This opera was the first of Donizetti's excursions into the Tudor period of English history, and it was followed in 1830 by Anna Bolena, (which was based on the life of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII), then by Maria Stuarda (named for Mary, Queen of Scots) which appeared in different forms in 1834 and 1835. All represented the interests (even obsessions) of many Italian composers of the era, Donizetti's included, in the character of Elizabeth I, whose life he was to explore further in 1837 in his opera Roberto Devereux (named for Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, a favourite of Elizabeth I). The leading female characters of the operas Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, and Roberto Devereux are often referred to as the "Three Donizetti Queens".
As Elisabetta al castello di Kenilworth the opera received its first performance on 6 July 1829 at the Teatro di San Carlo, Naples, and in a revised version at the same house, as Il castello di Kenilworth on 24 June 1830.[1]
It is announced that Queen Elizabeth is to visit Kenilworth, the Earl of Leicester's castle. Leicester is a favourite of the Queen, but now has a new bride, Amelia Robsart, with whom he is in love. Fearing the Queen's displeasure, he asks his servant Lambourne to arrange for Amelia to be hidden until Elizabeth departs. Amelia is taken to a small cell in the castle by Leicester's equerry, Warney. He then tries to seduce her and tells that she has been placed there because her husband no longer loves her. When Amelia rejects his advances, Warney vows revenge.
Amelia manages to escape from the cell and in a secret garden of the castle encounters the Queen. She tearfully tells the Queen about her troubles with Leicester, whom she believes has betrayed her. The Queen goes to Leicester and Warney angrily demanding an explanation. Warney deceitfully tries to persuade the Queen that Amelia is his wife. The Queen vows to resolve the mystery and briefly believes the lie. Leicester, however, reveals his marriage with Amelia to the Queen who becomes even more angry and dismisses him.
Warney, still desiring revenge, attempts to take Amelia away with him from Kenilworth with a lie that it is Leicester's wish, but fails when she refuses to go. He then tries to poison Amelia, but is foiled by her faithful servant, Fanny. In the end, Elizabeth orders the arrest of Warney, pardons Leicester and Amelia, and approves their marriage to the jubilation of all.[3]
Recordingsedit
Year
Cast: Queen Elisabeth I, Amelia Robsart, Leicester, Warney)
Alun Francis, Philomusica of London and the Opera Rara Chorus (Recording of a performance in the Collegiate Theatre, London as part of the Camden Festival)
Allitt, John Stewart (1991), Donizetti: In the Light of Romanticism and the Teaching of Johann Simon Mayr, Shaftesbury: Element Books; Rockport, Massachusetts: Element, Inc. ISBN9781852302993OCLC 797788942
Weinstock, Herbert (1963), Donizetti and the World of Opera in Italy, Paris, and Vienna in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century, New York: Pantheon Books. LCCN 63-13703
castello, kenilworth, under, original, name, 1829, elisabetta, castello, kenilworth, melodramma, serio, tragic, opera, three, acts, gaetano, donizetti, andrea, leone, tottola, wrote, italian, libretto, after, victor, hugo, play, robsart, 1828, eugène, scribe, . Il castello di Kenilworth or under its original name in 1829 Elisabetta al castello di Kenilworth 1 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 1828 and Eugene Scribe s play Leicester both of which following from Sir Walter Scott s novel Kenilworth 1821 Daniel Auber composed another opera on the same subject Leicester ou Le chateau de Kenilworth in 1823 Il castello di KenilworthOpera by Gaetano DonizettiDonizetti as a young manLibrettistAndrea Leone TottolaLanguageItalianBased onAmy Robsartby Victor HugoPremiere6 June 1829 1829 06 06 Teatro di San Carlo Naples This opera was the first of Donizetti s excursions into the Tudor period of English history and it was followed in 1830 by Anna Bolena which was based on the life of Anne Boleyn the second wife of King Henry VIII then by Maria Stuarda named for Mary Queen of Scots which appeared in different forms in 1834 and 1835 All represented the interests even obsessions of many Italian composers of the era Donizetti s included in the character of Elizabeth I whose life he was to explore further in 1837 in his opera Roberto Devereux named for Robert Devereux 2nd Earl of Essex a favourite of Elizabeth I The leading female characters of the operas Anna Bolena Maria Stuarda and Roberto Devereux are often referred to as the Three Donizetti Queens As Elisabetta al castello di Kenilworth the opera received its first performance on 6 July 1829 at the Teatro di San Carlo Naples and in a revised version at the same house as Il castello di Kenilworth on 24 June 1830 1 Contents 1 Roles 2 Synopsis 3 