Roberto Devereux
Encyclopedia
Roberto Devereux is a tragedia lirica, or tragic opera, by Gaetano Donizetti
. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto
after François Ancelot
's tragedy Elisabeth d'Angleterre, although Devereux was the subject of at least two other French plays: Le Comte d'Essex by Thomas Corneille
and Le Comte d'Essex by La Calprenede.
The opera is loosely based on the life of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
, an influential member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I of England
. The plot of Roberto Devereux was hardly original, mainly derived from Felice Romani
's libretto Il Conte d'Essex of 1833, originally set by Saverio Mercadante
. Romani's widow charged Cammarano with plagiarism, although the practice of stealing plots was very common between rival Italian opera houses.
It is one of a number of operas by Donizetti which deal with the Tudor period
in English history
and include Anna Bolena
(named for Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn
), Maria Stuarda
(named for Mary, Queen of Scots) and Il castello di Kenilworth
. The lead female characters of the operas Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, and Roberto Devereux are often referred to as the "Three Donizetti Queens." They earned some degree of fame in the 1970s, when the American soprano Beverly Sills
promoted them as a series at New York City Opera
.
It has been noted that, "although the plot plays fast and loose with history, the opera carries it own brand of dramatic conviction".
. Within a few years, the opera's success had caused it to be performed in most European cities including Paris on 27 December 1838; London on 24 June 1841; plus New York on 15 January 1849
Between 1882 and 1964, when it was revived at the San Carlo in Naples, there appear to have been no performances. However, that 1964 revival starred Leyla Gencer
, while Montserrat Caballe
appeared in a combination of concert performances and staged productions between December 1965 and 1978.
Roberto Devereux was first performed by the New York City Opera
in October 1970 as the first part of the "Three Queens" trilogy. It was performed on
a regular basis in European houses during the 1980s and in concert versions by the Opera Orchestra of New York
in January 1991 (with Vladimir Chernov
), the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden in July 2002, and Washington Concert Opera in 2004. In 2009, performances were given by the Dallas Opera
, the Las Palmas Opera, the Opera Holland Park
Festival, while 2010 saw productions in Mannheim and Rome. 2010 saw performances given by the Minnesota Opera
and Munich's Bayerische Staatsoper plus its first performance in Quebec
in November of that year at the Opéra de Montréal
.
Sara, Duchess of Nottingham, cries alone while reading a book. The Ladies of the court express concern, but she replies that she is happy, while privately revealing her sadness. Elizabeth enters and states that, at the insistence of Nottingham, she has agreed to see Roberto once again, now that he has returned from Ireland accused of treason. To Sara's gradual dismay, the queen reveals to her Elizabeth’s love for Roberto. Cecil enters and announces that Parliament is waiting for an answer from the queen regarding the charges against Roberto, since that body regards her as being too lenient towards him.
Roberto enters and, in a conversation overheard by the increasingly distraught Sara, Elizabeth declares her love for him. Now alone together, Elizabeth gives Roberto a ring as a pledge of his safety should he ever return it to her and, increasingly jealous, demands of Roberto that he name the woman he loves and then whether there is someone whom he loves. He denies that he loves anyone, and the queen leaves.
Nottingham, Roberto's friend and supporter, enters and the two men discuss Roberto's situation and Nottingham's concerns about his wife's behaviour after he has observed her embroidering a blue scarf. The two men are interrupted by Cecil demanding that Nottingham attend a meeting of the Peers of the Realm.
Scene 2: Sara's Appartments
Sara is alone when Roberto enters, declaring her to be faithless because she has married Nottingham while he was in Ireland. She defends herself saying that it was the queen's idea and that she was forced to do her bidding. At the same time, seeing the ring on Roberto's finger, she assumes it to be a love token from the queen, and tells him that they must never see each other again. In a final duet (Dacchè tornasti, ahi misera – "Since you returned, ah miserable me!") each declares love for the other and they accept that they must say goodbye.
