Signa (opera)

Opera originally conceived in four acts with music by the British composer Frederic H. Cowen with a libretto by Gilbert A. A'Beckett, with revisions by H.A. Rudall and Frederic Edward Weatherly after Ouida, with an Italian translation by G.A. Mazzucato, first performed in a reduced three act version at the Teatro dal Verme, Milan on 12 November 1893. It was later given in a two act version at Covent Garden, London on 30 June 1894.

The Plot:

The three act plot structure, as given at the Teatro dal Verme, was as follows:

When Signa is first presented to us he is a dreamy boy who detests the rustic life he leads with Bruno, his uncle, and Gemma and Palma, his old playmates. Music is his one passion, and his only ambition is for fame in the outside world. Bruno, a gentle-hearted old peasant, has given his whole life to the boy, and spends his days in toil that at last he may be able to buy his farm and leave it to Signa, who will thus be assured of comfort for the rest of his life. There come to the farm a travelling impresario, Sartorio, who, hearing of the boy’s wonderful genius, would take him to Naples to study. Bruno, however, drives him away and he returns to Naples accompanied by Gemma, who desires only freedom and riches. Left alone with Bruno, the boy’s discontent becomes more open, and at last the old man snatches his violin from his hands and dashes it to the ground, as the sole cause of Signa’s unhappiness.

The second act shows Signa living in apparent content with his quiet lot, but the return of Gemma and Sartorio brings back to life all his old ambitions. Gemma promises that glory and her love shall be his reward if he leaves home, & at length Bruno, seeing that the boy will never relinquish his project, consents to his departure, and the act ends as Gemma & Signa go out into the world together.

In the third act it is made evident that Gemma, prompted by her false and heartless nature, has quickly tired of Signa’s love. She will be troubled with him no longer, and bids him leave her in peace. Meanwhile, Bruno, far away on his lonely farm, has heard that Signa, driven headlong by his desperate passion, has lost all interest in his work and is at the point of ruin. He comes to seek and save him, but, meeting him outside Gemma’s house, appeals to him in vain to throw off the fetters of his fatal love. Signa refuses, and presently Bruno, finding Gemma alone, stabs her to the heart. Signa comes back to find her corpse, and in despair kills himself.

References

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Sadie, S. (ed.) (1980) The New Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians, 5.

Burton, N., Grove Music Online (ed. Macy, L.) <http://www.grovemusic.com>.

• Parker, C. J. (2007), unpublished Ph.D Thesis (University of Durham, U.K.): 'The Principal Works of Frederic H. Cowen (1852-1935)'.