111307 bk Tabarro EU 6/10/08 1:55 PM Page 8 Also available PUCCINI Il tabarro O GOB TIT BI 8.111276-77 8.111278-79 1 g 955 Recordin Tito Gobbi • Margaret Mas • Giacinto Prandelli Rome Opera House Chorus and Orchestra 8.111280-81 8.111291-92 Vincenzo Bellezza 8.111307 8 111307 bk Tabarro EU 6/10/08 1:55 PM Page 2 Great Opera Recordings itinerant existence, with no life between the bed and go to bed. She tells him that she cannot sleep inside, the stove. She lived in Belleville, where Luigi tells her but he says the nights are cold and nothing has been the he was born too: Belleville is their country, their same since the death of their child. Once, he tells her, Giacomo world, living in a house, with friends, shops lit up, she would shelter under his cloak and rest her head on noise, the Bois de Boulogne. Luigi joins her in praising his shoulder, her mouth near his, in happiness: now his PUCCINI the life of the suburbs, of Paris. Frugola understands grey hairs seem an insult to her youth. She begs him that life is varied there and Talpa suggests they should not to go on. She pleads tiredness, but he knows she (1858-1924) will not sleep, and tries to draw her towards him. go to eat. Luigi, however, stays, to talk to Michele. ! Michele asks her to stay with him, remembering Talpa and Frugola leave, arm in arm, and their voices other nights, other skies, other moons, the time they Il tabarro are heard, dreaming of their country cottage. have spent together on the barge. He pleads with her to 7 Luigi and Giorgetta are left alone. They are in love, come back to him, but she tells him that they are older (The Cloak) but she is afraid of discovery and death. Luigi would now, she is not the same, and that he too has changed. Opera in One Act rather die than see her so tied down, and she wants A distant church sounds the hour and she wishes him Libretto by Giuseppe Adami after the play, La Houppelande, by Didier Gold them to be far away, always together. He makes good night. As she goes into the cabin, he utters the towards her, but Giorgetta, in fear, tells him to be single word Sgualdrina, whore! He sets the red, green careful, as Michele appears again from the hold. Luigi and white lights on the barge, while two lovers are seen passing on the bank. Michele, bargemaster . Tito Gobbi (baritone) tells him that he has been waiting for him, asking him to put him ashore in Rouen. Michele tells him that @ Michele slowly and cautiously approaches the Luigi, bargeman . Giacinto Prandelli (tenor) cabin, listening, knowing that Giorgetta is not Il Tinca (The Tench), bargeman . Piero De Palma (tenor) would be foolish, as it would be worse there, and Luigi agrees to stay working for him. Michele turns towards undressed, not sleeping but waiting. He wonders who Il Talpa (The Mole), bargeman . Plinio Clabassi (bass) has changed her and come between them: Talpa? Too the cabin to prepare the lights, and Luigi wishes him old: Tinca? He drinks. Luigi? But he wanted to be left Giorgetta, wife of Michele . Margaret Mas (soprano) good night. La Frugola, wife of Il Talpa . Miriam Pirazzini (mezzo-soprano) in Rouen. Who then? He will kill the man, if he finds 8 Giorgetta asks Luigi why he has asked to be left in him. He sinks down, exhausted, as the night darkens. A song peddler . Renato Ercolani (tenor) Rouen, and he tells her that he cannot share her with Then he takes out his pipe and lights it. At that moment Two lovers . Sylvia Bertona (soprano) Michele. The lovers express their pain and their loves, Luigi, who has been waiting on the bank for Piero De Palma (tenor) endless kisses, oaths and promises, the two of them far Giorgetta’s signal, leaps onto the barge. Michele sees away. He agrees to come back in an hour’s time, and the shadow, starts up, lies in wait, then recognises Rome Opera House Chorus and Orchestra she will give him the same signal that all is safe, with Luigi. (Chorus Master: Giuseppe Conca) a light. Luigi is in love and jealous that another should # Michele seizes Luigi by the throat, asking if he is Vincenzo Bellezza touch her, his passion rising to a height, as she hurries there for his lover, telling him not to lie but to confess. him away. Luigi draws a knife, which Michele makes him drop, 9 accusing Luigi, who eventually admits he loves Recorded October, 1955 in the Teatro dell’Opera, Rome Giorgetta sighs that it is hard to be happy. Michele asks why she has