La battaglia di Legnano

Giuseppe Verdi
Operas Oberto (1839) Un giorno di regno (1840) Nabucco (1842) I Lombardi alla prima crociata (1843) Ernani (1844) I due Foscari (1844) Giovanna d'Arco (1845) Alzira (1845) Attila (1846) Macbeth (1847) I masnadieri (1847) Jérusalem (1847) Il corsaro (1848) La battaglia di Legnano (1849) Luisa Miller (1849) Stiffelio (1850) Rigoletto (1851) Il trovatore (1853) La traviata (1853) Les vêpres siciliennes (1855) Simon Boccanegra (1857) Aroldo (1857) Un ballo in maschera (1859) La forza del destino (1862) Don Carlos (1867) Aida (1871) Otello (1887) Falstaff (1893)
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La battaglia di Legnano (The Battle of Legnano) is an opera in four acts, with music by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian-language libretto by Salvadore Cammarano. It was based on the play La Bataille de Toulouse by Joseph Méry. The opera received its first performance on January 27, 1849, at the Teatro Argentina, Rome. While the premiere was successful, the opera failed in its 1850 production in Genoa.^[1]

Performance history

After initial performances around Italy the opera fell foul of the Austrian censors, but it was revived in Milan as L'assedio di Haarlem (The siege of Haarlem); in Parma 1869 it was re-titled La disfatta degli Austriaci (The defeat of the Austrians).^[2] In the 1880s it was re-styled in French as Pour la Patrie for a projected production at the Théâtre Château-d'Eau in Paris,^[3] although this adaptation was later performed in the French provinces.^[4]

The opera is rarely performed in modern times. It was seen in 1959 in Florence and Venice to commemorate the centenary of the Second Italian War of Independence, and in Trieste in 1963 (on each occasion starring Leyla Gencer). La Scala has mounted the opera only twice in the last century: once in 1916 and once in 1961. The 1961 cast was recorded and includes performances by Franco Corelli, Antonietta Stella, and Ettore Bastianini. The opera was not performed in the United Kingdom until 31 October 1960 when it was given its UK premiere in Cardiff, and it was as late as 28 February 1976 that it was given by the Amato Opera in New York. Two concert performances have been presented by the Opera Orchestra of New York; the first was in January 1987 with Matteo Manuguerra, Aprile Millo and Jerome Hines while the second was given in November 2001. It has yet to be given by the Sarasota Opera as part of the "Verdi Cycle" of all Verdi's operas to be presented by 2013.

Roles

Synopsis

Time:

Place: Northern Italy

Act 1 - "He is Alive"

Scene 1: Milan, not far from the city walls

Arrigo, a young soldier who is believed by all to be dead, is part of the forces of the Lombard League which has assembled to set out on a campaign against Frederick Barbarosa, the German Emperor. He recounts how his mother nursed his wounds (La pia materna mano / "A mother's kindly hand") after he was left for dead and, having recovered and before leaving again, he wants to see Lida, his sweetheart. A colleague, Rolando, who leads soldiers from Milan, arrives and, amazed, recognizes Arrigo (Ah m'abbraccia d'esultanza / "Ah! Come to my arms..."). The gathered troops all swear to defend Milan against the tyrants.

Scene 2: Beside the ramparts of the city

Lida, Rolando's wife, is downcast at the prospect of further war. A German prisoner, Marcovaldo, who has been given some degree of freedom by Rolando, declares his love for Lida, but she is disgusted. Then she is appalled to learn that her husband is returning home with none other than Arrigo. (A frenarti o cor nel petto / "My heart, no longer have I the power..."). Upon his arrival, Arrigo is clearly upset to see Lida. Rolando is called away and, left alone with Arrigo, she tries to explain that it was her father who encouraged her to marry Rolando after all believed that Arrigo had been killed in battle. Declaring her a "faithless one" Arrigo hurries away wishing only to die in battle.

