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101-558: First performed in 1876, La Gioconda was a major success for Ponchielli, as well as the most successful new Italian opera between Verdi's Aida (1871) and Otello (1887). It is also a famous example of the Italian genre of Grande opera , the equivalent of French Grand-Opéra . Ponchielli revised the work three times; the fourth and final version was first performed in 1879 in Genoa before reaching Milan in 1880 where its reputation as

202-476: A 1953 production which starred Lois Maxwell as Amneris and Sophia Loren as Aida, and a 1987 Swedish production . In both cases, the lead actors lip-synched to recordings by actual opera singers. In the case of the 1953 film, Ebe Stignani sang as Amneris, while Renata Tebaldi sang as Aida. The opera's story, but not its music, was used as the basis for a 1998 musical of the same name written by Elton John and Tim Rice . The opera has been portrayed in

303-403: A 1955 performance conducted by Tullio Serafin with Maria Callas as Aida and Richard Tucker as Radamès and a 1959 performance conducted by Herbert von Karajan with Renata Tebaldi as Aida and Carlo Bergonzi as Radamès. La Scala mounted a lavish new production of Aida designed by Franco Zeffirelli for the opening night of its 2006/2007 season. The production starred Violeta Urmana in

404-646: A 1966 production with Elena Souliotis ; a 1986 production with Ghena Dimitrova; and a 1998 production with Jane Eaglen . In 1974 the opera was staged by the New Jersey State Opera with Grace Bumbry in the title role with performances given at Newark Symphony Hall and the Trenton War Memorial . The opera's title translates as The Happy Woman , but is usually given in English as The Ballad Singer . However, as this fails to convey

505-554: A cast starring Maria Callas and Giuseppe di Stefano in the 1950s. Callas had tackled the role of La Gioconda previously; singing the role for her professional opera debut at the Arena di Verona on August 2, 1947. Benois's production remained in La Scala's repertoire through 1997; although with different performers. La Scala was also responsible for the first complete recording of the opera made in 1931 with Giannina Arangi-Lombardi in

606-537: A costume. Alagna did not return to the production. A fire destroyed the previous theatre, the Teatro Regio Ducale , on 25 February 1776, after a carnival gala. A group of ninety wealthy Milanese, who owned private boxes in the theatre, wrote to Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este asking for a new theatre and a provisional one to be used while completing the new one. The neoclassical architect Giuseppe Piermarini produced an initial design. However, it

707-531: A dagger and stabs herself to death. In frustrated rage Barnaba tries to perpetrate one last act of evil, screaming at the lifeless body "Last night your mother offended me. I drowned her!" The ballet " Dance of the Hours " (Italian: Danza delle ore ) from Act III of the opera became an international hit in the concert repertoire after it was performed at the Paris Exhibition of 1878 . It has remained

808-464: A duet for Enzo and Gioconda . The fourth and final version of the opera premiered in Genoa on 27 November 1879 without much fanfare. However, this version later achieved critical acclaim and the status as the definitive version of the opera when it was staged at La Scala in Milan the following year on 28 March 1880. For this version, Ponchielli re-composed Alvise's aria, "Si! Morir ella de'!", and replaced

909-583: A famous interpreter of the role. After the premiere, Ponchielli continued to modify the work several times for succeeding productions. For the opera's first staging in Venice at the Teatro Rossini on 18 October 1876 numerous changes were made; including the addition of the 'Furlana' in Act 1; a new cabaletta (‘O grido di quest’anima’) for the duet between Enzo and Barnaba; a preghiera for Laura in Act 2; and

1010-407: A frequently programmed selection from the opera in orchestral and ballet concerts internationally. Considered one of the most popular ballets in history, the ballet was used in the 1940 Walt Disney animated film Fantasia . The segment consists of the whole ballet, but performed comically by animals. The dancers of the morning are represented by Madame Upanova and her ostriches . The dancers of

1111-539: A historical framework with a wide array of characters that could provide a visual spectacle on stage and opportunities for contrast. In the French grand opera tradition the work contains a central ballet and massed choral scenes. La Gioconda was first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 8 April 1876 with Italian soprano Maddalena Mariani Masi in the title role and Spanish tenor Julián Gayarre as Enzo. The work

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1212-556: A letter to be sent to Alvise, revealing his wife's infidelity and the lovers' plan of escape. He is unaware that he has been overheard by Gioconda. The act ends with Barnaba dropping the letter into the Lion's Mouth, where all secret information for the Inquisition is posted, while Gioconda laments Enzo's perceived treachery, and the crowd returns to its festivities. The deck of Enzo's ship Enzo waits for Barnaba to row Laura out from

1313-483: A me sfuggia" / My hated rival has escaped me). She calls for the guard to bring him to her. She asks Radamès to deny the accusations, but Radamès, who does not wish to live without Aida, refuses. He is relieved to know Aida is still alive and hopes she has reached her own country (Amneris, Radamès: "Già i Sacerdoti adunansi" / Already the priests are assembling). Offstage, Ramfis recites the charges against Radamès and calls on him to defend himself, but he stands mute, and

