dallying with Roberto. The lovers are bemused but delighted at this reprieve. Griselda is further humiliated by being required to direct the wedding preparations. Gualtiero, still not satisfied, pledges Griselda to Ottone. The return of her son, unharmed – offered as evidence of Ottone’s tender feelings for Griselda – does nothing to weaken her resolve: when Gualtiero presents her with the choice between marriage to Ottone or death, Griselda chooses the latter, proudly proclaiming herself faithful to Gualtiero to the last. So, where do we go from here? How about Turkey, Peru, Persia and North America? This is the proof Gualtiero has been waiting for. Faced with such virtue, the people can no longer oppose Griselda as queen. Gualtiero reveals that Costanza is their long-lost daughter. He gives his What, all in the one opera? blessing to the marriage of Costanza and Roberto. Griselda is silent. Yes indeed! And exquisitely French, at the same time. Now that sounds like Rameau, to me! I remember Dardanus – such beautiful, elegant, eloquent music... And so passionate! Can we do some more? Thought you’d never ask! Les Indes galantes? Those heavenly soprano and tenor arias... and all those fabulous choruses and gorgeous orchestral music! Just perfect for Pinchgut. You’re reading my mind! Only one problem, though. How to get the volcano into City Recital Hall? Yep. Might need to get the fire brigade on board... These performances are dedicated to the memory of Moya Crane.

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Unlike in Vivaldi’s day, it is now the custom for the house lights to be turned down during dramatic performances. This libretto is provided for future reference..

ACT ONe Luogo magniico della reggia A magniicent public audience ANTONIO vIvALDI Scene One destinato alle pubbliche udienze. hall in the palace. Saviour of Opera Companies Gualtiero Questo, o popoli, è il giorno, My people, this is the day in cui le leggi da voi prende il when your king shall take his Although most of us today relish the composer of The Four Seasons for his instrumental works and re vostro. laws from you. flashy violin writing, in his day Antonio Vivaldi also made his mark as an opera composer, impresario, and A voi fa sdegno It offends you conductor. Even though he had begun his career as an instrumentalist and pedagogue, his sensational vedermi assisa accanto to see, sitting at my side, debut as an opera composer in 1713 in Vicenza, with , inaugurated a prolific vocation in the donna tratta da’ boschi, a lady come from the forest, profitable field of dramma per musica, the theatrical genre most beloved of 18th-century audiences. donna avvezza a vestir rustico a lady accustomed to rustic Vivaldi prided himself on an unconventional and controversial life. By no means a humble man, he ammanto. garments. flaunted his formidable virtuosity, exaggerated his productivity, and boasted endlessly of his (well- Tal Griselda a me piacque; I loved Griselda for what she is; tal la sdegnaste. Al fine you scorned her for it. At last deserved) international reputation. In 1739 he maintained to have written 94 operas, and to an English miro lei co’ vostr’occhi. I have come to see her through visitor he laid claim to 17 printed publications when in reality there were only 12 (Vivaldi cheekily inflated Decretato è il ripudio; your eyes. She is forthwith the figure by including the sets issued in two volumes). Even so, recent research has linked Vivaldi as e voi ne siate giudici, e spettatori. repudiated; and you shall be composer or impresario to around 67 different productions, with around 50 original settings; such figures Or che la rendo both judges and witnesses. make him the most productive opera composer of the period after . alle natie sue selve, Now, as I return her to her native Vivaldi’s forward-looking compositional style, flagrantly mercantile ambitions, and devil-may-care col vostro amor quel del mio core woodlands, I shall teach my heart attitude combined to effectively alienate him from the more conservative and lucrative Venetian theatres emendo. to love as you do. controlled by aristocratic families such as the Grimanis. Even though Vivaldi’s operas were applauded

throughout the Veneto, in Florence, Rome, Milan and Mantua, the crème de la crème of Venetian Griselda Behold, my Lord, your humble theatres remained off-limits to his productions. Vivaldi’s acidic tongue and eccentric behaviour had made Scene Two Eccoti, sire, innanzi l’umil tua serva. servant stands before you. him a host of enemies in influential places. There was no place for a plebeian priest (Vivaldi had been ordained in 1703, though he had ceased to celebrate Mass the following year) on the sumptuous stages Gualtiero È grave l’affar, These are grave tidings per cui sul primo albor del giorno that Gualtiero brings to you here, of the S. Giovanni Grisostomo and S. Samuele theatres. These houses were equipped with the latest theatrical technology that – amongst other innovations – allowed the stage to accommodate the weight qui ti tragge Gualtier. by the first light of day. of live elephants and horses. The gaggle of young singers that Vivaldi preferred was never to be allowed Griselda Tutta quest’alma My whole soul to sully these expensive boards. pende da’ labbri tuoi. hangs on the words of your lips. But things changed in 1735. A librettist called , an administrator connected to the Grimani Gualtiero Siedi. Sit down. operations, resigned. Suddenly one of Vivaldi’s most outspoken adversaries was no longer in power. As Griselda Ubbidisco. musicologist Frédéric Delaméa has shown, the Grimani theatres had been running at a significant loss As my Lord commands. for some time and the wise Grimanis probably observed with interest Vivaldi’s profitable runs in Verona Gualtiero La Tessaglia, ov’io regno, Thessaly, over which I reign, for the 1735 Carnival season. Vivaldi, in his dual role as composer-impresario, had rather remarkably ubbidirmi ricusa. Ella mi sgrida, refuses to obey me. The people managed to run up a sizable profit. His strategy? Vivaldi favoured younger and less expensive singers che i talami reali abbia avviliti rebuke me for having dishonoured on the cusp of international careers, and eschewed the exorbitant fees of superstar castrati. He also con sposare Griselda, the royal bedchamber appears to have encouraged and promoted singers better known for their acting skills. This novel mix of e non attende by marrying Griselda, and will young singers with crack techniques and dramatic actors with stirring skills of delivery appears to have da’ boschi, ove se’ nata, il suo not accept a monarch from the struck a chord with Vivaldi’s audiences, who returned in droves to the opera house night after night. monarca. forests, where you were born. A chiamar m’ha costretto They have forced me to summon With Lalli out of the way, the Grimanis decided to give the notorious Vivaldi a try. For the libretto, they sposa di regio sangue al trono, to my throne, and to my bed, a turned to a 27-year-old poet by the name of Carlo Goldoni. His task: update an old-fashioned 1701 al letto! spouse of royal blood. story by Apostolo Zeno. The subject matter: the story of patient Griselda, from . Goldoni Griselda La provincia vassalla This vassal province has suffered me himself penned an account of his first meeting with Vivaldi: in an impromptu test, the composer tanti lustri soffrì me per regina; to be their queen for so many years; apparently picked out a scene from Zeno’s libretto and challenged the young Carlo to rework it right ed or solo mi sdegna? and only now do they reject me? there and then, according to Vivaldi’s needs. Goldoni reports that Vivaldi was overjoyed with the result, embracing him and exclaiming to some singers rehearsing next door, ‘He did it here, he did it here, he Gualtiero Moglie già più non sei. You are a wife no longer. did it right here!’ Griselda Mi condona, o mio re, se troppo Forgive me, my King, if I have Vivaldi’s setting of Griselda has all the hallmarks of a seasoned professional at the height of his career. chiesi. asked too much. Sensing the fashion for the new modern galant idiom, Vivaldi was careful to contrast the traditional Il tuo voler dovea Your will must vocal fireworks with a new mellifluous and elegantly structured style. Most remarkable is Vivaldi and esser norma al mio affetto. command my feelings. Ecco: mi spoglio il diadema e lo Goldoni’s reading of Griselda herself, forced to undergo the most horrific of trials at the hands of sadistic See: I strip myself of crown and scettro, tormentors. Unlike Zeno’s more penitential portrayal, Vivaldi and Goldoni’s heroine doesn’t go quietly into sceptre, and to that very hand e quella destra, that set authority in mine, and servitude but instead rages at the injustices heaped upon her, spitting and clawing at her tormentors with che mel cinse e mel diede, girded me with royalty, I now spectacular arias destined for Vivaldi’s feisty protégée, Anna Giró. Vivaldi’s manuscript – freshly edited for riverente il ritorno. return them both, in all reverence. this production – demonstrates an extraordinarily subtle use of fermatas and pauses, as the composer experiments with notating pause markings over barlines and between notes. According to Goldoni’s memoirs, Anno Giró preferred her arias to be ‘expressive and full of agitation, [with] an expression of the passions by different means, by words interrupted […] by sighs, with action and motion.’ Griselda’s Scene Three Ottone Signor, or ora al porto My lord, the royal bride arias are indeed characterised by significant moments of silence, almost as if silence is the only weapon giunta è la regia sposa. has just reached port. left to her. The fact that her questions about her fate go unanswered by others only outlines even more dramatically the cruel injustice of the situation. Gualtiero Giunta è la regia sposa? The royal bride is here? Addio, Griselda. Farewell, Griselda. As for the Grimanis and the troubled finances of the S. Samuele theatre in 1735: the run was reported to be an ‘outstanding success’. Thanks to Vivaldi and his young stars, the Grimanis and their theatre were Griselda Così tosto mi lasci? You’re leaving me so suddenly? back in business. Gualtiero Atteso io sono. They are waiting for me. Erin Helyard © 2011 Se ria procella If a cruel tempest rises up

