ML Hart - Stories of the Operas / 2

*COLD SASSY TREE*
		Set in a tiny rural town in Georgia at the turn of the 20th century, this is a story of "a young man growing up and an old man growing young," that makes audiences laugh and cry, often at the same time. The busybody town ladies want to modernize their image by changing the name of the town to "Commerce," despite the objections of the mayor and sheriff. Recently widowed Rucker Lattimore, an independent, goat-headed curmudgeon, is the owner of the general store. He enters into a platonic "business arrangment" with the milliner, Miss Love Simpson, who will marry him, cook and clean for him, and in return, he deeds his house and furniture to her "in perpetuity." Love, having grown up in one boarding house after another, finds the idea of a home of her own irresistible. Rucker's grown daughters are shocked to the point of hysteria, but his grandson, Will, is all for it. When the townspeople openly snub Love and Will at church, Rucker decides to hold service in his parlor, and preaches his own version of God's plan, that of living life to the fullest. Meanwhile, Will has fallen for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, a mill worker, and is learning about tolerance. When Love's former fiancé arrives in town to renew his suit, Love ends up confessing her darkest secret to Rucker - as a child of 9, she was sexually attacked and has always believed she's not deserving of love or happiness in her life. Rucker has a confession of his own: he fell in love with her the day they met, but he dutifully pushed aside his feelings while his wife was alive. Now, he tenderly tells Love he wants nothing more than for her to be a "real wife" to him. As the townspeople slowly begin to accept Love, Will observes that his grandpa's business arrangement has become more "arrangement" than "business." One evening during a robbery at the store, Rucker is shot, and dies the next morning, after giving his blessing to Will's pursuit of his dream of becoming a writer. After the funeral, Love announces she is carrying Rucker's child, and the opera ends with a celebration of life and living. music by Carlisle Floyd on his own libretto from a novel by Olive Ann Burns (USA, late 20th century)
Composer Carlisle Floyd rejects comparisons to Giuseppe Verdi, who also wrote a brilliantly complex, comic masterpiece in his 70's, after a lifetime of tragic works - but the parallels are undeniable. The narrator of the opera - Will Tweedy at age 25, now a newspaper reporter in the big city - recalls one year in his home town of Cold Sassy Tree, the summer he was 15, when he first fell in love, and his grandpa scandalized the town by marrying one of his employees shortly after his wife's death.
THE CONQUISTADOR
		During the age of exploration and European colonization, Spain invaded the Americas, plundering gold, and destroying the natives with their wars, disease, and forced religion, all in the name of Christianity. European Jews often hid their beliefs rather than be put to death. This is the story of the clash of religion and cultures and its effects on one man. Don Luis de Carvajal, general of the Spanish army, orders the execution of a native warrior who has led an uprising, even after discovering that this man was educated in one of the Spanish-run schools for Indians. He then turns to the audience and asks if they find him cruel, explaining his belief that the only way to serve God is through total conquest. Doña Francisca, sister to the general, lives in New Spain with her several children - the grown boys serve Don Luis. The family secretly practices Judaic rites, and Isabella, his favorite niece, promised her dying grandmother she will be the one to restore Don Luis to his faith. The Viceroy fears the general's growing power, especially since his own niece is engaged to Don Luis, and conspires with the Grand Inquisitor to denounce him. Under increasing pressure, Don Luis is tormented by nightmares, and finally faces the fact that he is by birth a Jew, sent away from home at an early age to be raised as a Catholic, in order to survive in Spanish society. His sister and her family are arrested by the Inquisition and under torture, accuse Don Luis of being a secret Jew. They are later burned at the stake. In prison, abandoned, realizing his whole life has been a lie, Don Luis tries to find some meaningful reassurance in reconciling the two Gods he knows and beginning again. music by Myron Fink and libretto by Donald Moreland (USA, late 20th century)
The libretto is based on the events of an actual life, found in surviving scraps of journals and public records. Don Luis - a Jew raised as a Christian, then a common practice among noble families - lived and conquered in New Spain (México) until his downfall. The story is interwoven with threads of religion, social structure, politics, and humanity. Don Luis is arrested and brought before the priests of the Inquisition.