The Queen approaches Cecil to find out what has been decided. Cecil declares that the sentence is death. The queen, asking Raleigh why the whole process took so long, learns that Nottingham had a scarf in his possession which he resisted giving over. It is handed to her. Nottingham enters and pleads for Roberto's life, insisting that he is innocent, but the queen continues to describe how she knows that Roberto has been unfaithful and, when he is brought in, confronts him, showing him the scarf. Nottingham sees it as well and recognizes it. Furious, he declares that he will have vengeance while, at the same time, Elizabeth offers Roberto his freedom if he reveals the name of her rival. He refuses and she signs the death warrant, announcing that a canon shot will be heard as the axe falls. Nottingham fumes that the axe is not a suitable punishment.
Alone, Sara receives Robert's ring along with a letter from him. In it, he tells her to take the ring to Elizabeth and beg for mercy. Before she can leave, Nottingham arrives and reads the letter. Although she protests her innocence, he prevents her from leaving. They both hear the funeral march for Robert as he is led to the Tower, and Nottingham leaves to enact his revenge on Robert.
Scene 2: The Tower of London
In his cell, Robert ponders as to why it appears that his ring has not been received by the queen. But, he refuses to betray Sara, and when Cecil arrives at the door of the cell, it is not to free Roberto but to take him to his execution. He is led away.
Scene 3: The Great Hall at Westminster
Elizabeth is mournful about the pending death of her lover and wonders why Sara is not there to give her comfort. Cecil announces that Robert is on his way to the block, and Sara arrives disheveled. She gives Elizabeth the ring along with confessing her guilt at being the queen's rival. In vain, the queen tries to stop the execution, but they hear the cannon announcing Robert's death. After Nottingham has arrived Elizabeth demands to know why he prevented the ring from being brought to her. He replies: "Blood I wanted, and blood I got!" Elizabeth is haunted by the headless corpse of Robert, and longs for her own death, announcing that James VI of Scotland (son of Mary Queen of Scots) will be king. Alone, she kisses Robert's ring.
Gaetano Donizetti
Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti was an Italian composer from Bergamo, Lombardy. His best-known works are the operas L'elisir d'amore , Lucia di Lammermoor , and Don Pasquale , all in Italian, and the French operas La favorite and La fille du régiment...
. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
after François Ancelot
Jacques-François Ancelot
Jacques-Arsène-Polycarpe-François Ancelot was a French dramatist and litterateur.-Biography:Born in Le Havre, Ancelot became a clerk in the admiralty, and retained his position until the Revolution of 1830. In 1816 his play Warwick was accepted by the Théâtre Français, but never produced, and...
's tragedy Elisabeth d'Angleterre, although Devereux was the subject of at least two other French plays: Le Comte d'Essex by Thomas Corneille
Thomas Corneille
Thomas Corneille was a French dramatist.- Personal life :Born in Rouen nearly twenty years after his brother Pierre, the "great Corneille", Thomas's skill as a poet seems to have shown itself early. At the age of fifteen he composed a play in Latin which was performed by his fellow-pupils at the...
and Le Comte d'Essex by La Calprenede.
The opera is loosely based on the life of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
, an influential member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. The plot of Roberto Devereux was hardly original, mainly derived from Felice Romani
Felice Romani
Felice Romani was an Italian poet and scholar of literature and mythology who wrote many librettos for the opera composers Donizetti and Bellini. Romani was considered the finest Italian librettist between Metastasio and Boito.-Biography:Born Giuseppe Felice Romani to a bourgeois family in Genoa,...
's libretto Il Conte d'Essex of 1833, originally set by Saverio Mercadante
Saverio Mercadante
Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond his own lifetime, he composed as impressive a number of works as either; and his development of...
. Romani's widow charged Cammarano with plagiarism, although the practice of stealing plots was very common between rival Italian opera houses.
