L'inganno felice

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Opera dates
Title: The happy delusion
Original title: L'inganno felice
Title page of the libretto Venice 1812

Title page of the libretto
Venice 1812

Shape: “Farsa per musica” in one act
Original language: Italian
Music: Gioachino Rossini
Libretto : Giuseppe Maria Foppa
Premiere: January 8, 1812
Place of premiere: Venice
Playing time: about 80 minutes
Place and time of the action: Italy
people
  • Bertrando, Prince ( tenor )
  • Isabella, wife of Bertrando, under the name Nisa ( soprano )
  • Ormondo, friend of Bertrando (tenor)
  • Batone, Ormondo's confidante ( bass )
  • Tarabotto, leader of the miners (bass)
  • Miners and soldiers

L'inganno felice (Eng. The happy deception ) is a one-act “ farsa per musica ” (opera) by Gioachino Rossini based on a libretto by Giuseppe Maria Foppa . It was composed in 1811 and premiered on January 8, 1812 at the Teatro San Moisè in Venice. In the 19th century it was often performed in Germany under the name The Deceived .

action

The young Princess Isabella is misunderstood, cast out and abandoned in a boat on the open sea. It ends up with loved ones who work for the prince in the mine. After a few years he comes to inspect his mines because a war is being prepared, and suddenly he is faced with his wife, who was believed to be dead. A new intrigue by the princess's enemies can just about be thwarted and the lovers are reunited.

Scene 1. A wide valley in front of a mountain range. On one side there is a rock with entrances to the mine and the apartment of the climber Tarabotto. He talks to other miners about the imminent arrival of Duke Bertrando (introduction and duet: "Cosa dite!"). While Tarabotto climbs a mountain to convince himself of the truth of the message, the miners return to the mines. Isabella appears with a portrait of the Duke in hand, wondering why he rejected her ten years ago. Tarabotto had saved her then and taken her in as his alleged niece Nisa. He returns and watches her for a while. When she notices him, she shows him a letter that she wrote to convince her husband of her innocence. In it, she explains that Bertrando's friend Ormondo, out of spurned love, sparked his jealousy and, with the help of his friend Batone, had kidnapped her and abandoned her at sea. When they see the Duke coming, Tarabotto and Isabella go into the house.

Scene 2. Bertrando appears with some soldiers. He reflects on the fate of his faithless wife Isabella (aria: “Qual tenero diletto”).

Scene 3. Ormondo and Batone join them. They have learned that the neighboring duke is planning a robbery and want to forestall him. The local Tarabotto should show them a path through the mines.

Scene 4. Tarabotto is called. He follows Bertrando with the soldiers into the shaft.

Scene 5. Batone asks Nisa (Isabella) for a glass of water. When she reveals her face, he is frightened in memory of his previous crime (aria: “Una voce m'ha colpito”). He apologizes briefly and leaves.

Scene 6. Tarabotto returns and suggests Isabella to bring the plan of the mine to the Duke. This is a good opportunity to talk to him. She goes.

Scene 7. Tarabotto prays for God's help against Ormondo and Batone. Bertrando and the soldiers come back. Tarabotto tells him about his niece and calls her over.

Scene 8. Isabella and Bertrando meet. Isabella is shy and gives him the plan. Bertrando immediately notices her resemblance to his wife, who was believed dead. He becomes overwhelmed by conflicting emotions. When asked, Tarabotto confirms that she is the daughter of his brother Torello (trio: “Se la miro sembra quella”). Isabella and Tarabotto go into the house. However, Tarabotto soon returns and hides to watch Bertrando.

Scene 9. Bertrando ponders the resemblance of Nisa to Isabella. When Ormondo reports that everything has been prepared for her plan, he asks him if he can confidently testify to Isabella's death. Ormondo hesitantly confirms that the Duchess is dead. Bertrando leaves with his people.

Scene 10. Ormondo asks Batone if he really saw Isabella die. Batone assures him of this and then points out the resemblance of Nisa to the princess. Ormondo orders him to kidnap Nisa the next night (aria: "Tu mi conosci"). The listening tarabotto cannot understand these softly spoken words. Ormondo is leaving.

Scene 11. Tarabotto has grown suspicious. He begs Batone to listen to him (duet: “Và taluno mormorando”). Batone goes.

Scene 12. Tarabotto is certain that Ormondo and Batone are up to something. He advises Isabella to confide in the prince in order to arouse his sympathy.

Scene 13. Ormondo, Bertrando and the soldiers return. Nisa (Isabella) tells Bertrando that she lost the heart of her lover through a traitor (aria: “Se pietade in seno avete”). She goes.

Scene 14. While Bertrando is touched by Isabella's story, Ormondo is worried. He goes to order the Duke's orders for the next morning.

Scene 15. Night falls. Tarabotto asks the Duke for protection for his niece, because he fears that an attack is planned against her that night. Bertrando promises him his help.

