Gustavo III (Verdi)
Encyclopedia
Gustavo III is an opera
by Giuseppe Verdi
to a libretto
begun in early 1857 by the Italian playwright Antonio Somma
. Never performed during Verdi's lifetime, the opera was later revised and renamed Un ballo in maschera
. A reconstruction of the original work was performed by the Gothenburg Opera
in Sweden
during the 2002/03 season.
, an opera based on Shakespeare's King Lear
. It was known to be a subject dear to the composer, but this libretto, for which Somma and Verdi had worked for some time, raised concerns for Verdi, not the least of which was finding a suitable cast in Naples.
Even though it proved to be impracticable to continue with Re Lear, Verdi signed a contract in February 1857 for performances during the 1857/58 carnival season, but, as the year progressed and with time running out, he had misgivings and failed to meet commitments regarding Lear. Finally, by September 1857 he wrote to Torelli:
Thus, after failing to come up with anything suitable, Verdi turned to the historical subject of King Gustav III of Sweden
's 1792, who was shot while attending a masked ball in Stockholm and died thirteen days later. Anckarström
, his assassin, was executed. Eugène Scribe
's libretto written for Daniel Auber
's 1833 opera Gustave III, which was first given in Paris in 1833 and which was very successful, was the basis for Somma's new libretto for Gustavo III. However, it was historically very inaccurate.
When Somma's verses (to which Verdi had contributed a significant amount, including an initial prose outline) were sent to the composer by late November 1857, the outline of the opera was complete, and Verdi had begun to create musical sketches of significant scenes. But it was at this same time that word came of the seven requirements imposed by the Naples censorship. These included that (i)"The King must become a Duke"; (ii) "the action must be transferred to a pre-Christian age"; (iii) the conspirators must not hate the Duke because they wanted to take power; and (iv) "no firearms".
Somma had several suggestions - including a 12th Century setting of which Verdi disapproved. Then he propsed Pomerania
and Verdi approved. The pair spent Christmas of 1857 together working on changes. In addition, Somma insisted that his name be changed on the libretto to "Tommaso Anoni".
occurred on 14 January 1858.
This attempt resulted in further demands: the Naples Chief of Police ruled that the opera's text would have to be entirely re-written. Verdi regarded this as outrageous and, in his letter to Somma, he lays out his objections: "I'm drowning in a sea of troubles. It's almost certain that the censors will forbid our libretto" and he continues with a list of their demands:
If these kind of changes were to be made, Somma replied, then he would insist that the title be changed and "another author be credited with the words". But Verdi had already responded to the Naples management's proposal to bring in another librettist and re-name the opera Adelia degli Adimari with a setting in 14th Century Florence: "...I cannot commit the monstrosities that were inflicted here (Naples) on Rigoletto ". Verdi rejected any involvement with Adelia and was sued by the theatre for breach of contract. In a counter suit, he claimed damages and, in giving instructions to his lawyer, he laid what he regarded as the absurdity of some of the requirements. These include the substitution of one word of the opening chorus' "Die!" for "He sleeps". In summary, he rhetorically asks:
When he received the libretto, reaction from Jacovacci, impresario of the Teatro Apollo (where Il trovatore
had been presented successfully) was encouraging, but he warned the composer that there may be problems with the censor. Verdi was surprised: "In Rome they allow Gustavo III as a spoken play but won't allow a libretto on the same subject. Very strange!"
At first, Verdi wanted the libretto returned, but Jacovacci's persistance prevailed, and it was found that the censors did not insist on such dramatic changes as originally had been though possible. However, the prime demand was the movement of Gustavo III from Europe to elsewhere. Verdi proposed Boston in the 17th Century to Somma, alternatively "the Caucasus perhaps?". Eventually, when the censors refused to allow a Duke, Somma came up with "Riccardo Conte di Varvich (Warwick)" (and refused to make other changes), and that was acceptable. But, once again, Somma refused to have his name appear on the libretto.
. Until his arrival in Rome in January 1859, Verdi was involved in completing and orchestrating the opera. Basing it as he did on the skeleton score of Un vendetta, Verdi transformed the setting and characters' names to fit the requirements. The score's text required modification to agree with Ballo and not Un vendetta, orchestration was completed, and musical changes and adjustments were made. Significant changes in the music occurred after 11 September and are detailed by Gossett
The first performance of the new opera was presented on 17 February 1859.
