FULL ALZIRA (Verdi) Heidenheim 2024 Ania Jeruc, Sung-Kyu Park, Marian Pop

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: Alzira  
• Composer: Verdi Giuseppe  
• Libretto: Salvadore Cammarano    Libretto Text, Libretto Index
• Venue & Opera Company: Opernfestspiele Heidenheim, Germany  
• Recorded: 2024
• Type: Staged Opera Live
• Singers: Ania Jeruc, Sung-Kyu Park, Marian Pop, Lukas Siebert, Gabriel Fortunas, Julia Rutiglian, Musa Nkuna, Marcell Bakonyi
• Conductor: Marcus Bosch  
• Orchestra: Cappella Aquileia  
• Chorus: Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno  
• Stage Director: Andreas Baesler  
• Costume Designer: Tanja Hofmann  
• Lighting Designer: Hartmut Litzinger  

Information about the Recording

• Published by: ARD, SWR  
• Date Published: 2025  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: nosubs  

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

  Alzira is an opera in a prologue and two acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, based on the 1736 play Alzire, ou les Américains by Voltaire.

  The first performance was at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, on 12 August 1845. The contemporary reviews were mixed, and the first run of the opera received only four further performances.

  Following his completion of Giovanna d’Arco, Verdi began on work on Alzira, having been invited by the impresario of the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Vincenzo Flauto, to write an opera for that house, the invitation having followed the earlier success of Ernani. One of the attractions of the arrangement to Verdi was to have the services of the man who was now – following Felice Romani’s virtual retirement – the principal librettist in Italy. This was Salvatore Cammarano, the Naples “house poet” who had been responsible for some of Donizetti’s successes, which included Lucia di Lammermoor. Using the publisher Giovanni Ricordi as “a kind of agent” Verdi’s terms were laid out. These included being able to receive one-third more than his fee for I Lombardi and, more importantly, having a finished libretto from Cammarano in his possession four months before the production.

  Synopsis

  Place: Peru

  Time: 16th century

  Prologue: The Prisoner

  Peruvian Indians drag the Spanish governor, Alvaro, into the square and are about to execute him. Suddenly Zamoro, an Inca, appears and asks them to release the man; they do so.

  Zamoro tells the Indians that he had been captured and tortured by Gusmano, the leader of the Spaniards (Un Inca, eccesso orribile / “An Inca..dreadful outrage!”) to the point where everyone believed him to be dead. Otumbo tells Zamoro that Alzira, his beloved, along with her father Ataliba, are being held captive by the Spaniards, and he urges the Indian tribes to revolt: Risorto fra le tenebre / “I emerged into the darkness …”).

  Act 1: A Life for a Life

  Scene 1: The main square of Lima

  

  Alvaro announces that, due to his age and infirmity, he is relinquishing the governorship and handing it over to his son, Gusmano who states that his first act will be to secure peace with the Incas. Ataliba gives him his support, but advises him that his daughter Alzira is not yet ready to marry Gusmano. He, while understanding (Eterna la memoria / “The eternal memory of a desperate love is weighing her down …”), urges the older man to try to persuade her (Quanto un mortal può chiedere / “Whatever a mortal man can ask for..”)

  Scene 2: Ataliba’s apartments in the governor’s palace

  As her father enters, Alzira wakes but is still half dreaming of Zamoro. She recounts a more disturbing dream she has had of Gusmano (Da Gusman sul fragil barca / “I was fleeing from Gusman in a frail boat”) but, although he is dead, she still believes that Zamoro loves her: Nell’astro che più fulgido / “On the star that gleams most brightly … there lives Zamoro”. Ataliba continues to try to persuade Alzira to marry Gusmano, without success, until suddenly Zamoro enters. Believing that it is his ghost, Alzira is skeptical, but realizes that he is still alive. They pledge their love together: Risorge ne’ tuoi lumi l’astro de’ giorni miei! / “The star of my existence has risen again in your eyes!”.

  Gusmano enters, sees the couple together, and orders that Zamoro be arrested and immediately executed. There follows the sextet Nella polve genuflesso in which each of the characters expresses his/her feelings: “Alvaro begs his son to show mercy; Gusman remains obdurate but uneasy, Alzira. … ., laments the passing of her short-lived happiness; Zamoro expresses his faith in her constancy; Zuma and Ataliba their despair”^[15]

  As the Inca invasion of Lima is announced, Alvaro confirms that Zamoro has saved him from certain death; Gusmano orders him to be freed to go out to fight with the invading Incas: “I shall meet you in battle, hated rival”.

  Act 2: The Vengeance of a Savage

  Scene 1: The fortifications of Lima

  

  Zamoro has led a fresh attack against the conquistadores and has been captured. Gusmano condemns him to death, but, over Alzira’s protests, forces her to agree to marry Gusmano promising that he will spare Zamoro. Reluctantly, she agrees (Gusmano: Colma di gioia ho l’anima! / “My heart is bursting with joy”).

  Scene 2: A cave, some distance from Lima

  The defeated Incas are downcast, but they hear that Zamoro has escaped, dressed as a Spanish soldier. He soon enters but is in despair: Irne lungi ancor dovrei / ” Must I drag out my days as a fugitive, bowed down with shame?”. When he hears from his followers that Alzira has agreed to marry Gusmano and that preparations are being made, vows to fight: Non di codarde lagrime / “This is not the time for cowardly tears, but for blood!”. He rushes out to the palace

  Scene 3: Large hall in the governor’s palace

  As the wedding of Alzira and Gusmano is about to begin, a Spanish soldier leaps forward and fatally stabs Gusmano. To Alzira’s surprise it is Zamoro. Before he dies, Gusmano tells him that Alzira only agreed to the marriage in order to secure his release. He forgives Zamoro, blesses his union with Alzira, and receives a final blessing from his father as he dies.

  Quoted from Wikipedia

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