Search - Gaetano Donizetti, Alun Francis, Ludmilla Andrew :: Donizetti - Gabriella di Vergy / L. Andrew · M. Arthur · de Plessis · Tomlinson · J. Davies · Winfield · RPO · A. Francis (+ 3 pieces from 1826 version - with D. Jones · Harrhy)

'Not an Opera for the Kiddies'

dwadefoley | New York, New York United States | 03/30/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gabriella di Vergy is one of the most fascinating rediscoveries among Donizetti's works. It was always well-known among scholars that Donizetti had composed an opera of this name for his own amusement in 1826. This opera, having come before romantic tragedies were the rage in Italy, was well ahead of its time in terms of subject matter and Donizetti never attempted to have it produced. A score of the work was known to exist in the University of London's library, but it turned out to be a different opera altogether. The version found there was composed in 1838, and like its 1826 predecessor, had never seen the stage. Here, then, was a mature Donizetti work whose existence modern scholars had not suspected. This recording was the world-premiere of this opera. Concert and stage performances followed, in 1978 and 1985 respectively. The plot strongly resembles that of the same composer's Parisina: A guiltless wife driven to destruction by a jealous husband. The story is, however, more gruesome than most along similar lines. Gabriella has been forced to marry Fayel after her childhood love Raoul is presumed to be dead. In fact, Raoul is not dead. He has saved the life of the King and has come to Fayel's castle ostensibly to be rewarded by the grateful King. However, his real purpose is to see Gabriella. She repulses his advances, but admits that she still loves him. Both are dealt a blow when the King offers the hand of Almeide, Fayel's sister, to Raoul as reward for his valor. Raoul pleads with Gabriella for her love one last time, but is caught by Fayel and the court. The King resolves that a duel will be fought. Gabriella is imprisoned, and Raoul is slain. Fayel then presents Raoul's excised heart to Gabriella in an urn. Before swooning from shock and horror, she hurls curses on Fayel. When the LP version was released, I recall one reviewer commenting, "Definitely not an opera for the kiddies". The opera itself is first-rate in the opinion of this writer. There are no signs that Donizetti was asleep at the wheel, as sometimes occurs even in his more popular works. Musically, there is much that can be considered Verdian, particularly in Fayel's music, which bristles with machismo and energy throughout. His duet with Gabriella in Act I admirably contrasts is jealous fury with Gabriella's dignified protestations of innocence. The big ensemble when Raoul is discovered kneeling before Gabriella is simply tremendous, especially the stretta, launched by the raging Fayel. The final scene is representative of Donizetti's best. When Gabriella, unsure of whether Raoul or Fayel has survived the duel, sees a ray of light appear at the prison door the orchestra plays an ecstatic rising figure in the strings, but this is abruptly replaced with a falling minor phrase in the brass when it is Fayel who appears triumphant. The effect is chilling. Gabriella's confrontation with Fayel is brilliantly handled, and we cannot help but be moved by her plight. The performance is of excellent. In the title role, Ludmilla Andrew is moving and in beautiful voice. Especially good is the slow movement of the aria finale, "L'amai, si, come un angelo" in which Gabriella admits to Fayel that she loved Raoul, is distinguished by passionate delivery and ethereal pianissimos. Her final curse on Fayel, oddly enough a moderato cabaletta with very little decoration, is nonetheless seething with restrained anger. Christian DuPlessis is excellent as the cruel and jealous Fayel, delivering his lines with menace and towering fury. Yet his entrance aria, in which he tells us that he longs for Gabriella to reciprocate his love, reveals a tender side to this otherwise evil and unsympathetic character. Regrettably, tenor Maurice Arthur is not a satisfying Raoul either musically or dramatically; his whining tone gets downright annoying, and we are almost relieved to learn that Raoul has been carved up at the end. Alun Francis ably and energetically conducts the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The recording level could have been higher, but turning up the volume on your stereo a bit will solve the problem. The accompanying booklet is a fascinating piece of operatic history, and gives a detailed account of this, the 1826 version, and a third(!), postumously performed version from 1869. As a bonus, the appendix contains numbers from the 1826 version, excellently sung by Opera Rara mainstays Della Jones (a contralto Raoul) and Yvonne Kenny (Gabriella). These numbers are more in the style of Mayr or Rossini -as one might expect from an earlier Donizetti work- but they are very enjoyable in their own right. It is a pity that Opera Rara didn't record both Gabriellas complete-the versions have so little in common that each could stand on its own. As a side note, both Mercadante and Carafa set the same grisly story to music, and excerpts from their works (both of which were quite popular with 19th century audiences) can be heard on Opera Rara's "100 Years of Italian Opera" series."

Intriguing

Michael K. Halloran | 11/26/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This recording, one of Opera Rara's earliest, presents the 1838 version of Donizetti's "Gabriella di Vergy" (not to be confused with "Gemma di Vergy"). This opera is unique in the Donizetti canon because it was one he composed without a prior commission in 1826. He revised it again in 1838, but the opera did not receive a staged performance until over thirty years later, in a version cobbled together from various Donizetti operas.The full history and story of the opera are documented in the copious notes provided with this set. The music is not first-rate Donizetti, but can achieve moments of loveliness and drama. The casting is good but lacks the last degree of polish. Ludmilla Andrew in the title role sings with lovely tone, although notes above the staff tend to constrict and do not "float" as one would ideally wish. She is always dramatically alive, however. Maurice Arthur's voice is only serviceable in music which cries out for the beauty of voice and the commitment of a young Pavarotti. He is the weak link in this cast. Conversely, Christian du Plessis is the most successful of the soloists, firm in his line and fully bringing out the conflicting emotions within his character. John Tomlinson is not as steady as he can be, but sings with imposing assurance in the role of the king. Allun Francis conducts with real feeling for the music.As a bonus, the set includes two arias and a duet from the 1826 "Gabriella," beautifully sung by Della Jones and Eiddwen Harrhy. All in all, a highly enjoyable set."