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sorge dall’onde out of the waves, Scene Five Ottone Troppo avvezza è Griselda Griselda has become too tra le porpore e’l fasto. accustomed to pomp and royal saggio nocchiero the wise helmsman Adito non le lascia a’ miei sospiri. purple. She has closed her heart non si confonde is not troubled, Ma forse col diadema to my sighs. But perhaps, with né teme audace nor does the bold man fear deporrà la fierezza, her crown gone, she will lose her l’onda del mar. the surging of the sea. e, lontana dal soglio, pride as well, and once she is far Serve il consiglio Good counsel serves as a avrà forse pietà del mio from the throne, perhaps she will di guida al forte guide to the strong man, cordoglio. take pity on my suffering. e della sorte and can overcome nemica infesta every danger Vede orgogliosa l’onda, The wise helmsman sees the ogni periglio and the evil fate conosce il mar infido proud waves and knows the sa superar. that lurks within. e pur l’amata sponda treachery of the sea, yet still he saggio nocchier ardito boldly hopes to kiss once more Se ria procella... If a cruel tempest… spera di ribaciar. the shore he loves so well. Così quest’alma amante So too my loving heart ad onta del rigore has no fear or dread Scene Four Griselda Ecco il tempo, in cui l’alma This is the time for the heart non teme e non paventa of harsh treatment: dia saggio di se stessa. to prove its wisdom. costante nell’amore its love remains true, Ottone Sulle tue chiome The crown is unsteady on your alfin più bella sorte hoping to find in the end la corona vacilla. fair tresses. Only Ottone can save spera di ritrovar. a happier fate. A serbartela Ottone è sol bastante, it for you: Ottone, your faithful Vede orgogliosa l’onda.. The wise helmsman… fido vassallo e cavaliero amante. vassal and loving knight. Griselda Chi mi toglie il diadema, He who is taking away my crown mi ritoglie un suo don. is merely taking back what he gave Scene Six Roberto Costanza, eccoti Costanza, here you are, safely

Se perde il capo me. Though my head no longer in porto. arrived in port! You stand on l’insegne di regina, a me, costante, bears the insignia of a queen, Questa che premi è la Tessaglia, Thessalian soil, and this is the

resta il cor di Griselda. I still have my faithful heart. e questa è l’alta reggia, noble palace where Gualtiero is ove Gualtiero attende leggi waiting to learn from your eyes Ottone Io, se l’imponi, You have only to command: dal ciglio tuo per darle al mondo. the laws he will announce to the anch’in braccio a Gualtiero all Gualtiero’s love and favour will world. svenerò chi ti toglie not stop me from slaying the man il nome di regina e quel di moglie. who takes from you the titles of Costanza Ah Roberto, Roberto! Ah Roberto, Roberto! queen and wife. Roberto Tu sospiri? You’re sighing! Griselda Iniquo, e lo potresti? You evil man, how could you do Ed accogli Are you sad at the prospect E tal mi credi? this? Do you think me so base? mesta le tue grandezze? of these honours? Ottone Pensa, ch’in un rifiuto perdi Think how much you are losing Costanza Io mi torrei I would much rather choose troppo. by this refusal. più volentier viver privata, e lunge to live in seclusion, far from this da quella reggia, a me di gioie palace which holds so few joys Griselda Che perdo? What am I losing? avara, for me, if only I were yours, and Ottone Regno. A kingdom. pur ch’io di te, tu di me fossi. you were mine. Griselda Che mio non era. Which was never mine. Roberto O cara! My darling! Ottone Grandezze. Greatness. Costanza Un solo de’ tuoi sguardi One glance from you val più d’ogni grandezza. is worth more than any royal pomp. Griselda Oggetto vile. A base aim. Roberto Deh taci. Ah, hush! Ottone Sposo. A husband. Col grado You’ll feel and act differently Griselda Che meco resta Who will always be with me, cangerai sensi e costumi. once you’ve risen in the world. nell’alma mia scolpito. engraved on my heart. Costanza Andiam ora, sel vuoi. Let’s go, then, if that’s what Ottone Figlio. A son. Ove meno è di rischio e più di you want? Somewhere less Griselda Mel diede il cielo, Heaven gave him to me, pace. dangerous and more tranquil. ed ei me’l toglie. heaven takes him away. Verrò, se pur ti piace. I’ll come with you, if you want me to. Ottone Un tuo sguardo, Griselda, One glance from you, Griselda, dà tempra a questo ferro, will temper this steel, and with Roberto No, no, regna nel mondo, No, no: you should reign over the ed un suo colpo one blow it will cut short the come su l’alma mia. world as you reign over my heart. troncherà i tuoi perigli; dangers which threaten you. Sì vil non sono, I’m not so base e se’l ricusi forse ti pentirai. If you refuse, you may come to ch’a discender dal trono as to press you to step regret it. io ti esortassi. down from the throne. Non t’amerei, se a prezzo I couldn’t love you, if that were Griselda Che favellar è questo? What is this talk? tal ti amassi. the price! L’amor, lo sdegno troppo You too easily confuse love and confondi, resentment, ed oltrepassi il segno. and you overstep the mark. Scene Seven Gualtiero Bella Costanza! Fair Costanza! Brami le mie catene You long to be my slave, Costanza Mio re. My King. e mi rinfacci? yet you taunt me? One minute Piangi delle mie pene you’re weeping for my suffering, Gualtiero Qual mai ti stringo! How good it is to hold you in my e poi minacci? the next, you’re threatening me! E qual nel core mi nasce, arms! And as I embrace you, my Credimi, tu sei stolto You really are a fool, and I don’t in abbracciarti, heart swells with tenderness and e non t’intendo. understand you. tenerezza e piacer, figli d’amore! pleasure, the children of love. Tu sai ch’io son fedele You know that I am faithful Costanza Signor, da tua bontà My Lord, my heart al primo affetto, to my first love, l’alma sorpresa is overwhelmed by your goodness né mai sarò crudele and will never be cruel to the tace; and finds no words; al primo oggetto: one I adore. Are you still e i timidi affetti and my timid affections are better ti lagni ancor? complaining? For the life of me, più ch’il mio labbro, expressed by its silence than by Né la cagion comprendo, no. I can’t understand why! il suo tacer palesa. my lips. Brami le mie catene... You long to be my slave…