1414-583: A new aria for Alvise in Act 3 which was later discarded in subsequent stagings but whose lyrics were repurposed in part in later revisions within Iago's Credo. The opera was modified again for its first staging in Rome at the Teatro Apollo on 23 January 1877. For this production Ponchielli wrote a new finale to Act 1 which replaced a reprise of the 'Furlana', and replaced the naval battle at the end of Act 2 with

1515-513: A no-confidence motion against Muti. They demanded the resignation of Fontana's replacement, Mauro Meli. Muti had already been forced to cancel a concert a few days earlier because of the disagreements. Italy's culture minister, Giuliano Urbani , supported the conductor but called for urgent action by management to safeguard the smooth operation and prestige of La Scala. On 2 April 2005, Muti resigned from La Scala, citing "hostility" from staff members. In May 2005, Stéphane Lissner , formerly head of

1616-680: A precise time period, so it is difficult to place the opera more specifically than the Old Kingdom . For the first production, Mariette went to great efforts to make the sets and costumes authentic. Considering the consistent artistic styles throughout the 3000-year history of ancient Egypt, a given production does not particularly need to choose a specific time period within the larger frame of ancient Egyptian history. Backstory : The Egyptians have captured and enslaved Aida, an Ethiopian princess. An Egyptian military commander, Radamès, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to

1717-530: A production which was filmed for national television broadcast on PBS and which aired internationally through satellite technology at a time when that was rare. Subsequently the SFO has staged La Gioconda in 1983 with Montserrat Caballé ; and in 1988 with Eva Marton . In 1913 the Chicago Grand Opera Company staged the work with Carolina White in the title role. Emmy Destinn performed

1818-517: A secret relationship. Recalling that Laura was engaged to the now banished nobleman Enzo Grimaldo before her forced marriage to Alvise, Barnaba realises that the sea captain is Enzo in disguise. Barnaba confronts Enzo, who admits his purpose in returning to Venice is to take Laura and begin a new life elsewhere. Barnaba knows that Gioconda is also infatuated with Enzo and he sees an opportunity to improve his chances with her by assisting Enzo with his plan of elopement. When Enzo has gone, Barnaba dictates

1919-453: A total of "3,000 or so" seats organized into 678 pit-stalls, arranged in six tiers of boxes above which is the 'loggione' or two galleries. Its stage is one of the largest in Italy (16.15m d x 20.4m w x 26m h). Building expenses were covered by the sale of boxes, which were lavishly decorated by their owners, impressing observers such as Stendhal . La Scala (as it came to be known) soon became

2020-528: Is able to hide her jealousy and approach Aida (Amneris, Aida, Radamès: "Vieni, o diletta, appressati" / Come, O delight, come closer). The King enters, along with the High Priest, Ramfis, and the whole palace court. A messenger announces that the Ethiopians, led by King Amonasro, are marching towards Thebes . The King declares war and proclaims that Radamès is the man chosen by the goddess Isis to be

2121-468: Is about to stab her when Laura's voice is heard and Gioconda's part in reuniting the lovers becomes clear. Enzo and Laura make their escape, leaving La Gioconda to face the horrors awaiting her with Barnaba. The gondoliers' voices are heard in the distance telling that there are corpses floating in the city. When Gioconda tries to leave, she is caught by Barnaba. She then pretends to welcome his arrival, but under cover of decking herself in her jewellery, seizes

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2222-401: Is condemned to death as a traitor. Amneris, who remains onstage, protests that Radamès is innocent, and pleads with the priests to show mercy. The priests sentence him to be buried alive; Amneris weeps and curses the priests as he is taken away (Judgment scene, Amneris, Ramfis, and chorus: "Ahimè! .. morir mi sento .. Radamès, è deciso il tuo fato" / Alas .. I feel death .. Radamès, your fate

2323-747: Is decided). Scene 2: The lower portion of the stage shows the vault in the Temple of Ptah; the upper portion represents the temple itself Radamès has been taken into the lower floor of the temple and sealed up in a dark vault, where he thinks that he is alone. As he hopes that Aida is in a safer place, he hears a sigh and then sees Aida. She has hidden herself in the vault in order to die with Radamès (Radamès: "La fatal pietra sovra me si chiuse" / The fatal stone now closes over me). They accept their terrible fate (Radamès: "Morir! Sì pura e bella" / To die! So pure and lovely!) and bid farewell to Earth and its sorrows (duet "Invan! Tutto è finito ... O terra addio"). Above

2424-638: Is regularly staged at opera houses in that nation. Given the large number of personnel and elaborate sets the opera requires, the work is one of the more expensive operas to produce, and as a result, the opera is more frequently performed at opera houses with larger budgets like the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. The expense of producing the opera has made it less frequently staged outside of Italy, but it

2525-461: Is still in doubt about Radamès' love and wonders whether Aida is in love with him. She tries to forget her doubt, entertaining her worried heart with the dance of Moorish slaves (Chorus, Amneris: "Vieni: sul crin ti piovano" / Come bind your flowing tresses). When Aida enters the chamber, Amneris asks everyone to leave. By falsely telling Aida that Radamès has died in the battle, she tricks her into professing her love for him. In grief, and shocked by

