I masnadieri
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| Operas by Giuseppe Verdi |
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Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio (1839) |
I masnadieri (The Bandits) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Andrea Maffei, based on Die Räuber by Friedrich von Schiller. First performance: Her Majesty's Theatre, London, July 22, 1847.
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[edit] History of composition
In 1842 Benjamin Lumley took over the management of Her Majesty's Theatre, the traditional home of Italian opera in London.
Three years later Verdi's "Ernani" received its first British production at his theatre to great public acclaim which convinced Lumley that he should commission an opera from Verdi, who was by then emerging as Italy's leading composer, for a world premiere in London.
Verdi accepted Lumley's proposal and production was scheduled for the summer of 1846. Unfortunately, however, Verdi's health deteriorated and the premiere of the new work had to be postponed until 1847.
During his period of recovery, one of Verdi's close friends, Andrea Maffei, a distinguished poet who had translated both Shakespeare and Schiller into Italian, suggested that "Macbeth" and Schiller's "Die Rãuber" might provide suitable operatic subjects.
Maffei himself worked on the libretto for the Schiller opera, which in Italian became "I masnadieri", while one of Verdi's regular librettists Francesco Piave was engaged to provide a suitable text from "Macbeth".
Verdi originally intended "I masnadieri" to be produced during the 1847 carnival season in Florence with the premiere of "Macbeth" being in London later in the year. Unfortunately, however, no suitable tenor was available in Florence for the taxing role of Carlo and so Verdi decided to complete "Macbeth" first for performance in Florence and then produce "I Masnadieri" in London.
Verdi left Italy at the end of May 1847 with his work for London completed, except for the orchestration, which he left until the opera was in rehearsal.
The cast assembled for the premiere on 22 July 1847 was of the highest international standard. In particular, as the highlight of her first season in England, the great Swedish coloratura soprano Jenny Lind was engaged to create the role of Amalia, the opera's heroine.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert attended the first performance, together with the Duke of Wellington and every member of the British aristocracy and fashionable society that was able to gain admission.
After considerable persuasion Verdi agreed to conduct the premiere, which was a triumphant success, and the press was for the most part generous in its praise. Unfortunately this initial success was not to be repeated elsewhere.
[edit] Characters
| Massimiliano, Count of Moor | Bass | Frail and ineffectual. He has the distinction of fathering two of the biggest villains in 19th century Italian opera. |
| Carlo, Elder son of Massimiliano | Tenor | A self confessed robber, arsonist and murderer. The hero. |
| Francesco, Younger son of Massimiliano | Baritone | Unsuccessful rapist and failed murderer. The villain. |
| Amalia, Orphaned niece of Massimiliano | Soprano | Beautiful and unworldly. In love with Carlo. |
| Arminio, Servant to the Count | Tenor | Initially disloyal, but finally saviour of Massimiliano. |
| Rolla, Senior member of robber band | Baritone | Loyal supporter of Carlo. |
| Moser | Bass | A priest. |
| Chorus of thieves, arsonists, murderers, rapists and petty criminals | ||
[edit] Synopsis
Setting: The Holy Roman Empire between 1755 and 1757.
[edit] Act 1
Scene 1: A tavern on the borders of Saxony.
During a break from his studies at Dresden University, Carlo, the elder and favourite son of Count Massimiliano Moor has fallen amongst thieves. Literally. He has become a member of a notorious gang of highwaymen and cut-throats who terrorise the local community by robbery, extortion and rowdy singing at all hours of the day and night.
But already Carlo has tired of living a life of choral depravity and longs to return home to be with Amalia, his gentle cousin and lifelong sweetheart. He is awaiting the reply to a letter he has sent to his father begging for forgiveness for his recent misdemeanors.
At that moment Rolla and the other robbers arrive with the longed-for reply from the Count. No doubt acquired during a routine attack on the local postal services.
Carlo’s joy soon turns to sorrow, and then anger, as he finds that the letter is not from his father but from his younger brother Francesco, who warns him not to return home because, far from having forgiven Carlo, the old Count is intent on punishing him and locking him away.
Carlo renounces his former life and swears an oath to remain with his new comrades for the rest of his days. In recognition of his educational qualifications and aristocratic background the robbers unanimously elect him as their new leader.
Scene 2: A room in Count Moor’s castle in Franconia.
Francesco is congratulating himself on having intercepted the letter from his brother to their father, knowing that Massimiliano would certainly have forgiven Carlo if he had received it.
Now only the elderly, infirm Count stands between Francesco and the family title and estates, and he has devised a plan to hasten his father’s death.
He forces Arminio, one of the castle servants, to disguise himself as a soldier, recently arrived with tragic news.
Scene 3: Count Moor’s bedroom in the castle.
Amalia is watching over the ailing Count. Each of them is thinking affectionately of the missing Carlo.
Francesco ushers Arminio into the room. Surprisingly neither the Count nor Amalia recognise him as one of the castle retainers in disguise.
Arminio describes how he fought alongside Carlo for King Frederick in a battle for the city of Prague, and how he saw him mortally wounded. Carlo’s final act in this world was to inscribe a message, using his own blood, on the blade of his sword. The thrust of it being that Amalia and Francesco should marry.