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Gualtiero Omai vien meco a parte Henceforth this sceptre and this Scene Ten Corrado Ecco, Griselda, il figlio. Here is your son, Griselda. di quello scettro e di quegl’ostri, royal purple are shared Tel concedo un momento; I will let you have just one o bella, between us, fair one; t’uso questa pietà moment with him; I’m putting che in benefico influsso for this you were destined from con mio periglio. myself in danger by doing you già riserbaro al tuo natal le stelle. birth, blessed by the kindly stars. this kindness. Tu pur verrai, Roberto, You shall come too, Roberto, Griselda Everardo, o soave frutto Everardo, sweet fruit of my love, o di ceppo real germe ben most worthy son of royal lineage. dell’amor mio, in te già di It’s not just you I’m kissing, but degno. In you two, the palace today quest’alma bacio una parte; part of his soul too: Oggi da voi riceva receives its jewel, and the bacio l’immagine adorata del mio I’m kissing the beloved image of ornamento la reggia, e gioia il regno. kingdom its joy. Gualtiero; my Gualtiero; Roberto Gran re, Great King, you do me too much e in un sol punto sento rallentarsi and for that at least, I feel troppo mi onori. honour. il rigor del mio tormento. the harshness of my torment Labbro vezzoso e caro... easing. Lovely, precious lips… Gualtiero Andiam: più non s’indugi, idolo Come, my beloved, no more mio. delay! Corrado Basta! That’s enough. Costanza Seguo il tuo piè. I follow in your footsteps. Griselda Ancora un momento... Just a little longer… (a Roberto, che le si accosta) (to Roberto, who has drawn near) Corrado Non posso. I can’t. Prence... Prince… Griselda Ahimè! La vita toglimi Ah, it’s my life you’re taking away Roberto Regina... My queen… ancor. from me. Costanza e Roberto Addio. Farewell. Corrado Invano... There’s no point… Costanza Ritorna a lusingarmi My false hopes return Griselda Chi è di cor sì spietato, Who would be so hard-hearted la mia speranza infida to flatter me, and it seems that che neghi ad una madre as to deny a mother e amor per consolarmi Cupid, wanting to console un dolce amplesso? one sweet embrace? già par che scherzi, e rida me, is laughing and joking, Ottone Il tuo Gualtiero istesso. Your own Gualtiero. volando, vezzeggiando playing with my heart Griselda Da labbro più odioso There are no lips more loathsome intorno a questo cor. as he flits around. giunger non mi potea nome più to speak a name more precious Ma poi se ben altiero But then, bold as he is, caro. to me. il pargoletto arciero the little archer già fugge, e lascia l’armi drops his weapons and flees Ottone Io pietoso Out of the kindness of my heart, a fronte del timor. when faced with my fears. tel lascio. I will let you keep him. Ritorna a lusingarmi... My false hopes… Corrado (Che stravaganza è questa!) (This is very strange!) Griselda Ricuso il dono. I will not accept this gift. Ottone Ingrata, in pena del tuo sdegno Ungrateful woman! As punishment Scene Eight Roberto Al regio sguardo ahi troppo Alas, my Costanza is all too questo t’involerò tenero pegno. for your disdain, I’m taking away piacque la mia Costanza. pleasing to the royal eye. your sweet hostage. Ed a chi mai non piaceria quel And who wouldn’t be charmed volto! by that face! Sol per mio mal le stelle, It was just to make me miserable Scene Eleven Griselda Ferma, t’arresta (oh Dio!) Wait! Stop! (O God!) o pupille adorate, that the stars rendimi il figlio, Give me back my son, fecer me così amante made me so loving Corrado, per pietà, Corrado, for pity’s sake e voi sì belle. and you, beloved eyes, so lovely. siegui l’indegno. go after the monster. Estinguere vorrei If only I could douse Misera! How can this be happening? la fiamma ond’io sospiro the flame that calls forth my sighs; Il figlio mio... My son… ma se quegl’ occhio miro but as soon as I look at those eyes, Corrado Sulla mia fede By my faith, I swear: ritorno a sospirar. I begin to sigh again. riposa pur: non perirà. there’s no need to fear, he will not Deh, per pietade, oh Dio, Ah, have pity, O God, perish. o scemate in me l’amore, either let me love less o cangiate quel rigore, or ease the cruelty Griselda Qual via troverai per salvarlo? How are you going to save him? ch’è cagion del mio penar. which is the cause of my suffering. Corrado A me la cura You must leave this Estinguere vorrei... If only I could douse… di ciò lasciar tu dei: vivi sicura. to me: have confidence. Alle minacce The good huntsman does not di fiera belva non si spaventa cower when wild beasts threaten: Scene Nine Corrado Griselda, vanne fuor della reggia; Griselda, you must leave the buon cacciatore: he lays out his net, or grasps his il re l’impone. palace; the king commands it. la rete stende, o impugna l’arco, bow firmly, warily he waits at the Griselda Vuol ch’io parta Gualtier Does Gualtiero want me to leave cauto l’attende a certo varco, given spot, and when the beast e se ritorna morte le dà. returns, he kills it. You can be senza ch’il miri? without seeing him again? Vivi sicura, che chi t’offende sure that he who has offended Corrado Deh, tosto... Please, go quickly. pagherà un giorno la giusta pena: you will one day pay the price Griselda Io qui l’attendo. I shall wait for him here. hai l’innocenza, che ti difende, for his evil deed. You have your E tu, se nulla And as for you, if my claims do spera ch’il fato si cangerà. innocence to defend you: have ti muovono a pietà nothing to move you Alle minace di fiera belva... hope that your fate will change. le mie querele... to pity… The good hunstman… Corrado Che far potrei? What can I do? Griselda Recarmi il figlio, Bring me my son, ond’io nell’ultimo congedo, so that in this final farewell Scene Twelve Griselda Infelice Griselda! Unhappy Griselda! possa imprimere almeno I may at least Che più temer poss’io? Ah, che Can there be anything more to fear? su quel tenero labbro set on his tender lips non veggio la ragion di sperar. Ah, I can see no reason to hope. un bacio solo. a single kiss. Tutte a’ miei danni congiurano le All the stars conspire against me. stelle.

