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Home , Anne Boleyn (play), Cabaletta, David Rendall, Felice Romani, Gaetano Donizetti, Lucrezia Borgia (opera)

SOLOISTS/ENOORCHESTRA AND CHORUS/MACKERRASCHAN 3017(2) IN PERA O ENGLISH CHANDOS ES FOUNDATION  OO M  PETE

DONIZETTI: CHANDOS CHAN 3017 INLAY FRONT.qxd 30/3/07 09:35 Page 1 Page 09:35 30/3/07 FRONT.qxd INLAY 3017 CHAN CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 2

Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848)

AKG Mary Stuart

Libretto by after Schiller English translation by Tom Hammond

Mary Stuart ...... Dame mezzo- Queen ...... soprano Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester ...... Sir William Cecil...... George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury...... John Tomlinson Hannah Kennedy ...... Angela Bostock soprano

English National Orchestra and Chorus Victor Morris musical assistant Sir conductor

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COMPACT DISC ONE Act II [p. 54] 15 ‘Why run so fast, my lady?’ 3:00 [p. 73] 1 Prelude 1:36 [p. 68] Hannah, Mary 16 ‘You murmuring breezes…’ 3:45 [p. 74] Act I [p. 54] Mary 2 ‘Let us wait here’ 2:35 [p. 68] 17 ‘What tumult! Those voices!’ 0:56 [p. 74] Chorus, Voice Mary, Chorus, Hannah 3 ‘Yes, but the French Prince is seeking…’ 1:13 [p. 68] 18 ‘In the peace of my gloomy seclusion’ 3:36 [p. 74] Elizabeth Mary, Hannah, Ladies 4 ‘If fortune one day should send to me…’ 3:16 [p. 68] 19 ‘Ah! May this joy not deceive me’ 1:47 [p. 75] 5 ‘In this moment of rejoicing’ 1:49 [p. 68] Mary, Leicester Talbot, Chorus, Elizabeth, Cecil 20 ‘Long by the world forsaken’ 4:34 [p. 75] 6 ‘May the light of wisdom and justice’ 4:24 [p. 69] 21 ‘All too well I surely know her!’ Elizabeth, Chorus, Cecil ‘Ah! Though my spirit never faltered’ 3:27 [p. 76] 7 ‘But, where is the Earl of Leicester’ 2:11 [p. 69] 22 + ‘What place is this then?’ 2:24 [p. 77] Elizabeth, Cecil, Leicester Elizabeth, Leicester, Cecil, Talbot, Mary 8 ‘Did you not ask to see me, earlier today?’ 2:15 [p. 69] 23 ‘Report has not failed me’ 2:38 [p. 77] Leicester, Talbot Elizabeth, Mary, Talbot, Hannah, Leicester, Cecil 9 ‘I remember these lovely features’ 3:37 [p. 70] 24 ‘Bid her welcome!’ 0:41 [p. 78] 10 ‘If she dare trust in me’ 1:47 [p. 71] Leicester, Elizabeth, Talbot, Mary 11 ‘Do I disturb you?’ 2:09 [p. 71] 25 ‘Dead to justice, throne and kingdom’ 7:18 [p. 78] Elizabeth, Leicester Mary, Cecil, Elizabeth, Leicester, Talbot 12 ‘How affecting…’ ‘Is she relenting?’ 1:47 [p. 71] 26 ‘Go, prepare yourself for sentence’ 2:03 [p. 80] 13 ‘When I first looked upon her face’ 4:36 [p. 72] Elizabeth, Cecil, Mary, Hannah, Leicester, Talbot, Chorus 14 ‘My arrogant rival has long sought to rob me’ 2:15 [p. 73] TT 71:47 [p. 57]

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COMPACT DISC TWO

Act III Scene 1 [p. 57] Scene 3 [p. 57] 1 ‘Still pensive? Still delaying?’ 4:00 [p. 81] 11 ‘You saw them?’ 6:28 [p. 86] Cecil, Elizabeth Chorus 2 ‘While she’s living I’m still in danger’ 3:40 [p. 82] 12 ‘Hannah!’ ‘Do not disturb her’ 4:42 [p. 87] 3 ‘Your Highness!’ ‘You do but speed her execution’ 4:51 [p. 82] Chorus, Hannah, Mary Leicester, Elizabeth, Cecil 13 ‘Oh, deign to hear our prayer, merciful Saviour!’ 4:04 [p. 87] 4 ‘You have conspired a sister’s death’ 3:44 [p. 83] 14 ‘The signal’ 1:27 [p. 88] All, Cecil, Mary Scene 2 [p. 57] 15 ‘Death hovers near me, so take my pardon’ 4:03 [p. 88] 5 ‘Elizabeth will continue to mock and insult me’ 4:53 [p. 84] Mary, Hannah, Talbot, Chorus, Cecil Mary, Cecil 16 ‘Leicester approaches’ 2:21 [p. 88] 6 ‘Oh faithful Talbot!’ 5:05 [p. 84] Talbot, Mary, Leicester, Cecil Mary, Talbot 17 ‘Though you once made a vow to protect me’ 5:14 [p. 89] 7 ‘Once all the radiant joys of youth’ 4:18 [p. 85] Mary, Leicester, Talbot, Hannah, Chorus, Cecil 8 ‘There still remains another charge’ 0:58 [p. 86] TT 64:19 [p. 83] 9 ‘No, I never turned from my Saviour’ 1:25 [p. 86] 10 ‘Go, leave this world of grief behind’ 3:03 [p. 86]

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imprisoned Queen’s gloom and noble features of Mary Stuart is that it exemplifies a Donizetti: Mary Stuart equipoise (full of inspiration for Donizetti’s most unusual variant of the eternal romantic characteristic melodic vein of suave triangle: one courtier, two rival queens. And we melancholy) and a contrasting loftiness and note that in composing an opera for two prima An Introduction to Mary Stuart failed to produce a pride of spirit (perfect for Mary’s more donnas Donizetti showed a recklessness in Spring 1834, and Donizetti was at the zenith in time. To take up the tale of Mary Queen pyrotechnic effusions). In the age of braving the conventions of the day at which of his career. The previous twelve months had of Scots, as recounted in Friedrich von a “beautiful, and miserable, and lofty minded” even Verdi might have raised his eyebrows. been exceptionally busy: he had produced four Schiller’s great tragedy, was to bring these heroine was as much as one could wish for in a new in three different cities ( in literary and historical tendencies to a fitting title role.’ The growing lyrical stylization of In the latter part of the twentieth century ; in ; Lucrezia culmination. Schiller’s later dramas provides ample pretexts Mary Stuart has been one of Donizetti’s most Borgia in ; Rosmonda d’Inghilterra in Working against the clock as he so often for song; while the clarity of dramatic design is admired scores; in his own day it was one of Florence again) and made a revised version of did, and for reasons unknown unable to find a also helpful, particularly as it homes in on a the most ill-fated. As the summer weeks of his 1831 opera for . Parisina, professional collaborator to write a libretto for magnificent climax (the fictitious meeting 1834 wore on, there was certainly some after Byron, and , after Victor him, Donizetti turned for help to a seventeen- between the two queens) which in its slowly nervousness about the reactions of the censors, Hugo, showed Donizetti’s deepening interest year-old enthusiast called Giuseppe Bardari. mounting tension, its moments of highly but problems seem to have been handled to in the new Romantic literature that was The working relationship between the charged stillness and its explosive outcome, everyone’s satisfaction. Donizetti also had to beginning to spread down into from experienced composer and the novice poet might be described as a grand concertato finale cope with mounting hostility between his two northern Europe. Rosmonda d’Inghilterra – (later a lawyer, magistrate and prefect of police) in embryo. leading ladies, Ronzi de Begnis and Del Sere, following Il castello di ( must have been rather similar to the Of course for operatic purposes the action press reports of which served to heighten 1830) and (Milan 1830) – also relationship that developed some ten years later has to be further simplified; the momentous interest in the forthcoming premiere. This suggested that Donizetti was beginning, like between Verdi and Francesco Maria Piave. In historical context can barely be hinted at; the particular matter came to its climax at a dress so many of his Italian contemporaries, to look effect, reported the Alessandro fascinating parallel characterizations that rehearsal when, in the words of the to British history as an alluring new field of Lanari, Bardari was preparing the libretto Schiller is so fond of cannot be contemporary periodical Teatri, Arti e dramatic themes. As he reflected on likely ‘under [Donizetti’s] dictation’. accommodated: there is no room for the Letteratura, ‘the ill-will of Mary so enraged subjects for a new Naples opera, English Donizetti was evidently convinced that his impulsive idealist Mortimer as well as the Elizabeth, by nature the more choleric, that history was again to the fore, Mary Tudor and literary model could be taken seriously, and ambiguous Leicester – or rather, Mortimer’s right in the middle of one finale she hurled Queen Elizabeth’s Earl of Essex the characters provide him with rather more than a mere passion is fused with Leicester’s political clout herself at her enemy, pulled her by the hair, that most intrigued him. An Essex opera, story-line. The attractiveness of Schiller’s Mary to create a character somewhat more in the boxed her ears, bit her, punched her in the , eventually materialized in as a heroine has been well observed by the vein of a conventional operatic lover. But only face, and almost broke her legs by kicking her 1837; hopes of a Maria Tudor foundered when critic Gary Schmidgall, who writes of ‘the somewhat more; for surely one of the striking furiously.’ 8 9 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 10

Such excitements notwithstanding, come to light, and God knows how. If I had imagine, dear friend, what a state I find myself has often been called the ‘Code Rossini’ may Donizetti felt that rehearsals had gone well, not done it it would have been done by in.’ The failure of the management to find a be illustrated by Mary’s Act II , a scene and that the opera had every prospect of a someone else after I had left the city, and they’d really good replacement Elizabeth helped that is more than usually close to Schiller since brilliant success. It was therefore a devastating claim to be giving a new Donizetti opera.’ doom the opera to a rather indifferent success; the German poet himself included lyric verses blow when, quite out of the blue, King and when the Milanese censors noticed that here to express the Queen’s joy in escaping into Ferdinando intervened to forbid the The real Mary Stuart owed its first staging to Malibran was defying their instructions the fresh air of the park. performance. At first the ban was attributed to the interest of the mezzo-soprano Maria (continuing to call Elizabeth ‘vil bastarda’, Because there has been a change of scene, a desire to protect Queen Maria Cristina’s Malibran, who decided she wanted to perform to wear the order of the Golden Fleece from the Palace of Whitehall to Fotheringhay, sensibilities; but perhaps the King had simply it in Milan. Donizetti, delighted at the round her neck, to kneel to make her the music begins with an animated decided he had had enough of the diet of tragic prospect of a collaboration with the most confession to Talbot), they banned further instrumental prelude, suggesting the bright and sanguinary tales that Romantic taste was sensational singer of the age, offered to performances. airiness of the setting and the eagerness with inflicting on his San Carlo theatre, and that compose a new ; a which he had which Mary hastens through the trees. She more evenings should be – as a contemporary composed for Buondelmonte (to replace the While Donizetti was helping introduce a new tries to persuade Hannah to share her joy in court document put it – ‘consecrated to public Elizabeth–Leicester duet in Act I of Mary moral climate into , the formal the beauty that surrounds them, her exultation’. Stuart) was retained to become the framework within which he worked was an becoming increasingly song-like, until it issues The aftermath of the ban is best described in Mary–Leicester duet in Act II. Though the inherited one; the great prodigal source of his in an , the , ‘You murmuring Donizetti’s own words: ‘Since the music was Elizabeth–Leicester duet was reinstated, the inheritance was Rossini. As Donizetti himself breezes that round me are flying’ – a judged to be good, it was to be adapted in effect of adding the new Buondelmonte duet to put it, in some manuscript notes apparently paraphrase of the second verse of Schiller’s various small ways, either by the Management, the score was to shift the centre of attention prepared for a talk in , ‘After him lyric, ‘Eilende Wolken! Segler der Lüfte’ – in or by myself working under the instructions of even more emphatically to Mary, and one of (I speak for Italy) every other composer lived which Mary remembers her happy childhood the Management, and given as Giovanna the consequential problems for the Milan and continues to live with the knowledge, with in . Distant hunting horns recall her to Grey… Worse to come… His Majesty did not management was the refusal of their other star, the taste, with the skills born of the style the present; it is Elizabeth’s hunting party and approve; there are not to be any deaths on stage the soprano Sofia Schoberlechner, to sing the created by that genius.’ in a moment the two queens are to meet. This any more […] Finally, think, excogitate… let’s part of Elizabeth. As she put it to Malibran, For a modern audience the most evident animated transition (tempo di mezzo) leads to make a third attempt. We’ll adapt it as ‘they have just now given me the part debt of Donizetti’s generation to Rossini is the an energetic and ultimately brilliant , Buondelmonte. Someone can do it in eight or composed for Del Sere in Mary Stuart in dramatic rhythm of the various scenes that ‘In the peace of my gloomy seclusion’, in ten days using all the same situations, just Naples; it consists of a opening aria in the make up the opera. They learned from him which Mary struggles to prepare herself for the changing the […] Behold, the introduzione, a duet with the tenor and a how to articulate the theatrical spectacle so approaching ordeal. It is sung twice, an cobbling is accomplished! Between the 15th terzetto!!! [that is to say, nothing but a terzetto] that the music was by turns stage-picture, orchestral development of the hunting music and 18th of this October this triform birth will in the whole of the second act. You can dramatic action and impassioned song. What separating the two statements. This pattern of 10 11 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 12

instrumental prelude (to evoke the setting), trust in me’, for example), or a cabaletta in various other additions and amendments vernacular. Donizetti and his librettist were recitative (to explain the situation), cantabile which the second statement is aptly varied. which the composer was later called to provide further restricted in their work by the limited (to reflect), tempo di mezzo (to supply some The fleeting turn to the major key in the for the performance of the opera at , number of singers available for the Naples motive for a change of mood), and cabaletta second statement of Mary’s ‘Though you once Milan. In accordance with the accepted production, which resulted in a telescoping of (to face the future) is heard again and again made a vow to protect me’ as she readies standard practice of transposing certain certain historical characters with rather odd during the course of the opera. herself to be led to execution is a typically movements to meet the needs of individual results. The scheme was not a straitjacket but a simple but telling example – a smile through singers in these bel canto operas of the A particular incident in the opera concerns form of stylization that speeded up the the tears, perhaps, or an expression of the nineteenth century, we ourselves have made George Talbot, the Protestant Earl of composition of operas (the opening paragraph inward serenity she has finally achieved. use of this convention. This has the effect of Shrewsbury, a trusted member of Elizabeth’s of this essay will underline why that was merely reducing the vocal pitch of the present entourage, charged with the supervision of desirable!), and helped audiences follow, © 1999 David Kimbell day to that pertaining in Donizetti’s own time, Mary Stuart’s imprisonment. On the very day understand and enjoy them. For dramatic when exceptional mezzo-soprano singers such of her execution, according to Bardari, Talbot purposes, elements of it could be fused Mary Stuart – as were able to perform what suddenly reveals himself as a Roman Catholic together or omitted; in ensemble scenes The 1982 ENO Performing Version would now be classed as soprano roles, at the priest and hears Mary’s final confession. It was additional movements tended to accrue around The vocal material (long out of print) which lower orchestral pitch then in general use. It is this scene that raised the wrath of the Italian the basic framework, for example a tempo we have used for this production is that of the perhaps worthwhile recording that censors at a time when the depiction of the d’attacco (opening movement) such as that for Gérard edition, published in , this being transpositions are still regularly used today sacraments of the Church on the stage was Elizabeth and Talbot that leads into the trio at substantially the same as that originally without question in many standard repertoire strictly forbidden. This impossible dénouement the start of Act III. Commonly such a tempo published by Cottrau in Naples. operas, such as The Barber of , , (which arose because of the fusion of the two d’attacco – often a tempo di mezzo too – will Donizetti’s own autograph score has , and La traviata and characters of Talbot and young Mortimer in make use of parlante, a declamatory or apparently vanished without trace and our even in La bohème. Schiller) has been shorn of any sacramental rhetorical style of song sustained on orchestral orchestral material is that originally used for This production of Mary Stuart is believed religious significance in this production. In themes. Both musically (because of its variety) the Camden Festival production of the opera to be the first ever to be given in English and it Donizetti’s opera there is a strong romantic and theatrically (because of the thrilling in 1966. This was prepared from a microfilm was felt that Donizetti’s librettist, Giuseppe attachment between Mary and Leicester, momentum it built up) the ‘Code Rossini’ of a manuscript copy of the score in the Naples Bardari, had taken certain liberties with British but it was felt that as this element was not recommended itself to composers, performers Conservatorium, which was obtained by history (following the examples of Schiller and strictly historical, it should be played down in and audiences alike. Within its apparent Mr by arrangement with the many other dramatists and librettists) which the text. constraints Donizetti worked with infinite authorities of San Pietro a Majella, to all of would not be entirely acceptable to modern As is well known, the two queens never met resource. A particular hallmark of his was the whom we owe our grateful thanks. The Gérard audiences hearing an opera based on such a in real life, but history records that although slow or gentle cabaletta (Leicester’s ‘If she dare edition does not include the Overture and the well-known subject, performed in the they made many attempts to effect a meeting, 12 13 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 14

such attempts were always frustrated at the Elizabeth enters and reveals that she is still proud aspirations to the English Crown and Act III eleventh hour by happenings beyond the undecided as to whether to unite the thrones her intense jealousy of Leicester’s affections, Scene 1 control of either of them. There is, therefore, of and France by this marriage, but she is moved by Mary’s letter and by Leicester’s The Palace of Whitehall, sixteen years later some justification for Schiller’s coup de théâtre assures her Court that she will only act for the pleading, and reluctantly agrees to visit her. (1587) with the imaginary confrontation, which good of her people. In an aside, however, Cecil is urging Elizabeth to sign the order for provides such a powerful and moving scene in Elizabeth confesses that her freedom is Act II Mary’s execution, following her complicity in both play and opera. restricted by her secret love for another man Outside Chatsworth, three months later the to assassinate the Queen, The setting of the first half of the opera has (Leicester). Talbot and the courtiers then plead Mary is walking in the grounds of Chatsworth but Elizabeth’s mind is still unresolved as she been brought forward to the year 1571, when for mercy towards Mary Stuart, now with her companion Hannah Kennedy, and cannot bring herself to condemn an anointed Mary was imprisoned at Chatsworth, and the imprisoned at Chatsworth, but Elizabeth’s the scenes of nature remind her of her early life monarch. Cecil eventually succeeds in grand climax is reached with the imaginary jealous heart is set on vengeance, a course in in France. Hearing the sounds of the Royal persuading Elizabeth to sign the warrant, and meeting of Elizabeth and Mary. The latter which she is encouraged by Cecil. Leicester Hunt, Mary realizes that Elizabeth is in the at the precise moment she does so Leicester part of the opera deals with the final events enters and is ordered by Elizabeth to take her vicinity, and fears to meet her cousin. Leicester appears. He learns that Mary has already been of Mary’s life at Fotheringhay when she is ring to the French envoy as a token of her enters and says that the Hunt is only a pretext condemned to death and makes a final plea for finally sentenced to death for her complicity provisional acceptance of the marriage for Elizabeth to visit her; he begs Mary to be Mary’s life, upbraiding Elizabeth for her in the Babington plot to assassinate Elizabeth. proposal. Deeply hurt by his cool reaction to submissive before Elizabeth if she hopes for cruelty and jealousy when she refuses to yield. These alterations have only entailed a few this news, the Queen departs and leaves mercy. Mary rushes away as Elizabeth He is then detailed by the Queen to witness adjustments of the text, for the sake of Leicester with Talbot. Talbot speaks of a approaches with Cecil and her hunting party, Mary’s execution. historical verisimilitude, while the music meeting with Mary in her prison, and hands but is later brought back into the Queen’s itself remains unaltered. Leicester a portrait together with a letter from presence by Talbot. As the two queens meet for Scene 2 her pleading for his help. Despite Talbot’s the first time, each feels instant hostility Mary’s apartment in Fotheringhay Castle © Tom Hammond warnings of the danger involved, Leicester towards the other, but Mary humbles herself Mary laments her misfortune and is visited by vows to secure Mary’s liberation even at the and pleads for mercy. Elizabeth, in reply, is Talbot and Cecil; the latter hands her the death Synopsis price of his own death. When Elizabeth haughty and scornful, and she accuses Mary of sentence and leaves her alone with Talbot. He re-enters and confronts Leicester, she suspects treachery, murder and debauchery. Mary, tells her of Elizabeth’s decision that Leicester is Act I from his agitation that he has had a secret taunted beyond endurance, denounces to witness her execution. Mary becomes The Palace of Whitehall, 1571 message from Mary, and demands to see the Elizabeth as the bastard daughter of Anne distraught, and imagines that she sees the The Court is assembled and is eagerly awaiting letter he is holding. As Leicester obeys he begs Boleyn. Elizabeth, enraged by Mary’s insults, phantoms of Darnley and young Rizzio. Talbot the arrival of Queen Elizabeth, who is expected for the favour of a meeting between the two summons the guards and has her led back into urges her to place her trust in heaven and to to announce her marriage to the Duc d’Anjou. Queens. Despite Elizabeth’s anger at Mary’s custody. prepare to face her death with resignation. 14 15 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 16

