Risurrezione

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Operas by Franco Alfano
Risurrezione (1904) Cyrano de Bergerac (1936) Sakùntala (1952)
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Risurrezione (in English, Resurrection), is an opera or dramma in four acts by Franco Alfano. The libretto was written by Cesare Hanau based on the novel "Resurrection" (Russian: Воскресение) by Leo Tolstoy. The first performance was on November 30, 1904, in the Teatro Vittorio Emanuele, Turin, Italy.

1 Roles
2 Synopsis
3 Noted arias
4 Orchestration
5 External links

[edit] Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, November 30, 1904 (Conductor: - )
Katerina Mihaylovna, named Katyusha	soprano
Prince Dimitri Ivanovich Nehlyudov	tenor
Sofia Ivanovna, his aunt	mezzo-soprano
Matryona Pavlovna, housekeeper	contralto
Simonson Ivanovich, political convict	baritone
Anna, old peasant	contralto
Korablyova, prisoner	contralto
servant	contralto
Vera, political convict	mezzo-soprano
Fenyichka, prisoner	soprano
Hunchback girl, prisoner	contralto
Red-haired girl, prisoner	mezzo-soprano
Krilycov, political convict	bass
Chief guard	bass
Guard	baritone
Train-station officer	baritone
Officer	tenor
A woman	soprano
Muzhik	baritone
Two peasants	basses
Three prisoners	2 sopranos / 1 contralto
Kozak	baritone
Church voices, Peasants, Prisoners in female prison, Political convicts, 8-year old girl

[edit] Synopsis

Scene: Russia and Siberia at the end of 19th century

[edit] Act 1

Prince Dimitri arrives to say goodbye to his aunt, Sophia Ivanovna, before leaving for the war. His old playmate Katiusha, a young peasant girl, is now Sophia Ivanovna’s companion. Dimitri is overjoyed to meet her again and that night becomes her lover. The next day he leaves for the war.

[edit] Act 2

The station of a small town. Katiusha, now pregnant, has been driven out of the house. She anxiously waits for Prince Dimitri who is due to pass through the station. But when she sees him arrive in the company of a prostitute, her courage fails her and she remains hidden until she goes away, pierced to her soul.

[edit] Act 3

Prison in St Petersburg. Katiusha, broken by Dimitri’s neglect of her and the death of her child, ends up in a place of debauchery. She is involved in a crime and, although innocent, is condemned for murder during a difficult trial, and is to be deported to Siberia. Before she leaves, Dimitri, now overcome with remorse, comes to see her in jail and offers to marry her. But she is in such a state of abject despair that she refuses all consolation.

[edit] Act 4

On the road to Siberia. Katiusha has become herself again, the good sweet girl of former times. She has found the will to live by comforting her fellow deportees. Dimitri, who has followed her, now wants to marry her at any price. He obtains a pardon for her and her freedom. But Katiusha, although she still loves him with all her soul, refuses. She feels that only if they both renounce marriage can they be redeemed.

[edit] Noted arias

Si, la ravviso la mia cara stanza (I know this dear room...) – Arioso of Dimitri (Act I)
Qualcun giù in giardino?... È Katiusha!.. (Someone’s in the garden?... It’s Katyusha!...) – Duetto of Katerina and Dimitri (Act I)
Dio pietoso, la ch'ei venga alfin (Mercifull Lord, make him come at last) – Aria of Katerina (Act II)
Piangi, si, piangi (Cry, yes, cry) – Arioso of Dimitri (Act III)
Quando la vidi, una voce mi disse (When I saw her, a voice said to me) – Aria of Simonson (Act IV)
Ed ora, va... parti!... Son felice!!! (And now, go... leave!... I’m happy!!!) – Finale duetto of Katerina and Dimitri (Act IV)