Lucrezia Cast Synopsis_Synopsis 9/14/11 4:35 PM Page 1

SYNOPSIS LUCREZIA BORGIA

ACT I ACT III A celebration is in full swing honoring the imminent departure SCene 1 Hunted by the Duke’s henchmen, Gennaro encounters from Venice of a delegation to the court of Alfonso d’Este, the Duke Maffio Orsini and tells his friend that he must leave Ferrara but of Ferrara. The party’s host, Duke Grimani, has invited many of the can’t bring himself to go. The two sing of their undying love for great families of Italy to attend. Young warriors from each of them each other and agree to go to the party that evening at the comment with distaste on the fact that the Duchess of Ferrara is Negroni palace and then leave for Venice the next morning also a Borgia, a family for whom they have a profound hatred. together. Maffio Orsini and Gennaro, the most famous of the young war- riors, have committed to live and die together. When Maffio starts SCene 2 During the riotous party, Gubetta (a Borgia agent) to berate the name of Lucrezia Borgia, Gennaro withdraws and offers a special wine. As it begins to take effect, the men find that takes a nap. The party moves into the ballroom and, unseen by the doors are unexpectedly closed. Lucrezia enters with guards most, a masked Lucrezia arrives and sees the sleeping Gennaro. and announces that she has poisoned their wine. To Lucrezia’s She gazes at him adoringly; he is her long lost son and she has horror, Gennaro steps forward and proclaims that in so doing she not seen him since his birth. Enraptured by Gennaro’s noble has also poisoned him. beauty, she kisses him. He wakens and, not knowing who she is, Lucrezia dismisses everyone and reveals she is Gennaro’s tells her of his instant love both for her and for the mother he has mother. She begs him to take the remains of the antidote, but he never known. decides to die with Maffio. Horrified at the result of her actions, Maffio returns with the other revelers and seeing Lucrezia, they she sings of her hopes that her son would have been a bridge for all tell the horrified Gennaro of their family members who have her to the afterlife. died because of her. Unmasked, she is declared to be “La Borgia” and the Grimani guards try to protect her from the wrath of the Orchestra: 2 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, young men. 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 timpani, 3 percussion (bass drum, cymbals, triangle, tam tam, snare ACT II drum), 1 harp, 40 strings (12 first violins, 9 second violins, SCene 1 Duke Alfonso, Lucrezia’s husband, mistakenly believes 7 violas, 7 cellos, 5 basses) Gennaro to be his wife’s lover and plots his murder. The young warriors goad Gennaro, saying he is in love with Lucrezia. Backstage: 1 flute, 2 clarinets, 3 horns, 2 trumpets, Enraged, he and Maffio Orsini deface the Borgia crest by striking 1 trombone, cimbasso, 2 percussion off the letter “B,” leaving the word “orgia” (“orgy”).

Personnel: 11 principals, 48 choristers, 8 supernumeraries, SCene 2 Lucrezia is enraged by the vandalism to her family 9 dancers. Total: 76 name, thinking it was done by Maffio Orsini (who had previously defamed her name in Venice). She demands death for the perpe- Version: We are using Roger Parker’s critical edition for trator. The Duke agrees and accuses Gennaro of the crime. Ricordi (1998) and follow the modern practice of performing Lucrezia, wishing to spare him, tries to deny any impropriety on a hybrid version based on Donizetti’s revisions for the Gennaro’s part, and the Duke and Duchess fight fiercely over his opera’s Paris premiere, which combines aspects of two fate. The Duke forces her to accept his condemnation to death, earlier versions with respect to the final scene. This but gives her the choice of his doing so by sword or poison. procedure has been widespread since the Donizetti revival Lucrezia, knowing she has an antidote, decides on the latter. The began in the mid-to-late 20th century and can be found on Duke offers the young man a glass of wine and forces Lucrezia to the DVD of the 1980 production at Covent Garden with serve Gennaro this fatal drink, threatening her with death should Joan Sutherland and Alfredo Kraus (for which our current she try to save him. He then leaves and Lucrezia rushes to Gen- director-designer John Pascoe created costumes). naro with an antidote. She begs him to leave the city immediately and helps him escape the palace.

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