Alzira (opera)

Alzira is an opera in a prologue and two acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, based on the play Alzire, ou les Américains by Voltaire. The first performance was at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, on August 12, 1845. The contemporary reviews were mixed, and the first run of the opera received only 4 further performance, the last on 21 August.

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, August 12, 1845 (Conductor: - )
Alvaro, father of Gusmano, initially Governor of Peru	bass	Marco Arati
Gusmano, Governor of Peru	baritone	Filippo Coletti
Ovando, a Spanish Duke	tenor	Ceci
Zamoro, leader of a Peruvian tribe	tenor	Gaetano Fraschini
Ataliba, leader of a Peruvian tribe	bass	Michele Benedetti
Alzira, Ataliba's daughter	soprano	Eugenia Tadolini
Zuma, her maid	mezzo-soprano	Maria Salvetti
Otumbo, an American warrior	tenor	Francesco Rossi
Spanish officers and soldiers, Americans of both sexes

Synopsis

Place: Peru

Time: 16th century

Alzira, an Inca princess, receives an offer of marriage from the conquistadore Gusmano, but she rejects this offer. She is faithful to the memory of her lover, the Peruvian warrior Zamoro, who is presumed dead after battle with the Spaniards. However, Zamoro appears, to the joy of Alzira and the anger of Gusmano.

During the course of the opera, Gusmano succeeds his father, Alvaro, as governor of Peru. It is also revealed that Zamoro had saved the life of Alvaro, but this was to embarrass his enemies. Nonetheless, honour requires that Gusmano allow Zamoro to go free.

Zamoro then leads a fresh attack against the conquistadores, but is captured. Without hesitation, Gusmano condems Zamoro to death. In desperation, Alzira consents to marry Gusmano if he will spare Zamoro and release him. At the wedding for Alzira and Gusmano, Zamoro arrives and fatally stabs Gusmano. Before he dies, Gusmano forgives Zamoro and blesses the union of Alzira and Zamoro.

Noted arias

• "Risorto fra le tenebre" - Zamoro in Prologue
• "Un Inca, eccesso orribile" - Zamoro in Prologue
• "Eterna la memoria" - Gusmano in Act I, Scene 1
• "Quanto un mortal può chiedere" - Gusmano in Act I, Scene 1
• "Nell'astro più che fulgido" - Alzira in Act I, Scene 2
• "Da Gusman sul fragil barca" - Alzira in Act I, Scene 2
• "Irne lungi ancor dovrei" - Zamoro in Act II, Scene 2
• "Non di codarde lagrime" - Zamoro in Act II, Scene 2

Selected recordings

• Orfeo C 05 7832: Ileana Cotrubas, Francisco Araiza, Renato Bruson, Donald George, Daniel Bonilla, Sofia Lis, Alexandru Ionita, Jan-Hendrik Rootering; Bavarian Radio Chorus; Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra; Lamberto Gardelli, conductor
• Philips 464 628-2: Marina Mescheriakova, Ramón Vargas, Paolo Gavanelli, Slobodan Stankovic, Wolfgang Barta, Jana Iliev, Jovo Reljin, Torsten Kerl; Chorus of the Grand Théâtre of Geneva; L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande; Fabio Luisi, conductor

References

External links

• Libretto
• Aria database