Opera Themes And Plots by Rudolph Fellner & Erich Leinsdorf

Author:Rudolph Fellner & Erich Leinsdorf
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon And Schustere
Published: 1958-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Nedda remains alone, fearful (Recitative Qual fiamma avea nel guardo: “His raging made me shiver”) that Canio may discover her secret love [2]. But yet the sun is smiling down on her as on the birds which with shrill cries (Balatella Stridono lassù: “How they sing on high”) [10] fly recklessly toward the goal of their dreams [11] as her own thoughts fly toward her beloved.

Unnoticed, Tonio has been listening to her singing. Now he comes forward and confesses how he is tortured by love for her, in spite of his being deformed and ugly (Aria So ben che difforme: “I know I am ugly”) [12]. Nedda, with biting irony, advises that he save his ardor for the performance later on [23]. When Tonio forcibly tries to kiss her, she is terrified and, cornered, she strikes him with a whip. Ablaze with hatred [13], he retreats, swearing revenge. Presently Silvio [2] arrives, and she tells him what has just happened. He pleads with Nedda not to move on with the comedians, but to remain with him (Aria Decidi il mio destin: “You must decide my fate”) [14]. As Nedda begs him not to upset her life, Tonio, unseen, observes them from a distance [13], then disappears in the direction of the tavern. When Silvio recalls the hours of bliss they have spent together [15], Nedda can no longer restrain her passion [2]. As they embrace, Tonio returns [13], followed by Canio, who arrives in time to hear the pair planning an elopement at midnight [2], but too late to recognize the lover, who flees at Canio’s violent outcry. While Canio, pushing Nedda out of his way, runs in pursuit of her lover, Tonio expresses his satisfaction with the initial damage he has done [13]. Canio, returning from the vain chase, demands from Nedda the name of her lover [3], and as she steadfastly refuses to divulge it [2], he rushes at her with bared dagger. Beppe, returning at this moment, disarms him. He tries to calm Canio and asks him to prepare for the imminent performance, and Tonio convinces his master that he must go on with the show so that they will be able to catch the lover, who will surely attend and will give himself away.

Left alone, Canio bitterly laments the tragic lot of the clown (Recitative Recitar! Mentre preso dal delirio: “Play the clown! While my mind is delirious”), the clown who must get into his costume (Aria Vesti la giubba: “On with your costume”) [16] and, to satisfy the audience, must make merry—even though his heart may be breaking [17].

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