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Abbandonata, tradita, vilipesa; Abandoned, betrayed, scorned, in me s’uccida di Griselda la fede my own fidelity must die. ho perduto la pace, e’l mio riposo. all peace, all calm is lost to me. Ottone, hai vinto. Ottone, you have won. Ahi, destino crudel! Alas, cruel fate! Prendi la destra. Take my hand. Ahi, figlio! Ah, sposo! Alas, my son! Ah, my husband! Ottone Oh cara! My darling! Ho il cor già lacero da mille My heart is torn apart by a Griselda Ah no, fui prima moglie che Ah, no, I was a wife before I was affanni, thousand agonies, evil men madre; a mother; Gl’empi congiurano tutti a’ miei conspire to do me harm. If only I al mio Gualtier si serbi sempre my heart shall remain ever faithful danni, could hide myself, or flee from the l’istessa fé dell’alma mia. to my Gualtiero. Vorrei nascondermi, fugir vorrei lightning bolts of heaven that Ottone Del cielo i fulmini mi fan tremar. make me tremble. I am Deliri ancor? Do you know what you’re saying? Divengo stupida nel colpo atroce dumbfounded by this savage Griselda Va’ pur, sazia l’ingorda Come, then, slake your greedy Non ho più lagrime, non ho più voce, blow; I have no more tears, no sete della sua morte. thirst for his death. Non posso piangere, non so more voice, I cannot weep, I Questo, agl’altri tuoi fasti Add this to your slate of noble parlar. cannot speak. aggiungi, o crudo, deeds, you monster, Ho il cor già lacero... My heart is torn apart… e ti dia pregio e vanto boast about il narrar che versasti how you shed d’un figlio il sangue the blood of a son alla sua madre accanto. cradled in his mother’s arms. ACT TWO Ottone Ferma Griselda. Griselda, wait! Mira, ch’il colpo attende Look at this poor innocent quel misero innocente. waiting for the sword to strike. Scene Five Griselda Qual pietà mi si chiede? What do you want of me? Ardisci pur. Non sente Be brave! No-one can truly feel Ottone Quella che merta alfine amore e Mercy: a fair reward for love and ben l’altrui crudeltà the cruelty of another fede. faithfulness. chi non l’intende. without understanding it. E tardi? Il tuo contento What are you waiting for? Taking Griselda Indegno. You worm. così differir puoi? time to savour the pleasure? Ottone E che? Ti chiedo dono, che sia What? Is it a crime to ask you for Suvvia, s’altro non vuoi, Come on, if it’s just delitto? a gift? che del mio figlio il sangue, my son’s blood you want, run him Col ripudio real libera torni In rejecting you, the king has trafiggi, impiaga, through, stab and slash him, dal marital tuo letto. freed you from your conjugal bed. e se a ferir quel seno and if your own sword’s not Io ten prometto un altro, I promise you another bed: il tuo ferro non basta, enough to do the job, non men casto, e più fermo. no less seemly, and more secure. prendine un altro ancora. here, take another. Let the Griselda Ottone, addio. Goodbye, Ottone. Fida la madre viva, e il figlio mora. mother live faithful, and let the son die. Ottone E’l tuo figlio? And what about your son? Ottone Amico. Corrado, my friend! Griselda Ah! che ancora il dolce nome Ah, hearing that sweet name mi richiama pietosa. again, how can I not weaken. Corrado In tuo soccorso avrai Corrado Here I am, ready to help you. ancor. Ottone Ascolta: o a me di sposa Listen: either Griselda swears dia la fede Griselda, to be my wife, Griselda Come, congiura What, is Corrado also o mora il figlio. or her son dies. Corrado a’ danni miei? part of this plot to destroy me? Quest’è la fede Is this how you show your loyalty Griselda Ah traditor! Son questi You traitor! Are these the acts che serbi al tuo signore? to your lord? d’alma ben nata i vanti? on which a noble heart should Dove, o crudo, apprendesti pride itself? Cruel man, where did Corrado Gualtier ti sprezza, Ottone ti Gualtiero despises you, Ottone sì spietato consiglio? you learn such ruthless counsel? desia. wants you. Sì barbara empietà? Such godless barbarity? Give me Se saggia sei, la prima fiamma If you are wise, you will forget Rendimi il figlio. back my son. oblia. your former love. Ottone Il figlio non si rende, Your son will only be returned to Ottone Non giovano lusinghe, la forza Wheedling’s no use: it’s force that che cadavere esangue. you as a lifeless corpse. valerà. counts. Griselda Ah Ottone! Ah figlio! Ah sangue! Ah, Ottone! Ah, my son! Flesh of Corrado Femmina ingrata, Ungrateful woman, your Lassa! Che fo? Che penso? my flesh! Alas! What should I do? cederai tuo mal grado. resistance will crumble in the end. Sarò infida a Gualtiero? what should I think? Griselda Indegni, entrambi, You’re vermin, both of you. Ah! che non deggio. Shall I be unfaithful to Gualtiero? no, non mi spaventate. No, you don’t frighten me. Sarò crudele al figlio? Ah, but I must not. Tanto ho valor nel petto I have enough courage in my heart Ah! che non posso. Shall I be cruel to my son? che a resister mi basta a tanti to resist all these assaults, Ed egualmente io veggio Ah, but I can’t! The same danger oltraggi; scelerati ministri, empi, you vile, foul, filthy scum! nell’istesso periglio awaits my soul, my faith, malvaggi.

l’alma mia, la mia fè: whatever I decide. No, non tanta crudeltà. No, enough of this cruelty! rendimi il figlio. Give me back my son. Deh, ti muova almen pietà, Ah, let pity touch your heart, Ottone Vuò consolarti. All I want is to comfort you. un infelice figlio. pity for an unhappy son. Olà! Mira, Griselda, Bring him here! Look, Griselda, Spietato, tiranno, Merciless tyrant, il tuo vago Everardo. your lovely son Everardo. presto ti pentirai, you will soon repent, (Viene Everardo condotto da una (Everardo enters, led by soldiers.) ben presto piangerai: very soon you will weep: mirate che già cade look, the thunderbolts are already guardia.) il fulmine dal ciel. falling from the heavens. Corrado (Eterni dèi, che miro!) (Eternal gods, what am I seeing!) Di mie sciagure, o barbari, Savages, you won’t have long Griselda Oh d’un seno infelice O most wretched fruit per poco gioirete. to enjoy my sufferings. parto più sventurato. of an already unhappy womb! Il figlio mio prendete; Take my son: Per toglierti al tuo fato To save you from your fate, egli dal ciel aspetta heaven will soon tu vedi, o figlio, my son, you see la sua, la mia ventetta: avenge him and me: esser convienmi infida. that I am forced to be unfaithful. sarai punito, o perfido. You will be punished, you traitor! Purché non cada estinto To keep you alive, Sì, lo sarai, crudel. And you will be too, you monster! Everardo, il mio bene, my precious Everardo, No, non tanta crudeltà... No, enough of this cruelty!...

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Scene Seven Ottone Scocca dardi l’altero tuo ciglio Your proud eyes fire arrows Scene Eight Griselda È deliquio di core Am I falling into a faint, e piagando quest’anima alletta; that beckon as they strike; o stanchezza di pianto or it is just exhaustion from il mio core comprende il periglio, my heart understands the danger quella ch’ora vi opprime, o mie weeping ma costante non fugge, l’aspetta, but does not flee: it stands firm, pupille? that now weighs on my eyes? volontario si lascia piagar. waiting, willingly allowing itself to Sonno non è, che quando è il cor It can’t be sleep, for when the Così suol volontaria nel lume, be wounded. So too, of its own doglioso heart is in pain, farfalletta le tenere piume will, the butterfly will often burn its non è nostro costume aver riposo. rest is usually far away. saltellando sovente abbruciar. tender wings in the flame, as it flits Sonno, se pur sei sonno, e non O sleep – if you really are sleep, Scocca dardi l’altero tuo ciglio... here and there. orrore porgi qualche contrario al and not terror – grant me respite Your proud eyes fire arrows… mio dolore. from my suffering.

Costanza Fuggi. Go away. Roberto Perché? Why? Scene Nine Costanza Sola sebben mi lasci, non If you leave me on my own, I Costanza Non posso senza colpa mirarti: I can’t look at you without feeling rimango, Roberto. can’t stay here, il re, mio sposo, qui s’aggira guilty: the king, my husband, is Anco entro a quella vil Roberto. Unless, in this d’intorno. not far away. capanna... Che miro? humble hut… But what’s this? Roberto E dovrò dunque morir, cruda So must I die, cruel Costanza, Donna sul letto assisa, A woman sitting on the bed, Costanza, senza il dolce piacer without the sweet pleasure of e dorme, e piange. weeping as she sleeps. d’un de’ tuoi sguardi? one of your glances? Come in rustico ammanto She’s dressed like a peasant volto ha gentil! but how noble her face is! Costanza Non tormentarmi più. Stop tormenting me. Sento, in mirarla, un forte As I look at her, I feel Roberto Dimmi, spergiura, ti scordasti di Tell me, traitress, have you movimento dell’alma. my heart leap. me? forgotten me? Entro le vene s’agita il sangue: The blood surges in my veins; il cor mi balza in petto. my heart pounds in my breast. Costanza No, che pur troppo t’adoro ancor. No! Alas, I still love you. Griselda (dormendo) (sleeping) Roberto Mia vita... My beloved… Vieni. Come to me. Costanza (Ah, che diceste mai, labbri (Oh, what have you said, prattling Costanza M’apre le braccia, She opens her arms to me loquaci!) lips!) e al dolce amplesso and her slumber invites me il suo sonno m’invita. into a tender embrace. Roberto Dunque amarti poss’io? Then may I love you? Non resisto più, no. No, I can resist no longer. Costanza Ma soffri e taci. Just suffer in silence. Griselda Diletta figlia. My darling daughter. Roberto Che legge tiranna, What tyrannous law, (si risveglia) Ahimè! (She wakes up) Alas! che sorte spietata, what pitiless fate Costanza Non temer, ninfa. Don’t be afraid, nymph. a che mi condanna is this, to which I have been