After Ballo became successful Verdi could probably have returned the opera to its original Swedish setting by around 1870, when Italian unification removed much of regional censorship, but he never did so. The Boston setting became "standard" until the mid-20th Century.
Ballo has become part of the standard repertory and is often performed.
in Gothenburg
, Sweden in during the 2002/03 season. The complete history of Gustavo III has been outlined by musicologist Philip Gossett
in his Divas and Scholars., but, as noted by George Loomis, for the 25% of the score which is lost:
146 years after Verdi took his libretto for Gustavo III away from the theatre for it was being prepared for an 1858 production - the Teatro San Carlo in Naples - Gustavo III was given at that theatre in January/February 2004.
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...
by Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
to a 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...
begun in early 1857 by the Italian playwright Antonio Somma
Antonio Somma
Antonio Somma was an Italian playwright who is most well known for writing the libretto of an opera which ultimately became Giuseppe Verdi's Un ballo in maschera in 1859...
. Never performed during Verdi's lifetime, the opera was later revised and renamed Un ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera , is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. The libretto is loosely based on an 1833 play, Gustave III, by French playwright Eugène Scribe who wrote about the historical assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden...
. A reconstruction of the original work was performed by the Gothenburg Opera
Gothenburg Opera
The Gothenburg Opera, , is an opera house in Gothenburg, Sweden. In marketing, the name is often spelled as "GöteborgsOperan", which however is not grammatically correct.- History :...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
during the 2002/03 season.
Background
Vincenzo Torelli, secretary to the Teatro San Carlo's management approached Verdi in early 1856 with a contract offer, the proposed opera being Re LearRe Lear
Re Lear is an Italian operatic libretto in four acts written by Antonio Somma for Giuseppe Verdi , based on King Lear, "the Shakespeare play with which Verdi struggled for so many years, but without success" ....
, an opera based on Shakespeare's King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
. It was known to be a subject dear to the composer, but this libretto, for which Somma and Verdi had worked for some time, raised concerns for Verdi, not the least of which was finding a suitable cast in Naples.
Even though it proved to be impracticable to continue with Re Lear, Verdi signed a contract in February 1857 for performances during the 1857/58 carnival season, but, as the year progressed and with time running out, he had misgivings and failed to meet commitments regarding Lear. Finally, by September 1857 he wrote to Torelli:
- " At present I'm scaling down a French drama, Gustavo III di Svezia, libretto by Scribe, performed at the Opéra twenty years ago. It's vast and grandiose; it's beautiful; but it too has conventional things in it like all operas- something I've disliked..."
Thus, after failing to come up with anything suitable, Verdi turned to the historical subject of King Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
's 1792, who was shot while attending a masked ball in Stockholm and died thirteen days later. Anckarström
Jacob Johan Anckarström
Jacob Johan Anckarström was a Swedish military officer who was convicted and executed for regicide. He was the son of Jacob Johan Anckarström the Elder. He served as a captain in King Gustav III's regiment between 1778 and 1783...
, his assassin, was executed. Eugène Scribe
Eugène Scribe
Augustin Eugène Scribe , was a French dramatist and librettist. He is best known for the perfection of the so-called "well-made play" . This dramatic formula was a mainstay of popular theater for over 100 years.-Biography:...
's libretto written for Daniel Auber
Daniel Auber
Daniel François Esprit Auber was a French composer.-Biography:The son of a Paris print-seller, Auber was born in Caen in Normandy. Though his father expected him to continue in the print-selling business, he also allowed his son to learn how to play several musical instruments...
's 1833 opera Gustave III, which was first given in Paris in 1833 and which was very successful, was the basis for Somma's new libretto for Gustavo III. However, it was historically very inaccurate.
Initial preparation of the Gustavo III libretto
Throughout the autumn of 1857 correspondence between librettist and composer flowed regularly, but on 19 October, Verdi sent a synopsis to Torelli although he immediately received a letter from the latter warning him that "a change of locale would be necessary at the very least and the poet had better be advised of this". While Verdi did not necessarily see a problem in changing location, he did lament the loss of other things: "what a pity to have to give up the pomp of a court like that of Gustavo III. Then too it will be difficult to find another monarch on the lines of that Gustavo. Poor poets, poor composers"When Somma's verses (to which Verdi had contributed a significant amount, including an initial prose outline) were sent to the composer by late November 1857, the outline of the opera was complete, and Verdi had begun to create musical sketches of significant scenes. But it was at this same time that word came of the seven requirements imposed by the Naples censorship. These included that (i)"The King must become a Duke"; (ii) "the action must be transferred to a pre-Christian age"; (iii) the conspirators must not hate the Duke because they wanted to take power; and (iv) "no firearms".
