Jeu de Dames - Site officiel de la Fédération Française de Jeu de Dames

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Liberale, fu anche attivo nella vita politica. Voir A nna Beffort, Alexandre Soumet, sa vie et ses œuvres, Luxembourg, Beffort, 1906, pp. Presentation: Bonjour j'ai 74 ans , j'habite dans le ville de Aix-en-Provence..

It is a very clever, as well as pleasing, duet. Voir Liliane Picciola, Les tragédies de Ducis, entre Corneille et Shakespeare, « xviie siècle », 225, 2004, pp. Extraite dun roman -photos et belle rencontre. The uncle has procured the consent of Lord Walton for the union between Lord Talbot, a partisan of the Stuarts, and his daughter, although he had affianced her in the first instance to Richard Forth.

Jeu de Dames - Site officiel de la Fédération Française de Jeu de Dames - La lecture de romans , racontant une rencontre amoureuse , permet au lecteur de. Maria Rosa De Luca, Salvatore Enrico Failla et Giuseppe Montemagno, Lucca, LIM, 2007, pp.

FULL PDF - Bollettino di Studi Belliniani n. Vale solo la pena di ricordare che la nascita di questo Bollettino è il punto di arrivo di un percorso lungo e tormentato. E questo è il compito specifico del Bollettino, le caratteristiche generali del quale non saranno molto diverse da quelle dei suoi fratelli maggiori, fra i quali vogliamo ricordare in particolare, tra quelli italiani: «Bollettino del Centro rossiniano di studi», «Studi verdiani», «Studi pucciniani». Principio fondamentale e inderogabile vuol essere il rispetto del rigore e della qualità scientifica. Il primo numero presenta la struttura che intendiamo mantenere per il futuro. Il secondo saggio, di Sergio Morabito, è stato pubblicato in tedesco nel programma di sala per un allestimento della Sonnambula allo Staatsoper di Stoccarda. Ci è sembrato un esempio interessante di come la pratica teatrale possa coniugarsi alla ricerca erudita: oltre a illustrare le motivazioni di quel particolare allestimento, mette in luce una fonte del libretto in precedenza sconosciuta. Una parte importante sarà riservata alla documentazione inedita. Infine, come contributo alla presentazione di lavori in corso e dei connessi problemi metodologici, Graziella Seminara presenta il lavoro, ormai avanzato, di preparazione della nuova edizione critica dei carteggi belliniani. La tradizionale sezione delle recensioni prende in considerazione naturalmente le più importanti pubblicazioni scientifiche apparse in anni recenti in questo primo numero si risale a sei anni or sono. Tuttavia la più aggiornata musicologia odierna è ormai consapevole della necessità di non considerare la performance spettacolare, intesa nel senso più ampio musicale, recitativo, visivo , un di più effimero, estrinseco alla sostanza culturale del fenomeno operistico, bensì un aspetto fondamentale di questa. È sembrato perciò importante allargare la sezione alla recensione di testimonianze audiovideografiche relative ad allestimenti teatrali e concerti, se è il caso anche di spettacoli visti dal vivo. Tuttavia intendiamo tener ferma la distinzione tra una rivista scientifica ed una di critica militante genere degno di rispetto, ma appunto un altro genere : saranno perciò presi in considerazione solo eventi che presentino un interesse culturale generale, vuoi per i loro rapporti con la ricerca testuale come le due edizioni dei Puritani qui recensite vuoi perché si prestano a riflessioni di ordine criticointerpretativo è il caso dei due allestimenti della Sonnambula su cui interviene Emanuele Senici. Voir Paul et Victor Glachant, Un laboratoire dramaturgique. Essai critique sur le théâtre de Victor Hugo, vol. Voir A nna Beffort, Alexandre Soumet, sa vie et ses œuvres, Luxembourg, Beffort, 1906, pp. Maria Rosa De Luca, Salvatore Enrico Failla et Giuseppe Montemagno, Lucca, LIM, 2007, pp. Théâtre, Paris, Comptoir des imprimeurs unis, 1845, p. Le 7 juin, les théâtres de la capitale avaient donné des représentations gratuites. Parmi les pièces de circonstance figure Il viaggio a Reims de Rossini, sur livret de Balocchi, qui fut représenté au Théâtre-Italien. Histoire littéraire, musicale, chorégraphique, pittoresque, morale, critique, facétieuse, politique et galante de ce théâtre de 1645 à 1855, vol. Sa vie et ses œuvres, Paris, Heugel, 1868, p. Dans son Théâtre moderne. Cours de littérature dramatique Paris, Allardin, 1836, p. De toutes les œuvres de circonstance, Pharamond retint la plus grande attention, et cela malgré une musique indigente. Voir également Irving S. Confraternités littéraires et artistiques au xixe siècle, Paris, Fayard, 2013. Sur le théâtre de Soumet et la tradition classique, voir M aurizio M elai, Les derniers feux de la tragédie classique en France. Le genre tragique en France sous la Restauration et la Monarchie de Juillet, Paris, Presses Universitaires de Paris-Sorbonne, sous presse. Il a rappelé les pompes théâtrales de Versailles dans le grand siècle ». Académie royale de musique. Nombreuses sont les réminiscences de Pharamond dans Norma. Voir Benjamin Walton, Rossini in Restoration Paris. The Sound of Modern Life, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2007, p. Après les scènes i, 5 à 7, où figurent sur scène les soldats gaulois et francs, reparaît Phédora qui porte à son père le gui sacré. Phédora doit alors parler au peuple i, 8 : Phédora Écoutez! Et des temps devant moi le voile se déchire. Deux peuples sont unis! Un nouveau jour a lui! Je vois du sang romain la Gaule fécondée. La terre admire et la France est fondée! Oui, je la vois cette France immortelle, Un casque au front, des palmes dans la main, Elle a paru! Hiéros Quel nuage sanglant a voilé ce rivage! Chœur général Et le bruit de ses fers ne le réveille pas! Hiéros Il se réveille enfin ; peuples, séchez vos larmes. Clou du spectacle, la vision de la prêtresse iv, 3 se présente comme un morceau de théâtre dans le théâtre puisque Norma ment aux Gaulois en prétendant leur livrer la parole divine. Ségeste Meure un peuple odieux! La symphonie se fait entendre et Norma monte sur la pierre druidique. Les prodiges de la forêt sacrée recommencent Soumet commet ici une double entorse à la tradition classique. La source commune, pour Pharamond et Norma, de ces « prodiges de flamme » sera examinée plus avant. La prophétie proprement dite apparaît dans la seconde section de la scène, « France, France! Temps, aspect, modalité, Paris, Peeters, 1988. La publication Paris, Ribou, 1719 est suivie de plusieurs lettres, dont une « Dissertation sur les chœurs » pp. La scène de vision, du même type que celles de Pharamond et du Siège de Corinthe, est présentée dans Norma sans connotation politique ni nationaliste. La publication Tübingen, Cotta, 1803 contient la préface Über den Gebrauch des Chors in der Tragödie pp. La traduction française de Brugière de Barante parut en 1821 chez Ladvocat. Les Gaulois et les Francs se réconcilient pour partir en guerre ensemble contre leur ennemi commun. Clodion et Théomir Entends-tu la patrie, Qui nous crie : Combattez. Le Peuple Le combat. Romuald Les Romains se sont présentés! Orovèze Première au Théâtre-Italien de Paris le 7 septembre 1824 voir Jean Mongrédien, Le Théâtre-Italien de Paris 1801-1831, vol. Deuxième Groupe Orovèze Remplis ce vœu sacré. Le galliche selve quante han querce producon guerrier: qual sul gregge fameliche belve, sui romani van essi a cader! Le galliche scuri fino al tronco bagnate ne son! Sovra i flutti dei Ligeri impuri ei gorgoglia con funebre suon! Strage, strage, sterminio, vendetta! Come biade da falci mietute son di Roma le schiere cadute! Dureau de Lamalle, Première décade, tome III, Paris, Michaud et Nicolle, 1810, p. Voir également Charles Athanase Walckenaer, Géographie ancienne, historique et comparée des Gaules cisalpine et transalpine, Paris, Dufart, 1839, p. » Les graphies « Sigovèse » et « Bellovèse » étaient courantes au xix e siècle. « Sigovèse », qui contient la racine sego-, signifie ainsi « digne de la victoire ». La jeune Iphigénie, dévouée à la mort par son père, échappée au couteau de Calchas, ne va-t-elle pas assassiner son frère sur des autels inondés de sang humain? Dans les années 1760 et 1770, la production littéraire française fut traversée par une étrange « celtomanie », faite autant de fascination que de dégoût pour la civilisation celte. Les thèmes gaulois se multiplièrent au théâtre, comme dans le roman et la satire. Je le vois trop, vous ne la croyez pas Lettre de Népomucène Lemercier à M me Bonaparte, dans Isule et Orovèse, Paris, Brasseur, an xi 1803 , p. Le Blanc, qui traite précisément le même sujet. On la jouera le mercredi des cendres ; et, en attendant mieux, nous aurons le plaisir de voir sur le théâtre un peuple détrompé qui chasse ses prêtres et brise des autels arrosés de son sang. Sandorix y « abhorre les prêtres cruels » qui « offensent du Ciel la bonté, la justice », paraphrasant les propos que Le Blanc prêtait à Cyndonax. Pharamond à son grand que son crime. De fait, Voltaire devait préciser : « Ma pièce représente, sous le nom de Mahomet, le prieur des Jacobins mettant le poignard à la main de Jacques Clément » lettre à César de Missy, 1er septembre 1742, Lettres inédites de Voltaire, Paris, Didier, 1856, p. Paul Mironneau et Gérard Lahouati, Oxford, Voltaire Foundation, 2007 « Studies on Voltaire and the Eighteenth Century», 7 , pp. » A ntoine Le Blanc de Guillet, Les druides cit. Voir Robert Wiśniewski, Si fama non fallit fidem. De vingt sources tombe une onde noire. Les mornes effigies des dieux sont des ébauches sans art, des troncs informes et grossièrement taillés. Boissy, Pharamond, ou Les druides ii, 1 Le théâtre représente une forêt antique fort touffue et peu éclairée. Sous son ombrage règne une éternelle horreur », Paris, Didot, 1819, p. Sur la poétique de Lucain, voir Jean-Christophe de Nadaï, Rhétorique et poétique dans la Pharsale de Lucain. La crise de la représentation dans la poésie antique, Paris et Louvain, Peeters, 2000. On voit, dans le fond, des torrens, des rochers et des cavernes. Orovèze Guerriers, les armes de vos pères Aux rameaux du chêne ont gémi. Les armes de nos pères, Aux rameaux du chêne ont gémi. Orovèze Irminsul, que ta voix annonce Tes redoutables volontés. Chœur des guerriers et des druides Prononce! Des fantômes, des larves, des spectres montrent leurs ombres sur un fond de lumières, et par intervalle une obscurité plus terrible ressaisit la forêt mystérieuse et sacrée. Le chœur Quels spectres irrités! Une telle opposition rappelle la rencontre de Macbeth et des sorcières, au commencement de la tragédie de Shakespeare 1607. Voltaire, se souvenant de Strabon et de Tacite, employait encore le terme de « sorcière » pour qualifier certaines druidesses : Les sauvages des bords du Rhin avaient aussi des espèces de druidesses, des sorcières sacrées, dont la dévotion consistait à égorger solennellement des petits garçons et des petites filles dans de grands bassins de pierre, dont quelques-uns subsistent encore, et que le professeur Schœpflin a dessinés dans son Alsatia illustrata. Ce sont là les monuments de cette partie du monde, ce sont là nos antiquités. Les Phidias, les Praxitèle, les Scopas, les Miron, en ont laissé de différentes. Voltaire renvoie à Johann Daniel Schoepflin, Alsatia illustrata celtica romana francica, Colmar, Typographie royale, 1751. Les passages sur lesquels les auteurs du xviiie siècle se sont appuyés sont Strabon, Géographie, iv, 4. Amédée Tardieu, Paris, Hachette, 1867, p. Jean- 25 Damien Colas i, 2015 issn 2283-8716 Or, comme sur la forêt, le regard sur la personne a changé. Sa voix, sa course i, 3 et sa colère ii, 9 sont également évoquées. Il est à noter que Paul van Tieghem Ossian en France cit. Martin Bouquet, tome v, Paris, Libraires associés, 1744, p. Ce poème héroïque fut publié accompagné de deux lettres de Voltaire. Ce passage de Rudolf von Fulda Translatio Sancti Alexandri, ca 851 est cité dans Jakob Grimm, sub voce « Götter- Bilder », Deutsche Mythologie, Göttingen, Dieterichsche Buchhandlung, 1835, p. On reconnaît également dans les noms mérovingiens Clotilde et Clodomir — le deuxième fils de Norma — la racine francique chlod gloire. La religion des anciens Scandinaves, Lausanne, Payot, 2007. Tacite, Germanie, xxviii, 1-2. Cette espèce de fantôme se faisait distinguer par sa pâleur au milieu des noirs enfoncements de la forêt. Un soir je rêvais dans ce lieu. Velléda parut tout à coup. The boat had touched this silver strand Just as the Hunter left his stand, And stood concealed amid the brake, To view this Lady of the Lake. The maiden paused, as if again She thought to catch the distant strain. With head upraised, and look intent, And eye and ear attentive bent, And locks flung back, and lips apart, Like monument of Grecian art, In listening mood, she seemed to stand, The guardian Naiad of the strand ». Voir Pierino Gallo, Ossian travesti, ou Chateaubriand traducteur des Galic Antiquities, « Bulletin de la Société Chateaubriand », 56, 2013, pp. Eudore restera marqué à vie par cet exemple de courage. Clotilde, la nourrice des deux enfants, est chrétienne. Agénor ne tardera pas à se tourner iii, 1 vers le dieu du Thabor. Les deux confrontations entre Norma et Adalgise i, 5 et ii, 3 sont à cet égard exemplaires. Son exclamation : Raffermis-toi, mon âme! » énoncé lors de ses stances dans la forêt sacrée. Le second renvoi est celui du « moi » affirmé avec orgueil, emblématique de la poétique héroïque de Corneille. Pour ses adaptations de Shakespeare, Ducis travailla à partir des traductions de Pierre Antoine de La Place et de Pierre Le Tourneur. Voir Liliane Picciola, Les tragédies de Ducis, entre Corneille et Shakespeare, « xviie siècle », 225, 2004, pp. Selon la tradition classique, plusieurs narrations relatent les événements que la décence interdit de porter sur scène. Les deux références fusionnent ici. Agénor, fils aîné de Norma, raconte comment sa mère a perdu la raison v, 3. Médée et Horace de Corneille, Athalie de Racine et Macbeth de Shakespeare sont ainsi des modèles littéraires que Soumet attache au jeu de M lle George. Il est donc plausible que Soumet ait voulu créer avec cette tragédie un rôle sur mesure pour mademoiselle George, en réunissant bout à bout les plus grands moments de sa carrière. Pour écrire dignement une pareille œuvre, il eût fallu être Dante ou Milton. » A lphonse Lemerre, Anthologie des poètes français du xixe siècle, Paris, Lemerre, 1887, p. Soumet, « Revue des deux mondes », 1846, pp. De Voltaire Essai sur la poésie épique cit. Étienne de Jouy, Velléda, dans Œuvres complètes, tome ii, Paris, Didot, 1823, pp. Voir A nselm 79 35 Damien Colas i, 2015 issn 2283-8716 offrant à M lle George le personnage de Norma. Le premier est la présence de la masse chorale, qui reste encore remarquable dans une tragédie française des années 1830. Leur rôle revient en revanche au premier plan dans le livret de Romani. Le deuxième est la scène de la vision, commune à Pharamond et Norma, qui allait devenir une scène de genre dans Gerhard, Die Verstädterung der Oper. Paris und das Musiktheater des 19. Music Theater in Paris in the Nineteenth Century, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press, 1998, p. Gustave Flaubert, Dictionnaire des idées reçues 1. Il vero modello del libretto Non è un segreto che Felice Romani, nella stesura del libretto della Sonnambula di Bellini, lavorò sulla base di modelli. Finora è valsa come unica fonte diretta solo lo scenario di un balletto di Eugène Scribe. Vorrei qui dimostrare che Romani ricorse anche a una rielaborazione teatrale coeva del balletto, facendo inoltre confluire nel proprio testo modelli classici. Gli autori erano Eugène Scribe scenario , Jean-Pierre Aumer collaborazione allo scenario e coreografia e Ferdinand Hérold musica. Hérold; décors par m. La riproduzione di un esemplare conservato alla Bayerische Staatsbibliothek di Monaco di Baviera segnatura P. Sergio Morabito i, 2015 issn 2283-8716 di Scribe. Gli studiosi di Bellini hanno ritenuto che il libretto di Romani per La sonnambula fosse una rielaborazione diretta dello scenario di Scribe per il balletto. In realtà, una parte delle differenze che si riscontrano tra il libretto e il balletto, attribuite a Romani, provengono dalla comédie-vaudeville, come risulta da un confronto fra le tre