The Complete Opera Book Part 75

This composer, born in Lucca, Italy, June 22, 1858, first studied music in his native place as a private pupil of Angeloni. Later, at the Royal Conservatory, Milan, he came under the instruction of Ponchielli, composer of "La Gioconda," whose influence upon modern Italian opera, both as a preceptor and a composer, is regarded as greater than that of any other musician.

Puccini himself is considered the most important figure in the operatic world of Italy today, the successor of Verdi, if there is any. For while Mascagni and Leoncavallo each has one sensationally successful short opera to his credit, neither has shown himself capable of the sustained effort required to create a score vital enough to maintain the interest of an audience throughout three or four acts, a criticism I consider applicable even to Mascagni's "Lodoletta," notwithstanding its production and repet.i.tions at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, which I believe largely due to unusual conditions produced by the European war. Puccini, on the other hand, is represented in the repertoire of the modern opera house by four large works: "Manon Lescaut" (1870), "La Boheme" (1896), "Tosca"

(1900), and "Madama b.u.t.terfly" (1904). His early two-act opera, "Le Villi" (The Willis, Dal Verme Theatre, Milan, 1884), and his three-act opera, "La Fanciulla del West" (The Girl of the Golden West), 1910, have been much less successful; his "Edgar" (La Scala, Milan, 1889), is not heard outside of Italy. And his opera, "La Rondine," has not at this writing been produced here, and probably will not be until after the war, the full score being the property of a publishing house in Vienna, which, because of the war, has not been able to send copies of it to the people in several countries to whom the performing rights had been sold.

LE VILLI

"Le Villi" (The Willis), signifying the ghosts of maidens deserted by their lovers, is the t.i.tle of a two-act opera by Puccini, words by Ferdinando Fortuna, produced May 31, 1884, Dal Verme Theatre, Milan, after it had been rejected in a prize compet.i.tion at the Milan Conservatory, but revised by the composer with the aid of Boto. It is Puccini's first work for the lyric stage. When produced at the Dal Verme Theatre, it was in one act, the composer later extending it to two, in which form it was brought out at the Reggio Theatre, Turin, December 26, 1884; Metropolitan Opera House, N.Y., December 17, 1908, with Alda (_Anna_), Bonci (_Robert_), Amato (_Wulf_).

Of the princ.i.p.al characters _Wulf_ is a mountaineer of the Black Forest; _Anna_, his daughter; _Robert_, her lover. After the betrothal feast, _Robert_, obliged to depart upon a journey, swears to _Anna_ that he will be faithful to her. In the second act, however, we find him indulging in wild orgies in Mayence and squandering money on an evil woman. In the second part of this act he returns to the Black Forest a broken-down man. The Willis dance about him. From _Wulf's_ hut he hears funeral music. _Anna's_ ghost now is one of the wild dancers. While he appeals to her, they whirl about him. He falls dead.

The chorus sings "Hosanna" in derision of his belated plea for forgiveness.

Most expressive in the score is the wild dance of the Willis, who "have a character of their own, entirely distinct from that of other operatic spectres" (Streatfield). The prelude to the second act, "L'Abbandono," also is effective. Attractive in the first act are the betrothal scene, a prayer, and a waltz. "Le Villi," however, has not been a success outside of Italy.

"Manon Lescaut," on the other hand, has met with success elsewhere.

Between it and "Le Villi" Puccini produced another opera, "Edgar,"

Milan, La Scala, 1889, but unknown outside of the composer's native country.

MANON LESCAUT

Opera in four acts, by Puccini. Produced at Turin, February 1, 1893. Covent Garden, London, May 14, 1894. Grand Opera House, Philadelphia, in English, August 29, 1894; Wallack's Theatre, New York, May 27, 1898, by the Milan Royal Italian Opera Company of La Scala; Metropolitan Opera House, New York, January 18, 1907, with Caruso, Cavalieri, and Scotti.

The libretto, founded on Abbe Prevost's novel, is by Puccini, a.s.sisted by a committee of friends. The composer himself directed the production at the Metropolitan Opera House.

CHARACTERS

MANON LESCAUT _Soprano_ LESCAUT, sergeant of the King's Guards _Baritone_ CHEVALIER DES GRIEUX _Tenor_ GERONTE DE RAVOIR, Treasurer-General _Ba.s.s_ EDMUND, a student _Tenor_

_Time_--Second half of eighteenth century.

_Place_--Amiens, Paris, Havre, Louisiana.

Act I plays in front of an inn at Amiens. _Edmund_ has a solo with chorus for students and girls. _Lescaut_, _Geronte_, and _Manon_ arrive in a diligence. _Lescaut_ is taking his sister to a convent to complete her education, but finding her to be greatly admired by the wealthy _Geronte_, is quite willing to play a negative part and let the old satyr plot with the landlord to abduct _Manon_. _Des Grieux_, however, has seen her. "Donna non vidi mai simile a questa" (Never did I behold so fair a maiden), he sings in praise of her beauty.

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With her too it is love at first sight. When she rejoins him, as she had promised to, they have a love duet. "Vedete! Io son fedele alla parola mia" (Behold me! I have been faithful to my promise), she sings. _Edmund_, who has overheard _Geronte's_ plot to abduct _Manon_, informs _Des Grieux_, who has little trouble in inducing the girl to elope with him. They drive off in the carriage _Geronte_ had ordered.

_Lescaut_, who has been carousing with the students, hints that, as _Des Grieux_ is not wealthy and _Manon_ loves luxury, he will soon be able to persuade her to desert her lover for the rich Treasurer-General.