Somma had several suggestions - including a 12th Century setting of which Verdi disapproved. Then he propsed Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
and Verdi approved. The pair spent Christmas of 1857 together working on changes. In addition, Somma insisted that his name be changed on the libretto to "Tommaso Anoni".
Gustavo III becomes Una vendetta in dominò
Discussions with the censors eventually resulted in the location being changed to Stettin in Pomerania in Northern Germany, the main character becoming a Duke, and the title becoming Una vendetta in dominò. A compromise seemed to have been reached. However, as has been noted, "Verdi did not begin preparing the skeleton score for Un vendetta before composer and versifier decided on the Pomeranian setting" By the time of Verdi's arrival in Naples, he brought with him the skeleton score. With the major issues seeming to have been resolved and rehearsals of Un vendetta about to begin, an attempt to assassinate Emperor Napolean III in Paris by three Italians led by Felice OrsiniFelice Orsini
Felice Orsini was an Italian revolutionary and leader of the Carbonari who tried to assassinate Napoleon III, Emperor of the French.-Early:Felice Orsini was born at Meldola in Romagna, then part of the Papal States....
occurred on 14 January 1858.
This attempt resulted in further demands: the Naples Chief of Police ruled that the opera's text would have to be entirely re-written. Verdi regarded this as outrageous and, in his letter to Somma, he lays out his objections: "I'm drowning in a sea of troubles. It's almost certain that the censors will forbid our libretto" and he continues with a list of their demands:
- "1. Transform the hero into some great lord, so that all thought of a sovereign is eradicated.
- 2. Transform the wife into a sister.
- 3. Change the scene with the fortune-teller, and put it back into a time when people believed in such things.
- 4. No ballet.
- 5. The murder is to be behind the scenes.
- 6. Leave out completely the scene with the drawing of the name."
If these kind of changes were to be made, Somma replied, then he would insist that the title be changed and "another author be credited with the words". But Verdi had already responded to the Naples management's proposal to bring in another librettist and re-name the opera Adelia degli Adimari with a setting in 14th Century Florence: "...I cannot commit the monstrosities that were inflicted here (Naples) on Rigoletto ". Verdi rejected any involvement with Adelia and was sued by the theatre for breach of contract. In a counter suit, he claimed damages and, in giving instructions to his lawyer, he laid what he regarded as the absurdity of some of the requirements. These include the substitution of one word of the opening chorus' "Die!" for "He sleeps". In summary, he rhetorically asks:
- "what the management's drama has in common with mine:
- The title? - No
- The poet? - No
- The period? - No
- The place? - No
- The characters? - No
- The situations? - No!
- The drawing of lots? - No!
- The ball? - No!
Gustavo III is revived
However, while many of the negotiations noted above were going on, Verdi was determined to find a location for his opera, and, in March 1858, after contacting his friend, the sculptor Vincenzo Luccardi in Rome requesting information on the performances of a play Gustavo III then being presented there, he proposed that Rome stage the work. Verdi sent the libretto of the opera under the name of Gustavo III, which at that point was identical to Un vendetta but with the original setting and names restored.When he received the libretto, reaction from Jacovacci, impresario of the Teatro Apollo (where Il trovatore
Il trovatore
Il trovatore is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto...
had been presented successfully) was encouraging, but he warned the composer that there may be problems with the censor. Verdi was surprised: "In Rome they allow Gustavo III as a spoken play but won't allow a libretto on the same subject. Very strange!"
At first, Verdi wanted the libretto returned, but Jacovacci's persistance prevailed, and it was found that the censors did not insist on such dramatic changes as originally had been though possible. However, the prime demand was the movement of Gustavo III from Europe to elsewhere. Verdi proposed Boston in the 17th Century to Somma, alternatively "the Caucasus perhaps?". Eventually, when the censors refused to allow a Duke, Somma came up with "Riccardo Conte di Varvich (Warwick)" (and refused to make other changes), and that was acceptable. But, once again, Somma refused to have his name appear on the libretto.
