TOTTOLA/ROSSINI, "LA DONNA DEL LAGO"

Speranza

It’s not just about “Tanti Affetti”: he music of “La Donna del Lago”

Opera audiences at the time of the composition of La Donna del Lago held surprising sway over what actually appeared on stage.

We are used to the stereotypes of hapless singers being ridiculed by fickle audiences who may or may not have known much about the art that was before them.

The public made its feelings known to composers not just through boos or cheers but also through formal petitions.

In 1824, the administration of the Paris Opera made a precise request to Rossini.

The public strongly asks that the music played by the stage band in La Donna del Lago be suppressed.


In fact, the stage band is quite central to the musical current in this opera and its use remains a challenge to this day.

Imagine if Rossini had used bag-pipes instead of hunting horns.

Rossini dispenses with an overture.

This is somewhat ironic since Rossini is best known to the general public for his overtures.

But he gets right to the point of the drama, and the opening chords permeate the entire development of the opera.

Elena’s opening aria, “ Oh mattutini albori”, a barcarola is pervaded with an elusive and subtle eroticism.

This barcarola is the “leit-motiv” which gives this opera some of its Romantic feel.

ELENA DUGLAS's barcarola is followed by the appearance of the king of Scotland, Giacomo V, and the drama commences.

Giacomo is enchanted with Elena, and his presence has in turn aroused feelings of restlessness in her.

She believes that these feelings are caused by her longing to see Malcom, who has not yet appeared.

The sensual duet between Uberto and Elena, one of Rossini’s prettiest dialogues of love, is full of passion (and Elena is full of trills, whereas her interactions with the contralto are never so 'hot') because Rossini is free from any necessity to paint a direct encounter between lovers.

In fact, this is a very unusual love duet because it is not between two lovers. Or rather, not between ELENA and whom she thinks she loves: "MALCOM GROEME", to use Rossini's spelling.

Malcom makes his appearance.

Just a reminder that Malcom is a trouser role sung by a mezzo.

He is perhaps the most interesting figure in this opera.

Malcom's vocalization has its roots in the tradition of the androgynous characters, he belongs to Romantic culture.

His interpretive powers need to be enough to give emotion and presentiment to a cabaletta.

Malcom stands out for his natural sensitivity, and noble pride, and may be characterized as a negative hero or anti-hero, destined to give weight to Elena’s uncertainty and magnanimity to Giacomo’s renunciation.

Malcom’s entrance “Mura Felici”.


GIACOMO DUGLAS, Elena’s father, and Rodrigo di Dhu, whom her father insists she marry have not yet appeared.

Their music tends to reinforce these not particularly sympathetic characters, and although they are instrumental to the plot, they are not really central to it.

When Giacomo reappears looking for Elena he sings “Oh fiamma soave” which is not only a manifesto of pure singing in which the refinements of belcanto virtuosity are translated into emotion, but also a profession of sublime nobility, of intense sincerity.

The confrontation with Elena – the confession of love, sets off a scene of beauty, nostalgia and foreboding.

Rossini basically lets us know that the die is cast, even before Uberto offers Elena the ring that will secure her safety.

Musically, this seems to be the most critical scene in the opera, and somehow Rossini explains to us all the nature of Uberto’s kind-hearted gesture.

This is a far cry from the clemency in Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito or even Rossini’s own Aureliano in Palmyra.

It is something deeper and more mysterious.

Not exactly Romanticism, but certainly Rossini examining “the rule of the senses”.

Fast forward to the obligatory happy ending.

Duglas is pardoned and ushered off the stage without further musical comment.

Rodrigo is no longer alive.

Malcom is pardoned by his King but there is no exchange between Elena and Malcom.

This is where “Tanti Affetti” appears.

With this aria, the opera falls into conventionalism.

Although this is the “show piece” of this work, one might get the feeling that Rossini wasn’t quite sure how to tie things up.

The cavatina is resplendent with joy, a joy difficult to understand once Giacomo has left the stage (in some productions he’s still on stage, but out of the action).

Furthermore, in looking to the text, when Elena comes to the word “felicita” there is a suspension in the vocal part, a pause on the strong beat that sounds like an unnatural hesitation.

The chorus in the meantime sings “avversita”.

The use of full orchestra AND the band during the cabaletta seems to be a way for Rossini to suggest to us that there is a double truth – the happy ending and the shadows the music casts on the text.

So, maybe those audiences of long ago wanted the band off the stage so they did not have to deal with this double truth?