IL POSTINO OPERA IN THREE ACTS BY DANIEL CATÁN Based on the novel by Antonio Skármeta, And the film by Michael Radford Libretto by the composer TABLE OF CONTENTS Thank you to our generous Season Sponsors 2 Cast of characters 3 Brief summary 4 Detailed synopsis with musical examples 5 About the composer 13 Historical background Pablo Neruda 14 Antonio Skármeta’s Ardientes Paciencias 15 Il Postino: the film 16 The creation of the opera 16 Points of musical interest 18 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS Preface & Objectives 20 What is Opera Anyway? 21 Opera in Not Alone 21 Opera Terms 22 Where Did Opera Come From? 23 Why Do Opera Singers Sound Like That? 24 How Can I Become an Opera Singer? 24 Opera Singer Must-Haves 25 How to Make an Opera 26 Jobs in Opera 27 Opera Etiquette 28 Discussion Questions 29 Education and Outreach Program Sponsors 30 1 PLEASE JOIN US IN THANKING OUR GENEROUS SEASON SPONSORS ! 2 IL POSTINO Premiere First performance on September 23, 2010 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA. Cast of Characters Mario Ruoppolo , a postman Tenor Mario’s Father Character Tenor Pablo Neruda , Chilean Poet Tenor Matilde Neruda , Neruda’s wife Soprano Giorgio , the island’s postmaster Bass Baritone Beatrice , Mario’s lover, later his wife Soprano Donna Rosa , Beatrice’s mother Mezzo Soprano Di Cosimo , a politician Baritone Priest Character Tenor Pablito , Mario’s son Child Actor, mute 4 Thugs 2 Tenors, 2 Baritones 5 Patrons 3 Tenors, 2 Basses Chorus 3 Brief Summary The action takes place on a small Italian island during the 1950’s. Mario Ruoppolo leads a lonely life on the small Italian island Cala di Sotto. He takes a position as mail carrier, with a single customer: the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, who is residing on the island as a political exile. As the poet receives a large volume of mail, within a short time he and Mario become friendly. Mario meets Beatrice, a beautiful barmaid at the village café. He falls deeply in love, but being uneducated and inarticulate, he is incapable of expressing his feelings to her. Mario enlists Neruda’s help in learning the language of poetry, hoping to win the heart of Beatrice. Despite initial resistance from Beatrice’s protective mother, Mario and Beatrice are married. Neruda learns that his exile has been suspended, allowing his return to Chile. The politician Di Cosimo, having been elected, makes various promises to the villagers but departs without fulfilling any of them. When Mario protests, Di Cosimo accuses him of being a Communist. Beatrice reveals that she is pregnant. A letter arrives for Mario from Chile. Overjoyed to think that Neruda has not forgotten him, Mario is crushed to see that it is an impersonal note from Neruda’s secretary requesting shipment of the poet’s personal items. Mario makes a tape recording for Neruda as a nostalgic reminder of the sounds of Nature on the island. Years later, Neruda returns to the island, meeting Beatrice and her son in the café. Beatrice recounts Mario’s death; just before the birth of their son, Mario was asked to read his poetry, dedicated to Neruda, at a communist rally in Naples. Mario was shot by police before his reading could begin. Beatrice presents Neruda with the recording. Other operas by Daniel Catán Florencia en el Amazonas Rappaccini's Daughter Salsipuedes: a Tale of Love, War and Anchovies 4 Detailed synopsis with musical examples PROLOGUE. Di Cosimo, candidate of the Christian Democratic Party, visits the island of Cala di Sotto, campaigning over a loudspeaker. His extravagant praise of the island is sung to a banal tune, reminiscent of street-song in its simple rhythmic style (Ex. 1). Ex. 1 This is followed by the voice of a radio announcer delivering a news bulletin: the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, known for his communist views, has arrived in Rome to begin a period of exile on Calla di Soto. ACT 1 Scene 1: the bedroom/kitchen of Mario’s house. Mario Ruoppolo, an unemployed resident of Calla di Sotto, turns off the radio, having heard the news of Neruda’s plans. His father, a fisherman, enters with fish he attempts to clean, but Mario tells him the water supply has run out. Mario dreams of going to America like his friends, but his father urges him to focus on getting a job at home. Proudly, Mario informs him that tomorrow he will begin a new job with the Post Office. Scene 2: the patio of Neruda’s house, the following day, very early morning. Neruda, seated at a table, writes in a notebook as Matilde arranges flowers in a vase. She admits not minding their exile, as now she has him all to herself. Neruda expresses impatience