ENJ P7(U15 20 ) 41-67 2PP.qxd
Transcript
ENJ P7(U15 20 ) 41-67 2PP.qxd
ENJ P7(U15 20 ) 41-67 2PP.qxd 8/31/06 3:49 PM Page 419 63I]Z:c_dnbZcid[Bjh^XEVX`V\Z Verdi and Italian Opera I]ZCdgidcGZXdgY^c\h I]ZDca^cZA^hiZc^c\AVW Listening Guide HijYnHeVXZ oll ) - Verdi: Rigoletto, Act III, excerpts 89"GDB 89"GDB 1851, Venice FIRST PERFORMANCE: I]Z:c_dnbZcid[Bjh^X Francesco Maria Piave LIBRETTIST: Play, Le roi s’amuse, by Victor Hugo BASIS: 89"GDB I]Z:c_dnbZcid[Bjh^X! H]dgiZg I]ZCdgidcHXdgZh I]Z:c_dnbZcid[Bjh^X! H]dgiZgZWdd` HijYn<j^YZ MAJOR CHARACTERS: The Duke of Mantua (tenor) Rigoletto, the Duke’s jester, a hunchback (baritone) Gilda, Rigoletto’s daughter (soprano) Sparafucile, an assassin (bass) Maddalena, Sparafucile’s sister (contralto) WHAT TO LISTEN FOR: Opening orchestral ritornello that returns in the middle and end to unify the aria. Memorable aria in a lilting triple meter, with 2 verses sung strophically. Quartet reflects the emotions and points of view of each character: the Duke, Maddalena, Gilda, and Rigoletto. Aria: ‘‘La donna è mobile’’ (Duke) Form: Strophic, with refrain Orchestral introduction previews the Duke’s solo; opening melody of aria: >. œ œœ K ¼ # # # # 3 ∑ œ. œ. œ. & #8 J J J La don - na è mo - bi - le œ. J œ. J > œ. œ . œ œ J qual pium - a al ven - to, œ œ œ äåœ . œ œ J J J mut - a d’ac - cen - to The Duke, in a simple cavalry officer’s uniform, sings in the inn; Sparafucile, Gilda, and Rigoletto listen outside. DUKE La donna è mobile qual piuma al vento, muta d’accento, e di pensiero. sempre un amabile leggiadro viso, in pianto o in riso, è menzognero. La donna è mobile, etc. Woman is fickle like a feather in the wind, she changes her words and her thoughts. Always lovable, and a lovely face, weeping or laughing, is lying. Woman is fickle, etc. È sempre misero chi a le s’affida, chi lei confida mal cauto il core! pur mai non sentesi felice appieno chi su quel seno The man’s always wretched who believes in her, whorecklessly entrusts his heart to her! And yet one who never drinks love on that breast never feels Listening Guide continues 419 ENJ P7(U15 20 ) 41-67 2PP.qxd 420 8/31/06 3:49 PM Page 420 CHORAL AND DRAMATIC MUSIC IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY non liba amore! La donna è mobile, etc. entirely happy! Woman is fickle, etc. Sparafucile comes back in with a bottle of wine and two glasses, which he sets on the table; then he strikes the ceiling twice with the hilt of his long sword. At this signal, a laughing young woman in gypsy dress leaps down the stairs: the Duke runs to embrace her, but she escapes him. Meanwhile Sparafucile has gone into the street, where he speaks softly to Rigoletto. S PA R A F U C I L E È là il vostr’uomo . . . Viver dee o morire? Your man is there . . . Must he live or die? RIGOLETTO Più tardi tornerò l’opra a compire. I’ll return later to complete the deed. Sparafucile goes off behind the house toward the river. Gilda and Rigoletto remain in the street, the Duke and Maddalena on the ground floor. Quartet: ‘‘Un dì’’ (Duke, Maddalena, Gilda, Rigoletto) DUKE Un dì, se ben rammentomi, o bella, t’incontrai . . . Mi piacque di te chiedere, e intesi che qui stai. Or sappi, che d’allora sol te quest’alma adora! One day, if I remember right, I met you, O beauty . . . I was pleased to ask about you, and I learned that you live here. Know then, that since that time my soul adores only you! G I L DA Iniquo! Villain! M A D DA L E NA Ah, ah! . . . e vent’altre appresso le scorda forse adesso? Ha un’aria il signorino da vero libertino . . . DUKE Ha, ha! . . . And does it now perhaps forget twenty others? The young gentleman looks like a true libertine . . . (starting to embrace her) Sí . . . un mostro son . . . Yes . . . I’m a monster . . . G I L DA Ah padre mio! Ah, Father! M A D DA L E NA Lasciatemi, stordito. Let me go, foolish man! DUKE Ih che fracasso! Ah, what a fuss! M A D DA L E NA Stia saggio. Be good. DUKE E tu sii docile, non fare tanto chiasso. Ogni saggezza chiudesi nel gaudio e nell’amore. And you, be yielding, don’t make so much noise. All wisdom concludes in pleasure and in love. ENJ P7(U15 20 ) 41-67 2PP.qxd 8/31/06 3:49 PM Page 421 63 La bella mano candida! Verdi and Italian Opera (He takes her hand.) What a lovely, white hand! M A D DA L E NA Scherzate voi, signore. You’re joking, sir. DUKE No, no. No, no. M A D DA L E NA Son brutta. I’m ugly. DUKE Abbracciami. Embrace me. G I L DA Iniquo! Villain! M A D DA L E NA Ebro! You’re drunk! DUKE D’amor ardente. With ardent love. M A D DA L