Recordings 4 References 5 External linksRoles edit nbsp Georg Saal Kenilworth Castle 1866 Roles voice types premiere cast Role Voice type Premiere cast 6 July 1829 2 Conductor Nicola Festa Elisabetta Queen of England soprano Adelaide Tosi Roberto Dudley Earl of Leicester tenor Giovanni David Amelia Robsart his secret consort soprano Luigia Boccabadati Warney Leicester s equerry baritone Berardo Calvari Winter Wikidata Lambourne Leicester s servant bass Gennaro Ambrosini Fanny Amelia s servant mezzo soprano Virginia Eden Knights of the queen domestic servants of Leicester guards soldiers peopleSynopsis editTime The reign of Queen Elizabeth I Place Kenilworth Castle It is announced that Queen Elizabeth is to visit Kenilworth the Earl of Leicester s castle Leicester is a favourite of the Queen but now has a new bride Amelia Robsart with whom he is in love Fearing the Queen s displeasure he asks his servant Lambourne to arrange for Amelia to be hidden until Elizabeth departs Amelia is taken to a small cell in the castle by Leicester s equerry Warney He then tries to seduce her and tells that she has been placed there because her husband no longer loves her When Amelia rejects his advances Warney vows revenge Amelia manages to escape from the cell and in a secret garden of the castle encounters the Queen She tearfully tells the Queen about her troubles with Leicester whom she believes has betrayed her The Queen goes to Leicester and Warney angrily demanding an explanation Warney deceitfully tries to persuade the Queen that Amelia is his wife The Queen vows to resolve the mystery and briefly believes the lie Leicester however reveals his marriage with Amelia to the Queen who becomes even more angry and dismisses him Warney still desiring revenge attempts to take Amelia away with him from Kenilworth with a lie that it is Leicester s wish but fails when she refuses to go He then tries to poison Amelia but is foiled by her faithful servant Fanny In the end Elizabeth orders the arrest of Warney pardons Leicester and Amelia and approves their marriage to the jubilation of all 3 Recordings editYear Cast Queen Elisabeth I Amelia Robsart Leicester Warney Conductor Opera house and orchestra Label 4 1977 Janet Price Yvonne Kenny Maurice Arthur Christian du Plessis Alun Francis Philomusica of London and the Opera Rara Chorus Recording of a performance in the Collegiate Theatre London as part of the Camden Festival CD MRF RecordsCat MRF 143 S 1989 Mariella Devia Denia Mazzola Jozef Kundlak Barry Anderson Jan Latham Koenig Radio Televisione Italiana Orchestra and Chorus CD Ricordi Fonit CetraCat RFCD 2005 2019 Jessica Pratt Carmela Remigio Xabier Anduaga Ștefan Pop Riccardo Frizza Donizetti Opera orchestra and chorusMaria Pilar Perez Aspa stage director DVD DynamicCat 57834References editNotes a b Ashbrook and Hibberd 2001 p 229 Casaglia Gherardo 2005 Il castello di Kenilworth 6 July 1829 L Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia in Italian Synopsis based on Gelli 2007 Source for recording information Recording s of Il castello di Kenilworth on operadis opera discography org uk Cited sources Ashbrook William and Sarah Hibberd 2001 in Holden Amanda Ed The New Penguin Opera Guide New York Penguin Putnam ISBN 0 14 029312 4 pp 224 247 Gelli Piero ed 2007 Elisabetta al castello di Kenilworth Dizionario dell Opera Baldini Castoldi Dalai ISBN 88 6073 184 4 Accessed online 22 September 2009 Other sources Allitt John Stewart 1991 Donizetti In the Light of Romanticism and the Teaching of Johann Simon Mayr Shaftesbury Element Books Rockport Massachusetts Element Inc ISBN 9781852302993 OCLC 797788942 Ashbrook William 1982 Donizetti and His Operas Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 23526 X Ashbrook William 1998 Elisabetta al castello di Kenilworth 1829 Opera Quarterly 1998 14 pp 116 119 Ashbrook William 1998 Donizetti Gaetano in Stanley Sadie Ed The New Grove Dictionary of Opera Vol One London Macmillan Publishers Inc ISBN 0 333 73432 7 ISBN 1 56159 228 5 Black John 1982 Donizetti s Operas in Naples 1822 1848 London The Donizetti Society Loewenberg Alfred 1970 Annals of Opera 1597 1940 2nd edition Rowman and Littlefield Osborne Charles 1994 The Bel Canto Operas of Rossini Donizetti and Bellini Portland Oregon Amadeus Press ISBN 0 931340 71 3 Sadie Stanley ed John Tyrell exec ed 2004 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd edition London Macmillan ISBN 978 0 19 517067 2 hardcover ISBN 0 19 517067 9 OCLC 419285866 eBook Weinstock Herbert 1963 Donizetti and the World of Opera in Italy Paris and Vienna in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century New York Pantheon Books LCCN 63 13703External links editElisabetta o Il castello di Kenilworth Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Portal nbsp Opera Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Il castello di Kenilworth amp oldid 1213894082, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