It is one of a number of operas by Donizetti which deal with the Tudor period
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
in English history
History of England
The history of England concerns the study of the human past in one of Europe's oldest and most influential national territories. What is now England, a country within the United Kingdom, was inhabited by Neanderthals 230,000 years ago. Continuous human habitation dates to around 12,000 years ago,...
and include Anna Bolena
Anna Bolena
Anna Bolena is a tragedia lirica, or opera, in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto after Ippolito Pindemonte's Enrico VIII ossia Anna Bolena and Alessandro Pepoli's Anna Bolena, both telling of the life of Anne Boleyn...
(named for Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
), Maria Stuarda
Maria Stuarda
Maria Stuarda is a tragic opera, , in two acts, by Gaetano Donizetti, to a libretto by Giuseppe Bardari, based on Friedrich Schiller's 1800 play Maria Stuart....
(named for Mary, Queen of Scots) and Il castello di Kenilworth
Il castello di Kenilworth
Il castello di Kenilworth is a melodramma serio or tragic opera in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Andrea Leone Tottola wrote the Italian libretto after Victor Hugo's play Amy Robsart and Eugene Scribe's play Leicester, in its turn after Scott's novel Kenilworth...
. The lead female characters of the operas Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, and Roberto Devereux are often referred to as the "Three Donizetti Queens." They earned some degree of fame in the 1970s, when the American soprano Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. In her prime she was the only real rival to Joan Sutherland as the leading bel canto stylist...
promoted them as a series at New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
.
It has been noted that, "although the plot plays fast and loose with history, the opera carries it own brand of dramatic conviction".
Performance history
Roberto Devereux was first performed on 29 October 1837 at the Teatro San Carlo, NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. Within a few years, the opera's success had caused it to be performed in most European cities including Paris on 27 December 1838; London on 24 June 1841; plus New York on 15 January 1849
Between 1882 and 1964, when it was revived at the San Carlo in Naples, there appear to have been no performances. However, that 1964 revival starred Leyla Gencer
Leyla Gencer
Leyla Gencer, or Ayşe Leyla Çeyrekgil was a world-renowned Turkish operatic soprano.Known as "La Diva Turca" and "La Regina" in the opera world, Gencer was a notable bel canto soprano who spent most of her career in Italy, from the early 1950s through the mid-1980s, and had a repertoire...
, while Montserrat Caballe
Montserrat Caballé
Montserrat Caballé is a Spanish operatic soprano. Although she sang a wide variety of roles, she is best known as an exponent of the bel canto repertoire, notably the works of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi....
appeared in a combination of concert performances and staged productions between December 1965 and 1978.
Roberto Devereux was first performed by the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
in October 1970 as the first part of the "Three Queens" trilogy. It was performed on
a regular basis in European houses during the 1980s and in concert versions by the Opera Orchestra of New York
Opera Orchestra of New York
The Opera Orchestra of New York specializes in the performance of opera in concert form. It is particularly known for its work in presenting rarely performed repertory...
in January 1991 (with Vladimir Chernov
Vladimir Chernov
Vladimir Chernov is a Russian baritone, particularly associated with the Russian and Italian opera repertories.-Early life:...
), the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, Covent Garden in July 2002, and Washington Concert Opera in 2004. In 2009, performances were given by the Dallas Opera
Dallas Opera
The Dallas Opera is an opera company located in Dallas, Texas . The company was founded in 1957 as the Dallas Civic Opera by Laurence Kelly and Nicolà Rescigno, both of whom had been active with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the first as administrator, the second as artistic director.-The company's...
, the Las Palmas Opera, the Opera Holland Park
Opera Holland Park
Opera Holland Park is a summer opera company which produces an annual season of opera performances staged under a temporary canopy in Holland Park, a public park in a wealthy district of west central London of the same name. The venue is fully covered but is open at the sides.The canopy was...
Festival, while 2010 saw productions in Mannheim and Rome. 2010 saw performances given by the Minnesota Opera
Minnesota Opera
The Minnesota Opera is a performance organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was founded in 1963 by the Walker Art Center, and is known for premiering such diverse works as Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and Frankenstein by Libby Larsen...
and Munich's Bayerische Staatsoper plus its first performance in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in November of that year at the Opéra de Montréal
Opéra de Montréal
Opéra de Montréal is an opera company in Montreal. It performs at the Place des Arts theatre complex in downtown Montreal, in the borough of Ville-Marie. It was founded in 1980...