2626-478: Is still part of the Western canon of opera literature on the international stage. La Gioconda was commissioned in 1874 by Giulio Ricordi of the music publishing firm Casa Ricordi . Ricordi selected Arrigo Boito to write the libretto for the opera; although he used an anagram of his own name, 'Tobia Gorrio'. Boito modeled his construction after the grand opera style of French dramatist Eugène Scribe ; employing

2727-682: Is the captured daughter of the Ethiopian King Amonasro, but her Egyptian captors are unaware of her true identity. Her father has invaded Egypt to deliver her from servitude. Amneris, the daughter of the Egyptian King, enters the hall. She too loves Radamès, but fears that his heart belongs to someone else (Radamès, Amneris: "Quale insolita gioia nel tuo sguardo" / In your looks I trace an unwonted joy). Aida appears and, when Radamès sees her, Amneris notices that he looks disturbed. She suspects that Aida could be her rival, but

2828-556: The Aix-en-Provence Festival , was appointed General Manager and artistic director of La Scala, becoming the first non-Italian in its history to hold the office. On 15 May 2006, Daniel Barenboim was named Maestro Scaligero , or de facto principal guest conductor of the company. In October 2011, Barenboim was appointed the next music director of La Scala, effective December 2011, with an initial contract of 5 years. In December 2013, management named Riccardo Chailly

2929-479: The Indianapolis 500 . Source: Source: Aida Aida (or Aïda , Italian: [aˈiːda] ) is a tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni . Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt , it was commissioned by Cairo 's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 December 1871, in a performance conducted by Giovanni Bottesini . Today

3030-524: The King of Egypt . To complicate the story further, the King's daughter Amneris is in love with Radamès, although he does not return her feelings. Scene 1: A hall in the King's palace; through the rear gate the pyramids and temples of Memphis are visible Ramfis, the high priest of Egypt, tells Radamès, the young warrior, that war with the Ethiopians seems inevitable, and Radamès hopes that he will be chosen as

3131-602: The Teatro Lirico in Milan (1929), and the Teatro Politeama Garibaldi in Palermo (1931) among others. She also performed the role of La Gioconda for radio broadcasts of the opera with orchestras in Rome and Turin in 1931. In 1909 the opera was staged at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome with an excellent cast composed by Angelo Masini Pieralli, Giannina Russ, Luisa Garibaldi and Titta Ruffo. In 2017

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3232-1155: The Teatro Regio di Parma (1911), the Teatro Carlo Felice (1911), the Costanzi Theatre in Rome (1915), the Municipal Theatre of Santiago (1915), the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires (1915), the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples (1915), the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan (1917), the Gran Teatro de La Habana in Cuba (1918), the Teatro Comunale di Bologna (1919), the Teatro Comunale Modena (1927),

3333-624: The Teatro Regio di Parma (20 April 1872), the Teatro di San Carlo (30 March 1873), La Fenice (11 June 1873), the Teatro Regio di Torino (26 December 1874), the Teatro Comunale di Bologna (30 September 1877, with Giuseppina Pasqua as Amneris and Franco Novara as the King), and the Teatro Costanzi (8 October 1881, with Theresia Singer as Aida and Giulia Novelli as Amneris) among others. Details of important national and other premières of Aida follow: A complete concert version of

3434-604: The " potpourri " variety to replace the original prelude. However, in the end he decided not to have the overture performed because of its—his own words—"pretentious silliness". This overture, never used today, was given a rare broadcast performance by Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra on 30 March 1940, but was never commercially issued. Aida met with great acclaim when it finally opened in Cairo on 24 December 1871. The costumes and accessories for

3535-602: The 2001 Italian animated film Aida of the Trees ( Aida degli alberi ). The characters are seen as anthropomorphic creatures between the fictional kingdoms of Alborea and Petra as the star-crossed lovers must find a way to unify their worlds while facing off against the evil high priest Ramfis. La Scala La Scala ( UK : / l æ ˈ s k ɑː l ə / , US : / l ɑː -/ , Italian: [la ˈskaːla] ; officially Teatro alla Scala [teˈaːtro alla ˈskaːla] , lit.   ' Theatre at

3636-579: The Accademia d'Arti e Mestieri dello Spettacolo (Academy for the Performing Arts). Its goal is to train a new generation of young musicians, technical staff, and dancers (at the Scuola di Ballo del Teatro alla Scala , one of the academy's divisions). Above the boxes, La Scala has a gallery—called the loggione —where the less wealthy can watch the performances. The gallery is typically crowded with

3737-509: The Doge's Palace During Carnival celebrations before Lent, while everyone else is preoccupied with a regatta, Barnaba, a state spy, lustfully watches La Gioconda as she leads her blind mother, La Cieca, across the Square. When his amorous advances are firmly rejected, he exacts his revenge by denouncing the old lady as a witch whose evil powers influenced the outcome of the gondola race. It is only

3838-462: The Egyptian commander (Ramfis, Radamès: "Sì, corre voce l'Etiope ardisca" / Yes, it is rumored that Ethiopia dares once again to threaten our power). Radamès dreams both of gaining victory on the battlefield and of Aida, an Ethiopian slave, with whom he is secretly in love (Radamès: " Se quel guerrier io fossi! ... Celeste Aida " / Heavenly Aida). Aida, who is also secretly in love with Radamès,

