La Rondine
It was first performed at the Grand Théâtre de Monte Carlo (or the Théâtre du Casino) in Monte Carlo on 27 March 1917.
Overview
In autumn 1913, the directors of Vienna's Carltheater commissioned Puccini to compose a Viennese operetta. After confirming that it could take the form of a comic opera with no spoken dialogue in the style of Rosenkavalier, "only more entertaining and more organic," he agreed.
For two years the work proceeded, sometimes intensely, sometimes with great difficulty, and in spring 1916 the opera was finished. The originally intended Viennese première was impeded by the outbreak of the World War I and the entrance of Italy in the Alliance against Austria-Hungary, hence the Opéra de Monte-Carlo was chosen to present it, with Gilda Dalla Rizza and Tito Schipa in the leading roles.
In Italy, Puccini offered the work to his editor Tito Ricordi who declined to buy it, thus Ricordi's rival, Renzo Sonzogno, obtained the rights and moved the première to neutral Monegass territory.
At the première in Monte-Carlo in 1917 the initial reception by the public and press was warm. However, despite the artistic value of the score La rondine has been one of Puccini's less successful works; "In box office terms, was the poor cousin to the other great hits". There is no established final version of it, Puccini being dissatisfied, as often, with the result of his work; he revised it many times to the point of making three versions (1917, 1920, 1921), with two completely different endings, but died before clearly deciding on a final version.
The second version was premiered at Teatro Massimo, Palermo in 1920, whereas the third was not heard until 1994 in Turin. Moreover, a fire at Casa Sonzogno archives caused by Allied bombing during the war destroyed parts of the score which had to be restored based on the surviving vocal-piano arrangements.
The orchestration of the third version was finally completed in authentic Puccinian style by Italian composer Lorenzo Ferrero at the request of Teatro Regio di Torino and subsequently performed there on 22 March 1994.
Modern day performance history
The modern day performance history of La rondine in Europe includes the première of the third version at Teatro Regio di Torino (1994), as well as performances at La Scala (1994), Leeds Opera North (1994, 2001), Oper Bonn and Ludwigshaven State Opera House (1995), Teatro del Giglio in Lucca (1998), Teatro Filarmonico di Verona (2002), Kansallisooppera, Helsinki (2002, 2003, 2007), Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London (2002, 2005), Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris (2005), Opéra de Monte-Carlo (2007), and La Fenice in Venice where it was the opening title of the 2008 season. In the US, major productions were seen at the Washington National Opera (1998), Los Angeles Opera (2000, 2008), Atlanta Opera (2002), the Boston Lyric Opera (2003), New York City Opera (2005), Dallas Opera (2007), San Francisco Opera (2007), Sarasota Opera (2008) and the New York Metropolitan Opera (2008).
Following the premiere of a joint new production by director Nicolas Joël at the Royal Opera House in 2002 (starring soprano Angela Gheorghiu as Magda) and at the Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, La rondine was seen at the Théâtre du Châtelet, revived at the Royal Opera House in 2005, and presented by the San Francisco Opera in 2007, all with Gheorghiu.
On 31 December 2008, again with Gheorghiu as Magda, the Met in New York gave the company's first staging in 70 years. The matinee performance on 10 January 2009 was broadcast in HD to movie theaters and schools throughout the world.
Roles
Synopsis
Place: Paris and Nice.
Time: Mid-19th century.
Act 1
At a cocktail party in Magda's salon, Prunier declares that love is in the air.
She explains that as the kept woman of Rambaldo, she does not know true love; she recalls her youth, her aunt, and a young student she met and loved briefly (Aria: Ore dolci e divine). The young man, Ruggero, enters with an introduction to Rambaldo and asks where he may find the best place to spend an evening in Paris.
All the guests agree that it is Bullier's and, after they leave, Prunier returns in secret to escort the maid Lisette to that cabaret. Later, on a whim, Magda disguises herself and also goes.
Act 2
At Bullier's, everyone is singing and dancing.
Rambaldo demands an explanation; she explains that she has found true love and wants to leave him for Ruggero. He has no idea how they will pay their mounting bills and he tells her that he has written to his parents for permission to marry her (Aria: Dimmi che vuoi seguirmi).
Magda is deeply touched, but knows that she can never marry him because of her past. She has had a disastrous and brief career as an actress, constantly criticized by Prunier; she begs for her job back, and Magda consents.
Ruggero returns with the letter permitting the marriage, but Magda finally tells him everything. Like a swallow, she flies back to Rambaldo, leaving Ruggero heart-broken.
Alternate Ending
As staged by companies such as the Washington National Opera and the Los Angeles Opera (following research by and under the direction of stage director Marta Domingo), Ruggero receives a letter from his mother revealing the true name of "Paulette" (the name Magda has used during her time with the young man) and that she is the mistress of Rambaldo.
He leaves her, and distraught she looks towards the sea saying she will fly to there like the swallow.