Scene 3 and on the concert platform. Notable Northern College of Music and the London Belmonte, and also Tamino and Lensky A room in Fotheringhay Castle, next to the hall of appearances included Purcell’s Dido at Opera Centre, winning both Peter Moores (, New York); Alfredo, des execution Aldeburgh with the English Opera Group in Foundation and Peter Stuyvesant scholarships. Grieux and Rodolfo (Royal , The waiting crowd is filled with horror at the 1962, the title role in Britten’s The Rape of Her 1984 recording of Leonora (Il trovatore) Covent Garden), as well as appearances at San preparations for the execution. When Mary Lucretia, (1964 and 1970), and the role of with Placido Domingo, conducted by Carlo Francisco, Santa Fe, Paris Mozart Festival and enters, dressed in her royal regalia, she bids Kate in Owen Wingrave (1971). Maria Giulini, was nominated for a Grammy Glyndebourne and concert appearances with them farewell and they join her in a final For The Royal Opera she sang Vitellia (La Award. That same year she made her debut Karajan, Bernstein, Levine, Barenboim, Mehta, prayer for heavenly pardon. A cannon shot is clemenza di Tito), and Gluck’s , for with The Royal Opera as Maddalena (Andrea Ozawa and many other leading conductors. heard and Cecil announces that the time of Glyndebourne Diana/Jupiter (Cavalli’s Chénier) with Jose Carreras, and with In recent years David Rendall has begun to execution is near. Mary forgives Elizabeth and La Calisto) and Penelope (Monteverdi’s . move into heavier repertory with roles prays for the welfare of England. Leicester then Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria), for Scottish Opera Rosalind Plowright has performed at most including Gabriele Adorno, Alvaro, enters in a state of agitation, and Mary tries to Dido (Berlioz’s Les troyens), and for English of the world’s great opera houses, in roles such Cavaradossi, Hoffmann, Werther, Oedipus calm him, but as the second cannon shot is National Opera she sang a repertory ranging as (La Scala, Milan), Leonora in Rex, Luigi (Puccini’s The Cloak), and Othello heard she protests her innocence and calls on from Monteverdi to Massenet’s Werther, Il trovatore (Verona), Stiffelio (, for companies such as , Leicester to support her as her hour of death including Handel’s Julius Caesar and Marguerite Venice), Ariadne and Medea (Opera Bastille, and at Glyndebourne, Frankfurt, the Bastille approaches. The third cannon shot is heard, in Berlioz’s The Damnation of Faust. Her latest Paris), Desdemona and Amelia (Vienna State and Strasbourg. His many recordings include and at this signal Mary is led out to the appearances with the company were in this Opera), Madama Butterfly (Houston Grand Handel’s , Korngold’s Die Kathrin, scaffold. production of Mary Stuart. Numerous honours Opera), and Santuzza (Berlin Staatsoper). For Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Puccini’s , have been awarded her, including the Hamburg English National Opera she has performed in Elgar’s The Apostles and Beethoven’s Ninth © English National Opera Shakespeare Prize (1971), and honorary degrees Othello, Mary Stuart, The Turn of the Screw (for Symphony. from the Universities of London, Birmingham which she won an Olivier Award) and Puccini’s Dame Janet Baker has appeared with the and Oxford. Janet Baker was made a CBE in The Cloak. Recordings include Mendelssohn’s Alan Opie was born in Cornwall and studied world’s most distinguished conductors and 1970 and a DBE in 1976. She was made a Elijah, Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama orchestras and has recorded for all the major Companion of Honour in 1994. Her many Verdi’s and Il trovatore. and the London Opera Centre. He was record companies. She was born in Yorkshire recordings include Handel’s Ariodante and Julius principal baritone with English National and began studying with Helene Isepp and Caesar, Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, Mahler’s Das David Rendall studied at the Royal College of Opera for many seasons, and also sang with all later Meriel St Clair. In 1956 she won second von der Erde and numerous recital discs. Music and in Salzburg. His career has taken the other major British Opera companies prize in the Kathleen Ferrier Award and since him to the world’s leading opera houses and including the , Covent then she has achieved worldwide recognition as Rosalind Plowright has enjoyed an immensely concert halls where he has performed roles Garden, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and an artist of equal distinction in Lieder, opera distinguished career. She studied at the Royal such as Mozart’s , Tito and Opera North. Foreign operatic engagements 16 17 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 18

have taken him to the opera houses of (Parsifal) and King Mark (Tristan und Isolde). Conductor of the Hamburg Opera (1966–9) research into performance practice of the Bayreuth, Paris, Amsterdam, Chicago, La Other roles include Hans Sachs (Die and Musical Director of both Sadler’s Wells eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, which has Scala, Milan, Munich, Berlin, Vienna, Meistersinger), Landgraf (Tannhäuser), Hagen (later English National) Opera (1970–77), and profoundly affected today’s interpretations. His and the Metropolitan Opera, New York. (Götterdämmerung) and Baron Ochs (Der of (1987–92), where his vast discography includes an award-winning Alan Opie has won Grammy awards for Peter Rosenkavalier). Recordings include the Ring notable Janácˇek productions, amongst many cycle of Janácˇek operas with the Vienna Grimes (on Chandos), and Die Meistersinger cycle, Verdi’s and La others, won great acclaim. The production and Philharmonic Orchestra, Britten’s (with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under traviata, and highlights from Mussorgsky’s recording of Osud were sponsored by the Peter (which won a Gramophone Award), Beethoven, Solti). His other recordings include The Barber Boris Godunov and Strauss’s Moores Foundation, who also sponsored the Brahms and Mahler Symphonies, and with of Seville, , and La bohème (all for (for Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation). recording of The Cunning Little Vixen. He is English National Opera Handel’s Julius Caesar Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation), The Rape Conductor Laureate of the Scottish Chamber and Verdi’s La traviata. of Lucretia, Gloriana, and Troilus and Cressida Angela Bostock was born in Cheshire and Orchestra, Conductor Emeritus of Welsh Sir Charles Mackerras received a CBE in (the production of which was sponsored by the studied at the Royal Northern College of National Opera, Principal Guest Conductor of 1974 and was knighted for his services to Peter Moores Foundation, and recorded by Music and the London Opera Centre. She sang the , and from the music in 1979. He has also received The Medal Chandos). for The Royal Opera, in Gianni Schicchi and as 1998/99 season he is Music Director of the of Merit from the Czech Republic and has Gerhilde (the Ring cycle) and Ellen Orford Orchestra of St Luke’s New York. been made a companion of the Order of John Tomlinson was born in Lancashire and (); Marianne (Der Rosenkavalier) Sir Charles Mackerras has undertaken much Australia. gained a degree in Civil Engineering at for Opera North; and First Lady (The Magic Manchester before winning a scholarship to Flute), Flora (La traviata), Marcellina and the Royal Manchester College of Music. He Musetta for English National Opera. has sung regularly with English National Recordings include Monteverdi’s Eighth Book Opera since 1974 and with The Royal Opera of Madrigals. since 1976, and has also appeared with Opera North, Scottish Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Sir Charles Mackerras was born in 1925 of and Touring Operas and . Early Australian parents in the USA and studied in roles included Figaro, Masetto, Hunding, Sydney and Prague. He made his debut as an Hagen, Pimen and King Henry (Lohengrin). opera conductor at Sadler’s Wells, where he He has sung at the Bayreuth Festival every was instrumental in producing the sensational year since 1988, where he has been heard as first British performance of Janácˇek’s Kát’a Wotan ( and Die Walküre), the Kabanová, which led to Janácˇek becoming Wanderer (Siegfried), Titurel and Gurnemanz standard repertory in the UK. He was First 18 19 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 20

Dame Janet Baker Rosalind Plowright Reg Wilson Reg as Mary Stuart as Elizabeth Wilson Reg

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to various young artists, several of whom – such as Geraint Evans, and Colin PETER MOORES, CBE, DL Davis – have since become world-famous. Moores has always been astute in his recognition Peter Moores was born in Lancashire in 1932, son of Sir John Moores, founder of the giant of potential quality. In 1964 he set aside a large slice of his inheritance to found the Peter Littlewoods mail order, chain store and football pools group. He was educated at Eton and Moores Foundation, a charity designed to support those causes dear to his heart: to make Christ Church, Oxford, where he read Modern Languages. He was already fluent in music and the arts more accessible to more people; to give encouragement to the young; to German and Italian. It was opera which was his great love, however. He had worked at fight discrimination and to improve race relations. 99% of the Foundation’s money has come Glyndebourne before going up to university, and at the end of his second year he left from Peter Moores’s own pocket – so far about £33 million in today’s money. Oxford to become a production student at the . He was required to attend morning rehearsals and evening performances, but the afternoons were free, so he enrolled as well for a four-year course at the Viennese Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. PETER MOORES FOUNDATION By the end of his third year Moores had produced the Viennese premiere of Britten’s In the field of music, the Peter Moores Foundation awards scholarships to promising young The Rape of Lucretia, had worked as Assistant Producer at the opera singers through the Royal Northern College of Music. Financial help may be given also San Carlo Opera House, Naples, the Geneva Festival and the to enable a singer to study abroad, or to work on a new role with an acknowledged expert in Rome Opera, and seemed set for a successful operatic career. the repertoire. At this point he received a letter from his father asking him In the last twenty years the Foundation has supported the recording of forty operas. Many to come home as he was needed in the firm. Family loyalty are sung in English, in translation, because Moores believes that in the popular repertoire, ‘what people want is to be able to follow the plot of an opera and understand what is going

was paramount and he returned to Liverpool immediately. Christina Burton/PMF By 1977 he was Chairman of Littlewoods. Three years on’. Others are of interesting but unperformed Italian operas from the early nineteenth later he stepped down from the post, although still century (the age of bel canto), which are otherwise only accessible to scholars. Accessibility is remaining on the Board, and was director of a merchant the key word. bank. From 1981 to 1983 he was a Governor of the BBC, The same criterion holds where live opera is concerned. So the Foundation may sponsor and a Trustee of the Tate Gallery from 1978 until 1985. In Welsh National Opera, performing for a week at the Liverpool Empire and charging only May 1992 he became a Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire. £2.50 per ticket – the provision being that each ticket holder must be a first-time opera And in the New Year’s Honours List for 1991 he was made a visitor – or it may fund the production at Glyndebourne of Ermione, a bel canto opera never CBE for his charitable services to the Arts. before performed in England. He had started his early twenties giving financial support Peter Moores, CBE, DL The aim is always the same: availability. ‘Share and enjoy’ is his philosophy.

22 23 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 24 Reg Wilson Reg Wilson Reg

Angela Bostock John Tomlinson as Hannah Kennedy as Talbot 24 25 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 26

Impresario Alessandro Lanari, verfaßte Bardari Natürlich muß für die Zwecke der Oper das Donizetti: Mary Stuart das Libretto “nach Donizettis Diktat”. Geschehen weiter vereinfacht werden, der Donizetti war offenbar überzeugt, daß seine wesentliche historische Zusammenhang kann literarische Vorlage ernst zu nehmen war und höchstens angedeutet werden und die Eine Einführung in Mary Stuart waren Maria Tudor und Königin Elizabeths ihm mehr geben konnte als nur einen faszinierenden Rollenpaarungen, die Schiller so Im Frühjahr 1834 war Donizetti auf dem Favorit, der Earl of Essex, die ihn als Figuren Handlungsablauf. Der Reiz von Schillers Maria schätzt, sind nicht unterzubringen: Es ist kein Höhepunkt seiner Karriere. In den besonders ansprachen. Eine Essex-Oper, als Heldin wurde von dem Kritiker Gary Platz für den impulsiven Idealisten Mortimer vorhergegangenen zwölf Monaten hatte er Roberto Devereux, kam schließlich 1837 Schmidgall sehr richtig wahrgenommen, der und den zwielichtigen Leicester – oder außergewöhnlich viel zu tun gehabt: Er hatte zustande; Hoffnungen auf eine Maria Tudor “die düstere Stimmung und der edle vielmehr wird Mortimers Leidenschaft mit in drei verschiedenen Städten vier neue Opern scheiterten, als Felice Romano es nicht Gleichmut der gefangenen Königin (voller Leicesters politischer Schlagkraft gepaart, um herausgebracht (Parisina in Florenz, Torquato schaffte, rechtzeitig ein Libretto zu liefern. Die Anregungen für Donizettis typischen Hang zu eine Opernfigur zu schaffen, die eher dem Tasso in Rom, Lucrezia Borgia in Mailand, Beschäftigung mit der Geschichte der anderen sanfter Melancholie) und im Gegensatz dazu herkömmlichen Liebhaber entspricht. Aber Rosmonda d’Inghilterra wiederum in Florenz) Maria, nämlich der Stuart-Königin von Erhabenheit und eine stolze Geisteshaltung nur annähernd, denn es ist eines der und für Venedig eine revidierte Fassung seiner Schottland, wie sie in Friedrich Schillers großer (perfekt für Marias temperamentvollere erstaunlichsten Merkmale von , 1831 entstandenen Oper Fausta vorbereitet. Tragödie dargestellt wird, sollte diese Ergüsse)” beschreibt. “Im Zeitalter des daß darin eine ganz ungewöhnliche Variante Parisina nach Byron und Lucrezia Borgia nach literarischen und historischen Neigungen Belkanto war eine ‘schöne, traurige und der ewigen Dreiecksgeschichte dargestellt wird: zeugten von Donizettis einem angemessenen Höhepunkt zuführen. hochgesinnte’ Heldin genau das, was man sich ein Höfling, zwei rivalisierende Königinnen. wachsendem Interesse an der neuen Literatur Da er wie so oft gegen die Uhr arbeitete und von einer Titelrolle erhoffte.” Die zunehmende Und wir stellen fest, daß Donizetti, indem er der Romantik, die aus Nordeuropa nach Italien aus uns nicht bekannten Gründen keinen lyrische Stilisierung der späteren Dramen eine Oper für zwei Primadonnen komponierte, vorzudringen begann. Die Oper Rosmonda professionellen Mitarbeiter zur Erstellung eines Schillers bietet reichlich Vorwand, in Gesang eine Bereitschaft bewiesen hat, den d’Inghilterra, die auf Il castello di Kenilworth finden konnte, ersuchte Donizetti auszubrechen; ebenso hilfreich ist die Klarheit Konventionen von damals zu trotzen, die in (Neapel, 1830) und Anna Bolena (Mailand, einen siebzehnjährigen Enthusiasten namens des dramatischen Aufbaus vor allem dann, ihrer Tollkühnheit selbst Verdi in Erstaunen 1830) folgte, deutete auch darauf hin, daß Giuseppe Bardari um Hilfe. Die Zusammen- wenn er auf einen grandiosen Höhepunkt (die versetzt haben könnte. Donizetti wie so viele seiner italienischen arbeit zwischen dem erfahrenen Komponisten fiktive Begegnung zwischen den beiden Zeitgenossen begann, sich auf die britische und dem jugendlichen Dichter (der später Königinnen) zusteuert, der mit seiner langsam In der zweiten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts war Geschichte als verlockende Quelle Rechtsanwalt, Richter und Polizeipräfekt wachsenden Spannung, seinen Augenblicken Maria Stuarda eine von Donizettis bühnenwirksamer Themen zu verlassen. Als er wurde) muß Ähnlichkeiten mit der Beziehung bedeutungsvoller Stille und seinem explosiven meistbewunderten Kompositionen; zu ihrer über mögliche Stoffe für eine neue Oper für gehabt haben, die sich etwa zehn Jahre später Ausgang als Keimzelle eines großen Zeit war sie eine der unglückseligsten. Während Neapel nachdachte, stand die Geschichte zwischen Verdi und Francesco Maria Piave konzertanten Finales beschrieben werden der Sommer 1834 ins Land zog, herrschte mit Englands erneut im Vordergrund, und es entwickelte. Im Grunde, berichtete der könnte. Sicherheit einige Nervosität bezüglich der 26 27 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 28

Reaktionen der Zensur, doch wurden, so blutrünstiger Geschichten, die der herrschende Die echte Maria Stuarda verdankte ihre erste liebe Freundin, in was für einem Zustand ich scheint es, alle Probleme zur allgemeinen Geschmack der Romantik seinem Teatro San Inszenierung dem Interesse der mich befinde.” Das Versäumnis der Direktion, Zufriedenheit ausgeräumt. Ferner mußte Carlo zumutete, und hatte entschieden, daß Mezzosopranistin Maria Malibran, die als Ersatz eine wirklich gute Elisabeth zu Donizetti mit der immer heftigeren Feindschaft mehr Abende – so ein seinerzeit verfaßtes entschied, daß sie die Oper in Mailand singen finden, trug dazu bei, die Oper zu einem eher zwischen seinen beiden Hauptdarstellerinnen höfisches Dokument – “der öffentlichen wolle. Donizetti, entzückt über die Aussicht mäßigen Erfolg zu verdammen. Und als den Ronzi de Begnis und Del Sere fertigwerden; Ergötzung geweiht” werden sollten. auf eine Zusammenarbeit mit der Mailänder Zensoren auffiel, daß die Malibran Presseberichte über diese Feindschaft sorgten Die Folgen des Verbots lassen sich am besten sensationellsten Sängerin der Epoche, erbat sich ihren Anweisungen widersetzte (indem sie dafür, das Interesse an der bevorstehenden mit Donizettis eigenen Worten beschreiben: sich, eine neue Ouvertüre zu komponieren. Elizabeth weiterhin mit “vil bastarda” titulierte, Premiere zu steigern. Die Angelegenheit spitzte “Da die Musik für gut befunden wurde, sollte Ein Duett, das er für Buondelmonte den Orden des Goldenen Vlieses um den Hals sich bei einer Kostümprobe zu, als nach sie entweder von der Direktion oder mir selbst geschrieben hatte (als Ersatz für das Duett trug und zur Beichte vor Talbot niederkniete), Aussage der zeitgenössischen Zeitschrift Teatri, unter Anleitung der Direktion mit Elizabeth–Leicester im I. Akt von Maria verboten sie alle weiteren Aufführungen. Arti e Letteratura “die Böswilligkeit Marias die verschiedenen kleinen Änderungen versehen Stuarda) wurde als Duett Maria–Leicester im Elisabeth, die von Natur aus cholerischer und als Giovanna Grey aufgeführt werden… II. Akt beibehalten. Obwohl das Duett Zwar half Donizetti, ein neues moralisches veranlagt ist, derart empörte, daß sie sich Doch es kam noch schlimmer… Seine Elizabeth–Leicester wiederaufgenommen Klima in die italienische Oper einzuführen, mitten in einem Finale auf ihre Feindin stürzte, Majestät war nicht einverstanden; es darf auf wurde, führte der Zusatz des neuen doch das formale Gerüst, innerhalb dessen er sie an den Haaren zog, ohrfeigte und biß, ihr der Bühne keine Todesfälle mehr geben… Buondelmonte-Duetts dazu, daß Maria noch arbeitete, war ein ererbtes, und die wunderbar einen Schlag ins Gesicht versetzte und ihr fast Nach langem Grübeln und Sinnen… laßt uns nachdrücklicher ins Zentrum der ergiebige Quelle seines Erbes war Rossini. die Beine brach, indem sie wütend nach ihr einen dritten Versuch unternehmen. Wir Aufmerksamkeit gerückt wurde, und ein Donizetti selbst meinte dazu in einer trat.” arbeiten das Werk in Buondelmonte um. Das Problem, das sich daraus für die Mailänder handschriftlichen Notiz, die offenbar für einen Solcher Aufregungen ungeachtet hatte kann jemand in acht oder zehn Tagen unter Direktion ergab, war die Weigerung ihrer Vortrag in Wien verfaßt worden war: “Nach Donizetti das Gefühl, daß die Proben gut Verwendung aller bestehenden Situationen anderen , der Sopranistin Sofia ihm (ich spreche für Italien) hat jeder andere gelaufen waren und daß die Oper alle Aussicht schaffen, indem er nur die Rezitative ändert… Schoberlechner, die Rolle der Elizabeth zu Komponist mit den Kenntnissen, dem hatte, zum brillanten Erfolg zu werden. Es war Und siehe da, das Stückwerk wurde vollbracht! singen. Gegenüber Maria Malibran äußerte sie: Geschmack, dem Können gelebt, das aus dem daher ein vernichtender Schlag, als völlig Zwischen dem 15. und 18. Oktober dieses “Man hat mir soeben die Partie gegeben, die von diesem Genie geschaffenen Stil erwächst, unvermittelt König Ferdinand eingriff und die Jahres wird die dreifache Geburt erfolgen, und für die Del Sere in Maria Stuarda in Neapel und wird auch in Zukunft damit leben.” Aufführung untersagte. Das Verbot wurde Gott weiß wie. Hätte ich nicht mitzuwirken komponiert wurde; sie besteht aus einer Für ein modernes Publikum ist die zunächst dem Verlangen zugeschrieben, die geweigert, hätte sich ein anderer daran Eröffnungsarie in der Introduktion, einem eindeutigste Verpflichtung der Generation Gefühle Königin Maria Christinas nicht zu versucht, nachdem ich die Stadt verlassen Duett mit dem Tenor und einem Terzetto!!! Donizettis gegenüber Rossini der dramatische verletzen; aber vielleicht hatte der König auch hatte, und man würde dennoch behaupten, [will sagen: nichts als einem Terzetto] im Rhythmus der verschiedenen Szenen, aus nur genug von der Dauerkost tragischer und eine neue Donizetti-Oper zu geben.” ganzen zweiten Akt. Sie können sich vorstellen, denen die Oper zusammengesetzt ist. Sie 28 29 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 30

