Hold My Hand

Template:Verdi operasMacbeth is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi, with an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and additions by Andrea Maffei, based on Shakespeare's play of the same name.

Background

Giuseppe Verdi started writing music for Macbeth in 1846-47. Piave's text was based on a prose translation by Carlo Rusconi that had been published in Turin in 1838. Verdi did not encounter Shakespeare's original work until after the first performance of the opera at the Teatro della Pergola in Florence on March 14, 1847.

Nearly 20 years later, Verdi was asked to provide additional music for a production at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris, and this gave him an opportunity to revise the entire opera, in particular music for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in Acts 1 and 3 and adding a ballet. This new version was first performed on April 21, 1865 and remains the preferred version for modern performances.

Verdi's version follows Shakespeare's play quite closely, but with some interesting changes: Instead of using three witches as in the play, there is a large female chorus of witches, singing in three part harmony. The last act begins with an assembly of refugees on the English border, and, in the revised version, ends with a chorus of bards celebrating victory over the tyrant, possibly as a compliment to Shakespeare himself.

There are several recordings of Macbeth, although the opera is not considered as important as Verdi's two other works based on Shakespeare - Otello and Falstaff. Some recordings and some performances today incorporate both Macbeth's final aria before he dies (from the original version) and the revised version's ending with the soldiers' chorus.

Performance history

After the 1865 premiere, which was followed by only 13 more performances, the opera generally fell from popularity so that, by about 1900 it was rarely performed until after World War 2.

Two important European production in Berlin in the 1930s and at Glynebourne in 1938 and 1939 were notable, but it was not until 1959 that it appeared on the Metropolitan Opera's roster for the first time. (It has been given 91 performances between 1959 and the 2008 revival). Similarly, the first presentations at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, with Tito Gobbi and then others in the title role, took place only in 1960. Recently is has appeared in the repertories of the Washington National Opera (2007) and the San Francisco Opera (Nov/Dec 2007) and many other opera houses worldwide.

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, March 14, 1847 (Conductor: - )	Revised version Premiere Cast, April 19, 1865 (Conductor: - )
Macbeth	baritone	Felice Varesi	M. Ismael
Lady Macbeth	soprano	Marianna Barbieri-Nini	Mme Rey-Balla
Banquo	bass	Nicola Benedetti	M. Bilis Petit
Macduff	tenor	Angelo Brunacci	M. Montjauze
Lady-in-waiting	mezzo-soprano	Faustina Piombanti	Mme Mairot
Malcolm	tenor	Francesco Rossi	M. Huet
Doctor	bass	Giuseppe Romanelli	M. Guyot
Servant to Macbeth	bass
Herald	bass
Assassin	bass	Giuseppe Bertini	M. Caillot
Three apparitions	2 sopranos and 1 bass
Duncano (Duncan), King of Scotland	Silent
Fleanzio (Fleance)	Silent
Witches, messengers, nobles, attendants, refugees - chorus

Synopsis

Note: there are several differences between the 1847 and the 1865 versions which are noted below in indented text in brackets

Place: Scotland

Time: 11th century

Act 1

Scene 1: A heath

Groups of witches gather in a wood beside a battlefield. The victorious generals Macbeth and Banquo enter. The witches hail Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and king "hereafter." Banquo is greeted as the founder of a great line of future kings. The witches vanish, and messengers from the king appear naming Macbeth Thane of Cawdor.

Scene 2: Macbeth's castle

Lady Macbeth reads a letter from her husband telling of the encounter with the witches. She is determined to propel Macbeth to the throne.

[Revised version only: Vieni! t'affretta! / "Come! Hurry!"].

Lady Macbeth is advised that King Duncan will stay in the castle that night; she is determinied to see him killed (Or tutti, sorgete / "Arise now, all you ministers of hell"). When Macbeth returns she urges him to take the opportunity to kill the King. The King and the nobles arrive and Macbeth is emboldened to carry out the murder (Mi si affaccia un pugnal? / "Is this a dagger which I see before me?"), but afterwards is filled with horror. Disgusted at his cowardice, Lady Macbeth completes the crime, incriminating the sleeping guards by smearing them with Duncan's blood and planting on them Macbeth's dagger. The murder is discovered by Macduff. A chorus calls on God to avenge the killing (Schiudi, inferno, . . / "Open wide thy gaping maw, O Hell").

Act 2

Scene 1: A room in the castle

Macbeth is now king, but disturbed by the prophecy that Banquo, not he, will found a great royal line. To prevent this he tells his wife that he will have both Banquo and his son murdered as they come to a banquet.

[Revised version only: In her aria, La luce langue / "The light fades", Lady Macbeth exults in the powers of darkness]

Scene 2: Outside the castle

A gang of murderers lie in wait. Banquo is apprehensive (Come dal ciel precipita / "O, how the darkness falls from heaven"). He is caught, but enables his son Fleanzio to escape.

