Matilde di Shabran

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Opera dates
Title: Mathilde [of] Shabran, or Beauty and Heart of Iron
Original title: Matilde [di] Shabran, o sia Bellezza e cuor di ferro
Title page of the libretto, Rome 1821

Title page of the libretto, Rome 1821

Shape: Melodramma giocoso in two acts
Original language: Italian
Music: Gioachino Rossini
Libretto : Jacopo Ferretti
Literary source: François-Benoît Hoffman
Premiere: February 24, 1821
Place of premiere: Teatro Apollo, Rome
Playing time: about 3 hours
Place and time of the action: Corradinos Castle in Spain and its surroundings, Middle Ages
people
  • Corradino, called Eisenherz ( tenor )
  • Matilde di Shabran ( soprano )
  • Raimondo Lopez, Edoardo's father ( bass )
  • Edoardo, ( alto )
  • Aliprando, doctor (bass)
  • Isidoro, poet (bass)
  • Contessa d'Arco ( mezzo-soprano )
  • Ginardo, tower guard (bass)
  • Egoldo, leader of the rural residents (tenor)
  • Rodrigo, leader of the gunmen (tenor)
  • Udolfo, prison guard (silent role)
  • Courtiers, officers, soldiers, guards ( choir )

Matilde [di] Shabran, o sia Bellezza e cuor di ferro (German: Mathilde [von] Shabran, or Beauty and Heart of Iron ; also: Corradino ) is an opera (original name: "melodramma giocoso") in two acts by Gioachino Rossini (music) with a libretto by Jacopo Ferretti . The premiere took place on February 24, 1821 in the Teatro Apollo in Rome.

action

The plot of the opera is complex and sometimes nonsensical. The main male character Corradino is a feared misogynist who defends his castle with drastic means against all intruders. His people include the tower guard Ginardo and the doctor Aliprando. With the support of both of them, the poet Isidoro succeeds in recording. Corradino has captured Edoardo, the son of his enemy Raimondo Lopez. After the death of her father, an old comrade in arms of Corradino, Matilde di Shabran also finds refuge in his castle. She immediately tries to charm Corradino - much to the displeasure of the Contessa d'Arco, who also has her eye on him. Corradino is upset with the two unwanted women and orders Matilde to be guarded. But she quickly manages to move his heart and gain his trust. In order to free his son, Raimondo undertakes an armed attack on the castle. He is repulsed. Meanwhile, Edoardo manages to escape - through a betrayal of Matilde, as everyone believes. Corradino sentences her to death. Isidoro, of all people, is supposed to tumble down a cliff. However, he only fakes the execution and releases her. Matilde meets Edoardo, and together they discover the real reason for his release: an intrigue by the Contessa, who wanted to get rid of her rival in this way. Now convinced of Matilde's innocence, Corradino asks her for forgiveness and her love. Matilde accepts on condition that he change his behavior and be reconciled with Raimondo.

The following table of contents is based on the libretto of the original Roman version from 1821.

first act

Gothic forecourt of an old castle

In the background an open gate leading to the forest; on the right a tower with a door; left in the middle a staircase to Corradino's residential building. The forecourt is adorned with marble war trophies, two of which bear the inscription: "Uncalled to approach here brings death to everyone" and "Thirst and hunger that turns pale who shoo the peace here."

Scene 1. The rural residents, led by Egoldo, appear to pay their dues to the lord of the castle, Corradino (introduction “Zitti; nessun qui v'è”). He has a bad reputation as a feared and always armed eccentric. The country folks, however, like his castle. The doctor Aliprando points out the warning signs. The truth is much worse, because Corradino hates all women. He was a devil with a heart of iron. When a bell announces the approaching of the feared shortly afterwards, everyone flees. Aliprando stays behind with the gatekeeper Ginardo, who has to take care of a new prisoner: Edoardo, the only son of Corradino's enemy Raimondo Lopez.

Scene 2. The impoverished poet Isidoro sings a song to the guitar (Cavatine: “Intanto Erminia fra le ombrose piante”), which he ends quickly because he is plagued by hunger. He loses hope of a good reception in the castle when he reads the warning signs.