lernten von ihm, wie man das Bühnen- Jagdgesellschaft, und gleich darauf soll es zur das in das Trio am Anfang des III. Akts Mary Stuart – Die Spielvorlage der English spektakel so gestaltete, daß die Musik Begegnung zwischen den zwei Königinnen übergeht. Solch ein tempo d’attacco – oft auch National Opera von 1982 abwechselnd bühnenwirksames Tongemälde, kommen. Dieser lebhafte Übergang (tempo di ein tempo di mezzo – wird in der Regel parlante Die (seit langem vergriffene) Gesangspartitur, Handlungsträger und leidenschaftliche mezzo) führt zu einer schwungvollen, abgefaßt sein, in einem deklamatorischen die wir für diese Produktion benutzt haben, Gesangsdarbietung war. Was oft als “Code ausgesprochen brillanten Cabaletta (“In the bzw. rhetorischen Gesangsstil, der von entstammt der in Paris von Gérard Rossini” bezeichnet wurde, läßt sich anhand peace of my gloomy seclusion”), in der Maria Orchesterthemen genährt wird. Sowohl herausgegebenen Edition, die im wesentlichen der Kavatine Marias im II. Akt illustrieren, sich widerstrebend auf die bevorstehende musikalisch (wegen seines Abwechslungs- mit der ursprünglich von Cottrau in Neapel einer Szene, die Schiller deshalb näherkommt Tortur vorbereitet. Sie wird zweimal gesungen, reichtums) als auch dramatisch (wegen des veröffentlichten Ausgabe übereinstimmt. als sonst, weil der deutsche Dichter selbst an und eine Durchführung der Jagdmusik im Spannungsmoments, das er aufbaute) empfahl Donizettis autographische Partitur ist dieser Stelle lyrische Verse eingefügt hat, um Orchester trennt die beiden Darbietungen. sich der “Code Rossini” dem Komponisten offenbar spurlos verschwunden, und unser die Freude der Königin über ihr Entkommen Das Schema aus Instrumentalvorspiel (um die ebenso wie den Interpreten und dem Orchestermaterial ist jenes, das bei der in die frische Luft des Parks zum Ausdruck zu Szenerie heraufzubeschwören), Rezitativ (um Publikum. Im Rahmen der dadurch Inszenierung der Oper für das Camden bringen. die Situation zu erklären), Cantabile (zur augenscheinlich gesetzten Grenzen hat Festival 1966 Verwendung fand. Dieses Da ein Szenenwechsel vom Palast von Besinnung), tempo di mezzo (um ein Motiv für Donizetti mit unendlicher Findigkeit Material wurde nach dem Mikrofilm einer Whitehall nach Fotheringhay Castle einen Stimmungswechsel zu liefern) und gearbeitet. Eine seiner Besonderheiten war die handschriftlichen Kopie der Partitur aus dem stattgefunden hat, hebt die Musik mit einem Cabaletta (um der Zukunft entgegenzusehen) langsame bzw. sanfte Cabaletta (beispielsweise Konservatorium in Neapel hergestellt, den lebhaften Instrumentalvorspiel an, das die ist im Lauf der Oper immer wieder zu hören. Leicesters “If she dare trust in me”) oder eine Jeremy Commons in Absprache mit der helle, luftige Atmosphäre der Szenerie und den Das besagte Schema war keine Zwangsjacke, Cabaletta, deren zweite Darbietung Verwaltung von San Pietro a Majella besorgt Eifer andeutet, mit dem Maria durch den Hain sondern eine Form der Stilisierung, die das angemessen variiert wird. Der flüchtige hat und für den wir allen Beteiligten zu Dank eilt. Sie versucht Hannah zu überreden, ihre Komponieren von Opern beschleunigte (der Wechsel in die Durtonart in der zweiten verpflichtet sind. Die Gérard-Ausgabe enthält Begeisterung für die Schönheit zu teilen, die erste Absatz dieses Artikels unterstreicht, Darbietung von Marias “Though you once weder die Ouvertüre noch die sonstigen sie umgibt, und ihr Rezitativ wird zunehmend warum dies wünschenswert war!) und dem made a vow to protect me”, als sie sich darauf Zusätze und Änderungen, um die der liedhaft, bis es in eine Cantabile-Arie mündet Publikum half, ihnen zu folgen, sie zu vorbereitet, zur Hinrichtung geführt zu Komponist später für die Aufführung der Oper (“You murmuring breezes that round me are verstehen und sie zu genießen. Aus werden, ist ein typisch schlichtes, aber an der Mailänder Scala gebeten wurde. Die flying” – eine Paraphrase des zweiten Verses dramaturgischen Gründen ließen sich einzelne wirkungsvolles Beispiel – ein Lächeln durch akzeptierte und gebräuchliche Praxis, von Schillers Gedicht: “Eilende Wolken! Segler Elemente verschmelzen oder auslassen; den Tränenschleier vielleicht, oder Ausdruck bestimmte Sätze der Belcanto-Opern des der Lüfte”), in der sich Maria an ihre Ensembleszenen neigten dazu, rings um das des inneren Friedens, den sie schließlich 19. Jahrhunderts zu transponieren, um den glückliche Kindheit in Frankreich erinnert. Grundgerüst weitere Elemente anzusammeln, gefunden hat. Bedürfnissen einzelner Sänger Ferne Jagdhörner rufen sie in die Gegenwart zum Beispiel ein tempo d’attacco (zur entgegenzukommen, haben wir selbst zu zurück; es handelt sich um Elizabeths Einleitung) wie das für Elizabeth und Talbot, © 1999 David Kimbell unserem Vorteil genutzt. Das bedeutet im 30 31 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 32

Endeffekt, daß die Gesangstonlage von heute Figuren zusammengelegt, was zu recht immer im letzten Moment durch Ereignisse Elizabeth, von der man erwartet, daß sie ihre auf die aus Donizettis Zeit gesenkt wurde, als eigenartigen Resultaten führte. vereitelt wurden, die nicht ihrer Kontrolle Vermählung mit dem Duc d’Anjou außergewöhnliche Mezzosoprane wie Maria Ein solcher Fall in der Oper betrifft George unterlagen. Schillers coup de théâtre einer bekanntgeben wird. Elizabeth erscheint und Malibran Partien zu singen imstande waren, Talbot, den protestantischen Grafen von angeblichen Konfrontation, die sowohl in verrät, daß sie noch nicht entschieden hat, ob die man heute als Sopranrollen einstufen Shrewsbury, einen verläßlichen Gefolgsmann seinem Trauerspiel als auch in der Oper eine so sie durch diese Heirat den Thron Englands mit würde, jedoch nur in der damals üblichen Elizabeths, der den Auftrag erhält, Mary eindrucksvolle, bewegende Szene ergibt, hat dem von Frankreich vereinen soll, versichert tieferen Stimmton des Orchesters. Es lohnt Stuarts Gefangennahme zu überwachen. Am daher einige Berechtigung. jedoch ihrem Hof, daß sie nur zum Wohle sich vielleicht, an dieser Stelle anzumerken, Tag ihrer Hinrichtung offenbart sich Talbot, so Der Schauplatz der ersten Hälfte der Oper ihres Volkes handeln wolle. Ans Publikum daß Transpositionen heute noch ungefragt in will uns Bardari weismachen, auf einmal als wurde auf das Jahr 1571 vorverlegt, als Mary gewandt gesteht Elizabeth jedoch, daß ihre vielen Opern des Standardrepertoires wie römisch-katholischer Priester und nimmt Mary in Chatsworth House gefangensaß, und der Entscheidungsfreiheit durch ihre geheime Il barbiere di Siviglia, Norma, La sonnambula, die letzte Beichte ab. Es war diese Szene, die in Höhepunkt wird mit der fiktiven Begegnung Liebe zu einem anderen Mann (Leicester) Il trovatore und La traviata, ja sogar La bohème einer Zeit, als die Darstellung der kirchlichen zwischen Elizabeth und Mary erreicht. Die eingeschränkt ist. Talbot und die Höflinge vorgenommen werden. Sakramente auf der Bühne streng verboten zweite Hälfte der Oper handelt von den letzten bitten um Gnade für Mary Stuart, die in Die vorliegende Produktion von Mary war, den Zorn der italienischen Zensoren Vorkommnissen im Leben Marys in Chatsworth gefangengehalten wird, aber Stuart war wahrscheinlich die erste, die je in erregte. Die besagte unmögliche Lösung (die Fotheringhay Castle, wo sie schließlich wegen Elizabeths eifersüchtiges Herz sinnt auf Rache, englischer Sprache aufgeführt wurde, und man sich aus der Verschmelzung der Figur Talbots ihrer Beteiligung an der Babington- worin sie von Cecil bestärkt wird. Leicester hatte damals das Gefühl, daß sich Donizettis und der des jungen Mortimer bei Schiller Verschwörung zur Ermordung Elizabeths zum kommt herein und wird von Elizabeth Librettist Giuseppe Bardari (dem Beispiel ergab) wurde in der vorliegenden Produktion Tode verurteilt wird. Diese Änderungen waren beauftragt, dem französischen Abgesandten Schillers und anderer Dramtiker und jeglicher auf die Sakramente bezogenen mit geringfügigen Anpassungen des Textes der zum Beweis ihrer vorläufigen Annahme des Librettisten Folge leistend) bezüglich der religiösen Bedeutung entkleidet. In Donizettis historischen Wahrheit zuliebe verbunden, Heiratsantrags ihren Ring zu überbringen. Tief britischen Geschichte gewisse Freiheiten Oper bestehen außerdem starke romantische während die Musik unverändert bleibt. verletzt durch seine kühle Reaktion auf diese herausgenommen habe, die für ein modernes Bande zwischen Mary und Leicester, aber da Mitteilung entfernt sich die Königin und läßt Publikum nicht unbedingt akzeptabel sind, dieses Element historisch nicht ganz korrekt © Tom Hammond Leicester bei Talbot zurück. Talbot erzählt von wenn es die Aufführung einer Oper nach ist, war man der Meinung, daß es im Text einem Zusammentreffen mit Mary in ihrer einem so bekannten Stoff in der Landessprache heruntergespielt werden sollte. Inhaltsangabe Zelle und reicht Leicester ein Porträt und einen hört. Donizetti und sein Librettist waren in Bekanntlich haben sich die beiden Brief von ihr, in dem sie um seine Hilfe bittet. ihrem Vorgehen außerdem durch die begrenzte Königinnen im wirklichen Leben nie getroffen, I. Akt Obwohl Talbot ihn vor der damit verbundenen Anzahl der Sänger behindert, die für die aber es ist geschichtlich dokumentiert, daß sie Im Palast von Whitehall, 1571 Gefahr warnt, schwört Leicester, Marys Produktion in Neapel zur Verfügung standen; viele Versuche unternahmen, eine Begegnung Der Hof hat sich versammelt und erwartet Befreiung zu erwirken, und sei es um den Preis darum wurden verschiedene historische herbeizuführen, auch wenn diese Versuche sehnsüchtig die Ankunft der Königin seines eigenen Todes. Als Elizabeth 32 33 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 34

zurückkehrt und Leicester zur Rede stellt, mit Cecil und ihrer Jagdgesellschaft naht, wird kommt Leicester herein. Er erfährt, daß Mary Gebet um himmlische Vergebung an. bringt seine Erregung sie auf den Verdacht, jedoch später von Talbot der Königin bereits zu Tode verurteilt ist, und bittet ein Man hört einen Schuß aus einer Kanone, daß er eine geheime Botschaft von Mary zugeführt. Als die beiden Königinnen zum letztes Mal, sie zu verschonen. Er macht und Cecil verkündet, daß der Zeitpunkt der erhalten haben muß, und verlangt den Brief zu ersten Mal aufeinandertreffen, empfinden sie Elizabeth Vorwürfe wegen ihrer Grausamkeit Hinrichtung nahe sei. Mary verzeiht Elizabeth sehen, den er in der Hand hält. Leicester augenblickliche Feindschaft füreinander, aber und Eifersucht, als sie sich weigert, ihm und betet um das Wohl Englands. Da kommt gehorcht und bittet zugleich um die Mary erniedrigt sich dennoch und fleht um nachzugeben. Daraufhin wird er von der Leicester im Zustand höchster Erregung Gefälligkeit einer Begegnung zwischen den Gnade. Elizabeth dagegen ist hochmütig und Königin abkommandiert, Marys Hinrichtung herein. Mary versucht ihn zu beruhigen, beiden Königinnen. Trotz ihrer Wut auf Marys verächtlich und beschuldigt Mary des beizuwohnen. aber als der zweite Schuß ertönt, beteuert hochmütige Ansprüche auf die englische Hochverrats, des Mordes und der sie ihre Unschuld und bittet Leicester Krone und ihrer heftigen Eifersucht Zügellosigkeit. Mary sieht sich bis zur Szene 2 um Beistand in der Stunde ihres Todes. hinsichtlich der Zuneigung Leicesters läßt sich Unerträglichkeit verhöhnt und beschimpft Marys Gemächer in Fotheringhay Castle Da ist der dritte Schuß zu hören, und auf Elizabeth von Marys Brief und Leicesters Elizabeth als uneheliche Tochter Anne Boleyns. Mary beklagt ihr Unglück, als sie Besuch von dieses Signal hin wird Mary hinausgeführt Bitten bewegen und willigt widerstrebend ein, Elizabeth, erbost über Marys Beleidigungen, Talbot und Cecil erhält; letzterer überreicht ihr zum Schafott. sie aufzusuchen. ruft die Wache herbei und läßt sie wieder in das Todesurteil und läßt sie mit Talbot allein. Gewahrsam nehmen. Der berichtet ihr von Elizabeths Entscheidung, © English National Opera II. Akt Leicester bei ihrer Exekution zusehen zu lassen. Übersetzung: Anne Steeb/Bernd Müller Im Freien vor Chatsworth, drei Monate später III. Akt Mary reagiert verstört und bildet sich ein, die Mary geht mit ihrer Gefährtin Hannah Szene 1 Trugbilder Darnleys und des jungen Rizzio zu Dame Janet Baker ist zusammen mit den Kennedy auf dem Gelände von Chatsworth Im Palast von Whitehall, sechzehn Jahre später erblicken. Talbot ermahnt sie, dem Himmel zu namhaftesten Dirigenten und Orchestern der House spazieren, und die Naturszenen (1587) vertrauen und ihrem Tod mit Fassung Welt aufgetreten und hat mit allen erinnern sie an ihr früheres Leben in Cecil drängt Elizabeth, den Befehl zur entgegenzusehen. bedeutenden Operntruppen Aufzeichnungen Frankreich. Als sie die Klänge der königlichen Hinrichtung Marys zu unterzeichnen, auf Tonträger vorgenommen. Sie wurde in der Jagd vernimmt, wird Mary klar, daß sich nachdem sie an der Babington-Verschwörung Szene 3 englischen Grafschaft Yorkshire geboren und Elizabeth in der Nähe aufhält, und fürchtet zur Ermordung der Königin teilgehabt habe. Ein Gemach in Fotheringhay Castle neben dem erst von Helene Isepp, dann von Meriel sich davor, ihrer Cousine über den Weg zu Aber Elizabeth ist immer noch unentschlossen Exekutionssaal St. Clair ausgebildet. 1956 gewann sie den laufen. Leicester erscheint und sagt, daß die und kann sich nicht überwinden, eine gesalbte Die Wartenden sind angesichts der zweiten Preis beim Kathleen-Ferrier- Jagd nur ein Vorwand für Elizabeth sei, sie zu Monarchin zu verdammen. Schließlich gelingt Vorbereitungen für die Hinrichtung mit Gesangswettbewerb, und seither hat sie es als besuchen; er bittet Mary, sich in Elizabeths es Cecil, Elizabeth zu überreden, daß sie den Grauen erfüllt. Als Mary im königlichen Künstlerin, die sich mit der Interpretation von Gegenwart demütig zu verhalten, wenn sie sich Exekutionsbefehl unterschreibt. Im selben Gewand eintritt, nimmt sie Abschied von Liedern ebenso hervortut wie in der Oper und Gnade erhoffe. Mary eilt davon, als Elizabeth Augenblick, in dem sie zur Feder greift, ihnen und sie stimmen mit ihr ein letztes auf dem Konzertpodium, zu weltweiter 34 35 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 36

