ELISABETTA, REGINA D'INGHILTERRA

Giacchino Rossini (1792 - 1868)                                       
Opera in two acts in Italian
Libretto: Lorenzo de Ponte
Premièr at National Theatre, Prague – 29 October 1787
26† November 1970                                  
Teatro Massimo, Palermo

FIRST PERFORMANCE IN XX. CENTURY 
OPENING PERFORMANCE OF TEATRO MASSIMO DI PALERMO 

The 1970-71 opera season should have opened on 26 November 1970 with Rossini's opera Elizabeth Queen of England. However, the opening performance was suspended due to the theatre workers' strike, which lasted until December 12th, and Rossini's opera was not performed. Consequently, the season opened with Fidelio, the second opera on the programme.

La stagione lirica 1970-71 si sarebbe dovuta inauguare il 26 novembre 1970 con l'opera Elisabetta Regina d'Inghilterra di Rossini. Pero la Recita inauguare e stata sospesa per lo sciopero dei lavoratori de Teatro, che protrattosi sino al 12 dirembre, l'opera di Rossini non venne rappresentata. Conseguentemente, la stagione si e inaugurata con il Fidelio, secondo opera del cartellone.


Recording of the opera is from the general rehearsal.


Conductor: Nino Sanzogno
Chorus master: Mario Tagini
Stage director: Mauro Bolognini
Scene and costumes: Gaetano Pompa

Direttore musicale del palcoscenico / Stage Musical Director: Corrado Martinez
Primo maestro sostituto / First Substitute Teacher: Alberto Pedrazzoli 
Maestri collaboratori / Collaborating Directors: Donitilde Di Carlo, Ignazio Garsia, Giuseppe Grassodonia, Franco Rossitto
Choreogrfie / Choregraphy: Ugo Dell'Ara
Maestro rammentatore / Prompter: Adriano Corsi
Direttore dell’allestimento scenico / Director of Stage Design: Antoni Carollo

Elizabeth I Queen of England LEYLA GENCER soprano [Role debut]
The Earl of Leicester Commander of the army UMBERTO GRILLI tenor
Matilda his secret wife SYLVIA GESZTY soprano
The Duke of Norfolk PIETRO BOTTAZZO tenor
Enrico (Henry) Matilda’s brother WILLIAM BORELLI mezzo-soprano
Guglielmo (Fitzwilliam) Captain of the Royal Guard GLAUCO SCARLINI tenor

Place: London
Time: Late Sixteenth Century

† Recording date 

Photos © AGENZIA FOTOGRAFICA ALLOTTA, Palermo

Drawings © GAETANO POMPA





CORRIERE DELLA SERA
1970.10.14

IL GIORNO
1970.11.26

ELISABETTA REGINA D’INGHILTERRA di Gioachino Rossini

Rappresentazioni:
Palermo, Teatro Massimo – 9 dicembre 1971.
Interpreti: Leyla Gencer, Umberto Grilli, Margherita Guglielmi, Giovanna Vighi, Pietro Bottazzo, Gian Paolo Corradi.
Scene e costumi: Gaetano Pompa.
Direttore: Gianandrea Gavazzeni.

Tournée complessi artistici del Teatro Massimo di Palermo : 4- 7- 9 settembre 1972 al Festival Internazionale di Edimburgo.
Interpreti principali : Leyla Gencer, Umberto Grilli,Margherita Guglielmi, Pietro Bottazzo, Gian Paolo Corradi.
Scene e costumi : Gaetano Pompa
Direttore : Gianandrea Gavazzeni