Scene 16. Dark night. Batone appears with armed escorts and goes into the house to kidnap Nisa (Isabella) (Finale: “Tacita notte oscura”). Isabella and Tarabotto come from the other side. Isabella has put on the clothes she wore when she arrived ten years ago. They're hiding. Bertrando also comes with his people. They are hidden in the shaft. Finally, Ormondo comes with a companion. Batone steps out of the house and explains to him that he could not carry out the kidnapping because Nisa was not in the house. While Ormondo tries to convince himself of this in the house, Bertrando comes out of hiding, takes Batone and orders him to ask Ormondo about the reason for the kidnapping. He's hiding again. Ormondo has since made sure that the house is empty. In response to Batone's questions, he admits that he believed it was Isabella who once spurned his love. Even if she shouldn't be herself, she must die at his hand. Bertrando has heard enough. He comes out with his soldiers and has Ormondo arrested. Desperate about the injustice he has done Isabella, he wants to throw himself on his sword. Isabella and Tarabotto hold him back. Isabella reveals herself and shows Bertrando his portrait, which she always carried with her. She is ready to forgive him. The two husbands embrace each other. Batone declares that he only participated in the crimes because of Ormondo's threats. He throws himself at the duke's feet, who forgives him at Isabella's request. In the final ensemble, everyone praises the righteousness of God, who sooner or later brings every betrayal to light.

layout

The work description as " farsa " is misleading. This does not refer to the burlesque comic opera usually associated with this term . Instead, the term simply describes this work as a one-act short opera. Such works were originally intended as interludes between the acts of major, serious operas. However, in Rossini's time they were already being performed as independent works. The Teatro San Moisè time in Venice usually played two such pieces in one evening. L'inganno felice has no comic character, but belongs to the genus of opera semiseria . In terms of content, it is a stirring piece or a rescue opera : a persecuted innocence - the outcast Isabella - is saved at the last minute.

The assumption that is occasionally expressed that the librettist Giuseppe Maria Foppa had edited a libretto of the same name by Giuseppe Palomba for his work , which he had written for Giovanni Paisiello , has turned out to be incorrect. The content of the two texts is not identical.

Instrumentation

The orchestral line-up for the opera includes the following instruments:

Music numbers

The music consists of nine numbers with a trio as a pseudo finale in the middle.

  • Sinfonia
  • No. 1. Introduction and duet (Isabella, Tarabotto): "Cosa dite!" (Scene 1)
  • No. 2. Aria (Bertrando): "Qual tenero diletto" (scene 2)
  • No. 3. Aria (Batone): "Una voce m'ha colpito" (scene 5)
  • No. 4. Trio (Bertrando, Tarabotto, Isabella): "Se la miro sembra quella" (scene 8)
  • No. 5. Aria (Ormondo): "Tu mi conosci" (scene 10)
  • No. 6. Duet (Batone, Tarabotto): "Và taluno mormorando" (scene 11)
  • No. 7. Aria (Isabella): "Se pietade in seno avete" (scene 13)
  • No. 8. Finale: "Tacita notte oscura" (scene 16)

Work history

L'inganno felice is the second of Rossini's five “ farse ” and his third opera to be performed. After the success of the previous opera La cambiale di matrimonio in 1810, he immediately received the follow-up commission for the carnival season of 1811/12. He then composed La scala di seta , L'occasione fa il ladro and Il signor Bruschino . At the premiere of L'inganno felice on January 8, 1812 at the Teatro San Moisè in Venice, Teresa Belloc-Giorgi (Isabella), Raffaele Monelli (Prince Bertrando), Filippo Galli (Batone), Luigi Raffanelli (Tarabotto) and Vincenzo Venturi ( Ormondo). The performance was a huge success. The work was revised many times in the following years and performed at various opera houses in Italy and abroad. The first German performances came in 1816 in Munich and at the Vienna Court Opera . In the 19th century it was Rossini's most frequently played “farsa”. In contrast, it was neglected in the 20th century.

Several CD recordings are now available. First, there was a live recording of a concert performance on November 18, 1963 in Naples under the direction of Carlo Franci . Further recordings are by Marcello Viotti (1992, studio), Fabio Maestri (1992, live), Marc Minkowski (1996, live), Giancarlo Andretta (1998, live) and Alberto Zedda (2005, live).

Web links

Commons : L'inganno felice  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d e f Bernd-Rüdiger Kern: Rossini: Inganno felice. CD accompanying text on the Naxos label .
  2. L'inganno felice. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Musical Theater. Vol. 5. Works. Piccinni - Spontini. Piper, Munich and Zurich 1994, ISBN 3-492-02415-7 , p. 358.
  3. ^ L'inganno felice (Venice, January 8, 1812) (Gioachino Rossini) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna .
  4. ^ L'inganno felice (Gioachino Rossini) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna .
  5. a b c d Gioacchino Rossini. In: Andreas Ommer: Directory of all opera complete recordings. Zeno.org , Volume 20, pp. 15848 ff.
  6. ^ Gioachino Rossini: L'inganno felice - Czech Chamber Soloists, Alberto Zedda. CD information from Allmusic , accessed January 7, 2015.