Cristina, regina di Svezia
| Opera dates | |
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| Title: | Cristina, regina di Svezia |
Title page of the libretto, Stockholm 1849 |
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| Shape: | “Dramma storico-lirico” in three acts |
| Original language: | Italian |
| Music: | Jacopo Foroni |
| Libretto : | Giovanni Carlo Casanova |
| Premiere: | May 19 or 22, 1849 |
| Place of premiere: | Stockholm Royal Theater |
| Playing time: | approx. 2 ¼ hours |
| Place and time of the action: | Stockholm and a small island somewhat removed from the city, 1654 |
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Cristina, regina di Svezia is an opera (original name: "Dramma storico-lirico") in three acts (five parts) by Jacopo Foroni (music) with a libretto by Giovanni Carlo Casanova. It freely treats the last weeks of the government of the Swedish Queen Cristina until her abdication in 1654 and was first performed on May 19 or 22, 1849 in the Royal Theater in Stockholm.
action
“Cristina, figlia di Gustavo Adolfo re di Svezia, saliva il trono paterno giovanissima d'anni, adulta nelle Scienze e nell'Arti. Innamorava di Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie ministro alla Corte, e nel segreto del cuore pensava farlo re deludendo so le speranze del suo cugino Carlo Gustavo, cui negli anni infantili prometteva amore, ei consigli del vecchio Cancelliere Oxenstjerna lasciatore dal padre a tut. De la Gardie amava invece riamato Maria Eufrosina sorella a Carlo Gustavo. Un ingegno forbitissimo e ardentissimo un cuore, fruttavano a Cristina l'estimazione dei molti, ma le sue prodigalità le suscitavano una congiura nel seno istesso del suo castello. L 'amor torturato di Maria e di Gabriele, quello in domato di Cristina, le sue furie scorgendosi non amata, l'arrivo di Carlo Gustavo dall' Isola di Œland in Stochkolm, ove si spinge genio secreto e salvatore nelle congiure dei Messenius, le disillusioni della giovane Regina, la sua abdicazione e il perdono generale formano il nodo e lo sviluppo del Dramma, che vogliamo raccomandato meglio che al giudizio dei dotti all'indulgenza di tutti. "
“Cristina, the daughter of the Swedish King Gustav Adolf , ascended the throne of her father at a very young age after receiving a scientific and artistic education. She fell in love with the minister Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie and secretly thought of making him king. In doing so, she disappointed the hopes of her cousin Carlo Gustavo , whom she had promised love in childhood, and the advice of the old Chancellor Oxenstierna , who had been appointed her guardian by her father. De la Gardie, for his part, loved Carlo Gustavo's sister Maria Eufrosina . She was valued by many for her strong and passionate heart, but her generosity also sparked a conspiracy right inside the castle. The tormenting love of Maria and Gabriel, whose submission by Cristina, their anger when she was not returned, the arrival of Carlo Gustavo on the island of Œland near Stockholm, where he became the secret spirit and savior of the Messenius conspiracy , the young Queen's disappointment, her abdication and her general forgiveness form the knot and development of the drama which we would rather have recommended to the indulgence of all than to the judgment of the scholars. "
In the following table of contents, the changes to the Trieste second version from 1850 are marked by square brackets.
first act
First part: "Amore" - love
Large square near Stockholm Royal Castle.
To the left of the spectator a provisional throne for the queen; in the background a lake, behind it the silhouette of the city. The path is strewn with flowers and the houses are festively decorated with tapestries and garlands. Sweden celebrates the return of the old Chancellor Oxenstierna and with it the peace that he negotiated after the Thirty Years' War . Cristina, seated on the throne, is surrounded by the imperial giants, among them Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie. Maria Eufrosina, court ladies and noblemen surround them. Swedish troops are deployed across from them in the background. The people are in groups in the background. Arnold and Johan Messenius stand apart.
Scene 1. After a prayer for peace (chorus: "L'inno levate, o Popolo") the people get ready to greet the Oxenstierna, who arrives in a ship covered with flags.
