Romantic Opera in France and Italy

1. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 24 Romantic Opera in France and Italy Nothing primes inspiration more than necessity, whether it be the presence of a copyist waiting for your work, or the prodding of an impresario tearing his hair. In my time, all the impresarios of Italy were bald at 30. Composer Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868)

2. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. French Opera Paris was operatic capital of Europe during first half of nineteenth century Grand opera Developed around 1820 Spectacular elements, special effects Giacomo Meyerbeer, Les Huguenots (1836), Le Proph te (1849) Op ra Op ra comique Used some spoken dialogue Simpler plot and music than grand opera Could have serious plot Bizet, Carmen

3. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. French Opera (cont.) Lyric opera Developed from more serious op ra op r a comique Compromise between overwhelming spectacle of grand opera and lightness of op ra op r a comique Plots taken from romantic drama or fantasy Relied primarily on beauty of melody Gounod, Faust Naturalism developed in latter part of century, an attempt to depict life truthfully Bizets Carmen (though an op ra comique ) typical of this movement; main character is Gypsy girl of fiery temperament, dramatized realistically

4. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Italian Opera By nineteenth century, opera only important form being cultivated in Italy Opera buffa and opera seria maintained from classical era Influenced by French grand opera Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) important composer of early period 1816, Il Barbier e Barbier e di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) 1820, La Cenerentola (Cinderella)

5. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Giuseppi Verdi (1813 1901) Born in Bussetto, Italy; small village; family was poor Early training as apprentice to local church organist Town raised stipend to send him to Milan Conservatory Rejected by the examiners, but had private lessons had private lessons through financial help of friend First opera, Oberto (1839), was success Third opera, Nabucco (1842) , brought him international fame

6. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Verdi (cont.) Nabucco (1842) based on book of Daniel Story dealt with plight of Jews in Babylon Also paralleled Milanese crusade for independence from Austria Verdi hailed as patriot and champion 1849, settled into a country estate Series of operas produced during next 23 years Between 1872 and 1893 composed composed no operas Composed Otello in 1893 Falstaff , final opera, also 1893 Died at age 87

7. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Later Italian Opera Later Italian Opera Late in nineteenth century, a movement toward naturalism and realism developed developed in Italian literature Soon penetrated opera Movement called verismo (realism) Bizets Carmen was Carmen was model Three important composers: Ruggiero Leoncavallo (1858-1919) Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945) Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) (1858-1924)

8. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Giacomo Puccini (1858 1924) Puccini descended from five generations of musicians 1880, scholarship to Milan Conservatory 1893, Manon Lescaut , third opera, immense triumph 1893-1896, La Boh me (Bohemian Life) brought world- wide fame Favorite opera was Madame Butterfly (1904), but was public failure La Faniculla del West (The Girl of the Golden West) produced in New York, Metropolitan Opera, 1910 Turandot , final opera, incomplete at death, finished by a young composer, Franco Alfano

9. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Listening Guide: Che gelida manina (What a frozen little hand) from La Boh me, Act I Giacomo Puccini Italian Text: Che gelida manina, se la lasci riscaldar. Cercar che giova? Al buio non si trova. Ma per fortuna, una notta di luna . . . . e qui l luna, labbiamo vicina. Aspetti, signorina, le dir con due parole chi son, chi son, e che faccio, come vivo. Vuole? Chi son? Chi son? Sono una poeta. Che cosa faccio?

10. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Listening Guide: Che gelida manina (What a frozen little hand) from La Boh me, Act I (cont.) Giacomo Puccini Italian text: Scrivo. E come vivo? Vivo. In povert mia lieta scialo da gran signore rime ed inni damore. Per sogni e per chimere e per castelli in aria lanima ho millonaria. Talor dal mio forziere ruban tutti i gioielli due ladri: gli occhi belli. Ventrar con vio pur ora, ed i miei tosto si dileguar! Ma il furto non maccora poich vha preso stanza la dolce speranza! Or che mi conoscete, parlate voi, deh! Parlate! Che siete? Vi piaccia dir!

11. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Listening Guide: Che gelida manina (What a frozen little hand) from La Boh me, Act I (cont.) Giacomo Puccini Italian text: S . Mi chiamano Mim, ma mio-- il mio nome Lucia. La storia mia breve. A tela o a seta ricamo in casa e fuori. Son tranquilla e lieta ed mio svago fa giglie e rose--Mi piaccion quelle cose che han si dolce malia, i che parlano damor, di primavera, i che parlano di sogni e di chimere--quelle cose che han nome posia-- Lei mintende? Mi chiamano Mim, il perch non so. Sola, mi fo il pranzo da me la la stessa. Non vado sempre a . messa ma prego assai il Signor. Vivo sola, solette, l in una

12. 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Listening Guide: Che gelida manina (What a frozen little hand) from La Boh me, Act I (cont.) Giacomo Puccini Italian text: bianca cameretta: guardo sui tetti e in cielo, ma quando vien lo sgelo il primo sole mio-- il primo bacio dellaprile mio! Il primo sole mio! Germoglia in un vaso una rosa. Foglia a foglia la spiro! Cosi gentil il profumo dun fior! Ma i fior chio faccio, ahim, i fior chio ahim, non hanno odore! Altro di me non le saprei narrare: sono la sua vicina che la vien fuori dora a importunare.