“La rappresentazione di “Elisabetta regina d’Inghilterra” può essere una grossa sorpresa, una sorpresa per tutti coloro che non l’hanno mai ascoltata e nello stesso tempo motivo di rimorso per noi che non l’abbiamo fatta. Da parte mia ne sono entusiasta. Ritengo che l’opera avrà una certa ripercussione se non altro per la musica”. Così si è espresso il maestro Nino Sanzogno sul “dramma in musica” di Rossini che dovrebbe dirigere (scioperi delle masse permettendo) domani sera in occasione dell’apertura della stagione lirica 1970-71 del Teatro Massimo di Palermo. E’ la prima volta in questo secolo che l’opera viene rappresentata in Italia. Rossini la scrisse nel 1815 per il San Carlo di Napoli. In occasione della prima, anzi, la parte della protagonista fu interpretata da Isabella Colbran, il celebre soprano del tempo che doveva poi diventare la sposa del maestro.[…] Il musicologo Rognoni, in un suo libro dedicato a Rossini, sostiene che l’opera “costituisce un radicale rinnovamento del linguaggio drammatico musicale: essa preannuncia i tempi nuovi, incontro ai quali Rossini procede, suo malgrado, bruciando in continua reazione con se stesso e col futuro una esperienza che avrebbe nutrito un intero secolo”.

Che il lavoro costituisca un momento di estremo interesse nella valutazione completa di Rossini come musica lo conferma tra l’altro una curiosità riferita dallo stesso Sonzogno. La sinfonia dell’”Elisabetta” infatti è la stessa che Rossini usò molti anni dopo per “Il barbiere di Siviglia”.
Regista dell’opera è Mauro Bolognini.

IL GIORNO
1970.12.09
LORENZO ARRUGA

Sono passati ormai quindici giorni da quando mi trovai all’improvviso al buio tra le solenni sale e i misteriosi corridoi del Teatro Massimo di Palermo. Ero là per assistere alla prima ripresa nel nostro secolo dell’”Elisabetta” di Rossini, ed ebbi a primo colpo l’impressione d’aver sbagliato opera. Ero infatti sempre in Rossini, ma in piena “scena delle tenebre”, come s’incontra nel “Mosè”. Poi, mi spiegarono che non era stato il Patriarca davanti al Faraone, ma un neo-profeta del sindacalismo di fronte al Barone, cioè al sovrintendente De Simone; e che l’intervento non era del cielo, ma delle masse: insomma, neo-umanesimo. Si trattava difatti d’uno sciopero rigorosamente rispettoso degli orari. Ad ogni modo son quindici giorni: l’opera non s’è ancora data, la stagione non s’è ancora aperta, e, se ho capito bene, ogni sera là scende puntuale il buio: sul teatro e sulle speranze di chi aspetta questo benedetto Rossini.
Così, stasera non sentiremo per radio la “ripresa”; ed è un peccato, perché questo esperimento coraggioso di riportarla sulle scene era stato premiato da uno dei più riusciti spettacoli che si fossero allestiti in Italia in questi anni. Era venuta fuori in modo splendido la bellezza, oltre che l’importanza, dell’opera: a dispetto di Rossini che diceva d’avere “sacrificato il successo” e degli studiosi perplessi da tanta abilità intesa come sfoggio di virtuosismo vocale, s’era sentita, appena messa in palcoscenico, tutta la nobiltà, la forza musicale delle architetture, la chiarezza delle linee, la fresca felicità delle innumerevoli idee musicali.
Per me, assistendo ad una prova, l’emozione era stata assai viva. L’allestimento era di rara suggestione: le scene, di Gaetano Pompa, fra nostalgie d’un Quattrocento alla Paolo Uccello e ripensamenti della lezione di un Savinio, creavano l’ambiente più adatto per la regia di Mauro Bolognini, impostata su rapporti di masse, di luci e ombre, di pochi gesti pregnanti, e chiaramente scandita sul ritmo musicale. La compagnia di canto, seguiva con perfetta coesione la limpidissima lettura impressa da Nino Sanzogno, immedesimato nell’orchestra dal suono trasparente e nella vicenda dominata con vigile equilibrio: la scattante sicurezza di Silvia Geszty, la signorilità e la bellezza timbrica di Bottazzo, la pienezza vocale di Grilli avevano fatto corona attorno a Leyla Gencer, a cui non so se il gusto di rifare la parte impervia della favolosa Colbran o la tessitura congeniale con le agilità incessanti negli acuti ha fatto trovare, accanto alle note qualità di creatrice di personaggi regali, una smagliante forma di voce.
Bene, il “giallo” continua. Quale sarà la sorte di Elisabetta? La ricerca dei colpevoli, però non mi interessa molto; tanto più che i rapporti fra la direzione e le masse, falsati dalla dissennata regolamentazione dei teatri italiani, sono complessi e valutabili con molta difficoltà a caldo: se ne potrà riparlare. Per ora ciò che preme è fare appello che Elisabetta non venga soppressa: lasciatele soltanto la possibilità di farsi intendere, adesso o nei prossimi mesi, e tutti capiranno perché.