Scene 2. Oxenstierna and his son Erik go ashore, and the Chancellor pays homage to his Queen Cristina. Gabriel's thoughts, meanwhile, are focused on his love for Maria Eufrosina. Erik is also secretly in love with her and looks at Gabriel jealously. Arnold and his son, on the other hand, are annoyed by the attention they are given to the queen they hate. To everyone's surprise and dismay, Erik promises the hand of her cousin Maria. Erik and his father thank her happily. Arnold, on the other hand, hopes to win Maria's lover Gabriel as an ally for his overthrow plans. Everyone goes to the castle.
A garden [rooms in the royal palace]
Scene 3. Gabriel is desperate to have to give up Maria (“Le fredde goccie dell'uomo che muor”).
Scene 4. Maria throws herself into Gabriel's arms (“Gabriel!” - “Maria! Spirto gentile che irrevocabil cenno”). When he suggests they flee together, Maria reminds him that doing so would lose her honor. This is sacred to Gabriel. So they only have to worry about the forced separation. Gabriel doesn't think the queen will change her plans.
[Scene 5.] Cristina encounters the couple in this situation and wants to know the reason for Maria's tears. Before she can answer, however, Cristina sends her out to speak to Gabriel in private. She reminds him of her love and support in his rise on the court and wants to know if his feelings for her have changed. She is ready to marry him and share the throne with him. Inwardly troubled Gabriel tries to convince her of his loyalty.
[Scene 6.] Johan tells Cristina that the preparations for the wedding have been completed.
Second part: "Imeneo" - The wedding
Brightly lit hall in the royal palace; in the background illuminated roof gardens
Scene 1. Courtiers and nobles sing a song of praise to the wedding god Hymenaios (“Voci ascose dell 'aure odorate”).
Scene 2. Cristina leads in the pale and trembling Maria. Oxenstierna and Erik are already there, as are Gabriel, who is almost mad with pain, and Arnold and Johan. When Cristina asks her cousin again about the reason for her sadness ("Onde tal Fremdito tale mestizia?"), She does not want to name him at first ("Hanno i miei gemiti ragion secreta"), but then explains that she cannot marry Erik because she already loves someone else. Everyone is horrified ("Cielo! Dardo di fulgoro mi scese in sen"). At Cristina's urging, Maria reveals that it is Gabriel. Angry and disappointed, Cristina explains that Gabriel and Maria will never be allowed to see each other again. Arnold and Johan's hope of winning Gabriel for their purposes increases. With an imperious gesture, Cristina leaves the hall, followed by the courtiers, Oxenstierna and Erik, tearful with disappointment. Maria falls unconscious into the arms of the ladies-in-waiting. Gabriel wants to help her, but is arrested and taken away by Arnold and Johan.
Second act
Third part: "La congiura" - The conspiracy
Coast of an island in Saltsjön; in the background Tre Kronor Castle [and the city of Stockholm]; Moonlight; [Fishing boats on the calm waves]
Scene 1. A fisherman sings a song behind the stage (Voce interna: “Voga, voga pescatore”). An echo repeats some of the words.
Scene 2. Cristina's cousin Carlo Gustavo arrives in a boat (“Perchè nel rivederti, o materna mia terra”). A forged letter was leaked to him warning him of Cristina's plans. They envy his success and want to get him out of the way with the help of Oxenstiernas and other nobles. Gustavo doesn't trust the news because he recognized Arnold's writing. In order to find out the background and to protect the queen he admires, he wants to appear to join the conspirators.
Scene 3. Now Arnold, Johan and Gabriel appear with their cronies (Messenius: “Giungemmo inosservati”). Gustavo reveals himself to them. He is horrified to find Gabriel with them too. The conspirators' plan is to overthrow Cristina and put Gustavo in her place. While the others swear their alliance, Gustavo secretly vows to save Cristina.
Fourth part: "Disillusione" - Disillusion
Cristina's apartments in the castle; on one side a small prayer chamber
Scene 1. After her prayer, Cristina sits down in a chair, lost in thought. She is surrounded by pomp and wealth, but suffers from the ingratitude of her subjects ("Dispogliata del serto e d'una corte").