produzioni. Anche il compositore raccolse un suggerimento — questa volta puramente musicale — della commedia. » la stessa musica che in precedenza accompagnava le parole di avvertimento di Teresa. Inoltre, nella caricatura di Benjamin Roubaud, che rappresenta Scribe come «Fabricant dramatique à la vapeur» a cavallo di una locomotiva a vapore appartenente alla serie Le grand chemin de la posterité, Paris, Aubert, 1830 , Dupin compare come uno dei cinque «Chauffeurs de la mécanique» fuochisti seduti nel rimorchio. A lessandro Roccatagliati - Luca Zoppelli, Introduzione, in Vincenzo Bellini, La sonnambula, a cura di Alessandro Roccatagliati e Luca Zoppelli, Milano, Ricordi, 2009 «Edizione critica delle opere di Vincenzo Bellini», vol. Che questo cenno di Bellini sia passato inosservato dipende di certo dal fatto che non solo nella commedia la trama del balletto viene ripresa tale e quale, ma anche dal fatto che le numerose prescrizioni pantomimiche e gestuali di Scribe per i ballerini erano già state formulate in discorso diretto o indiretto, e che gli autori della commedia si limitarono a trascriverle. Anche la considerazione di questo aspetto portò dunque al nuovo sottotitolo della commedia. Il qui pro quo delle due fidanzate riveste un ruolo importante anche nel libretto. Bellini, La sonnambula, atto i, scena 6, v. »12 — resta alquanto incomprensibile senza conoscere la comédievaudeville: ella vi è infatti presentata come una falsa santarellina, pronta a impartire severe lezioni di morale mentre dissimula le proprie aspirazioni matrimoniali con Elvino , così come le proprie scappatelle erotiche con il Conte. Solo due dettagli possono documentare che Romani, nel proprio lavoro di adattamento della commedia, dovette effettivamente tener conto anche dello scenario del balletto: rinviano al ballet-pantomine la preghiera degli astanti nel momento del massimo pericolo della sonnambula e anche il testo della prima aria di Lisa. Le argomentazioni dei curatori a proposito del cambiamento di registro stilistico che Romani attuò mantengono naturalmente la loro validità, anzi acquistano ancor maggior fondamento se si considerano le venature di linguaggio colloquiale che gli autori della commedia impiegarono nei dialoghi. Romani preferì invece un registro linguistico aulico, che richiamasse la grande tradizione letteraria del dramma pastorale italiano. La sua elegante versificazione non rinnega neanche taluni modelli del classicismo francese; prototipo del duetto di gelosia Elvino-Amina «Son geloso del zeffiro errante» sembra essere quello tra Psyche-Amour nella tragédie-ballet Psyché di Molière, Pierre Corneille e Philippe Quinault, messo in musica da Lully nel 1671: Psyché Des tendresses du sang peut-on être jaloux? Scribe-Aumer, La Somnambule, p. Studi sulla tradizione del melodramma dal Barocco al Romanticismo, vol. » — sono stati trasferiti e diversamente organizzati da Scribe nel balletto. La sua amata diede alla luce la bimba ma poi, come vien detto, «morì qual fior reciso di vergogna e di dolor». Dagli abbozzi risulta che anche Amina si trovi in una situazione analoga: «Ah! Fu questa soperchieria del giovane conte, con le relative conseguenze, che spinse i contadini a insorgere contro i loro signori? Purtroppo le prime recite della stagione resero evidente il fatto che egli aveva ormai oltrepassato lo zenit delle capacità vocali, cosicché si decise di sostituirlo con Luciano Mariani, un giovane cantante promettente che si era conquistato le simpatie del pubblico e della critica. Di conseguenza, gli autori cercarono di adeguare la parte al nuovo interprete. Giacomo Casanova, Storia della mia vita, a cura di Piero Chiara e Federico Roncoroni, vol. Ciò fa sì che anche le relazioni tra i personaggi si dispieghino in una costellazione modificata. Esse vengono rideterminate e sono suscettibili di diversa lettura. La strega è colei che «scioglie al vento la propria chioma» e nel cui sguardo si manifesta una «particolare aggressiva sensualità». Va però notato che la stessa Amina sostiene di aver visto il fantasma. In fondo la figlia ne rivive la vita: anche Amina viene abbandonata prima del matrimonio da un uomo priviliegiato e facoltoso da lei amato. Io vo celarmi Ad ogni sguardo, io vo morir deserta In qualche antro romito ove non giunga Cfr. H ans Peter Duerr, Traumzeit. Über die Grenze zwischen Wildnis und Zivilisation, Frankfurt, Suhrkamp, 1978, p. In fin dei conti non fu forse il fascino voyeuristico delle braccia e dei piedi nudi di una ballerina a contribuire al successo del balletto? Scribe-Aumer, La Somnambule, atto ii, scena 3, p. Attraverso il suicidio della ripudiata, la comunità si è addossata la colpa, ricordata dalla paurosa apparizione, alla quale può al tempo stesso essere concesso un limitato diritto di soggiorno nel villaggio. Essa sarebbe però moralmente permessa soltanto dopo il matrimonio. Il bacio di Amina al mazzo di violette, che a noi appare borghesemente kitsch, è dunque un esempio di forzato comportamento sostitutivo. Nel libretto i versi suonano invece : «Dal dì che i nostri cori avvicinava un Dio, con te rimase il mio il tuo restò con me. » ivi, atto i, scena 5, vv. Bellini, La sonnambula, atto ii, scena ultima, vv. I Vangeli apocrifi, a cura di Marcello Craveri, Torino, Einaudi, 1990, p. Con le tracce storico-tematiche che ho qui seguito, ho cercato di mostrare le basi oggettive di tale lettura. Gluck e Mozart, Weber e Beethoven, ma anche gli operisti Cimarosa, Cherubini, Paër, Mayr, fino a Rossini: questi erano i monumenti cui confrontare i giovani operisti italiani. Dent, Bellini in Inghilterra, cit. Dent, Selected Essays, Cambridge, New York, Cambridge University Press, 1979, pp. H all-Witt, Representing the Audience in the Age of Reform: Critics and the Elite at the Italian Opera in London, in Music and British culture 1785-1914. Essays in honour of Cyril Ehrlich, ed. Un caso, di qualche anno successivo, di giudizi molto differenti è quello della prima londinese dei Lombardi alla prima crociata di Giuseppe Verdi, illustrato da Leanne L angley, Italian Opera and the English Press, 1836-56, «Periodica Musica», vi, 1988, p. Un atteggiamento di cui era ben consapevole anche Bellini4 e che la critica stessa, nonostante i rimproveri che muoveva al pubblico, generalmente condivideva: anche quella londinese. A commento della lettura della rassegna stampa relativa alla prima stagione dei Puritani a Londra nel 1835,6 si passeranno qui brevemente in rassegna le reazioni della critica londinese alle opere precedenti, con la consapevolezza che il quadro unilateralmente restituito sulle fonti periodiche non può che essere riduttivo, come Bellini ben sapeva,7 inevitabilmente Jennifer L. A lice Bellini - Daniela M acchione, I Puritani a Londra: rassegna stampa maggio-ottobre 1835 , «Bollettino di studi belliniani», in questo stesso numero alle pp. Nel raccontare della prima stagione parigina dei Puritani allo zio Vincenzo Ferlito, nella lettera del 1° aprile 1835 si veda Neri, 2005, p. », attribuendo tale volubilità a strategie promozionali, quando non a un vero e proprio intrigo che avrebbe coinvolto anche Rossini. Il Pesarese, infatti, scriveva Bellini, in un primo 48 La recezione critica di Bellini a Londra i, 2015 issn 2283-8716 parziale e, come si vedrà, per sua natura incoerente. Il publico è un giudice che alla fine, è il più giusto di quanto vi è di giusto al mondo, e non ha mai bisogno di rinvenire sulla sua sentenza, se dopo tre o quattro rappresentazioni ha deciso sulla sorte di una composizione. Studi in onore di Pierluigi Petrobelli, a cura di Stefano La Via e Roger Parker, Torino, EDT, 2002, pp. Ai tempi del soggiorno londinese di Rossini, nella prima metà del 1824, ad esempio, i lauti guadagni del compositore finirono sulle pagine della stampa inglese. Sul soggiorno londinese di Rossini, si veda Bruno Cagli, Rossini a Londra e al Théâtre Italien di Parigi. Benelli, «Bollettino del Centro Rossiniano di Studi», 1-3, 1981, pp. Mostra storico-documentaria, a cura di Mauro Bucarelli, Perugia, Electa, 1992, pp. Il compositore, inizialmente, per recarsi a Londra e risiedervi per circa tre mesi, accomodare e mettere in scena Il pirata per Donzelli, Lablache e Lalande, nonché venderne lo spartito, chiese 20. Su consiglio di Giuditta Pasta scese infine a 12. È questa a quanto pare la prima volta che il nome di Vincenzo Bellini apparve su un quotidiano londinese. Da altri, al contrario, fu ritenuta estremamente bella, con una verve musicale quasi da opera comica, o addirittura un trambusto senza tregua. Rossini assistette alle recite del Pirata alla Scala di Milano il 26 e 27 agosto 1829. Si veda la lettera di Vincenzo Bellini a Vincenzo Ferlito, datata 28 agosto 1829, in Gioachino Rossini, Lettere e documenti, a cura di Bruno Cagli e Sergio Ragni, vol. III, Pesaro, Fondazione Rossini, 2000, pp. Le recensioni sono anonime. Le recensioni sono anonime. Solo quando cantava la Malibran io riconosceva la Sonnambula». Chiaramente polemizzando con il «Morning Post», scrisse di trovarlo al contrario «an interesting tragic melodrama, and the poetry is above the common order. The scene is in Britany, in the thirteenth century; and the story has the air of being taken from an ancient fabliau. It has all the character of the tragic tales of the period, and those who are familiar 16 La lettera è priva di data ma risale plausibilmente al maggio 1833 cfr. A lice Bellini - Daniela M acchione, I Puritani a Londra: rassegna stampa maggio-ottobre 1835 cit. La recensione, già citata, è anonima. I, London, Hurst and Blackett, 1862, pp. Bellini a Londra 1833 Preceduto dalla controversa ricezione delle prime tre opere messe in scena a Londra, finalmente a fine aprile 1833 Bellini arrivò in Inghilterra. Del soggiorno londinese il compositore ha lasciato la sua cronaca nella corrispondenza Neri 2005, pp. Si veda anche la lettera di Bellini a Filippo Santocanale, 26 giugno 1835, ivi, p. Il debutto a Londra di Norma coincise con la serata a beneficio di Giuditta Pasta nei panni della protagonista. Il soggetto risultò troppo simile a quello di Medea, visto a Londra proprio in quella stagione nella Medea in Corinto di Simon Mayr, e per di più non adatto al genio di Bellini. La scelta dei soggetti sbagliati divenne presto un topos della recezione critica belliniana. Fu lo stesso Bellini a inviare a Filippo Santocanale il ritaglio della recensione di Norma erroneamente «Norina» apparso sul «Times» il 23 giugno. Rossini himself would cut up into a thousand such, and yet a thousand such would never make a Rossini. Rossini has numerous faults, but innumerable excellencies. There is not a single air in Norma that does not remind one of some other by Rossini, and although one or two of the choruses are the best parts of the opera, others are mere noise and confusion of sounds. And we might point out other portions which are not good even as contrast. Ai fini di questa rassegna, sono stati utilizzati anche i seguenti periodici: «The Athenæum», 22, 29 giugno 1833; «The Examiner», 23 giugno 1833; «The Morning Chronicle», 10, 24 giugno 1833; «The Morning Post», 24 giugno 1833. He has never yet shown any feeling for the higher order of dramatic music, or any power in combining the effects of principals, chorus and orchestra, in scenes of action; he must therefore yet be considered as a mere drawing-room musician. There is genius in some of his melodies, but neither power nor knowledge displayed in his treatment of them. The accompaniments are meagre, and notes sometimes occur clashing most offensively with the harmony. We are surprised that Bellini should have been ambitious of adding a fourth to the number. It is a dull affair at best. A dull affair Bellini found it, and a dull affair he has left it. No genius, indeed, could make much of such a caput mortuum as the drama is reduced to in this Italian version: but Bellini has made less of it than either Zingarelli or Vaccaj. Le fonti suggeriscono ma non confermano, nonostante non fossero mancati i pretesti. Nel febbraio 1830, il «Morning Post» aveva presentato il giovane Bellini al pubblico londinese come il compositore della nuova opera Il pirata, «our English Tragedy of Bertram, made into an Italian Opera». Coleridge, we remember, wrote a criticism on Bertram twice as long as the tragedy, all in the finest spirit of fault finding; and we remember enough of the criticism to be satisfied that every thing be objected to has evaporated from the libretto. We should like to hear his opinion of the residuum. Fu piuttosto il suo trattamento a non soddisfare tutti i critici, alcuni dei quali trovarono il plot incomprensibile quando non «flat». «The Times», 22 maggio 1835. Un successo immediato e duraturo. A meno di una settimana dalla prima, il 27 maggio, gli editori Mills, Cramer, Addison e Beale annunciarono la vendita dello spartito per voce e pianoforte della nuova opera di Bellini, e di varie elaborazioni per altri strumenti. A lice Bellini - Daniela M acchione, I Puritani a Londra: rassegna stampa maggio-ottobre 1835 cit. «The Morning Post», 11 luglio 1835. Che la musica dei Puritani risuonasse per tutta Londra «anche nel sonno si sentono cantare» , lo dice a Bellini anche Federico Doca, nella simpatica lettera del 26 luglio 1835, che si legge in Vincenzo Bellini, Epistolario, a cura di Luisa Cambi, Verona, Mondadori, 1943, p. A lice Bellini - Daniela M acchione, I Puritani a Londra: rassegna stampa maggio-ottobre 1835 cit. On such occasions there is always a success and a failure, — the public will not endure two favourites. La vita, Torino, EDT, 1986, p. Marino Faliero ought to appear in the affiche, or some explanation be given of the why and the wherefore it is withheld from us». Mentre il pubblico comunque si infervorava, i critici erano al solito divisi tra detrattori e non, del libretto, della scelta e condotta drammatica del soggetto, della musica. Che la musica fosse «noisy» e «unequal» è un rimprovero ricorrente. Per il «Courier» e il «Morning Chronicle», le cui recensioni vengono probabilmente dalla stessa mano George Hogarth? » Lettera di Bellini a Francesco Florimo, 25 maggio 1835, ivi, p. Per le recensioni del «Times» e del «Courier» cfr. A lice Bellini - Daniela M acchione, I Puritani a Londra: rassegna stampa maggio-ottobre 1835 cit. A lice Bellini - Daniela M acchione, I Puritani a Londra: rassegna stampa maggio-ottobre 1853 cit. Per il critico di «The Spectator» Bellini dimostrava di non avere ancora la capacità e la conoscenza necessarie a valorizzare le sue belle melodie. Ma anche i giudizi sulla musica non furono unanimi. In the character of Elvira she makes the fullest use of her delightful powers». Per il «Morning Post», come nei Musical recollections di Chorley, le posizioni assunte da Grisi e Lablache nella prima scena erano dei perfetti studi pittorici. M arco Beghelli, Il lessico melodrammatico di Bellini, in Vincenzo Bellini nel secondo centenario della nascita, Atti del Convegno internazionale Catania, 8-11 novembre 2011 , a cura di Graziella Seminara e Anna Tedesco, Firenze, Olschki, 2004, pp. Grisi as Elvira in I Puritani; at the finale of the 1st act when Arturo has fled and she becomes mad for a time» e di Elvira e Sir Giorgio abbracciati «M. Nel corso della serata furono cantati il duetto Giorgio-Riccardo «Il rival salvar tu dêi», la polacca di Elvira «Son vergin vezzosa», il duetto Elvira-Arturo «Arturo, dove sei? » e, in chiusura, il quartetto «A te, o cara» di Arturo, Elvira, Giorgio e Riccardo: «The singers which were Grisi, Rubini, Ivanoff, Tamburini, Lablache, and Costa for the piano, had just arrived. Our people were the same as the other day. When all the company had arrived which was at ½ past 10 we all went into the other room which was arranged with chairs all across the room for the people to sit on. We were in the first row with Aunt Sophia and the Duchess of Cambridge and quite close to the piano. Grisi is quite beautiful off the stage. She is not tall, and rather pale; and she has such a lovely mild expression in her face. Her face and neck has such a beautiful soft shape. She has such beautiful dark eyes with fine long eyelashes, a fine nose, and very sweet mouth. Ecco quelle suscitate dalle prime due recite cui la principessa aveva assistito:60 Thursday, 21st May. Sir Giorgio his