.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 29 October 1837 (Conductor: – ) |
|---|---|---|
| Elisabetta, Queen of England Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty... |
soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Giuseppina Ronzi de Begnis Giuseppina Ronzi de Begnis Giuseppina Ronzi de Begnis was an Italian operatic soprano, one of the leading sopranos of her time, particularly associated with Donizetti roles.... |
| The Duke of Nottingham Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham , known as Howard of Effingham, was an English statesman and Lord High Admiral under Elizabeth I and James I... |
baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Paul Barroilhet Paul Barroilhet Paul-Bernard Barroilhet was a French operatic baritone.-Career:Barroilhet studied at the Conservatoire de Paris and then with Davide Banderali in Milan... |
| Sara, Duchess of Nottingham | mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above... |
Almerinda Manzocchi Granchi |
| Roberto Devereux, Earl of Essex Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599... |
tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Giovanni Basadonna |
| Lord Cecil Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC was an English administrator and politician.-Life:He was the son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Mildred Cooke... |
tenor | Timoleone Barattini |
| Sir Gualtiero Raleigh Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh was an English aristocrat, writer, poet, soldier, courtier, spy, and explorer. He is also well known for popularising tobacco in England.... |
bass | Anafesto Rossi |
| A page | contralto Contralto Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above... |
Giuseppe Benedetti |
| A servant of Nottingham | bass | |
| Lords of the parliament, knights, squires, pages, guards of Nottingham | ||
Music
Although not frequently performed today, it contains some of Donizetti's best vocal writing, some of it "first rate" (the end of Act 1's duet between Roberto and Sara beginning with Dacchè tornasti, ahi misera ("Since you returned, ah miserable me!"), while the brief second act is "superb". The opera is raw and emotional; it is a powerful vehicle for the soprano. Some of the highlights include the Act 1 duet between Elizabeth and Robert, Nascondi, frena i palpiti ("Hide and check your wild beating / oh my unhappy heart"). The final scene is one of the most dramatic and difficult in bel canto opera. As Elizabeth is going mad with the death of her lover, Quel sangue versato ("That spilled blood / rises to heaven") pushes romantic opera to the limits of melodic expression and has been described as "mak(ing) a powerful end to one of Donizetti's finest and most affecting operas."Act 1
Scene 1: The Great Hall at WestminsterSara, Duchess of Nottingham, cries alone while reading a book. The Ladies of the court express concern, but she replies that she is happy, while privately revealing her sadness. Elizabeth enters and states that, at the insistence of Nottingham, she has agreed to see Roberto once again, now that he has returned from Ireland accused of treason. To Sara's gradual dismay, the queen reveals to her Elizabeth’s love for Roberto. Cecil enters and announces that Parliament is waiting for an answer from the queen regarding the charges against Roberto, since that body regards her as being too lenient towards him.
Roberto enters and, in a conversation overheard by the increasingly distraught Sara, Elizabeth declares her love for him. Now alone together, Elizabeth gives Roberto a ring as a pledge of his safety should he ever return it to her and, increasingly jealous, demands of Roberto that he name the woman he loves and then whether there is someone whom he loves. He denies that he loves anyone, and the queen leaves.
Nottingham, Roberto's friend and supporter, enters and the two men discuss Roberto's situation and Nottingham's concerns about his wife's behaviour after he has observed her embroidering a blue scarf. The two men are interrupted by Cecil demanding that Nottingham attend a meeting of the Peers of the Realm.
Scene 2: Sara's Appartments
Sara is alone when Roberto enters, declaring her to be faithless because she has married Nottingham while he was in Ireland. She defends herself saying that it was the queen's idea and that she was forced to do her bidding. At the same time, seeing the ring on Roberto's finger, she assumes it to be a love token from the queen, and tells him that they must never see each other again. In a final duet (Dacchè tornasti, ahi misera – "Since you returned, ah miserable me!") each declares love for the other and they accept that they must say goodbye.
