Lecture Twelve
Nineteenth-Century Italian Opera:
Bel Canto Opera and Giuseppe Verdi
"Give
me a laundry list and I'll set it to music"
Gioacchino Rossini, 1868.
Italian 19th century music was essentially opera, and its greatest composer, Giuseppe Verdi, whose long life spanned nearly the whole century, while influenced by practically all the currents of Romanticism, retained a certain detachment that set him apart from all of his contemporaries. First we begin with early nineteenth-century Italian opera. This style of this opera is called bel canto, and its essential composers were Gaetano Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, and Gioacchino Rossini. Rossini’s opera I Barbieri de Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) is used as an example of the bel canto style. and we will examine two different versions of the Mezzo aria “Una voce poco fa.”
We continue with an examination of the life and music of Giuseppe Verdi. He was not an innovator or reformer; rather, his operatic style evolved slowly as he sought ever greater refinement of dramatic line, singing technique, and literary truth. To those ends, he did away almost entirely with the differentiation between aria and recitative by the 1850s, used a larger and more important orchestra, and favored characterization and dramatic truth over the vocalizations of the bel canto style. We will look at the final scene from Verdi’s opera Aida as an example of his mature compositional style.
After Verdi, and even in the last twenty years of his life, the synthesis of Wagnerian ideas with local traditions inspired a new school of composition called verismo. It featured a highly melodramatic, almost soap-opera, atmosphere in subjects dealing with normal people in everyday situations. Their works achieved great success (LeoncavalIo's Pagliacci, Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana). The greatest Italian composer of the era, Giacomo Puccini, however, managed to avoid the excesses of "pure" verismo works while retaining its essential elements combined with a highly refined use of the orchestra (Tosca, La Boheme, Madame Butterfly, et al). We will leave Puccini for next semester as most of his works were written in the 20th century, but we will briefly introduce I Pagliacci by LeoncavalIo.
Bellini Donizetti Rossini Verdi Leoncavallo Mascagni
Outline
I. The nature of early nineteenth-century Italian opera.
A. Within Italy, opera became a universally popular entertainment by the early nineteenth century. Much of this popularity was due to the rise of opera buffa.
B. Italian opera became a conservative, highly commercial enterprise.
C. A new bel canto (“beautiful singing”) style of Italian opera emerged by 1810. This style stressed simple, song-like melodic and harmonic material, and it cultivated a highly decorous style of singing.
D. Leading bel canto composers were:
1. Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848)
2. Vincenzo Bellini (1801-35)
3. Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868)
E. Business considerations encouraged very rapid production of Italian bel canto operas.
1. Composers were expected to turn out an opera in only a few weeks time.
2. In order to meet deadlines, composers frequently borrowed from previous operas.
II. The performance background of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville (1816).
Featured Music:
Rossini, The Barber ofSeville, Rosina’s cavatina, “Una voce poco fa, “
Act I , scene II
A. The Barber of Seville is a masterpiece of comic bel canto opera.
B. Rosina’s cavatina, “Una voce poco fa,” Act 1 , scene II.
I .A cavatina is a slow, lyric aria meant to show off a singer’s breath, line, and beauty of tone.
2. This cavatina perfectly illustrates Rossini’s melodic flair, wit, and comic depiction, and it also tells us much about Rosina—she is both coquettish and tough.
3. Read translation.
4. The cavatina is in two parts:
a. The andante is in the style of an accompanied recitative.
b. The moderato is a song-like aria with simple harmonies and a popular content and style.
5. Singers expected, in bel canto style, to improvise ornaments and embellishments, leading in some cases to vocal abuses and tastelessness.
Text of the aria: Una voce poco fa
Ii barbiere di Siviglia (1816) —Giacchino Rossini
Rosina Rosina
Una voce poco fa A voice a short while ago
Qui nel cor mi risuonè. here rang in my heart.
Ii mio cor ferito è già, My heart is already wounded,
E Lindor fu che il piagô. and Lindoro is the culprit.
Si, Lindoro mio sara, Yes, Lindoro will be mine,
Lo giurai la vincerè I swore that I would win
il tutor ricuserô, the guardian I shall refuse.
Lo l’ingegno aguzzero. I shall sharpen my wits.
Alla fin s’accheterà, In the end he will have to let me go
E contenta io restero. and I shall be happy
Si, Lindoro mio sara... Yes, Lindoro will be mine...
lo sono docile, son rispettosa, I am docile, I am respectful,
Sono obbediente, dolce amorosa; I am obedient, sweetly loving;
Mi lascio reggere, mi fo guidar. I let myself be governed, to be led.
Ma se mi toccano dov’è il mio debole, But if they touch my weaker side,
Saro una vipera, e cento trappole I can be a viper, and a hundred tricks,
Prima di cedere faro giocar! I’ll play before I give in!
III. The career of Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
A. Verdi composed twenty-six operas.
1. His first opera was Oberto (1839).
2. His last opera was Falstaff (1893).
B. Verdi dominated Italian opera during the second half of the nineteenth century.
C. Verdi was not an operatic reformer or innovator by design. His artistic aim was refinement of dramatic line, singing technique, and literary truth.
