Emilia di Liverpool (Emilia of Liverpool; also given as L'eremitaggio di Liverpool[1]) is a dramma semiserio, ("half-serious") dramatic opera, in two acts with music by Gaetano Donizetti. Giuseppe Checcherini [it] wrote the Italian libretto after the anonymous libretto for Vittorio Trento's Emilia di Laverpaut, itself based on Stefano Scatizzi's play of the same name. It premiered on 28 July 1824 at the Teatro Nuovo in Naples.
The libretto had a complex history. The original story by Scatizzi formed the basis of the first, anonymous libretto of 1824, which had the title of Emilia di Liverpool. This first libretto included the introduction of the Count, a Neapolitan character, as comic relief per the theatrical tradition of the Teatro Nuovo. The changes to the cast of characters caused confusion among the relationships of the characters and ran contrary to the structure of the original play. The libretto revisions by Checcherini, circa 1828, removed much of the material of the 1824 version, with further revisions to the characters, but maintaining the plot chronology of the 1824 version. The 1828 revision, known as L'eremitaggio di Liverpool (The Hermitage of Liverpool), also reduced the amount of spoken dialogue.[2]
Performance historyedit
The 1828 version was given its premiere in Naples on 8 March 1828 and received only six performances. The 1824 version "was revived in 1838 for three performances, and again in 1871".[3]
It was not until 1957 that it received another presentation of any kind, until its UK premiere on 12 June in Liverpool.[4] In September 1957 the BBC presented an abridged radio version which starred the young Joan Sutherland, "who gave a stunning exhibition of her Donizetti style a good eighteen months before her Covent Garden success in Lucia di Lammermoor.[3]
Emilia, daughter of Claudio, the "Count of Liverpool", lives in a hermitage doing good works among the people of Liverpool. Years earlier she had rejected the noble Don Romualdo to elope with Federico. But Federico merely seduced and abandoned her. Her mother died of shame and her father disappeared in pursuit of his daughter's seducer. Since that time, Emilia had lived a holy life of penitence and charity, but years later, Emilia's charitable work is disturbed by the arrival of two strangers who have been stranded in a storm. One is Federico, now repentant; the other is Claudio who had been captured by Barbary pirates and imprisoned for many years. A third man, her former suitor Don Romualdo, also appears.
Don Romualdo is still willing to marry Emilia, but she rejects him. Federico attempts to prove that he is repentant, but Claudio challenges him to a duel with pistols. The two men begin to fight, but are stopped by Emilia who is able to prevent them from firing any shots. She announces her belief that Federico is reformed, says that they are in love, and that they plan to marry. Everyone rejoices.
Recordingsedit
Year
Cast: (Emilia, Candida, Luigia, Don Romualdo, Claudio di Liverpool, Federico)
Ashbrook, William and Sarah Hibberd (2001), in Holden, Amanda (Ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam. ISBN0-14-029312-4. pp. 224 – 247.
Osborne, Charles, (1994), The Bel Canto Operas of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini, Portland, Oregon: Amadeus Press. ISBN0-931340-71-3
Other sources
Allitt, John Stewart (1991), Donizetti: in the light of Romanticism and the teaching of Johann Simon Mayr, Shaftesbury: Element Books, Ltd (UK); Rockport, MA: Element, Inc.(USA)
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
External linksedit
Donizetti Society (London) website
Libretto for Emilia di Liverpool(in Italian)
April 09, 2024
emilia, liverpool, emilia, liverpool, also, given, eremitaggio, liverpool, dramma, semiserio, half, serious, dramatic, opera, acts, with, music, gaetano, donizetti, giuseppe, checcherini, wrote, italian, libretto, after, anonymous, libretto, vittorio, trento, . Emilia di Liverpool Emilia of Liverpool also given as L eremitaggio di Liverpool 1 is a dramma semiserio half serious dramatic opera in two acts with music by Gaetano Donizetti Giuseppe Checcherini it wrote the Italian libretto after the anonymous libretto for Vittorio Trento s Emilia di Laverpaut itself based on Stefano Scatizzi s play of the same name It premiered on 28 July 1824 at the Teatro Nuovo in Naples Emilia di LiverpoolOpera by Gaetano DonizettiDonizetti as a young manLibrettistGiuseppe CheccheriniLanguageItalianBased onStefano