I VESPRI SICILIANI
Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)
Opera in five acts in Italian
Libretto: Scribe & Charles Duyveyrier (French)Premièr at the Opéra, Paris – 13 June 1855
02†, 06, 09, 14, 22 December 1964
Teatro dell'Opera, Roma
OPENING PERFORMANCE OF TEATRO DELL'OPERA DI ROMA
Conductor: Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Chorus master: Gianni Lazzarini
Stage director: Franco Enriquez
Scene and costumes: Misa d'Andrea and Gianni Polidori
Choreography: Attilia Radice
Elena (Helene) sister of Frederick of Austria LEYLA GENCER soprano [Role debut]
Chorus master: Gianni Lazzarini
Stage director: Franco Enriquez
Scene and costumes: Misa d'Andrea and Gianni Polidori
Choreography: Attilia Radice
Elena (Helene) sister of Frederick of Austria LEYLA GENCER soprano [Role debut]
Arrigo (Henri) a young Sicilian GASTONE
LIMARILLI tenor
Guido di Monforte (Monfort) Governor of Sicily GIANGIACOMO
GUELFI baritone
Giovanni di Procida Sicilian doctor NICOLA
ROSSI-LEMENI bass
de Béthune a French officer FRANCO PUGLIESE bass
Count Vaudemont a French officer MARIO
BORRIELLO bass
Ninetta in attendance on Elena LUCIANA PICCOLO soprano
Danieli a young Sicilian FERNANDO JACOPUCCI tenor
Tebaldo (Thibault) a French soldier VITTORIO
PANDANO tenor
Roberto (Robert) a French soldier PAOLO
MAZZOTTA bass
Manfredo a Sicilian ATHOS CESARINI baritone
Time: 1282
Place: Palermo
Photos © DUFOTO, Roma
Time: 1282
Place: Palermo
† Recording date
Photos © DUFOTO, Roma
GENCER
ALLA OPERA DI ROMA
I VESPRI
SICILIANI
STAGIONE 1964 – 1965
https://archiviostorico.operaroma.it/edizione_opera/i-vespri-siciliani-les-vepres-siciliennes-1964-65/
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| At the backstage of Opera di Roma |
CORRIERE DELLA SERA
1964.10.03
AVANTI
1964.10.15
JORNAL DO BRASIL
1964.10.15
CORRIERE DELLA SERA
1964.11.16
RADIOCORRIERE.TV
1964.11.22
L'UNITA
1964.11.24
L'UNITA
1964.11.24
CORRIERE DELLA SERA
1964.12.05
CORRIERE DELLA SERA
1964.12.06
L'UNITA
1964.12.09
HÜRRİYET DAILY NEWSPAPER
1964.12.10
OPERA MAGAZINE
1965 February
Rome. It is a
practice of the new management of the Tatro dell’Opera to open each season
(whether in the theatre itself or at the Terme di Caracalla, in summer) with an
opera by Verdi. and this year the choice was I Vespri siciliani, which has been heard in Rome only twice in the
last quarter-century.
The opening performance, delayed by a national orchestra-and-chorus strike, took place on December 5. In some ways, it was a disappointment. Visually, the new production — producer Franco Enriquez, designer Gianni Polidori — was simply ugly. The stage was bounded by black velvet curtains against which, from scene to scene, semi-abstract pictures were hung; platforms and steps also framed the action. Enriquez also moved chorus and principals in a confused and confusing fashion, halfway between realism and abstraction, vitiating the drama of the music and overlooking the libretto.
And the casting also was unfortunate. In the all-important role of Elena, Leyla Gencer sounded tired, and even her convinced acting could not make up for her vocal weaknesses. Opposite her, Gastone Limarilli was a ringing, effective Arrigo; and, except for occasional trouble with pitch, Giangiacomo Guelfi was an imposing Monforte. Replacing Boris Christoff in the role of Procida, Nicola Rossi-Lemeni proved in better voice than in recent seasons, and his '0 tu Palermo' was movingly sung, though the voice is not what it once was. Of Attilia Radice's choreography, the less said the better.
