L'incontro improvviso

"L’incontro improvviso" ("The unexpected encounter") is an opera in three acts by Joseph Haydn first performed at Eszterháza on 29 August 1775 to mark the four-day visit of Archduke Ferdinand, Hapsburg governor of Milan and his consort Maria Beatrice d'Este. The opera is designated a "dramma giocoso" (a comic opera) and is an example of the then Austrian fascination with Turkish subjects. [Clark C. L'incontro improvviso. In: "The New Grove Dictionary of Opera" ed Sadie S. London & New York, Macmillan, 1997.]

Composition and Performance History

The libretto by Carl Friberth was adapted and translated from the French opera-comique by Louis Hurtaut Dancourt, and previously set by Gluck in 1764 as the "La rencontre imprévue". [Rice J A. L'incontro improvviso. In: "Haydn (Oxford Composer Companion)" ed Wyn Jones D. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2002.] In keeping with Italian practice, Friberth constructed longer buffo finale texts at the end of Acts I and II.

It is not known if any further performances followed the Eszterháza production, although a German translation was made for Bratislava.Danish musicologist Jens Peter Larsen discovered the autograph score in Leningrad in 1954, and the opera was subsequently broadcast in Russian in 1956. It was first staged in the UK at the Camden Festival in 1966. [Clark C, op cit.] The first complete recording was made by Philips in 1980 in association with the Radio Suisse Romande and the European Broadcasting Union, conducted by Antal Dorati.

Roles

[Kemp L. "The Eszterháza Operas", notes for 1980 Philips recording, Philips, 2003.] [Rice J A, op cit.]

ynopsis

Overture (this was printed by Artaria in a set of six in 1782 without trumpets and percussion)

Act I

"A storehouse of all kinds of merchandise and edibles"
The Calender and dervishes drink wine, smoke tobacco and sing merrily of their life as beggars and tricksters.
"A square"
Osmin is distracted by the Calender begging; he has little trouble in persuading the hungry Osmin to become a mendicant dervish.
"A room in the seraglio"
Rezia has been told that her long-lost love has been sighted in Cairo, and shares the news with Balkis and Dardane in a beautiful trio.
"A square"
Ali, alone, explains how he fled to Persia and fell in love with Rezia. Though betrothed to another, Rezia eloped with Ali but they were separated and she was captured by pirates. Ali watches as Osmin is taught by the Calender the chant "Castagna, castagna". The Calender recognises Ali as the Prince of Balsóra. Balkis greets Ali with news that a woman has espied him from a window in the seraglio and wishes to meet him.
"A room containing a banquet table"
Osmin is enjoying a feast with Ali arrives with Balkis, and Ali gets increasingly angry with Osmin's inebriation.

Act II

"A room with a sofa"
Dardane tries to charm Ali to test his faithfulness. Rezia enters, taking Ali and Osmin by surprise. The three women tell of the unfortunate travels which brought them to Cairo.
"The Calender's room"
Osmin informs the Calender that Ali's lover is Rezia and solicits his help in letting the couple escape.
"A garden"
While preparations are made for a banquet before their escape, Rezia and Ali sing a love duet. The mood is shattered when Balkis and Dardane come in to announce that the Sultan has returned unexpectedly from the hunt. Everyone flees via a secret staircase.

Act III

"Night. The Calender's storehouse"
News of the Sultan's reward for the recovery of Rezia has reached the Calender who decides to betray them to win the bounty. Ali disguises himself as a French painter to avoid arrest, but to no avail. The Sultan however forgives them and condemns the treacherous Calender.
"A hall lit by chandeliers"
The Sultan pardons Rezia and Ali and gives them his blessing. At the couple's request the Calender is pardoned, but banished from Cairo. [Clark C, op cit, and Kemp L, op cit.]

Music

Although not Haydn's greatest success in the operatic field, L’incontro improvviso does include some high-class and varied music. As well as the 'Turkish' music, amusing scenes for Osmin and Calandro, the 'painting' aria in the last act where Ali describes the contents of a picture with orchestral help, and another aria "Senti, al buio pian" for Osmin with orchestral colouring, there is Italian lyricism evident in arias for Ali ("Deh! se in ciel pietade avete") and Rezia ("Or vicina a te").Act II has two powerful arias for sopranos; Haydn detached Rezia's "Or vicino a te" and published separately in 1783.The superb first act "Mi sembra un sogno" contrasts a trio for female voices with muted violins, cors anglais and horns is a highlight. [Rice J A. Opera, in "Haydn (Oxford Composer Companion)" ed Wyn Jones D. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2002.]

The work is scored for an orchestra consisting of 2 oboes (doubling cors anglais), 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, 2 horns, timpani, percussion, violins I & II, viola, cello, bass and continuo.

References