Anerkennung gebracht. Zu ihren Rosalind Plowright hat eine außerordentlich David Rendall studierte am Royal College of Drama und dem London Opera Centre. denkwürdigen Auftritten zählen Purcells Dido glänzende Laufbahn genossen. Sie hat am Music in London sowie in Salzburg. Seine Er war viele Jahre lang erster Bariton an der 1962 in Aldeburgh mit der English Opera Royal Northern College of Music und am Laufbahn führte ihn in die großen Opern- English National Opera und hatte außerdem Group, die Titelrolle in Brittens The Rape of London Opera Centre studiert und häuser und Konzertsäle der Welt, so zum Engagements an allen großen britischen Lucretia (1964 und 1970) und Kate in Owen Stipendien der Peter Moores Foundation Beispiel an die Metropolitan Opera in New Opernhäusern, darunter das Royal Opera Wingrave (1971). und der Stiftung Peter Stuyvesant erhalten. York mit Mozarts Idomeneo, Tito und House Covent Garden, die Glyndebourne Für die Royal Opera hat sie die Vitellia Ihre 1984 erschienene Aufnahme der Leonora Belmonte sowie Tamino und Lensky und an das Festival Opera und Opera North. Im Ausland (La clemenza di Tito) gesungen, und Glucks (Il trovatore) mit Placido Domingo unter Royal Opera House Covent Garden mit führten ihn Gastspiele nach Bayreuth, Paris, Alceste, für Glyndebourne Diana/Jupiter der Stabführung von Alfredo, des Grieux und Rodolfo. Darüber- Amsterdam, Chicago, an die Mailänder Scala, (Cavallis La Calisto), und Penelope wurde für den Grammy-Preis nominiert. Im hinaus trat er in San Francisco und Santa Fe, nach München, Berlin, Wien, Brüssel und an (Monteverdis Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria), für selben Jahr gab sie ihr Debüt an der Royal auf dem Pariser Mozart-Festival und in die Met in New York. die Scottish Opera Dido (Berlioz’ Les troyens) Opera als Maddalena (Andrea Chénier) neben Glyndebourne auf, während ihn Konzert- Für Peter Grimes (in der Chandos- und für die English National Opera ein José Carreras und in Aida neben Luciano verpflichtungen mit Karajan, Bernstein, Levine, Produktion) und die Meistersinger (mit dem Repertoire, das von Monteverdi bis Massenets Pavarotti. Barenboim, Mehta, Ozawa und vielen anderen Chicago Symphony Orchestra unter Solti) Werther reicht und Händels Julius Caesar sowie Rosalind Plowright hat an den meisten berühmten Dirigenten zusammenführten. wurde Alan Opie mit Grammy Awards Marguerite in Berlioz’ The Damnation of bedeutenden Opernhäusern der Welt gastiert, In jüngerer Zeit hat David Rendall sich mit ausgezeichnet. Zu seinen weiteren Aufnahmen Faust einschließt. Ihr letztes Gastspiel bei in Rollen wie Suor Angelica (Mailänder Scala), schwierigerem Repertoire auseinandergesetzt, gehören , Pagliacci und derTruppe erfolgte in der vorliegenden Leonora in Il trovatore (Verona), Stiffelio (Teatro darunter Gabriele Adorno, Alvaro, La bohème (sämtlich bei Chandos/Peter Inszenierung von Mary Stuart. Janet Baker La Fenice, Venedig), Ariadne und Medea Cavaradossi, Hoffmann, Werther, Oedipus Moores Foundation), sowie Der Raub der hat zahlreiche Auszeichnungen erhalten, (Opéra Bastille, Paris), Desdemona und Amelia Rex, Luigi (Puccinis The Cloak) und Otello für Lucrezia, Gloriana und Troilus and Cressida darunter den Hamburger Shakespeare-Preis (Wiener Staatsoper), Madama Butterfly die English National Opera, Glyndebourne (diese Produktion wurde wiederum von der (1971) und die Ehrendoktorwürde der (Houston ) und Santuzza sowie die Opernhäuser in Frankfurt und Peter Moores Foundation gefördert und bei Universitäten von London, Birmingham und (Staatsoper Berlin). Für die English National Straßburg und La Bastille in Paris. Zu seinen Chandos produziert). Oxford. Sie wurde 1970 zum Commander Opera ist sie in Othello aufgetreten, in Mary zahlreichen Aufnahmen zählen Händels und 1976 zum Dame of the British Empire Stuart, The Turn of the Screw (für diese Rolle Ariodante, Korngolds Die Kathrin, Mozarts John Tomlinson wurde in Lancashire geboren erhoben. Zu ihren Aufzeichnungen auf wurde sie mit dem Olivier Award aus- Così fan tutte, Puccinis La rondine, Elgars und absolvierte in Manchester seine Tonträger gehören Händels Ariodante und gezeichnet) und Puccinis The Cloak (Il tabarro). The Apostles und Beethovens Neunte Sinfonie. Ausbildung als Ingenieur, bevor er am Royal Julius Caesar, Glucks Orfeo ed Euridice, Zu ihren Aufnahmen auf Tonträger zählen Manchester of Music ein Stipendium erhielt. Mahlers Das Lied von der Erde und zahlreiche Mendelssohns Elias, Offenbachs Les contes Alan Opie wurde in Cornwall geboren und Seit 1974 hatte er regelmäßig Engagements an Recitalprogramme. d’Hoffmann sowie Verdis Otello und Il trovatore. studierte an der Guildhall School of Music and der English National Opera und seit 1976 an 36 37 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 38

der Royal Opera, außerdem ist er an der Opera sowie Marcellina und Musetta. Sie hat unter Sir Charles Mackerras hat sich intensiv mit und Mahler sowie Händels Julius Caesar und North, der Scottish Opera, der Glyndebourne anderem Monteverdis achtes Madrigalbuch der Aufführungspraxis des 18. und 19. Jahr- Verdis La traviata mit der English National Festival und Touring Opera sowie der Kent aufgenommen. hunderts befaßt, was seine musikalischen Opera. Opera aufgetreten. Zu seinen frühen Rollen Interpretationen wesentlich beeinflußte. Seine Sir Charles Mackerras wurde 1974 mit dem zählen Figaro, Masetto, Hunding, Hagen, Sir Charles Mackerras wurde 1925 als Kind beeindruckende Diskographie umfaßt den CBE ausgezeichnet und 1979 für seine Pimen und König Heinrich (Lohengrin). australischer Eltern in den USA geboren und preisgekrönten Zyklus der Opern Janácˇeks mit Verdienste um die Musik geadelt. Außerdem Seit 1988 hat John Tomlinson jährlich auf studierte in Sydney und Prag. Sein Debüt den Wiener Philharmonikern, Brittens erhielt er die Verdienstmedaille der dem Bayreuther Festival gesungen, wo er als als Operndirigent feierte er in Sadler’s Wells, Gloriana (ausgezeichnet mit dem Gramophone Tschechischen Republik und wurde zum Wotan (Das Rheingold und Die Walküre), wo er wesentlichen Anteil an der Produktion Award), die Sinfonien von Beethoven, Brahms Mitglied des “Order of Australia” ernannt. der Wanderer (Siegfried ), Titurel und der sensationellen britischen Erstaufführung Gurnemanz (Parzival) und König Markus von Janácˇeks Kát’a Kabanová hatte, die dazu (Tristan und Isolde) zu hören war. Zu seinen führte, daß Janácˇeks Werke ihren Weg ins weiteren Rollen zählen Hans Sachs (Die britische Standardrepertoire fanden. Er war Meistersinger), der Landgraf (Tannhäuser), Chefdirigent an der Hamburger Oper Hagen (Götterdämmerung) und Baron Ochs (1966–69) und Musikdirektor an der Oper (Der Rosenkavalier). Seine Aufnahmen umfassen von Sadler’s Wells, der nachmaligen English den Ring-Zyklus, Verdis La forza del destino und National Opera (1970–77) sowie der Welsh La traviata, sowie Highlights aus Mussorgskis National Opera (1987–92), wo unter anderem Boris Godunow und Strauss’ Rosenkavalier (für seine bemerkenswerten Janácˇek- Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation). Inszenierungen große Beachtung fanden. Die Inszenierung und Einspielung von Osud Angela Bostock wurde in Cheshire geboren wurden von der Peter Moores Foundation und studierte am Royal Northern College of gefördert, die auch die Einspielung von Music und dem London Opera Centre. Für The Cunning Little Vixen unterstützte. Sir die Royal Opera sang sie in Gianni Schicchi Charles Mackerras ist Ehrendirigent des sowie die Gerhilde (Wagners Ring) und Ellen Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Emeritus- Orford (Peter Grimes), für die Opera North Dirigent der Welsh National Opera, erster trat sie als Marianne (Der Rosenkavalier) auf Gastdirigent der San Francisco Opera und seit und für die English National Opera als Erste der Spielzeit 1998/99 Musikdirektor des Dame (Die Zauberflöte), Flora (La traviata) Orchestra of St Luke’s in New York. 38 39 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 40

intrigue. La séduction de la Mary de Schiller l’ambigu Leicester – ou plutôt, la passion de Donizetti: Mary Stuart en tant qu’héroïne a été bien observée par le Mortimer fusionne avec l’influence politique critique Gary Schmidgall, qui parle de la de Leicester pour créer un caractère davantage “tristesse et de la noble sérénité de la reine dans la veine d’un amant conventionnel Une introduction à Mary Stuart qui l’intriguèrent le plus. Un opéra sur Essex, prisonnière (riche d’inspiration pour la veine d’opéra. Mais seulement à peine davantage; car Au printemps 1834, Donizetti se trouvait au Roberto Devereux, devint finalement une réalité mélodique suavement mélancolique si il est clair que l’un des aspects les plus zénith de sa carrière. Les douze mois précédents en 1837; les espoirs d’une Maria Tudor caractéristique de Donizetti) faisant contraste frappants de Mary Stuart réside dans cette avaient été exceptionnellement affairés: en effet, s’effondrèrent lorsque Felice Romani se révéla avec une grandeur et une fierté d’esprit (idéales variante très inhabituelle du triangle il venait de produire quatre nouveaux opéras incapable de produire un livret à temps. En pour les effusions plus démonstratives de romantique éternel: un courtisan et deux reines dans trois villes différentes (Parisina à Florence; s’attaquant à l’histoire de la reine Mary Mary). A l’époque du bel canto, une ‘belle, ennemies. Et nous remarquerons qu’en Torquato Tasso à Rome; Lucrezia Borgia à d’Ecosse, telle qu’elle est rapportée dans la malheureuse et altière’ héroïne était ce qu’il y composant un opéra pour deux prime donne, Milan; et Rosmonda d’Inghilterra, de nouveau à grande tragédie de Friedrich von Schiller, avait de plus désirable pour un rôle titre.” La Donizetti fit preuve d’une témérité vis-à-vis des Florence), et avait effectué une révision pour Donizetti allait porter ces tendances littéraires stylisation lyrique grandissante des drames conventions de son époque que même un Venise de son opéra de 1831, Fausta. Parisina, et historiques à un parfait point culminant. tardifs de Schiller offre de nombreux prétextes Verdi eût désapprouvé. d’après Byron, et Lucrezia Borgia, d’après Travaillant contre la montre comme il le à des chansons; tandis que la clarté du schéma Victor Hugo, montraient l’intérêt grandissant faisait si souvent, et dans l’impossibilité pour dramatique est également utile, en particulier Pendant la seconde moitié du XXe siècle, du compositeur pour la nouvelle littérature des raisons inconnues de trouver un parce qu’il repose sur un magnifique point Mary Stuart est devenue l’une des partitions de romantique qui commençait à déferler de collaborateur pour lui écrire un livret, Donizetti culminant (la rencontre fictive entre les deux Donizetti les plus admirées; en son temps, elle l’Europe du nord vers l’Italie. Rosmonda s’adressa à un jeune enthousiaste de dix-sept ans reines) qui avec sa tension progressivement fut l’une des plus malchanceuses. Alors que les d’Inghilterra – qui suivit Il castello di Kenilworth du nom de Giuseppe Bardari. La collaboration croissante, ses moments de calme très chargé et semaines de l’été 1834 passaient, il y avait (Naples, 1830) et Anna Bolena (Milan, 1830) – entre le compositeur expérimenté et le poète son dénouement explosif, pourrait être décrit certainement un peu de nervosité concernant suggèrent également que Donizetti, à l’instar de novice (qui devint plus tard juriste, magistrat et comme un grand finale concertanto à l’état les réactions de la censure, mais les problèmes tant de ses compatriotes de son temps, préfet de police) dut ressembler à celle qui se embryonnaire. semblent avoir été résolus à la satisfaction commençait à percevoir l’histoire de développa quelque dix ans plus tard entre Verdi Pour les besoins de l’opéra, il va sans dire générale. Donizetti dut également faire face à l’Angleterre comme étant une nouvelle mine de et Francesco Maria Piave. En fait, l’impressario que l’action doit être simplifiée; le contexte l’hostilité croissante entre ses deux chanteuses sujets dramatiques très séduisante. Alors qu’il Alessandro Lanari raconta que Bardari prépara historique ne peut être qu’à peine évoqué; les principales, Ronzi de Begnis et Del Sere, une songeait à des sujets possibles pour un nouvel le livret “sous la dictée [de Donizetti]”. caractérisations parallèles fascinantes dont hostilité qui, grâce aux comptes rendus de la opéra pour Naples, l’histoire anglaise s’imposa à Donizetti était à l’évidence convaincu que Schiller est si friant ne peuvent trouver place presse, servit à accroître l’intérêt porté à la lui de nouveau, les personnages de Mary Tudor son modèle littéraire pouvait être pris au ici; il n’y a pas non plus de place pour création prochaine. Ce conflit parvint à son et du comte d’Essex d’Elisabeth Ier étant ceux sérieux, et lui fournit plus qu’une simple l’idéaliste impulsif qu’est Mortimer ni pour point culminant lors d’une répétition générale, 40 41 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 42

au cours de laquelle, selon les mots du Teatri, d’après les instructions de la Direction, et Buondelmonte était de déplacer le centre dans des notes manuscrites apparemment Arti e Letteratura, un périodique de l’époque, donnée sous le titre de Giovanna Grey… d’intérêt sur Mary de manière encore plus préparées pour une conférence à Vienne, “la mauvaise volonté de Mary fit tellement Le pire se produisit… Sa Majesté n’approuva marquée, et l’une des conséquences pour la “Après lui (je parle pour l’Italie), tous les enrager Elisabeth, par nature la plus coléreuse, pas; dorénavant, il ne devait plus y avoir direction du théâtre de Milan fut que son autre compositeurs vécurent et continuèrent à vivre qu’au beau milieu d’un finale, elle se précipita aucune mort sur scène […] Enfin, réfléchir, star, la soprano Sofia Schoberlechner, refusa de avec le savoir, le goût et les techniques nés du sur son ennemie, la tira par les cheveux, lui cogiter… essayons une troisième tentative. chanter le rôle d’Elisabeth. Comme elle style créé par ce génie.” frappa les oreilles, la mordit, la giffla, et lui Nous l’adaptons sous le titre de Buondelmonte. l’expliqua à la Malibran, “ils viennent juste de Pour le public d’aujourd’hui, la dette la plus brisa presque les jambes en lui donnant des Quelqu’un peut le faire en huit ou dix jours en me donner la partie composée pour Del Sere évidente de la génération de Donizetti envers coups de pieds furieux.” réutilisant les mêmes situations, ne changeant dans la Mary Stuart de Naples; elle consiste en Rossini est le rythme dramatique des En dépit de ces événements mouvementés, simplement que le récitatifs […] Et voilà, le une aria d’ouverture dans l’introduction, puis différentes scènes qui constituent l’opéra. Ils Donizetti estima que les répétitions s’étaient bricolage est terminé! Entre le 15 et le 18 de ce d’un duo avec le ténor et d’un terzetto!!! apprirent de lui comment articuler le spectacle bien déroulées, et que l’opéra avait toutes les mois d’octobre, cette naissance en trois parties [c’est-à-dire, rien qu’un terzetto] dans tout le théâtral afin que la musique soit tour à tour chances d’un brillant succès. Ce fut donc un voit le jour, et Dieu seul sait comment. Si je ne deuxième acte. Vous pouvez imaginer, ma descriptive, dramatique et véhémente. Ce que coup dévastateur quand, de manière tout à fait l’avais pas fait, quelqu’un d’autre l’eut fait après chère amie, dans quel état je me trouve.” l’on a souvent qualifié de “code Rossini” peut inattendue, le roi Ferdinando fit interdire la mon départ de la ville, et ils auraient prétendu L’incapacité de la direction à trouver une trouver une illustration dans la cavatine de représentation. L’interdiction fut d’abord donner un nouvel opéra de Donizetti.” remplaçante vraiment excellente pour Elisabeth Mary à l’Acte II, une scène qui est plus proche attribuée au désir de protéger la susceptibilité aida à condamner l’opéra à un succès plutôt de Schiller qu’à l’accoutumée, puisque le poète de la reine Maria Cristina; mais peut-être le roi La véritable Mary Stuart dut sa première indifférent; et quand la censure milanaise allemand inséra des vers lyriques à cet endroit en avait-il tout simplement assez de ce régime production scénique à l’intérêt que lui porta la découvrit que la Malibran défiait ses pour exprimer la joie ressentie par la reine à d’histoires tragiques et sanguinaires que le goût mezzo-soprano Maria Malibran, et qui décida instructions (en continuant de traiter Elisabeth pouvoir s’évader dans l’air frais du parc. romantique était en train d’infliger à son de la chanter à Milan. Donizetti, ravi par la de “vil bastarda”, de porter autour du cou Parce qu’il y a eu un changement de scène, théâtre San Carlo, et que davantage de soirées perspective de collaborer avec la chanteuse la l’ordre de la Toison d’or, de se mettre à genoux du palais de Whitehall à Fotheringhay, la devaient être – selon les termes d’un document plus sensationnelle de son temps, offrit de lors de sa confession avec Talbot), elle fit musique commence par un prélude de cour de l’époque – “consacrées à l’exultation composer une nouvelle Ouverture; un duo interdire toute nouvelle représentation. instrumental animé, suggérant l’atmosphère publique”. qu’il avait écrit pour Buondelmonte (pour aérée et lumineuse du lieu, et l’enthousiasme Les conséquences de l’interdiction ont été le remplacer le duo Elisabeth–Leicester de l’Acte Alors que Donizetti aidait à introduire un avec lequel Mary marche rapidement à travers mieux décrites par Donizetti lui-même: I de Mary Stuart) fut retenu pour devenir le nouveau climat moral dans l’opéra italien, le les arbres. Elle tente de convaincre Hannah de “Puisque la musique fut jugée bonne, il fallut duo Mary–Leicester de l’Acte II. Bien que le cadre formel dans lequel il travaillait était partager sa joie devant les beautés qui les l’adapter de différentes manières, soit par la duo Elisabeth–Leicester ait été rétabli, l’effet hérité; la grande source de cet héritage était entourent, son récitatif prenant de plus en plus Direction, soit par moi-même travaillant réalisé par l’ajout du nouveau duo extrait de Rossini. Comme Donizetti l’écrivit lui-même les accents d’une chanson jusqu’au moment où 42 43 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 44

il se transforme en une aria, le cantabile “You d’autres ou encore être omis à des fins l’expression de la sérénité intérieure qu’elle a besoins de tel ou tel chanteur dans ces opéras murmuring breezes that round me are flying” – dramatiques; dans les scènes d’ensemble, les finalement conquise. bel canto du XIXe siècle, nous avons nous- une paraphrase du deuxième vers du poème de mouvements supplémentaires tendait à même eu recours à cette pratique. Cela a eu Schiller, “Eilende Wolken! Segler der Lüfte” – s’accumuler autour du cadre de base, par © 1999 David Kimbell pour effet de simplement abaisser la tessiture dans laquelle Mary se souvient de son enfance exemple un tempo d’attacco (mouvement vocale d’aujourd’hui au niveau de celle du heureuse passée en France. Des sonneries de d’ouverture) tel que celui d’Elisabeth et de Mary Stuart – La production 1982 de temps de Donizetti, à une époque où des cors de chasse entendues dans le lointain la Talbot qui mène au trio du début de l’Acte III. l’English National Opera mezzo- aussi exceptionnelles que ramènent dans le présent; c’est la partie de Il était courant qu’un tel tempo d’attacco – La partition vocale (depuis longtemps épuisée) Maria Malibran étaient capables de chanter ce chasse d’Elisabeth, et dans quelques instants, souvent un tempo di mezzo également – ait que nous avons utilisée pour cette production qui aujourd’hui seraient classés comme étant les deux reines vont se rencontrer. Cette recours au parlante, qui est un genre de est celle de l’édition Gérard, publiée à Paris, et des rôles de sopranos, au diapason orchestral transition animée (tempo di mezzo) conduit à chanson déclamatoire ou emphatique soutenue qui est en grande partie la même que celle plus bas alors en usage général. Il est sans doute une énergique et brillante cabalette, “In the par des thèmes orchestraux. Sur le plan musical publiée originalement par Cottrau à Naples. intéressant de rappeler que de telles peace of my gloomy seclusion”, au cours de (à cause de sa variété) comme sur le plan Comme la partition autographe de transpositions sont encore régulièrement laquelle Mary s’efforce de se préparer à théâtral (à cause de l’impulsion palpitante qu’il Donizetti a apparemment disparu sans laisser effectuées de nos jours, et sans aucune remise l’épreuve qui s’approche. Elle est chantée deux construit), le “code Rossini” s’imposait de lui- de trace, notre matériel d’orchestre est celui qui en question, dans de nombreux rôles d’opéras fois, avec un développement orchestral entre même aux compositeurs, aux interprètes et au fut utilisé pour la production de l’opéra du répertoire courant tels que Le barbier de les deux. Ce schéma, prélude instrumental public. A l’intérieur de ses contraintes donnée au Camden Festival de 1966. Celui-ci Séville, Norma, La sonnambula, Il trovatore, (pour évoquer le décor), récitatif (pour apparentes, Donizetti fit preuve de resources avait été préparé à partir d’un microfilm d’une La traviata, et même La bohème. expliquer la situation), cantabile (pour infinies. Une caractéristique particulière de son copie manuscrite de la partition qui se trouve Il semble que cette production de Mary réfléchir), tempo di mezzo (pour offrir la raison style est la cabalette lente ou tendre (comme au Conservatoire de Naples, et qui avait été Stuart soit la première jamais donnée en anglais, d’un changement d’humeur), et cabalette par exemple “If she dare trust in me” de obtenu par Jeremy Commons grâce à l’aimable et nous avons eu le sentiment que le librettiste (pour affronter le futur), est repris tout au long Leicester), ou une cabalette dans laquelle la autorisation des autorités de San Pietro a de Donizetti, Giuseppe Bardari, avait pris de l’opéra. seconde exposition est variée de manière Majella; nous souhaitons ici les remercier tous certaines libertés avec l’histoire de l’Angleterre Un tel schéma n’était pas un carcan, mais pertinente. Ainsi, la modulation rapide dans le très chaleureusement de leur aide. L’édition (suivant en cela l’exemple de Schiller et de tant une forme de stylisation qui accélérait le travail ton majeur dans la seconde exposition de la Gérard ne comporte ni l’Ouverture, ni les d’autres dramaturges et librettistes) qui ne de composition (le premier paragraphe de cet cabalette de Mary, “Though you once made a diverses additions et retouches que le seraient plus entièrement acceptables pour le essai montre pourquoi ce procédé était vow to protect me”, pendant laquelle elle se compositeur fut amené à effectuer par la suite public d’aujourd’hui à l’écoute d’un opéra désirable!), et qui aidait le public à suivre, prépare à être conduite à l’échafaud, est un pour la production de son opéra à La Scala de s’inspirant d’un sujet aussi familier, et chanté comprendre et apprécier ces opéras. Certains exemple typiquement simple mais parlant – Milan. Suivant l’usage courant de transposer dans sa propre langue. Par ailleurs, Donizetti et de ses éléments pouvaient fusionner avec un sourire à travers les larmes, peut-être, ou certains mouvements pour convenir aux son librettiste durent faire face aux contraintes 44 45 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 46

