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Indd 1 12/07/2019 10:55:49 Giacomo Puccini PUCCINI LE WILLIS Sir Mark Elder Ermonela Jaho, Arsen Soghomonyan, Brian Mulligan London Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera Rara Chorus Rediscovering, restoring, recording and performing the forgotten operatic heritage of the 19th century Giacomo Puccini LE WILLIS ORC59 Opposite: Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) 1 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 1 12/07/2019 10:55:49 Giacomo Puccini LE WILLIS (1884) Opera-ballet in one act APPENDIX Scenes from LE VILLI (1889) Opera-ballet in two acts Libretto by Ferdinando Fontana Critical edition by Martin Deasy Guglielmo Gulf ......................................................................... Brian Mulligan Anna, his daughter .................................................................... Ermonela Jaho Roberto ............................................................................ Arsen Soghomonyan Mountain folk, Willis, Spirits .......................................... Opera Rara Chorus London Philharmonic Orchestra Pieter Schoeman, leader Sir Mark Elder, conductor Recorded at the Henry Wood Hall, London, November 2018 2 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 2 12/07/2019 10:55:49 Assistant conductor & chorus Production manager director Aurelie Baujean Eamonn Dougan Essay Répétiteur Martin Deasy Steven Maughan Photo credits Italian language coach Russell Duncan (pages 41, 44, 50, Matteo Dalle Fratte 53, 58, 62, 64, 67, 70) Fondazione Cariplo (page 35) Recording engineer Morgan Library, New York Steve Portnoi (page 47) Assistant engineer Clamshell-box, wallet, CD face and Vanessa Nuttall booklet cover design C&CO Design Editing Mark Elder, Jeremy Hayes, The scores and parts for this Steve Portnoi recording were hired from Casa Ricordi. Producer © 2018 Casa Ricordi, Milan Jeremy Hayes (a division of Universal Music Publishing Group) 3 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 3 12/07/2019 10:55:49 London Philharmonic Orchestra First violins Second violins Cellos Pieter Schoeman, Tania Mazzetti Kristina Blaumane leader Helena Smart Francis Bucknall Vesselin Gellev, Kate Birchall Laura Donoghue sub-leader Nancy Elan David Lale Katalin Varnagy Fiona Higham Elisabeth Wiklander Catherine Craig Nynke Hijlkema Helen Rathbone Thomas Eisner Joseph Maher Sibylle Hentschel Martin Höhmann Marie-Anne Mairesse Iain Ward Geoffrey Lynn Ashley Stevens Robert Pool Kalliopi Mitropoulou Double Basses Sarah Streatfeild Judith Choi-Castro Kevin Rundell Yang Zhang Sioni Williams George Peniston Tina Gruenberg Tom Walley Grace Lee Violas Laurence Lovelle David Quiggle Nathan Knight Michael Casimir Katharine Leek Flutes Susanne Martens Juliette Bausor Benedetto Pollani Renate Sokolovska Daniel Cornford Stanislav Popov Piccolo Richard Cookson Stewart McIlwham 4 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 4 12/07/2019 10:55:49 Oboes Horns Cimbasso Ian Hardwick John Ryan Lee Tsarmaklis Alice Munday Martin Hobbs Elise Campbell Timpani Cor Anglais Gareth Mollison Simon Carrington Sue Böhling Trumpets Percussion Clarinets Jason Lewis Andrew Barclay Thomas Watmough Anne McAneney Keith Millar Paul Richards Jeremy Cornes Cornets Feargus Brennan Bass Clarinet Paul Beniston Paul Richards Gwyn Owen Harp Flicorno Sopranino Sally Pryce Alto Saxophone Paul Beniston Martin Robertson Trombones Bassoons David Whitehouse Gareth Newman Charlotte Van Passen Ide Ni Chonaill Bass Trombone Contrabassoon Lyndon Meredith Simon Estell 5 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 5 12/07/2019 10:55:49 Opera Rara Chorus Sopranos Tenors Bass Helen Bailey Nick Allen Stephen Alder Rosanna Harris Robert Amon Jochem van Ast Susan Jiwey Rhys Bowden Thorvald Blough Bernadette Lord Philip Brown Damian Carter Sarah Minns Andrew Friedhoff Gerard Delrez Natalie Montakhab Paul Hopwood Matthew Duncan Sarah Parkin Gerald Place Bryn Evans Hannah Sawle Ian Massa-Harris Spiro Fernando Helen Withers Stuart McDermott Russell Matthews Nicola Wydenbach Henry Moss Martin Nelson Edward Saklatvala Philip Shakesby Mezzo-sopranos James Scarlett Alistair Sutherland Joanna Arnold Julian Smith Lawrence Wallington Leilani Barratt Martin Hindmarsh James Birchall Caroline Carragher Tamsin Dalley Amanda Floyd Zoe Haydn Vanessa Heine Melanie Lodge Gemma Morsley Alison Place 6 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 6 12/07/2019 10:55:49 EVERY PROJECT that Opera Rara undertakes is only made possible by the generosity of our supporters, who believe in our mission to rediscover, restore, record and perform the forgotten operatic heritage of the 19th century. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our current supporters and those who have contributed towards our work during the period of this recording. Circle Members Timothy Congdon Charles Alexander Edward Gasson Carlo Grosso Patrick and Marian Griggs Michael Hartnall Malcolm Herring Glenn Hurstfield Madeleine Hodgkin Costas and Evi Kaplanis Alan Jackson Trifon and Despina Natsis Simon Lyell Stefan Olsson and John Tierney Chris and Dominique Moore Sir Simon and Virginia Robertson Simon Mortimore QC Islée Oliva Salinas Alison Nicol Patrick Radcliffe Patrons Peter Rosenthal Sir David Bean Imogen Rumbold Roger Bramble Martin and Patricia Spiro Anthony Bunker Gerry Wakelin and Ivor Samuels Sir Anthony Cleaver 7 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 7 12/07/2019 10:55:49 Friends Trusts and Foundations Claus Ambos The Monument Trust David Bernstein Foyle Foundation Jennifer Bryant Pearson The Vernon Ellis Foundation David Buchler Fondation Caris David Castles Colin Craig Mark Field Paul Foss Marian Gilbart Read Julian Herveau Edward Herzog Yvonne Horsfall-Turner Richard Jacques Douglas Jones Chris Knight Eric Leynes Barry Lock Karen McHugh Carolyn Newbigging John Nickson Opera Rara is particularly grateful Alex Reinhard to the late Sir Peter Moores Andrew Simmons who, through the Peter Moores Kenneth Stampp Foundation, supported our work Richard Williams from 1978 to 2010. 8 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 8 12/07/2019 10:55:49 Contents Track listing Page 10 “Freshness of fantasy, and phrases that touch the heart”: Page 12 the story of Puccini’s Le Willis, by Martin Deasy The Story Page 36 Argument Page 37 Die Handlung Page 38 Trama Page 39 Libretto Page 40 Appendices Page 63 9 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 9 12/07/2019 10:55:49 Track listing LE WILLIS (1884) Opera-ballet in one act Duration Page [1] No. 1 – Preludio 2:34 40 PARTE PRIMA [2] No. 2 – Coro d’introduzione 5:46 42 ‘Evviva i fidanzati!’ (Coro, Guglielmo) No. 3 – Duetto [3] ‘Non esser, Anna mia’ (Roberto, Anna) 1:46 45 [4] ‘Tu dell’infanzia mia’ (Roberto, Anna) 3:35 46 No. 4 – Preghiera [5] ‘Presto! Presto in viaggio!’ (Coro, Roberto, 2:00 48 Anna) [6] ‘Angiol di Dio’ (Guglielmo, Anna, Roberto, 6:10 49 Coro) INTERMEZZO SINFONICO [7] No. 5a – L’abbandono 5:15 52 [8] No. 5b – La tregenda 3:39 52 10 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 10 12/07/2019 10:55:49 PARTE SECONDA Duration Page No. 6 – Preludio e scena [9] ‘No! Possibil non è che invendicata’ 3:27 55 (Guglielmo) [10] ‘Anima santa della figlia mia’ (Guglielmo) 2:06 56 No. 7 – Scena finale [11] ‘Ei giunge! Anna!’ (Coro, Roberto, Anna) 3:30 56 [12] ‘Tu dell’infanzia mia’ (Anna, Roberto, Coro, 6:20 59 Guglielmo) APPENDICES LE VILLI (1889) Opera-ballet in two acts Atto I, No. 3 – Scena e Romanza di Anna [13] ‘Se come voi piccina io fossi, o vaghi fior’ 6:53 63 (Anna, Roberto) Atto II, No. 9 – Scena drammatica e Romanza di Roberto [14] ‘Ei giunge!... Ecco la casa...’ (Coro, Roberto) 2:32 65 [15] ‘Torna ai felici dì’ (Roberto, Coro) 9:39 66 11 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 11 12/07/2019 10:55:49 “Freshness of fantasy, and phrases that touch the heart”: the story of Puccini’s Le Willis ON 1 APRIL 1883, under the When Sonzogno’s advertisement heading ‘Incoraggiamento ai appeared, Puccini was preparing giovani compositori italiani’, Il for his final examinations at the teatro illustrato, the Sonzogno the Milan Conservatorio. After publishing firm’s house journal, graduation in July, he emerged advertised a prize of 2,000 lire from the protected environment for a one-act opera by a young of the Conservatorio into a Italian composer who had not yet sophisticated cosmopolitan made a stage debut. Anonymous world for which, as a diffident, submissions were to be evaluated provincial youth, he was poorly by a panel to include the composer equipped. Puccini was fortunate Amilcare Ponchielli and the in that Ponchielli, his composition conductor Franco Faccio; two teacher, recognised his potential shortlisted works would be judged and exerted himself on his pupil’s at a gala performance. It was hoped behalf. It was probably he who first that the music would be inspired suggested that Puccini enter the ‘in the best traditions of Italian Sonzogno competition. Ponchielli opera, but without renouncing introduced his ex-pupil to the poet contemporary advances in musical Ferdinando Fontana, brokering an knowledge, home-grown as well agreement whereby Fontana would as foreign’. The deadline was 31 provide a libretto for a negligible December. fee and at short notice. 12 ORC59 Le Willis (12.07.19).indd 12 12/07/2019 10:55:49 Fontana (who had already Libretto in hand, Puccini provided the libretto for one of worked on the opera during the the eventual competition winners, autumn of 1883, based mainly Luigi Mapelli) furnished the in the family home at Lucca. promised libretto in instalments Although he was laid low by during the course of August, and tonsillitis at the beginning of Puccini had a near-complete text the autumn, dated drafts of the by the beginning of September. Duetto and Nebulosa confirm The scenario was based on that by October he had already Alphonse Karr’s short story, Les begun to make inroads into the Willis (1852), originating in a composition. By mid-December, Slavic legend first recounted by pressed for time, he was working Heinrich Heine in De l’Allemagne day and night to complete the (1835). The Willis of Karr’s tale opera. The orchestration was are jilted fiancées, who, having finished at the last possible died of grief, are transformed moment and his entry (consisting into malevolent dancing spectres of both an orchestral and a vocal doomed to seek revenge on score) was submitted just before their perfidious lovers.
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