Andzhelo
Angelo
an opera in four acts
Composed by Cesar Cui
Libretto by Viktor Burenin, after V. Hugo's drama Angelo, tyran de Padoue
Date of composition: 1871-1875
First Performed: 1876, St. Petersburg, Mariinsky Theater
(Click here
to listen to the middle of the love scene between Rodolfo and Tisbe in
Act I.)
Cast of Characters
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Angelo Malipieri, Podesta: bass
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Catharina Bragadini, his wife: soprano
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Tisbe: mezzo-soprano
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Rodolfo: tenor
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Anafesta Galeofa: bass
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Ascanio Strozzi: bass
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Dafne: mezzo-soprano
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Fra Paolo: tenor
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Peppo: tenor
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1st Policeman: baritone
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2nd Policeman: bass
Patricians, signors, people, police, etc.
Setting: Padua, 1549
Synopsis
Tisbe, who loves Rodolfo, is Angelo's mistress. Angelo discovers that Catherine,
his wife, is having an affair, but doesn't know it's with Rodolfo. Thisbe,
not a little miffed at this state of affairs, nevertheless saves Catherine's
life and ends up dying in the end.
Extra Information
Ponchielli's La Gioconda, based on the same literary source, premiered
in the same year as Angelo. Although there is a second-hand
Soviet report of a performance of Angelo in Belgium in 1886 (outside
of concert excerpts), this has yet to be verified. When Cui's opera
was revived at the Moscow Bolshoi Theater during the 1901/1902 season,
Fedor Shaliapin sang the role of Galeofa. The latest known production
of the opera was in Russia in 1910.
Author: Lyle Neff, lneff@indiana.edu
Last Updated: July 2000