Giulietta e Romeo (Vaccai)
Encyclopedia
Giulietta e Romeo is an opera
in two acts by the Italian
composer Nicola Vaccai
. The libretto
, by Felice Romani
, is based on the tragedy by of the same name by Luigi Scevola and, ultimately, on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
. It was first performed at the Teatro alla Canobbiana
, Milan
on 31 October 1825. It was Vaccai's last major success, although he wrote another 9 operas.
The opera was also first performed in Barcelona on 26 May 1827, Paris on 11 September 1827, Lisbon in the autumn of 1828, London on 10 April 1832, and Mexico in July of 1841. It was first performed in Graz
(in a German translation by I. C. Kollmann) on 12 October 1833 and Budapest
(also in Kollmann's translation) on 31 July 1845.
On 27 October 1832, during a performance of Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi
in Bologna, the next to last scene of Vaccai's opera was substituted for the last act of the Bellini opera. This was done at the request of the Romeo, Maria Malibran
, and became frequent practice during the remainder of the 19th century. It was almost always done this way in Italy, and in this guise this portion of Vaccai's opera continued to be performed up to as late as 8 September 1897, when it was presented in this manner in Hamburg.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in two acts by the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
composer Nicola Vaccai
Nicola Vaccai
Nicola Vaccai was an Italian composer, particularly of operas, and a singing teacher.-Life and career as a composer:...
. The libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
, by Felice Romani
Felice Romani
Felice Romani was an Italian poet and scholar of literature and mythology who wrote many librettos for the opera composers Donizetti and Bellini. Romani was considered the finest Italian librettist between Metastasio and Boito.-Biography:Born Giuseppe Felice Romani to a bourgeois family in Genoa,...
, is based on the tragedy by of the same name by Luigi Scevola and, ultimately, on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
. It was first performed at the Teatro alla Canobbiana
Teatro Lirico (Milan)
The Teatro Lirico is a theatre in Milan, Italy. In the 19th and early 20th centuries it was particularly notable for opera performances, including the world premieres of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore and Giordano's Fedora. The theatre, located on Via Rastrelli, closed in 1998...
, Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
on 31 October 1825. It was Vaccai's last major success, although he wrote another 9 operas.
The opera was also first performed in Barcelona on 26 May 1827, Paris on 11 September 1827, Lisbon in the autumn of 1828, London on 10 April 1832, and Mexico in July of 1841. It was first performed in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
(in a German translation by I. C. Kollmann) on 12 October 1833 and Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
(also in Kollmann's translation) on 31 July 1845.
On 27 October 1832, during a performance of Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi
I Capuleti e i Montecchi
I Capuleti e i Montecchi is an Italian opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini.The libretto by Felice Romani was a reworking of the story of Romeo and Juliet for an opera by Nicola Vaccai called Giulietta e Romeo. This was based on Italian sources rather than taken directly from Shakespeare...
in Bologna, the next to last scene of Vaccai's opera was substituted for the last act of the Bellini opera. This was done at the request of the Romeo, Maria Malibran
Maria Malibran
The mezzo-soprano Maria Malibran , was one of the most famous opera singers of the 19th century. Malibran was known for her stormy personality and dramatic intensity, becoming a legendary figure after her death at age 28...
, and became frequent practice during the remainder of the 19th century. It was almost always done this way in Italy, and in this guise this portion of Vaccai's opera continued to be performed up to as late as 8 September 1897, when it was presented in this manner in Hamburg.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast |
|---|---|---|
| Giulietta | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Joséphine de Méric |
| Romeo | contralto Contralto Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above... (en travesti En travesti Travesti is a theatrical term referring to the portrayal of a character in an opera, play, or ballet by a performer of the opposite sex. Some sources regard 'travesti' as an Italian term, some as French. Depending on sources, the term may be given as travesty, travesti, or en travesti... ) |
Adele Cesari |
| Capellio | tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Giovanni Battista Verger Giovanni Battista Verger Giovanni Battista Verger was an Italian operatic tenor and impresario. He particularly excelled in the operas of Gioachino Rossini and Gaetano Donizetti.-Biography:... |
| Adele | soprano | |
| Tebaldo | bass | Raffaele Benedetti |
| Frate Lorenzo | bass | Luigi Biondini |
Sources
- Del Teatro (in Italian)
- Amadeus Online
- Loewenberg, Alfred (1978). Annals of Opera 1597–1940 (third edition, revised). Totowa, New Jersey: Rowman and Littlefield. ISBN 9780874718515.