Classical: CCCLXXVIa. HAYDN, Franz Joseph: La Fedeltà Premiata (Act One)

CCCLXXVIa. HAYDN, Franz Joseph (1732-1809)

La Fedeltà Premiata (Act One) (1781)
Júlia Pászthy, soprano (Fillide)
Veronika Kincses, soprano (Amaranta)
Mária Zempléni, soprano (Nerima)
Ilona Tokody, soprano (Diana)
Attlia Fülöp, tenor (Fileno)
István Rozsos, tenor (Lindoro)
Gábor Vághelyi, baritone (Perruchetto)
József Gregor, bass (Melibeo)
Chamber Choir of the Liszt Ferenc Music Academy
Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra, Budapest
Frigyes Sándor, cond.
(3:15:00)
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Celia, real name Fillide
Fileno, lover of Fillide
Amaranta, a vain and arrogant lady
Count Perruchetto, a count of extragavant disposition
Nerima, a nymph, fickle in love, enamoured of Lindoro
Lindoro, Amaranta's brother
Melibeo, high priest, in love with Amarant
Diana

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Haydn -- during his most prolific period -- wrote this opera for the newly-built opera theatre in Esterhazá after the old one burned down.

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The people of Cumae worship Diana, goddess of hunting and chastity. Their rites however have been defiled by a nymph whose treachery has brought a curse on them. To propitiate the angry goddess, two faithful lovers must be sacrificed each year to a lake monster until a faithful lover can be found to offer his own life. Fidelity, therefore, is at a premium in Cumae, and victims are hard to find.

The plot is "part thriller about lovers being sacrificed to a monster, part burlesque sending up pseudo-classical and early romantic emotions."

**

1. Sinfonia

Mozart would recycle this for the finale of Symphony #73.

The "Diana/hunting" motif is quickly introduced:

Act One

Scene I

2. Introduzione

Bella dea (Beautiful gods)

The orchestra, followed by the full chorus, and then three soloists, Nerima, Lindoro and Melibeo:

Melibeo presides over preliminary rites on a day of sacrifice, assistend by Lindoro and Nerima, whose affair is coming to an end; Lindoro is tired of Nerima and hopes for a liaison with the shepherdess "Celia."

Tacete (Shut up!)

Melibeo

Scene II

Intoduzione

Prendi, prendi, o Cintia (Get it, get it, Cintia)

Amaranta

Lindoro's sister, Amaranta, recently arrived in Cumae, comes to worship. She is on the look-out for a lover but startled to hear of the risk in true love.

Introduzione

Bella dea (Beautiful gods)

Amarante, Nerima, Linodoro, Melibeo and Chorus

3. Recitativo

Non più (Not anymore)

Melibeo, Amaranta, Nerima, Lindoro

Melibeo suggests that as High Priests are exempt, she might give her attentions to him. She agrees, on condition that he favours her brother's suit with Celia.

Scene III

Recitativo

Melibeo, a dispetto di quella impertinente (Melibeo, in spite of the impertinent one)

Amaranta, Lindoro, Melibeo

4. Aria

Già mi sembra di sentire (I already seem to hear)

Lindoro

Scene IV

5. Recitativo

Di tuo fratello al pari (Like your brother)

Melibeo, Amaranta

6. Aria e Recitativo accomp.

Per te m'accese amore (For you it kindled love)

Amaranta, Melibeo

7. Aria

Salva, salva . . . aiuto, aituo (Save, save, help, help)

Perruchetto

Perruchetto, a traveller, philanderer and coward arrives claiming to have been chased by robbers. His racing pulse quickens when he sees Amaranta, to whom he swiftly declares love.

8. Recitativo

Signor, er ristorarvi (Sir, refresh yourselves)

Melibeo, Perruchetto, Amaranta

Amaranta is overcome, especially when discoverying that Perruchetto is a Count. Melibeo threatens Perruchetto, who reacts by billeting himself on the High Priest.

9. Aria

Mi dica, il mio signore (Tell me, my lord)

Melibeo

Scene V

10. Recitativo

Corpo di Bacco! (body of Bacchus!)