COSÌ FAN TUTTE
		Like the other two Mozart-da Ponte collaborations, this opera has comic elements and a casual, sometimes silly veneer. But underneath, it's an exploration of secrets and lies, and deeper and darker truths. A couple of friends, Ferrando and Guglielmo, are bragging about their girlfriends to an older, cynical acquaintance, Don Alfonso. Despite the men's assertions of the girls' beauty and faithfulness, Alfonso suggests that all women, given the right opportunity, will betray their love - and offers a bet to prove it. The guys see a chance for easy money, and cheerfully accept. The ladies - sisters Dorabella and Fiordiligi - sweetly sing of their love; but their maid Despina, who's been around the block once or twice, has heard it all before. When they all meet up, Don Alfonso arrives with the news that war has been declared and the guys have to go enlist - with tearful farewells and many promises, the four lovers part. Alfonso has enlisted Despina in his scheme, and as part of the deception, he disguises the guys as Albanians, then introduces them to the girls, with the "wrong" guy after his friend's girl. After some initial resistance here, some gloating there, a fake illness that is "cured" by Despina disguised as a doctor, the girls are hopelessly in love - again. Alfonso arranges for them to marry, presided over by the "notary" - Despina again. At the wedding feast, the Albanians vanish, the guys reappear, and all is revealed - amid much confusion. In some productions, the original couples end up together, sometimes the new couples end up together; but most often, everyone goes their separate ways, perhaps wiser but definitely sadder. music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte (Austria, late 18th century)
The title of this opera is a good example of the problems inherent in translating opera. Literally, it's "Thus Do All (Women)" which isn't very helpful. It's often translated as "Women Are Like That" or "Women Are All the Same" ... but that doesn't quite get it, either, because the point is, of course, it's not just the women. Guglielmo, "disguised" as an Albanian soldier, is puzzled by the turn of events.
TOP OF PAGE \| MAIN NAVIGATION \| THE ART OF MAKING OPERA \| MORE STORIES
DON GIOVANNI
		Misunderstood since Mozart's time, this elegant "dramma giocoso" is still an enigma. Is it meant to be a comedy? a tragedy? It can certainly be played either way. Perhaps like life, it's some of both, as the legendary Don Juan gets his just reward. Leporello, servant to Don Giovanni, acts as lookout while his master breaks into the home of Donna Anna, his latest conquest. She resists, chasing him out, where he encounters her father, killing him in a brief duel. Anna and her fiancé, Don Ottavio, grieve over the body. Leporello begs Giovanni to give up women... outraged at the thought, Giovanni immediately begins to look for another, when Donna Elvira, a former conquest, appears. She berates Giovanni, swearing vengeance. Giovanni and Leporello come across a peasant wedding party, and quickly separate the bride-to-be from her friends. She is flattered by Giovanni's attentions and is on the verge of saying yes, when Elvira swoops her away. Muttering that it's not exactly his day, Giovanni meets up with Donna Anna and Don Ottavio, in mourning, and offers his condolences. Anna recognizes him as her seducer, and she and Ottavio vow to bring him to justice. At a party at Giovanni's estate, Giovanni again attempts to seduce Zerlina, the peasant bride, while Anna, Elvira, and Ottavio confront him. Singing "Long live freedom!" Giovanni and Leporello escape. The second act is much of the same, with mixed-up identities and narrow escapes, and ends with Giovanni, in jest, inviting the memorial statue of the man he killed to dine with him. The statue accepts, and ignoring Elvira's and Leporello's pleas to repent, Don Giovanni is sent to burn in hell forever. music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte (Austria, late 18th century)
Audiences in the 18th century would have been well acquainted with the legend of Don Juan - the libertine and seducer of women who pays for his sins. While the versions of the story ranged from farce to horribly tragic, it may be that the balance of both elements in this opera came from the differing opinions of the creators: DaPonte wanted the comic moments emphasized, while Mozart preferred the tragic. Dwayne Croft as Giovanni - LA Opera.