CORRIERE DELLA SERA
1970.12.10
FRANCO ABBIATI

ELISABETTA REGINA D’INGHILTERRA di Gioachino Rossini
Rappresentazioni:
Palermo, Teatro Massimo – 9 dicembre 1971.
Interpreti: Leyla Gencer, Umberto Grilli, Margherita Guglielmi, Giovanna Vighi, Pietro Bottazzo, Gian Paolo Corradi.
Scene e costumi: Gaetano Pompa.
Direttore: Gianandrea Gavazzeni.

Tournée complessi artistici del Teatro Massimo di Palermo : 4- 7- 9 settembre 1972 al Festival Internazionale di Edimburgo.
Interpreti principali : Leyla Gencer, Umberto Grilli,Margherita Guglielmi, Pietro Bottazzo, Gian Paolo Corradi.
Scene e costumi : Gaetano Pompa
Direttore : Gianandrea Gavazzeni

All’esecuzione serena, limpida di fuori per la bellezza dei suoni e dove occorreva innervata oppure screziata dentro le pieghe orchestrali dei giochi aperti o ambigui della tavolozza come la sensibilità del Gavazzeni l’ha sentita hanno corrisposto nei quadri canori le prestazioni dell’eroica Leyla Gencer, prodigatasi fino ai limiti del possibile nella selva delle immense difficoltà tecniche, e un po’ delle espressive da lei superate con l’uso quasi infallibile dei morbidi flautati. D’efficace incisività la voce di Margherita Guglielmi qual Matilde e d’ammirevole lucentezza i mezzi dei due pronti, scattanti e a loro volta agilissimi tenori Umberto Grilli come Leicester e Pietro Bottazzo come Norfolk. Apprezzabile Giovanna Vighi nei panni virili di Enrico, ottimo Gian Paolo Corradi quale Guglielmo, capitano delle guardie. Impeccabili i pochi interventi del coro diretto da Mario Tagini.
Regia di Mauro Bolognini, molto bene ordinata e sorvegliata entro le scene e con costumi d’una Inghilterra elisabettiana concepita con vivace gusto illustrativo da Gaetano Pompa, del quale gli stimoli fantastici e un po’ surrealisti, ripetuti anche su un delizioso siparietto di proscenio, hanno ricordato specie nel primo atto, le rossiniane panoramiche del compianto Savinio. Successo caldissimo.

DIE WELT
1985.11.16

CUMHURİYET DAILY NEWSPAPER

2024.11.28
ZEYNEP ORAL

Leyla Gencer’den Mert Süngü’ye... Bir yolculuk...
 
Kasım ayının başlarındaydı. Bunu mutlak okurlarla paylaşmalıyım dediğim bir haber aldım. Ancak her gün üzerimize gelen yasaklar, baskılar, şiddet olayları arasında daha önce fırsat bulamadım. Şimdi sıra bu keyifli habere geldi. Takılın peşime, tarihte, coğrafyada ve de müzik dünyasında bir yolculuğa çıkıyoruz.  
Tarih: 1815. Ünlü İtalyan besteci Gioachino Rossini ilk ciddi operası “Elizabetta Regina d’Inghilterra” (İngiltere Kraliçesi Elizabeth) eserini besteler. Önce sevgilisi, sonra karısı olacak dönemin en büyük şancılarından biri, efsanevi Isabella Colbran için bestelemiştir operayı. Büyük başarı kazanır. Gelin görün ki Isabella Colbran’dan sonra eserin teknik güçlüklerinin üstesinden gelebilecek sanatçılara pek kolay rastlanmadığından bu opera da unutulmaya bırakılır. 100 yılı aşkın bir süre sonra...

