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"Stiffelio" is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, from an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the play Le pasteur, ou L'évangile et le foyer by Émile Souvestre and Eugène Bourgeois.
The opera was first performed on 16 November 1850 at the Teatro Grande, Trieste.
The original story line of Stiffelio excited vigorous censorship for various reasons, involving as it does a Protestant minister of the church with an adulterous wife, and a final church scene in which he forgives her with words quoted from the New Testament.
In Italy and Austrian Trieste, a married priest was a contradiction in terms.
Therefore there was no question of a church in the final scene.
A revised version of the opera, entitled Guglielmo Wellingrode (with the hero a German minister of state), was presented in 1851, without either Verdi or his librettist Piave being responsible for it.
In fact, when asked by impresario Alessandro Linari in 1852 to create a more suitable ending, Verdi was furious and refused.
It was not until four years later that Verdi reworked Stiffelio, from a revised libretto also by Piave.
It was presented in 1857 as the four-act opera Aroldo, a more radical alteration, with the action transferred to thirteenth-century England, and with the final scene entirely replaced by a wholly new fourth act.
After it was revised and presented as Aroldo, Stiffelio was not performed again on stage, with the exception of some productions in the Iberian peninsula in the 1850s and 1860s,[3] for more than a century.
In fact, although vocal scores were known, the full score was thought to have been lost until the discovery of a copyist's score at the Naples Conservatory in the 1960s. This led to a successful revival at the Teatro Regio in Parma in 1968.
A new performing edition prepared for Bärenreiter was the basis of performances at Naples and Cologne, but it cut material (especially from the Act 1 overture and choruses), and added in sections from Aroldo which were not in the original score.
Stiffelio is believed to have received its first British performance in an English language production at the Collegiate Theatre, London, by the University College London Music Society on 14 February 1973.
Because of the cuts and additions in the Bärenreiter edition, microfilm of the Naples copyist's score was obtained to restore the composer's intentions as far as possible. Since even the original premiere was partly cut by the censors, this was probably one of the first ever authentic performances of the work.
It is often erroneously stated that the American premiere of Stiffelio was given by Sarah Caldwell and the Opera Company of Boston on 17 February 1978.
However the actual American stage premiere was given by Vincent La Selva and the New York Grand Opera on 4 June 1976 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music with Richard Taylor as Stiffelio and Norma French as Lina.
It was also revived in 1993 under rather dire circumstances as part of their comprehensive and chronological survey of the operas of Verdi.
In 1985–1986 the Teatro La Fenice in Venice mounted Aroldo and Stiffelio back to back in conjunction with an international scholarly conference which was held in Venice in December 1985.[
The Royal Opera in London presented its house premiere of Stiffelio on 25 January 1993. This production has been released on DVD with José Carreras in the title role.
In 1992, through the efforts of the Institute for Verdi Studies in Parma, it was revealed that Verdi's heirs at Sant'Agata in Villanova sull'Arda possessed most of the autograph of Stiffelio, as well as 60 pages of sketches.
The surviving manuscript pages were only lacking the "first 27 measures of recitative in the scene and duet for Lina and Stankar and 24 measures at the beginning of the stretta in the chorus and first finale" and "the concluding prayer and last finale."
Copies of the these manuscript materials were provided to the University of Chicago's The Works of Giuseppe Verdi, and a critical edition was prepared by Kathleen Kuzmick Hansell which utilized all the known material that Verdi actually wrote.
Although some important alterations in the vocal parts of the 1993 London production were based on information from the autograph, the first complete performance of the new score was given on 21 October 1993 at the Metropolitan Opera house in New York.
The production was repeated 16 more times between October 1993 and 1998[16] and was released on DVD with Plácido Domingo in the title role.
The Met production was revived again in 2010, with Domingo conducting, and José Cura in the title role.
The new version has also been performed at La Scala and in Berlin and Los Angeles.
The Sarasota Opera presented Stiffelio in 2005 as part of its "Verdi Cycle" of all of the composer's operas to be completed by 2013. [19][20]
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 16 November 1850[21] (Conductor: -) |
|---|---|---|
| Stiffelio, a Protestant minister | tenor | Gaetano Fraschini |
| Lina, his wife | soprano | Marietta Gazzaniga |
| Count Stankar, her father, an elderly colonel | baritone | Filippo Colini |
| Raffaele, Lina's lover | tenor | Ranieri Dei |
| Jorg, an elderly minister | bass | Francesco Reduzzi |
| Dorotea, Lina's cousin | mezzo-soprano | Viezzoli De Silvestrini |
| Federico, Dorotea's lover | tenor | Giovanni Petrovich |
Instrumentation
Stiffelio is scored for the following instruments:[14]
1 flute (doubling on piccolo), 2 oboes (one doubling on English horn), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, cimbasso, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, organ, strings (violin I and II, viola, cello, double bass)
Synopsis
- Place: Count Stankar's castle by the River Salzbach, Germany
- Time: Early 19th Century
Act 1
Scene 1: A hall in Count Stankar's castleStiffelio, a minister, is expected to return from a mission. His wife Lina, her father Stankar, and her cousins Dorotea and Federico are waiting for him. In addition, there is Raffaele who, unknown to all, is Lina 's lover. Stiffelio arrives and recounts how the castle's boatman has told him the strange story of having seen a man and a woman escaping from a castle window and, as they did so, dropping a packet of letters, which Stiffelio now holds. Refusing to learn by opening the package who was involved, he throws the letters into the fire, much to the relief of Lina and Raffaele. Secretly, Raffaele communicates to Lina that he will leave instructions as where they may next meet inside a locked volume in the library.
