Fra Diavolo (opera)

"Fra Diavolo, ou L'hôtellerie de Terracine" ("Fra Diavolo, or The Inn of Terracina") is an opéra comique in three acts by the French composer Daniel-François-Esprit Auber, first performed at the Opéra-Comique, Paris on 28 January, 1830. The libretto, by Auber's regular collaborator Eugène Scribe, is loosely based on the life of the Neapolitan bandit Michele Pezza, active in southern Italy in the period 1800-1806, who went under the name of Fra Diavolo ("Brother Devil").

An Italian version of the opera was prepared by Auber and Scribe for performance in London in 1857. This contained new recitatives and arias, as well as expanding the roles of Fra Diavolo's accomplices.

The opera was Auber's greatest success, one of the most popular works of the 19th century and was in the standard repertory in its original French as well as German and Italian versions. An English translation was also prepared. ["Fra Diavolo. An Opera by Auber" (1871). "The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular", 14 (335): p. 750.] Hugh Macdonald has characterised this comic opera as "the most successful work of its kind before Offenbach".Macdonald, Hugh, "Record Reviews: French Romantics" (1986). "The Musical Times", 127 (1715): p. 34.]

Roles

ynopsis

Zerline, daughter of the innkeeper of Terracina, is in love with an impoverished soldier, Lorenzo, but her father wants her to marry the rich old Francesco. Lorenzo is in pursuit of the notorious bandit Fra Diavolo. Diavolo himself arrives at the inn disguised as a marquis and robs two English travellers, Lord and Lady Cockburn. Lorenzo manages to retrieve part of the stolen goods and is rewarded with enough money to marry Zerline. Diavolo is determined to rob the travellers again and enlists the help of his two comical henchmen, Giacomo and Beppo. During the night the three of them sneak into Zerline's room and steal her dowry. Lorenzo appears and mistakes the 'marquis' for a rival in love. The next day Zerline is forced to marry Francesco now she no longer has her dowry. Diavolo instructs his henchmen to warn him when Lorenzo and his troop of soldiers have left the town so he can safely rob again, but the two are recognised in the crowd by Zerline and Diavolo is tricked into appearing and arrested when the signal is given as arranged. Zerline is free to marry Lorenzo again.

elected recordings

* Urania URLP-204: Irma Beilke, Marie Louise Schlip, Hans Hopf, Lorenz Fehenberger, Karl Wessly, Arno Schellenberg, Gottlob Frick, Kurt Böhme; Chorus of the Dresden State Opera; Staatskapelle Dresden; Karl Elmendorff, conductor [Ringer, Alexander L., "Auber: "Fra Diavolo" (October 1952). "The Musical Quarterly", 38 (4): pp. 642-644.]
* EMI Classics: Nicolai Gedda, Mady Mesplé, Jane Berbié, Jules Bastin, Ensemble Choral Jean Laforge, Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra; Marc Soustrot, conductor (1984)

References

ources

*"Fra Diavolo" by Herbert Schneider, in 'The New Grove Dictionary of Opera', ed. Stanley Sadie (London, 1992) ISBN 0-333-73432-7
*"The Viking Opera Guide", edited by Amanda Holden (Viking, 1993)
*Booklet notes to the Soustrot recording by André Tubeuf.