Leyla Gencer Kraliçe Elizabeth rolünde
Coğrafya: Sicilya’nın Palermo kenti. Burada bulunan görkemli Teatro Massimo yönetimi, 1970’te yeni opera mevsimini, bu unutulmuş eserle açmaya karar verir. Kim oynayabilir Isabella Colbran’ın rolünü diye araştırırlar ve sonunda bulurlar: Türk soprano Leyla Gencer. 

PALERMO MUCİZESİ

Leyla Gencer, Kraliçe Elizabeth rolüyle parlar. Tüm eleştirmenler övgüler yarıştırır. Tüm gazeteler “Palermo Mucizesi” diye başlık atar. (Bakınız: Leyla Gencer: Tutkunun Romanı/Cumhuriyet Kitapları) Öyle başarılı olur ki bir yıl sonra, şef değişse de Leyla Gencer yine aynı rolle Palermo’dadır. Bir yıl sonra da Edinburgh Opera Festivali’nde. Bütün bunlar 1970-73 arasındadır. Sonra aradan 50 yıl geçer. 

2024: Yaz aylarında, sevdiğim bir tenordan, Mert Süngü’den bir ileti aldım. “Harika bir döngü” diye nitelediği bir haber veriyordu: “Palermo Teatro Massimo’daki Gencer’in ikonik Elisabetta Regina d’Inghilterra’sını bilirsiniz. Aynı tiyatroda yıllar sonra, yarım asır sonra erkek başrol bana nasip oldu” diyerek sevinçli haberi paylaşıyordu. 
Mert Süngü’yü, rastlantı sonucu Fransa/Toulouse’da “Lükres Borgia”da başrolde izlemiş ve hayran olmuştum. Mesleğini hem yurtdışında hem de burada sürdüren bir sanatçı. Roma Operası, Viyana Volksoper, Berlin Deutsche Oper, Moskova Bolşoy tiyatrosu, Beijing, Monreal, Paris... Liste uzun. Onu İstanbul Devlet Operası’nın bu yılki “2. Mehmet” (Fatih Sultan Mehmet) operasında izlemiş olabilirsiniz. Geçen yıl, konser mevsimi, Teatro Massimo’da onun konseriyle açılmış, hemen ardından da Bellini, “I Montecchi e i Capuleti” operasında Tebaldo rolünü almıştı. Ardından Leyla Gencer’in Palermo’da üne kavuşturduğu bu operada oynamak istediğini söylemiş ve dileği kabul edilmişti. 

Mektubu şöyle bitiyordu: “Rolü istedim verdiler. Gencer’in tarihi Elisabetta ‘manifesto’/posteri girişte fuayede soldadır. Kontratı imzalayınca sevgi ve saygımın ifadesi olarak postere gidip selam verdim.”

İYİ Kİ SANAT VAR 

“İngiltere Kraliçesi” ekim sonu ve kasım başında Palermo’da temsil edildi. Her temsilden önce Mert Süngü seyirciye Leyla Gencer hakkında konuşma yaptı. Her temsilden sonra Leyla Gencer’in posterine göz kırptı. Program dergisinde fotoğraflarının peş peşe yayımlanması onu gururlandırdı, çok mutlu etti. Şef Antonino Fogliani, rejisör Davide Livermore idi. Elizabetta rolünü Japon mezzo soprano Aya Wakizono üstlenmişti. Prodüksiyon olumlu eleştiriler aldı.

Mert Süngü ve Elisabetta rolünde Japon mezzo soprano
Aya Wakizono

Bu eleştirilerden kimi örnekleri okuduğumda kendisi Çin’de Pekin’de Johann Strauss’un “Yarasa” operasının provalarındaydı. 2025’te ise Floransa Maggio Musicale Festivali’nde “Norma” da Pollione rolünde, Şili/Santiago’da “La Traviata” da Alfredo rolünde sahnede olacak. Sonra Tokyo’da resital. Liste böyle uzayıp gidiyor. Türkiye’de kasım ve aralıkta Mert Süngü’yü IDOB ile hem “2. Mehmet” hem de “La Traviata”da izleme fırsatımız yeniden olacak.