un’anima ingrata condemned Griselda (All’aria, al volto, (Her manner, her face, I can un barbaro cor! by an ungrateful soul, la raffiguro: è dessa. picture her so clearly: it’s her! Crudel, tacerò. a merciless heart! Troppo nel cor restò Her image is imprinted on my Ma pensa che questo Cruel woman, I will be silent. l’imago impressa.) heart too firmly to be mistaken.) silenzio molesto But think how frustrating Costanza Cessa di più stupirti. There’s no need for such a un misero amante this silence is to a wretched lover: amazement. è troppo dolor. the pain is too much. Griselda E qual destino What destiny brought you to this Che legge tiranna... What tyrannous laws… ti trasse al rozzo albergo, rough abode, royal lady – for donna real, che tal ti ? such I believe you to be. Costanza Io stanca dal seguir cacciatrice I was following the king, my Scene Two Costanza Sdegna amore il mio grado, e My rank disdains love and il re mio sposo husband, as he went out hunting; vuol rispetto. demands respect. a riposar qui venni. when I grew tired, I came here

Roberto Infelice amor mio! Non v’è più Ah, no hope remains for my to rest. speme. unhappy heart. Griselda Stanza è questa di duol, non di This is a house of sorrow, not of Costanza Udisti? Did you hear me? riposo. rest. Roberto Udii, regina... I heard, my Queen... Have you Costanza Prenderà ognor pietosa Costanza will always be ready to E sì tosto obliasti l’amor? forgotten our love so soon? le tue sciagure a consolar take pity on your sufferings, and Costanza. offer comfort. Costanza Regina e moglie, Roberto, I am a queen and a in amore, o Roberto, bride: I must no longer hear Griselda Tal è il tuo nome? Is that your name? più non devo ascoltar words of love from anyone but Costanza Appunto. Indeed it is. che il re mio sposo. my husband the king. Griselda Costanza avea pur nome, Costanza was her name too, Agitata da due venti The wave tossed by two winds e le sembianze and she was pretty freme l’onda in mar turbato thunders on the troubled sea avea così leggiadre just like you, e’l nocchiero spaventato and the terrified helmsman l’uccisa figlia mia. my murdered daughter. già s’aspetta a naufragar. expects the ship to go under at Costanza Povera madre. What a cruel fate for a mother! Dal dovere, e dall’amore any moment. With duty and love combattuto questo core fighting over it, my heart Griselda E il tuo sposo? And your husband? non resiste, e par che ceda, cannot resist: it seems to be Costanza È Gualtiero, che alla Tessaglia Gualtiero, ruler of Thessaly. e incomincia a disperar. yielding,and it begins to despair. impera. Agitata da due venti... Tossed by two winds… Griselda Ben ne sei degna. You are indeed worthy of the honour. (Ingannator mio sogno: (I was deceived by a dream: penso in tenero laccio I thought it was my daughter stringer la figlia, I was holding tenderly to my e la rivale abbraccio.) breast, but it was my rival I was embracing.)

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Scene Ten Gualtiero De’ tuoi bei sguardi, o cara, This rustic shelter Gualtiero Tu vorresti col tuo pianto With these tears and sighs indegno è troppo questo rustico is a sight unworthy of your fair co’ sospiri aver il vanto you just want to be able to boast tetto. eyes, my darling. di svegliar in me pietà. of having stirred me to pity. Costanza Illustre e degno It is made worthy and illustrious L’alma tua mentre sospira For all its suffering, la sua gentile abitatrice il rende. by its gracious tenant. emendar del fato l’ira your heart and its sighs col suo gran dolor non sa. can’t alter fate’s fury. Gualtiero Anche qui vieni a tormentarmi, So you have come to torment me Tu vorresti col tuo pianto... With these tears and sighs… o donna? here too, woman? Griselda Mio re, non è mia colpa. My king, it’s not my fault. Questo è’l povero mio soggiorno This is the poor abode where I Scene Twelve Griselda Empio, vien pure Come then, you evil man: antico. used to live. a svenar dopo il figlio anche la having slain the son, now kill the Gualtiero Più non mi dir tuo re, Don’t address me as your king madre. mother. ma tuo nemico. any more: call me your enemy. Ottone Segui il mio piè. Come with me. Costanza Se i prieghi miei del tuo favor son If my prayers are worthy of your Griselda Più tosto I would rather you told me degni... favour… di’ ch’io vada alla tomba. to go to my tomb. Gualtiero E che non può Costanza su Costanza’s wish is my heart’s Ottone E che far pensi? And what do you think you can do? questo cor? command. Griselda Ciò, che può far cor disperato e What a strong and desperate Costanza Concedi che più dal fianco mio Grant that this woman never forte: heart can do: costei non parta. leave my side again. In the darti o ricever morte. kill you, or be killed myself. Nella reggia, ne’ boschi, palace, in the forest groves, ovunqu’io vada wherever I go she shall be my Ottone Ora il vedremo. We shall see. mi sia compagna o serva. companion or my servant. Griselda Ti scosta, o questo dardo Keep away from me, or I’ll plunge Gualtiero A te serva costei? Her, serve you? t’immergerò nel core. this arrow into your heart. Qual sia, t’è noto? Do you know who she is? Ottone Bella, vi aperse Fair Griselda, love has opened Costanza Se miro a’ panni, From the rags she’s wearing, altre ferite amore. other wounds there. è vile; I’d say a lowly commoner; Griselda Numi, soccorso, aita. Gods, come to my aid, help me! nobil, se al volto. but from her face, I know her to Ottone Sù, miei fidi, eseguite: Right, men, follow your orders: be of noble birth. il re l’impone. it’s the king’s command. Gualtiero È questa quella un tempo This woman was for a time my wife. mia moglie, che amai per mia To my misfortune, I loved her; I sciagura; alzata al trono, raised her to the throne, which Scene Thirteen Gualtiero L’impone il re? The king’s command? perché ne fosse eterna macchia. she has defiled for ever. Sei troppo fido, Ottone. You are too loyal, Ottone. Griselda (Oh Dio!) (O God!) Ottone (Il re? Barbara sorte!) (The king? Barbarous fate!) Costanza Griselda? Griselda? Gualtiero È da leal vassallo It’s the mark of a loyal subject Gualtiero Ah! più non dirlo. Ah, never speak that name again. il far che l’opra al comando that the deed should precede the Anch’al mio labbro venne il nome My lips, too, abhor it preceda. command. abborrito e pur lo tacque. and will not utter it. Giusto non è ch’io lasci It would not be right for me to let Più ignobil moglie... A more base woman… senza premio il tuo zelo. your zeal go unrewarded. Griselda (E più fedel.) (And a truer.) Griselda Scudo tu fosti all’innocenza, o Ah, Heaven, you have shielded cielo. the innocent. Gualtiero …non nacque. …has never been born. Gualtiero Corrado, alla mia reggia Otton Corrado, take Ottone to my Costanza Sì vile, oscura sia, con forza Base and lowly she may be, but si guidi. palace. ignota a love I don’t understand binds un amor non inteso a lei mi me to her with some mysterious Ottone (Fato inumano!) (Savage fate!) stringe. power.