Scene 2. Oxenstierna enters and tries to comfort her by reminding her of her great father Gustav II Adolf and her descent from the Wasa house ("T'inganni ... De miei secreti affanni testimone tu sol"). Cristina tells him that she will abdicate and leave the throne to her cousin. Oxenstierna cannot change her mind.
Scene 3. Cristina's ladies-in-waiting come in excited and report on the uprising that has begun (“Armi… Fuoco…” - “Correte volate, correte volate”). In the distance the hateful calls of the conspirators can already be heard.
Scene 4. The guards rush in to protect Cristina. Shortly afterwards, Maria appears, dissolved and close to madness.
Scene 5. Before Cristina can flee, Gustavo arrives. He reassures those present that the insurgents have already been overwhelmed and arrested. Cristina learns from him that Gabriel was among them.
Scene 6. The prisoners are led in and the deeply affected Cristina condemns the faithless Gabriel to death. All of Mary's supplications are in vain. Oxenstierna and Erik escort the queen to her rooms, while Gustavo takes care of Maria.
Third act
Fifth part: "L'abdicazione" - The abdication
[Room in Carlo Gustavo's house]
[Scene 1.] Gustavo broodingly looks at a portrait of Cristina with whom he was once bound by mutual love. A page reports that the Queen will be waiting for him in the castle at sunset.
Royal apartments
Scene 1 [2]. Cristina has written down her plans to resign and her longing for a life dedicated to the arts in Italy and declaimed this text for herself ("O! Tu genio de 'secoli che furo").
Scene 2 [3]. Gustavo enters and greets Cristina respectfully (“A te Regina!” - “A me congiunto or vieni suddito”). She informs him of her wish to abdicate in his favor. Gustavo tries to change her mind. He reminds her of her former love and his desire to rule with her. Although Cristina is thoughtful, she sticks to her decision and asks him to accompany her to the council.
Great council chamber
In the background a large door; on the left a table with documents; around these the senators chaired by Oxenstiernas; left Gabriel and the conspirators under the supervision of the guards; the entrance is secured by armed men; Mourning lamps light up the gloomy place
Scene 3 [4]. The senators announce the death sentence for the insurgents ("Nel tempio delle leggi e del rigor"). When they are about to be taken away, the door opens.
Last scene. Cristina enters in full regal regalia. She leads Gustavo and Maria by the hand and is accompanied by noblemen, court ladies, servants and armed men. Cristina interrupts the meeting, pardons the conspirators ("Ogni delitto non ammenda la morte"), announces her resignation in favor of Gustavo and declares her consent to the marriage of Mary and Gabriel. Then she personally crowns Gustavo, who is kneeling in front of her, and promises him a brilliant reign. Gustavo assures that he will rule for the good of the people ("Al fior di Svezia innante giuro volarmi"). All swear allegiance to the new king.