3939-635: The Egyptians. Amonasro deceptively proclaims to the Egyptians that the Ethiopian king (referring to himself) has been slain in battle. Aida, Amonasro, and the captured Ethiopians plead with the Egyptian King for mercy, but Ramfis and the Egyptian priests call for their death (Aida, Amneris, Radamès, The King, Amonasro, chorus: "Che veggo! .. Egli? .. Mio padre! .. Anch'io pugnai .. Struggi, o Re, queste ciurme feroci" / What do I see?.. Is it he? My father? .. Destroy, O King, these ferocious creatures). Claiming

4040-550: The French capital during the Siege of Paris (1870–71) of the ongoing Franco-Prussian War , the premiere was delayed and Verdi's Rigoletto was performed instead. The first opera performed at the Khedivial Opera House , Aida eventually premiered in Cairo on Christmas Eve of 1871. Verdi originally chose to write a brief orchestral prelude instead of a full overture for the opera. He then composed an overture of

4141-484: The Hours . The mood of revelry is shattered as a funeral bell begins to toll and the body of Laura is revealed awaiting burial. A distraught Enzo flings off his disguise and is promptly seized by Alvise's men. A crumbling ruin on the island of Giudecca In exchange for Enzo's release from prison, La Gioconda has agreed to give herself to Barnaba. When Enzo is brought in, he is initially furious when Gioconda reveals that she has had Laura's body brought from its tomb. He

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4242-565: The King, Aida and Amonasro remain as hostages to ensure that the Ethiopians do not avenge their defeat. On the banks of the Nile, near the Temple of Isis Prayers are said (Chorus, High Priestess, Ramfis, Amneris: "O tu che sei d'Osiride" / O thou who to Osiris art) on the eve of Amneris and Radamès' wedding in the Temple of Isis. Outside, Aida waits to meet with Radamès as they had planned (Aida: "Qui Radamès verra .. O patria mia" / Oh, my dear country!). Amonasro appears and orders Aida to find out

4343-676: The Met's regularly programmed repertoire through 1940 with a rotating cast of performers. After a five-year absence from the Met, the Defrère staging of La Gioconda was once again seen in 1945, this time with Stella Roman in the title part and Richard Tucker making his first appearance at the Met in the role of Enzo. A 1946 live performance at the Metropolitan Opera House starring Zinka Milanov as Gioconda, Risë Stevens as Laura, Tucker as Enzo, and Margaret Harshaw as La Cieca

4444-429: The Met's repertory for 17 years and was last presented by the company in the 1982–1983 season with Plácido Domingo as Enzo and Eva Marton in the title role. After 1983, La Gioconda has been mounted with less frequency on the Met stage with performances of the work consisting of a 1990 production with Ghena Dimitrova ; a 2006 production with Violeta Urmana ; and most recently a 2008 production with Deborah Voigt as

4545-607: The Scala ' ) is a historic opera house in Milan , Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as il Nuovo Regio Ducale Teatro alla Scala ( lit.   ' the New Royal Ducal Theatre at the Scala ' , which was the former location of a church ). The premiere performance was Antonio Salieri 's Europa riconosciuta . Most of Italy's greatest operatic artists, and many of

4646-491: The chamber. Scene 2: The grand gate of the city of Thebes Radamès returns victorious and the troops march into the city (Chorus, Ramfis: "Gloria all'Egitto, ad Iside" / Glory to Egypt, [and] to Isis!). The Egyptian king decrees that on this day the triumphant Radamès may have anything he wishes. The Ethiopian captives are led onstage in chains, Amonasro among them. Aida immediately rushes to her father, who whispers to her to conceal his true identity as King of Ethiopia from

4747-478: The city to his vessel. Their joyful reunion is overshadowed by Laura's fears as she does not trust Barnaba. Gradually Enzo is able to reassure her, and he leaves her on deck while he goes to prepare for their departure. La Gioconda has been following Laura with the intention of exacting revenge from her rival. Alvise and his armed men are also in hot pursuit, but as Gioconda is about to stab Laura she sees her mother's rosary hanging round her neck and, realizing that it

4848-421: The daytime are represented by Hyacinth Hippo and her hippopotamus servants . (For this section the piece is expanded by a modified and reorchestrated repetition of the "morning" music.) The dancers of the evening are represented by Elephanchine and her bubble blowing elephant troupe . The dancers of the night are represented by Ben Ali Gator and his troop of alligators . All of the dancers rejoice in

4949-421: The definitive version was established. There are several complete recordings of the opera, and it is regularly performed, especially in Italy. It is one of only a few operas that features a principal role for each of the six major voice types. The opera also includes the famous ballet Dance of the Hours , often performed separately or in parody. La Gioconda is part of the standard opera repertoire in Italy and

5050-432: The desert with her. To facilitate their escape, Radamès suggests using a secure route free from the risk of discovery and discloses the location his army plans to attack. Upon hearing this, Amonasro emerges from hiding and reveals his true identity. Radamès, horrified, realizes he has inadvertently divulged a critical military secret to the enemy. Meanwhile, Amneris and Ramfis leave the temple, spot Radamès in conference with