brother, a colonel on half-pay, and Puritano , Signor Lablache who sang and acted beautifully. Lord Arturo Talbot Cavaliero and betrothed to Elvira , Signor Rubini who sang beautifully. Sir Riccardo Forth a Colonel and Puritano, and who wishes to marry Elvira Signor Tamburini, who sang and acted beautifully and looked extremely well. Enrichetta di Francia widow of Charles the 1st and under the false name of Dama di Villa Forte , Mrs. Elvira daughter of Lord Walton Mdlle Grisi who sang and acted most beautifully and looked quite beautiful. The finest parts in the opera silk, with blonde trimmings about the body and sleeves which reached to the elbows. Her beautiful dark hair was as usual quite flat in front with an amethyst bandeau round it, and a fine plait at the very back of her head. She is very quiet, ladylike and unaffected in her manners. I spoke to her, and she answered in a very pleasing manner. She has a very pretty expression when she speaks. Rubini is short and not good looking. Ivanoff is also very short and has a very singular calmuck face. Tamburini is short but very good looking and gentlemanlike. Lablache does not look so tall off the stage as he does on it, and is likewise very gentlemanlike. Her lovely voice sounds beautiful in a room. They sing beautifully together. Their two fine voices go so well together. He is even a more skilful and finished singer than Lablache. This ended the 1st act. Near the end of the 1st act Mme Malibran arrived. She was dressed in white satin with a scarlet hat and feathers. She is shorter than Grisi and not near so pretty. We went into the refreshment room between the acts. Malibran then sang a song by Persiani very well. Her low notes are beautiful, but her high notes are thick and not clear. I like Grisi by far better than her. His voice is delightful in a room. It is so sweet and so full of expression. Lablache is so funny and so amusing. Lablache then sang a Neapolitan Air a buffa song of his own composition and accompanying himself, delightfully. This ended the most delightful concert I ever heard. Aunt Sophia, who had never heard any of these singers before, was delighted; but no one could be more enchanted than I was. I shall never forget it. Costa accompanied on the piano beautifully. I stayed up till 20 minutes past 1. I was most exceedingly delighted. Giubelei, who was the fourth, sang very ill indeed. This quartet was enchored. Lablache, Rubini and Mrs. Seguin formed as it were the accompaniment, while Grisi sang the air. It was loudly enchored. It is the loveliest thing I ever heard. Lablache begins it first and his voice came out with immense power and fulness, beautifully; then Tamburini, whose voice is also beautiful, and then the two together, which was indeed splendid! The air which Rubini sings in the beginning of the 3rd act and the duet between Elvira and Arturo near the end of the opera, which Rubini and Grisi sang beautifully. Grisi throughout acted and sang beautifully. In the beginning she was in all the playful gayety of happiness, and afterwards in all the despondency of despair and madness, and then again her joy on beholding Arturo return safe again. After the opera was over, Grisi, Lablache, Tamburini and Rubini came on and were most loudly applauded. A complete shower of bouquets and wreaths came down upon the stage. Upon the whole, as yet, I do not like the opera so much as Marino Faliero, with the exception of those pieces I mentioned. The choruses are very noisy and odd too, I think. The house was very full and I think Grisi must have had a very good benefit. We came home at 10 minutes past 12. I was very much amused! We came in just at the end of the first chorus. Grisi sang and acted throughout beautifully, and looked quite lovely. Rubini also sang beautifully, and Lablache and Tamburini both sang and acted beautifully. I like the whole opera a great deal better than I did last time. The choruses are not good with the exception of the one with the organ, in the commencement, a chorus of women immediately following that, and a chorus in the beginning of the 2nd act. Lablache and Tamburini came forward at the end of the 2nd act, when the curtain had dropped and were loudly applauded. They did the same last time. Both in the 3rd act. At the end of the opera, Grisi, Rubini, Lablache and Tamburini came forward and were loudly applauded. We came home at 12. I was very much amused indeed! I quite forgot to mention each time, that Lablache is the most perfect representation of a Round-head one can imagine. His costume is perfect, and his large figure and good-humoured face render him a perfect tableau vivant. But he looks by far too good-natured to be one of those cruel Puritans who lived in that time. Non possiamo sapere in quale misura i giornali, in particolare il «Morning Post», abbiano potuto influenzare le prime impressioni della giovane principessa non sfugge in particolare la definizione di Lablache come «perfect tableau vivant» di un puritano — una citazione dal «Morning Post» del 22 maggio? Riguardo infine a eventuali tagli, le recensioni ci dicono poco. Apprendiamo dal critico del «Times» che molte parti del libretto furono omesse e che non tutti i cori furono cantati a causa del numero insufficiente di prove, cosa che rincrebbe tanto anche a Bellini. Federico Massimiliano Doca autore della traduzione in prosa messa a fronte del testo italiano nel libretto dei Puritani della prima londinese aveva il compito di inviargli i giornali, che Bellini avrebbe poi voluto mandare a Catania; ma fu in ritardo e il compositore il 21 giugno gli scrisse di non avere ormai più alcuna fretta, anche perché pare avesse già letto i giornali a Parigi. Al pubblico il critico rimprovera infatti la vergognosa buffonata del lancio di fiori agli interpreti sul palco a fine opera. E poi ci sono gli autori dei due necrologi posti alla fine della rassegna stampa, quasi certamente William Ayrton e Thomas Love Peacock. H all-Witt, Representing the Audience in the Age of Reform cit. Alla fine i Tories ebbero la meglio sui Whigs. A lice Bellini - Daniela M acchione, I Puritani a Londra: rassegna stampa maggio-ottobre 1835 cit. La discordia in tutte le cose tuttavia è una necessità della società, osservava Peacock nel suo omaggio alla memoria del compositore. Peacock approfittò della commemorazione per una tirata contro i critici musicali «soi disant par excellence», che «hear by rule, and whose chief seat of feeling is in their fingers»69. Laporte can hardly be blamed». Superati i tre anni dalla prima, nel 1839 I Puritani erano diventati «the idolized of railroad travellers to London, — the rejected of Naples, — and now the all-but-rejected of London». Italian Opera in 1839. Its latest improvement and existing defects. Le prime edizioni di lettere belliniane Nel 1943 Luisa Cambi pubblicava per i tipi di Mondadori la prima edizione critica delle lettere di Vincenzo Bellini, che ha costituito sinora un punto fermo per gli studiosi del compositore. Epistolario, Milano, Mondadori, 1943, p. Corrispondenze epistolari di Carlo Pepoli, vol. Giovanni Battista Perucchini Bergamo, 1784 - Venezia, 1870 , giurista, fu cultore di musica e compositore dilettante, rinomato autore di romanze da camera e amico dei principali rappresentanti della vita musicale del tempo. Bellini lo conobbe durante il suo primo soggiorno a Venezia, dove si era recato alla fine di dicembre del 1829 per mettere in scena Il Pirata al Teatro La Fenice. Arte, studi e ricerche, Catania, Giannotta, 1892; Id. Studi e ricerche, Catania, Giannotta, 1894. Graziella Seminara i, 2015 issn 2283-8716 nel primo centenario della sua nascita, promossa nel 1901 dal Real Circolo Bellini;8 quelle di Guido Libertini introdotte nel Numero commemorativo a cura della Rivista del Comune di Catania, realizzato nel 1935 in occasione del centenario della morte di Bellini. Il valore documentario delle lettere destinate a Florimo è rilevante non solo per il loro Omaggio a Bellini nel primo centenario della sua nascita, Catania, Real Circolo Bellini, 1901. Numero commemorativo a cura della Rivista del Comune di Catania, 1935. Le lettere pubblicate da questi studiosi sono tutte destinate a parenti di Bellini Francesco Ferlito, Filippo Guerrera , nonché a Filippo Santocanale Palermo, 1798 - 1884 : un avvocato palermitano che — in particolare dopo il viaggio di Bellini in Sicilia nel 1832 — divenne uno dei suoi più fidati corrispondenti. Fu Vincenzo Tobia a curare la formazione del nipote figlio del primogenito Rosario , che nel 1813 prese con sé nella propria abitazione di vicolo Santa Barbara. M aria Rosa De Luca, Musica e cultura urbana nel Settecento a Catania, Firenze, Olschki, 2012, pp. La raccolta Patetta comprendeva diciassette lettere, i cui autografi sono stati tutti rintracciati: sedici sono custodite presso la Mass Houghton Library a Cambridge Massachusetts, USA , mentre la lettera datata 7 ottobre 1834 fa parte della collezione privata Valente vedi infra, p. Le lettere di Bellini 1819-1835. Prima edizione integrale raccolta, ordinata e annotata da Francesco Pastura, Catania, Totalità, 1935. A selezione fatta, Florimo presenti i due giovani, distrusse, bruciandolo, il primo gruppo e donò il resto alla Biblioteca del Conservatorio. Amabile di maniere, affettuoso ed attraente per una soave tristezza, snello ed alto nella persona, di carnagione bianchissima, avea modi di rara eleganza, un favellare vivace ed allettevole, un sorriso affettuoso ed ammaliante, occhi azzurri, sguardo tenero e parlante, fronte larga e serena, biondi e ricciuti i capelli, era parco nei detti e riflessivo. Risale al 1869 la pubblicazione dei due volumi Cenno storico sulla scuola musicale di Napoli, ampia e dettagliata ricostruzione delle vicende della scuola napoletana e dei suoi principali protagonisti; ampi stralci di lettere di Bellini compaiono nel capitolo dedicato al musicista, che apre il volume ii e che è organizzato in due sezioni Biografia e Dichiarazioni ed Aneddoti. Tale lettera, che non ho più rinvenuto tra le mie carte onde trascrivere qui la poesia, è stata certo da me donata a qualcheduno dei così detti raccoglitori od amatori di autografi; un giorno, forse, la poesia di questo duetto potrà venire in luce» Florimo 1869, p. Florimo si riferiva in particolare al cantabile del duetto, il cui autografo è oggi custodito al Museo Civico Belliniano di Catania; il testo del duetto si legge in Francesco Pastura, Bellini secondo la storia, Parma, Guanda, 1959, pp. Basti riportare le righe dedicate al compianto per la morte prematura di Bellini e confrontarle con quelle della precedente versione vedi infra, nota 1 : «Povero Bellini! Biografia ed aneddoti, Napoli, Morano, 1883. Questo mi rendeva impossibile di consegnarle originalmente nelle mani del tipografo. Ci bisognava un interprete più che un copista. Della consistenza di interventi di tal fatta è testimonianza indiretta una missiva di Dalbono che, impegnato nel lavoro di trascrizione, si rammaricava con Florimo per il caotico disordine del materiale epistolare: «Lettere intere intere non ne ho più. Ho un camposanto di tutte mezze lettere senza principio e senza fine». Paologiovanni M aione, Le lettere censurate e il culto del collezionismo: Florimo biografo-alchimista, in Vincenzo Bellini nel secondo centenario della nascita, Atti del convegno internazionale Catania, 8-11 novembre 2001 , a cura di Graziella Seminara e Anna Tedesco, Firenze, Olschki, 2004, pp. Si tratta di quattro lettere, che fanno parte del fascio di autografi donato da Florimo alla Biblioteca del Conservatorio di Napoli e che, se si esclude la lettera del 23 gennaio 1828, presentano un indubbio interesse musicologico. Le lettere del 23 gennaio 1828 e del 18 ottobre 1834 sono state pubblicate per la prima volta da Pastura ne Le lettere di Bellini pp. E bisogna dire come le scriveva egli, il quale trovava buona ogni carta o penna che gli venisse alle mani, proprio alla Cicerone. E mi piace notar questo, incredulo come sono della buona fede di molti editori antichi e moderni in fatto di corrispondenze. Si farebbero volumi, chi volesse raccogliere periodi tolti e periodi aggiunti dalla mano pietosa o rea di un editore alle lettere degli uomini che hanno lasciato un nome. Un primo tipo di interferenze consiste in correzioni sul piano della fonomorfologia, del lessico e della sintassi, che invero corrispondono agli atteggiamenti interventisti dei tanti curatori epistolari del tempo. Lettera di Cesare Dalbono, in Florimo 1882, pp. Sui criteri di edizione vedi infra, pp. Quante passate cose mi sono ritornate alla mente! Come tutto è passeggero in questo mondo di fantasmagorie! Vengo dalla Scala; prima rappresentazione della Norma. Non dire puerili questi miei timori: è la mia natura fatta così. Ma disgraziatamente non fu così: mi sono ingannato; ho sbagliato; i miei prognostici andarono falliti e le mie speranze deluse. Il contenuto della lettera è smentito da due successive missive del musicista, indirizzate rispettivamente allo zio Vinzenzo Ferlito lettera del 28 dicembre 1831 e a Giovan Battista Perucchini lettera del 31 dicembre 1831. Si tratta della lettera del 28 dicembre 1831, indirizzata allo zio Vincenzo Ferlito, e di quella a Giovan Battista Perucchini, datata 31 dicembre 1831. Nei decenni successivi alla pubblicazione del suo Epistolario, nuove lettere sono venute alla luce. Nel 1959 Pastura dava alle stampe a Firenze il primo importante contributo novecentesco agli studi belliniani: Bellini secondo la storia, nel quale erano inserite diverse lettere inedite; per la realizzazione del volume infatti lo studioso catanese si era avvalso del materiale documentario che era frattanto confluito nel Museo Civico Belliniano, del quale nel 1950 era diventato direttore. Un pacchetto di autografi, in Scritti in onore di Luigi Ronga, Milano-Napoli, Ricciardi, 1973, pp. Studi in onore di Massimo Mila, Torino, Einaudi, 1977, pp. Le finalità della nuova edizione La prima finalità della nuova edizione critica è quella di render conto di tutte le acquisizioni documentarie della corrispondenza belliniana finora attestate. Laddove è possibile, si farà riferimento agli autografi, che in taluni casi — sebbene inaccessibili perché custoditi in collezioni private o perché smarriti — sono pervenuti in ristampa anastatica. Esemplari sono le vicende della lettera scritta a Napoli il 28 gennaio 1832 e indirizzata a Giovanni Battista Perucchini. Sino al 2001 se ne conosceva soltanto la prima parte, edita da Salvioli da Lippmann rinvenuta in Italia, nella Biblioteca del Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella di Napoli in cui è giunta nel 1972 a seguito della donazione di un privato ; le altre si trovano alla Pierpont Morgan Library e alla Public Library di New York. Carmelo Neri, Lettere di Vincenzo Bellini 1819-1835 , Catania, Publisicula, 1991; Id. Storia delle vicende politiche e della coltura, vol. La riproduzione anastatica della sezione autografa della missiva e la corrispondente trascrizione sono state pubblicate nel 2001 in concomitanza con le Celebrazioni per il bicentenario della nascita di Bellini; 44 nel 2002 infine al Museo Correr di Venezia sono state ritrovate le pagine autografe rimanenti della lettera, che — sia pur smembrata e custodita in due biblioteche — è oggi disponibile nella sua interezza. Di certo la nuova edizione critica fotograferà una mappa della corrispondenza belliniana non definitiva, aperta a integrazioni e aggiustamenti. Al Musée Royal di Mariemont in Belgio è stata rinvenuta una lettera a Giovanni Battista Perucchini, datata 8 luglio 1832; tra le lettere reperite in diverse biblioteche tedesche segnaliamo la missiva a HippolyteAndré-Jean-Baptiste Chélard, spedita da Bellini nel 1833 durante il soggiorno a Londra e custodita alla Staats-und Universitätsbibliothek Carl von Ossietzky di Amburgo, e quella a Davide Banderali, scritta da Parigi il 16 agosto 1834 e compresa nella Collezione Nebauer della Universitätsbibliothek di Lipsia. Tre missive sono del tutto inedite e vennero inviate da Bellini rispettivamente a Filippo Guerrera 26 giugno 1819 , a Giuditta Turina 29 dicembre 1832 , ad Alessandro Lamperi 12 aprile 1833. La lettera a Giuseppe Bornacini del 21 marzo 1833 era stata pubblicata da Florimo nel Cenno storico sulla scuola musicale