Lotario

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Work data
Original title: Lotario
Title page of the libretto, London 1729

Title page of the libretto, London 1729

Shape: Opera seria
Original language: Italian
Music: georg Friedrich Handel
Libretto : Giacomo Rossi
Literary source: Antonio Salvi , Adelaide (1722)
Premiere: December 2, 1729
Place of premiere: King's Theater , Haymarket, London
Playing time: about 3 hours
Place and time of the action: Pavia and environs, 950/951
people

Lotario ( HWV 26) is an opera ( Dramma per musica ) in three acts by Georg Friedrich Händel . It is the first opera for the newly founded so-called second opera academy, the "Second" or "New Academy" .

libretto

The king's seal of Otto I, which was in use from 936 to 961, shows the king with a lance and shield.

The libretto, which is an adaptation of Adelaide by Antonio Salvi , which was performed as a wedding opera for Karl Albrecht von Bayern and Maria Amalia in Munich in 1722 , is based on an episode from the life of the German Emperor Otto I , and therefore on historical facts. Since Handel had already composed an opera entitled Ottone , which deals with the marriage of Emperor Otto II , the son of Adelheid's connection with Otto I, another name had to be found for the new work. So the idea finally came up to quickly rename Ottone Lotario. In Handel's autograph , the lotario part is always given the name “Ottone” at the beginning; only in the 12th scene of the second act does the name "Lotario" appear for the first time. Adelaide's savior was given the name of her first husband Lothar von Italien , who we should actually imagine as having died shortly before the onset of the plot - a confusion that should have confused at least the historically educated part of the audience.

Handel's text, edited by Giacomo Rossi , is based on the Venetian version of the Salvian poetry of 1729. Burney's claim that Rossi's text is based on Berengario, Re d'Italia by Matteo Noris , is incorrect. Handel himself probably got to know Salvis Original during his second stay in Italy in Venice in the spring of 1729, when the work was set there in the setting of Orlandini on the program of the Teatro San Cassiano . Rossi kept relatively close to Salvi in ​​his editing; he adopted a whole series of aria texts unchanged in his version, including the aria Scherza in mar la navicella (No. 12) , which Burney praised . However, he shortened so much (he crossed out 1000 lines of recitative, leaving a good 560 lines) that some events seem to have no real motivation - occasionally without any motivation.

Almost three weeks after the completion of the composition ("Fine dell 'Opera | GF Handel. Novembr 16. 1729.") the opera was premiered on December 2, 1729 in the King's Theater on Haymarket.

Cast of the premiere:

The Lotario opera is a special case of the Handel reception. The work disappeared from the stage after ten performances. When the pasticcio operas Judith, Wife of Emperor Ludewig the Pious or Die Siegende Innocence were performed at the Gänsemarkt Theater in Hamburg in 1732 and 1737 , Georg Philipp Telemann included three arias from Handel's Lotario in his score as the arranger of the work . The Pasticcio Oreste (London 1734) also contained an aria (No. 26) from Lotario .

After this initial failure, it was not until September 3, 1975, at the Kenton Theater in Henley on Thames, to a new production in English (text version: Alan Kitching) with the Raglan Players under the direction of Nicholas Kraemer . This is all the more strange as this work was associated with particularly lofty ambitions for Handel. Lotario was destined to revive his first opera company, which had failed in 1728: this was linked to the hope of finally establishing Italian opera in England. Lotario ties in directly with the great, heroic style that had already honored Handel's works for the first academy - the style with which the London audience had previously not been able to make friends. Since 1999 there have been a few productions, including a. the first complete performance in the original language and historical performance practice on November 12, 2005 at the Teatro Arriaga in Bilbao , with Il complesso barocco under the direction of Alan Curtis .

action

Otto's victory over Berengar II. Illustration of a manuscript from the world chronicle of Otto von Freising , around 1200 (Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Ms. f. 129sup). Otto I (“Theotonicorum rex”) receives a sword from the king kneeling on the left, who is called “Beringarius”, as a sign of submission. Otto's henchman on the right carries a sword with the point upwards as a sign of authority.

