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Micaele Sparacino General Director and Conductor
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La Favorita — a synopsis By William Ashbrook Opera in four acts Balthazar (Baldassarre), Abbot of the Monastery of St. James of
Campostella Historical background: The setting is Spain in 1340 — the Kingdom of Castile in the year Castile and Portugal united to defeat the Muslim invasion of Rio Salado. Alfonso XI is on the throne of Castile but his authority is tempered by the all-pervading power of the Papacy. Although he is married, Alfonso has a mistress, the beautiful and historically notorious Leonora di Gusman, the “favorita” of the title. For the purposes of the opera, the papal power in Spain is vested in the person of Baldasarre, who is not only the Superior (Prior) of the Monastery of Saint James of Campostella (a focal point of pilgrimages throughout the middle ages and probably the most important religious institution in the country) but also the governor. Act 1: Scene 1: At the sanctuary at Saint James of Compostella, the members of the order affirm their faith (Chorus: “Bell’alba foriera”). The Superior of the order, Baldassarre, notices that the novice Fernando does not join in the affirmation. When queried why, the naïve young man explains that he is unable to, because he has fallen in love with a woman he has seen but knows nothing about (Aria: “Una vergine, un angiol di Dio”). She had come to the chapel to pray with such intensity that he was moved by her, and then his hand touched hers when he offered her holy water. Baldassarre, who had hoped that Fernando would succeed him, remonstrates with the young idealist, who can only repeat that he loves this mysterious lady (Duo: “E fia vero?”). Angry, the old monk dismisses the youth. Scene 2: At a garden retreat on the island of St.Leon, Ines and the other maidens describe the fascination of the place on a lovely day (Inès and chorus: “Bei raggi lucenti”). Then Fernando arrives in a boat to be greeted by the sirens ashore (Ines and chorus: “Dolce zeffiro”). Enjoying the sport of courtly love, the ladies place a blindfold on his eyes. When he asks for details of their mistress’s name and rank, they refuse to give him that information. Now, Leonora appears and greets him affectionately (Duo: “Ah! Mio bene!”). He tells her that he has abandoned the religious life; in return, she assures him that she will further his career, but she hopes she will not place him in danger. He asks her how that could be, but she remains evasive. Impulsively, he asks her to marry him, but she informs him that would be impossible and dismisses him. He becomes more insistent (“Ah! Fia vero?”), but she tells him that, although it pains her to send him off, she must. Ines interrupts to inform Leonora that the king wishes to see her, whereupon she thrusts a paper in Fernando’s hand and tells him to avoid her. Alone, Fernando thinks ruefully of the social distance that separates a lady of the court from an ex-novice without prospects of advancement. When he looks at the paper she had given him, he is delighted to discover it to be a commission as captain in the army, and he is eager to seize this chance for fame and glory (Air: “Si, che un tuo solo accento”). The truth of the matter is that, all unaware, he has fallen hopelessly in love with Leonora di Gusman, the mistress of King Alfonso XI of Castile. Act 2: The hedonistic Alfonso revels in the sensuous beauty of his palace gardens (Recit: “Giardini d’Alcazar”). The courtier Don Gasparo informs him that the palace, recently captured from the Moors, is a lucky symbol, and hails the king as hero. Alfonso corrects him, saying that young Fernando, whom he has invited to his court at Seville, deserves the major part of the glory. Don Gasparo then mentions that a message has come from Rome. He leaves, and the King ironically comments on how his courtiers conspire against him because he has put his queen aside and installed Leonora in her place. He will support her, swearing that she deserves the crown (Air: “Vien Leonora”). He will confront the whole universe so great is his love for her (Cabaletta: “De nemici tuoi lo sdegno di sfidar”). The king is planning a great celebration in her honor. In a brief interchange, Leonora learns from Ines that Fernando was the hero of the day. His the glory, she says, mine the shame. The king asks her why she lowers her eyes so sorrowfully. She tells him that she came to court thinking she would find a husband, but the king himself betrayed her (Duo: “Quando le soglie paterne varcai”). She longs to escape, but he insists on the primacy of his love for her. To cheer her up, he orders the dancing to begin (Ballet Divertissement). At its conclusion, Don Gasparo approaches the king to inform him that he has intercepted an unsigned love letter addressed to Leonora. Furious and betrayed, the King demands to know the identity of the letter writer, but Leonora would rather die than name him. This disagreement is interrupted by the arrival of a furious Baldassarre, bearing a Papal Bull demanding that