créées par le nombre limité de chanteurs d’organiser une rencontre, mais qu’à chaque son mariage avec le duc d’Anjou. Elisabeth fait main. En obéissant, Leicester l’implore disponibles lors de la production de Naples, ce fois, un incident de dernière minute hors de son entrée, et révèle qu’elle ne sait pas encore si d’accepter l’idée d’une entrevue avec Mary. qui a abouti à un télescopage de certains leur contrôle les en empêcha. En conséquence, elle doit ou non unir les trônes d’Angleterre et Malgré sa colère provoquée par les aspirations personnages historiques plutôt singulier. le coup de théâtre de la confrontation de France par ce mariage, mais elle affirme orgueilleuses de Mary au trône d’Angleterre et Un incident particulier dans l’opéra concerne imaginaire inventé par Schiller se voit en qu’elle agira uniquement dans l’intérêt de son sa jalousie intense de l’affection de Leicester, le prostestant George Talbot, comte de quelque sorte justifié, et fournit une scène peuple. Cependant, Elisabeth confesse en Elisabeth est émue par la lettre de Mary et par Shrewsbury, un homme de confiance de intense et émouvante à la pièce tout comme à aparté que sa liberté est entravée par l’amour les supplications de Leicester, et accepte à l’entourage d’Elisabeth, qui a pour l’opéra. secret qu’elle nourrit pour un autre homme contrecœur de la rencontrer. responsabilité de superviser l’emprisonnement L’action de la première partie de l’opéra a été (Leicester). Talbot et des courtisans viennent de Mary Stuart. Selon Bardari, le jour même de avancée à l’année 1571, époque où Mary était implorer le pardon pour Mary Stuart, qui est Acte II l’exécution, Talbot se révèle subitement être un emprisonnée à Chatsworth, et le grand point actuellement emprisonnée à Chatsworth, mais Dans le parc de Chatsworth, trois mois plus tard prêtre catholique, et reçoit l’ultime confession culminant est atteint lors de la rencontre le cœur jaloux d’Elisabeth est porté à la Mary se promène dans les jardins de de Mary. C’est la scène qui souleva la colère de imaginaire entre Elisabeth et Mary. La suite de vengeance, un sentiment attisé par Cecil. Chatsworth avec sa compagne Hannah la censure italienne à une époque où la l’opéra traite des événements ultimes de la vie Leicester entre et reçoit l’ordre d’Elisabeth Kennedy, et les scènes de la nature lui représentation des sacrements de l’Eglise sur de Mary à Fotheringhay, quand elle est d’aller porter sa bague à l’émissaire de la France rappellent son enfance passée en France. En scène était formellement interdite. Ce finalement condamnée à mort pour avoir pris comme témoignage de son acceptation entendant les bruits de l’équipage de la chasse dénouement impossible (qui résulte de la fusion part au complot de Babington d’assassiner provisoire à la proposition de mariage. royale, Mary comprend qu’Elisabeth est dans de deux personnages, à savoir celui de Talbot et Elisabeth. Ces altérations n’ont nécessité que Profondément blessée par la froideur de sa les alentours, et craint de rencontrer sa cousine. celui du jeune Mortimer de la pièce de Schiller) quelques retouches au texte, afin de préserver réaction face à cette nouvelle, Elisabeth sort et Leicester arrive, et déclare que la chasse est tout a été dépouillé dans cette production de toute la vraisemblance historique, tandis que la laisse Leicester avec Talbot. Talbot parle alors simplement un prétexte d’Elisabeth pour lui signification sacramentelle. Si dans l’opéra de musique reste inchangée. de l’idée d’une entrevue avec Mary dans sa rendre visite. Il supplie Mary de se soumettre à Donizetti, il existe un fort attachement prison, et confie à Leicester un portrait et une Elisabeth s’il elle veut sauver sa vie. Mary se sentimental entre Mary et Leicester, nous avons © Tom Hammond lettre de Mary lui demandant son aide. Malgré sauve quand Elisabeth s’approche avec Cecil et estimé que celui-ci ne possédait pas un caractère les avertissements de Talbot des dangers son équipage, mais elle est ramenée plus tard véritablement historique, et devait donc être Argument encourus, Leicester fait le serment d’assurer la devant la reine par Talbot. Alors qu’il s’agit de minimisé dans le texte. libération de Mary, même si cela doit être au leur première rencontre, les deux reines Il est bien connu que les deux reines ne se Acte I prix de sa propre vie. Quand Elisabeth revient ressentent immédiatement de l’hostilité l’une sont jamais rencontrées dans la réalité; Le palais de Whitehall, 1571 et s’adresse à Leicester, elle soupçonne devant envers l’autre, mais Mary s’humilie et implore cependant, des documents historiques La cour est réunie, et attend avec impatience son agitation qu’il a reçu un message secret de le pardon. En réponse, Elisabeth est hautaine témoignent qu’elles tentèrent plusieurs fois l’arrivée de la reine Elisabeth qui doit annoncer Mary, et exige de voir la lettre qu’il tient à la et méprisante, et accuse Mary de trahison, de 46 47 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 48

meurtre et de débauche. Mary, accablée de la sentence de mort, puis la laisse seule avec Dame Janet Baker s’est produite avec les Shakespeare de Hambourg en 1971 et le titre manière intolérable, dénonce Elisabeth comme Talbot. Il lui apprend qu’Elisabeth a ordonné à orchestres et les les plus illustres dans de docteur honoris causa de l’université de étant la fille bâtarde d’. Rendue Leicester d’assister à son exécution. Mary le monde et elle a enregistré avec toutes les plus Londres, de l’université de Birmingham et de furieuse par les insultes de Mary, Elisabeth devient éperdue, et croit voir les fantômes de grandes troupes lyriques. Née dans le celle d’Oxford. Dame Janet Baker est devenue ordonne aux gardes de se saisir d’elle et de la Darnley et du jeune Rizzio. Talbot la presse de Yorkshire, elle étudie le chant avec Helene Commander of the British Empire (CBE) en ramener en prison. s’en remettre au ciel, et de se préparer à mourir Isepp puis Meriel St. Clair. En 1956 elle 1970 et Dame of the British Empire (DBE) en avec résignation. remporte le deuxième Prix du Kathleen Ferrier 1976. Elle a fait de très nombreux Acte III Award et dès lors s’impose sur la scène enregistrements, gravant entre autres Ariodante Scène 1 Scène 3 internationale, où elle devient tout autant et Julius Caesar de Haendel, Orphée et Eurydice Le palais de Whitehall, seize ans plus tard (1587) Dans une pièce du château de Fotheringhay, à réputée pour ses récitals de Lieder, ses rôles de Gluck, Das Lied von der Erde de Mahler et Cecil presse Elisabeth de signer l’acte côté de la salle d’exécution lyriques que ses solos de concert. Elle se fait un grand nombre de récitals. d’exécution de Mary à la suite de sa complicité La foule qui attend est remplie d’horreur à la remarquer entre autres dans Dido and Aeneas dans le complot de Babington d’assassiner la vue de la préparation du supplice. Quand Mary de Purcell à Aldeburgh avec l’English National Rosalind Plowright a fait une carrière reine, mais Elisabeth demeure encore indécise apparaît, vêtue de ses insignes royaux, elle fait Opera en 1962, dans le rôle-titre du Rape of particulièrement brillante. Elle a étudié au car elle ne parvient pas à se résoudre à ses adieux, puis tout le monde s’unit à elle en Lucretia de Britten (en 1964 et 1970) et dans Royal Northern College of Music et au condamner une monarque qui a été sacrée. une prière finale implorant le pardon de Dieu. le rôle de Kate dans Owen Wingrave (1971) London Opera Centre, obtenant deux bourses, Cecil parvient finalement à convaincre On tire un coup de canon, et Cecil annonce Pour le Royal Opera elle est Vitellia (La l’une auprès de la Peter Moores Foundation et Elisabeth de signer, et au même instant entre que l’heure de l’exécution est proche. Mary clémence de Titus), et l’Alceste de Gluck, pour l’autre de Peter Stuyvesant. En 1984, elle grava Leicester. Quand il apprend que Mary est pardonne à Elisabeth, et prie pour le bien-être Glyndebourne Diana/Jupiter (La Calisto de le rôle de Leonora dans le Il trovatore avec condamnée à mort, il tente une dernière fois de l’Angleterre. Leicester entre alors, et apparaît Cavalli), et elle interprète Pénélope (Le Retour Placido Domingo sous la direction de Carlo d’obtenir sa clémence, mais reproche à fort agité. Mary tente de l’appaiser, mais quand d’Ulysse de Monteverdi), pour le Scottish Maria Giulini, un disque qui fut nominé pour Elisabeth d’être cruelle et jalouse quand celle-ci on tire un deuxième coup de canon, elle se met Opera elle est Didon (Les troyens de Berlioz) et un Grammy. Cette année-là fut aussi celle de refuse de céder. Elisabeth lui ordonne alors à prostester de son innocence, et demande à pour l’English National Opera elle chante un ses débuts au Royal Opera dans le rôle de d’assister à l’exécution de Mary. Leicester de la soutenir alors que l’heure de son répertoire allant de Monteverdi au Werther de Maddalena (Andrea Chénier) avec Jose Carreras trépas approche. On entend un troisième coup Massenet, en passant par Julius Caesar de et dans Aïda avec Luciano Pavarotti. Scène 2 de canon, et à ce signal, Mary est conduite à Haendel et The Damnation of Faust de Berlioz Rosalind Plowright s’est produite sur les plus Les appartements de Mary au château de l’échafaud. (Marguerite). C’est avec la présente production grandes scènes lyriques du monde entier, Fotheringhay de Mary Stuart qu’elle fait ses adieux à tenant entre autres les rôles de Suor Angelica Mary se lamente sur son malheur, et reçoit la © English National Opera l’English National Opera. Elle a reçu de (La Scala de Milan), Leonora dans Il trovatore visite de Talbot et de Cecil; ce dernier lui remet Traduction: Francis Marchal nombreuses distinctions, comme le Prix (Vérone), Stiffelio (La Fenice à Venise), Ariane 48 49 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 50

et Médée (l’Opéra Bastille), Desdémone et Alvaro, Cavaradossi, Hoffmann, Werther, Chandos en collaboration avec la Peter Moores Boris Godounov de Moussorgsky et du Amelia (Opéra d’état de Vienne), Madama Oedipus Rex, Luigi (The Cloak de Puccini) et Foundation), Le viol de Lucrèce, Gloriana et Rosenkavalier de Strauss (pour Chandos en Butterfly (Grand Opera de Houston) et Othello pour l’English National Opera ainsi Troilus et Cressida (une production financée par collaboration avec la Fondation Peter Moores). Santuzza (Opéra d’état de Berlin). Pour qu’à Glyndebourne, Francfort, Paris (l’Opéra la Peter Moores Foundation) et enregistrée par l’English National Opera, elle a chanté dans Bastille) et Strasbourg. Il a fait de nombreux Chandos). Angela Bostock est née dans le Cheshire et a Othello, Mary Stuart, The Turn of the Screw enregistrements, gravant entre autres Ariodante fait ses études au Royal Northern College of (pour lequel elle remporta un Olivier Award) de Haendel, Die Kathrin de Korngold, Così fan John Tomlinson est né dans le Lancashire; Music et au London Opera Centre. Elle a et The Cloak de Puccini. Elle a enregistré entre tutte de Mozart, La rondine de Puccini, Les après avoir achevé son diplôme d’ingénieur des chanté pour le Royal Opera dans Gianni autres Elijah de Mendelssohn, Les contes apôtres d’Elgar et la Neuvième symphonie de travaux publics à Manchester, il a obtenu une Schicchi ainsi que dans le cycle de l’Anneau d’Hoffmann d’Offenbach ainsi qu’Othello et Beethoven. bourse d’études au Royal Manchester College (Gerhilde) et Peter Grimes (Ellen Orford); elle a Il trovatore de Verdi. of Music. Il chante régulièrement avec été Marianne (Le chevalier à la rose) pour Alan Opie est né en Cornouailles et a fait ses l’English National Opera depuis 1974 et avec Opera North et la Première dame (The Magic David Rendall a fait ses études musicales au études à la Guildhall School of Music and le Royal Opera depuis 1976; il s’est également Flute), Flora (La traviata), Marcelline et Royal College of Music de Londres et à Drama et au London Opera Centre. Principal produit avec Opera North, Scottish Opera, Musetta pour l’English National Opera. Elle a Salzbourg. Il s’est produit sur les plus grandes baryton de l’English National Opera pendant l’Opéra du Festival de Glyndebourne et le enregistré entre autres le Huitième livre de scènes lyriques et dans les principales salles de plusieurs saisons, il a également chanté avec les Glyndebourne Touring Opera ainsi qu’avec madrigaux de Monteverdi. concert du monde entier, chantant par exemple principales troupes lyriques britanniques Kent Opera. Parmi ses premiers rôles notons les rôles d’Idoménée, Titus et Belmonte de comme le Royal Opera House à Covent ceux de Figaro, Masetto, Hunding, Hagen, Sir Charles Mackerras naquit en 1925 aux Mozart ainsi que ceux de Tamino et Lensky (au Garden, l’Opéra du Festival de Glyndebourne Pimène et du roi Henri (Lohengrin). Etats-Unis de parents australiens et fit ses Metropolitan Opera de New York), Alfredo, et Opera North. Sa carrière internationale l’a Depuis 1988 il chante chaque année au études à Sydney et Prague. Il fit ses débuts de des Grieux et Rodolfo (au Royal Opera House conduit sur les scènes lyriques de Bayreuth, Festival de Bayreuth où il a été Wotan (L’or du chef lyrique au Sadler’s Wells, où il contribua à à Covent Garden); il a chanté à San Francisco, Paris, Amsterdam, Chicago, Milan (La Scala), Rhin et La Walkyrie), le Voyageur (Siegfried ), la première britannique de Kát’a Kabanová de Santa Fe, au Festival Mozart à Paris et à Munich, Berlin, Vienne, Bruxelles et New York Titurel et Gurnemanz (Parsifal ) et le roi Marke Janácˇek, une création sensationnelle qui assura Glyndebourne, et s’est produit en concert (Metropolitan Opera). (Tristan et Isolde). Parmi ses autres rôles, notons à Janácˇek de figurer au répertoire des troupes auprès de chefs d’orchestre aussi illustres que Alan Opie a remporté un Grammy pour son ceux de Hans Sachs (Les maîtres chanteurs), britanniques. Il fut Chef d’orchestre principal Karajan, Bernstein, Levine, Barenboim, Mehta enregistrement de Peter Grimes (chez Chandos) du Landgrave (Tannhäuser), de Hagen de l’Opéra de Hambourg (1966–1969) et et Ozawa. et celui des Maîtres chanteurs (avec le Chicago (Le crépuscule des Dieux) et du Baron Ochs directeur musical du Sadler’s Wells Opera (qui Ces dernières années, David Rendall s’est Symphony Orchestra placé sous la direction de (Le chevalier à la rose). Il a enregistré entre deviendrait l’English National Opera) entre attaqué à un répertoire plus difficile, tenant Solti). Il a également gravé The Barber of autres le cycle de l’Anneau, La force du destin et 1970 et 1977 et du Welsh National Opera entre autres les rôles de Gabriele Adorno, Seville, Pagliacci et La bohème (tous pour La traviata de Verdi ainsi que les grands airs de entre 1987 et 1992, où ses productions 50 51 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 52

remarquables de Janácˇek furent accueillies avec Sa vaste discographie comprend un cycle primé enthousiasme. La production et des opéras de Janácˇek avec la Philharmonie de Donizetti: Mary Stuart l’enregistrement d’Osud ont été financés par la Vienne, Gloriana de Britten (primé par la Peter Moores Foundation, qui finança aussi revue Gramophone), des Symphonies de l’enregistrement de La petite renarde rusée. Il est Beethoven, Brahms et Mahler, et avec l’English Un’introduzzione a Mary Stuart che maggiormente lo attiravano. Un’opera sul chef d’orchestre honoraire du Scottish National Opera Julius Caesar de Handel et Primavera del 1834; Donizetti era all’apice Conte di Essex, Roberto Devereux, si Chamber Orchestra et du Welsh National La traviata de Verdi. della sua carriera. Durante i precedenti dodici materializzò alla fine nel 1837; speranze per Opera, l’un des chefs réguliers de l’Opéra de Sir Charles Mackerras est Commander of mesi era stato eccezionalmente attivo: aveva una Maria Tudor si dileguarono quando Felice San Francisco et, depuis la saison 1998–1999, the British Empire (CBE) depuis 1974 et a été prodotto quattro nuove opere in tre città Romani mancò di scrivere un libretto in tempo directeur du St Luke’s Orchestra à New York. anobli en 1979 pour services rendus à la diverse (Parisina a Firenze; Torquato Tasso a dovuto. L’impegno di affrontare la storia di Sir Charles Mackerras a fait des recherches musique. Il s’est vu également décerner la Roma; Lucrezia Borgia a Milano; Rosmonda Maria Stuarda, così come era stata raccontata poussées sur l’interprétation aux XVIIIe et Médaille du mérite de la République tchèque d’Inghilterra di nuovo a Firenze) e scritto una nella grande tragedia di Friedrich von Schiller, XIXe siècles qui ont profondément influencé la et le titre de Companion of the Order of riveduta versione della sua opera Fausta, finì per portare queste tendenze storiche e façon dont il aborde le répertoire aujourd’hui. Australia. composta nel 1831, per Venezia. Parisina, letterarie ad un apice appropriato. basata su un dramma di Byron, e Lucrezia Lavorando a ritmo assillante, come spesso gli Borgia su una tragedia di Victor Hugo, accadeva, e per ragioni ignote incapace di mostrano il crescente interesse di Donizetti alla trovare un collaboratore professionista che gli nuova letteratura romantica che cominciava a scrivesse un libretto, Donizetti si appellò ad un spandersi in Italia dall’Europa Settentrionale. entusiasta diciassettenne chiamato Giuseppe Rosmonda d’Inghilterra – che faceva seguito a Bardari. Le relazioni di lavoro fra il compositore Il castello di Kenilworth (Napoli 1830) e Anna maturo e il poeta novizio (divenuto poi Bolena (Milano 1830) – pure suggeriscono che avvocato, magistrato e prefetto di polizia) Donizetti stava cominciando, come tanti dei devono essere state piuttosto simili a quelle che, suoi contemporanei italiani, a guardare alla dieci anni dopo, di svilupparono fra Verdi e storia britannica come ad un nuovo ed Francesco Maria Piave. In effetti, come ebbe a allettante campo di temi drammatici. Mentre dire l’impresario Alessandro Lanari, Bardari stava riflettendo su possibili soggetti per una stava preparando il libretto “sotto sua dettatura”. nuova opera a Napoli, la storia inglese tornava Donizetti era evidentemente convinto che il alla ribalta, Maria Tudor e il Conte di Essex modello letterario potesse esser preso sul serio e della Regina Elisabetta essendo i personaggi che potesse procurargli qualcosa di più di una 52 53 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 54

