LUCREZIA BORGIA

Gaetano Donizetti (1797 - 1848)
Opera in two acts in Italian
Libretto: Felice Romani after Victor Hugo
Premièr at Teatro alla Scala, Milan – 26 December 1833
05†, 08, 11, 13, 15 June 1967
Teatro dell'Opera, Roma

Conductor: Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Chorus master: n/a
Stage director: Margherita Wallmann
Scene and costumes: Orlando di Collalto 

Alfonso d’Este Duke of Ferrara RUGGERO RAIMONDI baritone
Lucrezia Borgia LEYLA GENCER soprano
Maffio Orsini ANNA MARIA ROTA contralto
Gennaro young nobleman in the service of Venetian Republic RENATO CIONI tenor
Liverotto young nobleman in the service of Venetian Republic GIUSEPPE MORETTI tenor
Vitellozzo young nobleman in the service of Venetian Republic FERNANDO JACOPUCCI bass
Gazella FRANCO ROMANO bass
Rustighello SERGIO TEDESCO tenor
Gubetta SILVIO MAIONICA bass
Astolfo MARIO BORRIELLO bass
Petrucci SALVATORE CATANIA baritone

Time: Early Sixteenth Century
Place: Venice and Ferrara

† Recording date



GENCER ALLA OPERA DI ROMA 

LUCREZIA BORGIA 
STAGIONE 1966 – 1967




L'UNITA                                                
1967.05.31

AVANTI                                                  

1967.06.01

L'UNITA                                                
1967.06.02

L'UNITA                                                
1967.06.04

L'UNITA                                               
1967.06.04

AVANTI                                                  
1967.06.06

LA STAMPA                                             
1967.06.06

L'UNITA                                               
1967.06.06

L'UNITA                                                
1967.06.09

L'UNITA                                                
1967.06.10

L'UNITA                                                
1967.06.11

KOBBE'S COMPLETE OPERA BOOK                                       

1997
 

LUCREZIA BORGIA

Opera in a prologue and two acts, text by Felice Romani (after Victor Hugo's fictional account of the doings of this legendary heroine, who has been acquitted by modern research of much of what she was once accused). Première at la Scala, Milan, on 26 December 1833. with Méric-Lalande. M. Brambilla, Pedrazzi. Mariani: Her Majesty's Theatre, London. 1839, with Grisi, Ernesta Grisi, Mario, Tamburini: New York, 1844: Covent Garden. 1847, with Grisi, Alboni, Mario. Tamburini: Metropolitan, 1904. with de Macchi, Edyth Walker, Caruso, Scotti, conductor Vigna. Revived Colón, Buenos Aires. 1919, with Mazzoleni. Gigli: Florence, 1933, with Arangi-Lombardi, Pederzini, Gigli. Pasero, conductor Marinum: la Scala. 1951. with Mancini. Pirazzini. Picchi, Rossi-Lemeni, conductor Capuana. Teresa Tietjens in the last century. Montserrat Caballe and Leyla Gencer in the 1960s and Beverly Sills and Joan Sutherland in the 1970s have been five of the most famous exponents of the title role.

 

After the opera was first given in Paris in 1840, A Victor Hugo, on the grounds that the French translation (not the whole work) infringed his copyright, successfully sued for plagiarism, and the opera was not quite so quick as some others by Donizetti to make its way in Italy. Nonetheless, it is one of the more successful of his serious works and the title role remains a magnet for a soprano of an appropriate type.

Prologue. Gennaro, unbeknown to him, is the son of the infamous Lucrezia Borgia. When the opera opens, he is in Venice celebrating carnival with his friends, who include Maffio Orsini. Gennaro falls asleep and is discovered by Lucrezia, who sings of her love for the young man ('Com'è bello! quale incanto'). The aria is in Donizetti's grandest vein, and Gennaro wakes and appears to return her love. 'Di pescatore ignobile' he sings, describing (quite untruthfully) his humble origin as the supposed son of a fisherman. Gennaro's companions return, recognise Lucrezia and one by one denounce her as the murderer of their relations. Gennaro, who had no idea of the identity of the woman with whom he was falling in love, is horror-stricken.
Act I A public place in Ferrara. Duke Alfonso, Lucrezia's fourth husband, has identified Gennaro as Lucrezia's lover and vents his fury in a full-scale aria (Vieni. la mia vendetta"). Gennaro and his friends arrive in the square, see the letters BORGIA under the escutcheon of the palace, and Gennaro, to show his detestation of Lucrezia's crimes, with his sword hacks away the first letter of the name, leaving only ORGIA. On command of the Duke, he is arrested. Not knowing who has committed the outrage, Lucrezia demands that its perpetrator be put to death. Alfonso consents. but when Gennaro is led in. Lucrezia recognizes him and pleads for his life. Alfonso remains firm, even when Lucrezia reminds him that he is her fourth husband and may yet share the fate of the other three. His rejoinder is to insist that Gennaro meet death by drinking a goblet of poisoned wine handed to him by Lucrezia herself. In the course of an ensemble, the Duke pours poison into Gennaro's cup unaware that Lucrezia has an antidote which, when he has left, she gives to Gennaro with the injunction to flee from Ferrara.
Act II At a ball in Princess Negroni's palace in Ferrara. Maffio, who has sworn eternal faith with Gennaro, sings the most famous number of the opera. Il segreto per esser felici', a ballata which has proved to the taste of mezzo-sopranos since the opera's first performance. Sinister voices are heard from next door and Lucrezia appears to announce that, in revenge for their insults, she has poisoned all the guests at the banquet. She is horrified to find Gennaro of the company, but he refuses the antidote she offers him, even though she tells him she is his mother and pleads with him ("Modi. ah m'odi') in an aria which is one of the most impressive passages of the score. He dies in her arms.

COMPLETE RECORDING

1967.06.05

Recording Excerpts [1967.06.05]
M’Odi, ah! M’odi e Finale Act II Scene VIII
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