Scene Fourteen Griselda Qual grazie posso? How can I thank you? Scene Eleven Corrado Avvisato che Otton ver questa parte Warned that Ottone was on his volger dovea con gente armata way here with armed men, Gualtiero Alla pietà le rendi non di me, di You owe your thanks to il piede, I hurried here with these loyal Costanza. Costanza, not to me. co’ tuoi fidi v’accorsi. men to find you. Griselda Ah, sì crudele Gualtier con me! Ah, how cruel Gualtiero is to me! Gualtiero Ottone armato! Ottone, armed! Ed a qual fine, o prence? To what end, prince? Gualtiero Parla con più rispetto. Speak more respectfully. Corrado Per rapire Griselda. To abduct Griselda. Griselda Sire, pietà, perdono. My Lord, have mercy, pardon me. Costanza Del temerario eccesso Let the villain be punished Costanza Lo merta ben. She well deserves your pardon. si punisca l’indegno. for this brazen outrage. Gualtiero Pensa chi sei, chi sono. Think of who you are, and who I am. Gualtiero Dia luogo ognun. Che perdo Let him be. What do I lose Griselda Non più regina No longer queen se rapita è Griselda? if Griselda is abducted? ma pastorella, but shepherdess; Corrado Tanto rigor? Such harshness! non son tua sposa, no longer your wife, sarò tua ancella. I shall be your servant. Gualtiero L’abbandona al suo fato. Let her be abandoned to her fate. Costanza Troppo è crudele il tuo signore, Your lord – my lord – is too cruel. Costanza Dona alla misera qualche pietà... Show the poor woman some che ben lo merta sua fedeltà. mercy… she well deserves it for e’l mio. her faithfulness. Griselda Non lasciar che in tal sorte Don’t let another man deprive ti tolga altri l’onor della mia morte. you like this of the honour of Gualtiero Guardami e trema: Look on me and tremble: son il tuo re. I am your King. killing me. Griselda, Costanza Pietà! Mercé! Have pity! Have mercy!

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Griselda Sentimi! Listen to me! Scene Three Gualtiero Griselda. Griselda. Gualtiero Taci. Be silent. Costanza (Il re!) (The king!) Costanza Mirala. Look at her. Roberto (Son morto.) (I’m a dead man.) Gualtiero In vano. In vain. Gualtiero Perché tu sì sdegnosa? Why are you so angry? E voi, bell’alme, And you, noble friends, Griselda, Costanza Che ria sentenza! What an evil sentence! perché confuse? why are you looking so Che fier dolor! What cruel grief! embarrassed?

Griselda, Costanza, Gualtiero Che gran violenza sento I feel such a surge of violence in Griselda (E dovrò dirlo?) (Will I have to say it?) al mio cor! my heart. Gualtiero Esponi. Explain. Griselda Non ti rammenti del primo Don’t you remember our former affetto? love? Griselda Non m’astringer, ti priego, I beg you, don’t force me a ridir ciò che vidi. to repeat what I have seen. Gualtiero No, sei mia serva. No, you are my servant. Gualtiero Corrado il dica. Let Corrado tell me. Costanza Fu nel tuo letto. She shared your bed. Tu, se parli o se taci, Speaking or silent, Griselda Vezzosa e bella tu m’appellasti. You used to call me graceful and ognor mi offendi. you offend me either way. fair. Corrado Roberto e la tua sposa Roberto and your wife in questo loco or ora were just now speaking sweet Gualtiero Non sei più quella, You are neither, now. tanto ti basti. Let that be enough for you. favellando d’amor facean words of love to each other as dimora. they dallied here. Griselda, Costanza, Gualtiero Variano i fati, varia l’amor. As fates vary, so too does love. Gualtiero Che ti cal se Costanza What is it to you if Costanza Griselda Non più regina... No longer queen… abbia più d’un amante? should have more than one lover? Che divida il suo cor? If her affections should be divided? Ch’ami a sua voglia, If she should love Roberto one o Roberto, o Gualtier? moment, and Gualtiero the next? ACT THRee Roberto Risoluta è quest’alma... My heart is resolved… Verun tormento It should not cause you Scene One Costanza Di partir? To leave? deve questo a te dar, the slightest distress s’io son contento. if I am content. Roberto Dall’indugio non attendo che I expect only death if I delay. Udisti? Do you hear me? morte. Griselda Udii. I hear you. Costanza Va’pur, Roberto, Go, then, Roberto, and since you e poiché rea mi lasci, leave me here in my guilt, you Costanza, Roberto (Che sento!) (What!) sappi tutto il mio errore: should know the full extent of my Gualtiero Ti sovvenga il suo grado. You remember her rank. d’altri sia questa man, sin: though my hand belong to

tuo questo core. others, my heart is yours. Griselda È di regina. She is a queen. Roberto Cessa d’amarmi, o taci; Either stop loving me, or be silent; Gualtiero E il tuo uffizio? And your duty? e porterò lontano, then I shall be able to go far away, Griselda È di ancella. To be a servant. se non più lieto, if not joyfully, Gualtiero almen più ratto il piede. at least more quickly. E se talor per altri arder la miri? And if sometimes you see her burn for other men? Gran lusinga all’indugio Knowing that your heart has not

è la tua fede. changed makes it so hard to leave. Griselda Cieche avrò le pupille. My eyes will be blind. Costanza Parti. Go. Gualtiero Se sospirar la senti? If you hear her sighing? Roberto Ti lascio, o cara. Goodbye, my darling. Griselda Sordo l’udito. My ears will be deaf. Costanza Amor che dal mio sen l’alma May love, which tears my heart Gualtiero E se fia ch’a Roberto And if it should happen that at dividi... from my breast… anco sugl’occhi tuoi scopra talor some point before your very eyes

Roberto e Costanza O per sempre ne unisci, o qui …either unite us for ever, or kill dell’amor suo le faci, she reveals the fire of her love

m’uccidi. me right here. non trasgredir le leggi; for Roberto, do not disobey my e servi e taci. commands: serve and be silent. Griselda Numi, qual legge è questa? O Gods, what command is this? Scene Two Griselda E per sempre vi unisca, And may you be united forever, A qual tormento condannata What is this torment to which I amanti fidi. faithful lovers. son io? am condemned? Chi vide mai dolor simile al mio? Who has ever seen pain like mine? Costanza Griselda? Griselda? Son infelice tanto I am so wretched Roberto (Ahimè!) (Oh no!) che non mi basta il pianto that tears are not enough Griselda Con sì soave affetto Is this the sweet affection with a dileguar mie pene. to wash away my suffering. vai consorte allo sposo? which you go as a wife to your La morte chi mi dona? Who will grant me death? Con sì onesto rispetto husband? Is this the honest Ché sol quest’alma afflitta For death alone can bring vieni amico alla reggia? respect with which you come to morte può consolar. comfort to my tortured heart. È questa, è questa dell’Imeneo the palace as a friend? Se veggo il mio crudele If I see my cruel one la fede? Is this, is this the faithfulness tradir da un infedele, betrayed by a false friend, Dell’ospizio la legge? of Hymen? Is this how a guest tacer dovrò? Perché? must I stay silent? Why? Nel dì delle tue nozze, should behave? Un’anima sincera An honest soul nel suo stesso soggiorno On your wedding day, in his very non sa dissimular. can’t dissemble. un marito non ami? house, do you not love your Son infelice tanto... I am so wretched… Un re non temi? husband? Do you not fear your Oh indegni affetti! King? Oh, unworthy affections! Oh vilipendi estremi! Oh, such contempt!