Scene 3. Ginardo warns Isidoro about the lord of the castle. Only a quick escape could save him. But Corradino already appears and confronts Isidoro (quartet: "Alma rea! Perché t'involi?"). Since he is not interested in poetic flattery, Isidoro is supposed to die on the spot.

Scene 4. Aliprando asks Corradino for mercy for the poet because they are not on the battlefield and Isidoro is defenseless. Corradino says you can tell from his face that he is a criminal. He has him thrown in the dungeon. Aliprando can still whisper to Isidoro that he will try to save him. After Isidoro was taken away, he reports to Corradino that his follower Shabran, who recently died in the war, had wished with his last words that his daughter Matilde would be accepted into the castle. Corradino cannot refuse this wish, but determines that Matilde should never show herself to him without his express wish. He orders Ginardo to show Edoardo.

Scene 5. Ginardo brings the tied Edoardo out of the tower and retreats into the castle. Edoardo resolutely refuses to submit to Corradino. His tears go only to his late father (Cavatine Edoardo: “Piange il mio ciglio è vero”). He was only caught because he was unarmed at the time. This victory is not a sign of bravery. Corradino is impressed with Edoardo's demeanor. On his word of honor not to flee, he has his chains removed.

Magnificent ancient gallery in the Corradinos palace with statues of ancient heroes and a central door

Scene 6. Matilde enters with Aliprando. She wants to use every imaginable love trick to win Corradino's heart. Aliprando does not believe that she can be successful with it (duet: "Di capricci, di smorfiette"). Its only weakness is its hypochondria . Only when he is plagued by fear of illness can he be influenced.

Scene 7. Ginardo reports the arrival of the Contessa d'Arco, who sees Matilde as a rival because she herself was once promised to Corradino as the basis for a peace treaty. Corradino, however, had refused the wedding on the grounds that he only wanted to marry a completely mindless woman. The fact that she is still allowed to enter his castle is to be seen as a sign of Corradino's contempt, not his favor.

Scene 8. The Contessa gives Matilde a scornful look and begins to revile her. Matilde counters in the same way. Ginardo and Aliprando do not succeed in appeasing them. Corradino appears, bothered by the noise. He is outraged to find two women against his bid. However, the two are not deterred, and Matilde, unimpressed, demands a kiss on the hand as a token of his respect for a lady. Corradino is confused by this reaction and feels his heart "changed". The others don't miss it either. The Contessa, however, can hardly control her jealousy (quintet: "Questa è la dea? Che aria!"). As soon as he has recovered, Corradino orders Ginardo to supervise Matilde. Nevertheless, she remains confident that it will fall for her. Corradino leaves with the guards.

Scene 9. The argument between Matilde and the Contessa ignites again. Both defiantly move away.

Scene 10. Still confused by his emotional outburst, Corradino demands an antidote from Aliprando. Aliprando explains to him that no medicine can help against love (Cavatine: “Giove un dì Fremdendo in collera”).

Scene 11. After Aliprando has left, Corradino ponders his allusion. He cannot imagine falling into love - it is more a question of magic. He has the allegedly guilty Isidoro fetched from the guards to confront him.

Scene 12. The conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Ginardo and Matilde. Matilde now shows remorse for her previous behavior. The infatuation she had fallen into at the sight of Corradino's warlike sight had only been a dream. Corradino notices that Isidoro is still there and sends him back to the dungeon with Ginardo. However, the two only pretend. They hide to watch what happens.

Scene 13. Corradino feels his resistance wane. His only hope seems to be to remove Matilde from the castle as soon as possible. Matilde, on the other hand, remains sure of victory with her apology tactics (Finale I: "Ah! Capisco: non parlate"). Corradino gets completely confused and finally declares his love for her himself. Matilde manages to get him to take off his armor and weapons - which Isidoro and Ginardo comment from the side with amusement.

Scene 14. A bell rings, followed by drums. Aliprando appears and is surprised to see his master's dropped weapons on the ground. The real reason for his coming, however, is the news that Raimondo Lopez is approaching with his army to free his son Edoardo. Matilde himself hands Corradino his weapons so that he can lead his people into the upcoming battle.