THE ELIXIR OF LOVE
		This light-hearted look at true love overcoming obstacles has been described as "the happiest of all operas." The combination of the intelligent, feisty heroine and a slightly befuddled hero is typical of comic operas of this period. Adina, a pretty landowner, is reading a story to her farm workers during their lunch break. Hanging around the edges of the group is Nemorino, a simple man, desperately in love with Adina. The story she reads is "Tristan and Isolde" featuring a magic potion that causes "Isotta" (in Italian) to fall in love. Belcore, a dashing commander, arrives with his militia, to woo Adina. Next, a travelling salesman arrives - Dr Dulcamara, selling his potions guaranteed to cure anything, for a price. Nemorino shyly asks if he has some of Isotta's love potion. Dulcamara may be a quack, but he knows how to read people, and offers a bottle to Nemorino, telling him it will take one day for the effects to show up - confessing in an aside to the audience that it isn't really a magical elixir at all, merely cheap Bordeaux wine. Nemorino confidently drinks, knowing that in one day more, Adina will be his. Adina, frustrated by Nemorino's new devil-may-care attitude, accepts Belcore's marriage proposal that very afternoon. Nemorino begs her to delay one day, but she'll not hear of it. At the wedding feast, Adina and Dulcamara sing a charming song together, but she refuses to sign the contract, wondering where Nemorino is. Nemorino, meanwhile, asks the doctor for another bottle, but can't afford it - Belcore offers him 20 scudi if he will enlist in the army. That done, Nemorino drinks the new elixir, becoming very tipsy. The village girls have heard a rumor that Nemorino's uncle has died, leaving a fortune to his nephew - now they all flutter around him, and Nemorino is amazed to find how well the elixir works! He and Adina finally confess their love for each other, Belcore tears up the army contract, and Dulcamara acknowledges how clever a woman in love can be. music by Gaetano Donizetti, libretto by Felice Romani (Italy, early 19th century)
Auber's opera Le Philtre was a smash hit in 1831 Paris. Romani "borrowed" the libretto from this opera to rework it for Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore, which reached Paris in 1839. Both operas played for many years, with the same audiences flocking to both. In fact, someone suggested to Auber that the two operas be given as a double bill. "That's an idea," Auber responded, "though I think it might suit Donizetti better than me." Nemorino is convinced the magical "elixir" will win him the heart and hand of the beautiful Adina.
FALSTAFF
		After a lifetime of writing tragic operas, Verdi turned his hand to comedy for his final opera, written at the age of 78. Shakespeare had introduced the down-on-his-luck, down-at-heel Sir John Falstaff in Henry IV, part 1, and Queen Elizabeth enjoyed his antics so much, that she asked for a play about Jack Falstaff in love. At the tavern of the Garter, Sir John Falstaff is called a thief by Dr Cajus, but the only answer Falstaff gives is to have him thrown out of the tavern. He outlines a plan to rob two gentlemen of their purses and their wives to his servants, Bardolfo and Pistola. The two are Page and Ford, and the servants are to deliver certain letters to the wives, but Bardolfo and Pistola refuse, declaring they, at least, are men of honor. Falstaff throws them out of the tavern too. Falstaff writes identical letters to both women, never thinking the friends might compare the letters. With two others, young Nannetta Ford and Dame Quickly, they resolve to play a trick on the fat would-be suitor. Nanetta is in love with Fenton, but her father has promised her to Cajus. Ford has learned of the plot from the disgruntled Barodlfo and Pistola and soon finds that Falstaff has an appointment to meet with his wife that afternoon. Everyone ends up in the middle of the "assignation," with Falstaff hiding in an enormous laundry basket - which the servants dump into the Thames River. Falstaff, wet and irritated, agrees to another meeting - he is to dress as the Black Hunter and meet in the royal park on the chimes of midnight. The merry wives continue their revenge by coordinating a host of "false fairies" who pinch and hit Falstaff. When he has had enough, Ford forgives him, and all celebrate two marriage ceremonies: Ford blesses the couples but at the last moment, realises that Nannetta has just married Fenton, and the "bride" of Doctor Cajus is Bardolfo dressed as the queen of the fairies. "All the world is a joke," is the conclusion. music by Giuseppe Verdi and libretto by Arrigo Boito, from plays by William Shakespeare (Italy, late 19th century)
Arrigo Boito, the same librettist who worked with Verdi on Otello, showed again how skillful he was at reducing and combining the sprawling range of Shakespearean characters into something more manageable. Otello the opera is arguably a better work than "Othello" the play... certainly Falstaff the opera is a huge improvement over "The Merry Wives of Windsor." Falstaff gleefully reads over his "love" letter - the same letter, sent to two different women, who happen to be best friends... not smart.