Dünden bugüne böyle yolculukların; hele elden ele geçen bayrağın, bir kuşaktan ötekine devredilen başarıların tadına hiç doyulmaz. Diyeceğim o ki yaşamımızda iyi ki ne mutlu ki sanat var, müzik var, opera var ve kuşaktan kuşağa aktarılan yeteneklerimiz, değerlerimiz var. Yoksa bu hayat çekilmez! 


COMPLETE RECORDING            
1970.11.29 [General Rehearsal]   

FROM LP BOOKLET

ELISABETTA, REGINA D'INGHILTERRA
1971.12.09
AN INTERVIEW IN HER DRESSING ROOM

We are in the dressing room of Leyla Gencer, the celebrated soprano who has brought to life tonight, after more than a century, the forgotten Rossinian character, Queen Elizabeth of England. Rossini wrote Elizabeth to suit the exceptional gifts of the beautiful Isabella Colbran, who was later to become his wife. The writer, Stendhal, said of her interpretation: 'Everything was reflected in her Spanish eyes, so beautiful, yet at certain moments so fierce." After 137 years, we are again in the presence of another dark Mediterranean beauty, born on the shores of the Bosporus, the Turkish soprano, Leyla Gencer, interpreter of the role of Elizabeth. We might say that Rossini wrote it also for you, Madame. Musically and visually, the character suits you well that of Elizabeth. 


Certainly. Elizabeth demands unusual vocal efforts. Yes, and I am very happy to perform it for the first time after a century of absolute silence.
Rossini made an innovation in this work by making a point of not leaving anything up to the singers—but by writing all of the ornaments and coloratura, especially for your role.
Yes, very difficult.
Then you are one of the great merits of this revival of the Rossini masterpiece, because it is not easy to find a singer who rejects the usual standard roles, a successful artist who will commit herself to such difficult parts.
Truly, since the beginning of my career, I have always preferred to sing these rather rare and difficult operas, and because my curiosity drives me to discover new and difficult works—perhaps because of their difficulty! The difficulty attracts me. Of course, I am also very happy to have performed besides the Elizabeth of Rossini, other English queens of Donizetti, for instance Maria Stuarda, Donizetti's Queen Elizabeth of England, Anna Bolena again by Donizetti, and above all I am satisfied and happy to have contributed a little to the diffusion of these works in the international operatic world. And they have almost become standard repertory works. It is almost a duty for me to discover and sing and launch these rare operas that are very difficult to sing because they really require tremendous vocal work, much greater than the operas that are done regularly.
Let us hope that this Elisabetta will be launched internationally, since we know that it will go to the Festival at...
Edinburgh.
Yes, Edinburgh, is it true?
We hope, certainly—this is our wish.
Then, apart from the similarity of the temperaments of the two artists already mentioned at the beginning—that of the artist of yesterday, Colbran, and that of today, Gencer, this is a work which is congenial visually because it is about a regal character, and you listed a while ago many queens, many princesses.
Yes, I have many queens in my repertory.
And even another Queen Elizabeth, it seems to me. Is it so, another Queen Elizabeth?
Yes, of Donizetti, Roberto Devereux, yes, it's called Roberto Devereux because there already existed this Elizabeth of England, already set to music by Rossini.
And where do you reside usually?
In Milan.
In Milan! Artistically, do you feel a little Italian?
Completely Italian, because I have made my entire career in Italy. I made my debut in Italy in 1954.
I recall that last year there was a group of young people who came here specially to hear you.
They will return.
Indeed, they will return.
They are already here. 
A group that has made itself known among the general public.
Indeed.
To Spain, America, and soon even to Edinburgh.
I thought these youths were all from Genoa.
They are not only from Genoa, but from all over Italy—from Florence, from Milano, from Genoa, from Naples.
And they are all here tonight to applaud in the theatre.
Yes, they are all here.
Thank you, Madame.
Thank you. 