semplice trama. Il fascino della Maria di di Mortimer si fonde con l’impatto politico di Elisabetta, di natura più iraconda, che nel bel Finalmente pensa, escogita… si faccia il 3o Schiller come eroina è stato ben osservato dal Leicester per creare un personaggio un po’ più mezzo di un finale, ella si precipita sulla sua tentativo. Mettiamoci sopra il Buondelmonte. critico Gary Schmidgall, il quale scrive della consono alla figura del convenzionale amante nemica, la prende pei capelli, la schiaffeggia, la Chi lo fa in 8 o dieci giorni sulle stesse “malinconia e nobile equilibrio della Regina operistico. Ma c’è solo qualcosa di più; giacché morde, le pesta la faccia co’pugni, e le rompe situazioni, non cambiando che li recitativi di prigioniera (ricchi di ispirazione per la certamente uno degli aspetti più vibranti della quasi le gambe a furia di calci.” metro […] Ecco di fatto il ciabattinismo fatto caratteristica vena melodica di soave tristezza di Maria Stuarda è l’esemplificazione di una Malgrado tali eccitanti eventi Donizetti […] Tra li 15 o li 18 di questo ottobre, questo Donizetti) ed una contrastante nobiltà e variante assai inconsueta dell’eterno triangolo ritenne che le prove fossero andate bene e che triforme parto verrà alla luce, e Dio sa come. Se fierezza di spirito (perfette per le più romantico: un cortigiano, due regine rivali. l’opera avesse tutte le premesse di un brillante da me non era fatto, da altri fatto saria stato pirotecniche effusioni di Maria). Nell’età del E si noti che nel comporre un’opera per due successo. E perciò quando Re Ferdinando, del dopo mia partenza, che gli appaltatori aver bel canto un’eroina ‘bella, infelice e nobile primedonne Donizetti mostrò un’audacia nello tutto inaspettatamente, intervenne e proibì la denno un’opera nuova di Donizetti.” d’animo’ era quanto di meglio si potesse sfidare le convenzioni del suo tempo che rappresentazione, il colpo fu devastante. desiderare per un ruolo di protagonista.” La avrebbe scandalizzato lo stesso Verdi. Dapprima l’interdizione venne attribuita al La vera Maria Stuarda dovette la sua prima crescente stilizzazione lirica dei tardi drammi di desiderio di proteggere la sensibilità della rappresentazione all’interesse del mezzosoprano Schiller offre ampi pretesti al canto; mentre la Nelle ultime decadi del Novecento Maria Regina Maria Cristina; ma forse il Re aveva Maria Malibran che decise di volerla eseguire a chiarezza del disegno drammatico è Stuarda è stata una della opere più ammirate di deciso semplicemente che ne aveva avuto Milano. Donizetti, felice all’idea di una ulteriormente utile, in particolare quando Donizetti; quando egli era in vita fu una delle abbastanza della dieta di racconti tragici e collaborazione con la cantante più sensazionale sfocia in un culmine magnifico (il fittizio più disgraziate. Nel corso delle ultime sanguinari che il gusto romantico stava del suo tempo, si offrì di comporre una nuova incontro fra le due regine) la cui tensione settimane d’estate del 1834 ci fu sicuramente infliggendo al suo teatro San Carlo, e che – Ouverture; un duetto, da lui composto per lentamente ascendente, i cui momenti di stasi un certo nervosismo circa le rezioni della come detto in un documento di corte Buondelmonte (per sostituire il duetto ad alta tensione e conclusione esplosiva censura, ma certi problemi sembra siano stati contemporaneo – un maggior numero di recite Elisabetta–Leicester nell’Atto I di Maria potrebbero ben essere descritti come un grande trattati con soddisfazione di tutti. Donizetti avrebbe dovuto essere “consacrato all’esultanza Stuarda) fu serbato e divenne il duetto concertato finale in embrione. dovette inoltre far fronte alla crescente ostilità pubblica”. Maria–Leicester nell’Atto II. Malgrado la Naturalmente, per servire a scopi operistici delle due interpreti principali, Ronzi de Begnis Le conseguenze dell’interdizione vengono più reintegrazione del duetto Elisabetta–Leicester, l’azione deve essere ulteriormente semplificata; e Del Sere: rapporti di questa situazione nella efficacemente descritte nelle parole dello stesso l’effetto di aggiungere all’opera il nuovo duetto il cospicuo contesto storico può essere appena stampa valsero ad aumentare l’interesse Donizetti: “la musica essendo però già giudicata dal Buondelmonte fu quello di spostare il centro accennato; le affascinanti caratterizzazioni nell’imminente premiere. Fu una situazione discreta fu dalla Società, da me per ordine dell’attenzione su Maria in maniera più che parallele che Schiller prediligeva non si che giunse all’apice durante una prova della Società, ridotta ad altre forme in mai pronunciata, ed uno dei risultanti collocano nel suo corso: non c’è posto per generale, allorché, come disse il periodico piccolissime parti, e si dava come Giovanna problemi per la direzione dell’esecuzione l’impulsivo idealista Mortimer così come per contemporaneo Teatri, Arti e Letteratura, “la Grey… Peggio… S.M. non vuole, che morti in milanese fu il rifiuto dell’altra primadonna, l’ambiguo Leicester – o piuttosto, la passione malavoglia di Maria mise talmente in collera iscena non ve ne devono più essere […] Sofia Schoberlechner, di cantare la parte di 54 55 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 56

Elisabetta. Come la Schoberlechner disse alla debito che la generazione di Donizetti deve a regine s’incontreranno. Questa animata del parlante, uno stile di canto declamatorio o Malibran, “Ora appunto che vi scrivo mi si Rossini sta nel ritmo drammatico delle varie transizione (tempo di mezzo) conduce ad retorico sostenuto su temi orchestrali. Sia danno le parti scritte per la Del Sere a Napoli scene che costituiscono un’opera. Da lui un’energica ed infine brillante cabaletta, “Nella musicalmente (a causa della sua varietà), sia della Maria Stuarda, consistenti in una sortita appresero ad articolare lo spettacolo teatrale in pace del mesto riposo” (In the peace of my drammaticamente (per l’eccitante impulso che di introduzione, un duetto col tenore e un modo da rendere la musica volta a volta un gloomy seclusion), nella quale Maria si sforza a costruisce) il “Codice Rossini” rendeva un buon terzetto!!! in tutto il secondo atto. Potete quadro scenico, azione drammatica e melodia prepararsi per l’imminente dura prova. È servizio a compositori, esecutori e pubblico. immaginarvi mia buona amica in che stato io ardente. Quello che è stato spesso chiamato il cantata due volte, con uno sviluppo orchestrale All’interno delle sue apparenti costrizioni mi trovi.” L’incapacità della direzione di trovare “Codice Rossini” può essere illustrato dalla della musica di caccia che separa le due Donizetti lavorava con infinite risorse. Un suo una sostituta realmente efficace per il ruolo di cavatina di Maria nell’Atto II, una scena più affermazioni. Questo schema di preludio particolare distintivo è presente nella cabaletta Elisabetta contribuì a condannare l’opera ad un del solito vicina a Schiller giacché lo stesso strumentale (ad evocare l’ambiente), recitativo lenta ed affettuosa (per esempio, quella di esito piuttosto indifferente; e quando la censura poeta tedesco incluse dei versi lirici per (a spiegare la situazione), cantabile (per Leicester “Se fida tanto” (If she dare trust in milanese notò che la Malibran stava sfidando le esprimere la gioia della regina nell’evadere riflettere), tempo di mezzo (per dare un motivo me)) o in quella dove la seconda affermazione è sue istruzioni (continuando a chiamare nell’aria fresca del parco. ad un cambiamento nello stato d’animo), e opportunamente variata. La fuggevole svolta nel Elisabetta “vil bastarda”, a portare l’ordine del Poiché c’è stato un cambiamento di scena, cabaletta (per fronteggiare il futuro) si risente tono maggiore della seconda dichiarazione di Vello d’Oro intorno al collo, ad inginocchiarsi dal palazzo di Whitehall a Fotheringhay, la più volte nel corso dell’opera. Maria, “Ah! se un giorno” (Though you once per fare la sua confessione a Talbot), ulteriori musica comincia con un preludio strumentale Lo schema non era una camicia di forza ma made a vow to protect me), mentre si prepara rappresentazioni vennero bandite. animato, che evoca la luminosa ariosità una forma di stilizzazione che accelerava la ad essere condotta al patibolo, è un esempio dell’ambiente e l’impetuosa vivacità con cui composizione delle opere (il paragrafo tipicamente semplice ma eloquente – un sorriso Mentre Donizetti stava contribuendo ad Maria si affretta attraverso gli alberi. Cerca di introduttivo di questo saggio sottolinea la fra le lacrime, forse, oppure un’espressione introdurre un nuovo clima morale nell’opera persuadere Hannah a condividere la sua gioia ragione per cui tale procedimento era dell’intima serenità che ha finalmente italiana, la stuttura formale entro la quale egli nella bellezza che le circonda, il suo recitativo desiderabile!), ed aiutava il pubblico a seguire, raggiunto. lavorava era stata da lui ereditata: la grande e divenendo sempre più come una canzone, fin capire e godere l’opera. Per esigenze generosa fonte di questa sua eredità era Rossini. quando sfocia in un’aria, il cantabile “Oh nube drammatiche gli elementi di questo schema © 1999 David Kimbell Come disse lo stesso Donizetti in alcune note che lieve” (You murmuring breezes that round potevano essere fusi od omessi; nelle scene manoscritte, apparentemente preparate per una me are flying) – parafrasando il secondo verso d’insieme, movimenti aggiuntivi tendevano ad Maria Stuarda – La versione della conferenza a Vienna, “Dopo lui (parlo per della poesia di Schiller, “Eilende Wolken! accumularsi intorno alla struttura di base, per rappresentazione allestita nel 1982 dalla l’Italia) ogni altro compositore ha vissuto, e vive Segler der Läfte” – in cui Maria ricorda la sua esempio un tempo d’attacco quale quello di English National Opera o colla scienza o col gusto, o colla pratica, nate felice infanzia in Francia. Lontani corni da Elisabetta e Talbot che conduce al trio all’inizio Il materiale vocale (da tempo fuori stampa) che dallo stile creato da questo genio.” caccia la richiamano al presente; è la partita di dell’Atto III. Di solito un tale tempo d’attacco abbiamo usato per questa esecuzione è quello Per un pubblico moderno il più evidente caccia di Elisabetta e fra un momento le due – spesso anche un tempo di mezzo – farà uso dell’edizione Gérard, pubblicato a Parigi e 56 57 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 58

sostanzialmente lo stesso che fu senza esitazioni in molte opere correntemente sacramenti della Chiesa sulla scena era Elisabetta. Queste alterazioni hanno richiesto originariamente pubblicato da Cottrau a in repertorio quali Il barbiere di Siviglia, rigorosamente proibita. Questo impossibile solo alcuni adattamenti al testo per riguardo Napoli. Norma, La sonnambula, Il trovatore e La traviata dénouement (che sorse dalla fusione dei due alla verosimiglianza storica, mentre la musica La partitura autografa di Donizetti è e persino in La bohème. personaggi, Talbot e il giovane Mortimer di stessa resta inalterata. apparentemente scomparsa senza lasciare traccia Questa produzione di Maria Stuarda è Schiller) è stato spogliato di qualsiasi e il nostro materiale d’orchestra è quello ritenuta la primissima data in inglese e si ebbe significato sacramentale o religioso nella © Tom Hammond originariamente usato per l’allestimento la sensazione che il librettista di Donizetti, presente produzione. Nell’opera di Donizetti dell’opera al Festival di Camden nel 1966. Giuseppe Bardari, si fosse preso certe libertà c’è un forte legame sentimentale fra Maria e La trama Questo materiale fu tratto da una copia con la storia britannica (seguendo l’esempio di Leicester, ma ritenendo questo elemento non manoscritta della partitura appartenente al Schiller e di molti altri drammaturghi e precisamente storico la sua presenza è stata Atto I Conservatorio di Napoli, ottenuta da Jeremy librettisti); libertà che non sarebbero state del ridimensionata nel testo. Il palazzo di Whitehall, 1571 Commons d’accordo con le autorità del San tutto accettabili ad un pubblico di oggi che Come ben sappiamo le due regine non La Corte è radunata e attende con impazienza Pietro a Majella, alle quali dobbiamo la nostra ascoltava un’opera basata su un soggetto tanto s’incontrarono mai nella vita reale, ma la storia l’arrivo della Regina Elisabetta che si prevede sincera gratitudine. L’edizione Gérard non noto, eseguita in inglese. Donizetti e il suo registra che, nonostante esse abbiano spesso annunci le sue nozze con il Duca di Anjou. include l’Ouverture né le varie altre aggiunte e librettista subirono ulteriori restrizioni nel loro tentato un incontro, tali tentativi vennero Elisabetta entra e rivela che è tuttora indecisa modifiche che il compositore dovette in seguito lavoro causate dal numero limitato di cantanti sempre frustrati all’ultimo momento da eventi se sia il caso di unire i troni d’Inghilterra e scrivere per l’esecuzione dell’opera alla Scala. In disponibili per la rappresentazione napoletana, fuori del loro stesso controllo. C’è perciò una Francia con questo matrimonio, ma assicura la osservanza della pratica, normalmente accettata, con il risultato di astrarre certi personaggi certa giustificazione per il coup de théâtre di sua Corte che agirà solo per il bene del suo della trasposizione di certe parti per adattarsi storici con risultati piuttosto curiosi. Schiller, con l’immaginario confronto che crea popolo. A parte, comunque, Elisabetta confessa alle esigenze dei singoli cantanti in queste opere Un particolare incidente nell’opera concerne una scena così possente e toccante nel dramma che la sua libertà d’azione è ristretta dal suo del bel canto dell’Ottocento, abbiamo noi stessi George Talbot, il protestante Conte di e nell’opera. amore segreto per un altro (Leicester). Talbot e fatto uso di questa convenzione. Ciò ha l’effetto Shrewsbury, fido membro della corte di L’ambientazione della prima metà dell’opera i suoi cortigiani implorano pietà per Maria semplicemente di ridurre la vocale dei Elisabetta, a cui viene dato l’incarico di è stata anticipata all’anno 1571, in cui Maria Stuarda, ora imprigionata a Chatsworth, ma il nostri giorni a quella prevalente al tempo di sorvegliare la prigionia di Maria Stuarda. Nel fu imprigionata a Chatsworth, e il punto geloso cuore di Elisabetta favorisce la vendetta, Donizetti, allorché mezzosoprani eccezionali, giorno stesso dell’esecuzione capitale di Maria, culminante viene raggiunto con l’immaginario opzione incoraggiata da Cecil. Entra Leicester quali Maria Malibran, erano in grado di cantare Talbot, secondo Bardari, si rivela incontro di Elisabetta e Maria. La parte ed Elisabetta gli ordina di portare il suo anello ruoli che oggidì sarebbero classificati per improvvisamente come un prete cattolico ed succesiva dell’opera tratta gli ultimi eventi della all’ambasciatore francese in pegno della sua soprano, al tono orchestrale più basso allora in ascolta l’ultima confessione della regina. Fu vita di Maria a Fotheringhay quando essa è provvisoria accettazione della proposta di uso generale. È forse il caso di osservare che le questa scena che mise in furia i censori italiani alfine condannata a morte per la sua complicità matrimonio. 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lascia Leicester con Talbot. Talbot parla di un Elisabetta; raccomanda a Maria di mostrarsi gelosia quando essa si rifiuta di cedere. La innocenza e chiede a Leicester di sostenerla incontro con Maria nella sua prigione e docile di fronte a Elisabetta se vuole sperare regina ordina poi che Leicester assista mentre l’ora della morte si avvicina. Si sente il consegna a Leicester un ritratto insieme ad una nella grazia. Maria si allontana rapidamente da all’esecuzione di Maria. terzo colpo di cannone ed a questo segnale lettera di lei in cui implora il suo aiuto. Elisabetta che si avvicina con Cecil e i suoi Maria viene condotta al patibolo. Nonostante gli avvertimenti di Talbot del cacciatori, ma Talbot la riconduce alla presenza Scena 2 rischio che ciò comporta, Leicester giura di della regina. Come le due regine si trovano L’appartamento di Maria nel castello di © English National Opera liberare Maria anche a costo della propria vita. faccia a faccia per la prima volta, l’una sente Fotheringhay Quando Elisabetta rintra e affronta Leicester un’immediata ostilità verso l’altra, ma Maria si Maria piange la sua sorte e riceve la vista di Janet Baker ha cantato con i più insigni essa sospetta dalla sua agitazione che egli abbia umilia e chiede pietà. Elisabetta, di rimando, è Talbot e di Cecil; quest’ultimo le consegna la direttori ed orchestre del mondo e inciso dischi ricevuto un messaggio segreto da Maria, ed altera e sdegnosa ed accusa Maria di sentenza di morte e la lascia sola con Talbot il per tutte le principali compagnie. Nata nello esige che Leicester le mostri la lettera che ha in tradimento, omicidio e scostumatezza. Spinta quale le comunica la decisione di Elisabetta che Yorkshire ha iniziato i suoi studi con Helene mano. Leicester obbedisce ed allo stesso tempo all’esasperazione Maria denuncia Elisabetta Leicester sia presente all’esecuzione. Maria si Isepp e continuato poi con Meriel St. Clair. prega per un incontro delle due regine. quale figlia bastarda di Anna Bolena. Infuriata dispera ed immagina di vedere i fantasmi di Nel 1956 vinse il secondo premio nel concorso Malgrado la rabbia di Elisabetta alle altere dagli insulti di Maria, Elisabetta chiama le Darnley e del giovane Rizzio. Talbot la esorta a Kathleen Ferrier e da allora ha acquistato fama aspirazioni di Maria alla corona d’Inghilterra e guardie e fa ricondurre Maria in prigione. porre la sua fiducia nel cielo e ad affrontare la internazionale di artista di pari rango in campo nonostante la sua intensa gelosia degli affetti di morte con rassegnazione. lirico, oratoriale e liederistico. Fra le sue Leicester la lettera di Maria e le preghiere di Atto III interpretazioni degne di nota si includono il Leicester la commuovono e, con riluttanza, Scena 1 Scena 3 ruolo di Didone di Purcell a Aldeburgh con acconsente a visitarla. Il palazzo di Whitehall, sedici anni dopo (1587) Una stanza nel castello di Fotheringhay vicino l’English Opera Group nel 1962, quello di Cecil fa pressioni su Elisabetta perché firmi la alla sala dell’esecuzione protagonista ne The Rape of Lucretia di Britten Atto II condanna a morte di Maria, a seguito della sua La folla in attesa è piena d’orrore ai preparativi (1964 e 1970) e di Kate in Owen Wingrave. Nel parco di Chatsworth, tre mesi dopo complicità nel complotto di Babington di per l’esecuzione. Quando Maria entra, nella Per la Royal Opera House ha cantato Vitellia Maria sta passeggiando nel parco di assassinare la regina, ma Elisabetta è tuttora sua veste regale, si accomiata dal popolo che si (La clemenza di Tito), Alceste di Gluck; per Chatsworth con la sua dama di compagnia, indecisa ed esita a condannare un monarca che unisce a lei in un’ultima preghiera per il Glyndebourne Diana/Jupiter (La Calisto di Hannah Kennedy; lo scenario della natura le ha ricevuto il sacro crisma. Alla fine Cecil perdono divino. Si sente un colpo di cannone e Cavalli), Penelope (Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria di ricorda la sua giovinezza in Francia. Al suono riesce a persuadere Elisabetta a firmare il Cecil annuncia che il momento dell’esecuzione Monteverdi); per la Scottish Opera Didone (Les della Real Caccia Maria intuisce che Elisabetta decreto, e nello stesso momento appare si avvicina. Maria perdona Elisabetta e prega troyens di Berlioz), e per la English National è vicina e il timore d’incontrare la cugina Leicester. Avendo appreso che Maria è stata già per il benessere dell’Inghilterra. Entra Leicester Opera il suo repertorio si è esteso da s’impadronisce di lei. Entra Leicester e dice che condannata a morte fa un ultimo tentativo di in stato di agitazione e Maria cerca di calmarlo Monteverdi al Werther di Massenet includendo la caccia è solo un pretesto per la visita di salvarla accusando Elisabetta di crudeltà e ma al secondo colpo di cannone protesta la sua il Julius Caesar di Handel e Marguerite ne 60 61 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 62

