Margherita d'Anjou

Margherita d'Anjou is an operatic melodramma semiseria in two acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer. The Italian libretto was by Felice Romani after a text by René Charles Guilbert de Pixérécourt. It is the fourth of Meyerbeer's Italian operas and his first real success.

Performance history

Margherita d'Anjou was first given at La Scala on 14 November 1820. It was successful and was subsequently performed throughout Europe in Italian, French and German. The French version, premiered at the Théâtre Odéon in Paris on 3 November 1826 is a major revision with added music from other works by the composer. It was given in New Orleans on 17 April 1854. There was a concert performance at the Royal Festival Hall, London, in November 2002.[1]

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere Cast, 14 November 1820
(Conductor: - )
Margherita d'Anjou, widow of Henry VI of England soprano Carolina Pellegrini
Isaura, wife of the Duke of Lavarenne, disguised as Eugenio mezzo-soprano Rosa Mariani
The Duke of Lavarenne, Grand Senechal of Normandy tenor Nicola Tacchinardi
Carlo Belmonte, general banished by the Queen, currently employed by Glocester bass Nicolas-Prosper Levasseur
Michele Gamautte, French physician basso buffo Nicola Bassi
Gertrude soprano Paola Monticelli
Bellapunta, officer of the Queen tenor Pietro Gentili
Orner, officer of the Queen bass
Riccardo, Duke of Glocester bass Michele Cavara

Recordings

There is a recording made in 2002, published by Opera Rara ORC 25.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Buchler (2002)

Sources