Gustavo III becomes Un ballo in maschera
By 11 September 1858, Verdi wrote to Somma accepting the revised changes in Gustavo III, but now renamed as Un ballo in mascheraUn ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera , is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. The libretto is loosely based on an 1833 play, Gustave III, by French playwright Eugène Scribe who wrote about the historical assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden...
. Until his arrival in Rome in January 1859, Verdi was involved in completing and orchestrating the opera. Basing it as he did on the skeleton score of Un vendetta, Verdi transformed the setting and characters' names to fit the requirements. The score's text required modification to agree with Ballo and not Un vendetta, orchestration was completed, and musical changes and adjustments were made. Significant changes in the music occurred after 11 September and are detailed by Gossett
The first performance of the new opera was presented on 17 February 1859.
After Ballo became successful Verdi could probably have returned the opera to its original Swedish setting by around 1870, when Italian unification removed much of regional censorship, but he never did so. The Boston setting became "standard" until the mid-20th Century.
Ballo has become part of the standard repertory and is often performed.
Performance history of Gustave III
Gustavo III disappeared for close to one hundred and fifty years, but it again made an appearance with the publication of the critical edition of Un ballo in maschera and the subsequent "hypothetical reconstruction", based on the unorchestrated original and much of Una vendetta "grafted" onto Un ballos score, in a production by the Gothenburg OperaGothenburg Opera
The Gothenburg Opera, , is an opera house in Gothenburg, Sweden. In marketing, the name is often spelled as "GöteborgsOperan", which however is not grammatically correct.- History :...
in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden in during the 2002/03 season. The complete history of Gustavo III has been outlined by musicologist Philip Gossett
Philip Gossett
Philip Gossett is an American musicologist and historian, and recently officially retired from the post of Robert W. Reneker Distinguished Service Professor of Music at the University of Chicago...
in his Divas and Scholars., but, as noted by George Loomis, for the 25% of the score which is lost:
- "Gossett and (Ilaria) Narici (who edited the critical edition) had to use an earlier sketched version at Sant'Agata that spans the entire opera (with some gaps) but consists largely of only the melodic line. Gossett says that the sketched draft nevertheless permits one conversant with Verdi's style to reconstruct the original with a reasonable degree of probability. And the opera's final version often supplies guidance in matters of harmony and orchestration."
146 years after Verdi took his libretto for Gustavo III away from the theatre for it was being prepared for an 1858 production - the Teatro San Carlo in Naples - Gustavo III was given at that theatre in January/February 2004.
Roles
| Role |
Voice type |
|---|---|
| Gustavo Gustav III of Sweden Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia.... , King of Sweden |
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... |
| Amelia, wife of Anckarström, in love with Gustavo | 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... |
| Count Anckarström, husband of Amelia and Gustavo's secretary, best friend and confidant | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
| Oscar, Gustavo's page | coloratura soprano |
| Madame Arvidson Ulrica Arfvidsson Anna Ulrica Arfvidsson was a professional Swedish fortune-teller during the reign of Gustav III of Sweden. She was commonly known as Mamsell Arfvidsson.-Biography:... , a fortune-teller |
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... |
| A judge | tenor |
| Cristiano | bass |
| Amelia's servant | tenor |
| Count Ribbing | bass |
| Count Horn | bass |
Recordings
| Year | Cast (Gustavo III, Anckarström, Amelia, Ulrica Arfvidsson, Oscar) |
Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Thomas Lind, Krister St. Hill, Hillevi Martinpelto Hillevi Martinpelto Hillevi Martinpelto is a Swedish lyric soprano. She made her debut in Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini in 1987. She is best known for her work with John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir. With Gardiner, she has recorded Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and Idomeneo, to considerable acclaim.-... , Susanne Resmark, Carolina Sandgren |
Maurizio Barbacini, Gothenburg Opera Gothenburg Opera The Gothenburg Opera, , is an opera house in Gothenburg, Sweden. In marketing, the name is often spelled as "GöteborgsOperan", which however is not grammatically correct.- History :... House Orchestra and Chorus (Recording of the original version given under the title Gustavo III with reconstructed score from drafts written by Verdi) |
Audio CD: Dynamic Cat: CDS 426/1-2 |
External links
- Philip Gossett, "Returning Verdi's Un ballo in maschera to Sweden, Scandinavian Review, Summer 2004 on findarticles.com. Retrieved 6 April 2010