Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia
Italian Opera by Romantic Composer Gaetano Donizatti
Lucrezia Borgia, an Italian opera by Romantic composer Gaetano Donizatti: opera plot synopsis / summary, character description, and other Donizetti opera information.
Lucrezia Borgia, is a melodrama Italian opera in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848). It was first performed in Milan, Teatro alla Scala, on December 26, 1833. Libretto is by Felice Romani. Based on "Lucrèce Borgia" by Victor Hugo.
Donizetti's opera Lucrezia Borgia has been popular with audiences because of its music and satisfactory casts of leading singers. The music provides a great number of wonderful tunes, but not as much of a considerable dramatic importance compared to his other powerful operas, nevertheless, it served as a model for Rigoletto, the famous opera of Verdi.
Setting is in Venice and Ferrara in the early 16th-century.
The Characters of Lucrezia Borgia
- Gennaro, young Venetian (tenor)
- Lucrezia Borgia, wife of Duke Alfonso (soprano)
- Maffio Orsini, friend of Gennaro (contralto)
- Don Alfonso of Ferrara (bass)
- Astolfo (bass)
- Gubetta (bass)
- Rustighello (tenor)
- Mute: Princess Negroni
Plot Summary (Synopsis) of Lucrezia Borgia
Prologue.
Venice. There's a party in Barbarigo palace. Orsini tells how Gennaro saved his life after a fight and how together the two men fled into the woods. Lucrezia, the wife of the Duke of Ferrara recognizes the young Venetian Gennaro to be her illegitimate son from a previous illicit relationship. She loves Gennaro and watches him with such a special affection. Lucrezia Borgia, however, belongs to the hated notorious bourgeois Borgia family, herself known to be a poisoner so. Neither the duke nor Gennaro's friends are aware of the true reason why Lucrezia is fond of Gennaro and why such care and attention are given by Lucrezia.
Duke Alfonso of Ferrara has followed her to Venice with his henchman, Rustighello. The duke is jealous believing that Lucrezia is having an affair with Gennaro. He plans to kill Gennaro. Astolfo has been sent by Lucrezia to fetch Gennaro in order to warn him about the duke's plan, but Rustighello's man scare him away.
Meanwhile, Gennaro is grateful and flattered by the attention given him by Lucrezia. But when his friends tease him about Lucrezia's special attentions and inform him that she comes from the notorious Borgia family, Gennaro gets irritated and furious.
Act 1
To prove that Lucrezia doesn't mean anything to him anymore, Gennaro knocks her name and arms at the Borgia family, his action considered a grievous offense, and penalty is death.
Lucrezia appeals to the duke for revenge against the man who defaced her palace. Horrified when she learns that Gennaro was the culprit, she begs the duke for mercy. The duke gives Gennaro poisoned wine. Lucrezia quickly administers an effective antidote to Gennaro, in order for him not to die, and convinces him to flee Ferrara immediately.
Act 2
Lucrezia seeks revenge of Gennaro's friends for their cutting remarks and sneers against her. She prepares a poisoned wine at a supper party in Negroni palace.
Orsini convinces Gennaro that Lucrezia set him up to win his trust back, they leave for a party at the Negroni palace. At the party, Orsini is offended by Gubetta's arrogant manner. They return to their drinking while the lamps are extinguished. Gennaro drinks the wine with his friends. Unaware, Lucrezia has poisoned the guests including Gennaro. When Orsini threatens to kill her, she reveals that she is Gennaro's mother. Lucrezia yet offers an antidote to Gennaro. This time Gennaro refuses it and would rather die than be her son. Stricken by guilt and a son's painful rejection, Lucrezia Borgia dies.
Other Operas by Gaetano Donizetti
Source:
The Da Capo Opera Manual by Nicholas Ivor Martin (Da Capo Press, 1997)