FROM CD BOOKLET

ELISABETTA, REGINA D'INGHILTERRA

Stendhal, Rossini’s famous biographer, described a typical opera company in an Italian town of the time thus. “The manager is frequently one of the wealthiest and most considerable persons in the little town he inhabits. He forms a company consisting of a prima donna, tenor, basso cantante, basso buffo, a second female singer and a third bass. He engages a composer to write a new opera, who has to adapt his own airs to the voices and capacities of the company. The libretto is purchased from some unlucky son of the Muses, generally a half-starved Abbé. The next thing that usually happens is that - the manager falls in love with the prima donna; and the progress of this amour gives ample employment to the curiosity of the gossips. The company at length gives its first performance after a month of cabals and intrigues. The population does nothing but discuss the merits of the forthcoming music and singer with the eager impetuosity that belongs to the Italian climate. The first performance, if successful, is generally followed by twenty or thirty more presentations of the same piece; after which the company beaks up. This is what is called a stagione.”
When the twenty-three-year-old Rossini arrived in Naples in 1815, Isabella Colbran, the prima donna of the San Carlo Teatro was indeed the mistress of the impresario Barbaia, Rossini’s chief at that theatre - but Rossini soon changed that. Barbaia’s power and influence were considerable - fortunately for Rossini, for the Neapolitans viewed any musician who had not been trained in their own schools with the utmost suspicion. Rossini’s triumphs in Venice meant less than nothing to them. This xenophobia was rendered all the more dangerous by the intrigues of Paisiello and Zingarelli, the director of the conservatoire both of whom made a point of liking no music except their own. (Zingarelli, in conversation with Spohr, said that if Mozart had only studied a little more, he would certainly have ended by writing a good opera). Moreover, a rather different style of music from that which found favour in the north of Italy was expected by the Neapolitans, who demanded from their singers’ robustness and brilliance rather than subtlety or delicacy. And then there was Madame Colbran to be satisfied.
Isabella Colbran was born in Madrid in 1785. lt would appear that she not only had the advantage of a voice of exceptional compass bot of also of a striking dignity of movement. When Elisabetta was produced on 4th October 1815, the principal part was tailored especially to her idiosyncrasies.
Barbaia had the libretto adapted from a play which had been successfully produced in Naples in the previous year, based in this turn on an English novel called The Recess. The story is, of course, totally unhistorical. Yet Colbran is said to have looked magnificent in her sixteenth century costume and the whole of Naples raved about her beauty and talent. And that was the most important thing. Stendhal and others wrote that her voice began to give serious warning of deterioration about the year of Rossini’s introduction into her life, but she continued to sing until 1822 when she was thirty-seven. Her penchant for grand, tragic roles led Rossini to compose only one true comic opera between La Cenerentola (composed for Rome in 1817) and Le Comte Ory (1828, written for Paris in Rossini’s post-Colbran, post-ltalian period).
Through Rossini had been in Naples during the entire summer and Elisabetta was not performed until October, its actual production and composition seem to have been undertaken in a hurry. He adapted the overture of Aureliano in Palmira for the new opera and used a combination of the crescendo subject and a passage of the quartet from La Scala di Seta for the Act I finale. (He subsequently used a passage from Elisabetta’s entrance aria for Rosina’s “Una voce poco fa”). The orchestral prelude to the prison scene in Act Il was borrowed from Ciro in Babilonia. As he had an excellent orchestra at this disposal, Rossini not only produced a score decidedly more elaborate than usual, but, for the first time provided the recitatives with instrumental accompaniment. More important still, his was the first occasion on which he wrote out in full all the embellishments to be sung by the singers. He is said to have decided to do this after hearing Velluti’s exploits in Aureliano, which had made the music almost unrecognizable. The fact that he was successful in getting his way would seem to argue an exceptional degree of understanding between himself and Colbran.
The other singers available to him were equally resplendent.
Normally one would have expected Norfolk to be cast as a baritone, but - unlike the situation at present - Naples at that time enjoyed a plethora of superb tenors.
 
