Ruggiero Leoncavallo

LISTENING TO MUSIC

VERISMO

Verismo: the trend of “Realism” in late 19th century Italian opera

Features “everyday” characters (lower social class), dicey situations; drama often involves love, betrayal, jealousy, often death/murder; featured in music 1890-early 1900s.

PIETRO MASCAGNI  (1863-1945) Italian composer

Opera: Cavalleria rusticana (Rustic Chivalry) 1890

 *Orchestral excerpt: “Intermezzo”  (used in movies, TV commercials)

RUGGIERO LEONCAVALLO  (1858-1919) Italian composer

Opera: Pagliacci (The Strolling Players) 1892

Characters:   Canio- leader of the traveling players, betrayed husband

                       Nedda- his wife, having an affair with Silvio

                       Tonio-  performer/clown, likes Nedda but plans revenge

                                    after she responds rudely to his declaration of love

LISTENING: Aria: Vesti la giubba  (End of Act One) sung by Canio (tenor)

      Consumed with despair on discovering his wife's infidelity, Canio gets ready for the      

          next performance although he is heartbroken, because the show must go on...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky271W94VHA

RECITATIVE:

Recitar!... mentre preso dal delirio           To perform! In the throes of delirium

non so più quel che dico                            I don't know anymore

e quel che faccio!                                      what I'm saying, what I'm doing!

Eppur... è d'uopo... sforzati!                       Still... you must... force yourself!

Bah! Sei tu forse un uom?                         Bah! Are you a man or not?

Tu se' Pagliaccio!                                      You're just a clown!

ARIA:

Vesti la giubba,                                          Put on your costume,

e la faccia infarina.                                     and make up your face.

La gente paga e rider vuole qua.                People are paying, they want to laugh.

E se Arlecchin                                            And when Arlecchino

t'invola Colombina,                                    takes away your Colombina,

ridi, Pagliacco, e ognun applaudirà!          laugh, you clown, and everyone will cheer!

Tramuta in lazzi                                         Turn your agony and your tears

lo spasmo ed il pianto,                                your sobbing and pain into buffoonery,

in una smorfia il singhiozzo                       into a funny grimace - Ah!

e'l dolor - Ah!

Ridi, Pagliaccio,                                         Laugh, you clown,

sul tuo amore infranto.                               at your broken love.

Ridi del duol che t'avvelena il cor.             Laugh at the pain which poisons your heart.        

GIACOMO PUCCINI (1858-1924) Italian composer

 *** Puccini is not part of the ‘verismo’ tradition

His music and opera plots contain many of the hallmarks of the Romantic period, along with a more contemporary presentation of life’s harsh realities.

His stories often highlight the heroines and their difficult situations, which may present them with making a choice with seemingly no good option/outcome.

1.   pianist in Lucca, town where he was born

1.   performance of Verdi’s “AIDA” inspires him to compose operas

1. Attends Milan Conservatory

1884  Le Villi performed in Milan

1889  Edgar

1893  Manon Lescaut performed in Turin; gains international recognition

1. La boheme (Turin)

1. Tosca (Rome)

1904   Madama Butterfly (Milan)

Personal:

1903 bad car accident

1904*Marriage to Elvira Geminiani, mother of his son born 1886

1905-09 Domestic crisis and court case with much publicity; no music composed

1910  The Girl of the Golden West 

1. Il Trittico  Three one act operas:

          Il Tabarro,  Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi (*aria:O mio babbino caro)

1921 Began work on Turandot

1924 Died in Brussels; Turandot completed by others, premiere in 1926

LA BOHEME  (The Bohemian Girl) 1896

Set in Paris, on the Left Bank, around 1830

Characters:

Rodolfo, a poet

Mimi, a seamtress and maker of silk flowers

Marcello, a painter and friend of Rudolfo and Musetta Marcello’s girlfriend (*famous aria Musetta’s Waltz)

ACT ONE:

Several poor artistic friends share a poor garret apartment. The landlord has come asking for the rent. After getting him out (without paying anything!), Rodolfo’s friends head to the Café Momus. Rodolfo stays behind to do some writing when there is a knock at the door. Mimi, a neighbor, needs to borrow a match to relight her candle. She is headed out the door, and realizes she has lost her key. As the two search for it, Rodolfo’s hand touches hers.

Rodolfo’s aria: Che gelida manina (Your cold little hand)