Adelia

by Gaetano Donizetti
Opera Orchestra of New York
Eve Queler, conductor
Performers listed below

Have you ever known someone who was, well, nosy? You know the type. A guy who’s always poking around in things that are none of his business? Or a woman who intrudes in matters that really don’t concern her? Or someone who talks about people behind their backs and gets them in trouble? You know, the sort of person others might call a “buttinsky.”

Well, everyone’s probably known at least one such person - and tried to avoid him or her, if possible. But sometimes people like that simply can’t be avoided. In this week’s opera, for example. Except this time, the busybody isn’t just one person - it’s almost everybody. In fact, it’s the entire chorus that’s constantly eavesdropping, spreading gossip, tattling, and getting the main characters into so much trouble that a couple of them nearly lose their heads just for being in love.

What happens, in a nutshell, is this: Some 15th century Burgundian townsfolk spot a local nobleman sneaking out of a "common" woman's bedroom window while her father is off at war. They figure that if the father finds out about this apparent affair, it'd send him into a murderous rage. So, apparently just for fun, they rat on the daughter, Adelia. Then they talk Arnoldo - he's the dad - out of killing his daughter's lover with his own two hands. That might get Arnoldo in trouble. Instead, they remind him of a law that will force the Duke of Burgundy to hang Oliviero, Adelia's lover, just for being seen with her. Later, this meddlesome chorus finds out that the Duke's apparent mercy toward Oliviero is a sham. Then they urge the lovers to go ahead and get married even though they're perfectly aware that the Duke plans to hang Oliviero immediately after the nuptials - talk about a non-traditional wedding night!

Now, we're somewhat sorry to say that in the end, everything comes out Ok. The libretto's original, non-censored ending - a sort of execution/suicide combo - would have been a lot more splashy. But the opera's great fun, anyway, and the music is vintage Donizetti. You can't go away humming the catchy tunes because there are too many of them to remember! And the production is first-rate, as well, from Eve Queler and Opera Orchestra of New York, with Mariella Devia in the brilliant title role.

Tune in Gaetano Donizetti's Adelia, this week on NPR World of Opera, with Steve Curwood.



Performers:
Mariella Devia, soprano (Adelia); Warren Mok, tenor; Stephan Pyatnyichko, baritone; Paul Plishka, bass


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