Saverio Mercadante - Caritea, regina di Spagna - "La baldanza" (Jacek Laszczkowski & Gregory Bonfatti)

Another series of uploads for an obscure opera, this time - Mercadante's "Caritea, regina di Spagna" which was presented in 1826, in Venice, one of his earliest successes.

According to the Italian critic Rodolfo Celletti, "Caritea" "initiates the strain of Iyrical pathos later conspicuous in "Il pirata", "I Capuleti", "Anna Bolena"... It shows the first significant step Mercadante took away from Rossini's style and the influence he would have on Bellini and Donizetti". After listening to the work for several times, I would disagree with this description. Let's start with the libretto.

Caritea (soprano) must marry someone who would become the King of Spain. Her lover, Pompeo, was killed by Diego (contralto) who, for his part, is in love with Caritea. At the beginning of the opera he comes back to his homeland disguised as a captain, while Caritea has announced that she will marry anyone who would bring her the head of the assassin (she doesn't know the appearance of Diego). Don Alfonso, King of Portugal (tenor), is prepared to compete for Caritea's hand, but Rodrigo (tenor), Caritea's ambassador, denies this right to anyone from Portugal which enrages Alfonso to the point where he actually decides to attack Spain to get the Queen. That's Act One. In Act Two Diego has infiltrated Alfonso's camp. Caritea, dressed as a man, drops in to assassinate Alfonso (she's a gentle soul, really, she is), but, after finding herself almost cornered, Diego, still unknown to the Queen, saves her and helps her get into Toledo. Of course, she is already in love with him. Alfonso and Diego then have a duel with the latter killing the former. Finally, as everything seems to have passed, Diego announces his identity to the Queen who pardons him and agrees to marry him. There is also a father figure for Diego (bass) but he is there to provide the bass line for several ensembles.

I think it's pretty obvious that I don't think much of the story which is a classic romantic one of grand people with big problems and even bigger reactions. I do think that Mercadante wasn't too interested in setting up this boring and illogical succession of set-pieces, and the music shows it: several melodious, nice pieces are contrasted by the rest of the opera which is pretty routine. The opera does move away from being too traditional with some interesting music shifts and unusual ideas, but... well, it's just not Mercadante's best work. Even the highlights, several of which I'm going to post, are rather straightforward. Still, an enjoyable work in its' own right.

The first piece is an embassy duet for Alfonso and Rodrigo (the duet between Otto and Adelberto in Rossini's "Adelaide di Borgogna" is similar) which is one of the best pieces in the opera. It centers around Rodrigo's refusal to acknowledge Alfonso as a possible suitor to the Queen. The structure is classical: a couple of statements on a march-like background - scene - a pensive andante as both men try to calm themselves (a rather good one, actually, well-matching the tenor voices) - a final allegro stretta as both leave the stage furious (a very exciting finish to an interesting piece); thankfully, the music is characterful and, if not original, entertaining.

Jacek Laszczkowski and Gregory Bonfatti make a very strong impression as the quarreling leaders. Enjoy :)!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Mercadante
• belcanto
• coloratura
• classical

[Meyerbeer1]

Oh boy, oh boy, my favourite duet from Caritea.

[LindoroRossini]

And mine as well, though the Diego - Alfonso duet is more interesting structurally :).