the king banish Leonora and restore his legitimate wife to her rightful position (Finale: “Ah! Paventa il furor d’un Dio vendicatore”). If he fails to do so, he and his party will all be subject to excommunication from the Church. All are horrified at this prospect. Act 3: Alfonso has ordered Fernando to come to Seville to receive merited recognition, but Fernando can think only of the prospect of seeing Leonora again. Preoccupied, Alfonso summons Leonora and orders that Ines be placed under house arrest. When the King asks Fernando what reward he would desire for his military victories, the young man, seeing Leonora approach, asks for her hand in marriage (Trio: “Leonora! Ei del suo cor la brama”). Jealous but appreciative of the irony of this situation, Alfonso informs Leonora of Fernando’s request and his consent to it. They may leave the following day. The heart of this trio is Alphonse’s cynical but suave observation (Aria: “A tanto amor”). He orders them to appear at the altar an hour hence. Alone, Leonora is torn by conflicting emotions (Recit: “Fia dunque vero, o ciel?”). Her dowry, disclosing her compromised position, would be his dishonor, although she loves him with all her heart (Air: “O mio Fernando”). Heaven forbids her even to consider doing harm to Fernando’s honor (Cabaletta: “Sotto il ciel in quest’isola”). Resolved to tell Fernando the truth, she entrusts a letter to Ines, but the attendant is arrested before it can be delivered. Therefore, Leonora believes that she has cleared her conscience to approach Fernando as a bride, but he, it turns out, is as uninformed as ever. The courtiers gather outside the chapel. The king has lavished titles on Fernando; he is now Count of Badajou and Marquis of Montréal. From this promotion, they assume that Leonora as a safely married woman would continue her relationship with the king, even in spite of the Papal Bull (Chorus: “Di gia nella capella”). Leonora arrives, unsure as to how Fernando might have interpreted her (undelivered) letter, but she is reassured by Fernando’s warmth. They enter the chapel. Meanwhile, the outraged courtiers denounce him as an unscrupulous opportunist (Chorus: “Questo e troppo in mia fe”). When Fernando re-enters from the chapel, expecting their congratulations, they turn their back upon him. Furious, he prizes his honor more than love and demands vengeance upon them. Baldassarre appears, and when Don Gasparo informs him of Fernando’s marriage to Leonora, his horrified reaction prompts Fernando to ask what is wrong. On learning that he has married Alfonso’s mistress, Fernando confronts the king, tears off his medals, renounces his title, breaks his sword and hurls it at the king’s feet. In spite of himself, the King feels ashamed (Finale: “Per me del ciel si dispiega il favor”). Baldassarre and Fernando leave. Act 4: Back at the sanctuary of St. James, the monks are digging their own graves as a symbol of renouncing all worldly ambitions. (Chorus: “Fratelli andiam, dove il dolore ha tregua”). Baldassarre leads them in a fervent prayer (“Splendon piu belle in ciel le stelle”). The abbot encourages Fernando, who is about to make his vows as a fully fledged monk and leaves to greet a recently arrived novice. Alone, Fernando takes leave of the heavenly illusion Leonora had brought him (Air: “Spirto gentil”). He goes into the chapel to join the brotherhood. The new novice enters. It is Leonora, disguised and fatally ill. She has come for his forgiveness. She hears the service of Fernando’s admission (Chorus: “Che fino al ciel”) and she feels she should leave at once, but her strength fails her. Exiting from the chapel, Fernando confesses his unease, even though his vows have been made. Leonora approaches, in agony. Fernando is eager to succor this newcomer, but when her familiar voice begs him not to curse her, he starts to order her away. She tells him of her condition and begs for mercy (Air: “Pietoso al par di Dio”). Her pleas move him deeply, and he now suggests they escape together to find the joy that heretofore eluded them (Duo: “Vieni, Ah! vien”). Overcome by weakness, she tells him that her death spares him an act of sacrilege, and giving him her blessing, she dies. Broken-hearted, he throws himself upon her corpse. Seeing Baldassare and the brothers enter from the chapel, he tells them who it is. Baldassarre orders the monks to pray for her (Chorale: “Le nostre preci, O Dio pietoso”). Fernando informs them that his own body will need their prayers the following day. Curtain.
See also Prof. Ashbrook's article on the ancestry of La Favorita and Micaele Sparacino's discussion of the new edition of the opera produced by Opera Bel Canto. William Ashbrook, production
consultant and author of these notes and synopsis, is Distinguished
Professor Emeritus of Humanities at Indiana University, editor of
the Opera Quarterly,
and author of Donizetti and His Operas (1982) and The
Operas of Puccini (1985). He is a regular contributor to the
Cambridge Opera Journal and Opera News. Professor
Ashbrook recently contributed more than 40 articles to the new
Grove's Encyclopedia of Opera. |