Finding nothing suspicious in this dramatic account, Amalia and the Count are completely taken in, with the result that Massimiliano falls into a dead faint and Amalia, in a frenzy of hysteria, rushes offstage leaving a jubilant Francesco.
[edit] Act 2
Scene 1: A graveyard near the castle.
Several months have passed since the previous scene and Amalia enters to pray at Count Massimiliano’s tomb. In the distance can be heard the sounds of a festive banquet hosted by Francesco, the new Count.
Arminio has followed Amalia from the castle because he is overcome by guilt at his part in Francesco’s wicked scheming. He just has time to reveal that both Carlo and the old Count are still alive before he is disturbed by the arrival of Francesco and forced to flee the scene. There is no indication in the libretto as to who was buried in the Count’s place.
Francesco has also been searching for Amalia with the intention of asking her to marry him. Her scornful refusal provokes him into a rage and he becomes violent. Amalia pretends a change of heart and embraces him so that she can seize his dagger and fend him off before making her escape into the nearby forest.
Scene 2: A clearing in a Bohemian forest.
Rolla has been captured in Prague and the brigands are awaiting the return of their fearless leader, Carlo, who has gone to rescue him, apparently single-handedly.
Not only is the rescue effortlessly achieved, but at the same time Carlo has managed to set fire to much of the city . Unsurprisingly this has resulted in a thousand armed citizens pursuing him. The scene ends with Carlo exhorting his gallant band to fight like wolves to save themselves.
[edit] Act 3
Scene 1: A clearing in a Franconian forest.
The robbers are finally able to relax and they sing of the innocent pleasures of pillage, rape, arson and murder.
They have covered a lot of ground since escaping the enraged citizens of Prague and are now, by a strange stroke of fate, in the same neck of the woods as the distraught Amalia.
Once again Amalia’s powers of observation let her down as she fails to recognise her betrothed when he approaches her. Carlo reveals his identity, without mentioning his new found friends, and there is a joyous reconciliation.
Carlo is horrified when he learns of his brother’s unsuccessful attack on her virtue. Obviously none of his gang would have been so incompetent.
Scene 2: Another clearing in the Franconian forest.
Carlo is alone and contemplates his dismal future. He considers suicide, but decides that he must accept his dreadful fate and live on in loneliness and misery, reviled by all decent people.
Arminio enters stealthily and approaches some nearby ruins. When Carlo challenges him, he demonstrates his usual ability for making himself scarce.
Hearing a voice within the ruins, Carlo investigates and discovers the emaciated figure of his father. Needless to say Massimiliano fails to recognise his son, but nevertheless describes to him how Francesco attempted to bury him alive after his collapse on hearing of Carlo’s death. Fortunately Arminio saved him and has kept him hidden in the ruins where Carlo has found him.
Carlo calls on his band of merry men to storm the castle and capture his evil brother, leaving the Count to drift into semi-consciousness once more.
[edit] Act 4
Scene 1: Another room in Count Moor’s castle.
Francisco wakes after terrifying, guilt ridden nightmares. He summons the local priest who refuses him absolution for his heinous crimes. At this point the brigands are heard storming the castle and Francesco rushes out, swearing that he will defy the very fires of Hell.
Scene 2: The second clearing in the Franconian forest.
Massimiliano bewails Carlo's death. In true Italian operatic tradition he still does not recognise that the man standing in front of him is his favourite son. He blesses the "unknown stranger" for saving his life.
The robbers reappear and report that they didn’t manage to capture Francesco. This pleases Carlo who intends to change his ways, from now on being a compassionate and caring individual.
At this moment Amalia is dragged in by the brigands. Carlo is forced to admit to her, and to his father, his role as leader of the robbers. Massimiliano expresses his horror and despair, but beautiful, simple Amalia declares that despite everything she still loves Carlo and wants to stay with him forever.
Carlo remembers that he has sworn to be a more caring and compassionate person, but he has also given his oath of lifelong allegiance to his robber band. He cannot allow the woman he loves be dragged down into his world of degredation and disgrace and he cannot escape own his evil fate.
So without a moment's hesitation he stabs Amalia to death.
Even the robbers appear rather stunned by this last turn of events and decide to skip their final chorus.
Carlo rushes offstage claiming he is going in search of his own death. But can he be believed?
[edit] Overview
"I masnadieri" is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and inspired operas of Verdi's early period. The work abounds with glorious melodies and musically shows significant technical advances over the composer's earlier operas. It remained a particular favourite of playwright and music critic George Bernard Shaw throughout his life.
However, even in Italy it has never found a regular place in the repertoire, possibly because it requires a soprano and tenor of the highest calibre which makes it a too demanding work for routine repertory production, or it may be that the libretto is regarded as too outrageous for modern audiences.
"I masnadieri" is exactly the type of opera that William Gilbert had in mind when he wrote The Pirates of Penzance in 1879, his glorious parody of the absurdities of mid-19th. century Italian grand opera. Nevertheless, overall it remains one of Verdi's most unjustly neglected works, with at best much to be admired, and at worst never a dull moment.
[edit] References
- Osborne, Charles (1969). The Complete Operas of Verdi. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- The Earl of Harewood & Peattie, Antony (1997). The New Kobbe's Opera Book. London: Ebury Press.
- Sadie, Stanley (1996). The New Grove Book of Operas. London: Macmillan Press Ltd.