The Plot
 
The first scene is at the Royal court in London. Norfolk, William and courtiers are awaiting the arrival of the Queen who is to bestow honours on her favourite, the Earl of Leicester for his valour and victory in the battle against Scotland. Norfolk is seething with envy and plots against his friend, the Earl.
Unknown by all, Leicester has married Mathilda, a young girl he met while in Scotland. At the time believed her to be the daughter of a shepherd; however, he later learned that she actually is a daughter of Elisabeth’s greatest threat to the throne, Mary, Queen of Scots and has been living incognito with her brother, Henry. Leicester is now torn between love and duty and is forced to keep his marriage a secret from the jealous Elisabeth. He therefore returns to London without his bride.
Mathilda, however, has disguised herself as a prisoner of war and, accompanied by her brother, joins the hostages that are to be assimilated into the English court as pages in order to be near her husband. During the ceremony of honouring Leicester’s victory, the hostages are presented to the Queen and Leicester immediately recognizes his wife and brother-in-law among them. He is almost overcome by fright and anger. Later, when the festivities have been concluded and the Queen and assembly retire, Leicester seeks out Mathilda and Henry and chastises them for jeopardizing their position. If the Queen discovers that her favourite has not only married, but has actually married the daughter of Mary Stuart, the danger is acute. Having to confide in someone for advice, Leicester tells his story to the Duke of Norfolk, who slyly offers comfort and assistance and then immediately runs to the Queen with his story. Naturally the Queen is shocked and deeply hurt. This hurt soon turns to fury and she vows to make both Leicester and his wife pay for this treachery. She summons the court, hostage and Leicester to be present for a special gift to be bestowed upon the hero of the war. When all are present, she explains that she has decided to offer an ultimate gift to the Earl of Leicester for his service to the crown. Elisabeth then brings forth a cushion on which are placed the crown and sceptre and announces that she offers this highest to Leicester, to be her consort and King. Leicester is struck speechless, and Mathilda and Henry are visibly shaken. When Leicester turns his back on the Queen she flies into a rage and orders the guards to take the traitors to prison where they shall their deaths. The crowd is stunned at this turn of events and the act ends in a blazing finale.
Act Two opens on a room of the palace where Norfolk is wondering what he should do to obtain the position he desire.
When he seeks audience with the Queen he is refused and leaves, greatly disturbed. The Queen then enters, and bids William bring Leicester and Mathilda before her. First Mathilda is brought, and Elisabeth approaches her with controlled politeness saying that she wishes to save Leicester's life but can only do it if Mathilda will agree to have their marriage annulled. Mathilda breaks into tears and after Elisabeth warns her that her patience is limited, she signs the document. Leicester is then brought in and Elisabeth tells him that he also must sign to save his life.
Leicester refuses and the Queen sweeps out of the room.
The next scene is at the prison where crowds have gathered to bemoan the fats of their hero Leicester. Norfolk approaches and is further irritated to see how much the people love the Earl when he seizes upon the idea of using them to his advantage. Feigning grief for his beloved friend, he arouses such feelings of resentment in the crowd towards the throne’s decree of death that he persuades them to aid him in Leicester's escape. He hopes to bungle the escape, hasten Leicester’s death and become a hero himself. He tells the crowd to await his sign and enters the prison to prepare the Earl for the escape. He orders the crowd to await his signal and enters the prison to prepare the Earl for escape. He approaches Leicester as the most beloved friend and tells him of his plan of escape for
him, Mathilde and Henry.
Leicester is horrified at the prospect, saying that although he is only guilty of love, he will not lend credence to his accused act of treason by escaping. Suddenly the prison door is opened, and Elisabeth enters. Both Norfolk and Leicester are astonished and Norfolk hides behind a pillar. Elisabeth informs Leicester that the law has condemn him to die for treason and that the Queen has approved the sentence. She, however, has not come in her function as Queen but as Elisabeth who loves him and offers to aid him in escape. Leicester begs her forgiveness but again refuses to dishonour the throne by escape. At this point Henry and Mathilda have been ushered through a door in the back and warn the Queen that Norfolk has just drawn his sword. Norfolk rushes toward the Queen but is disarmed before he can strike. In gratitude, Elisabeth renounces her love of Leicester and pardons the trio. The raving Norfolk is led away by guards to another part of the prison.
The present performance was recorded at the dress rehearsal of a production planned in Palermo. A strike prevented the premiere taking place, and the opera was not staged until one year later. Margherita Guglielmi took over from Sylvia Geszty, who had other commitments at the time, and the opera was conducted by Gavazzeni who stepped in for Sonzogno. 