Act 2
The Great Hall at WestminsterThe Queen approaches Cecil to find out what has been decided. Cecil declares that the sentence is death. The queen, asking Raleigh why the whole process took so long, learns that Nottingham had a scarf in his possession which he resisted giving over. It is handed to her. Nottingham enters and pleads for Roberto's life, insisting that he is innocent, but the queen continues to describe how she knows that Roberto has been unfaithful and, when he is brought in, confronts him, showing him the scarf. Nottingham sees it as well and recognizes it. Furious, he declares that he will have vengeance while, at the same time, Elizabeth offers Roberto his freedom if he reveals the name of her rival. He refuses and she signs the death warrant, announcing that a canon shot will be heard as the axe falls. Nottingham fumes that the axe is not a suitable punishment.
Act 3
Scene 1: Sara's AppartmentsAlone, Sara receives Robert's ring along with a letter from him. In it, he tells her to take the ring to Elizabeth and beg for mercy. Before she can leave, Nottingham arrives and reads the letter. Although she protests her innocence, he prevents her from leaving. They both hear the funeral march for Robert as he is led to the Tower, and Nottingham leaves to enact his revenge on Robert.
Scene 2: The Tower of London
In his cell, Robert ponders as to why it appears that his ring has not been received by the queen. But, he refuses to betray Sara, and when Cecil arrives at the door of the cell, it is not to free Roberto but to take him to his execution. He is led away.
Scene 3: The Great Hall at Westminster
Elizabeth is mournful about the pending death of her lover and wonders why Sara is not there to give her comfort. Cecil announces that Robert is on his way to the block, and Sara arrives disheveled. She gives Elizabeth the ring along with confessing her guilt at being the queen's rival. In vain, the queen tries to stop the execution, but they hear the cannon announcing Robert's death. After Nottingham has arrived Elizabeth demands to know why he prevented the ring from being brought to her. He replies: "Blood I wanted, and blood I got!" Elizabeth is haunted by the headless corpse of Robert, and longs for her own death, announcing that James VI of Scotland (son of Mary Queen of Scots) will be king. Alone, she kisses Robert's ring.
Recordings
| Year | Cast (Elisabetta, Sara, Roberto, Nottingham) |
Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Leyla Gencer Leyla Gencer Leyla Gencer, or Ayşe Leyla Çeyrekgil was a world-renowned Turkish operatic soprano.Known as "La Diva Turca" and "La Regina" in the opera world, Gencer was a notable bel canto soprano who spent most of her career in Italy, from the early 1950s through the mid-1980s, and had a repertoire... , Anna Maria Rota, Ruggiero Bondino, Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli was an Italian operatic baritone, particularly associated with Verdi roles, especiallyMacbeth and Simon Boccanegra; he was renowned for his extraordinary breath control and smooth legato, and is widely regarded as one of the finest Italian baritones of the second half of the 20th... |
Mario Rossi Mario Rossi Mario Rossi was an Italian conductor, noted for his solid and meticulous readings of a repertory ranging from Italian classics to Russian moderns such as Prokoffiev, to the German operatic classicist Christoph Willibald Gluck.He studied composition in Rome with Respighi and conducting with Giacomo... , Teatro San Carlo orchestra and chorus (Recording of a performance at the San Carlo, Napoli, 2 May) |
Audio CD: Opera d'Oro OPD 1159 Cat: OPD 1159 |
| 1968 | Montserrat Caballé Montserrat Caballé Montserrat Caballé is a Spanish operatic soprano. Although she sang a wide variety of roles, she is best known as an exponent of the bel canto repertoire, notably the works of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi.... , Bianca Berini, Bernabé Marti, Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli Piero Cappuccilli was an Italian operatic baritone, particularly associated with Verdi roles, especiallyMacbeth and Simon Boccanegra; he was renowned for his extraordinary breath control and smooth legato, and is widely regarded as one of the finest Italian baritones of the second half of the 20th... |
