Luisa Miller is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, based on the play Kabale und Liebe by Friedrich von Schiller. Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto A libretto is the text used in an extended Musical work such as an Opera, Operetta, Masque, sacred or secular Oratorio and Salvatore Cammarano (born Naples, 19 March 1801 - died Naples 17 July 1852) was a prolific Italian Librettist A play, or stageplay, is a form of Literature written by a Playwright, almost always consisting of Dialogue between Fictional characters Intrigue and Love (or sometimes Love and Intrigue) ( German, Kabale und Liebe) is a play, written by the German Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller krɪstɔf friːtʁɪç fɔn ʃɪləʁ/ʃɪlɐ (10 November 1759 9 May 1805 was a German Poet, Philosopher The first performance was given at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples on December 8, 1849. The Teatro di San Carlo is an Opera house in Naples, Italy. It is the oldest continuously active such venue in Europe and it is recognized as a Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common This opera belongs to Verdi's early period.
Contents |
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, December 8, 1849[1] (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Count Walter | bass | Antonio Selva |
| Rodolfo, his son | tenor | Settimio Malvezzi |
| Federica, Duchess of Ostheim, Walter's niece | mezzo-soprano | Teresa Salandri |
| Wurm, Walter's steward | bass | Marco Arati |
| Miller, a retired soldier | baritone | Achille De Bassini |
| Luisa, his daughter | soprano | Marietta Gazzaniga |
| Laura, a village girl | mezzo-soprano | Maria Salvetti |
| A peasant | tenor | Francesco Rossi |
| Damigelle di Federica, Paggi, Famigliari, Arcieri, Abitanti del villaggio | ||
Synopsis
Act 1
Luisa loves Carlo, a young man she has met in the village. The tenor is the highest male voice within the Modal register, just above the Baritone voice This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. Luisa's father, Miller, is worried by this mysterious love. He is approached by a courtier, Wurm, who is in love with Luisa and wishes to marry her. Miller tells him that he will never make a decision against his daughter's will. Irritated by his reply, Wurm reveals to Miller that in reality Carlo is Rodolfo, Count Walter's son.
At Count Walter's castle, Wurm informs his master of Rodolfo's love for Luisa. The count has decided that Rodolfo will marry his niece Federica, the Duchess of Ostheim, and calls his son to tell him. When Rodolfo is left alone with Federica, he confesses that he loves another woman, hoping that the duchess will understand. But Federica is too much in love with him to understand.
Meanwhile, at Miller's house, the old man tells his daughter who Rodolfo really is. Rodolfo arrives and admits his deception but swears that his love is sincere: kneeling in front of Miller he declares that Luisa is his bride. Count Walter enters and orders that Luisa and her father be arrested. Rodolfo stands up against his father and threatens him: if he does not free the girl, Rodolfo will reveal how Walter became count. Walter is frightened and frees Luisa.
Act 2
Miller is in prison: having dared to draw his sword before the count, he is to be executed. Wurm goes to Luisa's house to offer a bargain: her father's freedom in exchange for a letter in which Luisa declares her love for Wurm and states that she has tricked Rodolfo.
At the castle Walter and Wurm recall how the count rose to power by killing his own cousin. Rodolfo too, Wurm relates, knows of this. The Duchess Federica and Luisa enter. The girl confirms the contents of her letter. In his own apartment Rodolfo reads Luisa's letter. The young man has challenged Wurm to a duel. To avoid the confrontation the courtier fires his pistol in the air, bringing the count and his servants running in. Count Walter advises Rodolfo to revenge the offense he has suffered by marrying Duchess Federica.
Act 3
In the distance echoes of the celebration of Rodolfo and Federica's wedding can be heard. Old Miller, freed from prison, comes back home. He enters his house and embraces his daughter. Luisa is determined to take her own life, but Miller manages to persuade her to stay with him. Alone now, Luisa continues praying. Rodolfo slips in and unseen pours poison into the water jug on the table. He then asks Luisa if she really wrote the letter in which she declared her love for Wurm. "Yes," the girl replies. Rodolfo drinks a glass of water then passes a glass to Luisa and invites her to drink. Then he tells her that they are both condemned to die. Before she dies Luisa has time to tell Rodolfo the truth about the letter. After she dies some peasants enter with Count Walter and Wurm and before he too dies, Rodolfo runs his sword through Wurm's breast.
Noted arias
- "Ah fu giusto il mio sospetto" - Miller in Act I, Scene 1
- "Lo vidi e'l primo palpito" - Luisa Miller in Act I, Scene 1
- "Sacra la scelta è d'un consorte" - Miller in Act I, Scene 1
- "Il mio sangue la vita darei" - Count Walter in Act I, Scene 2
- "A brani, a brani, o perfido" - Luisa Miller in Act II, Scene 1
- "Tu puniscimi, O Signore" - Luisa Miller in Act II, Scene 1
- "L'ara o l'avella apprestami" - Rodolfo in Act II, Scene 3
- "Quando le sere al placido" - Rodolfo in Act II, Scene 3
Selected recordings
| Year | Cast (Luisa, Rodolfo, Miller, Federica, Count Walter, Wurm) |
Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Anna Moffo, Carlo Bergonzi, Cornell MacNeil, Shirley Verrett, Giorgio Tozzi, Ezio Flagello |
Fausto Cleva, RCA Italiana Opera Chorus and Orchestra |
Audio CD: RCA Victor |
| 1979 | Renata Scotto, Plácido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, Jean Kraft, Bonaldo Giaiotti, James Morris |
James Levine, Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus |
DVD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 00440 073 4027 |
Note: "Cat:" is short for catalogue number by the label company; "ASIN" is amazon. Anna Moffo (June 27 1932 - March 9 2006 was an Italian-American Opera singer one of the leading dramatic-coloratura Sopranos of her era she possessed a warm and Carlo Bergonzi (born 13 July 1924) is an Italian operatic Tenor. Cornell MacNeil (born 24 September, 1922 in Minneapolis Minnesota) is an American operatic Baritone known for his voice and his phenomenal career Shirley Verrett (born May 31 1931) is an American Operatic Mezzo-soprano and Soprano. Giorgio Tozzi (born January 8 1923, in Chicago Illinois) was for many years a leading bass with the Metropolitan Opera, and was seen Ezio Flagello (born January 28, 1931) is an Italian-American bass, particularly associated with the Italian repertoryhe sang at the Metropolitan Opera WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Fausto Cleva ( 17 May 1902, Trieste - RCA Records (originally The Victor Talking Machine Company, then RCA Victor is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. Renata Scotto (born February 24, 1934) is an Italian Soprano. WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes --> José Plácido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941) better Sherrill Milnes (born January 10, 1935) is an American operatic Baritone most famous for his Verdi roles James Morris may refer to James Morris III (1752&ndash1820 Revolutionary War officer coeducation pioneer namesake of Morris Connecticut James Lawrence Levine (born 23 June 1943) is an American orchestral conductor and pianist. The Metropolitan Opera Association of New York City, founded in April 1880 is a major presenter of all types of opera including Grand Opera. Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical Record label. The company has long been known for its high standards of audio fidelity. com product reference number.
Notes
- ^ List of singers taken from Budden, Julian: The Operas of Verdi (Cassell), vol 1, p. 418.
External links
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