After he has been greeted by friends, Lina and Stiffelio are left alone (Non ha per me un acento – "She has no word for me, not a glance"). He tells her of the sin he has witnessed (Vidi dovunque gemere – "Everywhere I saw virtue groan beneath the oppressor's yoke") and then notices that her wedding ring is not on her finger. Angrily, he demands to know why (Ah v'appare in fronte scritto – "Ah, clearly written on your brow is the shame that wages war in your heart"), but Stankar arrives to escort him to the celebrations being arranged by his friends. Alone, Lina is filled with remorse (A te ascenda, O Dio clemente - "Let my sighs and tears ascend to thee, O merciful God").
Scene 2: The same, later
Deciding to write a confession to Stiffelio, Lina begins to write, but her father enters and grabs the letter, which he reads aloud. Stankar rebukes her (Dite che il fallo a tergere - "Tell him that your heart lacks the strength to wash away your sins", but is determined to preserve family honor and cover up his daughter's behavior (Ed io pure in faccia agli uomoni - "So before the face of mankind I must stifle my anger"). In their duet, father and daughter come to some resolve (O meco venite - "Come now with me; tears are of no consequence") and they leave.
Now Raffaele enters to place the note in the volume, which has been agreed to. Jorg, the elderly preacher, observes this just as Federico arrives to take the volume away. Jorg's suspicions fall upon Federico and he shares what he knows with Stiffelio. Seeing the volume and realizing that it is locked, he is told that Lina has a key. She is summoned, but when she refuses to unlock it, Stiffelio grabs it and breaks it open. The incriminating letter falls out, but it is quickly taken up by Stankar and torn into many pieces, much to the fury of Stiffelio.
Act 2
A graveyard near the castleLina has gone to her mother's grave at the cemetery to pray (Ah dagli scanni eternei - "Ah, from among the ethereal thrones, where, blessed, you take your seat"), but Raffaele joins her. She immediately asks him to leave. He laments her rejection (Lina, Lina! Perder dunquevoi volete - "Lina, then you wish to destroy this unhappy, betrayed wretch" and refuses to go (Io resto - "I stay"). Stankar arrives, demands that his daughter leave, and then challenges Raffaele to a duel. Stiffelio arrives, and announces that no fighting can take place in a cemetery. There is an attempt at conciliation whereby the priest takes Stankar's hand and then Raffaelo's, joining them together. However, Stankar reveals that Stiffelio has touched the hand of the man who betrayed him! Not quite understanding at first, Stiffelio demands that the mystery be solved. As Lina returns demanding her husband's forgiveness, Stiffelio begins to comprehend the situation (Ah, no! E impossibile - "It cannot be! Tell me at least that it is a lie"). Demanding an explanation, he challenges Raffaelo to fight but, as he is about to strike the younger man, Jorg arrives to summon the priest to the church from which the sound of the waiting congregation can be heard. Filled with conflicting emotions, Stiffelio drops his sword, asks God to inspire his speech to his parishioners, but, at the same time, curses his wife.
Act 3
Scene 1: A room in Count Stankar's CastleAlone in his room, Stankar reads a letter which tells him that Raffaele has fled and that he seeks to have Lina join him. He is in despair over his daughter's behaviour (Lina pensai che un angelo in te mi desse il cielo - "Lina, I thought that in you an angel brought me heavenly bliss"). For a moment, he resolves to commit suicide and begins to write a letter to Stiffelio. But Jorg enters to give him the news that he has tracked down Raffaele who will be returning to the castle. Stankar rejoices (O gioia inesprimibile, che questo core inondi! - "Oh, the inexpressible joy that floods this heart of mine!"), as he sees revenge being within reach. He leaves.
Stiffelio confronts Raffaele and asks him what he would do if Lina were free, offering him a choice between "a guilty freedom" and "the future of the woman you have destroyed". The younger man does not respond, and the priest tells him to listen to his encounter with Lina from the other room. Stiffelio lays out the reason that their marriage can be annulled (Opposto è il calle che in avvenire - "Opposite are the paths that in future our lives will follow"). Lina's reaction, when presented with the divorce decree, is to swear an on-going love for her husband ("I will die for love of you"). Appealing to Stiffelio more as a priest than as a husband, Lina confesses that she has always loved him and she still does. Stankar enters to announce that Raffaele is dead and Jorg tries to convince Stiffelio to come to the church service (Ah si, voliamo al tempio - "Ah, yes, let us flee to the church").