Carlo Felice Cillario Carlo Felice Cillario Carlo Felice Cillario was an Argentinian-born Italian conductor of international renown.Born Carlos Felix Cillario in San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina, he went to Italy in 1923, where he studied the violin and composition at the Bologna Conservatorio. He hoped to become a soloist but a wrist injury... , Gran Teatro del Liceo Orchestra and Chorus (Recording of a performance in the Gran Teatro del Liceo, November) |
Audio CD: The Opera Lovers Cat: ROB 196801 |
| 1969 | Beverly Sills Beverly Sills Beverly Sills was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. In her prime she was the only real rival to Joan Sutherland as the leading bel canto stylist... , Beverly Wolff Beverly Wolff Beverly Wolff was an American mezzo-soprano who had an active career in concerts and operas from the early 1950s to the early 1980s. She performed a broad repertoire which encompassed operatic and concert works in many languages and from a variety of musical periods... , Robert Ilosfalvy Robert Ilosfalvy Róbert Ilosfalvy was a Hungarian operatic tenor; he possessed a voice of lyric grace and dramatic power enabling him to sing a wide range of roles in the Italian, German, and French repertories.- Life :... , Peter Glossop Peter Glossop Peter Glossop was an English baritone who was the only Englishman to have sung Verdi's great tragic baritone roles at La Scala, Milan... |
Sir Charles Mackerras Charles Mackerras Sir Alan Charles Maclaurin Mackerras, AC, CH, CBE was an Australian conductor. He was an authority on the operas of Janáček and Mozart, and the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan... , Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"... and the Ambrosian Ambrosian Singers The Ambrosian Singers are one of the best-known London choral groups, particularly appreciated for its great variety of recorded repertory.They were founded after World War II in England... Opera Chorus |
Audio CD: DG Cat: 289 465 964-2 |
| 1970 | Beverly Sills Beverly Sills Beverly Sills was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. In her prime she was the only real rival to Joan Sutherland as the leading bel canto stylist... , Susanne Marsee Susanne Marsee Susanne Marsee is an American mezzo-soprano of note. She was one of the New York City Opera's leading mezzo-sopranos from 1970, when she debuted opposite Beverly Sills, Plácido Domingo and Louis Quilico, in Donizetti's Roberto Devereux, with Julius Rudel conducting Tito Capobianco's... , Plácido Domingo Plácido Domingo Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range... , Louis Quilico Louis Quilico Louis Quilico, CC was a Canadian opera singer. One of the leading dramatic baritones of his day, he was an ideal interpreter of the great Italian and French composers, especially Giuseppe Verdi. He was often referred to as "Mr Rigoletto" in reference to the Verdi opera... |
Julius Rudel Julius Rudel Julius Rudel is an American opera and orchestra conductor who emigrated to the United States from Austria at the age of 17 and studied conducting at the Mannes College of Music in New York City. He then forged a 35-year career with the New York City Opera, from 1944 to 1979, and was the Music... , New York City Opera New York City Opera The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and... orchestra and chorus (Recording of a performance at the New York City Opera, 18 October) |
Audio CD: HRE Cat: HRE-374-3 |
| 1994 | Edita Gruberová Edita Gruberová Edita Gruberová , is a Slovak soprano who is one of the most acclaimed coloraturas of recent decades. She is noted for her great tonal clarity, agility, dramatic interpretation, and ability to sing high notes with great power, which made her an ideal Queen of the Night in her early years... , Delores Ziegler, Don Bernardini, Ettore Kim |
Friedrich Haider Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg The Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg is a French orchestra based in Strasbourg. It is one of the two permanent orchestras of the Opéra national du Rhin. The orchestra's current principal venue is the Palais de la musique et des congrès « Pierre Pflimlin » .The orchestra was founded in 1855... and the Opéra du Rhin chorus (Recorded at concert performances in the Palais de la Musique et des Congres, Strasbourg, March) |
