L'Alidoro
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| Original title: | L'Alidoro |
Title page of the libretto from 1740 |
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| Shape: | commedia per musica in three acts |
| Original language: | Italian |
| Music: | Leonardo Leo |
| Libretto : | Gennaro Antonio Federico |
| Premiere: | Summer 1740 |
| Place of premiere: | Naples |
| Playing time: | approx. 2 ¾ hours |
| Place and time of the action: | Poggioreale near Naples |
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L'Alidoro is a commedia per musica ( opera buffa ) in three acts by Leonardo Leo ( music ) with a libretto by Gennaro Antonio Federico . It was first performed in the summer of 1740 at the Teatro dei Fiorentini in Naples .
action
The action takes place near Naples in what is now the Poggioreale district . Old Giangrazio plans to marry his son Don Marciello to Faustina, the stepdaughter of his late brother Lamberto. She came with her stepsister Elisa. However, Faustina already has a relationship with Luigi, who has accepted a position as a servant in Giangrazio's house under the name Ascanio in order to be close to her. Don Marciello, on the other hand, loves the innkeeper Zeza, who in turn is connected to the Müller Meo. In the course of the plot, Giangrazio unrequitedly fall in love with Zeza and Elisa with Ascanio. Towards the end it turns out that Luigi / Ascanio is actually Alidoro, Giangrazio's missing second son.
first act
Elisa interrupts a rendezvous between Faustina and Luigi / Ascanio and sits down with them. Meo and Zeza also appear. Meo plays a love song on a colascione that Luigi admires. Then Meo and Zeza begin a duet. When Don Marciello appears and sings along, they leave indignantly. Elisa and Faustina also find his behavior outrageous. Don Marciello ponders his unrequited love for Zeza and his ordered marriage to Faustina.
Giangrazio complains about Don Marciello's wasted education, who prefers to spend his life enjoying himself and also refuses to marry Faustina. He then tries to ask Meo about his son's relationship with Zeza. Thereby he arouses the jealousy of Meos, who shortly afterwards lets Zeza feel his distrust. Zeza is angry about it. Don Marciello's advances are annoying to her and she feels neglected by Meo.
Elisa declares her love for Ascanio. He tells Faustina about it and assures her of his loyalty. However, she fears that he might leave her because of Elisha.
Giangrazio asks Zeza about her relationship with Don Marciello. She tells him how uncomfortable she is with his intrusions. When Don Marciello arrives, Giangrazio reproaches him for it. Don Marciello suspects that his father fell in love with her himself. Meo also appears and sees Zeza with Don Marciello. The first act ends in savage insults from everyone involved.
Second act
In front of the inn, Don Marciello approaches Zeza again and demands wine. She is reluctant to serve him and refuses to accept his generous tip either. The jealous Meo joins them and cynically urges them to accept the money. Ascanio also appears. Meo explains that he no longer wants to have anything to do with Zeza and that Don Marciello has free rein. In contrast to him, Don Marciello is wealthy and has a prettier face. Don Marciello and Meo go. Luigi is amazed that Zeza Meo seems to have given up so quickly in favor of Don Marciello. His joy that Faustina is now free for him is interrupted by Elisa, who is still hoping for his love in return. He rejects them with clear words. Elisa swears vengeance. But Luigi is confident that she will soon calm down.
Elisa complains to Faustina about Ascanio's behavior. Faustina fears that Ascanio may have secretly fallen in love with her.
Meo complains to Giangrazio about Zeza and Don Marciello and thereby strengthens his interest in Zeza. When she comes, he insults her. Zeza bursts into tears. She assures Giangrazio that she never harmed his son. She kisses his hand to confirm. Giangrazio's confusion mounts.
When Meo asks Zeza cynically whether she might have more admirers besides her father and son, she realizes that Giangrazio is in love. Meo moves away angrily. Zeza is desperate about men and love.
Elisa implements her plan of revenge against Ascanio. She tells Giangrazio that he tried to seduce her. Giangrazio decides to fire him.
In the presence of Faustina, Giangrazio throws Ascanio out. Faustina suspects that Elisa is behind it.
Don Marciello demands a declaration of love from Zeza, but she rejects him again. Meo is added. While Zeza disappears briefly in the inn, he starts a Sicilian song. Then Don Marciello and Meo start a loud game (a morra ) to annoy them. Giangrazio arrives and argues first with Meo, then with Don Marciello. Neither Giangrazio nor Don Marciello want to admit that they are in love with Zeza and ask Zeza to confirm their innocence.
Third act
Elisa confesses to Faustina the reason for her anger: her unrequited love for Ascanio. Only his love in return could appease her. If so, she'll make sure your uncle takes him on again.
Faustina tells Luigi about Elisha's confession. Luigi suggests that she tell Elisa about his undying love for her. If Elisha wanted to be deceived, she should be too. Faustina asks forgiveness for her jealousy.
Giangrazio offers Ascanio to hire him again if he ensures that Don Marciello and Faustina get married that same evening. In order to dissuade Don Marciello from being in love with Zeza, he pretended to be in love with her himself. Ascanio should therefore go to her and convince her of his (Giangrazio's) love. Ascanio doesn't believe a word of it. He decides to continue to serve Giangrazio anyway to make sure that everything turns out well.
