Il paria

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Work data
Title: Il paria
Title page of the libretto, Naples 1829

Title page of the libretto, Naples 1829

Shape: Opera seria in two acts
Original language: Italian
Music: Gaetano Donizetti
Libretto : Domenico Gilardoni
Literary source: Casimir Delavigne : Il paria
Premiere: January 12, 1829
Place of premiere: Naples, Teatro San Carlo
Playing time: about 2 hours
Place and time of the action: at Benares
people
  • Akebare, chief priest, leader of the Brahmin caste , father Nealas ( bass )
  • Neala, destined for the sun cult ( soprano )
  • Zarete, Idamore's father (bass)
  • Idamore, leader of the warrior caste ( tenor )
  • Empsaele, Brahmin, confidante Akebares (tenor)
  • Zaide, priestess ( old )
  • Priests, priestesses, warriors, trumpeters, fakirs, temple guards, people ( choir )

Il paria (German: “The Untouchable”) is an opera seria (original name: “melodramma”) in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti . The libretto was written by Domenico Gilardoni , who had already worked for Donizetti several times. Donizetti later used parts from Il paria for Anna Bolena , La romanziera e l'uomo nero , Torquato Tasso , Le duc d'Albe and Il diluvio universale .

action

first act

Akebare wants to marry his daughter Neala to the victorious general Idamore, although he envies him because of his success. Neala loves Idamore, but knows nothing of her father's plans and fears for her fate. But Idamore has a secret: he is a pariah , one of the untouchables who are said to be cursed by Brahma . In the army he has so far managed to hide his origins.

His father Zarete has not heard from his son for a long time and now goes in search of him incognito. When he meets Idamore, he learns that his son is to marry the daughter of his mortal enemy. He reacts blankly and angry. Finally Idamore promises his father to flee with him, but first he wants to say goodbye to Neala.

Second act

Idamore can't resist the temptation to marry Neala. He confesses his origins to her. They decide to keep this silent and stand in front of the altar, although it is forbidden for pariah to enter a temple on the death penalty. Neala promises to flee with him after the wedding. Zarete hears about the marriage plans and penetrates the temple. He is sentenced to death by Akebare for having desecrated the temple area. Idamore confesses to his father and that he too is a pariah. Both are sentenced to death. Akebare triumphs.

Work history

The successful premiere at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples took place on January 12, 1829, one year after the premiere of L'esule di Roma . As in the past, Adelaide Tosi (Neala), Giovanni Battista Rubini (Idamore), Luigi Lablache (Zarete) sang , followed by Giovanni Campagnoli as Akebare, Edvige Ricci as Zaide and Gaetano Chizzola as Empsaele. The conductor was Nicola Festa . The sets were by Pasquale Canna , Raffaele Trifori and Nicola "Nicoletto" Pellandi.

The opera is rarely played these days. A CD recording was made in 2001 in Faenza under Marco Berdondini.

literature

  • Robert Steiner-Isenmann: Gaetano Donizetti. His life and his operas. Hallwag, Bern 1982. ISBN 3-444-10272-0 .

Web links

Commons : Il paria (Donizetti)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ January 12, 1829: "Il paria". In: L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia ., Accessed on August 8, 2019.
  2. ↑ Yonel Buldrini: CD review on forumopera.com (French), accessed on July 25, 2019.