Gianandrea Gavazenni conducted with spirit and musical insight, opening a number of cuts, giving a shape to the otherwise sprawling production. And, a feature of the new Rome artistic direction, the smaller roles were strongly cast, including a promising young bass, Franco Pugliese, as Bethune. On December 14, I returned to I Vespri siciliani to hear a new tenor, Giorgio Casellato, as Arrigo. It was worth the trip. Making what was virtually his first performance in an important theatre, and having learned the role in only ten days, Casellato was understandably insecure; but the voice is a beautiful one, generous and ringing, the voice of a future Manrico. He also has a pleasant stage presence and, in time, could become an acceptable actor. After the traditional evening of ballet, the second operatic production of the season was Rossini's Otello, a revival of last year's edition which was such a deserved success. This year the cast has been improved by a new Emilia, the musical and warm-voiced Anna Reynolds, and one suddenly realized the importance of what had seemed a minor role. Carlo Franci had become more relaxed with the work, and his conducting was much more supple than last year. (I attended the opening night, December 12.)
The opening performance, delayed by a national orchestra-and-chorus strike, took place on December 5. In some ways, it was a disappointment. Visually, the new production — producer Franco Enriquez, designer Gianni Polidori — was simply ugly. The stage was bounded by black velvet curtains against which, from scene to scene, semi-abstract pictures were hung; platforms and steps also framed the action. Enriquez also moved chorus and principals in a confused and confusing fashion, halfway between realism and abstraction, vitiating the drama of the music and overlooking the libretto.
And the casting also was unfortunate. In the all-important role of Elena, Leyla Gencer sounded tired, and even her convinced acting could not make up for her vocal weaknesses. Opposite her, Gastone Limarilli was a ringing, effective Arrigo; and, except for occasional trouble with pitch, Giangiacomo Guelfi was an imposing Monforte. Replacing Boris Christoff in the role of Procida, Nicola Rossi-Lemeni proved in better voice than in recent seasons, and his '0 tu Palermo' was movingly sung, though the voice is not what it once was. Of Attilia Radice's choreography, the less said the better.
Gianandrea Gavazenni conducted with spirit and musical insight, opening a number of cuts, giving a shape to the otherwise sprawling production. And, a feature of the new Rome artistic direction, the smaller roles were strongly cast, including a promising young bass, Franco Pugliese, as Bethune. On December 14, I returned to I Vespri siciliani to hear a new tenor, Giorgio Casellato, as Arrigo. It was worth the trip. Making what was virtually his first performance in an important theatre, and having learned the role in only ten days, Casellato was understandably insecure; but the voice is a beautiful one, generous and ringing, the voice of a future Manrico. He also has a pleasant stage presence and, in time, could become an acceptable actor. After the traditional evening of ballet, the second operatic production of the season was Rossini's Otello, a revival of last year's edition which was such a deserved success. This year the cast has been improved by a new Emilia, the musical and warm-voiced Anna Reynolds, and one suddenly realized the importance of what had seemed a minor role. Carlo Franci had become more relaxed with the work, and his conducting was much more supple than last year. (I attended the opening night, December 12.)
L'OTTOCENTO
2018
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LE ANTICHE PROPOSTE
Uno dei più costanti alfieri di quest'opera (nonché di Jérusalem, va ricordato per amor di cronaca nonostante gli sia riuscito solo una volta di portarla in scena, riservando agli studi Rai la sua migliore esecuzione) fu senza dubbio Gianandrea Gavazzeni. Il quale trovò in Massimo Bogianckino allora direttore artistico dell'Opera di Roma un decisivo sodale per un nuovo allestimento di Vespri siciliani nel 1965, con la regia di Franco Enriquez e un cast formato da Gastone Limarilli, Leyla Gencer, Giangiacomo Guelfi, Nicola Rossi-Lemeni. Un'esecuzione a vero dire un po' sommaria, con molti di quei tagli per i quali Gavazzeni andava famoso (così tanto che si cominciò a pensare lo facesse apposta giusto per amor di polemica, che d'altronde assai gli piaceva), e con poco o punto di quella tinta grandopéresca sacrificata all'ideale del Verdi quarantottardo che ancora andava (purtroppo) per la maggiore.
Tutt'altro spettacolo quello che Gavazzeni diresse come apertura della stagione Scaligera 1970-71, per la regia e le scene del quale si ricostituì (era la sesta volta, alla Scala, dopo Trovatore, Cenerentola, Lucia, Oedipus rex, Ernani) il tande volta lasciò un segno duraturo.........
COMPLETE RECORDING
1964.12.02
Recording Excerpts [1964.12.02]
Quale, o prode, al tuo corraggio Act II Scene III
O sdegni miei tacete Act IV Scene II
Ah tuo cor generoso Act IV Scene IV