From hiding, Meo watches as Don Marciello woos Zeza again. She explains to him that she does not want to have anything to do with him or his father and drives him away with beatings. This convinces Meo that Don Marciello is not a serious rival. Giangrazio appears and asks Zeza if she saw his servant. Since that is not the case, so Ascanio has not yet carried out his order, he decides to wait for him. Zeza tries in vain to send him away. She finally angrily retires to the inn. Now Meo is also reassured about her relationship with Giangrazio. Finally Ascanio arrives. Giangrazio urges him to deliver his message to Zeza while he tries to hide himself. Meo realizes that Giangrazio Zeza doesn't want to give up under any circumstances. He gets a sword and calls Giangrazio's supposed helper Ascanio to fight. Giangrazio and the newly arrived Faustina and Elisa try to separate the two. Don Marciello returns and also draws his sword against Ascanio, who is able to fend him off.
Meo is now completely convinced of Zeza's loyalty. The two make up with each other.
Ascanio was slightly injured in the shoulder during the fight. A birthmark in the form of two golden wings became visible. Giangrazio recognizes that Ascanio is his second son, believed to be lost, Alidoro, whom his mother named after this time ("ali d'oro" - "golden wings"). Elisa now understands her affection for him because they are close relatives. When Don Marciello returns to continue the fight with Ascanio, Giangrazio introduces him to him as his brother. Alidoro admits that he only appeared to have worked as a servant to Ascanio in order to be close to his lover Faustina. As a child, after being lost on the beach in Genoa, he was raised by a Genoese under the name Luigi. At Don Marciello's request, Giangrazio gives Alidoro and Faustina his blessing. Don Marciello's own hope for Zeza is disappointed, however, because she has meanwhile become engaged to Meo. Instead, Giangrazio suggests marrying Elisa. The opera ends in general joy.
layout
The Commedia per musica (or “Commeddeja pe mmuseca”) is a typical Neapolitan opera form of the early 18th century. The action usually takes place in the (then) present in the area of Naples. The scene is rigid and depicts a street between two country houses. The characters are either based on those of the Commedia dell'arte or are in love. Usually there is a foundling who grew up unrecognized and is loved by several other people at the same time. Towards the end, the real identity of this person turns out to be a close relative of most of the suitors, so that only one applicant remains. In addition to burlesque elements, there are allusions to the opera seria and social life. A frequently used form of music is the simple "canzona", which is often in verse form. The opera usually begins with such a “canzona” in Sicilian rhythm. The use of the Neapolitan dialect is also typical, but was gradually pushed back from 1720 and limited to the buffo parts. Other examples of this genre are Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's operas Lo frate 'nnamorato from 1732 and Il Flaminio from 1735.
history
L'Alidoro is one of six stage works that Leonardo Leo wrote in 1740. At the premiere in the summer of the same year at the Teatro dei Fiorentini in Naples , Giacomo D'Ambrosio (Giangrazio), Maria Mecheri (Faustina), Santa Pascucci (Luigi), Artemisia Landi (Elisa), Nicola De Simone (Marciello), Margherita Pozzi ( Zeza) and Girolamo Piani (Meo). The stage design came from Paolo Saracino.
The score was considered lost for a long time. It was only found in the music archive of the Montecassino Abbey at the beginning of the 21st century, together with three other operas by Leonardo Leo .
In February 2008 the work was staged again by the Baroque Orchestra Cappella della Pietà dei Turchini under the direction of Antonio Florio at the Teatro Romolo Valli in Reggio nell'Emilia and at the Teatro Mercadante in Naples . Arturo Cirillo directed the film. The set was designed by Bellando Randone. The singers were Maria Grazia Schiavo (Faustina), Maria Ercolano (Luigi), Valentina Varriale (Zeza), Francesca Russo Ermolli (Elisa), Giuseppe De Vittorio (Don Marciello), Francesco Morace (Giangrazio) and Giampiero Ruggeri (Meo). Nino Bruno played the silent role of Ciccio. A recording of the performance from the Teatro Romolo Valli was released on DVD and CD. The DVD was awarded the Orphée d'Or by the Académie Lyrique Française and, according to advertising statements, was awarded the Diapason d'or record price in October 2009 . However, the recording is not listed on the Diapason website.
The text uses different Italian dialects. Don Marciello and Giangrazio speak Tuscan and Meo and Zeza speak Neapolitan . The music contains elements from both Opera buffa and Opera seria.
Web links
- L'Alidoro (Leonardo Leo) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna
- Libretto (Italian) as digitized version on Google Books
- Libretto (Italian) as full text on operabuffaturchini.it
- Libretto with English translation as full text (PDF) on dynamiclassic.it .
- Dinko Fabris L'Alidoro di Leo. Review of the 2008 performance (Italian, PDF)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Helmut Hucke: Lo frate 'nnamorato. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Musical Theater. Vol. 4. Works. Massine - Piccinni. Piper, Munich and Zurich 1991, ISBN 3-492-02414-9 , p. 679.
- ^ L'Alidoro (Naples, summer 1740) (Leonardo Leo) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna
- ↑ Press release on naxosvideolibrary.com , accessed on June 27, 2015.
- ↑ CLASS aktuell, edition 2009/3, p. 28 (PDF) .
- ^ A b Marco del Vaglio: "Alidoro" al Teatro Mercadante di Napoli. Review on supereva.it , accessed July 1, 2015.
- ↑ Leonardo Leo: L'Alidoro - Cappella della Pieta de'Turchini, Antonio Florio. CD information from Allmusic , accessed July 2, 2015.
- ↑ Laura Valente: Trionfo Barocco . La Repubblica, May 1, 2010, accessed July 2, 2015.
- ↑ Leo: L'Alidoro on classicdisc.de , accessed on July 2, 2015.
- ^ Diapason d'or, October 2009 , accessed July 2, 2015.