25 October 2019 (Fri), 19:00 World famous Mariinsky Ballet and Opera Theatre - Opera and Concert Hall - Stars of the Stars Opera Vincenzo Bellini "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" Lyric tragedy in two acts (concert performance)
Running time: 2 hours 35 minutes (till 21:35)
Schedule for Vincenzo Bellini "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" Lyric tragedy in two acts (concert performance) 2022
Tenor: Dmitry Voropaev Bass: Pavel Shmulevich Bass: Askar Abdrazakov Mezzo soprano: Regina Rustamova Tenor: Dmitry Voropaev Soprano: Yulia Suleimanova
Composer: Vincenzo Bellini Musical Preparation: Larisa Gergieva Principal Chorus Master: Pavel Teplov
Orchestra: Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra Opera company: Mariinsky (Kirov) Opera
Opera in 2 acts
I Capuleti e i Montecchi (The Capulets and the Montagues) is an Italian opera (Tragedia lirica) in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini. The libretto by Felice Romani was a reworking of the story of Romeo and Juliet for an opera by Nicola Vaccai called Giulietta e Romeo and based on the play of the same name by Luigi Scevola written in 1818, thus an Italian source rather than taken directly from William Shakespeare.
Music by Vincenzo Bellini
Libretto by Felice Romani
Musical Director and Musical Preparation: Larisa Gergieva
Chorus Master: Pavel Teplov
Synopsis
In this version of the story
the Capuleti and Montecchi are rival political factions (Guelph and Ghibelline
respectively) rather than Shakespeare's "two households, both alike in dignity".
Capellio is the father of Giulietta (Juliet) and the leader of the Capuleti.
Giulietta is betrothed to Tebaldo (Tybalt), however she has already met and
fallen in love with Romeo, leader of the Montecchi. This is a secret to all but
Lorenzo (Lawrence), her doctor and confidant. Complicating matters, Romeo has
inadvertently killed the son of Capellio (Giulietta's brother) in
battle.
Place: around the palace of Capellio (Capulet) in
Verona Time: 13th century Sinfonia
Act 1 Scene 1: The Palace
Capellio and Tebaldo address their followers advising rejection
of an offer of peace to be brought by an envoy from Romeo, the man who had
killed Capellio's son. Tebaldo states that he will avenge the killing to
celebrate his marriage to Giulietta: (Aria, È serbata a questo acciaro / "And
reserved for this sword / is the vengeance of your blood") and he urges Capellio
to hasten the moment when he may marry Giulietta and then avenge Capellio, who
wants the marriage to take place immediately, brushing aside the objections of
Lorenzo that Giulietta is ill with a fever. Tebaldo proclaims his love for
Guilietta: Sì: M'Abbraccia / "I love her so much / She is so dear to me".
Capellio's men urge him on and arrangements are made to have the wedding take
place that day.
While the men proclaim their hatred of the Montagues, Romeo
enters in the guise of a Montague envoy, offering peace to be guaranteed by the
marriage of Romeo and Giulietta. He explains that Romeo regrets the death of
Capellio's son (Ascolta: Se Romeo t'uccise un figlio / "Listen: If Romeo killed
your son / he brought him death in battle / And you must blame fate"), and
offers to take his place as a second son for the old man. Capellio indicates
that Tebaldo has already taken on that role and—together with all his
men—rejects all idea of peace: "War! War", the men proclaim. Romeo accepts their
challenge of war: (Cabaletta: La tremenda ultrice spada/ "Romeo will prepare to
brandish the dread avenging sword / Romeo accepts your challenge of
war.)
Scene 2: Giulietta's room
Giulietta enters proclaiming her frustration against all the
wedding preparations which she sees about her. Recitative: "I burn, a fire
consumes me wholly. In vain do I seek solace from the winds... Where are you
Romeo?". Romanza: Oh! quante volte / "Oh how many times do I weep and beg heaven
for you". Lorenzo enters, explaining that he has arranged for Romeo to come to
her by a secret door and, when Romeo enters, he tries to persuade Giulietta to
escape with him. Aria, Romeo: Sì, fuggire: a noi non resta / "Yes, flee, for us
there is no other escape"; this becomes a duet as he demands: "What power is
greater for you than love?", but she resists in the name of duty, law, and
honour, declaring that she would prefer to die of a broken heart. Romeo is
distraught: aria, Romeo: Ah crudel, d'onor ragioni / "Oh cruel one, you speak of
honour when you were stolen from me?" Giulietta responds "Ah what more you ask
of me?", then, in a duet finale in which each expresses his/her conflicting
emotions, the situation becoming more and more impossible for them
both.
