VINCENZO BELLINI 5 May 2017 Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall Welcome Welcome to Victorian Opera’s We welcome a cast of old and new friends, performance of Bellini’s La Sonnambula. Jessica Pratt, Carlos E. Bárcenas and Roxane Hislop, along with Paolo Pecchioli Bel canto holds a special place in and Greta Bradman. the heart of our company. Tonight’s performance of La Sonnambula is our Jessica returns following her recent debut third of great Bellini masterpieces, with The Metropolitan Opera as Queen of following concert stagings of Norma and the Night in The Magic Flute. Carlos, who I Puritani. sings with so much heart, has inspired us all with his love for beautiful singing, which after all is what the tradition of bel canto represents. Many exciting things are happening at Victorian Opera. Tonight’s performance will be filmed and then streamed on the Opera Platform website from July 2017. Our commitment to sharing opera with everyone transcends borders (literally!) and we’re thrilled to contribute our music to the world. More news to follow. From the Victorian Opera family, thank you for joining us tonight for this concert performance of La Sonnambula. As we draw closer to winter, we hope it warms your soul. ANDREW SNELL Managing Director 2 3 Bellini Knew Best Richard Mills During my tenure at Victorian Opera, Bellini had great regard for the quality we have embarked on a project to of his chosen texts. His most successful perform all the major Bellini operas collaborator was Felice Romani (1788-1865) in concert. The cynic might well ask who was the librettist for seven of Bellini’s “why”? – and add prevailing criticisms greatest works, including Norma and La about poor orchestration, formulaic Sonnambula (and would have been for I accompaniments and lack of dramatic Puritani had he not missed the deadlines for differentiation between characters. Beatrice de Tenda). All well and good – and perhaps Romani produced nearly 100 librettos for intellectually sustainable points of composers as diverse as Mercadante, view – which overlook one important Rossini, Meyerbeer, Donizetti and Verdi; phenomenon: an individuality of musical he was a lawyer, interested in mythology, personality, which has an emotional French literature and antiquities. With eloquence of uncommon power that this rather formidable background as an engages the public because of its lasting academician, one would be disinclined to vitality. expect the prodigious lyrical gifts Romani displays so frequently. He possessed the ability to find a union of image and rhetorical form that provided a framework for melody, making text, which needs an encounter with music to realise the final potentials of its ideas. Consider the first entrance of Norma: her first majestic utterances are preceded by music entirely for men, preparing the way for the magical imagery of Casta Diva. I think Puccini was at least subliminally aware of this process in La Fanciulla del West – the entrance of Minnie is architecturally a tour de force as the female voice is revealed for the first time in the opera, preceded as it is by an elaborate ensemble for the men. Bellini’s famous letter to Agostino Gallo published in 1843, and, strangely, 4 of sometimes disputed authenticity states: Of course, the period music industry has “Believing as I do that a great part of the appropriated Bellini – and we have the much success of a work depends on the choice of vaunted recent Bartoli recording of the ‘new an interesting subject with strong contrast edition’ by Maurizio Biondi and Riccardo of passions and harmonious and deeply felt Minasi. For our 2014 Norma, I purchased verses… my first object is to obtain a perfect these materials at some expense, only to find drama from a good writer”. Bellini is also them pretty well identical to the old Ricordi reported as saying: “Give me good verse and set I used in Perth years ago – but of course I will give you good music”. with fresh wrong notes, so who’s kidding who here? This feeling for poetry and drama also extends to a profound ability to convey Bellini’s influence is subtle and profound. character. The argument that one of Bellini’s His friendship with Chopin and influence on characters’ music could just as well be Liszt, Wagner and Stravinsky are well known. rendered by another is nonsense: Adalgisa Donizetti and Verdi admired him greatly, singing Casta Diva or Lisa singing Ah, non and provided the sincerest form of flattery: credea, I don’t think so! Even in the duets imitation. and trios, there is individuality of gesture that Bellini has left us a canon of enduring value; renders the whole passage cohesive. a unique and inimitable feeling for poetic Of course, there are still those who voice expression in music, a dramatic sense which criticisms of the orchestration. Yet attempts manifests in noble and heroic situation, and a to ‘improve’ Bellini’s orchestration have legacy of melodies that unfold as if they were led great musical minds to despair. Bizet made in heaven