5151-438: The enemy, and summon the imperial guards. Amonasro, armed with a dagger, intends to kill Amneris and Ramfis before they can alert the guards, but Radamès disarms him. He swiftly instructs Amonasro to flee with Aida and surrenders himself to the guards, who arrest him as a traitor. Scene 1: A hall in the Temple of Justice. To one side is the door leading to Radamès' prison cell Amneris desires to save Radamès ("L'aborrita rivale

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5252-418: The fact that the audience consisted of invited dignitaries, politicians and critics, but no members of the general public. He therefore considered the Italian (and European) première, held at La Scala , Milan on 8 February 1872, and a performance in which he was heavily involved at every stage, to be its real première. Verdi had also written the role of Aida for the voice of Teresa Stolz , who sang it for

5353-428: The feast day of Milan's patron saint . All performances must end before midnight, and long operas start earlier in the evening when necessary. The Museo Teatrale alla Scala (La Scala Theatre Museum), accessible from the theatre's foyer and a part of the house, contains a collection of paintings, drafts, statues, costumes, and other documents regarding the history of La Scala and of opera in general. La Scala also hosts

5454-778: The finest singers from around the world, have appeared at La Scala. The theatre is regarded as one of the leading opera and ballet theatres globally. It is home to the La Scala Theatre Chorus, La Scala Theatre Ballet , La Scala Theatre Orchestra, and the Filarmonica della Scala orchestra. The theatre also has an associate school, known as the La Scala Theatre Academy (Italian: Accademia Teatro alla Scala ), which offers professional training in music, dance, stagecraft, and stage management. La Scala's season opens on 7 December, Saint Ambrose 's Day,

5555-461: The first productions of many famous operas and had a special relationship with Verdi. However, for several years, Verdi did not allow his work to be played here, as some of his music had been modified (he said "corrupted") by the orchestra. This dispute originated in a disagreement over the production of his Giovanna d'Arco in 1845; however, the composer later conducted his Requiem there on 25 May 1874. He announced in 1886 that La Scala would host

5656-439: The first time at the Milan première. Verdi had asked her fiancé, Angelo Mariani , to conduct the Cairo première, but he declined, so Giovanni Bottesini filled the gap. The Milan Amneris , Maria Waldmann , was his favourite in the role and she repeated it a number of times at his request. Aida was received with great enthusiasm at its Milan première. The opera was soon mounted at major opera houses throughout Italy, including

5757-463: The general manager of La Scala since 1990, was dismissed in February 2005 by the board of governors over differences with the music director, Riccardo Muti . The resulting staff backlash caused serious disruptions and staff strikes. In a statement, the theatre's board said it was "urgent to unify the theatre's management". On 16 March 2005, the La Scala orchestra and other staff overwhelmingly approved

5858-477: The great hall for a grand finale, which is so extravagant that the entire palace collapses at the end. Another famous parody of Dance of the Hours is Allan Sherman 's song " Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh ", describing a miserable time at summer camp. It uses the main theme of the ballet as its melody. Sherman's song was later referenced in a 1985 television commercial. Portions of the ballet were also used by Spike Jones and his City Slickers in their song parodying

5959-538: The installation of Radamès to the office of commander-in-chief (High Priestess, chorus, Ramfis, Radamès: "Immenso Ftha .. Mortal, diletto ai Numi" / O mighty one, guard and protect!). All present in the temple pray fervently for the victory of Egypt and protection for their warriors ("Nume, custode e vindice"/ Hear us, O guardian deity). Scene 1: The chamber of Amneris Dances and music to celebrate Radamès' victory take place (Chorus, Amneris: "Chi mai fra gli inni e i plausi" / Our songs his glory praising). However, Amneris

6060-667: The international stage. She first performed the role in Europe at the Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele in Palermo in 1907; after having already sung La Gioconda on a South American tour in 1904-1905 at the Theatro Municipal (São Paulo) and the Theatro Municipal (Rio de Janeiro) . She went on to portray the role at several other theatres, including La Fenice (1908), the Teatro Real (1910),

6161-494: The intervention of a young sea captain that keeps the angry mob at bay. Calm is restored at the approach of Alvise Badoero, a member of the Venetian Inquisition, and his wife, Laura. Laura places La Cieca under her personal protection, and in gratitude the old woman presents her with her most treasured possession, a rosary. The sharp-eyed Barnaba notices furtive behaviour between Laura and the sea captain indicating

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6262-457: The irony inherent in the original, the Italian is usually used. Each act of La Gioconda has a title. The story revolves around a woman, Gioconda, who so loves her mother that when Laura, her rival in love for the heart of Enzo, saves her mother's life, Gioconda puts aside her own romantic love to repay her. The villain Barnaba tries to seduce Gioconda, but she prefers death. The courtyard of

6363-440: The leader of the army (The King, Messenger, Radamès, Aida, Amneris, Ramfis, chorus: "Alta cagion v'aduna .. Guerra, guerra, guerra!" / Oh fate o'er Egypt looming .. War, war, war!). Upon receiving this mandate from the King, Radamès proceeds to the temple of Vulcan to take up the sacred arms (The King, Radamès, Aida, Amneris, chorus: "Su! del Nilo al sacro lido" .. (reprise) "Guerra, guerra, guerra!" / On! Of Nilus' sacred river, guard

