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Revision as of 06:48, 18 June 2012 by Judenovara (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Template:Donizetti operasGemma di Vergy is a tragedia lirica or tragic opera in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti (1834) from a libretto by Emanuele Bidéra. It is based on the tragedy Charles VII chez ses grands vassaux (Charles VII at the homes of his great vassals) (1831) by Alexandre Dumas père, which was later to become the subject of the opera The Saracen by the Russian composer César Cui. The heroine is the childless wife of the Count of Vergy, and the plot deals with her jealousy and grief as her husband arranges an annulment of their marriage in preparation for the arrival of his new bride, Ida, and her despair following the murder of her husband by a slave, Tamas, who is secretly in love with her.
Gemma di Vergy was first performed on 26 December 1834 at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan. The leading role was taken by the Italian soprano Giuseppina Ronzi de Begnis, Donizetti's favourite prima donna at the time, for whom he had previously composed Fausta (1832 ), and for whom he was later to compose Roberto Devereux (1837).
Performance history
The opera remained very popular in Italy until at least the 1860s and productions were also staged in London, Paris, New York, Lisbon, St. Petersburg, Vienna and Barcelona. It was last staged in Empoli in 1901 and then disappeared from the repertoire.
Gemma di Vergy was revived for the soprano Montserrat Caballé in a production at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples in December 1975. Subsequently the same soprano performed the work in concert in several other cities. A number of live recordings exist of the Caballé performances from Naples, Paris and New York.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 26 December 1834 (Conductor: - Eugenio Cavallini) |
|---|---|---|
| Earl of Vergy | baritone | Giovanni Orazio Cartagenova |
| Gemma | soprano | Giuseppina Ronzi de Begnis |
| Ida di Greville | mezzo-soprano | Felicita Baillou-Hillaret |
| Tamas | tenor | Domenico Reina |
| Guido | bass | Ignazio Marini |
| Rolando | bass | Domenico Spiaggi |
| Knights, archers, soldiers, bridesmaids | ||
Recordings
| Year | Cast (Gemma, Ida, Tamas, Conte di Vergy) |
Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Montserrat Caballé, Biancamaria Casoni, Giorgio Lamberti, Renato Bruson |
Armando Gatto Teatro San Carlo, Naples Orchestra and Chorus |
Audio CD: Opera d'Oro Cat: OPD 1379 |
| 1987 | Adriana Maliponte, Nucci Condò, Ottavio Garaventa, Luigi De Corato |
Gert Meditz RAI Milano Orchestra and Chorus (Video recording of a performance in the Civico Teatro Gaetano Donizetti, Bergamo, 7 October) |
DVD: House of Opera Cat: DVDCC 601 |
References
- Notes
- ^ William Ashbrook: Gemma de Vergy Grove Music Online, accessed April 9, 2007. Cite error: The named reference "Ashbrook" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- Source for recording information: operadis-opera-discography.org.uk
- Sources
- Ashbrook, William, Donizetti and His Operas, Cambridge University Press, 1982, ISBN 0-521-23526-X ISBN 0-521-23526-X
- Holden, Amanda (Ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. ISBN 0-14-029312-4
- Osborne, Charles, The Bel Canto Operas of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini, Portland, Oregon: Amadeus Press, 1994 ISBN 0-931340-71-3
External links
- Libretto (Italian)
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