Scatizzi s playPremiere28 July 1824 1824 07 28 Teatro Nuovo Naples Contents 1 Composition history 2 Performance history 3 Roles 4 Synopsis 5 Recordings 6 References 7 External linksComposition history editThe libretto had a complex history The original story by Scatizzi formed the basis of the first anonymous libretto of 1824 which had the title of Emilia di Liverpool This first libretto included the introduction of the Count a Neapolitan character as comic relief per the theatrical tradition of the Teatro Nuovo The changes to the cast of characters caused confusion among the relationships of the characters and ran contrary to the structure of the original play The libretto revisions by Checcherini circa 1828 removed much of the material of the 1824 version with further revisions to the characters but maintaining the plot chronology of the 1824 version The 1828 revision known as L eremitaggio di Liverpool The Hermitage of Liverpool also reduced the amount of spoken dialogue 2 Performance history editThe 1828 version was given its premiere in Naples on 8 March 1828 and received only six performances The 1824 version was revived in 1838 for three performances and again in 1871 3 It was not until 1957 that it received another presentation of any kind until its UK premiere on 12 June in Liverpool 4 In September 1957 the BBC presented an abridged radio version which starred the young Joan Sutherland who gave a stunning exhibition of her Donizetti style a good eighteen months before her Covent Garden success in Lucia di Lammermoor 3 Roles editRole Voice type Premiere Cast 28 July 1824 Conductor Emilia soprano Teresa MelasClaudio di Liverpool her father bass Giuseppe FioravantiFederico tenor Domenico ZilioliDon Romualdo bass Carlo CasacciaCandida his daughter mezzo soprano Francesca CeccheriniLuigia sopranoIl conte bassVillainsSynopsis editTime The past Place A village near LiverpoolEmilia daughter of Claudio the Count of Liverpool lives in a hermitage doing good works among the people of Liverpool Years earlier she had rejected the noble Don Romualdo to elope with Federico But Federico merely seduced and abandoned her Her mother died of shame and her father disappeared in pursuit of his daughter s seducer Since that time Emilia had lived a holy life of penitence and charity but years later Emilia s charitable work is disturbed by the arrival of two strangers who have been stranded in a storm One is Federico now repentant the other is Claudio who had been captured by Barbary pirates and imprisoned for many years A third man her former suitor Don Romualdo also appears Don Romualdo is still willing to marry Emilia but she rejects him Federico attempts to prove that he is repentant but Claudio challenges him to a duel with pistols The two men begin to fight but are stopped by Emilia who is able to prevent them from firing any shots She announces her belief that Federico is reformed says that they are in love and that they plan to marry Everyone rejoices Recordings editYear Cast Emilia Candida Luigia Don Romualdo Claudio di Liverpool Federico Conductor Opera House and Orchestra Label 5 1986 Yvonne Kenny Anne Mason Bronwen Mills Sesto Bruscantini Geoffrey Dolton Chris Merritt David Parry Philharmonia Orchestra and Geoffrey Mitchell Choir Audio CD Opera RaraCat ORC 8 6 References editNotes Ashbrook 1982 p 538 Commons Jeremy July 1959 Emilia di Liverpool Music amp Letters 40 3 pp 207 228 a b Osborne 1994 pp 158 59 Ashbrook and Hibberd 2001 p 226 Source for recording information Recording s of Emilia di Liverpool on operadis opera discography org uk Dean Winton 1998 Record Reviews Emilia di Liverpool The Musical Times 129 1746 p 408 Cited sources Ashbrook William 1982 Donizetti and His Operas Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 23526 X 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 Osborne Charles 1994 The Bel Canto Operas of Rossini Donizetti and Bellini Portland Oregon Amadeus Press ISBN 0 931340 71 3Other sources Allitt John Stewart 1991 Donizetti in the light of Romanticism and the teaching of Johann Simon Mayr Shaftesbury Element Books Ltd UK Rockport MA Element Inc USA 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 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 editDonizetti Society London website Libretto for Emilia di Liverpool in Italian Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Emilia di Liverpool amp oldid 1085727576, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