layout
orchestra
The orchestral line-up for the opera includes the following instruments:
- Woodwinds : flute piccolo , two flutes , two oboes , two clarinets , two bassoons
- Brass : four horns , two trumpets , three trombones , cimbasso
- Timpani , drums : bass drum , cymbals
- harp
- Strings : violins 1, violins 2, violas , cellos , double basses
Music numbers
The opera contains the following musical numbers:
- Overture: Andante maestoso in D minor - D major 3/4 - alla breve - 3/2
First act, first part
- No. 1. Introduction (Cristina, Maria, Gabriel, Johan, Messenius, choir): "L'inno levate, o Popolo, l'inno del cor felice" (scene 2)
- No. 2. Romance and Duet (Maria, Gabriel)
- Gabriel: "Le fredde goccie dell'uomo che muor suda il mio fronte e suda sangue il cor" (scene 3)
- Maria, Gabriel: “Gabriel!” - “Maria! Spirto gentile che irrevocabil cenno "(scene 4)
First act, second part
- No. 3. Choir before the final I: "Voci ascose dell 'aure odorate per l'azzurro del cielo natanti" (scene 1)
- No. 4. [Finale I:] (Cristina, Maria, Gabriel, Erik, Johan, Oxenstierna, Messenius, choir)
- Cristina: "Onde tal Fremdito tale mestizia?" (Scene 2)
- Maria: "Hanno i miei gemiti ragion secreta" (scene 2)
- Tutti: “Cielo! Dardo di fulgoro mi scese in sen "(scene 2)
Second act, third part
- No. 5. Prelude and Romance
- Voce interna: "Voga, voga pescatore, canta gli astri e canta il mare" (scene 1)
- Gustavo: "Perchè nel rivederti, o materna mia terra" (scene 2)
- No. 6. Conspiracy (Gustavo, Messenius, Johan, choir)
- Messenius: “Giungemmo inosservati. È grave ed 'alta la cagion del convegno "(scene 3)
- "Gustavo non giunse ancor fra noi?" (Scene 3)
- "[...] col fuoco sperdiam di tanta molezza le gioje lascive" (scene 3)
Second act, fourth part
- No. 7. Duet (Cristina, Oxenstierna)
- Cristina: "Dispogliata del serto e d'una corte" (scene 1)
- "T'inganni ... De miei secreti affanni testimone tu sol" (scene 2)
- "Ravviso l'altera figlia in te del gran Gustavo coronato di gloria" (scene 2)
- "Altra fiamma dei Wasa più degna altr 'affetto più puro più santo" (scene 2)
- No. 8. Finale II (Choir of Conspirators, Ladies, Cristina, Oxenstierna)
- "Armi ... Fuoco ..." - "Correte volate, correte volate, già la fiamma s'appende alla Regia" (scene 3)
- “Che avvenne? parlate… Narrate: che fu? che fu? "(Scene 3)
- "Per tutto un 'ondata di faci serpeggia" (scene 3)
Third act, fifth part
- No. 9. Duet (Cristina, Gustavo)
- "O! Tu genio de 'secoli che furo "(scene 1)
- "A te Regina!" - "A me congiunto or vieni suddito" (scene 2)
- No. 10. Choir and Romance (Oxenstierna, Gabriel, Messinius, Johan, Chor di Senatori): "Nel tempio delle leggi e del rigor" (scene 3)
- No. 11. Finale III (Cristina, Gustavo, Maria, Gabriel, Erik, Johan, Oxenstierna, Messenius, choir)
- "Ogni delitto non ammenda la morte" (last scene)
- Gustavo: "Al fior di Svezia innante giuro volarmi a lei tutti i pensieri" (last scene)
- "O generosa e pia" (last scene)
music
Foroni's music is characterized by a melodic inventiveness that is reminiscent of Giuseppe Verdi . The instrumentation goes beyond that of contemporary Italian operas and shows influences of the Central European style in the level of detail and the more frequent use of counterpoint .
The overture contains a refined version of "Näckens polska" - a piece that was generally associated with Sweden and Scandinavia in Europe in the 19th century and was often used musically.
The Trieste second version differs in some points from the original version. The concertato in the first act (No. 1) is shorter here and has been transposed from D major to C major. The duet Maria / Magnus at the end of the first part has been shortened. Cristina now sends Maria out abruptly to speak to Magnus alone and declare her love for him. Foroni used parts of the original music for the new duet Cristina / Magnus. At the beginning of the third act there is an additional reflective aria in which Gustavo commemorates his childhood love for Cristina. Anders Wiklund, the editor of the Critical Edition, said these additions would completely mess up the proportions of the act.
libretto
Work history
In the 1840s, Vincenzo Galli's opera troupe reached Sweden after a two-year tour of Scandinavia. Their performances in Stockholm's Mindre Teatern by Anders Lindberg were so successful that the Royal Court Opera gave them their own stage from October 1848 to April 1849. Due to various conflicts, however, this cooperation had to be ended again in January 1849, and the troops returned to the Mindre Teatern. Since the conductor Paolo Sperati also left the ensemble, Galli hired the Italian composer and conductor Jacopo Foroni to replace him . He had to flee Italy due to his participation in the Milan uprising " Cinque Giornate " and reached Stockholm in December 1849 (according to other sources he was already a member of the Gallis opera company during the tour). There he performed various contemporary Italian operas. A month later he began composing his opera Cristina, regina di Svezia based on a libretto by Gian Carlo Casanova, the baritone of the opera troupe. He dedicated the music to the then Swedish King Oskar I , who himself had a musical education and in 1834 had personally completed the unfinished opera Ryno by the composer Edvard Brendler . The libretto of Foroni's opera is dedicated to the Queen Mother Désirée .