6464-574: The location of the Egyptian army from Radamès. Aida, torn between her love for Radamès and her loyalty to her native land and to her father, reluctantly agrees. (Aida, Amonasro: "Ciel, mio padre! .. Rivedrai le foreste imbalsamate" / Once again shalt thou gaze). When Radamès arrives, Amonasro hides behind a rock and listens to their conversation. Radamès affirms that he will marry Aida ("Pur ti riveggo, mia dolce Aida .. Nel fiero anelito"; "Fuggiam gli ardori inospiti .. Là, tra foreste vergini" / I see you again, my sweet Aida!), and Aida convinces him to flee to

6565-481: The most critical opera aficionados, known as the loggionisti, who can be ecstatic or merciless towards singers' perceived successes or failures. For their failures, artists receive a " baptism of fire " from these aficionados, and fiascos are long remembered. For example, in 2006, tenor Roberto Alagna left the stage after being booed during a performance of Aida , forcing his understudy , Antonello Palombi , to quickly replace him mid-scene without time to change into

6666-651: The move had doomed his production to an "infamous and brutal" fate. Aida continues to be a staple of the standard operatic repertoire. It is frequently performed in the Verona Arena , and is a staple of its renowned opera festival . 3 flutes (3rd also piccolo ), 2 oboes , English horn , 2 clarinets , bass clarinet , 2 bassoons , 4 horns , 2 trumpets , 3 trombones , cimbasso , timpani , triangle , bass drum , cymbals , tam-tam , harp , strings ; on-stage banda : 6 Egyptian trumpets ("Aida trumpets"), military band, harp The libretto does not specify

6767-458: The news, Aida confesses that her heart belongs to Radamès eternally (Amneris, Aida: "Fu la sorte dell'armi a' tuoi funesta" / The battle's outcome was cruel for your people). This confession fires Amneris with rage, and she plans on taking revenge on Aida. Ignoring Aida's pleadings (Amneris, Aida, chorus: "Su! del Nilo al sacro lido" / Up! at the sacred shores of the Nile), Amneris leaves her alone in

6868-534: The next music director of La Scala, effective 1 January 2015. Stéphane Lissner left La Scala for the Paris Opera . His successor Alexander Pereira  [ de ] , formerly director of the Salzburg Festival , began his tenure on 1 October 2014. In June 2019 it was announced that Pereira will leave in 2020 and will be replaced by Dominique Meyer . La Scala was originally selected to host

6969-494: The opening of the Suez Canal , but Verdi declined. However, Auguste Mariette , a French Egyptologist , proposed to Khedive Pasha a plot for a celebratory opera set in ancient Egypt. Khedive Pasha referred Mariette to theatre manager Camille du Locle , who sent Mariette's story idea to Verdi. Eventually, Verdi agreed to compose an opera based on that story, for 150,000 francs. Because the scenery and costumes were stuck in

7070-456: The opera a third time in 1924 with a new production using choreography by Rosina Galli , sets by the Milanese designer Antonio Rovescalli, and a staging by director Désiré Defrère . The premiere cast of this new staging included Florence Easton as Gioconda and Beniamino Gigli as Enzo. However, Rosa Ponselle later assumed the role of Gioconda later in 1924. This production remained part of

7171-480: The opera company was satisfied with the improvements to the structure and the sound quality, which was enhanced when the heavy red carpets in the hall were removed. The stage was entirely rebuilt, and an enlarged backstage allows more sets to be stored, permitting more productions. Seats now include monitors for the electronic libretto system provided by Radio Marconi , an Italian company, allowing audiences to follow opera libretti in English and Italian in addition to

7272-508: The opera lover, as Mary Shelley discovered in September 1840: At the Opera they were giving Otto Nicolai 's Templario . Unfortunately, as is well known, the theatre of La Scala serves, not only as the universal drawing-room for all the society of Milan but every sort of trading transaction, from horse-dealing to stock-jobbing , is carried on in the pit; so that brief and far between are

7373-608: The opera was given in Barcelona in 1886. This was followed by performances in 1887 in Brussels, Vienna, and Warsaw. The celebrated tenor Enrico Caruso had the first major critical success of his career in the role of Enzo when he performed the part at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo in 1897. The Italian soprano Tina Poli Randaccio was a lauded performer in the role of La Gioconda during the first half of 20th century on

7474-589: The opera was given in New York City in 1949. Conducted by Toscanini with Herva Nelli as Aida and Richard Tucker as Radamès, it was televised on the NBC television network. Due to the length of the opera, it was divided into two telecasts, preserved on kinescopes , and later released on video by RCA and Testament. The audio portion of the broadcast, including some remakes in June 1954, was released on LP and CD by RCA Victor. Other notable performances from this period include

7575-651: The opera was staged for the first time in the Czech Republic at the National Theatre Brno , Janáček Theatre with Csilla Boross in the title role. In 2022 Joseph Calleja portrayed Enzo and Amanda Echalaz portrayed La Gioconda at the Grange Park Opera . The opera had its American premiere at the Metropolitan Opera (the "Met") during the first season of that opera company on 20 December 1883 with Swedish soprano Christine Nilsson in