E NA Signor l’indifferente, vi piace canzonar? My indifferent sir, would you like to sing? DUKE No, no, ti vo’ sposar. No, no, I want to marry you. M A D DA L E NA Ne voglio la parola. I want your word. DUKE (ironic) Amabile figliuola! RIGOLETTO Lovable maiden! (to Gilda, who has seen and heard all) È non ti basta ancor? Isn’t that enough for you yet? G I L DA Iniquo traditor! Villainous betrayer! M A D DA L E NA Ne voglio la parola. I want your word. DUKE Amabile figliuola! Lovable maiden! RIGOLETTO È non ti basta ancor? Isn’t that enough for you yet? Listening Guide continues 421 ENJ P7(U15 20 ) 41-67 2PP.qxd 422 8/31/06 3:49 PM Page 422 CHORAL AND DRAMATIC MUSIC IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY Quartet (2nd part): ‘‘Bella figlia’’ (Duke, Maddalena, Gilda, Rigoletto) Overall form: A-B-A'-C Diagram showing how characters interact in the ensemble and how they fit into the musical structure: Section: A B C Coda all characters all characters Gilda Soprano: Maddelena Alto: Tenor: A' Duke Duke Rigoletto Baritone: Opening melody of ‘‘Bella figlia,’’ sung by Duke: b b b c bœj. k j œ. œ. œ. ä ä œ œ b œ œ J J J & b Bel - la fi - glia dell’ a - mo ˙ - j k j . . . Œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ ää œ œ J J J re, schia - vo son de’ vez - zi tuo ˙ - i, DUKE Bella figlia dell’amore, schiavo son de’ vezzi tuoi; con un detto sol tu puoi le mie pene consolar. Vieni, e senti del mio core il frequente palpitar . . . Con un detto sol tuo puoi le mie pene consolar. Beautiful daughter of love, I am the slave of your charms; with a single word you can console my sufferings. Come, and feel the quick beating of my heart . . . With a single word you can console my sufferings. (Many text lines repeated) A M A D DA L E NA Ah! ah! rido ben di core, chè tai baie costan poco. Ha! Ha! I laugh heartily, for such tales cost little. G I L DA Ah! cosí parlar d’amore . . . Ah! To speak thus of love . . . M A D DA L E NA Quanto valga il vostro gioco, mel credete, sò apprezzar. Believe me, I can judge how much your game is worth. G I L DA . . . a me pur l’infame ho udito! . . . I too have heard the villain so! RIGOLETTO (to Gilda) Taci, il piangere non vale. Hush, weeping is of no avail. G I L DA Infelice cor tradito, per angoscia non scoppiar. No, no! Unhappy, betrayed heart, do not burst with anguish. Ah, no! M A D DA L E NA Son avvezza, bel signore, ad un simile scherzare. Mio bel signor! I’m accustomed, handsome sir, to similar joking. My handsome sir! B ENJ P7(U15 20 ) 41-67 2PP.qxd 8/31/06 3:49 PM Page 423 64 Wagner and the Music Drama DUKE Bella figlia dell’amore, etc. Vieni! Beautiful daughter of love, etc. Come! A' RIGOLETTO Ch’ei mentiva sei sicura. Taci, e mia sarà la cura la vendetta d’affrettar. sì, pronta fia, sarà fatale, io saprollo fulminar. taci, taci . . . You are sure that he was lying. Hush, and I will take care to hasten vengeance. Yes, it will be swift and fatal, I will know how to strike him down. Hush, hush . . . A L L C H A R AC T E R S Repeated text from above. C Coda, featuring all characters. 64 Wagner and the Music Drama ‘‘How strange! Only when I compose do I fully understand the essential meaning of my works. Everywhere I discover secrets which hitherto had remained hidden to my eyes.’’ KEY POINTS o o The German composer Richard Wagner revolutionized opera with his idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk—a total work of art unifying all elements. Wagner’s operas—called music dramas—are not sectional (in arias, ensembles, and the like) but are continuous; they are unifed by leitmotifs, or BA o o StudySpace online at www.wwnorton.com/enjoy recurring themes, that represent a person, place, or idea. The emotional quality of Wagner’s music is heightened by his extensive use of chromatic dissonance. Wagner’s most famous work is his four-opera cycle, The Ring of the Nibelung. Richard Wagner looms as the single most important phenomenon in the artistic life of the later nineteenth century. Historians often divide the period into ‘‘before’’ and ‘‘after Wagner.’’ The course of post-Romantic music is unimaginable without the impact of this complex and fascinating figure. His Life Richard Wagner (1813–1883) was born in Leipzig, the son of a minor police official who died when Richard was still an infant. The future composer was almost entirely self-taught; he received in all about six months of instruction in music theory. At twenty, he abandoned his academic studies at the University of Leipzig and obtained Early years 423