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I PURITANI The Puritans by Vincenzo Bellini Opera seia (melodramma serio)
in three parts (2h 45in) Libretto by Count Carlo
Pepoli, after the historical drama Têtes rondes et cavaliers (1833) by
Jacques-Arsène Polycarpe François Ancelot and Joseph-Xavier Boniface (‘Xavier
Saintine’), in turn derived from Sir Walter Scott’s novel Old Mortally (1816) Composed April 1834-January
1835; rev. December 1834-January 1835 PREMIEREs 25 January 1835,
Théatre-Italien, Paris; UK: 21 May 1835, King’s Theatre, London; US: 22 July
1843, Chestnut St Theater, Philadelphia; rev. version: 14 December 1985,
Barbican Centre, London (cos~ert); 1Apr11 1986, Teatro Petruzzeui, Bari CAST Lord Gualtiero Valton
b, Sir Giorgio b, Lord Arturo Talbo t, Sir Riccardo Forth bar, Sir Bruno
Roberton t, Enrichetta di Francia a, Elvira a; siab chorus of soldiers of
Cromwell, heralds and armigers of Lords Talbo and Valton, Puritans, lords and
ladies, Ladies-in-waiting, pages, servants ORCHESTRATION
2fllpicc,2o,2cl,2bsn,4hn,2tpt,3 trbn, hp, tinip, perc (bd, cym, triangle),
str, onstage: 2 sd~ beD, acciarmi(pistols/muskets), 2 d,2 ban, 4 hn,organ
(optional, may be replaced by muted strings), hp SYNOPSIS Part I – A fortress near
Plymouth. Scene 1: A spacious glacis
outside the fortress. Day breaks, reveille
sounds, the guard is changed and the soldiers look forward to victory over the
Stuarts (‘Quando la tromba squilia’); a morning hymn is heard from the
fortress, and all rejoice at the thought of the forthcoming marriage of
Elvira, daughter of the Puritan governor.general Sir Gualtiero Valton.
Riccardo, a colonel in the Puritan army, confides his sorrows to Bruno, a
fellow officer: Elvira had been promised to him; but returning to Plymouth
after years of soldiering, he finds that she loves Lord Arturo Talbo, a
Cavalier, and that her father is unwilling to force his own wishes on her
(‘Ah’ per sempre io ti perdei. Bel sogno beato’). Scene 2: Elvira’s
apartment. Giorgio, Elvira’s uncle,
turns her melancholy into joy by telling how he has persuaded her father to
allow her to marry Arturo (‘Sorgea hi notte folta’). Cries from the courtyard
announce Arturo’s arrival. Scene 3: The armoury. The chorus acclaims the
bridal pair; Arturo compares his present happiness with the time he had to
woo Elvira secretly (‘A te, o cara, amor talora’). Valton has been commanded
to escort a lady — a suspected Stuart spy —to appear before Parliament.
Arturo speaks with her. She proves to be Enrichetta, the widowed queen, and
Arturo vows to save her. Elvira now reappears, in part adorned for the
wedding, but carrying her veil. Singing of her happiness, she playfully
drapes the veil round Enrichetta (‘Son vergin vezzosa’). This gives Arturo an
idea of how the queen might be rescued, and as soon as Elvira and her
companions have left, he veils her and hurries her away. When they are
challenged by the jealous Riccardo, Enrichetta, fearing bloodshed, reveals
herself~ Riccardo allows them to make their escape. The wedding party
reappears and Valton sounds the alarm and organizes the pursuit. Shock and
grief strike Elvira senseless, and in a dreamlike delirium she imagines
herself being married to Arturo (‘Oh, vieni al tempio, fedele Arturo’). Part II – The fortress. A room with an outlook over
the English camp. As Giorgio is describing Elvira’s ravings (‘Cinta di
fiori’) Riccardo brings news that Parliament has condemned Arturo to the
scaffold. The mad Elvira enters, dreaming still of her lost love (‘Qui la
voce sua soave. . . Vien, diletto, ~ in ciel la luna’). Giorgio urges
Riccardo to save Arturo; otherwise he will have Elvira’s death on his
conscience (‘II rival salvar tu dci’). Finally Riccardo agrees; but if Arturo
is in the Royalist ranks fighting against them on the morrow, he must die
(‘Suoni la tromba’). Part III Countryside close
to the fortress. A loggia in a garden
shrubbery; nightfall. Three months have elapsed. While a storm rages and
sounds of distant gunfire are heard, Arturo enters and hears Elvira singing. Despite the
danger from passing groups of soldiers, he takes up the song (‘A una fonte
afflitto e solo’). When she appears he falls at her feet, begging
forgiveness, and explaining what has happened. The lovers embrace
ecstatically (‘Vieni fra le mie braccie’). But Elvira’s mind darkens once
more: she imagines that Arturo is again leaving her, and her screams bring
Riccardo, Giorgio and the rest hurrying in. Riccardo announces the sentence
passed on Arturo, the word ‘death’ so shocking Elvira that she recovers her
senses. In the face of death the lovers stand united, and even Riccardo is
moved to compassion (‘Credeasi, misera’). The Puritan soldiery are demanding
summary execution when a messenger arrives: the Civil War is over~ the
Stuarts have been defeated, and a general pardon is issued. RECORDINGS 1. Callas, Di
Stefano. Panerai, RossiLemeni. La Scala Ch and 0, Serafln, EMI, 1955; 2.
Thcci, Pavarotti, Protti, Raimondi, Ch and 0 of Teatro Massimo, Catania,
Quadri, Butterfly, 1969 3. Sutherland, Pavarotti, Cappuccilli, Ghiaurov,
Royal Opera House Ch, LSO, Bonynge, Decca, 1975; 4. Caballé, Kraus, Manuguerra,
Femn, Ambrosian Opera Ch, Philharmonia, Muti, EMI, 1979 Callas, as ever, is
unique and has rewarding support, but the Caballé set is the more authentic
and superbly conducted by Muti. Both versions are essential listening. The
live Catania performance is sensational as regards Tucci’s and Pavarotti’s
singing; the Sutherland preserves a notable reading of Elvira’s role. [A.B.] Viking Opera Guide |