Robert Bruce (opera)
Robert Bruce | |
---|---|
Pastiche opera by | |
Librettist | |
Language | French |
Based on | History of Scotland by Walter Scott |
Premiere | 30 December 1846 Salle Le Peletier, Paris |
Robert Bruce is an 1846
Background
After Rossini's arrival in Paris in 1843 for medical treatment, he was visited by
Rossini went back to his home in Bologna, where in June 1846 he was again visited by Pillet, who was accompanied by librettist Gustave Vaëz, and Louis Niedermeyer.[5] The result (which also involved Vaëz's regular collaborator Alphonse Royer as co-librettist) was Robert Bruce, an elaborate pasticcio, based on music not only from La donna del lago and Zelmira, but also from Bianca e Falliero, Torvaldo e Dorliska, Armida, Mosè in Egitto, and Maometto II.[6] Niedermeyer apparently wrote the necessary recitatives.[7]
Premiere
Rossini was clearly involved in the collaboration but did not attend the premiere in Paris.[8] The production included a ballet with the dancers Lucien Petipa, Henri Desplaces, Adèle Dumilâtre, and Maria Jacob, and choreography by Joseph Mazilier.[9] The décor was designed by Joseph Thierry (Act 1); Charles Cambon, Jules Diéterle, and Édouard Desplechin (Act 2); and René Philastre and Charles Cambon (Act 3). The costumes were designed by Paul Lormier.[10] It was a moderate success, but the opera was the subject of much criticism from Hector Berlioz, among others.[8]
Roles
Role | Voice type | Premiere cast,[9][11] 30 December 1846[a] |
---|---|---|
Robert Bruce , King of Scotland
|
baritone | Paul Barroilhet |
Édouard II, King of England | tenor | Louis Paulin |
Douglas, Lord of Douglas | bass | Raffaele Anconi |
Marie, his daughter | mezzo-soprano | Rosine Stoltz |
Dickson, a highlander of Stirling | bass | Bessin |
Nelly, his daughter | soprano | Maria Nau |
Arthur, an official in the service of Édouard | tenor | Jérémie Bettini |
Morton, an English captain | bass | Rommy |
Édouard's page | musichetto
|
Moisson |
A bard | bass | |
English knights, soldiers and pages, ladies of the Court of England, Scottish bards, Bruce's knights and soldiers, gypsies, jugglers |
Recordings
Year | Cast (Robert Bruce, Marie, Nelly, Eduard II, Douglas) |
Conductor, opera house and orchestra |
Label[12] |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Nicolas Rivenq, Iano Tamar, Inga Balabanova, Davide Cicchetti, Massimiliano Chiarolla |
Paolo Arrivabene, Orchestra Internazionale d'Italia and the Bratislava Chamber Choir, (Recorded from a performance in the Palazzo Ducale, Martina Franca, as part of the Festival della Valle d'Itria) |
Dynamic Cat: CDS 421/1-2 |
References
Notes
- ^ a b Osborne 1986, p. 288. In his second edition (2007), Osborne gives the date of the premiere on p. 137 as 23 December and on p. 357 as 30 December. Weinstock 1968, p. 238 explains that the premiere was originally scheduled for 23 December, which is the date found in the printed libretto, but was postponed to 30 December because the lead mezzo-soprano, Rosine Stoltz, was ill. See also Le Ménestrel, vol. 14, no, 4 (27 December 1846).
Citations
- ^ Osborne 2007, pp. 136–137.
- ^ Weinstock 1968, p. 238.
- ^ Weinstock 1968, p. 231.
- ^ Everist 2009, p. 39.
- ^ Weinstock 1968, p. 237.
- ^ Everist 2009, p. 32.
- ^ Everist 2009, pp. 39–40.
- ^ a b Osborne 1986, p. 98
- ^ a b Tamvaco 2000, p. 877.
- ^ Wild 1987, p. 229.
- ^ Casaglia 2005; Weinstock 1968, p. 462
- ^ Recording(s) on operadis-opera-discography.org.uk
Works cited
- Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Robert Bruce, 30 December 1846". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
- ISBN 978-0-521-88998-8.
- Osborne, Richard (1986). Rossini. London: Dent. ISBN 0-460-03179-1.
- Osborne, Richard (2007). Rossini (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-518129-6.
- ISBN 978-2-271-05685-6.
- ISBN 978-0-87910-071-1.
- ISBN 9782717717532.