The sounds of wedding preparations are heard: she urges him to
flee; he declares that he will stay and, in a final duet in which Romeo pleads
"Come, ah Come! Rely on me", Giulietta continues to resist. Each
leaves.
Scene 3: Another part of the palace
The Capuleti are celebrating the forthcoming marriage. All those
assembled join in. Romeo enters in disguise and tells Lorenzo, who immediately
recognises him, that he is awaiting the support of his soldiers, one thousand of
whom are assembled dressed as Ghibelines and who are intent on preventing the
wedding. Lorenzo remonstrates with her, but suddenly, the armed attack by the
Montecchi take place as they surge into the palace, Romeo with them. Giulietta
is alone, lamenting the state of affairs. Aria: Qual fuoco / "What fire". Then
she sees Romeo, who has appeared, and again he urges her to run away with him:
"I ask this in the name of promised love", he declares. Capellio, Tebaldo and
the Ghibelines discover them, and believe that Romeo is still the Montecchi
envoy. As Giulietta tries to shield him from her father, he proudly tells them
his true name. The Montagues enter to protect him and, in a concerted finale
involving all from both factions, the lovers are separated by their family
members, finally proclaiming: Al furor che si ridesta / "If all hope of ever
seeing each other again in life / this will not be the last farewell". Capellio,
Tebaldo, and Lorenzo become part of the quintet finale, as the ranks of the
supporters of both sides join in the swell.
Act 2 Scene 1: Another part of the
Palace
Introduced by an arioso for cello, Giulietta awaits news of the
fighting. Lorenzo enters and immediately tells her that Romeo lives, but she
will soon be taken away to Tebaldo's castle. He offers a solution: that she must
take a sleeping potion which will make it appear that she has died. She will
then be taken to her family's tomb where he will arrange for Romeo and himself
to be present when she awakes. In a state of indecision, she contemplates her
options. (Cavatina: Morte io non temo, il sai / "You know that I do not fear
death, / I have always asked death of you...") and she expresses doubts while
Lorenzo urges to take the potion, given that her father is about to come into
the room. Taking the bottle, she declares that "only death can wrest me from my
cruel father".
With his followers, Capellio comes to order her to leave with
Tebaldo at dawn. Her ladies beg her father to be kinder towards her. Proclaiming
that she is close to death, she begs her father's forgiveness: Ah! non poss'io
partire / "Ah, I cannot leave without your forgiveness.....Let your anger turn
just once to peace", but Capellio rejects her and orders her to her room. He
then instructs his men to keep watch on Lorenzo of whom he is suspicious; they
are ordered not to allow Lorenzo to have contact with anyone.
Scene 2: The grounds of the palace
An orchestral introduction precedes Romeo's entrance and
introduces what Weinstock describes as "his bitter recitative", Deserto è il
loco/ "This place is abandoned", in which he laments Lorenzo's apparent
forgetfulness in failing to meet him as planned. He then hears the noise of
someone entering. It is Tebaldo, and the two men begin an angry duet (Tebaldo:
Stolto! a un sol mio grido / "With one cry a thousand men will arrive". Romeo:
"I scorn you. You will wish the alps and the sea stood between us"). As they are
about to begin fighting, the sound of a funeral procession is heard (Pace alla
tua bell'anima). They stop and listen, only then realising that it a procession
for Giulietta. In a duet finale, the rivals are united in remorse, asking each
other for death as they continue to fight.
Scene 3: The tombs of the Capuleti
Along with his Montecchi followers, Romeo enters the tomb of the
Capuleti. The followers mourn Giulietta's death. At her tomb and in order to bid
her farewell, Romeo asks for it to be opened. He also asks that the Montecchi
leave him alone with Giulietta: Aria: Deh! tu, bell'anima / "Alas! You, fair
soul / Rising up to heaven / turn to me, bear me with you". Realising his only
course of action will be death, he swallows poison and, laying down beside her,
he hears a sigh, then the sound of her voice. Giulietta wakes up to find that
Romeo knew nothing of her simulated death and had been unaware of Lorenzo's
plan. Urging him to leave with her, Giulietta gets up but Romeo states that he
must remain there forever, explaining that he has already acted to end his life.
In a final duet, the couple clings to each other. Then he dies and Giulietta,
unable to live on without him, falls dead onto his body. The Capuleti and
Montecchi rush in to discover the dead lovers, with Capellio demanding who is
responsible: "You, ruthless man", they all proclaim.
Schedule for Vincenzo Bellini "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" Lyric tragedy in two acts (concert performance) 2022
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