di Napoli pp. I criteri di edizione Se si escludono le componenti relative al paratesto, nel progetto di edizione dei carteggi ci si è proposti di recuperare tutti questi tratti della scrittura belliniana sulla base di un approccio editoriale per quanto possibile conservativo. La riproduzione anastatica del manoscritto e la corrispondente trascrizione si leggono in Salvatore Enrico Failla, Bellini Vincenzo in Catania, Catania, Maimone, 1985, pp. Nuovi sondaggi sulle lettere del CEOD, a cura di Giuseppe Antonelli, Massimo Palermo, Danilo Poggiogalli, Lucia Raffaelli, Ravenna, Pozzi, 2009. Carteggio Verdi-Ricordi 1880-1881, a cura di Pierluigi Petrobelli, Marisa Di Gregorio Casati, Carlo Matteo Mossa, Parma, Istituto di Studi verdiani, 1988; Carteggio Verdi-Ricordi 1882-1885, a cura di Franca Cella, Madina Ricordi, Marisa Di Gregorio Casati, Parma, Istituto di Studi verdiani, 1994; Carteggio Verdi-Ricordi 1886-1888, a cura di Angelo Pompilio e Madina Ricordi, Parma, Istituto di Studi verdiani, 2010. In caso di correzioni interne alla parola, dettate per lo più dal recupero della dizione corretta o da interventi di ipercorrettismo, si riporterà in trascrizione la versione definitiva e la natura della modifica sarà segnalata in nota. In talune lettere, verosimilmente per mancanza di spazio, il proseguimento del discorso veniva sovrascritto da Bellini trasversalmente sul testo, sì da porre rilevanti problemi di decifrazione; le sovrascritture saranno rese da un diverso carattere tipografico e in nota se ne indicherà la collocazione, in riferimento alla facciata della lettera e alle parole iniziale e finale. In complesso si è tentato di coniugare la restituzione del dettato originale delle lettere con la realizzazione di una versione che ne consenta una lettura agevole senza rinunziare ai segni, alle correzioni, alle aggiunte, alle cancellature, alle incoerenze della prosa epistolare di Bellini: tracce tangibili della sua fatica di scrivere e al tempo stesso della sua tenace ricerca della verità comunicativa. Questioni di stile Il tentativo di realizzare una trascrizione fedele della corrispondenza belliniana non è determinato soltanto da astratto rigore filologico: tra le pieghe della scrittura passa una straordinaria quantità di informazioni sul percorso artistico e culturale del compositore. Colpisce inoltre la permeabilità della scrittura belliniana agli influssi della critica teatrale coeva, vistosa nei resoconti degli spettacoli che il musicista recapitava ai suoi corrispondenti. Se è vero che il musicista condivideva appieno quel «lessico melodrammatico italiano che la comunità musicologica tenta faticosamente di ricostruire»,60 discrasie e ricorrenze 58 Lettera di Bellini a Vincenzo Ferlito, 16 febbraio 1829; cfr. Testi e concordanze, a cura di Stefania De Stefanis Ciccone, Ilaria Bonomi, Andrea Masini, vol i, Pisa, Giardini, 1983, pp. La lettera compare solo in Florimo 1882 pp. Sulle radici classicistiche della poetica di Bellini, cfr. A ben vedere, anche questa è una costante dei carteggi di Bellini: la ricerca di termini ed espressioni, anche di nuovo conio, atti a restituire con icastica evidenza procedimenti e costrutti affatto originali. La ricostruzione del processo compositivo I carteggi procurano anche preziose indicazioni sul metodo di lavoro di Bellini, collaudato in occasione della ripresa genovese di Bianca e Fernando: il musicista annotava in pagine e pagine di schizzi, oggi conservate al Museo Belliniano, frasi melodiche più o meno compiute, che avrebbe poi adattato ai versi del testo poetico e ai contenuti del dramma. Questo genere di melodia è proprio quello che Rossini ha accuratamente bandito dalle sue opere, fin dal suo arrivo a Napoli, e fin da quando ha adottato quella che in Italia vien detta la sua seconda maniera» Stendhal , Vita di Rossini, a cura di M. Bongiovanni Bertini, Torino, EDT, 19922 , p. Su queste pagine di schizzi cfr. Indagine filologica ed analitica dei manoscritti conservati presso il Museo Civico Belliniano di Catania, tesi di laurea specialistica, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Facoltà di Musicologia, a. Insieme alla moglie Marianna, che era cantante dilettante, Francesco Pollini accolse Bellini come un figlio e lo portò in casa sua quando una «tremenda febbre inflamatoria gastrica biliosa», scatenata dopo la fatica della composizione dei Capuleti, fece temere per la vita del giovane musicista: «In casa Pollini — scriveva Bellini allo zio Vincenzo Ferlito nel luglio 1830 — fui assistito con tanta premura ed affetto che non posso descriverlo. Si sono ancora dispendiati, perché io non ho pagato altro che il medico ed i medicamenti; perciò vedete quanti obblighi professo a questa buona fam:a che mi ama più che figlio». Lo conferma uno dei pochi documenti a noi pervenuti della loro corrispondenza epistolare: una lettera di Pollini del 9 settembre 1835, oggi custodita al Museo Belliniano di Catania. Considerato come Canone nel suo giusto senso, sembranmi non esatamente osservati, come benissimo lo saprete, alcuni precetti stabiliti e prescritti dai antichi nostri Maestri come essenziali e caratteristici della natura del vero Canone. Al di là delle informazioni restituite dalle singole lettere, la ricostruzione della rete di relazioni intessute dal musicista consente uno studio più avvertito della sua personalità, della qualità dei rapporti — umani professionali artistici — che egli intrattenne, del contesto in cui si trovò a vivere e a operare. I versi un quartina di ottonari sono desunti dal primo dei tre canti del poema Il Clotaldo, pubblicato da Carrer a Padova, presso la tipografia della Minerva, nel 1826. Carlida Steffan, Introduzione, in Vincenzo Bellini, Musica vocale da camera, a cura di Carlida Steffan, Milano, Ricordi 2012 «Edizione critica delle opere di Vincenzo Bellini», vol. I documenti sono presentati in ordine alfabetico per testata e cronologico per data di pubblicazione. VIII; «The Court magazine and belle assemblee», 6. VI; «The London Review», 3-4, VI. VII; «The Musical Library Monthly Supplement» VII, X e dei due necrologi londinesi, della revisione e organizzazione del materiale e del relativo apparato critico; è altresì autrice della presente introduzione alla rassegna. I Puritani furono rappresentati per la prima volta al Théâtre Italien di Parigi il 24 gennaio 1835. La tabella sottostante elenca le fonti della rassegna per cadenza di pubblicazione delle testate e date dei numeri utilizzati. Quotidiani Settimanali Bisettimanali «The Courier» «The Athenæum» «The News» 22. Levy, «Alsager, Thomas Massa», sub voce, in Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press, consultato nel dicembre 2014. Per maggiori informazioni, cfr. Leanne L angley, «Ayrton, William», sub voce, in Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press, consultato nel dicembre 2014. Chorley fu attivo anche come librettista, curatore delle versioni inglesi di varie opere, e come scrittore e traduttore di testi di canzoni. Per maggiori informazioni, cfr. Robert Bledsoe, «Chorley, Henry F othergill », sub voce, in Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press, consultato nel dicembre 2014. Su Gruneisen, si veda il Dictionary of nineteenth-century journalism in Great Britain and Ireland, ed. Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press, consultato nel dicembre 2014. Per maggiori informazioni cfr. Leanne L angley, «Holmes, Edward», sub voce, in Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press, consultato nel dicembre 2014. Su Peacock e sulla sua attività di critico musicale, cfr. Howard M ills, Peacock. His circle and his age, New York, Cambridge University Press, 1969. Le reti di rapporti e corrispondenze testuali fanno ipotizzare le responsabilità di alcuni degli articoli apparsi sulle altre testate. Per le scene londinesi curò le versioni inglesi dei testi di vari lavori teatrali. Liberale, fu anche attivo nella vita politica. Leanne L angley, «Taylor, Edward», sub voce, in Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press, consultato nel dicembre 2014. Leanne L angley, The English Musical Journal in the Early Nineteenth Century, Ph. Lord Walter Walton, the governor of the place, has a fair daughter, Elvira, who loves and is beloved by Lord Arthur Talbot, a young cavalier, devoted to the Royal cause. Henrietta Maria of France, the widow of Charles the First, is a prisoner in the fortress under a feigned name, and is on the point of being brought before the Parliament to be tried for her life. The young Cavalier, who is about to be united to his mistress, discovers the Royal prisoner, and moved by her danger, contrives to effect her escape, and accompanies her in it, even when the bridal procession was moving to the altar. The poor bride, conceiving that her intended had eloped with another woman, becomes insane. The fugitives are pursued, but in vain; and Talbot is outlawed and condemned to death by the Parliament. Some months afterwards he returns in disguise to t he residence of his mistress, whom he contrives to see, and a touching scene takes place between them, during which they are surprised by the Puritans. His rival gives orders for the immediate execution of his sentence; but, as he is on the point of being put to death, a horn is heard, and a messenger arrives, with a dispatch from Cromwell, announcing a new victory, and pardon for all prisoners to the Commonwealth. The finale is, therefore, abruptly changed from melancholy to jubilant, and the lovers are united. They have not the melodious subject, and they are rather too noisy. Bellini would seem to have been in a drum fever when he composed them. Still there is a vigour about them which carries them off successfully. Neither are there so many melodies in the lighter parts of this as in the other opera; but, on the other hand, it has some of more spirit — more fire. She made a splendid display of her powers as an actress in this opera. When the cup of happiness is suddenly dashed from her lips — when she believes that her lover has abandoned her at 13 Alcuni paragrafi sono in comune con gli articoli apparsi sul «Sunday Times» e «The Morning Chronicle». A Parigi, nel 1835, creò i ruoli di Elvira nei Puritani di Bellini e di Elena in Marino Faliero di Donizetti. Tamburini17 had the part of Sir Riccardo Forth, and Lablache18 that of Sir Georgio, an uncle of the heroine — a personage who has little to do with the business of the piece, except singing certain duets and filling up the bass in the concerted pieces. The piece was announced for repetition on Tuesday, by command of the Queen. The fame of this opera had been trumpeted forth by the friends of the giovine maestro with extraordinary perseverance, and we have reason to think that its merits were proclaimed actually before a note of it was put on paper. The fact, however, is, that Bellini had declared about a year ago that he would withdraw from the world, and retire to a remote cottage for six months; after which he would return with the best opera that he had yet written. He did so, and we are bound to say, by what we heard last night of the produce of his labours, that he has most faithfully acted up to his intentions. Grisi , daughter of Lord Walton Giubilei ,20 and niece of Sir George Lablache , both of them commanders of the forces of the commonwealth, under Cromwell. We are given to understand in the course of the piece that Lord Arthur has a rival in Sir Richard Forth Tamburini ; but though this personage seems to be desperately in love, and appears to intrigue in order to get Lord Arthur out of the way, he nevertheless continues to be a rejected suitor. Antonio Giubilei fece il suo debutto a Londra nel 1834, nelle vesti del Podestà della Gazza ladra. Bellini is, like Donizetti,22 guilty of not having given an overture to his new opera. It abounds in richness of harmony, in fullness of orchestral accompaniment, and in happy inspirations. Bellini never wrote so exquisite a morceau as the polacca 24 introduced in the eighth scene of the first act. It was sung by Mademoiselle Grisi, and by Lablache and Giubilei, who take up the ritournelle with her in so tasteful and highly finished a manner, as to elicit bursts of applause evidently quite spontaneous. The polacca was, of course, called for a second time, and applauded even with more warmth than before. The second act is also full of excellent music, and contains more concerted pieces than the first. The whole of it was given with so much effect, that a call was set up at the end of it for Lablache and Tamburini, who had to re-appear. The third act is the weakest of the three, but it has some very good concerted pieces. The whole opera abounds in choruses, some of which only were given owing to the shortness of the time allowed for the rehearsals after the arrival of the score. On this account many parts of the libretto were skipped over, and the performance was necessarily a good deal shortened. If all the choruses be as good as the few that were given, they should not by any means be left out in future. The performance was greatly applauded throughout by a crowded audience who, at the end, insisted on the re-appearance of Mademoiselle Grisi, on whom crowns and garlands were immediately showered from the parts of the house nearest the stage. After the opera Mr. Laporte25 came forward and announced that her Majesty had commanded that the new opera should be repeated on Tuesday next; and on the following Thursday it is to be given for the benefit of Mr. Si veda ancora, più avanti, la recensione apparsa su «The Satirist» il 24 maggio. Secondo Bellini, il debutto della sua opera era stato posticipato per paura di replicare il fiasco che a Parigi aveva suscitato il confronto tra i due titoli si veda la lettera di Bellini a Francesco Florimo, datata 18 maggio 1835, in Carmelo Neri, Vincenzo Bellini. Sulla gestione Laporte e le relazioni con il Théâtre Italien di Parigi, cfr. Studi in onore di Pierluigi Petrobelli, a cura di Stefano La Via e Roger Parker, Torino, EDT, 2002, pp. The libretto is a pleasing little drama, somewhat absurd in its incidents, but possessing a good deal of interest, and affording considerable room for the display of tragic power on the part of the heroine. The action of the piece takes place in England during the civil wars; and the scene lies in a fortress occupied by the adherents of Cromwell. Lord Walter Walton, the governor of the place, has a fair daughter, Elvira, who loves and is beloved by Lord Arthur Talbot, a young cavalier, devoted to the Royal cause. Henrietta Maria of France, the widow of Charles the First, is a prisoner in the fortress under a feigned name, and is on the point of being brought before the Parliament to be tried for her life. The young Cavalier, who is about to be united to his mistress, discovers the Royal prisoner, and moved by her danger contrives to effect her escape, and accompanies her in it, even when the bridal procession was moving to the altar. The poor bride, conceiving that her intended had eloped with another woman, becomes insane. The fugitives are pursued, but in vain; and Talbot is outlawed and condemned to death by the Parliament. Some months afterwards he returns in disguise to the residence of his mistress, whom he contrives to see, and a touching scene takes place between them, during which they are surprised by the Puritans. His rival gives orders for the immediate execution of his sentence; but, as he is on the point of being put to death, a horn is heard, and a messenger arrives, with news that the Stuarts had been defeated, and the prisoner pardoned. The music of this opera is precisely what we expected from the former productions of the composer. The airs are pretty, but common, and there is an eternal repetition of phrases and passages which we have heard again and again. An essayist of the last century, describing the fashionable bucks of his day, said that they looked fierce that they might not look sheepish; the modern Italian composers are boisterous that they may not seem feeble. Surely, as the Tories say, there must be a re-action one of these days. She appears at first all radiant with loveliness and joy, indulging in all the exuberance of youthful spirits, and exulting in the prospect of an immediate union with him she loves. When the cup of happiness is suddenly dashed from her lips — when she believes that her lover has abandoned her at the very altar — there is something terrific in the aspect of her despair even before she articulates a word or utters a sound. Rubini in the character of Arthur, acted and sung very beautifully; but there was nothing in the music of his part that was at all striking. Tamburini had the part of Sir Riccardo Forth, and Lablache that of Sir Georgio, an uncle of the heroine — a personage who has little to do with the business of the piece, except singing certain duets and filling up the bass in the concerted pieces. The piece was announced for repetition on Tuesday, by command of the Queen. Grisi had her benefit here last night, and a house which attested her popularity in the most unequivocal manner, as it was full in every part, even up to the top of the gallery. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent,32 the Princess Victoria, and his Il critico del «Morning Chronicle» sarebbe stato presto accontentato: in «The Court magazine and belle assemblee» del 7 luglio 1835 apparve infatti la recensione di un concerto ben riuscito, organizzato il 30 maggio dai García, durante il quale Giulia Grisi, insieme a Maria Malibran e a Manuel García figlio cantarono il terzetto «Le faccio un inchino», dal Matrimonio segreto di Cimarosa. Il Duca di Cambridge 94 Alice Bellini - Daniela Macchione i, 2015 issn 2283-8716 Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge were amongst the audience. The libretto of this opera is of about an average merit, and rather gives opportunities for fine acting, than in itself develops a powerful dramatic action. Its plot is laid, as the name implies, in the days of the roundheads, and after the death of Charles. It opens with the approaching nuptials of a young nobleman Lord Arthur Talbot and Elvira, the daughter of Lord Walton, the commandant of a fortress in the interest of the Puritans. At the same time, a female of rank, whose life is compromised as an adherent of Royalty, is a prisoner to Walton and about to be sent off to London for judgement. Talbot, who is a loyalist at heart, manifest some pity for her situation, upon which she reveals to him privately that she is the Queen in disguise. In the ardour of the moment he devotes himself to her protection, and, as the only means of getting her beyond the fortress walls, in which the scene is laid, induces her to assume and conceal her features under the bridal veil of Elvira, in the momentary absence of the latter. A Puritan colonel, who is his rival for the hand of Elvira, is about to hinder his exit with the Queen, when perceiving the features of the latter he gladly assent to their departure, in the hope that Talbot maybe in every way compromised. The fugitives escape, the alarm is given, and poor Elvira, as needs must in dramatics, goes mad in white satin. After the safety of the Queen is supposed to be secured, Talbot returns in disguise to the residence of his mistress. He serenades her, and obtains an interview with her, which, as she is still mad, is of the most tragic kind. The announcement of this sentence is comprehended by Elvira, and has the effect of at once restoring her senses. A scene of the most pathetic kind then takes place between her, her father,33 and the two rival lovers, and a most tragic consummation seems impending, when, with dramatic opportuneness, a despatch comes from Cromwell, announcing a new victory, and a pardon for all prisoners to the Commonwealth. The finale is, therefore, abruptly changed from melancholy to jubilant, and the lovers are united. They have not the melodious subject, and they are rather too noisy. Bellini would seem to have been in a drum fever when he composed them. Still there is a vigour about them which carries them off successfully. Neither are there so many melodies in the lighter parts of this as in the other opera. But, on the other hand, it has some of more spirit — more fire. Grisi, who looked a lovely bride, supported the spirit of this part of the composition with acting of the most animated and elegant naïveté. In the second and third act there was a good deal of highly-wrought qui citato era Adolfo, zio di Vittoria, fratello minore del padre. We do not think Grisi has ever been in finer voice than she was on this occasion. In the first-act music to which we have alluded, there were some passages which drew forth from her some of the purest and most sustained vocal melody that we have ever had the good fortune to hear. At the conclusion of the opera, the feelings of the house seemed quite enthusiastic, and when Grisi was called forth before the curtain showers of bouquets and wreaths were flung towards her from all parts of the house, so that the stage was quite covered with them, and Tamburini and Lablache had no trifling labour in picking them up. Tamburini appeared as the rival lover, Sir Ricardo Forth, and Lablache as the father of Elvira;34 both acted and sung admirably. At Paris Bellini himself had to appear, and accept this species of compliment. On the whole the opera went off most successfully. It is, throughout, as we have implied, composed at least with vivida vis and it was acted with a sympathetic spirit. At the fall of the curtain Laporte came forward and announced that it would be repeated on Tuesday night next, at the command of her Majesty. The attendance of the fashionable world and of dilettante included almost every person of note. Royalty was not exempt from the interest excited on behalf of the young and beautiful bénéficiaire, and her Majesté as well as the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria occupied boxes on this interesting occasion, while every portion of the house displayed animated proofs of the deserved estimation in which the talents of Grisi are held. The Puritani was first produced in January last at the Théâtre Italien in Paris, where it met with considerable success. The libretto is from the pen of Count Pepoli,36 known from his writings on the fine arts, and by some 34 Anche in questo caso si tratta di una svista, dal momento che Lablache interpretava il ruolo di Sir Giorgio, zio e non padre di Elvira. Otello ossia Il Moro di Venezia Napoli, Teatro del Fondo, 4. How far Bellini has availed himself of the scope for good music we are about to describe, so far as first impression will allow us, and consistently with the space and time which can be allowed to the examination. The parts were thus distributed: Lord Arthur Talbot........... Signor Rubini Sir Giorgio.......................... Signor Lablache Sir Riccardo Forth............ Signor Tamburini Lord Gualtiero Valton..... Mdlle Grisi Enrichetta di Francia........ Seguin In the place of an overture a quick movement of a military motivo, followed by a succession of passages on the wind instruments, which did not come up to the expectations raised by the first burst, precede the rising of the curtain, discovering a view of Plymouth as we understood , but which we will take for granted was intended for some fortress at the period of the wars of the Commonwealth. The opening scene partakes of a triple character — the military, the religious, and the nuptial. The first struck us as based upon a Spanish bolero; the second is one of great merit, although characterised by an inconsistency. The Puritans sing the morning prayer, with the accompaniment of an organ, which they never used for their devotions. The voices of Grisi, Lablache and Tamburini are heard in this division of the chorus with a very pleasing and devotional effect. The nuptial is the most original bit of this introduction, and is wound up very spiritedly. This duet is replete with happy and melodious phrases, and was done ample justice by Lablache and Grisi. The uncle has procured the consent of Lord Walton for the union between Lord Talbot, a partisan of the Stuarts, and his daughter, although he had affianced her in the first instance to Richard Forth. The breaking of the joyful intelligence to Elvira, and her rapture when informed of the completion of her hopes, were admirably developed in this duet. In the next scene the Cavalier arrives, and Rubini has a very sweet air to sing, which precedes a well written in seguito alla partecipazione ai moti italiani del 1831. Al tempo della prima dei Puritani il librettista era già a Londra si veda la lettera di Bellini a Filippo Santocanale, datata 14 maggio 1835, in Carmelo Neri, Vincenzo Bellini. Nuovo Epistolario 1819-1835 cit. Si veda la nota n. The nuptial entertainment is about to proceed when an unknown prisoner, a female of high distinction, arrives, who is informed by the Governor that the Parliament requires her presence. Arthur is interested in her fate and ascertains that she is Henrietta of France, the widow of Charles I. He is determined at all hazards to save her from her impending fate. It is here that the bijou of the opera is sung. It is one of the most agreeable and catching airs, and executed by Mademoiselle Grisi, was enthusiastically applauded and encored. In the polacca, which is supported by Lablache, Rubini and Mrs. Seguin, Grisi sings the burden with a grace and elegance without parallel, first luxuriating in roulades of exquisite finish and precision, now ascending in alt, then dropping octaves, revelling in triplets of a charm absolutely ravishing, leaving the melody and returning to it with a refined gusto coupled with the most astonishing facility of tone. The other three singers aided and abetted in this attack upon the sense of hearing, until every listener almost imagined he was in fairyland, and the sounds were of no mortal origin. This polacca will become an established favourite. The singing of Grisi in it is beyond all praise. The naivété of her acting when she placed the nuptial veil on the head of Henrietta, in order to behold how it would attract the attention of her lover, was an admirable keeping with her astonishing vocal efforts. Arthur, warmed by his loyalty to the Stuarts, however, takes flight with Henrietta, to save her life, and leaves his bride at the altar in her wedding garments, in order to protect the proscribed Queen of England. Elvira, overwhelmed by the unexplained flight of Arthur, loses her reason on learning the fact, and the finale of the first act is then gone through. The andante is here well conceived, and the conflicting emotions of the various persons engaged in it dramatically described. It is a pity that Bellini did not embrace the situation to make the music of Elvira more strongly marked. The concluding burst of the puritan soldiers — their curse on the fugitives — was powerfully delivered and met with much approbation. In the second act there are some remarkable morceaux. The first is the opening air of Sir George, most touchingly delivered by Lablache, who tells the tale of the madness of his niece to a chorus of peasants. A mad scene of Elvira follows, forming a trio between her, Richard, and George. The variety of expressions which she infused into the signs of insanity was in every point evidence of the thorough knowledge and conception which she possessed of the attributes of this most frightful of all disorders. A magnificent duet between Lablache and Tamburini closed the second act. Sir George engages Sir Richard to endeavour to save the life of Arthur, condemned to death by the Parliament. This forms the subject of the duet. After a beautiful symphony on the horn, very well played by Platt, it commences with a musical dialogue, in which the questions are given with dignity on the one hand, and stern defiance on the other. Each singer then urges his reason separately for the course to be pursued, and Sir Richard having at length consented to the proposition of Sir George, they break out in unison in a most energetic declaration of acting together for the good of the country. Amor di Patria impavido Mieta i sanguigni allori Poi terga i bei sudori E i pianti la pietà. The last part of the opera is taken up with the melancholy wandering of Arthur, who returns at the risk of his life, to explain to Elvira the cause of his flight. Arthur is about to be removed for execution when Elvira recovers her reason, at the threats of the Puritans, and avows her determination of dying with her lover, which dénuement is changed to the more acceptable one of a happy finale, in consequence of the publication of an amnesty by Cromwell. The duet between Rubini and Grisi is the most choice morceau in the last act. The opera upon the whole seemed to impart unmixed satisfaction, although in our minds it is a composition of very unequal merit. Bellini has, it must be admitted, notwithstanding, added materially to his reputation by the Puritani. Our reminiscences now cling to the polacca, and to the duet between Lablache and Tamburini; of the rest we can speak but imperfectly, as it has not dwelled in our memory. As an opera de circonstance it must enjoy popularity, for there are attractions in it apart from the merits of the music, which are all sufficient to insure it success. We have not done justice to Grisi, and it is not in our power by any feeble attempt of ours to convey an accurate notion of the excellence of her singing and acting. She was immensely applauded throughout the opera, and had to encounter at the termination a shower of wreaths, bouquets, etc. We have but to notice one defect which was observable, and that applies to her costume. His walk, action, and gestures were all equally adapted to his part. We shall have another occasion to notice his singing as well as that of Tamburini and Rubini, who both acted up to their characters with zeal and energy. Laporte, after the principal performers had appeared and retired, came forward to announce that by command of their Majesties the opera would be repeated on Tuesday in their presence. This statement was received with much satisfaction. The fame of this opera had been trumpeted forth by the friends of the giovine maestro with extraordinary perseverance, and we have reason to think that its merits were proclaimed actually before a note of it was put on paper. The fact, however, is, that Bellini had declared about a year ago that he would withdraw from the world, and retire to a remote cottage for six months; after which he would return with the best opera that he had yet written. He did so, and we are bound to say, by what we heard last night of the produce of his labours, that he has most faithfully acted up to his intentions. It would be desirable, too, that he should make a better selection of a dramatic subject than that of I Puritani, the story of which is not merely without any regularity, link, or interest of accident, but quite incomprehensible in many parts, and perfectly flat throughout. The author of the story ought to have attached a short notice by way of preface or appendix to his libretto, in order to make it intelligible. In contradistinction to the new opera of Donizetti, which this one has closely followed, the story appears to run entirely on love, and the libretto is almost wholly filled with erratic exclamations, ending in the monotonous and commonplace cor, amor, errante, piante, amorosa, lamentosa, etc. Grisi , daughter of Lord Walton Giubilei , and niece of Sir George Lablache , both of them commanders of the forces of the commonwealth, under Cromwell. We are given to understand in the course of the piece that Lord Arthur has a rival in Sir Richard Forth Tamburini ; but though this personage seems to be desperately in love, and appears to intrigue in order to get Lord Arthur out of the way, he nevertheless continues to be a rejected suitor. Signor Bellini is, like Signor Donizetti, guilty of not having given an overture to his new opera. Do these young composers feel the consciousness of incapacity to write a good overture? None of the great masters before them have ever been guilty of such a piece of negligence, and the great masters are models worthy of being imitated by such composers as Messrs. The whole of the first act of this opera, however, so far as music is concerned, is a work of very superior merit. It abounds in richness of harmony, in fullness of orchestral accompaniment, and in happy inspirations. Bellini