Historical and literary background

The adventurous story of Adelheid of Burgundy , who first became Queen of Italy, then later Empress of the Roman-German Empire, has been passed down through the epitaph Adelheidis Imperatricis by Odilo von Cluny (962-1049). It reports in detail about the attempts of Berengar II of Ivrea and his wife Willa von Tuscien to marry off the young widow of King Lothar II to her son Adelbert and thus to secure rule over Italy - how they imprisoned Adelheid, like you She managed to escape when she called the German King Otto I to help and married him after her liberation. Willa von Tuscien operates in the libretto under the name Matilda and is identical to Gismonda from Ottone . The roles of Idelberto in Lotario and Adelberto in Ottone , which are so different in character, also represent one and the same historical person.

first act

Berengario opens with an aria about the ambition and anger that drives him. He had already sent Idelberto to storm the city walls of Pavia when he heard of the approaching army of the German King Lotario. Adelaide, "the most beautiful and virtuous of all the princesses of her time," meets Lotario, who straightforwardly reveals to her his identity, his desire to save her and his love. She urges him to go to war with Berengario and Matilde and assures him that his bravery will undoubtedly bring him victory. Lotario warns her that when he returns, she must reward his victory with her love: Rammentati, cor mio (No. 6).

Clodomiro, Berengario's henchman, appears and threatens Adelaide by offering her one of these opera-typical delightful choices: O del figlio l'amore, o del padre il rigore - either the love of the son or the punishment by the father. With the help of a maritime metaphor, he urges you to come to terms with your fate and make the right choice: Se il mar promette calma (No. 7). He then withdraws, and Adelaide is left alone with Lotario, to whom she promises to add her own courage: Quel cor che mi donasti (No. 8).

A change of scene takes us to Berengarios camp, who in the meantime somehow managed to capture Adelaide. He places her in the care of Matilde, who paints a picture of horror for Adelaide from her imminent imprisonment. Adelaide, however, is not a squint: she hisses defiantly at Matilde and swears that her persistence is unshakable: Scherza in mar la navicella (No. 12).

Second act

Berengario loses the battle against Lotario and is captured. Berengario laments that he is now Lotario's prisoner, while Lotario laments that he is a prisoner of love. Adelaide, also a prisoner, knows nothing of Lotario's victory and fervently begs the powers of fate to be kind to her.

Clodomiro enters and offers Adelaide another choice: he insists that she choose between a poison chalice and a dagger - or the crown and scepter. Matilde returns, contributing her own threats, but Idelberto puts an end to this by pleading that if she harms the woman he loves, he will kill himself. Matilde, however, does not respond in the slightest: she promises her son pain and Adelaide punishment: Arma lo sguardo (No. 18).

Idelberto is actually a nice guy and genuinely loves Adelaide. He is quite irritated by the rough treatment his parents give her; and he doesn't like this "dagger and poison or crown and scepter" story at all! He explains to Adelaide that he will love her whether she reciprocates or not. Thereupon she promises him Stima, ossequio e rispetto - "Attention, awe and respect" - but refrains from mentioning "amore" ("love"). In his aria Bella, non mi negar (No. 19), Idelberto accepts her terms and conditions and asserts that it is enough for him to be able to love her. Adelaide, in turn, praises his virtues : D'una torbida sorgente (No. 21); however, she does not feel compelled to marry him.

Third act

Still in captivity, Berengario and Matilde decide to avoid further casualties and ask Adelaide to induce Lotario to make them King and Queen of Italy. Adelaide rejects her request with the words Non semper invendicata - "I will not always go unavenged".

Gradually, Berengario feels a remorse for her cruelty, but Matilde, carved from harder wood, who remains refreshingly heartless throughout, does not deviate from her perfidious plan. The two armies rush into battle, but when Lotario realizes Adelaide is in danger, he declares a ceasefire. Idelberto now agrees to die instead of his father. But Berengario does not want to allow that, with the result that the arms fight starts again.

Clodomiro, who is beginning to realize that he may have bet on the wrong horse, compares the fall of a tyrant with the destruction of a tree by a lightning strike: Alza al Ciel (No. 30).

Idelberto meets his mother, who goes into battle with sword in hand. His attempt to dissuade them is thwarted by the appearance of Clodomiro, who announces that all is lost. Matilde decides that there is enough time to kill Adelaide quickly, whereupon Idelberto agrees to sacrifice his life for hers. Suddenly, Matilde is captured and tries to take her own life. Idelberto, who was probably not prepared for this turn, for once missed an opportunity to make an offer to sacrifice his life to someone.