The premiere took place on May 19 or 22, 1849 in the Royal Theater in Stockholm. According to the information in the libretto, Rosa Penco (Cristina), Alex sang. Deleen (Maria Eufrosina), Gian Carlo Casanova (Oxenstierna), Francesco Ciaffei and / or Ettore Caggiati (Erik and Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie), Luigi Della Santa (Carlo Gustavo), Vincenzo Galli (Arnold Messenius) and N. Giuseppini (Johan ). The performance was a great success. Foroni was then awarded the Wasa Order and was appointed court conductor. The audience also included the poet Hans Christian Andersen , who reported enthusiastically about it in his autobiography.
On September 28, 1850, the work was shown at the Teatro Civico in Trieste. Carolina Grutner (Cristina), Amalia Viezzoli de Silvestrini (Maria Eufrosina), Cesare Dalla Costa (Oxenstierna), Pietro Vignola (Erik), Gaetano Fraschini (Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie), Filippo Colini (Carlo Gustavo), Francesco Reduzi ( Arnold Messenius) and Giovanni Petrovich (Johan). Foroni revised the opera for this production by adding some scenes, shortening other passages and re-orchestrating the music. Although the reviews were positive here too, the work never made it into the repertoire.
The autograph of the Trieste version is preserved in the Ricordi archive. The score of the first version has recently been reconstructed using a reference copy from Mindre Teatern. For the first performance in recent times, which took place in 2007 in concert by the Vadstena Academy as part of the Vadstena Festival, Anders Wiklund created a critical edition .
A scenic rediscovery was only made in 2013 by the Irish Wexford Festival Opera . The director Stephan Medcalf moved the plot to the 1930s and was thematically inspired by the abdication of the English King Edward VIII . Jamie Vartan was responsible for the stage and costumes. The conductor was Andrew Greenwood. Helena Dix sang the title role. The production was a great success with both audiences and critics. She was named "Best Rediscovery" at the International Opera Awards 2014 .
There were further performances in 2014 at Cadogan Hall in London by the Chelsea Opera Group. Andrew Greenwood conducted here too. As in Wexford, the London performances were also acclaimed.
The German premiere was on May 21, 2016 in the Oldenburg State Theater in the production of Michael Sturm and the equipment by Stefan Rieckhoff under the musical direction of Vito Cristófaro. Miriam Clark sang the role of Queen Cristina.
Recordings
- August 4, 2007 - Tobias Ringborg (conductor), orchestra and choir of the Vadstena Academy.
Liine Carlsson (Cristina), Nina Saetherhaug (Maria Eufrosina), Kosma Ranuer (Oxenstierna), Robert Lind (Erik), Alexander Grove (Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie), Linus Börjesson (Carlo Gustavo), Anton Ljungstedt (Arnold Messenius), Fredrik Annmo (Johan), Iréne Lindh (Cristina, spoken texts).
Live from Vadstena Castle.
Radio broadcast. - August 2010 - Tobias Ringborg (conductor), Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra , Gothenburg Symphony Chorus.
Liine Carlsson (Cristina), Ann-Kristin Jones (Maria Eufrosina), Kosma Ranuer (Oxenstierna), Iwar Bergkwist (Erik), Daniel Johansson (Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie), Fredrik Zetterström (Carlo Gustavo).
Studio recording from the Stjöströmsalen of the Academy of Music and Drama, Gothenburg University .
Sterling CDO-1091 / 1092-2. - November 3, 2013 - Andrew Greenwood (Conductor), Wexford Festival Opera Choir and Orchestra .