never wrote so exquisite a morceau as the polacca introduced in the eighth scene of the first act. It was sung by Mademoiselle Grisi, and by Lablache and Giubilei, who take up the ritournelle with her in so tasteful and highly finished a manner, as to elicit bursts of applause that were evidently quite spontaneous. The polacca was, of course, called for a second time, and applauded even with more warmth than before. The second act is also full of excellent music, and contains more concerted pieces than the first. The whole of it was given with so much effect, that a call was set up at the end of it for Lablache and Tamburini, who had to re-appear. The third act is the weakest of the three, but it has some very good concerted pieces. The whole opera abounds in choruses, some of which only were given, owing to the shortness of the time allowed for the rehearsals after the arrival of the score. On this account many parts of the libretto were skipped over, and the performance was necessarily a good deal shortened. If all the choruses be as good as the few that were given, they should not by any means be left out in future. The performance was greatly applauded throughout by a crowded audience, who, at the end, insisted on the re-appearance of Mademoiselle Grisi, on whom crowns and garlands were immediately showered from the parts of the house nearest the stage. This practice, which a few contemptible sycophants have introduced among us within the last four or five years, is an exceedingly silly one, and not at all in harmony with English notions and English customs. We wish its authors would testify their admiration by some other mode more suitable to our national manners. A shower of cabbage-leaves is surely a very little better compliment than a volley of rotten eggs. After the opera Mr. Laporte came forward and announced that Her Majesty had commanded that the new opera should be repeated on Tuesday next; and on the following Thursday it is to be given for the benefit of Mr. For the rest, we can hardly recollect one phrase or combination, which is strikingly original, and must wait for Tuesday, when it is to be repeated by command of Her Majesty, to give a fuller account of both story and music. In the meantime, however, we ought to say that Grisi exerted herself to the utmost, and that, having set the example of garlands for her, we have no fault to find with the armful of wreaths, with which Lablache followed her off the stage, when she was called for at the conclusion of the piece, to receive the congratulations of her friends and the public. We suspect, that the English are in a fair way to become fanatici per la musica after all. Had it been united to a kindred melody, it would have been a perfect gem. The story is not taken from the writings of Sir Walter Scott, as people supposed from the title of the piece, but apparently invented by the author. La stessa traduzione non sembra esser stata invece apprezzata dal critico del «Musical Library Monthly Supplement» luglio 1835, si veda più avanti nella rassegna stampa , che la definisce «quite as absurd as the drama». La traduzione non è metrica, ha il tono prosastico delle parafrasi; raramente restituisce le figure retoriche della poesia italiana e talvolta ne liquida le ridondanze anche con asciutte omissioni, seppure minime. Carmelo Neri, Vincenzo Bellini. Nuovo Epistolario 1819-1835 cit. Grisi plays the part of a young lady, Elvira, the daughter of a Puritan officer, who is betrothed to a young nobleman of the Royalist party, Arturo Talbot. Talbot discovers that Queen Henrietta, the widow of Charles the First, is imprisoned in the fortress where the nuptials are about to take place; and chivalrously assists her to escape, and accompanies her, at the moment the bridal procession is approaching the altar. The lady, thinking herself deserted by a faithless lover, runs mad; and continues in that state till Talbot, who had been proscribed and condemned to death, returns in disguise, and pursued by his enemies, who surprise him in the midst of a tender interview with his mistress. From this state of unbounded happiness Elvira is, in one moment, plunged into the very depth of despair, which rapidly turns to madness. In the forlorn being who stands before us, with dim and rayless eyes, sunk and meaningless features, and a voice hollow, tremulous, and hoarse, not a vestige remains of the lovely and splendid creature we had seen an instant before. Even Bellini could not damp the ardour of her genius; but, when she achieved a triumph of expression, it was not by his help, but in spite of him. Of the other parts there is little to be said. Lablache, however, looked like the picture of a fine old bluff Roundhead captain, walked out of its frame. His orchestral writing is as unskilful as ever, and considerably more noisy than in his former productions. His choruses and concerted pieces are destitute of ingenuity and effect; and all that can be said of him in the way of praise is, that he introduces pretty melodies which he has not skill and knowledge enough to turn to their proper account. The plot of I Puritani, the opera in question, is exceedingly simple. As the name implies, the action is laid in the stirring times of the Cavaliers and Roundheads. Matters are in this state when the opera opens, all is joy at the approaching nuptials, and everything appears to promise happiness to the lovers; but the young cavalier having discovered that a lady confined in the fortress is Henrietta Madame Seguin , the Queen of Charles I. As to her lover, he is condemned to death by the Parliament, and rewards are offered for his apprehension. His desire to see his mistress urges him to return to the fortress, and having, in an interview with her, cleared up his conduct, is again received into favour. At this moment the Puritan soldiers arrive, seize the cavalier, and are on the point of leading him away prisoner, when the joyful tidings of a general amnesty are announced, and the opera concludes. It will be perceived by this sketch, that there are but few opportunities for dramatic effect in the piece. The other, where after the reconciliation of the lovers, they are again to be separated, and forever, is also treated carelessly. All rests on the music, and in it we perceive wonderful inequality. The opening chorus of sentinels on the ramparts mingled with the sounds of the Puritans inside, and the morning hymn of the latter afterwards, is not remarkable for any particular effect. The ophicleide was used in accompanying the hymn, probably to imitate the organ; and if such was the intention, it does not exhibit much acquaintance with the religious customs of the Puritans. When Lablache and Grisi enter as the uncle and niece, the business of the opera really begins. A Vandyke seemed to have left his frame, to walk through life again. He relates to his niece his exertions in her favour, and his recital and her gratitude and joy were well expressed. A trumpet is heard outside; they listen, and their attitudes at the moment formed a most 104 Alice Bellini - Daniela Macchione i, 2015 issn 2283-8716 beautiful picture. The lover enters, and a quartetto is given by Lablache, Rubini, Giubilei, and Grisi, that must become a universal favourite. It was encored, and the audience seemed well inclined to have it a third time. Tamburini and Lablache were heard in it to great advantage. Her acting throughout such trying scenes was most expressive and natural. Some of her quiet touches were inimitable. All the performers exerted themselves, and in some instances it was a complete assaut de chant. In a duet between Lablache and Tamburini, in the second act, the sound of the trumpet was exceedingly grand. The duet deserved and obtained an encore. On the whole, the music of this opera is too noisy and unequal. There is no unity of plan well conceived, and strictly adhered to — but there are morceaux of exquisite melody, which whoever has musical taste will be delighted with, and which must make the opera popular. Bellini had implicit confidence in the artistes to whom he entrusted his production. Some parts last night were given in an astonishing manner, and we never saw an audience more enthusiasmé than at the second quartetto of the first act, and the noble duet between Lablache and Tamburini. It is not to be wondered at, such sounds will never be surpassed, and perhaps never equalled. She is certainly a great actress. At the termination of the opera, showers of flowers were thrown on the stage, and Lablache crowned her twice with green wreaths thrown amongst the rest. Laporte announced that the opera would be repeated on Tuesday by command of her Majesty. «The Atlas» Domenica, 24 maggio 1835 Italian Opera. A new opera in three acts, entitled I Puritani e I Cavalieri, the music by Maestro Bellini, was produced on Thursday, for the benefit of Mademoiselle Grisi. This production, it is said, the composer wrote in retirement, and at the expense of far more care and thought than musicians usually lay out in pieces destined to the short-lived existence of the Italian stage. We wish the composer had found a libretto that would have better seconded his endeavour to produce a good work than the one that has fallen to his lot — which is 105 I Puritani a Londra i, 2015 issn 2283-8716 unusually fertile in the common places of the Italian stage, with the additional disadvantage of a story that reveals itself with difficulty. It is, however, something to see Tamburini, Lablache, and Grisi, in the pitoresque costume of the time of Cromwell. Though the male performers generally look well, Lablache in particular bears about him all the interest of an historical portrait, and seems to have walked out of some ancient gallery a living actor in those sturdy times. Costume is one of the chief sources from which the work derives its favour; another is, that it was written expressly with a view to the powers of the performers who are now employed in its principal parts, and develops with skill and success all the strong features of their respective talent. For instance, all the roundest and richest notes of the charming voice of Lablache are displayed with effect in his different pieces by the choice of a key which throws them entirely within his compass — the pathetic powers of Tamburini are well employed, and sometimes the three bass voices of these singers and Giubilei are heard in rich and unusual combination. Rubini has received a part which exactly suits him, and lastly the heroine, Madlle Grisi though her bravura music has too frequenly the air of mere solfeggi for the voice, and is much of it without dramatic interest is exhibited as a singer in a manner that has not been equalled by any of the other characters in which she has yet performed. The consequence of all this may well be imagined, and to judge by the pervading feeling of a brilliant and crowded house, it was a complete evening of excitement and operatic triumph. For our own part we confess that though we admire many spots in the music — especially the concerted music of the principal voices mixed with chorus, in which there are occasional touches of greatness rarely found in the works of a modern Italian — yet the composition is, on the whole, to our feeling, spun out to a most unreasonable length, especially, as in the cantilena of its airs of tenderness and expression, there is a great monotony. Composed into two acts, we cannot help thinking that the brilliant powers now employed upon it would be heard to still greater advantage. An idea of the interest which it is the attempt of the drama to create, may be conveyed in a few words. Lablache and Tamburini belong to the party of the Puritans. Grisi, who is the ward of the former, and is beloved by the latter, is engaged in a mutual attachment with a young cavalier Signor Rubini , and is upon the point of being happy with him, when her knight, happening to perform some service for another lady who belongs to the royal house Mrs. Seguin , she goes mad by a mistaken jalousy. The opera is without an overture, and the slight instrumental introduction, during which the curtain ascends, affords any but a favourable impression of the music to come. This is, however, dispelled in the first scene. The chorus kneel at the exterior of a chapel, and from within proceed the sounds of persons at their devotions; and here the voices of Madlle. In the finale to the first act are some very effective and novel employments of the chorus, and we must also remark a quintett for three basses, a tenor and soprano, sung by the principal male singers and Madlle. Grisi, a piece of remarkable richness in the combination and beauty of effect. A polacca, sung by Grisi, displayed great brilliancy of execution, but it was dramatically out of place. Tamburini and Lablache sang, at the close of the second act, a duet, in unison, with such amazing potency of lungs, that it was encored by acclamation. The 106 Alice Bellini - Daniela Macchione i, 2015 issn 2283-8716 opera, on the whole, found great success. Every expectation raised must have been, or at least ought to have been, satisfied. The composer more than redeemed, we think, the promise of his former writings, and the genius of the artist was triumphantly displayed. I Puritani e I Cavalieri is not, as a whole, we should say — in purpose, conception, and expression — equal to La Sonnambula, but it has finer detached passages, and gives unquestionable proof, generally, of an advance of vigour and power. The choruses are poor, — excessively noisy and inexpressive. The recitative, too, is at times singularly common-place. But there are some excellent concerted pieces, and two or three admirable duets; while the majority of the airs are charming, full of ardent and fine expression, touched with the most simple elegance, or deepening into passages of strikingly unaffected pathos. The story of the opera is one of love and madness, wound up with a marriage. Its scene is laid in a fortress occupied by the Puritans, in the neighbourhood of Plymouth. Lord Walter Walton Giubilei , the Roundhead governor, has a daughter, Elvira Grisi , devoted, as a matter of course, to a gentleman of the opposite party, Lord Arthur Talbot Rubini. Contrary to all precedent, however, the course of their true love is running as smoothly as possible before t he second scene of the opera is over. Everything, then, for the lovers, as we have already observed, is going on swimmingly, when Lord Talbot most unfortunately discovers his Queen, Henrietta, in one of the inmates of the fortress, and, finding that she is discovered also by the Puritans, resolves on accomplishing her rescue. Availing himself of an artifice suggested by the affectionate joy and happiness of Elvira, he effects this, and accompanies Henrietta away at the very moment that his bridal procession is moving to the church. The poor bride, conceiving that her intended had eloped with another woman no unnatural thought of hers, by the way, for though in the secret all the time, we protest we had misgivings ourselves becomes insane. The fugitives are pursued, but in vain; and Talbot is outlawed and condemned to death by the Parliament. Some months afterwards he returns in disguise to the residence of his mistress, whom he contrives to see, and a scene takes place between them, during which they are surprised by the Puritans. Sir Richard Forth triumphs over his rival, whose immediate death is resolved on. In the character of Elvira she makes the fullest use of her delightful powers. Never, in any fairy tale, were pearls scattered about with such divine abundance as were her notes through that exquisite composition. She reminded us of the wonders of Paganini himself — the only person who has realised in our time the stories of ancient music, and made the god-like power of Orpheus scarcely a fable — Less than a god there could not dwell Within the hollow of his shell, Which spoke so sweetly and so well. Her singing and acting in the more passionate scenes of the opera rose with the passion. Her mute action in the scenes of madness was as fine as anything could possibly be. She pauses for a moment, silent, at the top of the stage, and never was still and breathless passion so fearfully expressed