Act 2 - "Barbarosa"

The townhall of Como The city fathers have gathered to hear the news that Milan has been forced to come to terms with the invaders. Then Arrigo and Rolando arrive to announce that a new army has invaded from the north and seek Como's help, pointing out that the city lies between Milan and the invaders. They hope that Como will intervene to help the Italian cause. Suddenly, Barbarosa himself appears proclaiming himself as "I am Italy's great destiny", his men having surrounded the city and now further threaten Milan. He demands that Arrigo and Rolando return to Milan and seek its submission.

Act 3 - "Infamy"

Scene 1: The basilica of Sant' Ambrogio

Arrigo joins the Knights of Death, a group which pledges itself to fight to the death rather than suffer defeat or imprisonment. All unite to swear an oath to support the cause of Italy (Giuriam d'Talia por fine ai danni / "We swear to put an end to Italy's wrongs").

Scene 2: Rolando's castle

Lida has heard of Arrigo's attachment to the Knights of Death and desperately tries to contact him via a note conveyed by her maid, Ismelda. As Imelda is about to leave, Rolando sudenly arrives to say farewell to Lida and to his son who he demands to be brought to him. Imelda hides the note and then quickly leaves. He tells Lida to convey his feelings of love of his country and to bring the boy up to love the fatherland (Digli ch'e sangue italico / "Tell him he is of Italian blood").

Arrigo, who has been summoned by Rolando, who does not know of his allegiance to the Knights of Death. Thinking that Arrigo has been ordered to remain to guard Milan, Rolando begs him to take care of his wife and son in the event of his death: (Se al nuovo dì pugnando /"If when we fight on the morrow"). As Rolando leaves, Marcovaldo appears to warn him that his honor has been betrayed: the prisoner has intervened and taken the secret note which Lida wrote to Arrigo. He gives it to Rolando who angrily exclaims that he will obtain vengeance: (Mi scoppa il cor / "My heart is bursting").

Scene 3: A room in the tower

Arrigo is alone when Lida suddenly arrives to see Arrigo, not having had a response to her note. They declare a mutual love for each other but he tells her that he has not received any note, only to have Rolando attempt to burst into the room. Lida is hidden on the balcony, and Rolando confronts Arrigo telling him that he knows about his vow to the warriors of death. Opening wide the door to balcony, Rolando discovers Lida. The men argue, but Lida declares that she is the guilty one. In a rage, Rolando storms out, locking the door, to lead his troops into battle, something which Arrigo can only watch from the balcony. Soon he plunges from it to join the soldiers below, leaving Lida in anguish.

Act 4 - "To Die For the Fatherland"

A square in Milan

The assembled people sing for victory and Ismelda assures Lida that Arrigo was seen to escape from the battlefield. Lida prays for both men's safety: Ah se di Arrigo e Rolando / "Ah! If I recommend to Thy care the lives of Arrigo and Rolando". A hymn of victory begins and it is confirmed by the arriving officials, who enter the church declaring that Barbarosa was slain by Arrigo. Suddenly, a group of Soldiers of Death bring the mortally wounded Arrigo into the square. Rolando approaches him and Arrigo swears that Lida is innocent and proclaims with his last breath that "Italy is saved!".

Recordings

Notes

1. ^ Stamatov, Peter, "Interpretive Activism and the Political Uses of Verdi's Operas in the 1840s" (June 2002). American Sociological Review, 67 (3): pp. 345-366.
2. ^ Osborne C. The complete operas of Verdi. Pan, London, 1969.
3. ^ Soubies A, Malherbe C. Histoire de l'opéra comique — La seconde salle Favart 1840–1887. Flammarion, Paris, 1893.
4. ^ Budden JM. The Operas of Verdi, Volume 2. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1983.
5. ^ List of singers taken from Budden, Julian: The Operas of Verdi (Cassell), vol 1, p. 388.
6. ^ Recordings of Battaglia from operadis-opera-discography.org.uk

External links

• Score
• Libretto
• Aria database