The Damnation of Faust di Berlioz. La sua inter- Medea (Teatro della Bastiglia, Parigi), English National Opera e a Glyndebourne, John Tomlinson è nato nel Lancashire e si è pretazione più recente per questa compagnia è Desdemona e Amelia (Vienna State Opera), Francoforte, la Bastiglia e Strasburgo. La sua laureato in ingegneria civile a Manchester stata in questo allestimento di Mary Stuart. Ha Madama Butterfly (Houston Grand Opera), ricca discografia include Ariodante di Handel, prima di vincere una borsa di studio per il ricevuto numerose onorificenze, fra le quali il Santuzza (Berlin Staatsoper) ed in Stiffelio alla Die Kathrin di Korngold, Così fan tutte di Royal Manchester College of Music. Ha Premio Shakespeare di Amburgo nel 197l e Fenice di Venezia. Per la English National Mozart, La rondine di Puccini, The Apostles di cantato regolarmente con la English National lauree honoris causa dalle università di Londra, Opera ha cantato in Othello, Mary Stuart, The Elgar e la Nona sinfonia di Beethoven. Opera sin dal 1974 e con la Royal Opera dal Birmingham e Oxford. Nel 1970 ha ricevuto il Turn of the Screw (per quest’ ultima opera ha 1976; ha cantato inoltre per Opera North, titolo di Commendatore (CBE) e quello di vinto un Premio Olivier) e nel The Cloak di Alan Opie è nato in Cornovaglia e ha studiato Scottish Opera, Glyndebourne Festival e Dame Janet Baker (DBE) nel 1976. La sua Puccini. I suoi dischi includono l’ oratorio alla Guildhall School of Music and Drama e al Touring Operas e per Kent Opera. Fra i suoi cospicua discografia comprende l’Ariodante e il Elija di Mendelssohn, I racconti di Hoffmann London Opera Centre. Per molte stagioni ha primi ruoli figurano Figaro, Masetto, Hunding, Julius Caesar di Handel, Orfeo ed Euridice di di Offenbach, e di Verdi, Otello e Il trovatore. fatto parte della English National Opera come Hagen, Pimen e Re Enrico (Lohengrin). Gluck, Das Lied von der Erde di Mahler e primo baritono ed ha inoltre cantato per tutte Ha cantato al Festival di Bayreuth sin dal numerosi dischi di recitals. David Rendall ha studiato al Royal College of le principali compagnie liriche britanniche 1988 nei ruoli di Wotan (Das Rheingold e Die Music e a Salisburgo. La sua carriera si è estesa comprese la Royal Opera House, Covent Walküre), il Viandante (Siegfried), Titurel e Rosalind Plowright ha fatto una carriera di a teatri lirici e sale di concerti di tutto il Garden, Glyndebourne Festival Opera e Opera Gurnemanz (Parsifal) e Re Marco (Tristano e grandissimo rilievo. Ha studiato al Royal mondo dove ha interpretato ruoli come North. Ingaggi all’estero lo hanno portato ai Isotta). Altri ruoli includono Hans Sachs (Die Northern College of Music e al London Opera Idomeneo, Tito e Belmonte, così come Tamino teatri lirici di Bayreuth, Parigi, Amsterdam, Meistersinger), Landgraf (Tannhäuser), Hagen Centre vincendo borse di studio dalle di Mozart, Lensky (Metropolitan di New Chicago, Monaco di Baviera, Berlino, Vienna, (Götterdämmerung) e Baron Ochs (Der fondazioni Peter Moores e Peter Stuyvesant. La York); Alfredo, des Grieux e Rodolfo (Royal Brusselle, nonché alla Scala e al Metropolitan Rosenkavalier). La sua discografia include il sua incisione del 1984 di Leonora (Il trovatore) Opera House, Covent Garden); ha inoltre di New York. ciclo del Ring, La forza del destino e La traviata con Placido Domingo, diretta da Carlo Maria cantato a San Francisco, Santa Fe, al Mozart Alan Opie ha vinto un Premio Grammy per di Verdi, brani dal Boris Godunov di Giulini, è stata nominata per un Premio Festival di Parigi, a Glyndebourne ed in la sua incisione di Peter Grimes (per Chandos) Mussorgsky e Der Rosenkavalier di Strauss (per Grammy. Nello stesso anno ha debuttato alla concerti con Karajan, Bernstein, Levine, ed ancora per Die Meistersinger (con la Chicago la Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation). Royal Opera House nel ruolo di Maddalena Barenboim, Mehta, Ozawa e molti altri insigni Symphony Orchestra diretta da Solti). Gli altri (Andrea Chénier) con Jose Carreras e in Aida direttori. suoi dischi includono The Barber of Seville, Angela Bostock è nata nello Cheshire ed ha con Luciano Pavarotti. In tempi recenti David Rendall ha iniziato Pagliacci e La bohème (tutti per la Chandos/ studiato al Royal Northern College of Music Rosalind Plowright ha cantato in un gran ad interpretare ruoli più pesanti quali Gabriele Peter Moores Foundation), The Rape of e al London Opera Centre. Ha cantato per la numero dei più prestigiosi teatri lirici; i suoi Adorno, Alvaro, Cavaradossi, Hoffmann, Lucretia, Gloriana e Troilus and Cressida (la cui Royal Opera in Gianni Schicchi, e nei ruoli ruoli hanno incluso Suor Angelica (La Scala), Werther, Oedipus Rex, Luigi (Il tabarro di produzione venne sponsorizzata dalla Peter di Gerhilde (Ring) ed Ellen Orford (Peter Leonora ne Il trovatore (Verona), Ariadne e Puccini) e Othello per compagnie quali la Moores Foundation ed incisa da Chandos). Grimes); Marianne (Der Rosenkavalier) per 62 63 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 64

Opera North; First Lady (Il flauto magico), è direttore ad honoris della Scottish Chamber Flora (La traviata), Marcellina e Musetta per la Orchestra, direttore emeritus della Welsh

English National Opera. I suoi dischi National Opera, direttore principali della San Wilson Reg includono il Libro ottavo di madrigali di Francisco Opera e dalla 1998/99 Monteverdi. direttore artistico dell’Orchestra of St. Luke’s di New York. Sir Charles Mackerras è nato nel 1925 negli Sir Charles Mackerras ha intrapreso estese Stati Uniti da genitori australiani ed ha ricerche nella pratica esecutiva della musica studiato a Sydney e a Praga. In opera ha del Settecento e Ottocento esercitando debuttato come direttore al Sadler’s Wells profonda influenza nell’interpretazione dei Theatre dove diresse la sensazionale prima nostri giorni. La sua vasta discografia include esecuzione britannica della Kát’a Kabanová di un assai premiato ciclo di opere di Janácˇek con Janácˇek, rappresentazione che inserì Janácˇek l’Orchestra Filarmonica di Vienna, Gloriana di nel corrente repertorio britannico. È stato Britten (che ha vinto un premio Gramophone) direttore stabile dell’ opera di Amburgo dal e con la English National Opera il Julius Caesar 1966 al 1969 e direttore artistico del Sadler’s di Handel e La traviata. Wells (poi English National) Opera dal 1970 al Sir Charles Mackerras ha ricevuto 1977 e della Welsh National Opera dal 1987 al l’onorificenza di Commendatore (CBE) nel 1992 per la quale diresse, fra l’altro, di nuovo 1974 e il titolo di Sir per la sua attività di Janácˇek con grande successo. L’allestimento e la musicista nel 1979. Gli è stata inoltre conferita registrazione di Osud vennero sponsorizzati la medaglia al merito della Repubblica Ceca ed dalla Peter Moores Foundation così come il è stato nominato Companion of the Order in disco de La volpe astuta. Sir Charles Mackerras Australia.

Elizabeth and Mary Stuart

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Mary Stuart Alan Opie David Rendall Reg Wilson Reg Wilson Reg as Cecil as Leicester Wilson Reg

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COMPACT DISC ONE Elizabeth Cecil Elizabeth 3 Yes, but the French Prince is seeking both my No, no, let the axe end the life of that traitor My Lord, I was just asking for you. 1 Prelude heart and my Kingdom. I have not yet decided who wakens such memories of strife and terror Leicester what answer I shall give him. But, if the welfare who still, in her prison, can hold men enslaved. Highness, forgive me for my tardy arrival. Act I of all my loyal subjects calls for this marriage, A Gallery in the Palace of Whitehall. Lords and Talbot and Chorus Command me! than I will do my duty. I will reign as the Mercy! Ladies await the arrival of Queen Elizabeth. Sovereign of the realms of France and England, Elizabeth Chorus justly and securely. Elizabeth Take this. Go, bear this royal token to the Duke 2 Let us wait here, 4 (If fortune one day should send to me Be silent! Her fate has not yet been resolved. of Anjou’s Envoy; bid him return to France on 6 our Royal Lady will soon be with us. some English heart to treasure, May the light of wisdom and justice, the instant and say, the Queen of England will Now the Council at last has ended, bidding me dress in my bridal array shine from Heaven to guide and protect me, wed his Master she will rejoin us. to wed him before the altar, for if God Himself direct me, (looking at Leicester) By such charm and grace attended, this foreign consort would steal away then some mercy I may show. (He does not even falter.) she inspires each loyal heart. all my precious liberty. (But if she has dared to rob me But, it must be understood that I yet may refuse How the news would so delight us, Too well I see what this could mean, of my hopes of love and allegiance, him. I shall retain my freedom. Take the ring! if we heard that love by chance what barriers would surround me. then my righteous hour of vengeance Obey me! had charmed her royal heart. My heart would no more be free to choose, Mary Stuart soon shall know!) Leicester if love should smile on me.) Chorus I obey you. A Voice (Let us hope our gracious Sovereign Make way for Her Majesty! Talbot Elizabeth 5 In this moment of rejoicing, mercy and pardon may bestow.) So be it. Chorus shall the suffering of Mary Stuart Cecil (to Elizabeth) England’s star would shine more glorious still reproach us here today? (Elizabeth exits with Cecil and her attendants. Talbot There is danger if you dare draws Leicester aside for a private conversation.) were the God of Love victorious Chorus to think of mercy for your foe. and we saw our gracious Sovereign Leicester Show some pity for your prisoner, Elizabeth wed the Royal Prince of France. let your heart be moved towards her! 8 Did you not ask to see me, earlier today? What a triumph if our Sovereign Ah, may the light of wisdom and justice, etc. 7 were united with the Prince of France. Elizabeth But, where is the Earl of Leicester, is he not Talbot Festive revels and loud rejoicing No! No! amongst us? Why has he then chosen to be I did. would re-echo through the Court. I’d not expected to suffer this absent on this festive occasion? Leicester on such a joyous morning. Our happy song would praise the joy, Cecil What was the reason? How dare you ask me to waste my praise the joy that Love had brought. Here he is. tears on that misguided creature Talbot (Enter Queen Elizabeth with her attendants.) and her unhappy fate? (Leicester enters and kisses Elizabeth’s hand.) I have news for you. I bear a most precious

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message. Listen to all I tell you. I’ve been to visit Leicester Leicester Leicester, I’m certain some word has come from my prisoner. Then she trusts me! Every fear and every danger, Mary Stuart for you this very morning! Leicester (looking at the portrait) I’ll defy for her dear sake. Leicester 9 Your prisoner? I remember these lovely features, Yes, I will free her! Why these suspicions, when Talbot’s name is 10 so disarming, so enchanting. If she dare trust in me, honoured here at your Court? Talbot She’s still the fairest of all creatures, she needs me still. I have seen the unhappy Mary Stuart. as the day when first we met. All she may ask of me, Elizabeth Leicester In her portrait, I see before me, I shall fulfil. Yet… I read you too plainly. Out with the truth! Ah! Be more cautious, these very walls have ears. all those promised joys fate denied me, Should it have been ordained Come, tell me! How was she? Tell me. charms that filled my heart with yearning, that I must perish, Leicester Talbot smiles I never could forget. then for her I cherish Your Highness… I proudly bow to fate’s command. An angel full of love, radiant as ever, still so Talbot Elizabeth generous and noble. Now her life is full of sorrow, Talbot You will not answer? I understand… Leicester she has turned to you for aid. I know she needs you today. Leicester Oh, she has suffered too much injustice! Every day brings some new terror, Let her not suffer, No, do not go… have patience. Stay a moment. What did she say to you? Come, tell me! all her hopes have been betrayed. if when you’d save her, all the doors are barred. This letter… Talbot Leicester First of all, can you promise to be true to her Oh, what memories still hover round her. (Talbot leaves as Elizabeth approaches from another Elizabeth cause? I would give my life to save her. direction.) Give it to me! Leicester Talbot Elizabeth Leicester Tell me! I promise! Now her life is full of sorrow, etc. 11 Do I disturb you? As you desire! Here it is. See, I am kneeling and yield it to you. She begs me to implore you for Talbot Leicester Leicester the favour of a meeting. She commanded me to give you both this letter I remember these lovely features, etc. No! No!… (Did she hear us?) and this portrait. From her hand, I humbly Elizabeth received them, when she kissed them through Talbot Elizabeth Stand up, dear Robert. You’re too zealous for her her tears. Will you help her? Talbot brought you some private message? cause. If that proud woman still thinks to win me over, her hopes are useless. Leicester Leicester Leicester (She reads the letter from Mary Stuart.) Still so fair! I will free her, or I’ll die by her dear side. It’s true. (She’s curious.) 12 (How affecting…) Talbot Talbot Elizabeth I saw her deep emotion when she spoke your If you fail in this adventure, (I hardly dare to trust him. That woman Leicester name. then your life will be at stake. corrupts her jailers.) (Is she relenting?) 70 71 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 72

Elizabeth Elizabeth Leicester 14 (My arrogant rival has long sought to rob me I’m to visit her in prison? (He still loves her, he still loves her… Your Highness… of crown and of sceptre, kind Heaven has given Leicester Let him take care!) Let me… tell you… me. Yes, Your Highness. Is she lovely? Answer! Elizabeth And now from her prison she grows more ambitious Elizabeth Leicester (If you still love her, Yes! you faithless man, and longs to deprive me of one I hold most dear. Now, where’s the glory of the For so much presumption, she’ll suffer, I swear!) Queen of three dominions? Elizabeth well then, take care, for you play with fire!) Leicester Leicester Yes? Yes? Yes? Leicester Your Highness, have mercy, forgive her, I Like a meteor in the darkness, Leicester Radiant in peace and happiness, etc. implore you. her bright star has flamed and died. Yes! Your Highness… Her beauty will charm you when she appears Elizabeth (He lowers his eyes as the Queen stares at him.) before you. 13 With the loss of fortune’s favours, When I first looked upon her face, Elizabeth As you are her sister, let mercy inspire you. she now suffers for so much pride. full of such sweet perfection: (He dares to plead for her.) Let hate be forgotten, the way now lies clear. there stood a creature full of grace, Leicester Elizabeth Leicester passing all recollection. Have pity, grant her wish. Silence! Silence… Oh, have pity, I now implore you. Like some bright angel from above, Now where’s her glory, My poor heart… she seemed so divinely fair. Elizabeth her boast of three dominions? Radiant in peace and happiness, How then? Tell me! Elizabeth Where is it? Yes, where? radiant in grief and despair. Which she possesses! Is that not so? Leicester (My arrogant rival…) etc. Leicester Elizabeth You’ll meet one morning, in the park nearby her castle, as the Royal Hunt is passing and you ride Leicester (Her words unnerve me.) Yes, she’s an angel, Come, show her compassion, ’tis all that I ask. if you maintain that she excels all others. into the forest. Elizabeth To calm her despair, your Highness, I beg you. Though from the filth Here at the Court, they all believe it. Elizabeth and shame of prison bar Robert, you desire this? Leicester she still ensnares her lovers. Act II They’re deceived then. Leicester Leicester Most dearly. The Park at Chatsworth. Three months later Elizabeth But… but… Hannah Elizabeth (He is lying.) 15 Why run so fast, my lady? Elizabeth So be it! (Is this wise?) Leicester I know that she’s a flatterer You may command me! Mary I took pity on her fate. who drives men wild with desire! (aside) Why? Why should I not enjoy all this ecstasy so

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long denied me? You see, the open skies of Mary Hannah Leicester Heaven are my jailers. Oh, how enchanting, how 17 What tumult! Those voices! She’s returning! Be careful! Avoid her! Elizabeth has come here to see you. This hunt is precious all this delight that shines around me. Chorus (off-stage) but a pretext, for the sake of appearances so you Mary must show her deference… Be humble… Hannah When hunters come riding, Avoid her? (What sorrow waits for you there inside that the quarry that’s hiding My resentment could not be disguised. Mary castle.) where bushes are thickest, I, show her deference? flies off through the forest. Hannah Mary Then down by the river, Come, avoid her and be well advised. Leicester Hannah, there in the distance all nature’s flowers he’s mirrored in silver. Do as I ask you. seem to flourish in such glorious profusion. Mary Come on, let us hurry They’re smiling, they bid me welcome. Ah! What torment! Mary and capture the prize. The breeze that comes to greet me In the peace of my gloomy seclusion, etc. Oh, God! How slavish! How servile! from the fair shores of France, Hannah Come, rescue me from such a shameful meeting. Hannah and Ladies bids me laugh and be joyful Surely that means that the Court is out hunting! Let us go! Do not stay! Leicester as in those happy days of youth, Mary Your true thoughts could not be disguised! If you trust me, then, remain here! long vanished. Now the sounds re-echo nearer. (Exeunt) 16 You murmuring breezes See those horses! Mary How can I? that round me are flying, Chorus (off-stage) Mary come, bear my devotion, Gloriana! Gloriana! If I stayed here my resentment Leicester my tears and my sighing, could ne’er be disguised! You must not lose hope! away to that haven Mary (Enter Leicester) I once called my home, Ah! How that name makes me shudder! Mary 20 that haven of love and joy Hannah Mary Long by the world forsaken, a prey to bitter anguish, I once called my home. England’s tyrant has passed on her way. 19 Ah! May this joy not deceive me. here in my lonely prison You white clouds of Heaven, Mary Dear Leicester, you here? You here? I am condemned to languish. oh, stay for a moment 18 In the peace of my gloomy seclusion, Leicester Haunted by cruel fortune, and bear me away to France, she’d torment me with new dreams of terror. One who’d help you comes to break all your I knew not night or day. away from this torment, Though I’d meet her… I am lost in confusion chains and to release you. Now only your devotion but you will not hear me, and I dare not remain and confront her. can charm my fear away. and onward you roam, Stay, oh, stay on your throne in your splendour, Mary away to that haven never call me to stand in your presence. Then, you are here at last? Here to release me. Leicester I once called my home, etc. I’m bereft now of friend or defender, Shall I then regain my freedom? My heart will Do not despair, dear lady, (Hunting horns off-stage) by all the world I am scorned and despised. scarcely let me believe this is true! her Majesty could free you…

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Mary if she’s deaf to your entreaties, Elizabeth (to Leicester) Talbot (off-stage) There’s no hope! I’ll avenge your cause myself! 22 What place is this then? Come now… Leicester Mary Leicester Mary (off-stage) And when she read your letter, That is madness. What can you do? Near her castle. Stop! Release me! I knew that she would see you. Such a risk I’ll not allow. Elizabeth Take me back into the castle! Mary Leicester Oh, Leicester, why did you bring me? (Mary enters with Talbot and her women.) She’d release me? I will have revenge, I vow! Leicester All Leicester Yes, yes, I vow! All is well! Your prisoner will be brought Here she is! She let a tear escape her,… to your presence very shortly, by worthy Talbot. Mary Mary Mary Ah! Though my spirit never faltered What torture! Ah heav’ns! at the sight of death around me, Elizabeth do not give me cause to find you What sacrifices I have made to please you… and (Short silence. The two queens observe one another.) Leicester stand in peril of your life. spoil you! …then turned her glance away. Tell all these men to leave us, let them wait at a Elizabeth I had only hoped to find you 23 If you will trust and obey me, Report has not failed me, ever faithful and devoted, distance! It’s far too crowded, there’s hardly room fate may be kind today. to breath. she’s proud and imperious; in the hope you’ll be my saviour, that haughty demeanour Mary come to help defend my cause. Cecil (aside, to Elizabeth) I will not endure. Ah!… Dare I hope? Observe, your Highness, how your subjects Yet here in my presence Long by the world forsaken, etc. Leicester Here I pledge my life and honour, adore you. You know too well for whose fair her terror is clear. head they would ask you. Leicester and to Heav’n above I swear it; Mary She let a tear escape her, etc. you will rise from your misfortunes Elizabeth I read on her features Mary (with sarcasm in her voice) which have robbed you of all that was yours. Silence! my own condemnation; And though I’ve no throne to bring you, 21 All too well I surely know her! Leicester (advancing) that merciless tyrant nor the hope of a royal title, Madam, remember, I brought you here that you is harsh and severe. Leicester you will know that the help I offered, might stay and comfort your royal sister in her My spirit is broken Mercy’s voice may yet inspire her. had unbarred your prison doors. great sorrow. Your Highness could change her sad with terror and fear. Mary Mary existence into one full of joy, if you so wished to. Elizabeth Not for one who might dethrone her. In the hope you’ll be my saviour, etc. Elizabeth (aside) She stands silent and trembling Leicester (They leave in opposite directions. Enter Elizabeth I despise her! All his thoughts are for that when danger is near You are certain? Then I assure you, and the royal hunting party.) woman. that haughty demeanour

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I will not endure. eternal damnation is near. has placed her trust in you. Leicester Yet here in my presence For traitors like her, Come, forgive her, come your Oh God! Be careful. her terror is clear. damnation is near. Highness, raise up etc. Cecil Talbot Leicester (to Elizabeth) Cecil (to Elizabeth) Take my advice and never trust her, The Queen has not shown us 24 Bid her welcome! Have a care, do not believe her, she can never speak the truth. her royal displeasure. she can never speak the truth. Leicester (to Mary) We know that her anger Elizabeth (to Leicester) Elizabeth (to Mary) Come, be calm, I do implore you, is harsh and severe. No, no! I’ll not meet her. No! I’ve longed to see you humbled, there’s still hope, let me assure you. Her yearning for vengeance Talbot (to Mary) in the dust you’ll find your place. Do not think it would bring dishonour has crushed this poor creature Let us leave here. to receive a royal favour so perfect and pure. Mary Mary (to Talbot) (Oh, what torture!) or some grace that Heaven has Hannah My courage is failing. But who has turned you against me? so many other times denied. My mind is numbed with terror, Elizabeth with gloomy foreboding. Elizabeth (to Leicester) Elizabeth What brave language you speak before me! What new night of horror She’s too haughty! Who? Yourself! Your presumption, Tell me. Leicester… is now drawing near? your haughty spirit, odious and heartless! Heaven spare my lady Leicester Mary Leicester from new grief and fear. She stands here before you, (Must I hear more?) What can I say? a down-trodden victim of fate! Leicester Elizabeth Elizabeth Upon her pallid forehead, (Mary kneels before Elizabeth.) Find your answer, shameless woman, Where are love’s fair charms still hiding, I see all her sorrows. Mary in your desecrated marriage and those glances, so confiding? The stars in their courses and the man who was your husband; 25 Dead to justice, throne and kingdom, If so many sing her praises, will not deign to hear. here in the dust, I kneel before you. in his Ghost that yells for vengeance; surely they’ve enjoyed her favours! Oh, could I but save her I have come to ask your pardon; in your kisses and your embraces; from all this torment and fear. Mary do not spurn me, I implore you. and in your heart, which for love’s debased delights, (Oh, how cruel! Cecil No, for surely I’ve suffered enough stooped to murder and betrayal, I will stand no more, I swear!) A just retribution with all the shame ever scheming some new crime. Ah, dear Leicester. will soon fall upon her. and disgrace you’ve caused me. The moment of triumph Raise up a lonely exile Mary Elizabeth and vengeance is near. who has placed her trust in you. (Help me, Leicester! Yes, the name of Mary Stuart For such as her Yes, your Highness, Let me leave here while there’s time.) is dishonoured evermore!