or so truly! It is for a moment, only, but as she stands there you feel her hand relaxing as the lover glides away, and, with his form, the illusion of fondness. When she suddenly rushes off, as if to recover their images again, we feel the uselessness of words or music to assist triumphant nature. The heart can break while the tongue is silent! This is only one instance, and her performance was filled with such, but we would particularly mention the scene which it closes, as the noblest and most touching picture of the various aspects of one madness we have ever witnessed on the stage. She tries one scat, then another, but rest is impossible. Mi chiami al tempio? Rubini, Tamburini, and Lablache, did more than justice to their respective parts, which present little for the exercise of such genius as theirs. Lablache never poured forth a more musical torrent of sound. The house was crowded, and the attendance included almost every person of note in the fashionable world. The Queen, with the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria, were present. Grisi was in excellent voice, and executed the part assigned to her with more than her usual ability. The singing in the various parts of this beautiful piece was beyond all praise. Lablache, Tamburini and Rubini supported their characters with ability and energy. Laporte, after the principal performers had appeared and retired, came forward to announce that, by command of their Majesties, the opera would be repeated on Tuesday in their presence. We are compelled to defer till after the next representation the detail of this opera, the crowded state of the house presenting our getting more that an occasional glimpse of the stage. We are enabled, however, to state, that it was decidedly successful, and will be repeated next Tuesday, by command of her Majesty. The action of the piece takes place in England during the civil wars; and the scene lies in a fortress occupied by the adherents of Cromwell. Lord Walter Walton, the governor of the place, has a fair daughter, Elvira, who loves and is beloved by Lord Arthur Talbot, a young cavalier, devoted to the Royal cause. Henrietta Maria of France, the widow of Charles the First, is a prisoner in the fortress under a feigned name, and is on the point of being brought before the Parliament to be tried for her life. The young Cavalier, who is about to be united to his mistress, discovers the Royal prisoner, and moved by her danger contrives to effect her escape, and accompanies her in it, even while the bridal procession was moving to the altar. The poor bride, conceiving that her intended had eloped with another woman, becomes insane. The fugitives are pursued, but in vain; and Talbot is outlawed and condemned to death by the Parliament. Some months afterwards he returns in disguise to t he residence of his mistress, whom he contrives to see, and a touching scene takes a place between them, during which they are surprised by the Puritans. His rival gives orders for the immediate execution of his sentence; but, as he is on the point of being put to death, a horn is heard, and a messenger arrives, with news that the Stuarts had been defeated and the prisoner pardoned. Grisi supported the spi r it of this part of the composition with acting of the most animated and elegant naïveté. In the first act music there were some passages which drew forth from her some of the purest and most sustained vocal melody that we have ever had the good fortune to hear. At the conclusion of the opera, the feelings of the house seemed quite enthusiastic, and when Grisi was called forth before the curtain showers of bouquets and wreaths were flung towards her, so that the stage was quite covered, and Tamburini and Lablache had no trifling labour in picking them up. Rubini Alcuni paragrafi sono in comune con gli articoli apparsi su «The Courier», «The Morning Chronicle» e «The Morning Herald». Tamburini appeared as the rival lover, Sir Ricardo Forth, and Lablache as the father45 of Elvira; both acted and sung admirably. On the whole, the opera went off most successfully. It is, throughout, as we have implied, composed at least with vivida vis, and it was acted with a sympathetic spirit. At the fall of the curtain Laporte came forward and announced that it would be repeated on Tuesday night next, at the command of her Majesty. Grisi had her benefit here on Thursday night, and a house which attested her popularity in the most unequivocal manner, as it was full in every part, even to the top of the gallery. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, the Princess Victoria, and his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge were amongst the audience. The libretto of this opera is of about an average merit, and rather gives an opportunity for fine acting, than in itself develops a powerful dramatic action. Its plot is laid, as the name implies, in the days of the Roundheads, and after the death of Charles. It opens with the approaching nuptials of a young nobleman, Lord Arthur Talbot and Elvira, the daughter of Lord Walton, the Commandant of a fortress in the interest of the Puritans. At the same time, a female of rank, whose life is compromised as an adherent of Royalty, is a prisoner to Walton, and about to be sent off to London for judgement. Talbot, who is a loyalist at heart, manifests some pity for her situation, upon which she reveals to him privately that she is the Queen in disguise. In the ardour of the moment he devotes himself to her protection, and, as the only means of getting her beyond the fortress walls, in which the scene is laid, induces her to assume and conceal her features under the bridal veil of Elvira, in the momentary absence of the latter. A Puritan Colonel, who is his rival for the hand of Elvira, is about to hinder his exit with the Queen, when perceiving the features of the latter he gladly assents to their departure, in the hope that Talbot may be in every way compromised. The fugitives escape, the alarm is given, and poor Elvira, as needs must in dramatics, goes mad in white satin. After the safety of the Queen is supposed to be secured, Talbot returns in Si vedano le note 31 e 32. He serenades her, and obtains an interview with her, which, as she is still mad, is of the most tragic kind. The announcement of this sentence is comprehended by Elvira, and has the effect of at once restoring her senses. A scene of the most pathetic kind then takes place between her, her father,47 and the two rival lovers, and a most tragic consummation seems impending, when with dramatic opportuneness, a despatch comes from Cromwell, announcing a new victory, and a pardon for all prisoners to the Commonwealth. The finale is abruptly changed from melancholy to jubilant, and the lovers are united. Signor Bellini is, like Signor Donizetti, guilty of not having given an overture to his new opera. Do these young composers feel the consciousness of incapacity to write a good overture? None of the great masters before them have ever been guilty of such a piece of negligence, and the great masters are models worthy of being imitated by such composers as Messrs. The whole of the first act of this opera, however, so far as music is concerned, is a work of very superior merit. It abounds in richness of harmony, in fullness of orchestral accompaniment, and in happy inspirations. Bellini never wrote so exquisite a morceau as the polacca introduced in the eighth scene of the first act. It was sung by Mademoiselle Grisi, and by Lablache and Giubilei, who take up the ritournelle with her in so tasteful and highly finished a manner, as to elicit bursts of applause that were evidently quite spontaneous. The polacca was, of course, called for a second time, and applauded, even with more warmth than before. The second act is also full of excellent music, and contains more concerted pieces than the first. The whole of it was given with so much effect, that a call was set up, at the end of it, for Lablache and Tamburini, who had to re-appear. The third act is the weakest of the three, but it has some very good concerted pieces. The whole opera abounds in choruses, only some of which were given, owing to the shortness of the time allowed for the rehearsals after the arrival of the score. On this account many parts of the libretto were skipped over, and the performance was necessarily a good deal shortened. If all the choruses be as good as the few that were given, they should not by any means be left out in future. The performance was greatly applauded throughout by a crowded audience, who, at the end, insisted on the re-appearance of Mademoiselle Grisi, on whom crowns and garlands were immediately showered from the parts of the house nearest the stage. After the opera Mr. Laporte came forward, and announced that her Majesty had commanded that the new opera should be repeated on Tuesday next; and on the following Thursday it is to be given for the benefit of Mr. Si vedano le note 31, 32 e 43. By the opera of I Puritani his reputation has been greatly enhanced — it is beyond all question the best that he has yet produced. Its music is infinitely superior to that of the Sonnambula — its popularity, of course, as an opera, can never be equal. Now, in the first place, we cannot perceive any reasonable ground for the practice of substituting a brief introduction for an overture — a practice which, it seems, we are henceforth to be called upon to tolerate. There is no overture to I Puritani, there is none to Marino Faliero, and we suppose it is the intention of both Bellini and Donizetti never to compose another. Surely it does not proceed from conscious incapacity? Bellini at least should eschew this system. This, however, by the way — Mademoiselle Grisi displayed excellent judgement in choosing this opera for her benefit. The first act of I Puritani is decidedly the best. The chorus in the first scene, Quando la tromba, and that in the second, A festa! The duet in the fourth scene, between Elvira and Sir Georgio Grisi and Lablache commencing Piangi o figlia is exceedingly rich; but the polacca is the most delightful morceau we ever remember to have heard. In this Mademoiselle Grisi surpassed herself. Her execution was truly brilliant, and the ease, the elegance, the charming playfulness, with which she adjusted the veil on the head of Henrietta, contributed to an effect which electrified the audience and drew down thunders of applause. The surprising powers of Grisi were never displayed to so great an advantage. There was no labour — no effort in her execution: the most sparkling and difficult passages were given with an ease and brilliancy which excited the highest admiration — the polacca on the whole may, in short, be pronounced incomparable. The second act is not so happy. It was, nevertheless, made the most of. But the principal part of this act Anna Bolena Milano, Teatro Carcano, 26. In the third act, Grisi and Rubini were again truly great. The opening scene, indeed, was somewhat heavy, but it was beautifully relieved by those which followed, and the finale gave éclat to one of the most effective operas that has been produced for years. At the conclusion Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini, and Lablache, according to the most approved custom, were loudly called for, and immediately they appeared the stage was literally strewed with wreaths and bouquets — the reception of which had certainly a very imposing effect. The house was brilliantly attended. On Thursday the benefit of M. Laporte it will be again performed with La Prova, in which, we believe, Laporte himself will take the part of the poet! Taglioni will also make her first appearance on this occasion, in the admirable ballet of the Sylphide. The story is taken from a drama, played about two years ago, called Têtes Rondes et Cavaliers. The action of the piece takes place in England during the civil wars, and the scene lies in a fortress occupied by the adherent of Cromwell. Lord Walter Walton, the governor of the place, has a fair daughter, Elvira, who loves and is beloved by Lord Arthur Talbot, a young cavalier devoted to the royal cause. Henrietta Maria of France, the widow of Charles the First, is a prisoner in the fortress under a feigned name, and is on the point of being brought before the parliament to be tried for her life. The young cavalier, who is about to be united to his mistress, discovers the royal prisoner, and, moved by her danger, contrives to effect her escape, and accompanies her in it, even when the bridal procession was moving to the altar. The poor bride, conceiving that her intended had eloped with another woman, becomes insane. The fugitives are pursued, but in vain; and Talbot is outlawed and condemned to death by the Parliament. Some months afterwards he returns in disguise to t he residence of his mistress, whom he contrives to see, and a touching scene takes a place between them, during which they are surprised by the Puritans. His rival gives orders for the immediate execution of his sentence; but, as Si tratta di una svista subito dopo non ripetuta. Il duetto del secondo atto infatti è tra Sir Giorgio Lablache e Sir Riccardo Forth Tamburini. Rubini interpretava il ruolo di Arturo Talbot. Bellini, in this opera, has written rather above his usual mark — he has soared into higher and grander regions of composition, but his success has been very uneven. His instrumentation is considerably improved. The opera is largely indebted for its success to the brilliant talent of those who fill the principal parts. If performed by artistes inferior to Grisi, Lablache, Tamburini, and Rubini, we doubt whether it would have obtained that favour which it enjoyed in Paris, and which, during the present season, at least, it is likely to secure in this country. The choicest morceaux in the opera are a polonaise in the first act, which was sung by Grisi with superabundance of exquisite ornament, and a duet at the conclusion of the second act, between Lablache and Tamburini, which produced an unanimous encore. The music of the third act is dull in the extreme — there is scarcely one passage of redeeming merit in it. Grisi, if possible, surpassed anything she ever before attempted. Lablache was a most perfect picture of the Cromwellian Roundhead. Upon the four leading performers coming forward at the conclusion of the opera, there was a regular horticultural shower of wreaths and bouquets, and it employed Lablache, Tamburini, and Rubini some moments to collect and assign them to the keeping of the fair cantatrice and beneficiaire of the evening. At the fall of the curtain Mr. Laporte appeared on the stage to announce that, by command of their Majesties, the opera of I Puritani would be performed in their presence on Tuesday next. The new opera, I puritani, was last night performed at the command of her Majesty, who came to the house, not in full state, but almost in the unostentatious manner in which she frequently indulges her taste for the entertainments of this house. When her Majesty entered the box the national anthem was not performed, no doubt in consequence of directions to that effect, nor did the very crowded audience which filled the house interfere with the privacy which was thus implied until, as her Majesty retired from the theatre, there was a general and warm round of applause. The Duchess of Cambridge accompanied her Majesty, and her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent and the princess Victoria also occupied their box. The opera went off with great success. The polonaise and the military duet were both encored. The music throughout was listened to attentively, which in the house it was the best compliment it could receive. From the retired seat occupied by the Queen, her entrance was noticed only by a few persons, who did not make known by audible sounds the attendance of the illustrious visitor, and it was only at the termination of the opera, when her Majesty rose to depart, that she was recognized by the audience. A round of hearty applause followed the recognition, which the Queen acknowledged in her most gracious and graceful manner. We observed the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria in their box, as well as a long list of