Courtyard in the castle

Scene 15. After a warlike march, Edoardo, alarmed, hurries over the scene. At the same time, his father's troops, led by Rodrigo, pull in to prepare for battle. Corradino, Matilde, Aliprando and the Contessa come out of the castle. In their midst is Isidoro with a flag in hand, guitar on his back and writing utensils to document what has happened as the newly appointed court poet for posterity. Corradino calls out to Edoardo that he will kill his father. Edoardo, shaken, wants to hurry to this one. When Matilde shows sympathy for him, she arouses Corradino's jealousy - which in turn gives the Contessa hope. Matilde wishes Corradino the victory. But then may he show grace and return to her arms. Corradino gives her the protection of his house, but warns her not to betray him. Corradino and his men go into battle. Isidoro is responsible for the closing words of the first act. He cheers on the fighters, but at the same time keeps himself ready to flee.

Second act

Wide plain covered with trees

Scene 1. Isidoro writes the history of war under a large tree in which he himself plays the role of a great fighter (introduction: “Settecento ottanta mila”). When the country folk praised Corradino's victory, he reads to them how he himself practically single-handedly defeated the enemy. The audience doesn't believe a word he says. Ginardo, who arrived later, explains that the enemy immediately retreated as soon as they noticed Corradino's troops. Isidoro is not deterred by this.

Scene 2. Aliprando arrives with the fighters and tells Isidoro that Corradino went alone in search of Raimondo in order to challenge him to a duel. They decide to return to the castle to calm Matilde down.

Scene 3. Edoardo was released - apparently at Matilde's instigation. He gratefully says goodbye to the prison guard Udolfo and goes looking for his father.

Scene 4. Raimondo, beaten and abandoned by his people, laments the loss of his son (Cavatine: “Sarai contenta alfine, revolubil fortuna!”). Both are relieved when they meet in the forest.

Scene 5. Corradino discovers the two and challenges Raimondo to a duel. When he learns that Edoardo owes his release to Matilde and that Matilde raves about her in the highest tones, he storms away angrily (trio: "Deh! Serena il mesto ciglio").

Gallery in Corradinos Castle

Scene 6. The Contessa rejoices at Edoardo's escape, which she herself initiated through bribery. The suspicion must now inevitably fall on Matilde. As this approaches, she indulges in anticipation that she will soon fall.

Scene 7. Isidoro brags in front of Matilde and the Contessa about his heroic deeds in the battle in which he claims to have killed 60,000 opponents. Aliprando and Ginardo report the actual process. They worry about Corradino, who wanted to look for Raimondo in the forest to challenge him to a duel. But drums are already announcing his return.

Scene 8. Corradino sends Ginardo to get Edoardo. While they wait, Isidoro takes the opportunity to perform his latest sonnet. Corradino interrupts him abruptly. When Ginardo returns with the news of Edoardo's escape, as expected, Corradino confronts Matilde.

Scene 9. Before Matilde can answer, Rodrigo appears with a letter intended for her. Corradino snatches it from her hand and reads it aloud. In it Edoardo thanks her as his liberator and swears his love to her. For Corradino, this proves Matilde's betrayal. Despite her pledges of innocence, he sentenced her to death. Aliprando, Ginardo and Isidoro frighten and beg him for leniency, while the Contessa triumphs (sextet: “È palese il tradimento”). Corradino remains unmoved. He orders Isidoro to push Matilde down the cliffs at Raimondo's castle.

Forest near Corradinos Castle and Raimondos near the Wildbach Valley

Scene 10. Edoardo, Udolfo, and four Raimondos fighters enter. Edoardo suspects that his release was not caused by Matilde, but an intrigue of the Contessa. A drum roll announces the arrival of Isidorus. Edoardo and his people are hiding.

Scene 11. Matilde is brought in by Isidoro and four guards. She again protests her innocence. But Isidoro does not even think of actually carrying out the order. He sends the warriors away, asks Matilde to shout out loud to fake the execution, and leaves to inform Corradino of the execution.

Scene 12. Matilde survived, but was left alone in the forest and is frightened accordingly. Overheard by Edoardo, she thinks about how this could happen. Although she felt sorry for Edoardo, she committed no betrayal. She was only convicted on the basis of his letter. Edoardo now recognizes the connections. He steps out of his hiding place and promises her his help (duet: "No; Matilde: non morrai").