D. Verdi’s biography.
1. He was born on October 10, 1813, in Parma.
2. He showed modest early musical talent and ultimately received his musical education under the patronage of a rich local merchant, Antonio Barezzi, whose daughter he subsequently married.
3. His first opera, Oberto, was well received and brought him the “La Scala commission” for three new operas.
4. Between August 1838 and October 1839, Verdi’s entire family succumbed to illness, and the premier of his opera Un Giorno di Regno was a fiasco.
5. Verdi’s next opera, Nabucco, secured his fame as a composer.
Featured Music:
Va Pensiero from Nabucco.
IV. Although Verdi’s early operas were well within the bel canto style, his constant search for ever greater dramatic clarity and line led him, eventually, to create a very different sort of opera.
A. The bel canto tradition in which Verdi was schooled was characterized by operatic formulas of all kinds, and by the traditional divisions of recitative, aria, and ensemble.
B. With the operas Rigoletto, La Traviata, and it Trovatore, Verdi began to break the mold of formula and predictability by merging recitative, aria, and ensemble. He wanted clear dramatic continuity and line in his operas.
C. By the time he composed Aida (1871), Verdi had essentially done away with the divisions of aria and recitative, preferring a more dramatically continuous, orchestrally accompanied operatic texture.
V. Characteristics of Verdi’s operas include:
A. Reliance on human emotions and psychological insights for the essential story line
B. Increasing de-emphasis on bel canto divisions in favor of continuous music.
C. Carefully composed and highly integrated musical entities.
D. Orchestra plays a much more important role than in a typical bel canto opera.
E. Use of good libretti, often based on genuine Romantic literature.
VI. Verdi had three major artistic periods:
A. His early period ran from 1839 (Oberto) through 1853 (Il Trovatore and La Traviata). During this time, Verdi suppressed the distinctions between aria, recitative, and ensemble.
B. His middle compositional period ran from 1854 to 1871 (Aida).
C. His late period began with Otello (1887) and ended with Falstaff (1893).
VII. Aida
A. Plot and characters
1. Radames is tricked into revealing the Egyptian army’s battle plan to the Ethiopian slave Aida, whom he loves.
2. Amneris, who loves Radames, eavesdrops and reports Radames to the authorities.
3. Radames is sentenced to die via suffocation by the all-powerful priesthood of Ptah.
4. Aida decides to share his fate, and they sing an exquisitely beautiful duet, “0 Terra, Addio.”
B. This opera is an excellent example of the characteristics of Verdi’s mature style.
1. It deals with the feelings of its human characters.
2. There is no obvious distinction between aria and recitative.
3. The melodic material is direct, refined, and utterly accessible.
C. Read translation
Featured Music:
Verdi, Aida, Tomb Scene, Act IV, scene II (1871) —Giuseppe Verdi
Radames
La fatal pietra sovra me si chiuse; The fatal stone closes over me;
Ecco la tomba mia.. This is my tomb.
Del di Ia luce piü non vedro.... I’ll never see the light of day again.
Non rivedro piü Aida. I’ll never see Aida.
Aida, ove sei tu? possa tu almeno Aida, where are you?
Viver felice, e la mia sorte orrenda Live happily, and never know
Sempre ignorar! Of my terrible death!
Radames
Part 2: Radames hears a sound (Accompaniment: the rhythm picks up)
Radames
Qual gemito--una larva—un vision?... What sound was that? a ghost? a vision
No! forma urnana è questa...Ciel, Aida! No! A human form...Aida!
Aida
Son io... It is I...
Radames
Tu, in questa tomba! You, in this tomb!
Part 3: Aida explains (Accompaniment: mournful low notes.)
Aida
Presago il core della tua condanna, I knew in my heart, even before your sentence;
In questa tomba che per te s’appriva this tomb awaited you
lo penentrai furtiva, I hid secretly in it,
E qui lontana da ogni umano sguardo And here, far from anyone’s gaze,
Nelle tue braccia desiai morire. I wanted to die in your arms.
Radames
Morir! si pura e bella! Dying, so innocent and beautiful!
Morir per me d’amore, Dying, for love of me,
Degli anni tuoi di fiore, So young as a flower,
Degli anni tuoi fibre fuggir la vita! so young to give up life!
T’avea in cielo per l’amour creata, You were made in heaven for love,
Ed io t’uccido per averti amata! And I have killed you by loving you!
No, non morrai, troppo t’amai, troppo You cannot die! I love you too much!
sei bella! you are too beautiful!
Aida
RECITATIVE: Radames alone, then Aida
Part 1 : Quiet orchestral introduction (strings) sets the deathly mood. Accompaniment slow and halting
ARIOSO IRadames reacts in despair “Con passione “—passionately
Chorus
Immenso Ftha, del mondo spirito animator Great Ptah the world’s creative spirit,
noi t’invocchiamo. Triste canto! we invoke thee. Mournful chant!
Radames
Ii tripudio dei sacerdoti... The priestly rites...
Aida
II nostro inno di morte. Our funeral hymn.
Radames
Ne le mie forti braccia smuovere ti potranno, All of my strength cannot move
0 fatal pietra! that fatal stone!