Helena Dix (Cristina), Lucia Cirillo (Maria Eufrosina), David Stout (Oxenstierna), Patrick Hyland (Erik), John Bellemer (Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie), Igor Golovatenko (Carlo Gustavo), Thomas Faulkner (Arnold Messenius), Daniel Szeili (Johan).
Live from Wexford.
Irish radio broadcast. - May 21, 2016 - Vito Cristófaro (conductor), Oldenburg State Orchestra, choir and extra choir of the Oldenburg State Theater.
Miriam Clark (Cristina), Melanie Lang (Maria Eufrosina), Ill-Hoon Choung (Oxenstierna), Alexander Murashov (Erik), Paulo Ferreira (Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie), Daniel Moon (Carlo Gustavo), Tomasz Wija (Arnold Messenius) , Philipp Kapeller (Johan).
Live from the State Theater Oldenburg .
Radio broadcast on NDR Kultur and Deutschlandfunk Kultur .
Digital copies
- Cristina di Svezia : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
- Libretto (Italian / Swedish), Stockholm 1849. Digitized at Google Books
- Libretto (Italian), Milan 1850. Digitized at Google Books
Web links
- Work information (Swedish) on Levande Musikarv
- Score 1st act (PDF) and score 2nd and 3rd act (PDF) of the critical edition by Anders Wiklund on levandemusikarv.se
- Cristina, regina di Svezia (Jacopo Foroni) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna
- Reinhard Ermen: Moderation manuscript (PDF) for the broadcast of SWR2 on April 27, 2014
- Cristina, regina di Svezia: Behind the Scenes. Trailer of the Wexford Festival Opera on YouTube
- Cristina, regina di Svezia (DE). Trailer of the Oldenburg State Theater on YouTube
Individual evidence
- ↑ Duration of the recordings from Gothenburg, Wexford and Oldenburg.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k Anders Wiklund: Notes in the critical edition of the opera (e.g. on the back pages of the score).
- ↑ Work information (Swedish) on Levande Musikarv, accessed on June 20, 2020.
- ↑ Corrado Ambiveri: Operisti Minori DELL'OTTOCENTO italiano. Gremese Editore, Rome 1998, ISBN 88-7742-263-7 , p. 70.
- ↑ a b Geerd Heinsen: Jacopo Foroni - An Amazing Career ( Memento from March 12, 2012 in the Internet Archive ).
- ↑ a b Record of the world premiere on May 22, 1849 in the Royal Theater Stockholm in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on June 20, 2020.
- ↑ a b Jens Fischer: A lonely despot. Review of the performance in Oldenburg 2016. In: Die Deutsche Bühne , May 22, 2016, accessed on June 20, 2020.
- ^ Record of the first performance on September 28, 1850 in the Teatro Civico Triest in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on June 20, 2020.
- ↑ a b Reinhard Ermen: Moderation manuscript (PDF) for the broadcast of SWR2 on April 27, 2014, accessed on June 20, 2020.
- ↑ Thomas Molke: Swedish history lesson with great music. Review of the 2013 Wexford performance. In: Online Musik Magazin, accessed June 26, 2020.
- ↑ 2014 Opera awards , accessed June 26, 2020.
- ↑ Souvenirs of Wexford on the Wexford Festival Opera website , accessed June 26, 2020.
- ↑ Christoph Wurzel: End of a dynasty - beginning of freedom. Review of the performance in Oldenburg 2016. In: Online Musik Magazin, accessed on June 26, 2020.
- ↑ Information on the 2007 recording on operapassion.com, accessed on June 21, 2020.
- ↑ Information on the CD Sterling CDO-1091 / 1092-2 from the music label Sterling, accessed on June 19, 2020.
- ↑ Elisabeth Richter: Live from the Staatstheater Oldenburg - Jacopo Foroni: "Cristina, Regina di Svezia" ( Memento from June 28, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) in the program of NDR Kultur , May 21, 2016, accessed on June 20, 2020.
- ^ Opera in German Lands - A Queen who is Powerless to Love in the program of Deutschlandfunk Kultur , May 21, 2016, accessed on June 20, 2020.