Perruchetto, Aramanta

Scene VI

11. Aria

Dove, oh dio (Where, oh god)

Fileno

The young shepherd laments the death of his beloved Fillide (Celia) killed by a snake.

12. Recitativo

Chi mai provò nell' alma (Whoever tried with the soul)

Fileno

Scene VII

Recitativo

Che amabil giovinetto! (What a lovely young man!)

Nerima, Fileno

Fileno is told by Nerima of Lindoro's desertion and she begs him to plead on her behalf; He agrees (not realising that this is his beloved).

13a. Aria (first version)

È amore di natura (It is love of nature)

Nerima

13b. Aria (second version)

È amore di natura (It is love of nature)

Nerima

The two versions seem exactly the same, except 13a is in C Major, while 13b is a step higher, in D Major:

Scene VIII

14b. Aria (second version)

Placidi ruscelletti (Placid brooks)

Celia

Celia arrives with her sheep in search of her lover Fileno and sleeps amongst her flock.

14c. Aria (third version)

Placidi ruscelletti (Placid brooks)

Celia

Same as 14b, but raised a minor third, to E-Flat Major.

15. Recitativo

Misera Fille (Miserable girl)

Celia

Scene IX

Recitativo

Vedi colei, che dorme? (Do you see her sleeping?)

Nerima, Fileno, Lindoro, Celia

Nerima returns with Fileno, who, to his amazement and delight recognises Celia -- alive and well. He is unaware of the fatal penalty awaiting faithful lovers, but Celia, spotting Melibeo waiting to pounce, spurns Fileno to save his life: naturally he is angry and desolate.

Scene X

Recitativo

Lo vedi quel briccone? (Do you see that rascal?)

Lindoro, Melibeo, Fileno, Celia

Scene XI

Recitativo

Cosa fu? Che rumore? (What was that noise?)

Amaranta, Perruchetto, Celia, Fileno, Melibeo, Lindoro

Fileno, intent on self-destruction, goes off followed by Celia, who is followed by Lindoro and Perruchetto, who sees in Celia a more enticing prospect than Amaranta, who in turn is offended and turns back to Melibeo. Perruchetto, rejected by Celia, returns to make peace with Amaranta but then chases, Nerima, infuriating Amaranta.

16. Aria

Miseri affetti miei (My poor affections)

Fileno

Scene XII

Recitativo

È partito (He left)

Amaranta, Lindoro, Celia, Melibeo, Perruchetto

Scene XIII

Recitativo

Perfido conte (Perfidious Count)

Amaranta, Perruchetto, Nerima, Lindoro

18. Aria

Vanne . . . fuggi . . . traditore! (Flee, traitor!)

Amaranta

Scene XIV

19. Recitativo

Non occorrono pianti (No tears are needed)

Melibeo, Celia

Scene XV

Recitativo

Misera me, qual legge! (Miserable me, what law!)

Celia, Nerima

20a. Aria (first version)

Deh soccorri un infelice (Please help an unhappy one)

Celia

20b. Aria (second version)

Deh soccorri un infelice (Please help an unhappy one)

Celia

20a in E-Flat, 20b in F ...

Scene XVI

21. Recitativo

Ah pur troppo m'avveggo (Ah, unfortunately I am too aware)

Nerima, Perruchetto

22. Aria

Coll' amoroso foco (With loving fire)

Perruchetto

Scene XVII

23. Recitativo

E si sdegna di più (And he is more indignant)

Amaranta, Melibeo, Lindoro

Melibeo tries to blackmail Celia into the match with Lindoro suggested by Amaranta -- she must consent or else die with Fileno. Celia asks Nerima to warn Fileno that his life is in danger. Although Nerima agrees to help -- as she has now fallen in love with Fileno -- her help is not altogether disinterested.

24. Finale

Questi torti, questi affronti (These wrongs, these confrontations)

Amaranta, Lindoro, Melibeo

As the first act reaches its climax, Melibeo has Fileno tied up. Fileno curses Celia when he learns she is to marry Lindoro. At this point, Nerima enters pursued by satyrs who carry off numerous nymphs, including Celia.