| Gloria | |
|---|---|
| Opera byFrancesco Cilea | |
 Cilea c. 1910 | |
| Librettist | Arturo Colautti |
| Language | Italian |
| Based on | Victorien Sardou's playLa Haine |
| Premiere | |
Gloria is a tragicopera in three acts byFrancesco Cilea with an Italianlibretto byArturo Colautti. A variation on theRomeo and Juliet story and set in 14th centurySiena, the libretto is based onVictorien Sardou's 1874 playLa Haine (Hatred). The opera premiered on 15 April 1907 atLa Scala conducted byArturo Toscanini withSolomiya Krushelnytska in the title role.Gloria was a failure at its premiere when it was withdrawn after two performances and fared little better in the 1932 revised version, although there have been two late 20th century revivals. It proved to be Cilea's last staged opera. In the 43 years following the premiere ofGloria he worked on two or three further operas which were never performed and continued to compose chamber and orchestral music.
Like Cilea's earlier operas,L'arlesiana (1897) andAdriana Lecouvreur (1902),Gloria takes its title from its female protagonist and is based on a French play. This time,Arturo Colautti, who had also written the libretto forAdriana Lecouvreur, based the libretto onVictorien Sardou'sLa Haine (Hatred), a tragic tale of two lovers caught up in the conflict between theGuelphs and Ghibellines in 14th centurySiena.[1] Cilea composedGloria while staying in theLigurian seaside town ofVarazze, which was to become his home in later life.
The opera premiered on 15 April 1907 atLa Scala in Milan, conducted byArturo Toscanini. The title role was sung bySolomiya Krushelnytska, withPasquale Amato as her brother Folco andGiovanni Zenatello as her lover Lionetto. Despite the distinguished cast and conductor, the premiere was a failure and the opera was withdrawn after two performances.[2] It was revived in Rome and Genoa in 1908 and again in 1909 at theTeatro di San Carlo in Naples withEmma Carelli as Gloria. Although the reception in Naples was quite favorable, the opera failed to secure a place in the regular repertoire of Italian opera houses.[3]
Cilea continued to revise the score ofGloria during the 20 years following its initial runs, and when Pietro Ostali, a great admirer of the composer, took overCasa Sonzogno (the original publishers of Cilea's operas), he decided to promote a revival of the work. The second version of the opera with a revised libretto byEttore Moschino [it] had fairly extensive cuts made at the suggestion of Ostali, most notably the act 2 confrontation scene between Folco and Lionetto. Folco's name was also changed to "Bardo".[4]
The new version premiered on 20 April 1932 at the Teatro di San Carlo and was well received by the Neapolitan audiences.[3] It was also given a lavish production in Rome in 1938 withMaria Caniglia andBeniamino Gigli in the leading roles and sets designed by the prominent architect and sculptor,Pietro Aschieri [it]. Although it had a successful German premiere at theDortmund Stadttheater that same year and outdoor performances at theCastello Sforzesco in Milan and the Piazza Baraccano inBologna in the late 1930s,[5]Gloria soon fell into obscurity once again.