Scene 2: A church
In the church, Stiffelio mounts the pulpit and opens the Bible to the story of the adulterous woman (John 7:53-8:11. As he reads the words of forgiveness (perdonata) he looks at Lina and it is clear that she too is forgiven.
Recordings
| Year | Cast (Stiffelio, Lina, Stankar, Jorg) | Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra | Label[22] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Gastone Limarilli, Angeles Gulin, Walter Alberti, Beniamino Prior | Peter Maag, Teatro Regio di Parma orchestra and chorus | Audio CD: Melodram Milano Cat: CDM 27033 |
| 1979 | José Carreras, Sylvia Sass, Matteo Manuguerra, Wladimiro Ganzarolli | Lamberto Gardelli, ORF Symphony orchestra and chorus | Audio CD: Decca Cat: 475 6775 |
| 1993 | José Carreras, Catherine Malfitano, Gregory Yurisich, Gwynne Howell | Edward Downes, Royal Opera House orchestra and chorus | DVD: Kultur Cat: D1497 |
| 1993 | Plácido Domingo, Sharon Sweet, Vladimir Chernov, Paul Plishka | James Levine, Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus | DVD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 00440 073 4288 |
| 2001 | Mario Malagnini, Dimitra Theodossiou, Marco Vratogna, Enzo Capuano | Nicola Luisotti, Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, Trieste | Audio CD: Dynamic Cat: CDS362 |
References
Julian Budden, " Aroldo: an opera remade", in the booklet accompanying the audio CD recording by Phillips, cond: Fabio Luisi
^ Gossett, Philip (2008). "New sources for Stiffelio: A preliminary report", Cambridge Opera Journal, 5:3, pp. 199-222.
^ a b "Metropolitan Opera Broadcast: Stiffelio. Broadcast of January 30, 1:00 P.M." Opera News, 74:8 (February 2010). Accessed 7 February 2010.
- ^ Kessler, p. 236
- ^ Caldwell & Matlock, pp. 5, 226
- ^ Ericson, Raymond. "Music: Verdi's 'Stiffelio'. La Selva leads New York Grand Opera in intimate revival in Brooklyn." The New York Times, 6 June 1976. Registration and purchase required. Accessed 28 January 2010.
- ^ NYGO's web site.
- ^ Holland, Bernard. "Review/Opera; A Soggy Show Goes On. And On. And On", The New York Times, 17 July 1993. Accessed 28 January 2010.
- ^ The proceedings of the international congress have been published in Italy with the title Tornando a Stiffelio: popolarita, rifadimenti, messinscena e altre, 'cure' nella drammaturgia del Verdi romantico, ed. Giovanni Morelli (Florence: Leo S. Olschki, 1987).
- ^ Philip Gossett, "Program Note", p. 35, Metropolitan Opera Playbill, 23 January 2010.
- ^ a b c d Notes on the critical edition of Stiffelio at uchicago.edu: "All previous modern editions, including the score prepared by Edward Downes and first performed in January 1993 at Covent Garden, were based largely or entirely on secondary sources, such as the early printed vocal score and defective 19th-century manuscript copies of the full score. For the Covent Garden performances, with José Carreras as Stiffelio, Philip Gossett made preliminary corrections of the vocal parts only, based on the newly recovered autograph materials. Those materials had been exhumed by the Carrara Verdi family with the Metropolitan Opera production in view, and only happenstance permitted the Verdi edition to share some of the most important aspects with Downes. Verdi's autograph was not utilized, however, for any of the orchestral fabric, for which Downes's edition relied entirely on a 19th-century copy".
- ^ Performance of Stiffellio on 21 October 1993 at the Met Opera Archive. Accessed 28 January 2010.
- ^ Performances of Stiffelio conducted by James Levine at the Met Opera Archive. Accessed 28 January 2010.
- ^ Metropolitan Opera Playbill, 23 January 2010
- ^ Tommasini, Anthony "Music Review. 'Stiffelio': A Wife’s Betrayal, a Husband’s Internal Seething", The New York Times, 12 January 2010. Accessed 28 January 2010.
- ^ A video clip from the production can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeOuxu2vLc0
- ^ "Verdi Cycle – Sarasota Opera" at SarasotaOpera.org
- ^ List of singers taken from Budden, p. 448.
- ^ Recordings on operadis-opera-discography.org.uk
- Chusid, Martin; Kuzmick Hansell, Kathleen; Gossett, Philip, eds. (1998). Verdi's Middle Period (1849-1859): Source Studies, Analysis, and Performance Practice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-10659-5. OCLC 60191199. Also ISBN 978-0-226-10658-8.
- Gossett, Philip, Divas and Scholars: Performing Italian Opera, Chicago: University of Chicago, 2006 ISBN 978-0-226-30482-3 ISBN 0226304825
- Phillips-Matz, Mary Jane, ‘’Verdi: A Biography’’, London & New York: Oxford University Press, 1993 ISBN 0-19-313204-4
External links
- Italian libretto from www.giuseppeverdi.it
- Notes on University of Chicago's critical edition prepared in 2003 by Kathleen Kuzmik Hansell
- YouTube clip of Act III Duet, Stiffelio and Lina (Sarasota Opera)
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