Audio CD: Nightingale Cat: 190100-2 |
| 1998 | Alexandrina Pendatchanska Alexandrina Pendatchanska Alexandrina Pendatchanska is a Bulgarian soprano.-Career:Pendatchanska was born in Sofia, Bulgaria into a family of renowned Bulgarian musicians. Her grandfather Sasha Popov was a violinist and conductor and the founder of the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra... , Ildiko Komlósy, Giuseppe Sabbatini Giuseppe Sabbatini Giuseppe Sabbatini is a lyric tenor.His opera repertoire includes Idomeneo, Mitridate, re di Ponto, Don Giovanni, Linda di Chamounix, La favorita, L'elisir d'amore, Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, Roberto Devereux, Lucrezia Borgia, Dom Sébastien, I puritani, Rigoletto, La Traviata, Falstaff, La... , Roberto Servile |
Alain Guignal Teatro San Carlo orchestra and chorus (This appears to be a video recording of a performance in the Teatro San Carlo di Napoli, May or June) |
DVD: Image Entertainment Cat: ID 6943 ERDVD |
| 2002 | Nelly Miricioiu Nelly Miricioiu Nelly Miricioiu is a British operatic soprano of Romanian birth, one of the most versatile artists of recent years, singing a large repertoire ranging from bel canto to verismo with equal success.-Biography:... , Sonia Ganassi Sonia Ganassi Sonia Ganassi is an Italian mezzo-soprano. She made her debut as Rosina in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. She has performed in many of the world’s famous opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, the Royal Opera House in London and the Teatro alla Scala, Milan. She is best... , Jose Bros, Roberto Frontali |
Maurizio Benini Royal Opera House Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The... , Covent Garden, orchestra and chorus (Recorded at concert performances in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, July) |
Audio CD: Opera Rara Opera Rara Opera Rara is a British record label, founded in the early 1970s by Americans Patric Schmid and Don White to promote concerts of rare and/or forgotten operas by Giacomo Meyerbeer and Donizetti and such other "bel canto" composers as Giovanni Pacini, Saverio Mercadante, and Federico Ricci.The... Cat: ORC24 |
| 2005 | Edita Gruberová Edita Gruberová Edita Gruberová , is a Slovak soprano who is one of the most acclaimed coloraturas of recent decades. She is noted for her great tonal clarity, agility, dramatic interpretation, and ability to sing high notes with great power, which made her an ideal Queen of the Night in her early years... , Jeanne Piland, Roberto Aronica, Albert Schagidullin Albert Schagidullin Albert Schagidullin is a Russian operatic bass-baritone who has appeared in leading roles in many European opera houses and companies, including Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Vienna State Opera, the Liceu , Teatro Real , Théâtre du Châtelet , and La Scala.He studied at the Moscow Conservatory and... |
Friedrich Haider Bayerisches Staatsorchester and chorus (Video recording of a performance in the Nationaltheater, Munich, May) |
DVD: Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label which was the foundation of the future corporation to be known as PolyGram. It is now part of Universal Music Group since its acquisition and absorption of PolyGram in 1999, and it is also UMG's oldest active label... Cat: 073 418-5 |
| 2006 | Dimitra Theodossiou, Federica Bragaglia, Massimiliano Pisapia, Andrew Schroeder |
Marcello Rota Orchestra and Chorus of Bergamo Musica Festival G. Donizetti (Audio and video recordings made at performances in the Teatro Donizetti Teatro Donizetti The Teatro Donizetti is an opera house in Bergamo, Italy. Built in the 1780s using a design by architect Giovanni Francesco Lucchini, the theatre was originally referred to as either the Teatro Nuovo or Teatro di Fiera. The first opera to be mounted at the theatre, Giuseppe Sarti's Medonte, re di... di Bergamo, September) |
Audio CD: Naxos Cat: 8.660222-23 DVD: Naxos Cat: 8.2110232 |