Gallery in Corradinos Castle

Scene 13. Isidoro tells Corradino, the Contessa, and Ginardo that Matilde is dead. She slipped on the rock while climbing and fell into the torrent.

Scene 14. Edoardo appears with Udolfo and tells everyone about the Contessa's intrigue. In anticipation of Corradino's anger, Isidoro runs away as a precaution. Corradino throws the Contessa out and laments the fate of the innocent Matilde (Cavatine: “Parmi ascoltar la voce”). In order to be able to be close to her again, he wants to follow her into death.

Rugged mountainside with a torrent that disappears into a gorge

On one side is the Raimondos Castle with a drawbridge. It's night.

Scene 15. On his escape, Isidoro got back to the place where he was supposed to kill Matilde. He is startled when he hears Corradino's voice.

Scene 16. The drawbridge to Raimondos Castle is lowered. Raimondo emerges with four soldiers. The forest comes to life with the peasants led by Egoldo. Aliprando and Ginardo overtook Corradino on the mountain. Edoardo runs over the bridge into the castle.

Scene 17. Edoardo comes out of the castle with Matilde. Isidoro explains that she only perished metaphorically with poetic freedom ("Licentia poetica"). Corradino is relieved to ask her forgiveness. Matilde is ready to do so, but sets the condition that he be reconciled with Raimondo and open his heart to kindness. Corradino accepts and swears eternal peace. Matilde asks Isidoro to write a sonnet for the wedding. The opera ends with a general praise of love (Rondò: "Ami alfine? E chi non ama?"). The choir adopts Matilde's closing words: “To rule and to win is the right of fair women” (“Le femmine son nate per vincere e regnar”).

layout

Matilde di Shabran is often referred to as opera semiseria in Rossini literature . However, the plot hardly follows the typical model of this genre. At that time, the term "Melodramma giocoso" chosen by Rossini was more of an opera buffé . However, the opera also contains some elements of the semiseria such as the characters of the tyrannical castle owner, the innocently convicted title figure, the savior or the prison guard. The gorge can be seen as a place of horror as a substitute for the usual prison. Dramaturgically, however, these elements are used differently than usual in the semiseria . It is therefore difficult to classify the work by genre.

Instrumentation

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

Musical numbers from the Rome 1821 version

In the original Roman version from 1821, the opera contains the following musical numbers:

  • Sinfonia

first act

  • No. 1. Introduction (choir, Egoldo, Ginardo): “Zitti; nessun qui v'è "(scene 1)
  • No. 2. Cavatine (Isidoro): "Intanto Erminia fra le ombrose piante" (scene 2)
  • No. 3 quartet (Corradino, Isidoro, Ginardo, Aliprando): “Alma rea! Perché t'involi? "(Scene 3)
  • No. 4. Cavatine (Edoardo): "Piange il mio ciglio è vero" (scene 5)
  • No. 5. Duet (Matilde, Aliprando): "Di capricci, di smorfiette" (scene 6)
  • No. 6. Quintet (Contessa, Matilde, Aliprando, Ginardo, Corradino): “Questa è la dea? Che aria! "(Scene 8)
  • No. 7. Chor e Cavatine (Aliprando): "Giove un dì Fremdendo in collera" (scene 10)
  • No. 8. Finale I: “Ah! Capisco: non parlate "(Scene 13)

Second act

  • No. 9. Introduction (Isidoro, choir, Ginardo): "Settecento ottanta mila" (scene 1)
  • No. 10. Cavatine (Raimondo): "Sarai contenta alfine, revolubil fortuna!" (Scene 4)
  • No. 11. Terzetto (Edoardo, Raimondo, Corradino): “Deh! serena il mesto ciglio "(scene 5)
  • No. 12. Sextet (Corradino, Matilde, Contessa, Aliprando, Isidoro, Ginardo): "È palese il tradimento" (scene 9)
  • No. 13. Duet (Edoardo, Matilde): “No; Matilde: non morrai "(scene 12)
  • No. 14. Cavatine (Corradino): "Parmi ascoltar la voce" (scene 14)
  • No. 14. Rondò (Matilde, choir): “Ami alfine? E chi non ama? "(Scene 17)

Musical numbers from the Naples 1821 version

The revised version, performed in Naples in 1821, contains the following musical numbers:

  • Sinfonia

first act

  • No. 1. Introduction (choir, Egoldo, Ginardo): “Zitti; nessun qui v'è "
  • No. 2. Cavatine (Isidoro): "Intanto Erminia fra le ombrose piante"
  • No. 3 quartet (Corradino, Isidoro, Ginardo, Aliprando): “Alma rea! Perché t'involi? "
  • No. 4. Cavatine (Edoardo): "Piange il mio ciglio è vero"
  • No. 5. Duet (Matilde, Aliprando): "Di capricci, di smorfiette"
  • No. 6. Quintet (Contessa, Matilde, Aliprando, Ginardo, Corradino): “Questa è la dea? Che aria! "
  • No. 7. Finale I: “Ah! Capisco: non parlate "

Second act

  • No. 8. Introduction (choir, Isidoro): "Di Corradino il nome"
  • No. 9. Cavatine (Edoardo): "Sazia tu fossi alfine, revolubil fortuna!"
  • No. 10. Sextet (Corradino, Matilde, Contessa, Aliprando, Isidoro, Ginardo): "È palese il tradimento"
  • No. 11. Choir: "Mandare a morte quella meschina?"
  • No. 12. Duet (Corradino, Edoardo): "Da cento smanie e cento"
  • No. 13. Rondò (Matilde, choir): “Ami alfine? E chi non ama? "

music

Notable musical numbers of the opera are:

  • The quartet “Alma rea! Perché t'involi? "(No. 3, first act, scene 3) for tenor (Corradino) and three basses:" [...] one of the liveliest numbers of the entire score with its highly decorated tenor part "(" one of the liveliest numbers of the whole score with its heavily decorated tenor part ”).
  • The quintet “Questa è la dea? Che aria! ”(No. 6, first act, scene 8) is considered the most successful number of the first act, in particular the Andante Corradinos to the text“ Dallo stupore oppresso ”.
  • The Allegro ensemble in the finale of the first act is “typically Rossinian and quite exhilarating”.
  • The Maestoso sextet “È palese il tradimento” (No. 12, second act, scene 9), in which Corradino has to sing the high C several times.
  • The Edoardo / Matilde duet “No; Matilde: non morrai ”(No. 13, second act, scene 12) for soprano and mezzo-soprano:“ a fine andante – allegro duet ”.

Work history

Rossini wrote this opera for the Carnival season of 1820/21 at the Teatro Apollo in Rome. Shortly after the premiere of his predecessor opera Maometto II in Naples on December 3, 1820, he went to Rome to do so. According to the contract, he was to receive 500 Roman scudi for the composition . The original plan was to use a libretto by a Neapolitan writer based on the French play Mathilde de Morwel . After Rossini had already composed the first act, however, he recognized the poor quality of this text, which was also delivered too slowly. So he asked the librettist Jacopo Ferretti for another libretto. For lack of time, Ferretti proposed a text written in his spare time entitled Corradino il terribile . These five existing scenes were based on the five-act libretto Euphrosine, ou Le tyran corrigé by François-Benoît Hoffman , which had been performed in Paris in 1790 with music by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul . At Rossini's request, Ferretti created a new libretto from it. Since the title of the new opera had already been announced with Matilde in the theater's program and it was not a historical person, Ferretti changed the name of the title role from "Isabella" to "Matilde". The opera was now called Matilde Shabran. In later versions the addition “di” was added.

Since there was not enough time until the premiere for the composition, Rossini asked the composer Giovanni Pacini for help, who was also in Rome at the time, as his opera La gioventù di Enrico V (also with a libretto by Ferretti) at the Teatro Valle was performed. Pacini contributed three numbers to the opera, which Rossini later replaced with his own music. As an overture, Rossini used the one by Edoardo e Cristina from the previous year, which in turn was composed of motifs from the overtures by Ricciardo e Zoraide and Ermione . Also from Ricciardo e Zoraide are a section of a duet on the lines “Anima mia, Matilde” and the choir “Che ne dite? - Pare un signo! ”(First act, scene 10). A march in the finale of the first act was taken from La donna del lago .