FROM LP BOOKLET

ELISABETTA, REGINA D'INGHILTERRA
NINO SANZOGNO

A note on the opera

Elisabetta is the first of the magnificent series of nine operas which Rossini wrote for Naples. It received its première at the Teatro San Carlo on October 4,1815, with Isabella Colbran (who was later to become the composer's wife) in the title role. The libretto, by one Giovanni Schmidt, has the following ''Avvertimento"' prefixed to it: ''The unpublished source of this drama, written in prose by the lawyer Carlo Federici, and based on an English novel, appeared last year at the Teatro del Fondo. The fortunate success it obtained decided that, at the request of the Impresario of the royal theatres, I should adapt it for music. The original manuscript was not available to me (since it belongs to the dramatic company, which left Naples several months ago) so I was not able to follow it exactly. Having attended performances of it various times, I have relied as far as possible on my memory, reducing five very long acts of prose to two short ones in verse. As a consequence, I cannot call myself its author except for some words and for a few slight changes, to which the laws of our modern lyric theatre constrained me." The English novel which Schmidt refers to is The Recess, or a Tale of Other Times (1785) by Sophia Lee. Stendhal, in his marvellous Vie de Rossini (English translation by Richard N. Coe, The Orion Press, N.Y., 1970) claims that it is Scott's Kenilworth, but in this, as in so much of Stendhal's delightful book, facts are treated somewhat cavalierly.


Elisabetta made Rossini's name in Naples, and he was to write for the San Carlo for the next seven years, ending this series of operas with the fine Zelmira (MRF-93) in 1822. To this series of works belong also Otello (1816), Armida (1817), Mosè in Egitto (1818), and La Donna del Lago (1819), all of which, with the exception of Mosè, are available on the MRF label. Though not one of these nine works is a complete masterpiece, each one of them reveals the master hand of Rossini exploring new musico-dramatic paths. Thus, in Elisabetta, there is no "secco recitativo, "' but, for the first time ina Rossini opera, all of the recitative is accompanied by the orchestra. It must always be borne in mind that although we today tend to think of Rossini primarily as a composer of comic works, it was in the "semiseria" form of opera that he himself chose primarily to work. The libretti for these works are almost without exception absurd, but they did provide a variety of sentiments to be expressed, more so than in comedies, and Rossini was never one to limit himself in the range of his expression.
 
The listener of Elisabetta will be struck by the presence of several familiar strains: the Overture (later used in Barbiere) was formerly that to Aureliano in Palmira (Milan, 1813), and the fast section of Elizabeth's opening aria (''Questo cor ben lo comprende!) is almost identical to Rosina's "Io sono docile." Luigi Rognoni, in his biography of Rossini (Torino, 1968) has stated the reason for these "borrowings" with admirable clarity: '...in this instance we are neither in opera seria nor opera buffa; the musician aims at characterizing the 'femininity' of two women in love, through the usual vocal virtuosity, and the melody can be adapted very well to Elizabeth who is awaiting the return of her lover from the wars, and then (simplified and made more petulant) to Rosina's state of mind, she who is also awaiting a lover who will come to make her happy and who rebels against the state in which her tutor keeps her. As one can see, these continuous 'borrowings' from one opera to another, and with which Rossini was reproached as the fruit of laziness, superficiality and substantial indifference to the text to be set to music (whether comic or dramatic), instead operate in a concrete manner in the renewal which the composer was effecting in the lyric theatre." 


Elisabetta did not become one of Rossini's popular operas. According to Stendhal, the presence of Colbran in the cast was necessary to make the work live. Radiciotti, in his monumental three volume biography of the composer (Tivoli, 1927-29), is particularly harsh with this work, stating: "I do not feel for this opera all the admiration which the biographers of Rossini claim to feel; to me its music seems more brilliant than inspired, richer in spirit than in sentiment." He feels that Rossini was somewhat of the same opinion, and quotes the composer's remark to a certain Bandini, a Florentine impresario who wanted to perform it at the Pergola in 1838: "Queste sono opere da lasciare in riposo" (''These are operas to leave in peace"’).
 
But with the present-day revival of the early ''semiseria" operas of Rossini, we can realize that in spite of the defects of the libretti, the music makes these works come alive on the stage. And no opera, no matter how sporadically revived, is ever performed because of its strong libretto.
Etiketler: , , , , , , ,