fashionable company. The pit was crowded to excess, and the whole interior, in fact, presented a very animated appearance. The opera went admirably as regards the principal performers, and with some signs of improvement on the part of the chorus. We are little disposed to vary the opinions, formed from our first impressions, of the merits of the composition. There is some pretty and vigorous writing; there are some sparkling morceaux; and the general effect is essentially dramatic. There are melodies which catch the ear, and there are some harmonies worthy of a master of higher and more classical pretensions than Bellini. The composer is profoundly indebted to the unequalled artists who immortalized his work in Paris, and who are now electrifying the dilettante in London. We question whether the furors of the Parisian opera-frequenters could exceed that of our opera-goers; and, in truth, there are two pieces which set at nought all critical acumen and compel the listeners, nolens volens, to give themselves up to the illusion of the moment. We allude, of course, to the polacca in the first act, sang by Grisi, assisted by Mrs. Seguin, Lablache, and Rubini; and the heartstirring duet between Lablache and Tamburini in the second act. In the former, which was rapturously encored, Grisi again exercised a potent sway over the feelings of her auditory. The melody itself is of a light, graceful character which fixes attention immediately, but, executed by the rich Italian soprano of Grisi, with her exquisitely round, full, and clear tones, with an intonation faultlessly pure, and with a facility of execution which the best instrumental player might envy, it is rendered peculiarly fascinating. This is literally no exaggeration: the breathless silence which reigns during the progress of the polacca — the evident anxiety not to lose the last dying vibration of a single note — and the tremendous approbation which follows its conclusion, must be sufficient evidence of the spell under which the hearers of this charming Polonaise are labouring. The entire duet is well written; the various emotions are correctly described; and the gradual preparation for the unison of the two voices chanting the paramount duties of patriotism reflects the highest credit on Bellini for his happy conception. It is a very clever, as well as pleasing, duet. The third act went heavily, notwithstanding there is a fine duet between Rubini and Grisi, which they sing with delicious expression. The acting in the chief parts is worthy of a separate notice. Grisi is equally great in the delineation of the joys or sorrows of Elvira. Her mad scene is a prodigious effort, and is only approached in excellence by the accurate discrimination of the one in which the recovery of reason is depictured. Some of her attitudes with Lablache, in her first scene, were perfect studies. This celebrated singer, and, we may add, actor, has made quite a picture of the Puritan soldier. His gait and bearing are also very characteristic. Tamburini shared, as he deserved to do, in the honours of the evening. It would be an act of injustice to pass over the names of Mrs. Seguin and Giubilei, as, although they have little to do, it is done well, and they are, therefore, addition to the strength of the cast. At the end of the opera the prolonged cheering induced Grisi, Rubini, Lablache, and Tamburini to conform to the custom imposed upon them, of appearing before the curtain. Her Majesty having fixed on the evening of yesterday for the purpose of honouring with her presence the performance of I Puritani, that opera was given last night for the second time. The polacca in the first act was again encored, and so was the duet between Signori Lablache and Tamburini in the second act. The cavatina assigned to Signor Rubini in the first act reminds us strongly of the scene of the Pirata,51 which Signor Rubini has rendered remarkable by the style in which he gives it. But this is a more complete work than any other of the same composer. The fault hitherto peculiar to his compositions, of sudden interruptions of a well-chosen motive, does not exist in this opera. The legitimate school of composition has been resorted to, and merit of a very high order is evinced throughout the work. We think, however, upon the whole, that this opera is too long, and that its length imparts a degree of heaviness to the performance which might prove detrimental to its popularity. This is a fault, however, which may be easily corrected by the curtailment of matter that may be easily shortened or left out altogether, so as to compress the three acts into two. The Duchess of Cambridge, Lady Clinton, two Maids of Honour, and Lord Howe, sat in the box with Her Majesty. The Duchess of Kent, with the Princess Victoria, was in the next box but Il pirata Milano, Teatro alla Scala, 27. The young Princess, who is an assiduous frequenter of this theatre, always appears to take a real and quite naïf interest in the business of the scene. Her Royal Highness has the appearance of enjoying the best health. The most crowded house of the season was the one collected last night, for the benefit of M. Hundreds of persons were admitted on the stage, as the first rush, at the opening of the doors, completely filled every space in the pit and gallery, which could command a view of the stage. The bénéficiaire has fairly earned this compliment, by his exertions in securing such a combination of talent, and, as his outlay must necessarily be heavy he deserves the fullest support. I Puritani e i Cavalieri was repeated for the third time, with increased effect. The four performers whom we have named were called for at the conclusion of the opera, after which M. Laporte had to go through the same ordeal. The ballet La Sylphide, compressed into one act, followed, and introduced the Taglioni, for her first appearance. She was most heartily greeted, and never danced better. Of a danseuse so justly celebrated, and so well known in this country, it would be difficult to say anything in the way of praise. Although eulogium may be fairly said to be thoroughly exhausted in her case, yet the utmost extent of commendation has not yet done justice to the extraordinary grace and exquisite finish of her pas. There was an additional attraction in having Perrot52 in the same ballet. The pas de deux between these two illustrious disciples of the pirouette was of course received with unbounded approbation. It is a very lively affair, and is extremely well acted. Lablache, in the part of Campanone, the composer of the music of an opera to be played at a theatre in Lisbon, sang and acted with considerable humour. His directions to the orchestra, and drilling of the principal singers and chorus, were productive of infinite merriment. Ivanoff53 introduced a very sweet air, which would have been encored had it been sung at an earlier period. Grisi was full of animation, and proved that she was Jules Perrot Lione 1810 - Paramé 1892 , ballerino e coreografo. The quarrelling duet between her and Lablache, where they give an imitation of each other, was very amusing, and convulsed the house with laughter. We should mention that between The Puritani and ballet, the national anthem was called for, and performed amidst great cheering, the first verse being sung by Grisi with great power and sweetness, and the second and third by Mrs. Seguin, who sang with an energy which brought down tremendous applause. The appearance which the house presented at this moment was very grand and exhibited. The whole audience standing, the stage crowded to excess, and every person apparently animated with loyal feelings towards the Monarch of these realms. At the end of the ballet Taglioni and Perrot were summoned to appear before the curtain, which they submitted to with becoming resignation. Much controversy has been held about the merits of Bellini in general, and this opera in particular. Now, with all deference to critics of such authority, we must say, that our opinion of Bellini is not so high. This is either carelessness or incompetence; but, in considering his merit as a composer, it cannot be overlooked. We are inclined, however, to rank this last work as among his best. Upon which Elvira and no wonder! These end in the triumph of virtue, and his resolving to set off to the wars, which he does with a vengeance, to such a spirited duet as we shall never hear again, save from himself Tamburini and the Puritan leader Lablache. The fugitive returns, and is condemned to death. Such is the story: we have already given our general opinion of the music. Il riferimento è probabilmente a Tilburina, protagonista femminile di The Critic, or a Tragedy Rehearsed, dramma satirico sul teatro del Settecento di Richard Brinsely Sheridan Londra, Drury Lane Theatre, 1779. His instrumentation, too, is likewise, in many places, forced, for the sake of effect. Her girlish and buoyant happiness in the earlier scenes — the wayward and passionate melancholy of her madness, could hardly be exceeded. Lablache makes a famous Puritan, and plays his part to the life. The listening attitudes of himself and Grisi, in the opening scene, though but a trifling point among many excellencies, are worthy of being mentioned with admiration. We have nothing more to say, save that the last act is, we suspect, injured by sundry curtailments, which make the catastrophe too sudden, even for our operatic faith. The performances, which were for the benefit of M. Laporte, were all of the most admirable order, and unwearying, though prolonged to an extremely late hour. Between these we have an act of La Sylphide. Taglioni is improved in personal appearance, we think, since last season. She danced in her usual easy and triumphant manner — triumphant in conscious grace; serious and classical. Great as her dancing is, we confess we should enjoy it more, if she deemed to enjoy it more herself. Perrot exerted himself at her side with more than his usual energy, and with all his old success. The present state of the Opera fully justifies the most sanguine anticipations indulged by ourselves and others at the commencement of the season. The subscribers and the public have every reason to congratulate themselves; and we trust that such will be the feeling of the manager, also, when the season shall have closed. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria were also present. The house was one the most brilliant and crowded we have seen during the present season. The pit was full to overflowing, and the boxes presented their entire of beauty, rank, and fashion. Grisi never exerted herself to more splendid advantage than on this occasion in the character of Elvira; and the parts of Sir George, Lord Arthur, and Sir Richard, by Lablache, Rubini, and Tamburini, were supported in the usual style of excellence, for which those gifted artists are so justly celebrated. I Puritani was performed on this occasion, for the third time; after which, the delightful Taglioni made her first appearance this season in the ballet of La Sylphide. Fidelio will be the next novelty, in which Malibran will appear. The second representation justified the enthusiasm and applause which was elicited by the first. It appears to have been considerably and advantageously 122 Alice Bellini - Daniela Macchione i, 2015 issn 2283-8716 compressed; it did not, however, terminate till a few minutes before twelve. This was an arduous performance to both, but they acquitted themselves admirably, and, as on the first night, were called before the curtain to receive the enthusiastic applause of the audience. It was a bold experiment of the composer, to bring two basses, or a baritone and bass into such close juxtaposition, and consequently into comparison; the efforts of Lablache and Tamburini ensured it a success which it might not have received had it been assigned to less skilful artistes. At the end of the opera, Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini and Lablache were loudly called for by the audience, and received the well deserved reward of their exertions. We were happily spared the silly ceremony of flinging bouquets and garlands of flowers, at the accomplished Grisi. We have no hesitation in pronouncing the opera to abound in interest, to be replete with delightful melodies, and on the whole to be decidedly successful. The feeling of enthusiasm which pervaded the audience appeared to communicate itself even to Signor Costa in the orchestra, who, baton in hand, cudgelled the music book with a vehemence that entirely distracted the attention of the otherwise delighted listeners. There is a very commodious depository for cloaks and umbrellas in the lobby; why not also for dress hats and ostrich feathers of lady sitters in the pit? This opera was repeated on Thursday night for the benefit of M. After the opera Taglioni made her first appearance this season, with M. Perrot, in the fairy ballet of La Sylphide. To speak in measured phrases of her dancing would convey but an inadequate idea of the beauty, grace, and elegance which she displays in the intricate and attractive figures of the ballet. It was truly the poetry of motion. The dancing of Perrot admirably supported the exertions of his fair partner. The corps de ballet were numerous and well appointed. The voices seem to be going by machinery. The music is by no means so good as the execution of it by Grisi, Rubini, Lablache, a nd Tamburini; and what composers call the instrumentation of the opera is decidedly inferior to Anna Bolena, and to La Sonnambula. This defect renders the triumph of the singers the greater, and they have skill and voices to do justice to the finest production that was ever written. Grisi and Rubini but especially the latter are not enough before the audience, but what they have to do they perform exquisitely. Arturo Rubini does not appear at all in the second part, three months being supposed to elapse between the f irst and third acts, during which Arturo is absent with the Queen, and which is, in fact, the whole occasion of the distraction of the heroine, Elvira, Grisi , in the second act. We by no means like this scena so well as a corresponding one at the conclusion of Anna Bolena, but the air Qui la voce sua soave is very touching, from its mere simplicity. The duet between Giorgio Lablache , and Ricardo Tamburini , which finishes the act, is as fine a specimen of dramatic music as perhaps has ever been composed. Hypercritics will find fault that that part of it, Suoni la Tromba, is written in unison and not in harmony. To us this is a merit, for the great object of Bellini here was force and effect. There is nothing so good in the third act as in the two first — as if the composer had exhausted himself. The words of the opera are often below the subject, and the story is positively nonsensical. The house presented a very brilliant galaxy of rank, beauty, and fashion. Grisi, Tamburini, Lablache, and Rubini sang the music allotted to them with exquisite grace, feeling, and power. The cavatina, by the latter, in the first act forcibly reminded us of his celebrated scena from Il Pirata. I Puritani is decidedly superior as a composition, combining the classic graces of music with historic recollections, to any other opera that we know of — its chief fault is, that it is too long.
A Difference seemed to have left his frame, to walk through life again. Le genre tragique en France sous la Restauration et la Monarchie de Juillet, Paris, Presses Universitaires de Paris-Sorbonne, sous presse. Still there ibride rencontre buffon a vigour about them which carries them off successfully. His circle and his age, New Nagasaki, Cambridge University Press, 1969. Studi in onore di Pierluigi Petrobelli, a cura di Stefano La Via e Roger Parker, Torino, EDT, 2002, pp. » A lphonse Lemerre, Anthologie des poètes français du xixe siècle, Paris, Lemerre, 1887, p. Lablache, Tamburini and Rubini supported their characters with ability and energy. Amédée Tardieu, Paris, Hachette, 1867, p. Sir Riccardo Forth a Colonel and Puritano, and who wishes to marry Elvira Signor Tamburini, who sang and acted beautifully and looked extremely well. Voir Robert Wiśniewski, Si fama non fallit fidem. VIII; «The Court magazine and solo assemblee», 6.