Title page of the libretto, Vienna 1822

The soprano Caterina Lipparini (Matilde di Shabran), the mezzo-soprano Luigia Cruciati (Contessa d'Arco), the contralto Annetta Parlamentagni (Edoardo), the tenors Giuseppe Fusconi (Gaet Corradino) sang at the premiere on February 24, 1821 in the Teatro Apollo Rambaldi (Egoldo and Rodrigo) and the basses Carlo Moncada (Raimondo Lopez), Giuseppe Fioravanti (Aliprando), Antonio Parlamentagni (Isidoro) and Antonio Ambrosi (Ginardo). As the conductor of the Teatro Apollo died of a stroke, the performance was directed by Niccolò Paganini . The audience gave the opera a mixed reception, some of which critics attributed to the singers. According to Rossini biographer Alexis Azevedo, after the performance in front of the theater there was street fighting between Rossinians and supporters of the old style.

After the performance, tensions intensified between Rossini and the impresario of the theater, Torlonia. In addition to the mixed success of the performance, this was probably also due to the fact that Rossini had not written completely new music. Torlonia initially refused to pay Rossini the agreed 500 scudi. Rossini then removed the score and the orchestral parts of the opera from the theater and wrote a letter to Cardinal Bernetti, head of the papal delegation responsible for the public displays, in which he explained the situation to him. According to a side note in this letter, the matter has been settled; H. it is likely that Torlonia eventually paid the outstanding amount.

The opera quickly spread to the Italian opera houses. In December of the same year 1821 it came on stage in a revised form at the Teatro del Fondo in Naples under the title Bellezza e cuor di ferro . Most of the following performances were titled Matilde di Shabran, but Corradino was also used occasionally. At the Theater am Kärntnertor in Vienna, another revised German-language version was performed on July 24, 1822 under the title Corradin, or Beauty and Heart of Iron . In 1823 the opera was given in London, in 1829 in Paris, in 1834 in New York and Philadelphia. After its last performance in Florence in 1892, the opera fell into oblivion.

More recently, Matilde di Shabran was only performed again in Genoa in 1974 in a version by Edilio Frasson. In 1996 the Neapolitan version from November 1821 was played at the Rossini Opera Festival Pesaro and the Viennese version from 1822 at the Festival Rossini in Wildbad in 1998 .

Recordings

Web links

Commons : Matilde di Shabran  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ^ Translation of the text passages based on the Vienna version of 1822.
  2. ↑ a b music numbers according to it: Matilde di Shabran , unfortunately not used there.
  3. ^ According to Herbert Weinstock (1968), Hoffman's Euphrosine is based on a model by Voltaire . However, newer authors no longer cite this.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Charles Osborne : The Bel Canto Operas of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini. Amadeus Press, Portland, Oregon, 1994, ISBN 978-0-931340-71-0 .
  2. ↑ a b Matilde di Shabran. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Musical Theater. Vol. 5. Works. Piccinni - Spontini. Piper, Munich and Zurich 1994, ISBN 3-492-02415-7 , p. 426
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g Herbert Weinstock : Rossini - A biography. Translated by Kurt Michaelis. Kunzelmann, Adliswil 1981 (1968), ISBN 3-85662-009-0 .
  4. ^ Record of the performance on February 24, 1821 in the Teatro Apollo, Rome in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna .
  5. ^ Performances (1770–1830) by Matilde di Shabran ossia Bellezza e cuor di ferro in the DFG opera project
  6. ↑ Work data on Matilde [di] Shabran ossia Bellezza, e cuor di ferro based on the MGG with discography in Operone
  7. ^ Richard Osborne: Rossini - life and work. Translated from the English by Grete Wehmeyer. List Verlag, Munich 1988, ISBN 3-471-78305-9 .
  8. ^ Matilde di Shabran o sia Bellezza e cuor di ferro. In: Reclam's Opernlexikon. Digital library volume 52. Philipp Reclam jun., 2001, p. 1653.
  9. ↑ a b c d e Gioacchino Rossini. In: Andreas Ommer: Directory of all opera complete recordings. Zeno.org , volume 20.
  10. ^ Recording by Carlo Rizzi (2008) in the discography on Matilde di Shabran at Operadis.
  11. ↑ Inclusion from 2012 in the Decca Classics catalog , accessed on March 14, 2016.