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Leicester (to Mary) go, await our final judgment. Chorus COMPACT DISC TWO Oh, God! Be careful! You will not escape my vengeance, You have heard our Sovereign’s order, Act III Restrain your anger. that I firmly prophesy. with her wish you must comply. Take away this crazy woman Come, we charge you, stay no longer, Scene 1 Mary who condemns herself to die. on vain hopes no more rely. The Palace at Whitehall. The Queen is seated at a You’d insult me, foul-mouthed usurper? (Exit.) A traitor’s shameful death awaits you, table on which a paper is lying. Cecil stands nearby. All your last hour on earth is nigh. Cecil Cecil What presumption! Lady, be careful! 1 Heaven on high (Elizabeth returns.) Still pensive? Still delaying? And Mary Stuart Elizabeth has condemned this woman, still lives and breathes? She who’d bring the Silence! her last moment on earth is nigh… Elizabeth whole of Europe in league against you. She who Go, arrest that foolish woman, conspired with Babington to assassinate your Mary Mary who condemns herself to die! Highness. Ah no! Shameless daughter of a harlot! Thanks to Heaven, at last she’s left me, now I am able to breathe again. Mary Elizabeth Talbot At my feet her pride was humbled, Yes, my triumph These words you utter make all my vaunted (Heaven help her!) all her virtue proved a lie! calms the shame of days gone by. power weigh hard upon me, though she is guilty of treason. If I signed this, who would defend Mary Hannah Leicester me from false accusers? How dare you speak of dishonour? What imprudence! You are lost now! We part now, my beloved, You licentious, painted creature. Cecil You’ve insulted a royal lady. to meet again on high. How I blush for your behaviour! The Almighty, your devoted country and all Any moment she’ll have vengeance, You’ve dishonoured Hannah and Talbot those Kingdoms where men of honour praise that is useless to deny. the throne of England, In your torment and terror, your many virtues. All the crimes of your rival, royal bastard, all these years! Leicester who will deign to hear your cry? her treacherous nature, all her foul slanders will I have lost you, foolish woman, count against her. Elizabeth Cecil when I’d hoped for your salvation. Soldiers, come here! For this traitor and all her crimes, Elizabeth Though I proved your faithful saviour, Heaven’s judgment now is nigh. No more!… Silence! She insulted and shamed me. All fate has set my plans awry. How that proud woman too plainly revelled in This is madness, may Heaven help her. Chorus Talbot her triumph. What poisoned looks she gave me! From this hour no hope remains. You have heard, etc. Dear faithful Cecil, I long for peace, but she still Her cause is lost for evermore! Oh, what imprudence! You are lost now. You’ve insulted England’s Sovereign. (Mary is taken away by guards and soldiers.) makes strife between us. Elizabeth You must fear her royal vengeance, Cecil 26 Go, prepare yourself for sentence, that is useless to deny. Were she no longer living, peace would be certain.

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Elizabeth Elizabeth (indifferent) to your Kingdom There I read all your terror and anguish: Then let her perish. I’ll sign it. You do but speed her execution. you now need fear no longer. go, prepare a grave to hide your mad infatuation (She takes up the pen to sign the paper, then stops, Leicester Clearly her final day on earth when that woman herself is no more! undecided.) Oh God, you mean it? will be your first day of peace. Leave me, you traitor! 2 While she’s living I’m still in danger, (He sees the paper.) Elizabeth Leicester how I long to see her dead and buried. Then this paper? You’ll plead in vain for mercy, But my conscience will not condemn her, I obey you, and see all too plainly, Cecil I’ll never change or waver: you are burning with jealous resentment. all my thoughts are dark and clouded. when death has claimed that traitor That poor creature still seems to haunt me; Is her sentence. Yet of friendship, of compassion and protection my own poor life is safer. that poor woman, I swear, can still be sure. she alarms me, terrifies me, Leicester Fed by her blood she has robbed me of my courage You’ve condemned her? my sovereign power will flourish Cecil and my precious peace of mind. throughout the years. Gracious Highness, be calm, I implore you, Oh, gentle heaven, inspire thy servant Elizabeth Turn your thoughts to your coming years of who cannot leave her doubts behind. Yes, we’ve condemned her, you faithless man! Leicester splendour. 4 I’m avenged now! You have conspired a sister’s death This day, I’m certain will prove still more Cecil and signed her condemnation. Why this sudden change of feeling? Leicester glorious What has put you in this confusion? So you condemn a blameless woman! Elizabeth than your Kingdom has ever known before. Never fear that words could tarnish And you yourself shall witness Elizabeth her final degradation: Leicester your fair name and reputation. Dare you still say that? You have conspired against her life, For the slanders she has uttered, for death will claim your lover after that solemn moment you’ve signed her condemnation. for the evils you have suffered, Leicester Yes, I see there too plainly every English heart now calls for vengeance, Ah! In this sad hour be generous, when the cannon will have thundered its third and fearful call. all your jealous resentment. fired by love and hate combined. spare her this last degradation: I obey you. Sign this warrant, so that Princes grant me your royal favour Leicester may admire your strength of mind. or sign my own condemnation. You name me as witness? Elizabeth No one can make you take her life, Silence! Elizabeth you still are free to choose. Elizabeth You do but speed her execution. Yes! Spare her life, oh, be generous. Say no more! No hope for mercy remains. Go, you traitor! (Leicester approaches. Elizabeth, seeing him, rapidly Leicester Go, stay no longer, etc. Cecil signs the paper and gives it to Cecil.) Your Highness! You need not heed this traitor, Leicester Leicester now you are out of danger. Elizabeth Highness! I obey you, 3 Your Highness! Ah! Though she aspired Go, stay no longer. those eyes of yours betray you. and see all too plainly, etc.

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Cecil Cecil Mary Talbot Your Majesty! But… Poor wretched Leicester, to be condemned Ah, may this troubled soul of yours find release. Gracious Highness, come, be calm, to suffer such a cruel form of torture. That (solemnly pointing to Heaven) Mary I implore you, etc. jealous woman may now rejoice but soon the Soon you will enter the realms of immortality, Be silent! Leave me! Talbot, remain here. vengeance of Heaven will strike her down. start on your journey, free from all sin, free from Scene 2 Cecil all earthly longings. Shall I send for a minister to guide you on your Talbot Mary Stuart’s apartment in the prison of Be careful! Mary Fotheringhay Castle. last solemn journey? Yes, I will cleanse my conscience, deep in the Mary fountain of my blood and my tears. I’m ready to Mary Mary Exiled from Scotland, my Kingdom and my ask for pardon at the cross of my Redeemer. 5 Elizabeth will continue to mock and insult me I would not see him. I’ll live and die a stranger religion, here, in her country, I sought a peaceful even when I’m buried. Her actions disgrace and to your rituals. Talbot refuge. All I found was a prison. shame her. The viper! Am I not also a daughter (Exit Cecil.) Trust in Him. of the Tudors? Viper! But there’s Leicester, Talbot Mary perhaps her fury has turned on him and puts his Mary (throwing herself into Talbot’s arms) Your dear voice comes from Heaven to console me! 6 Oh faithful Talbot! What are you saying? Has Heaven not sent you life in danger. Ah, to those who love me I still comfort to ease your burden? 7 Once all the radiant joys of youth bring misfortune. Talbot enchanted my existence. (She sits down and weeps. Enter Cecil, with the I have obtained Her Majesty’s permission to wait Mary Day followed day, bringing me delights sentence, and Talbot.) and be with you as your last hour approaches. Ah no, Heaven rejects me. that vanquished all resistance. What brings you here? Nightmares and visions Then guilty love enslaved my soul Mary of all my past transgressions and drove me down to Hell. Cecil Ah, yes, come, cheer me, comfort my spirit now have kept me from Heaven. My husband spurned our marriage bed, I am the bearer of sad and terrible news. This in my hour of anguish. Memories, murders, my love had no power to win him. Royal Warrant means that your earthly sorrows phantoms divide us, Poor Darnley, unhappy man, soon will be ended. Talbot And yet with what composure I observed you They call up the dead because of me they killed him. Mary receive your cruel sentence. from their slumbers Oh, how his cry of misery So thus it is in England. Monarchs are tried and from the graveyard. haunts my anguished heart. sent to the scaffold. You traitors! This is a forgery. Mary They bring me back Ah, turbulent phantom, go, rest in peace, Oh Talbot, my eyes surely betrayed my terror. the gory spectre of Darnley. for now my death approaches. Cecil My heart beat wildly. What of Leicester? (raving) May you at last be pacified This seal here… Talbot Talbot, do you not see, by all my tears and my sighing. Mary He is to be present at your death. He acts as not see young Rizzio? Oh, grant me hope and blessing, Silence! witness. Her Majesty commands it. There lies his broken body! and pray to God for me.

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Talbot Talbot that leads to the scaffold Mary May the Lord grant you His pardon 10 Go, leave this world of grief behind, to witness her shame. Far happier days wait for me. and set your spirit free. here in this earthly prison Those savage barbarians Chorus 8 There still remains another charge which you arise to join God’s heavenly host are waiting for bloodshed Ah! must answer. round His celestial throne. and vengeance, When far above all mortal joys the blood of this woman, Mary Mary you will at last have risen, the victim of fortune. Soon I must leave you and this grief-stricken Ah, tell me. you will forget those anguished years This cruel injustice, country. Free from misgivings I return to my Talbot that you have suffered here alone. a Queen’s execution, Creator. You conspired with Babington the traitor. Mary brings lasting dishonour Chorus on England’s fair name. Mary Now that this feeble heart of mine Our tears we cannot hide. soon will be stilled for ever (Hannah enters.) Ah! He misled me, I meant no treason. 12 Mary in Heavens above, that peace I’ll find, Hannah! Talbot Come, no more weeping! My friend, always so my life has hardly known. Hannah faithful, you will share my last moment. Take Tell no lies, for God is mighty, If by too many sighs and tears Do not disturb her. Speak more softly. he chastises those who defy Him. this my kerchief which I have bathed with tears, this soul of mine was nurtured, Chorus and bind it gently around my weary eyelids in From His knowledge nothing is hidden. sorrow will end for me today Man’s deceptions serve no purpose. The Queen will soon be here. that sad moment when they must close forever. when death has claimed his own. (She gives Hannah the handkerchief.) Hannah Mary And still I hear you weeping. Beloved Broken but courageous she soon will join you. 9 No, I never turned from my Saviour, Scene 3 companions, come join with me, and send to But these lamentations must not intrude upon never lost my hope of forgiveness: A room adjacent to the place of execution. At the Heaven one last despairing cry for mercy and for her grief. but a veil of doubt and confusion back a large, closed door. Night pardon. until now has blinded my reason. Chorus of Scottish Refugees (severally) Chorus (All kneel around Mary.) I believe in Him, dying, 11 You saw them? Then silence. Mary, Hannah and Chorus I swear it, I, a sinner, Too plainly. (Mary enters, dressed in black, wearing her crown 13 Oh, deign to hear our prayer, merciful Saviour! beg for His grace to Heaven. What grim preparations, and carrying a long candle. Talbot accompanies From every earthly care grant us release. the platform, Talbot her.) Comfort an erring soul with your forgiveness, the headsman, God has heard your prayer for pardon, Mary for in your grace alone, I shall find peace! the dark gloomy chamber. rest at last in his embrace. I see you all once more. O Heaven, hear me! Outside there Mary the people are surging Chorus Mary Yes, yes. round the stairway Yet we must lose you. Tears serve no purpose, Heaven inspires me. Ah!

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Chorus 15 Death hovers near me, so take my pardon Leicester Mary (turning to Leicester who faces her) No more remember all your transgressions, to one who wrongs me and takes my life. So once again fate comes to part us. Ah, Robert! Support me. freed from your torment, freed from your sorrows, Say that I wish her long years of splendour, You shall not suffer this degradation. (She takes his arm.) 17 you will find pardon in Heaven above. say no more turmoil will stem from me. Cecil Though you once made a vow to protect me No more recalling long years of anguish, I pray that England and her fair Sovereign The hour approaches. and to bear me away from my prison. you will find pardon in Heaven above. be ever glorious and ever free! Now you lead me to die on the scaffold Have mercy and hear our prayer. Ah! Let no remorse rise up to haunt her. Leicester as your final confession of love. Stand aside, you coward! Mary My death will surely end all our strife. (turning to the others) Freed from my torment, freed from my sorrows Death hovers near me, etc. (As Cecil starts to lead Mary away, Leicester kneels May the blood of an innocent woman and throws his arms around Mary’s knees. Talbot is calm the righteous displeasure of Heaven. I go to the realms of eternal love. Hannah, Talbot and Chorus on Mary’s other side and he comforts her by Then this perjured dominion of England Cruel misfortune shows no compassion, (The first salvo of the cannon is heard from the showing her a crucifix.) may not suffer the fearful scourge of the Lord! Castle.) though love and kindness shone through her life. Mary Leicester, Talbot, Hannah and Chorus All Cecil Robert! Heaven has inspired her in face of misfortune. Ah! 14 She will be punished for her presumption, The signal! Cecil we shall find peace after years of strife. Leicester (The door at the back is opened. A grand staircase I warn you! You heartless villains! Now for England, the future is certain. Yes! can be seen: at the top guards and justice officials (Enter Leicester, then the Sheriff and the justice Mary with torches. Cecil comes forward from the stairs.) officials.) Mary Why run this danger? Hannah! Stay near me! Dear Leicester, farewell. Cecil Talbot Ah! Though you once made a vow, etc. My men are ready. Your hour of death is nearing. 16 Leicester approaches. Leicester (Third cannon shot. On the staircase appear the Beware God’s anger, for he avenges the innocent! The Queen has ordered that we should grant Mary executioner with the axe and his four assistants you your final wishes. Speak then! Ah, dismal assembly waits here to greet him. (Second salvo from the cannon. The Sheriff descends dressed in red. All the spectators are horrified.) with his retinue of officials who surround Mary.) Mary Leicester (to Mary) All I had not expected her to show me such Merciless fortune. Chorus Though she’s blameless compassion. First grant me one small favour. I find you the victim of cruel injustice, Ah! Could I but death and shame prove her reward. Let Hannah walk beside me to the scaffold. condemned to the scaffold. offer my own existence Cecil Cecil Mary (to Leicester) to satisfy your merciless hate! Yes, for England the future is certain. That she may do. Robert, hide your despair! Cecil (signalling Mary to walk) That vile schemer has earned her grim reward. Farewell now for ever! It’s time now! (Mary, supported by Talbot and surrounded by Mary guards, walks towards the door. Leicester covers Cecil As you grant me the first of my wishes, one Leicester his face with his hands.) more would I ask of you. The hour approaches. Cowards! Tom Hammond 88 89 CHAN 3017 BOOK 2.qxd 1/4/07 16:27 Page 90 Fritz Curzon Fritz

Rosalind Plowright David Rendall Alan Opie John Tomlinson

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Opera in English on Chandos on Chandos

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You can now purchase Chandos CDs directly from us. For further details please telephone +44 (0) 1206 225225 for Chandos Direct. Fax: +44 (0) 1206 225201. E-mail: [email protected] website: www.chandos-records.com Zoe Dominic Zoe Any requests to license tracks from this or any other Chandos disc should be made directly to the Copyright Administrator, Chandos Records Ltd, Chandos House, Commerce Way, Colchester CO2 8HQ, United Kingdom.

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Booklet photos of the ENO production by Reg Wilson A production with the ENO at the London Coliseum with major financial assistance from Shell UK Ltd The Text of ‘Mary Stuart – The 1982 ENO Performing Version’ and the libretto by Tom Hammond are reprinted by permission of the ENO Benevolent Fund Stage producer John Copley Producer John Fraser Engineers Stuart Eltham & Michael Sheady Recording venue ‘Live’ from the London Coliseum; 1, 10, 14 & 22 April 1982 Front cover Photo of Janet Baker as Mary Stuart in the ENO production by Reg Wilson Back cover Photo of Sir Charles Mackerras by Zoe Dominic Design D.M. Cassidy Booklet typeset by Dave Partridge Booklet editor Kara Reed Copyright Copyright Control P 1982 & 1999 Digitally remastered by Chandos Records Ltd C 1999 Chandos Records Ltd Sir Charles Mackerras and Dame Janet Baker Chandos Records Ltd, Colchester, Essex, England Printed in the EU

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SOLOISTS/ENO ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS/MACKERRASCHAN 3017(2) bit 20 bass tenor digitally remastered soprano soprano baritone mezzo-soprano CHAN 3017(2) CHAN TT 64:19 2-disc set 2-disc COMPACT DISC TWO 1999 Chandos Records Ltd. Printed in the EU 1982 & 1999 Digitally remastered by1982 & 1999 Digitally remastered Chandos Records Ltd. c p DIGITAL DDD LC 7038 conductor (1797–1848) CHANDOS Recorded live at the London Coliseum live Recorded ...... Plowright Rosalind ...... Alan Opie ...... Angela Bostock TT 71:47 , Earl of Leicester...... David Rendall , Earl of Shrewsbury Tomlinson ...... John ...... Baker Janet Dame COMPACT DISC ONE CHANDOS RECORDS LTD. Colchester . Essex . England English National Opera Orchestra and Chorus and Orchestra Opera National English Charles Mackerras Sir Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth Queen Gaetano Donizetti Gaetano Mary Stuart after Schiller Bardari Giuseppe by Libretto Hammond Tom by translation English Mary Stuart Robert Dudley Robert William Sir Cecil Talbot George Kennedy Hannah

DONIZETTI: MARY STUART CHANDOS CHAN 3017 INLAY BACK.qxd 30/3/07 10:48 Page 1 Page 10:48 30/3/07 BACK.qxd INLAY 3017 CHAN