for singers on earth. His art discovered when he was commissioned is in stark contrast to the current climate to re-orchestrate Norma that “it would where much entertainment is based on the be impossible to place any other fetishized violence of film and computer accompaniments under these melodies”. game. The art of Bellini perhaps creates its For me, sensitive playing, remembering the own need in barbarous times. characteristics of the horns, trumpets and trombones of the day in particular will iron out any functional infelicities – for the rest, RICHARD MILLS the poetic intention is always served by the Artistic Director & Conductor instrumentation – what more can one ask for? This article was originally printed in the April 2017 edition of Limelight Magazine. 5 Synopsis La Sonnambula ACT I apologises for his jealousy (Duet: “Son In the village, wedding preparations are geloso del zeffiro errante”). under way: Elvino and Amina are in love. Only Lisa the innkeeper (once engaged At the inn, Lisa recognises the mysterious to Elvino) who is being enthusiastically man as the lost heir of the former local pursued by the hapless Alessio, is count. While they flirt, there is a sudden disappointed by the engagement. Amina noise and Lisa hides in the closet, dropping enters to express her happiness and her handkerchief. Amina sleepwalks into gratitude to all, especially to Teresa who the room. Rodolfo realises she must be raised her after she was orphaned (“Come the village “ghost”. Lisa assumes Amina is per me sereno”). Elvino rushes in late coming to meet Rodolfo and sneaks away. to sign the marriage contract, offering Rodolfo is moved by Amina’s expressions Amina a beautiful bouquet as an apology. of love for Elvino and leaves her to sleep He gives her a ring that belonged to his innocently on his bed. mother (Duet: “Prendi, l’anel ti dono”). Suddenly, a mysterious man arrives – it’s The villagers enter to catch a glimpse Count Rodolfo, in disguise. He sees a of the mysterious Count. Lisa appears resemblance in Amina of a great love from with Elvino and Teresa. Everyone in the his past. village is shocked to find Amina in the Count’s bed. Awakened by the crowd, she As darkness comes, the villagers become proclaims her innocence (“D’un pensiero apprehensive and Teresa explains to the e d’un accento”). In spite of Teresa’s pleas mysterious man that a ghost haunts the and Amina's objections, Elvino cancels the town. The man is amused and says he’d wedding and together with the villagers, like to see the ghost before departing. rejects Amina (“Non più nozze”). Elvino and Amina begin to argue over the Count’s interest in Amina, but Elvino soon 6 ACT II The villagers visit Count Rodolfo’s castle to plead Amina's cause. Teresa and Amina enter and hear Elvino grieving ("Tutto è sciolto”). He reproaches Amina again and takes his ring from her. The villagers return to say that Rodolfo has confirmed Amina’s innocence and is on his way, but Elvino refuses to see him and leaves in despair. Teresa leads Amina away in sorrow. Elvino decides to marry Lisa after all. As they leave for the church they are interrupted by Rodolfo who proclaims Amina's innocence once more. Teresa appears, concerned, and asks for quiet as Amina has fallen asleep from exhaustion. She is shocked to see that Lisa is Elvino’s bride to be. Teresa suddenly produces the handkerchief Lisa had dropped that night in the Count's room. Elvino realises that Lisa has told lies. Amina appears, sleepwalking at a great height along a perilous ledge. Afraid she might wake, the villagers watch and pray she reaches safety. In her sleep, Amina mourns the loss of Elvino, remembering the beautiful flowers he gave her that have since wilted. She searches for her lost ring (“Ah! Non credea mirarti”). Now convinced of her innocence, Elvino puts the ring back on her finger. Amina wakes and seeing Elvino her despair turns to joy. The whole village rejoices in the happiness of the bride and bridegroom. 7 Production La Sonnambula 5 May 2017 Chorus Arts Centre Melbourne Soprano Hamer Hall Elizabeth Barrow, Olivia Cranwell, Michelle McCarthy, Joanna Patocs, Composer Vincenzo Bellini Rebecca Rashleigh, Diana Simpson, Librettist Felice Romani Emily Uhlrich, Nicole Wallace Running time is approximately 3 hours Mezzo Soprano with one 20 minute interval Kerrie Bolton, Fleur Brockway, Sung in Italian with English surtitles Rebecca Bywater, Ursula Paez, Belinda Paterson, Anna Plotka, Creative Team Juel Riggall, Lynlee Williams Conductor Richard Mills Tenor Lighting Designer Peter Darby Jonathon Bam, Paul Batey, Paul Biencourt Production Manager Eduard Inglés Irving Dekterev, Tomas Dalton, Michael Edwards, Ernst Ens, Stage Manager Luke Hales Timothy Reynolds Principal Repetiteur Phoebe Briggs Bass Repetiteur Phillipa Safey Paul Hughes, Michael Lampard, Chorus Preparation Stephen Marsh, Timothy Newton, Alex Pokryshevsky, Kiran Rajasingam, Phoebe Briggs, Richard Mills Julian Wilson, Raphael Wong Cast Amina Jessica Pratt Acknowledgements Elvino Carlos E.