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Scene Four Roberto Temo. I’m terrified. destinato alle nozze; ivi vedrai the wedding is to be celebrated; la nuova sposa ch’al mio trono there you will see the new bride Costanza Pavento. I’m fainting with fear. alzai. whom I have raised to my throne. Gualtiero Tacete. Be silent. Ottone Dopo un’orrida procella After a terrible storm, Che più del vostro amore I’m offended more by your excuses splende chiaro il ciel sereno the calm sky shines brightly, la discolpa mi offende. than by your love. che disgombra il nostro seno lifting all fear and dread Col non amar Roberto Costanza, it would be a sin dell’affanno e del timor. from our hearts. rea saresti, o Costanza, for you not to love Roberto, Così suole la fortuna So too for us does e tu più reo, and you, Roberto, would be even vicendevole con noi ever-changing Fortune se da lei ti dividi. more guilty if you separated from her. ristorare i danni suoi, set aside her harshness Proseguite ad amarvi, Keep loving each other, alternando il suo rigor. to heal the wounds she has dealt. e siate fidi. and be true. Dopo un’orrida procella... After a terrible storm… Roberto (Non m’inganno?) (I’m deceiving myself, surely?) Costanza (Lo credo?) (Can I believe this?) Scene Eight Atrio maestoso nella reggia A majestic hall in the palace, Corrado Ormai scacciate Banish now destinato alle nozze. prepared for the wedding. l’importuno timore. those oppressive fears! Griselda Ministri, accelerate Servants, be swift in preparing Roberto Addio, Costanza, Farewell, Costanza. l’apparato e la pompa; in dì sì the pomp and solemn array; on ritornami nel sen, cara speranza. Precious hope, come back into lieto esultino i vassalli, e più giuliva so happy a day, let the people my heart. del suo signor senta la reggia i voti. rejoice, and let the palace exult È legge del mio re, as it witnesses the vows of its ch’io stessa affretti lord. It is my king’s command that Scene Five Costanza Posso Roberto amar? Can I love Roberto? e renda più superba I should make haste to adorn E me l’impone Is Gualtiero himself delle tragedie mie la scena with splendour the scene of my Gualtiero istesso? ordering me to? acerba. own bitter tragedy. I miei timori adunque Then my fears until now furo vani fin ora. have been groundless. I miei sospiri My sighs Final Scene Gualtiero Griselda. Griselda. furono ingiusti. were unjustified. Ah! da me lungi andate, Ah! begone far from me, Griselda Altro non manca, ch’il sovrano All that was lacking was your del passato mio duol you hateful memories tuo impero. imperial presence. memorie odiate. of my past suffering. Gualtiero Impaziente è un amor tutto foco. A love that is all fire is not patient. Ombre vane, ingiusti orrori, Empty shadows, groundless ch’agitate l’alma mia terrors roiling my soul, stirring up Griselda Anche Griselda amasti! Once you loved Griselda with the same passion! le mie pene, i miei timori pains and fears: your cruel, evil l’empia vostra pena ria torments let them all fade away Gualtiero La tua viltà le chiare Your baseness extinguished dileguate per pietà. for pity’s sake! fiamme estinse. that bright flame. Sento, o Dio, che più non posso O God, I don’t think I can stand sopportar cotanti affanni. that such suffering any more. Griselda Per l’illustre tua sposa ardano May it burn forever for your noble Deh, cangiate, astri tiranni, Ah, you tyrant stars, cease eterne. bride. l’empia vostra crudeltà. your evil cruelty! Costanza (O bontade!) (Such generosity!) Ombre vani, ingiusti orrori... Empty shadows, groundless terrors… Roberto (O virtude!) (Such virtue!) Gualtiero (Il cor si spezza.) (My heart is breaking.) Scene Six Gualtiero L’empio s’accosti. Forse Let the sinner approach. Perhaps Corrade Che più chiedi? What more do you ask? dall’amor di costui preser it was love that provoked him to Gualtiero L’estrema prova di sua fermezza. The final proof of her constancy. fomento le pubbliche querele. these public protestations. Otton! Ottone! Ottone Al regio piede... At your feet, my King… Ottone Mio sire. My Lord. Gualtiero Sorgi: libero parla. Arise: speak freely. Ami Griselda? Do you love Griselda? Gualtiero Ti avanza, e tu, Griselda. Come forward. You too, Griselda. Ottone Nol niego, I don’t deny it. It was love alone Griselda Ubbidisco. (Che fia?) I obey. (What does this mean?) amor fu solo ch’a rapirla m’indusse. that prompted me to abduct her. Gualtiero Assai soffristi. You have suffered greatly. Gualtiero Di te, degl’avi al sangue For the sake of the blood you È degno di premio il tuo coraggio, Your courage should be rewarded, sparso a pro del mio regno, io have shed for my kingdom, I e n’ho pietade. and I take pity on you. dono il fallo. forgive you. Più non sarai, Griselda, No longer, Griselda, shall you be Ottone Signor, una ch’un tempo My lord, it shames you that pastorella ne’ boschi a shepherdess in the woods, o ancella in corte. Ma... nor a servant at court. Instead… fu regina e tua moglie a woman who was once the è scorno tuo, queen, your wife, should be Griselda Che? What? ch’erri fra monti wandering among the mountains e boschi. and woods. Gualtiero (Cor mio, che tenti?) (My heart, what are you trying to do?) Gualtiero T’intendo. Ottone, il giuro I understand you. Ottone, I swear Griselda Signor... My Lord… su la mia fede: allora on my honour: Gualtiero Del fido Otton sarai consorte. You shall be the consort of the ch’io mi sposi a Costanza, when I marry Costanza, faithful Ottone. avrai Griselda. you shall have Griselda. Ottone Gioie, non m’uccidete! I could die of joy! Ottone O dono! O gioia! Oh, what a gift! O joy! Al regio piè prostrato lascia... Let me fall at your royal feet… Griselda Io d’Ottone? Ch’ancora Me, Ottone’s wife? His sword Gualtiero No, prima attendi No, first wait del sangue d’Everardo ha is still steaming with the blood of che la grazia s’adempia, until the favour is actually granted: fumante la spada? Everardo! e poi la rendi. then you may thank me. Gualtiero Elà. Look! Va’, mi precedi al loco Go on ahead to the place where

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Corrado T’accosta. Come here. Gualtiero Sposa del padre But can a daughter ever be her è mai la figlia? father’s wife? Gualtiero Eccoti vivo il figlio. Here is your son, alive. Griselda, Costanza Come? What? Griselda O figlio, o dolce conforto del mio O my son, O sweet comfort of core. my heart! Gualtiero Il dica Corrado. Let Corrado explain. Gualtiero Sol d’Ottone all’amore You owe this precious life to the Corrado Sì, Costanza è tua prole, Yes, Costanza is your child, devi sì cara vita; egli dovea love of Ottone alone: he was che piangesti perita. whom you mourned as dead. ucciderlo, e nol fece, supposed to kill him, Griselda O figlia! My daughter! perché troppo t’amò; but he held back because his giusta mercede love for you was too great. Costanza O madre! Mother! or della sua pietà sia la tua fede. Now let the pledge of your love Griselda Ben mel predisse il core, My heart was trying to tell me, be the just recompense of his mercy. e non l’intesi. but I didn’t understand. Griselda Ah! mio sire. Ah, my Lord! Gualtiero Tu l’amor di Costanza, And you, my beloved Robert: Gualtiero Ubbidisci. Obey me. ch’ora in sposa ti dono, I give you Costanza to be your Tel comanda il tuo re. It is your king who commands. tutto non m’involar, wife – if you will promise

Roberto amato. not to steal her love away from Griselda Mio re, mio nume, My King, my god, me completely! mio sposo un tempo, my husband that was, e mio diletto ancora, my beloved still: Roberto Il tuo don, o gran re, mi fa beato. Great King, your gift fills me with se de’ tuoi cenni ognora your every gesture was for me bliss.

legge mi feci, il sai: dillo tu stesso, a command – you know this: Gualtiero Meco omai riedi, o cara, Now, my darling, come back popoli, il dite voi che lo vedeste. admit it now! You people were su la real mia sede. and sit beside me on my royal throne. Ma che di Otton sia sposa? witnesses too – tell him! But to È questo, è questo il caro ben, make me Ottone’s wife? Ottone E sia Everardo il tuo, And may Everardo be your heir – che solo libero dal tuo impero This, this is the one precious thing ma tardo erede. but not for many years to come! io m’ho serbato: that I kept for myself, free of your All Imeneo, che se’ d’amore Hymen, you are the sweet flame Tua vissi e tua morrò, authority: that I was yours in life, dolce ardor, nodo immortale, and the immortal knot of love: sposo adorato. and will be yours in death, my della coppia alma reale bind close the hearts and souls beloved husband. stringi l’alma, annoda il core. of the royal couple. Gualtiero (Lagrime, non uscite.) (Can I hold back my tears?) Omai risolvi: Now choose: Translation © 2011 Natalie Shea o di Ottone o di morte. Ottone or death.