at wanting to build a better world; his wife responds that his poetry is doing so. Taking her in his arms, Neruda praises her beauty in the aria “Desnudo” (“Naked”) Ex. 2). Ex. 2 Scene 3: Neruda’s house, immediately following. A bicycle bell announces Mario’s arrival with his first mail delivery. His only “customer” is Neruda, who daily receives a large volume of mail. Matilde enters, asking if there is any mail for her; Neruda teases her before handing over a letter while Mario watches in fascination. Neruda, noticing that Mario is still there, gives him a few coins as a tip. Mario pedals away. 5 Scene 4: the island Post Office Mario is sorting letters while the Postmaster Giorgio works alongside. Mario notices with amusement and admiration that all the letters are from women. Mario shows Giorgio, who admires Neruda’s political affiliations, a book of Neruda’s poetry he has purchased. Mario plans to ask the poet to sign his copy in hopes that he can show it to girls in Naples and claim to be “a friend of Neruda, the poet of love”. An orchestral interlude accompanies Mario riding his bicycle with the day’s delivery. Scene 5: the patio of Neruda’s house, midday . Mario delivers the day’s mail to Neruda; when he remains even after receiving his tip, the poet inquires. Mario replies with some quotations from Neruda’s Odas Elementales , the book he has been reading. Mario is curious when Neruda refers to the metaphors in the quotations, asking him to define “metaphors”. Neruda gives him a simple example, then hands Mario a letter with instructions to open it for him – it’s a letter regarding his nomination for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Shyly, Mario asks if the other letters are love letters, confessing that he now wants to be a poet himself. When he asks how one becomes a poet, Neruda suggests walking along the seashore until metaphors come to him. Remarking on the beauty of the island, Neruda spontaneously recites a portion of his poem “Oda al mar”. In this aria, the surging orchestral accompaniment depicts restless ocean movement (Ex. 3). 6 When Mario, reacting to the poem, says he felt like “a boat tossing around on those words”, Neruda congratulates him on having invented a metaphor. Mario, now consumed with the concept, joins Neruda in a duet (“Metáforas” “Metaphors”) (Ex. 4) exploring all the elements of life that can serve as metaphors, ending in a sweepingly exultant conclusion. Ex. 4 Scene 6: the village café, late afternoon. A lovely young barmaid sings a spirited song (Romanza – “Morenica me llaman”, “Morenica they call me”) (Ex. 5) as Mario stares at her longingly. Ex. 5 The barmaid invites Mario to join her in a game of tabletop soccer. As the fishermen tease Mario, the barmaid wins point after point. Placing the little soccer ball provocatively between her lips, she spits it out before Mario can reach for it. As she returns to her work, Mario asks her name. Whispering, she replies “Beatrice Russo”. He pockets the soccer ball. Scene 7: Neruda’s house, very early morning. Mario arrives in a state of agitation, announcing that he is in love with Beatrice. Neruda immediately references Dante’s poem of Dante Alighieri, who also loved a Beatrice. Mario confesses that he was tongue-tied, unable to say anything to her. He begs Neruda to write a love poem for Beatrice; the poet protests that he cannot write a poem about a woman he’s never met. When Neruda offers the usual tip for the day’s delivery, Mario declines it. 7 Scene 8: a beach on the island, afternoon . As Mario paces, still feeling agitated, fishermen on the beach gather their nets and sing of the sea. Mario opens a notebook and attempts to write, but no ideas come. He opens his copy of Neruda’s Odas Elementales and begins copying one of the poems, murmuring a few of the words as he writes. ACT 2 Scene 1: Beatrice’s bedroom, morning. Beatrice sits on her bed lost in thought. Her mother, Donna Rosa, enters. Concerned about Mario’s interest in her daughter, Donna Rosa questions her closely, suspicious that Mario has taken liberties. Beatrice tells her that Mario has only quoted poetry to her, but Donna Rosa is not reassured, claiming that words lead to trouble. Snatching a note from Beatrice, Donna Rosa exits hastily. Scene 2: A street outside the café, daytime. Di Cosimo instructs workers to deliver the contents of a water tanker truck to the village, pledging to provide running water if elected. Some onlookers are skeptical, but Donna Rosa is delighted, joining Di Cosimo in his campaign song. Scene 3: Outside the café. Approaching Beatrice as she leaves the tavern, Mario shyly speaks to her, uttering various poetic metaphors.