Scene 3: A dining hall in the castle

Macbeth receives the guests and Lady Macbeth sings a brindisi (Si colmi il calice / "Fill up the cup"). The assassination is reported to Macbeth, but when he returns to the table the ghost of Banquo is sitting in his place. Macbeth raves at the ghost and the horrified guests believe he has gone mad. The banquet ends abruptly with their hurried, frightened departure.

Act 3

The witches' cave

The witches gather around a cauldron in a dark cave. Macbeth enters and they conjure up three apparitions for him. The first advises him to beware of Macduff. The second tells him that he cannot be harmed by a man 'born of woman'. The third that he cannot be conquered till Birnam Wood marches against him. (Macbeth: O lieto augurio / "O, happy augury! No wood has ever moved by magic power")

Macbeth is then shown the ghost of Banquo and his descendants, eight future Kings of Scotland, verifying the original prophecy. (Macbeth: Fuggi regal fantasima / "Begone, royal phantom that reminds me of Banquo"). He collapses and regains consciousness in the castle. Macbeth and his wife resolve to extirpate the families of Macduff and Banquo (Ora di morte e di vendetta / "Hour of death and of vengeance").

Act 4

Birgit Nilsson as Lady Macbeth, 1947

Scene 1: Near the border between England and Scotland

A chorus of Scottish refugees (Patria oppressa / "Down-trodden country") stand near the English border. In the distance lies Birnam Wood. Macduff is determined to avenge the deaths of his wife and children at the hands of the tyrant (Ah, la paterna mano / "Ah, the paternal hand"). He is joined by Malcolm, the son of King Duncan, and the English army. Malcolm orders each soldier to cut a branch from a tree in Birnam Wood and carry it as they attack Macbeth's army. They are determined to liberate Scotland from tyranny (La patria tradita / "Our country betrayed").

Scene 2: Macbeth's castle

A doctor and a servant observe the Queen as she walks in her sleep, wringing her hands and attempting to clean them of blood (Una macchia è qui tuttora! / "Yet here's a spot").

Scene 3: The battlefield

Macbeth has learned that an army is advancing against him but is reassured by remembering the words of the apparitions (Pietà, rispetto, amore / "Compassion, honour, love"). He receives the news of the Queen's death with indifference. Rallying his troops he learns that Birnam Wood has indeed come to his castle. Battle is joined.

[Ending of the original version:] Macduff pursues and fights Macbeth who falls. He tells Macbeth that he was not "born of woman" but "ripped" from his mother's womb. Fighting continues. Mortally wounded, Macbeth, in a final aria - Mal per me che m'affidai / "Trusting in the prophesies of Hell" - proclaims that trusting in the prophesies of hell caused his downfall. He dies on stage, while Macduff's men proclaim Macduff to be the new King.

Macduff pursues and fights Macbeth who falls wounded. He tells Macbeth that he was not "born of woman" but "ripped" from his mother's womb. Macbeth responds in anguish (Cielo! / "Heaven") and the two continue fighting, then disappear from view. Macduff returns indicating to his men that he has killed Macbeth. The scene ends with a hymn to victory sung by bards, soldiers, and Scottish women (Salva, o re! / "Hail, oh King!).

Adapted and expanded from the synopsis by Simon Holledge which was first published on Opera japonica [1] and appears here by permission.

Selected recordings

1847 Original version

Year	Cast (Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banco, Macduff)	Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra	Label
2003	Peter Glossop, Rita Hunter, John Tomlinson, Kenneth Collins	John Matheson BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers	Audio CD: Opera Rara Cat: ORCV 301

1865 Revised version

Year	Cast (Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banco, Macduff)	Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra	Label
1952	Enzo Mascherini, Maria Callas, Gino Penno, Italo Tajo	Victor de Sabata Teatro alla Scala Chorus and Orchestra	Audio CD: EMI Cat:
1959	Leonard Warren, Leonie Rysanek, Carlo Bergonzi, Jerome Hines	Erich Leinsdorf Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra	Audio CD: RCA Cat:
1964	Giuseppe Taddei, Birgit Nilsson, Bruno Prevedi, Giovanni Foiani	Thomas Schippers, Coro e Orchestra dell' Accademia di Santa Cecilia	Audio CD: Decca Cat:
1971	Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Elena Suliotis, Luciano Pavarotti, Nicolai Ghiaurov	Lamberto Gardelli, London Symphony Orchestra and Ambrosian Opera Chorus	Audio CD: Decca Cat:
1976	Piero Cappuccilli, Shirley Verrett, Placido Domingo, Nicolai Ghiaurov	Claudio Abbado, Teatro alla Scala Chorus and Orchestra	Audio CD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat:
1976	Sherrill Milnes, Fiorenza Cossotto, José Carreras, Ruggero Raimondi	Riccardo Muti, New Philharmonia Orchestra and Ambrosian Opera Chorus	Audio CD: EMI Cat:

References

• The Opera Goer's Complete Guide by Leo Melitz, 1921 version.

External links

• Recordings of Macbeth
• Libretto