Griselda Morte, morte, o signor. Death, my Lord – death. Servi, custodi, Servants, guards, make my death Short Courses in Theatre | Film | Television ne’tormenti inasprite more bitter with torture. Which of la morte mia. La you will have the glory of striking chi avrà di voi del primo colpo? the first blow? Ah, my husband! Ah sposo! Alla tua mano il chiedo Let it come from your hand – e prostrata lo chiedo. I prostrate myself before you to Fa’ ch’io vada agli elisi, ask it. Send me to the Elysian con l’onor di tua fede; e ch’ivi Fields with my fidelity to you additi le tue belle ferite, unstained; and there let me opra già de’ tuoi lumi, display the beautiful wounds you or del tuo braccio. have given me: the work of your eyes, first, and now of your hand. SHORT COURSES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 7 Dec - 29 Jan | 2-18 yrs Gualtiero Non più, cor mio, non più. No more, dear heart, no more! Sposa, ti abbraccio. My wife, I embrace you. COURSES FOR ADULTS From 2 Jan | 16yrs+ Ottone (Misero Otton!) (Wretched Ottone!) BOOK ONLINE NOW Gualtiero Popoli, My people, you stand guilty www.nida.edu.au National Institute of Dramatic Art Telephone 02 9697 7626 | [email protected] che rei siete del cielo before heaven and guilty before Acting | Music Theatre | TV Presenting | Writing | Directing | Production | Design | Producing | Filmmaking e del re vostro: your king: omai vedete qual regina ho a voi now see what a queen I have scelta: a me qual moglie. chosen for you, what a wife I have chosen for myself. FIRST RELEASE

Ottone Mio re, sol è mia colpa il pubblico My King, I alone am guilty of this JOSEPH HAYDN’S delitto. crime. I stand before you to ask your pardon. L’ANIMA DEL FILOSOFO: Ecco perdon ti chiedo. Gualtiero Il tuo dolor mi basta, The suffering you have endured e tel concedo. is punishment enough for me. I grant you my pardon.

Costanza Nobil pietà. Such noble magnanimity! Costanza and Roberto (Che spero?) (Maybe there is some hope for us?) Elena Xanthoudakis Euridice / Genio “A most compelling account” Gualtiero Ma tu taci, o Griselda? But Griselda, you are not saying Andrew Goodwin Orfeo The Australian, November 2011 anything? Derek Welton Creonte Recorded live in City Recital Hall Griselda Tel confesso: m’è pena Cantillation Chorus I confess that it grieves me Angel Place, December 2010 di Costanza la sorte. Orchestra of the Antipodes to think of Costanza’s fate. Antony Walker Conductor Purchase tonight in the foyer or on Ella è degna di te. She is worthy of you. iTunes or from any fine music store

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PINCHGUT OPeRA LIMITeD SINCeRe THANKS TO Opera Australia for use of rehearsal space and help; ABC Classics and ABC Classic FM for their support and ABN 67 095 974 191 encouragement; all at 2MBS-FM; Paul Nyul (Advanced Visuals); PO Box 309 the late Bruce Haynes for his help with pitch questions; Stephen Edgecliff NSW 2027 Yates, Dylan Cooper for his work on the Pinchgut website; www.pinchgutopera.com.au Northside Opera Study Group; Annie Whealy ‘Music with a View’; Simon Carlton (Opera Australia); Eric Duffy and Scott Fisher (Sydney Theatre Company); Brenna Hobson and Richard Drysdale (Belvoir Theatre); Lyn Heal and Bonnie Harris (Opera PATRONS Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Australia Costume Department); Patricia Ingham and Jan Governor of New South Wales Beardmore for help with sewing; Robin Monkhouse and Nick Day Moya Henderson AM (NIDA); Jehan Kanga; Suzanne Gerozisis; Elizabeth Pidd; Hilary Vallance; Alexandra Pinkham; Jennifer Gardiner. ARTISTIC DIReCTORS Erin Helyard and Antony Walker ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATOR Alison Johnston Anna Cerneaz GeNeRAL MANAGeR beqUeSTS During this year we have received generous bequests from the PRODUCTION MANAGeR Andrew Johnston estates of Jennifer Alison and Moya Crane. As grateful as we are to receive these bequests, we are very sorry to not have Jennifer CHAIR Elizabeth Nielsen and Moya in the audience for these performances. bOARD Ken Nielsen, John Pitman LAWyeRS Grinberg Young HeROeS OF PINCHGUT Pinchgut is grateful to a number of organisations and individuals AUDITORS Barry Mendel, Frank & Co. for their generous support, without which we would not be here. Our 2011 Heroes are: Geoff Ainsworth AM, Ms Robin Amm, Trevor Andersen, FOR GRISELDA Geoff Applegate, Gillian Appleton, Thomas & Martha Armstrong, Sandra Beesley, Meg Breidahl, Meredith Brooks, Prof. David Bryant, NIDA PRODUCTION SeCONDMeNT Sarah Stait Neil Burns, Mary Jo Capps, Dr Brian Carey, Emily Chang, Michael & Colleen Chesterman, Diane Chisholm, Robert Clark, HeAD eLeCTRICIAN Neil Fisher Victor Cohen, Joan Connery OAM, Janet Cooke & Mrs Joyce DePUTy HeAD eLeCTRICIAN Sophie Kurylowicz Sproat, Christine Cooper, Roderick & Gillian Deane, Geoffrey Duggin, Kristen Durran, Margaret Easton, Patsy Elliott, John & Barbara LANGUAGe COACHING Nicole Dorigo Fisher, Anita Florin, Roy Gaskin, John Gooch, Mindy Green & PROGRAM eDITING Steve McDonald, Wendy & Andrew Hamlin, David Hartgill, John & SURTITLeS Natalie Shea & Judy Hastings, Jill & David Henry, Arthur Ho, Elisabeth Hodson, SURTITLe OPeRATOR Rob Dyball Geoff Hogbin, Beverley Johnson, Elizabeth & Ian Johnston, Mr John Kaldor and Mrs Naomi Milgrom Kaldor, Mrs W G ReCORDING PRODUCeRS Mark Edwards, Thomas Grubb Keighley, Christine Kenworthy, John Lamble AO, Ross Longmuir, ReCORDING eNGINeeR Patrick Mullins Tim & Gillian McDonald, Ian & Pam McGaw, Noel & Donna McIntosh, George Masterman, Betty Meehan, Mrs Lillian B KeybOARD PRePARATION Carey Beebe Melick, Nick & Caroline Minogue Foundation, Marilyn Moulton, SeT bUILT by MNR Constructions Kathleen Nowik, Elizabeth O’Keeffe, Mrs Leone Oliver, Jennie & RIGGeR Len Samperi Ivor Orchard, Trevor Parkin, Elizabeth Pidd, Ern & Deidre Pope, Graham Rees, Pamela Russell, Kenneth Saxby, Dr A E Sinclair, COSTUMe ASSISTANCe Thérèse Cerneaz, Elaine Townshend Donna St Clair, Sue Taylor, Sue Thomson, Greig Tillotson, John ARTWORK & DeSIGN alphabet studio Tuckey, Tom Waddell, Don & Ilona Walker, Robina & Glen Weir, Anthony & Annie Whealy, Anthony Whelan, Gregory Wood, PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHy Simon Hodgson Photography Barbara Woodfine, Michele Zammit, Anonymous x 9 ReHeARSAL & ARTIST PHOTOGRAPHy Bridget Elliot ARCHIve DvD AUTHOR Patrick Mullins ROLe COveRS Sarah Jones (Costanza), Andrei Laptev (Gualtiero), Russell Harcourt (Roberto)

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