not gone to bed: he will stay up. She Giorgetta, as he dies. Her voice is heard from the cabin First issued on HMV ALP 1355 thinks she has done well to prevent Luigi leaving, but and Michele quickly covers Luigi’s body in his cloak. he thinks that two men would have been enough for the Giorgetta, now seeks the comfort of his cloak, which, Reissue Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn work. He could let Tinca go, as he drinks too much, according to his saying, hides joy and sorrow. He tells Giorgetta suggests, but Michele adds that he drinks to her to come near, and opens the cloak to reveal the soothe his pain, as his wife is a whore: he drinks so as body of Luigi. She cries out in terror and Michele not to kill her. Giorgetta is troubled by this. seizes her, throwing her down, forcing her face against 0 Michele approaches her, asking why she no longer that of her dead lover. loves him. She coldly tells him that he is wrong: she loves him, and he is good and honest: now they should Keith Anderson 8.111307 27 8.111307 111307 bk Tabarro EU 6/10/08 1:55 PM Page 6 Synopsis drinks too much. Giorgetta says that she may be jealous 1 O Michele? Michele? 5:35 Appendix: Tito Gobbi – Opera Arias and asks her husband what is wrong. The song-vendor (Giorgetta, Michele, Bargemen, Luigi, 1 The scene is set on Michele’s barge in the Seine, is followed by a man carrying a little harp and they are Il Tinca, Il Talpa) $ PUCCINI: La fanciulla del West surrounded by a group of midinettes, leaving their Minnie, dalla mia casa son partito (Act 1) 2:48 with a gangway leading to the bank. Notre Dame can be 2 seen and buildings by the river, bordered by plane-trees. work. They call for a song, and the harpist sits on a stool Eccola la passata! 2:55 Orchestra conducted by Umberto Berrettoni (Luigi, Giorgetta, Il Talpa, Il Tinca) Recorded July, 1942 in Milan Above the cabin is the helm, and inside everything is to play, while the vendor sings for them. Michele asks if he has treated Giorgetta badly, and she denies it, but Matrix no.: 0BA 5161 tidily set out, with pots of geraniums, washing hanging 3 Dunque, che cosa credi? 3:45 First issued on La Voce del Padrone DA 5430 to dry and on the cabin door a canary cage. It is sunset would prefer violence to silence. The singer continues his song to spring, the season for lovers, where one who (Giorgetta, Michele, Song peddler, Midinettes) and the fifty-year-old barge-owner Michele, his pipe % MOZART: Don Giovanni out, stands by the helm, watching the sunset, while his has lived for love dies for it. The girls buy the song, 4 while Giorgetta continues to ask Michele what is O eterni innamorati, buona sera 4:53 Deh, vieni alla finestra (Act 2) 2:08 young wife Giorgetta busies herself with the washing, (La Frugola, Giorgetta, Il Talpa, Michele, Orchestra conducted by Umberto Berrettoni waters the flowers and cleans the bird-cage. On the wrong. The musicians leave, while the midinettes, now Luigi, Il Tinca) Recorded July, 1942 in Milan bank stands a horse and cart, and dockers come and go, in the distance, are heard singing the last verse of the Matrix no.: 0BA 5149 song they have bought. 5 Hai ben ragione! … Per noi la vita 3:39 First issued on La Voce del Padrone DA 5430 carrying heavy sacks on their shoulders as they unload 4 the barge. Giorgetta calls out to her husband. The Talpa’s wife Frugola appears on the bank and (Luigi, Il Tinca, Giorgetta, Il Talpa, La Frugola) dockers have worked hard and the hold must be empty crosses the gangway onto the barge. She carries on her ^ MOZART: Le nozze di Figaro and tomorrow they can load again, she suggests, adding shoulders a sack full of all kinds of rags. She greets 6 È ben altro il mio sogno! 5:53 Non più andrai (Act 1) 3:37 that the men deserve a drink. The dockers are heard at them, and Michele leaves, to enter the cabin. Frugola (Giorgetta, La Frugola, Luigi, Il Talpa, Philharmonia Orchestra • James Robertson asks if her husband has finished work: that morning she Soprano Voice, Tenor Voice) Recorded 14th March, 1950 their work. Michele tells her she thinks of everything, in EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London and approaches her affectionately: he does not drink, his had dealt with his aches and pains. She laughs and throws her sack down, rummages in it and produces a 7 O Luigi! Luigi! 3:10 Matrix no.: 0EA 14464-1 pipe is out, but his love still burns.