Luisa Miller
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| Operas by Giuseppe Verdi |
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Oberto (1839) |
Luisa Miller is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, based on the play Kabale und Liebe by Friedrich von Schiller. The first performance was given at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples on December 8, 1849. This opera belongs to Verdi's early period.
Contents |
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, December 8, 1849[1] (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Count Walter | bass | Antonio Selva |
| Rodolfo, his son | tenor | Settimio Malvezzi |
| Federica, Duchess of Ostheim, Walter's niece | mezzo-soprano | Teresa Salandri |
| Wurm, Walter's steward | bass | Marco Arati |
| Miller, a retired soldier | baritone | Achille De Bassini |
| Luisa, his daughter | soprano | Marietta Gazzaniga |
| Laura, a village girl | mezzo-soprano | Maria Salvetti |
| A peasant | tenor | Francesco Rossi |
| Damigelle di Federica, Paggi, Famigliari, Arcieri, Abitanti del villaggio | ||
[edit] Synopsis
[edit] Act 1
Luisa loves Carlo, a young man she has met in the village. Luisa's father, Miller, is worried by this mysterious love. He is approached by a courtier, Wurm, who is in love with Luisa and wishes to marry her. Miller tells him that he will never make a decision against his daughter's will. Irritated by his reply, Wurm reveals to Miller that in reality Carlo is Rodolfo, Count Walter's son.
At Count Walter's castle, Wurm informs his master of Rodolfo's love for Luisa. The count has decided that Rodolfo will marry his niece Federica, the Duchess of Ostheim, and calls his son to tell him. When Rodolfo is left alone with Federica, he confesses that he loves another woman, hoping that the duchess will understand. But Federica is too much in love with him to understand.
Meanwhile, at Miller's house, the old man tells his daughter who Rodolfo really is. Rodolfo arrives and admits his deception but swears that his love is sincere: kneeling in front of Miller he declares that Luisa is his bride. Count Walter enters and orders that Luisa and her father be arrested. Rodolfo stands up against his father and threatens him: if he does not free the girl, Rodolfo will reveal how Walter became count. Walter is frightened and frees Luisa.
[edit] Act 2
Miller is in prison: having dared to draw his sword before the count, he is to be executed. Wurm goes to Luisa's house to offer a bargain: her father's freedom in exchange for a letter in which Luisa declares her love for Wurm and states that she has tricked Rodolfo.
At the castle Walter and Wurm recall how the count rose to power by killing his own cousin. Rodolfo too, Wurm relates, knows of this. The Duchess Federica and Luisa enter. The girl confirms the contents of her letter. In his own apartment Rodolfo reads Luisa's letter. The young man has challenged Wurm to a duel. To avoid the confrontation the courtier fires his pistol in the air, bringing the count and his servants running in. Count Walter advises Rodolfo to revenge the offense he has suffered by marrying Duchess Federica.
[edit] Act 3
In the distance echoes of the celebration of Rodolfo and Federica's wedding can be heard. Old Miller, freed from prison, comes back home. He enters his house and embraces his daughter. Luisa is determined to take her own life, but Miller manages to persuade her to stay with him. Alone now, Luisa continues praying. Rodolfo slips in and unseen pours poison into the water jug on the table. He then asks Luisa if she really wrote the letter in which she declared her love for Wurm. "Yes," the girl replies. Rodolfo drinks a glass of water then passes a glass to Luisa and invites her to drink. Then he tells her that they are both condemned to die. Before she dies Luisa has time to tell Rodolfo the truth about the letter. After she dies some peasants enter with Count Walter and Wurm and before he too dies, Rodolfo runs his sword through Wurm's breast.
[edit] Noted arias
- "Ah fu giusto il mio sospetto" - Miller in Act I, Scene 1
- "Lo vidi e'l primo palpito" - Luisa Miller in Act I, Scene 1
- "Sacra la scelta è d'un consorte" - Miller in Act I, Scene 1
- "Il mio sangue la vita darei" - Count Walter in Act I, Scene 2
- "A brani, a brani, o perfido" - Luisa Miller in Act II, Scene 1
- "Tu puniscimi, O Signore" - Luisa Miller in Act II, Scene 1
- "L'ara o l'avella apprestami" - Rodolfo in Act II, Scene 3
- "Quando le sere al placido" - Rodolfo in Act II, Scene 3
[edit] Selected recordings
| Year | Cast (Luisa, Rodolfo, Miller, Federica, Count Walter, Wurm) |
Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Anna Moffo, Carlo Bergonzi, Cornell MacNeil, Shirley Verrett, Giorgio Tozzi, Ezio Flagello |
Fausto Cleva, RCA Italiana Opera Chorus and Orchestra |
Audio CD: RCA Victor |
| 1979 | Renata Scotto, Plácido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, Jean Kraft, Bonaldo Giaiotti, James Morris |
James Levine, Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus |
DVD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 00440 073 4027 |
Note: "Cat:" is short for catalogue number by the label company; "ASIN" is amazon.com product reference number.
[edit] Notes
- ^ List of singers taken from Budden, Julian: The Operas of Verdi (Cassell), vol 1, p. 418.