There were, however, two late 20th century revivals. In 1969, the opera was broadcast on radio in its entirety for the first time.Fernando Previtali conducted theRAI Symphony Orchestra and Chorus inTurin. The title role was sung byMargherita Roberti withFlaviano Labò as Lionetto.[6] In 1997,Gloria was performed outdoors at theSan Gimignano Festival using the medieval buildings of the town as sets. Marco Pace conducted the Festival di San Gimignano Orchestra and the Accademia San Felice Chorus, withFiorenza Cedolins as Gloria andAlberto Cupido as Lionetto.[7]Teatro Grattacielo produced the first performance in New York City at theGerald W. Lynch Theater in a concert performance in September 2018 withMikhail Svetlov as Aquilante.[8]
| Role[9] | Voice type | Premiere cast, 15 April 1907 Conductor:Arturo Toscanini |
|---|---|---|
| Aquilante de' Bardi,aGuelph nobleman | bass | Nazzareno De Angelis |
| Gloria,Aquilante's daughter | soprano | Solomiya Krushelnytska |
| Folco (Bardo),[10]Aquilante's son | baritone | Pasquale Amato |
| Lionetto de' Ricci ("Il Fortebrando"),[11]aGhibelline captain | tenor | Giovanni Zenatello |
| Sienese woman | soprano | Nilde Ponzano |
| Woman fromOrvieto | mezzo-soprano | Adele Ponzano |
| The bishop | bass | Costantino Thos |
| Nobles, townspeople, officials, guards | ||
Act 1
_-_WGA13491.jpg)
In celebration of a new fountain in Siena's main square, theGuelphs, who currently hold the city, declare a temporary truce with the exiledGhibellines and allow them to enter Siena for the festivities on condition that they come unarmed and leave the city at sunset. A chorus of young women sings the praises of the fountain, "O! Puri marmi" (Oh! Pure marble). Lionetto de' Ricci, one of the exiles, and Gloria, the daughter of Guelph nobleman Aquilante de' Bardi, are attracted to each other when she gives him water to drink from the fountain. Gloria sings "Amore, amor! Fonte muta" (Love, love! Silent fountain). Her brother Bardo, demands to know the exile's name. Lionetto recounts the story of his family, "Storia ho di sangue" (My story is one of blood), and Aquilante realises that he the son of the nobleman who had previously surrenderedMontalcino to the Ghibellines. At sunset Lionetto refuses to leave the city unless he can take Gloria with him as his bride. In the midst of angry protests from Aquilante, Bardo, and the other Guelph noblemen, Lionetto's cloak falls away, revealing not only that he is armed but is also a famouscondottiere of the Ghibelline forces known as "Il Fortebrando". Lionetto's men, who had also concealed their swords, come to their captain's aid. They and Lionetto make their escape from Siena taking Gloria with them.
Act 2
Outside the walls of Siena, Lionetto and the Ghibelline forces continue their siege of the city. Gloria is being held in one of his chambers under the watch of a Sienese woman. The woman urges her to accept Lionetto as her husband which would bring about peace between the two factions and prevent the destruction of Siena, "Prigioniera d'amor" (Prisoner of love). Gloria is torn between her love for Lionetto and loyalty to her father and the people of Siena, "O mia cuna fiorita" (O my flowered cradle). Gloria's brother Bardo enters her chambers in disguise and berates her for betraying her people and causing the death of their father who has just been killed defending Siena. She tells Bardo that she plans to marry Lionetto as a sacrifice to end the siege, but he demands that she kill him. Terrified of blood, she refuses to take Bardo's proffered dagger but promises to poison Lionetto instead. Bardo sings of his admiration for her, "O mia dolce sorella" (O my sweet sister), and departs. Gloria sings a prayer to the Virgin Mary, "Vergine santa" (Blessed Virgin). After a musical interlude, Lionetto returns from the battle. He kneels before Gloria and tells her that out of love for her he has ended the siege, "Pur dolente son io" (Though I grieve). She attempts to drink the poison herself rather than kill him. However, he knocks the poisoned wine to floor, and she openly declares her love for him.
Act 3
Gloria and Lionetto's wedding is taking place in her family's chapel with her father's tomb in the background. The bishop and choir sing aMagnificat. After the ceremony, Lionetto embraces Bardo as a sign of peace. Bardo draws a dagger from beneath his cloak and stabs Lionetto, mortally wounding him. Bardo then tries to force Gloria from the chapel, but beside herself with grief, she refuses to leave. The sounds of battle are heard, and Bardo rushes outside with his men. Gloria and Lionetto are now alone and bid farewell to each other as he lies dying, "Gloria, ove sei?" (Gloria, where are you?) When Lionetto dies, Gloria grabs the dagger which had killed him, stabs herself to death, and falls on his body.
The opera has had two full-length recordings, both from live performances. The 1969 RAI radio broadcast conducted by Fernando Previtali was released in a remastered version byBongiovanni Records in 2005. The 1997 performance at the San Gimignano Festival conducted by Marco Pace was released by Kicco Classic in 1998.[13] An excerpt fromGloria appears onVerismo (Decca Classics, 2009) withRenée Fleming singing Gloria's aria "O mia cuna fiorita".[14] Lionetto's aria "Pur dolente son io" also appears occasionally on tenor recital discs.
Notes
Sources
cilea gloria opera.