Finally, Matilde and Berengario admit defeat. They are forgiven, Idelberto is allowed to ascend their throne, and Adelaide and Lotario can sing about their love in Sì, bel sembiante (No. 35).

music

Lotario , currently Handel's least known opera, provides ample evidence of the composer's strong dramatic flair and subtle understanding of the human psyche. At first glance, the glamorous final aria of the first act appears to be a mere showpiece for a great singer. But she also contributes to the characterization of the heroine: The strong-willed Adelaide is completely desperate, she is on the verge of hysteria, nonetheless she has enough self-control and inner strength to be sure of her victory. Even a colorless, “everyday” aria like Idelberto's Bella, non mi negar (No. 19) in the middle of the first act can convince us that the “unsuccessful” joy of the descending triplets and the hesitant beginning (the repetition of the timid first phrase , very gently and without the support of the figured bass, trills in all three upper parts, even in the violas; a literally trembling chord at the end) are excellent means by which Handel expresses the feelings of the naive, young Idelberto and his hopeless, unrequited love for Adelaide represents.

At first one is amazed that Matilde, who is thoroughly bad with her dogged ambition, is given such a pleasant, downright happy first aria. Only when we understand the whole context do we understand that Vanne a colei (No. 3) is more than just a cheerful aria: Here Handel vividly shows the contemptuous, ironic hypocrisy of this hideous mother who is probably every woman who is her son loves, would hate. She pretends to support Idelberto in his pursuit of Adelaide out of her striving for power, but secretly she knows that he will fail, that she will thwart his plans and bring him into disaster. And this - so much the aria suggests - is a lot of fun for her.

In addition, Handel's instinctive, at times naive, word-painting setting of the text contributes a great deal to the dramatic tension and characterization. Lotario's aria begins at the end of the second act Non disperi peregrino (No. 24) - in deliberate contrast to the end of the first act - very gently with the first violins alone. Even with the entry of the vocal part, the bass instruments are still missing: these appear with dark tones only with the words notte oscura . The bass line not only underlines these words: their absence at the beginning of the aria also helps to trace the uncertain but determined path of a dejected but loyal pilgrim, namely Lotarios, who believes in his mission but is not certain of the outcome is. Many such examples await the inclined and attentive listener in this score.

In view of this, the complete failure of the Lotario , which has basically continued to this day, remains a mystery: Handel used the numerous “Arie di paragone” ( parables ) in the libretto to give his singers the opportunity to demonstrate their virtuoso skills in a brilliant manner. With the figure of Matilde, in turn, Handel succeeded in one of his most haunting character portraits. It must therefore be attributed to the particularly ungracious historical coincidence in this case that the rehabilitation of this important work was a long time coming. On May 19, 2017, there was a well-received performance at the Göttingen Handel Festival under the direction of Laurence Cummings.

orchestra

Two oboes , two bassoons , trumpet , two horns , strings, basso continuo (violoncello, lute, harpsichord).

Discography

  • Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 82876587972 (2004): Sara Mingardo (Lotario), Simone Kermes (Adelaide), Steve Davislim (Berengario), Hillary Summers (Matilde), Sonia Prina (Idelberto), Vito Priante (Clodomiro)
II Complesso Barocco ; Dir. Alan Curtis (abridged version, 157 min)
Chamber Orchestra Basel ; Dir. Paul Goodwin (excerpts, 70 min)

literature

Web links

Commons : Lotario  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Wikisource: Odilo von Cluny: The life of Empress Adalheid, translated by Hermann Hüffer (1891)  - sources and full texts

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Ingo Dorfmüller: Trade. Lotario. DHM 88697959592, bmg ariola 2004, p. 20 f.
  2. ↑ a b c Bernd Baselt: Thematic-systematic directory. Stage works. In: Walter Eisen (Ed.): Handel Handbook: Volume 1. Deutscher Verlag für Musik, Leipzig 1978, ISBN 3-7618-0610-8 (Unchanged reprint, Kassel 2008, ISBN 978-3-7618-0610-4 ) , P. 330.
  3. ↑ a b c d Donna Leon: Trade. Lotario. Translated from the English by Clive Williams. DHM 88697959592, bmg ariola 2004, p. 15 ff.
  4. ^ Silke Leopold: Handel. The operas. Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel 2009, ISBN 978-3-7618-1991-3 , p. 252.
  5. ↑ a b c Alan Curtis: Trade. Lotario. Translated from the English by Clive Williams. DHM 88697959592, bmg ariola 2004, p. 18 ff.