7676-436: The original stretta in the finale of Act 3 with an orchestral peroration of the principal theme of the preceding pezzo concertato . This construction was novel at the time, and later influenced other opera composers like Ponchielli's pupil Giacomo Puccini . After premiering the work in 1876, La Scala has performed La Gioconda several times in its history; most notably a revival staged by Nicola Alexandrovich Benois with

7777-401: The original language. The opera house re-opened on 7 December 2004 with a production, conducted by Riccardo Muti , of Salieri's Europa riconosciuta , the opera performed at La Scala's inauguration in 1778. Tickets for the re-opening fetched up to €2,000. The renovations cost a reported €61 million and left a budget shortfall that the opera house overcame in 2006. Carlo Fontana,

7878-403: The palace, this time with the intention of saving her rival. Finding Laura alone Gioconda replaces the phial of poison with a powerful drug which creates the appearance of death. The second scene begins with Alvise welcoming his fellow members of the nobility to the palace; Barnaba and Enzo are amongst those present. Lavish entertainment is provided and the act ends with the famous ballet Dance of

7979-424: The preeminent meeting place for noble and wealthy Milanese people. In the tradition of the times, the main floor had no chairs, and spectators watched the shows standing up. The orchestra was in full sight, as the orchestra pit had not yet been built. As with most of the theatres at that time, La Scala was also a casino , with gamblers sitting in the foyer. Conditions in the auditorium, too, could be frustrating for

8080-469: The premiere of what was to become his penultimate opera, Otello . The premiere of his last opera, Falstaff was also given in the theatre. In 1982, the Filarmonica della Scala orchestra was established to develop a symphonic repertoire to add to La Scala's operatic tradition, the orchestra drawing its members from the larger pool of musicians that comprise the Orchestra della Scala. The Filarmonica

8181-502: The première were designed by Auguste Mariette , who also oversaw the design and construction of the sets, which were made in Paris by the Opéra 's scene painters Auguste-Alfred Rubé and Philippe Chaperon (acts 1 and 4) and Édouard Desplechin and Jean-Baptiste Lavastre (acts 2 and 3), and shipped to Cairo. Although Verdi did not attend the premiere in Cairo, he was most dissatisfied with

8282-448: The reward promised by the King of Egypt, Radamès pleads with him to spare the lives of the prisoners and to set them free. The King grants Radamès' wish, and declares that he (Radamès) will be his (the King's) successor and will marry the King's daughter (Amneris). (Aida, Amneris, Radamès, Ramfis, The King, Amonasro, chorus: "O Re: pei sacri Numi! .. Gloria all'Egitto" / O King, by the sacred gods ... Glory to Egypt!). At Ramfis' suggestion to

8383-402: The shores .. (reprise) War, war, war!). Alone in the hall, Aida feels torn between her love for her father, her country, and Radamès (Aida: "Ritorna vincitor!" / Return a conqueror!). Scene 2: Inside the Temple of Ptah Solemn ceremonies and dances by the priestesses take place (High Priestess, chorus, Radamès: "Possente Ftha ... Tu che dal nulla" / O mighty Ptah ). This is followed by

8484-410: The snatches of melody one can catch. La Scala was originally illuminated with 84 oil lamps mounted on the stage and another thousand in the rest of the theatre. To reduce the risks of fire, several rooms were filled with hundreds of water buckets. In time, oil lamps were replaced by gas lamps; these, in turn, were replaced by electric lights in 1883. The original structure was renovated in 1907 when it

8585-576: The title heroines respectively. Additionally, the Opera Orchestra of New York has presented concert versions of the opera several times; including a 1986 concert starring Ghena Dimitrova as Gioconda; and a 2004 concert starring Aprile Millo in the title role and Marcello Giordani as Enzo. Outside of New York, La Gioconda was performed for the grand opening of the Boston Opera House on November 8, 1909, with Lillian Nordica in

8686-576: The title role and Roberto Alagna as Radamès. Alagna subsequently made the headlines when he was booed for his rendition of "Celeste Aida" during the second performance, walked off the stage, and was dismissed from the remainder of the run. The production continued to cause controversy in 2014 when Zeffirelli protested La Scala's rental of the production to the Astana Opera House in Kazakhstan without his permission. According to Zeffirelli,

8787-616: The title role in La Gioconda for the opening of the 1915 opera season at the Chicago Auditorium . The Chicago Civic Opera opened its 1924-1925 season with a production of La Gioconda starring Rosa Raisa as the ballad singer under the baton of Giorgio Polacco . The Lyric Opera of Chicago staged La Gioconda for the first time in 1957 with Eileen Farrell in the title role. Subsequent performances in Chicago included

8888-401: The title role, Enrico Caruso as Enzo, Arturo Vigna conducting, and the French baritone Eugène Dufriche serving both as the production's director and in the supporting role of the singer. This production remained in the annual repertoire of the Met through the 1914–1915 season in which Caruso was still performing the role of Enzo, but with Emmy Destinn in the title role. The Met returned to

8989-474: The title role, Florencio Constantino as Enzo, and Louise Homer as La Cieca. The San Francisco Opera (SFO) staged the work for the first time in 1947 with Stella Roman and Regina Resnik alternating in the title role. The SFO subsequently staged the opera in 1967 with Leyla Gencer as Gioconda and Grace Bumbry as Laura, and in 1979 the SFO staged the opera a third time with an all-star cast including Renata Scotto as Gioconda and Luciano Pavarotti as Enzo;

