Belisario
Belisario (Belisarius) is a tragedia lirica, or opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after Luigi Marchionni's adaptation of Eduard von Schenk's play. The plot is loosely based on the life of the famous general Belisarius of the 6th century Byzantine Empire. It premiered to critical and popular success on 4 February 1836 at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice, and was given an additional 17 performances that season[1]
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[edit] Performance history
The opera's popularity continued through the 19th century, with stagings in 31 cities both in Europe and America.[1]. It's first performance in London took place on 1 April 1837, but it only reached the United States on 29 July 1843 in Phildelphia and later in New York on 14 February 1844[1].
After an 1899 performance in Coblenz, the opera disappeared and modern productions have been rare. Revivals took place in 1969 (La fenice), 1970 (Bergamo), 1972 (London), 1973 (Naples), 1981 (Buenos Aires), and 1990 (New Jersey).[1] Most notable amongst performers in the leading female role has been Leyla Gencer.
The BBC Symphony Orchestra will present a concert performance in London on 28 October 2012.[2]
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 4 February 1836 (Conductor: — ) |
|---|---|---|
| Antonina, Belisario's wife | soprano | Carolina Ungher |
| Irene, their daughter | mezzo-soprano | Antonietta Vial |
| Belisario, general of the army | baritone | Celestino Salvatori |
| Giustiniano, emperor of the Orient | bass | Saverio Giorgi |
| Alamiro, prisoner of Belisario | tenor | Ignazio Pasini |
| Eudora | soprano | Amalia Badessi |
| Eutropio, head of the imperial guard | tenor | Adone Dell'Oro |
| Eusebio, caretaker of the prison | bass | Giovanni Rizzi |
| Ottario | bass | Giovanni Rizzi |
| Senators, veterans, shepherds, guards, captives, people | ||
[edit] Synopsis
- Place: Byzantium and the Hamus mountains.
- Time: sixth century A.D.
[edit] Act 1
The hall in the emperor's palace
Irene and the populace greet the victor Belisarius. Antonina hates her husband because Proclus, the slave of Belisarius, has confessed on his deathbed, that upon command of his master he had exposed her son on the shore of the ocean, thus causing his death. The Emperor Justinian greets his commander and grants his prayer for the release of the prisoners. The captive, Alamir, who adores Belisarius, refuses to leave him. (Recitative and duet: "What do I see, does Alamir reject my gift?") The general adopts him in place of his long lost son. Irene congratulates her father, but Antonina has already begun her work of hate, by traducing Belisarius to Justinian, and the innocent man is accused of high treason and thrown into prison on the evidence of his wife.
[edit] Act 2
Before the prison
Alamir and his friends lament the fate of Belisarius, whose eyes have been put out by his enemies, falsely construing and disobeying the commands of the emperor. Alamir swears vengeance. (Aria: "Tremble, Byzantia, I will repay.") Irene clad as a youth arrives to act as guide to her father, who is about to be released from prison. (Duet: "Oh thou, who in terrible darkness.")
[edit] Act 3
In the mountains
As the clang of weapons is heard Irene leads Belisarius to a cave for safety. Alamir now leads the army of the Alannae against Byzantium to avenge Belisarius. Belisarius confronts him and recognises him as his son through an amulet. At his father's request, the son leaves the ranks of the enemies of Byzantium, and the Alannae, now under the command of Ottavio, march to Byzantium, having no fear, as the emperor's army is bereft of its leader.
Hall in Byzantium
Antonina, in remorse, tells the emperor that her testimony against Belisarius was false. Irene approaches with news of the victory and informs Antonina that Alamir is her son, and that it was the slave, not Belisarius, who had planned his death. Meanwhile the blind Belisarius has led the Byzantine army and defeated the Alann, who had threatened Byzantium, but an arrow has mortally wounded him. He is carried in dying, and the sorrowing emperor promises to be a father to Alamir and Irene.
[edit] Recordings
- Gianandrea Gavazzeni conducting the Teatro la Fenice Orchestra and Chorus with Nicola Zaccaria, Giuseppe Taddei, Leyla Gencer, Mirna Pecile, Unberto Grilli, Rina Pallini, Brundo Sebastian, Giovanni Antonini, Augusto Veronese, Alberto Carusi (live from May 14, 1969) (Opera d'Oro)
- Gianfranco Masini conducting the Teatro Colón Orchestra and Chorus with Mara Zampieri, Renato Bruson, Vittorio Terranova, Stefania Toczyska, Nino Meneghetti (live, Buenos Aires) (Myto 2 MCD 045.301)
[edit] References
- Notes
- Cited sources
- Melitz, Leo The Opera Goer's Complete Guide, 1921. (Source of the synopsis)
- Osborne, Charles, The Bel Canto Operas of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini, Portland, Oregon: Amadeus Press, 1994 ISBN 0931340713
- Other sources
- Ashbrook, William, Donizetti and His Operas, Cambridge University Press, 1982, ISBN 052123526X ISBN 0-521-23526-X
- Holden, Amanda (Ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. ISBN 0-140-29312-4
- Weinstock, Herbert, Donizetti and the World of Opera in Italy, Paris, and Vienna in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century, New York: Pantheon Books, 1963. ISBN 63-13703
[edit] External links
- Libretto (Italian)