FAUST
		The enduring sell-your-sell-to-the-devil story, in quinessential French opera style: a little over-the-top, a full-on ballet, and lots of angst. When the aged Dr Faust despairs that his life of studies have left him unsatisfied, he calls on Satan for help. Méphistophélès appears, and Faust describes his longing for youth and pleasure; the Devil promises to serve Faust if, in the afterlife, Faust will serve him. A magic potion transforms Faust, and the two set off together in quest of pleasure. Peasants gather for a town fair where the soldier Valentin asks his friend, the boy Siébel, to protect his sister when he goes to war. Méphistophélès mesmerizes the crowd with an impudent song in praise of greed and gold and by changing water into wine. When Valentin draws his sword, it bursts into flames and shatters. Faust meets Marguerite, who demurely refuses his escort. In her garden, Siébel leaves a bouquet of flowers as a gift - Faust's gift is a box of jewels. Marguerite sings a romantic ballad, distractedly reflecting on the stranger she met. Discovering the flowers and especially the box, she exclaims in delight as she adorns herself with jewels. Méphistophélès detours a nosy middle-aged neighbor by flirting with her, so that Faust may complete his seduction. As Méphistophélès invokes a night full of stars, Marguerite confesses her love, but nevertheless begs Faust to leave. The Devil mocks Faust's failure, and as Marguerite yields to his embraces, Méphistophélès roars with laughter. Months later, Valentin and his comrades return from war, singing the glory of those slain in battle. He looks for Marguerite but receives only evasive replies from Siébel. Remorseful at having abandoned the pregnant girl, Faust arrives with Méphistophélès, who serenades Marguerite with a lewd ballad. Valentin defends his sister's honor in a duel with Faust, who, guided by Méphistophélès, fatally wounds Valentin. With his dying breath, he curses Marguerite, who laughs madly. Méphistophélès takes Faust to a debauched celebration, Walpurgis Night. Later, condemned to death for the murder of her illegitimate child, Marguerite is in prison. Faust and Méphistophélès come to take her away, but she lingers to recall the first days of happiness with her lover. Méphistophélès urges haste, Marguerite calls on heaven to save her. Méphistophélès pronounces her condemned, but a choir of angels proclaims her salvation instead, as Faust descends to Hell to fulfill his bargain. music by Charles Gounod, from the play by Wolfgang Goethe (France, late 19th century)
"The theater audience... does not have to know of the value of a work from a taste point of view; it measures only the passionate power and degree of emotion of it, thus making it... an expression of what happens in the personal or collective human soul." - Charles Gounod A popular composer in 19th century Paris, Gounod constantly sought a balance between the sacred and the profane in his music - nowhere more clearly delineated than in this opera. Gounod's Faust - and his Devil - are different from Goethe's, which is different from Marlowe's and from Milton's. Méphistofélès, charming as only the devil can be.



TOP OF PAGE \| MAIN NAVIGATION \| THE ART OF MAKING OPERA \| MORE STORIES