Such, indeed, is the case, and in Act II, she is found ensconced in luxurious apartments in _Geronte's_ house in Paris. But to _Lescaut_, who prides himself on having brought the business with her wealthy admirer to a successful conclusion, she complains that "in quelle trine morbide"--in those silken curtains--there's a chill that freezes her. "O mia dimora umile, tu mi ritorni innanzi" (My little humble dwelling, I see you there before me). She left _Des Grieux_ for wealth and the luxuries it can bring--"Tell me, does not this gown suit me to perfection?" she asks _Lescaut_--and yet she longs for her handsome young lover.

_Geronte_ sends singers to entertain her. They sing a madrigal, "Sulla vetta tu del monte erri, O Clori" (Speed o'er the summit of the mountain, gentle Chloe).

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Then a dancing master enters. _Manon_, _Lescaut_, _Geronte_, and old beaus and abbes, who have come in with _Geronte_, form for the dance, and a lesson in the minuet begins.

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_Lescaut_ hurries off to inform _Des Grieux_, who has made money in gambling, where he can find _Manon_. When the lesson is over and all have gone, her lover appears at the door. At first he reproaches her, but soon is won by her beauty. There is an impa.s.sioned love duet, "Vieni! Colle tue braccia stringi Manon che t'ama" (Oh, come love! In your arms enfold Manon, who loves you).

_Geronte_ surprises them, pretends to approve of their affection, but really sends for the police. _Lescaut_ urges them to make a precipitate escape. _Manon_, however, now loath to leave the luxuries _Geronte_ has lavished on her, insists on gathering up her jewels in order to take them with her. The delay is fatal. The police arrive.

She is arrested on the charge made by _Geronte_ that she is an abandoned woman.

Her sentence is banishment, with other women of loose character, to the then French possession of Louisiana. The journey to Havre for embarkation is represented by an intermezzo in the score, and an extract from Abbe Prevost's story in the libretto. The theme of the "Intermezzo," a striking composition, is as follows:

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Act III. The scene is laid in a square near the harbour at Havre. _Des Grieux_ and _Lescaut_ attempt to free _Manon_ from imprisonment, but are foiled. There is much hubbub. Then the roll is called of the women, who are to be transported. As they step forward, the crowd comments upon their looks. This, together with _Des Grieux's_ plea to the captain of the ship to be taken along with _Manon_, no matter how lowly the capacity in which he may be required to serve on board, make a dramatic scene.

Act IV. "A vast plain on the borders of the territory of New Orleans.

The country is bare and undulating, the horizon is far distant, the sky is overcast. Night falls." Thus the libretto. The score is a long, sad duet between _Des Grieux_ and _Manon_. _Manon_ dies of exhaustion.

_Des Grieux_ falls senseless upon her body.

LA BOHeME

THE BOHEMIANS

Opera in four acts by Puccini; words by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, founded on Henri Murger's book, _La Vie de Boheme_. Produced, Teatro Reggio, Turin, February 1, 1896.

Manchester, England, in English, as "The Bohemians," April 22, 1897. Covent Garden, London, in English, October 2, 1897; in Italian, July 1, 1899. San Francisco, March, 1898, and Wallack's Theatre, New York, May 16, 1898, by a second-rate travelling organization, which called itself The Milan Royal Italian Opera Company of La Scala; American Theatre, New York, in English, by Henry W. Savage's Castle Square Opera Company, November 20, 1898; Metropolitan Opera House, New York, in Italian, December 18, 1901.

CHARACTERS

RUDOLPH, a poet _Tenor_ MARCEL, a painter _Baritone_ COLLINE, a philosopher _Ba.s.s_ SCHAUNARD, a musician _Baritone_ BENOIT, a landlord _Ba.s.s_ ALCINDORO, a state councillor and follower of _Musetta_ _Ba.s.s_ PARPIGNOL, an itinerant toy vender _Tenor_ CUSTOM-HOUSE SERGEANT _Ba.s.s_ MUSETTA, a grisette _Soprano_ MIMI, a maker of embroidery _Soprano_

Students, work girls, citizens, shopkeepers, street venders, soldiers, waiters, boys, girls, etc.

_Time_--About 1830.

_Place_--Latin Quarter, Paris.

"La Boheme" is considered by many Puccini's finest score. There is little to choose, however, between it, "Tosca," and "Madama b.u.t.terfly." Each deals successfully with its subject. It chances that, as "La Boheme" is laid in the Quartier Latin, the students' quarter of Paris, where gayety and pathos touch elbows, it laughs as well as weeps. Authors and composers who can tear pa.s.sion to tatters are more numerous than those who have the light touch of high comedy. The latter, a distinguished gift, confers distinction upon many pa.s.sages in the score of "La Boheme," which anon sparkles with merriment, anon is eloquent of love, anon is stressed by despair.

Act I. The garret in the Latin Quarter, where live the inseparable quartet--_Rudolph_, poet; _Marcel_, painter; _Colline_, philosopher; _Schaunard_, musician, who defy hunger with cheerfulness and play pranks upon the landlord of their meagre lodging, when he importunes them for his rent.

When the act opens, _Rudolph_ is at a table writing, and _Marcel_ is at work on a painting, "The Pa.s.sage of the Red Sea." He remarks that, owing to lack of fuel for the garret stove, the Red Sea is rather cold.

"Questo mar rosso" (This Red Sea), runs the duet, in the course of which _Rudolph_ says that he will sacrifice the ma.n.u.script of his tragedy to the needs of the stove. They tear up the first act, throw it into the stove, and light it. _Colline_ comes in with a bundle of books he has vainly been attempting to p.a.w.n. Another act of the tragedy goes into the fire, by which they warm themselves, still hungry.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Copyright photo by Dupont

Farrar as Mimi in "La Boheme"]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Photo by Hall

Cafe Momus Scene, "La Boheme," Act II

Mimi (Rennyson), Musette (Joel), Rudolph (Sheehan)]