L'infedeltà delusa
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Operas
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L'infedeltà delusa ("Deceit Outwitted"), Hob. 28/5, is an operatic burletta per musica by Joseph Haydn.[1][2] The Italian libretto was by Marco Coltellini, perhaps reworked by Carl Friberth, who also took part in the first performance.
Performance history
The earliest recorded performance, which may have been the premiere, was at Eszterháza (in modern Hungary) on 26 July 1773. This was the name day of the Dowager Princess Estaházy and this date is given in the printed libretto. It was revived for the visit of Empress Maria Theresa on 1 September 1773, and again on 1 July 1774.
Bampton Classical Opera gave performances of the opera in 2004 and 2005, in English. In 2014, it was performed by New Chamber Opera at New College, Oxford.[3]
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, July 26, 1773 (Conductor: – ) |
|---|---|---|
| Vespina, a spirited young woman, sister of Nanni, in love with Nencio | soprano | Maddalena Friberth |
| Nanni, a peasant, in love with Sandrina | bass | Christian Specht |
| Sandrina, a simple girl, in love with Nanni | soprano | Barbara Dichtler |
| Filippo, an old peasant, father of Sandrina | tenor | Carl Friberth |
| Nencio, a well-to-do farmer | tenor | Leopold Dichtler |
Synopsis
The opera is set in the Tuscan countryside.
Act 1
Filippo, brother and sister Nanni and Vespina, and rich farmer Nencio admire the beauty of the summer evening. Filippo is concluding a deal with Nencio. Sandrina, Filippo's daughter enters, the others leave her alone with her father, who tells here that he has found her a husband. She protests that she loves only Nanni but Filippo dismisses the thought of her marrying a poor man. When Nanni arrives, Sandrina is sad, and torn between love for him and respect for her father. Nanni vows vengeance on Filippo and the man chosen to be Sandrina's husband.
In a room in Nanni and Vespina's house; Vespina sings of the pain of love but longs for its pleasures. She reveals that she is in love with Nencio, whose behaviour puzzles her. Nanni tells her that Nencio wishes to marry Sandrina and both swear vengeance.
Outside Filippo's house, Nencio sings a serenade to Sandrina. Vespina and Nanni eavesdrop on him as he asks Filippo to send Sandrina to him. Despite Sandrina's tears, Nencio says he will marry her come what may. Vespina enters and slaps him; Nencio and Filippo refuse to budge, Vespina and Nanni are furious while Sandrina laments her predicament.
Act 2
Vespina has disguised herself as an old woman, so that when Filippo and Sandrina come out of the house she will tell them that Nencio was secretly married but abandoned her daughter. Filippo, angry at Nencio's supposed duplicity hurls insults at him; Nencio, baffled by this, is next approached by Vespina this time disguised as a German servant who says that her master, a marquis will be taking Sandrina as his wife. Nencio thinks he now understands the reason for Filippo's anger, but Vespina reappears now as the Marquis de Ripafratta, saying that although he promised to marry Sandrina he wouldn't marry below his station and will therefore trick her into marrying one of his scullions. Nencio is pleased by the anticipated humiliation of Filippo and offers to be a witness. Vespina assures Nanni that her ruses will succeed.
Filippo is delighted by Sandrina's prospects as the wife of a marquis, but his daughter says that she wants love, not luxury. In her fourth disguise, Vespina enters as a notary accompanied by Nanni disguised as a servant and Nencio. A marriage contract is signed and witnessed, Filippo believing the bridegroom to be the marquis, Nencio thinking it the servant. When the disguises are thrown off, Sandrina is shown to be married to her beloved Nanni. Vespina confesses her tricks, Filippo accepts the outcome, and Vespina looks forward to wedding the chastened Nencio.
Orchestration
The opera is scored for two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, timpani, strings, continuo.
Recordings
Antonio de Almeida recorded the opera with the Orchestra of the Haydn Foundation, Rome and Emilia Ravaglia, Elisabeth Speiser, Umberto Grilli, Giorgio Grimaldi, and Robert El Hage in January 1968. It was released on Le Chant du Monde and MHS (Musical Heritage Society).
Antal Dorati recorded the opera with the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra and Edith Mathis, Barbara Hendricks, Michael Devlin, and Claes-Håkan Ahnsjö in 1981.
References
- ↑ Branscombe, Peter (1992). "Infedeltà delusa, L". In Sadie, Stanley. The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. London: Macmillan Reference. ISBN 0-333-73432-7.
- ↑ "Franz Joseph Haydn – L'Infedelta Delusa (DHM) Box set". Amazon.com. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
- ↑ "Joseph Haydn: L’Infedeltà Delusa". UK: New Chamber Opera. 22 January 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014. External link in
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