Aida
Invan--tutto e finito Sulla terra per noi. In vain—all is finished For us on earth.
See? the angel of death Vedi? di morte l’angelo
Approaches us in radiance, Radiante a noi s’appressa,
Leading to eternal joys Ne adduce a eterni gaudii
On his golden wings. Sovra i suoi vanni d’or.
I see the heavens open; Già veggo ii ciel dischiudersi;
Here pain ceases, lvi ogni affano cessa,
Here begins the ecstasy lvi commincia l’estasi
Of immortal love. Dun immortal amor..
CHORUS (on the upper stage) with interjections by Radames and Aida
(Modal harmonies, harp, and flute)
Aida
E vero, è vero! True, it is true.
DUET: First Aida, then Radames with Aida (With quiet high strings)
Aida and Radames
0 terra, addio, addio, valle di pianti, Farewell to earth, vale of tears, dream
Sogno di gaudio che in dolor svani, of happiness which vanishes in grief,
A noi si schiude il ciel, si schiude il The heavens open, and our fleeing
ciel e I’ alme erranti souls
Volano al raggio dell’eterno di. Escape to the rays of eternal day.
CHORUS (on the upper stage) singing with Aida and Radames
0 terra, addio, addio, valle di pianti, Farewell to earth, vale of tears,
Sogno di gaudio che in dolor svani, Dream of happiness which vanishes grief;
A noi si schiude il ciel, si schiude il ciel The heavens open, and our fleeing
e I’ alme erranti Escape to the rays of eternal day.
Volano al raggio dell’eterno di.
Immenso Ftha, del mondo spirito Great Ptah, the world’s creative spirit,
animator, noi t’invocchiamo. we invoke thee.
Amneris
Pace t’imploro, salma adorata, I beg you for peace, beloved spirit;
Isi placata, Isi placata ti schiuda il ciel, May Isis, placated, welcome you to heaven
pace t’imploro, pace.... peace, peace....
DUET continues: Aida and Radames together with Amneris and the Chorus Ends with violins playing “0 terra” tune, Amneris singing “pace, pace,” and the Chorus repeating ”lmmenso Ftha!”
VIII. If time permits I will share some of the video of I Pagliacci by LeoncavalIo.
Featured Music:
Vesti la giubba
For further study of opera I will list arias after each of the three Opera lectures. A CD in MP3 format will be placed in the listening lab.
50 Italian Opera Arias and ensembles:
1) Bellini- Norma- Casta Diva
2) Catalani - LaWally
3) Catalani-La Wally Ebben- Ne Andro Lontano
4) Cilea -- lo son lumile ancella
5) Daughter of the Regiment Duet
6) Donizetti- Lelisir D'amore- Una Furtiva
7) Donizetti -Lucia di Lam mermoor-Sparsa di rose
8) Donizetti- Don Pasquale-Bass Aria
9) Donizetti Don Pasquale - Duet
10) Donizetti Don Pasquale - Duet 2
11) Donizetti - Lelisir damore- Una furtiva lagrima 2
12) Donizetti -Lucia di Lammermoor
13) Donizetti-Lucia di Lammermoor Act I Regnava Nel Silenzo
14) Donizetti Lucia Spargi damore pianto
15) DonizettiLElisir d’ Amore - Duet
16) Leoncavallo Pagliacci - Vesti Ia Giubba
17) Mascagni Cavalleria rusticana, opera in 1 act- Voi lo sapete
18) Ponchielli La Gioconda Ah! Pescator affonda lesca
19) Ponchielli La Gioconda Suicidio
20) Rossini II barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) Un voce poco fa
21) Rossini Barber Largo Al Factotum
22) Rossini II barbière di Siviglia
23) Rossini II barbière di Siviglia Largo al factotum
24) Rossini II barbière di Siviglia- Largo al factotum
25) Rossini II barbière di Siviglia Tenor Aria
26) Verdi Balloin Maschera Zitti
27) Verdi La forza del destino Pace, pace mio Dio
28) Verdi La Traviata Duet
29) Verdi Aida - Duet
30) Verdi Aida Se quel guerrier io fossi...Celeste Aida
31) Verdi Aida, opera- Qui radames verra
32) Verdi Aida, opera- Ritorna vincitor
33) Verdi Forza - 0 don Fatale
34) Verdi- Forza- Pace, Pace, mio Dio
35) Verdi- II Trovatore- Damore sullali rosee
36) Verdi II Trovatore- Di Quella Pira
37) Verdi- II Trovatore- Miserere
38) Verdi II Trovatore-Ah, si ben mio
39) Verdi La Forza del destino - Duet
40) Verdi Macbeth- Ah, Ia paterno mano
41) Verdi Nabucco- Va Pensiero
42) Verdi Otello - Love Duet
43) Verdi Othello- Morte di Otello
44) Verdi Othello- Niun mi tema
45) Verdi Rigoletto Caro nome
46) Verdi Rigoletto Duet
47) Verdi Rigoletto La donna e mobile
48) Verdi Rigoletto Quartet
49) Verdi Traviata Libiamo
50) Verdi Trovatore Condotta