9090-576: The title role, Italian tenor Roberto Stagno as Enzo, French soprano Emmy Fursch-Madi as Laura, and Italian contralto Sofia Scalchi as La Cieca. The same cast was employed for further performances of the opera in Chicago and Saint Louis in 1884. The next staging of the opera in New York took place a decade later at the Grand Opera House in 1893 with American soprano Selma Kronold in

9191-471: The title role. In 2022 La Scala premiered a new staging of the opera by director Davide Livermore with a cast led by sopranos Saioa Hernández and Irina Churilova who alternated in the title role. The United Kingdom premiere of La Gioconda was given at the Royal Opera House , Covent Garden on 31 May 1883 with American soprano Maria Durand (b. 1846) in the title role. The Spanish premiere of

9292-546: The title role. The opera was staged on Broadway at the American Theatre by the Castle Square Opera Company in 1899 with Yvonne de Tréville in the title role. Soprano Lillian Nordica performed the title role with Oscar Hammerstein I 's Manhattan Opera Company in 1907. The Met mounted the opera for the second time twenty-one years after its first staging in 1904 with Nilsson reprising

9393-506: The traditional 7 December 2001 season-opening performances of Otello , which ran through December. From 19 January 2002 to November 2004, the opera company transferred to the new Teatro degli Arcimboldi , built in the Pirelli-Bicocca industrial area 4.5 miles (7.2 km) from the city center. The renovation by architect Mario Botta proved controversial, as preservationists feared that historic details would be lost. However,

9494-683: The vault in the temple of Ptah, Amneris weeps and prays to the goddess Isis. In the vault below, Aida dies in Radamès' arms as the priests, offstage, pray to the god Ptah. (Chorus, Aida, Radamès, Amneris: "Immenso Ftha" / Almighty Ptah). The 1952 Broadway musical My Darlin' Aida , set on a plantation in Tennessee in the first year of the American Civil War , is based on the opera and uses Verdi's music. The opera has been adapted for motion pictures on several occasions, most notably in

9595-593: The work holds a central place in the operatic canon, receiving performances every year around the world. At New York's Metropolitan Opera alone, Aida has been sung more than 1,100 times since 1886. Ghislanzoni's scheme follows a scenario often attributed to the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette , but Verdi biographer Mary Jane Phillips-Matz argues that the source is actually Temistocle Solera . Isma'il Pasha , Khedive of Egypt, commissioned Verdi to write an opera to celebrate

9696-675: Was Laura who saved her mother, has an instant change of heart. She hurries Laura into her boat so that she can evade her pursuers. Enzo returns to the deck to find that Laura has fled leaving Gioconda triumphant. Furthermore, Alvise's men are rapidly approaching. Enzo sets fire to the ship rather than let it fall into the hands of his enemies before diving into the lagoon. Alvise's palace Laura has been captured, and her vengeful husband insists she must die by poisoning herself (effectively committing suicide and condemning herself to Hell). Once again Gioconda has followed and has found her way into

9797-438: Was conducted first by Carlo Maria Giulini , then by Riccardo Muti , plus many collaborative relations with some of the greatest conductors of the time. As early as 1958 R. Vermeulen of Philips Electronics experimented with "loudspeakers for stereo reverberation" at La Scala, which were "concealed in the cove along the ceiling". The theatre underwent a major renovation from early 2002 to late 2004. The theatre closed following

9898-419: Was given its current layout with 1,987 seats. In 1943, during World War II , La Scala was severely damaged by bombing . It was rebuilt and reopened on 11 May 1946, with a memorable concert conducted by Arturo Toscanini —twice La Scala's principal conductor and an associate of the composers Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini —with a soprano solo by Renata Tebaldi , which created a sensation. La Scala hosted

9999-422: Was positively received at its premiere with Milan's leading music critic, Filippo Filippi of the magazine La perseveranza , declaring that, apart from Giuseppe Verdi , only Ponchielli could produce an opera of such importance among Italy's then living composers. Ponchielli's wife, soprano Teresina Brambilla , also performed the role of La Gioconda in later performances of the opera at La Scala in 1876, and became

10100-526: Was recorded for radio broadcast and later released on disc. The Defrère staging of the opera continued to be performed at the Met with some frequency until it was replaced with a new production in 1966 that was staged by Margarete Wallmann with sets and costumes by Beni Montresor . The Met took this production on a United States tour in 1967 with Renata Tebaldi in the title role, Franco Corelli as Enzo, Rosalind Elias as Laura, and Fausto Cleva conducting. The Wallmann and Montresor production remained in

10201-453: Was rejected by Count Firmian (the governor of the then Austrian Lombardy ). A second plan was accepted in 1776 by Empress Maria Theresa . The new theatre was built on the former location of the church of Santa Maria della Scala , from which the theatre gets its name. The church was deconsecrated and demolished. Over a period of two years, the theatre was completed by Pietro Marliani, Pietro Nosetti, and Antonio and Giuseppe Fe. The theatre had

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