Amilcare Ponchielli (1834-1886)
I Lituani (1874)
Aldona – Jūratė Švedaitė-Waller (soprano)
Corrado, Walter – Kristian Benedikt (tenor)
Arnoldo – Modestas Sedlevičius (baritone)
Albano – Tadas Girininkas (bass)
Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra; Kaunas State Choir/Modestas Pitrėnas
rec. 2020, Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society, Vilnius
Italian libretto with English and Lithuanian translations
Reviewed as download
Accentus Music ACC80642 [3 CDs: 168]
Amilcare Ponchielli composed in toto ten operas, the first as early as in 1856 when he was 22. Several of them were fairly popular in Italy, but they soon fell out of fashion, except La Gioconda from 1876, which has long since become established in the standard repertoire in many opera houses worldwide. One reason for that is the excellent libretto by Tobia Gorrio – anagram of Arrigo Boito, who also created the masterly librettos of Verdi’s Otello and Falstaff – but the music, too, is also uncommonly inspired, containing a half-dozen well-known vocal numbers, plus the popular ballet The Dance of the Hours.
I Lituani, which premiered two years before La Gioconda at La Scala, may not be on the same musical level, but there is still a lot to admire. It was well received at the premiere, and was played in several places, including Buenos Aires, Chicago and even St. Petersburg during the last decades of the 19th century. The last time it was played at La Scala was in 1903 under Toscanini, but the soloists seem to have been second rate, and after the third performance it closed down. It was scheduled to be played in 1939, but then the war started, so it was not again played until 1979 when RAI revived it under Gavazzeni, a recording of which is available on Bongiovanni GB2390/91. It has since been performed a number of times, the latest so far in Kaunas, from which this recording comes. Note that this is a studio recording, so there are no disturbing stage sounds.
The libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, best known for his libretto to Verdi’s Aida, written a few years earlier, is based on the historical poem Konrad Wallenrod by Lithuanian-Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz. The story takes place in the 14th century in Lithuania, the prologue, and in Marienburg, acts I – III. Corrado Wallenrod, actually a Lithuanian named Walter who is impersonating a loyal Teutonic Knight, allows the Lithuanians to win against the Teutons by executing a long-planned misdirection. Aldona, his wife who has entered a convent, searches for her love Walter, and finds him just before he is sentenced to death for his deception.
Much of the music in the prologue is gloomy and depressing. The opening sinfonia begins softly with a beautiful, sorrow-filled melody that slowly grows in intensity, but it is soon replaced by dramatic, martial music. For the rest of the prelude the two themes alternate. When the curtain rises for the prologue we meet old Albano, who laments the war that has devastated Lithuania and all the Lithuanians who have been killed. Aldona, a Lithuanian princess, wonders about her brother Arnoldo and her husband Walter, who have been in the war, and asks the people who have gathered to pray. This is a very moving chorus, and there are several big choral scenes throughout the opera. The male singers are busy most of the time as soldiers and their performance confirms the high quality of the choral tradition in the Baltic tradition. We still remember the singing revolution1987 to 1991 when the three Baltic states eventually became independent from the Soviet Union. Now both return and the reunion of Aldona and Walter is very impassioned. Walter tells Aldona that he has to leave her again but reassures her that he will always love her. He confides to her his plan to take revenge on the Teutonic Knights and hastens away together with Arnoldo.
The rest of the opera takes place ten years later, and Walter, under the name of Corrado Wallenrod, has ingratiated himself with the Teutonic Knights and become their new Grand Master. In Act I they are celebrating this joyfully with mighty choral scenes, and it seems that Ponchielli becomes truly inspired. There are several scenes where he comes close to the melodic freshness that flows almost constantly in La Gioconda. Listen to Arnoldo’s Romanza (CD 2 track 9) and also the duet between Aldona and Arnoldo (CD 2 track 12). There is even more festivity in Act II with songs and dances. The latter are performed by Andalusian and Greek slaves, and they are captivating – an equivalence to The Dance of the Hours in La Gioconda. The drama then intensifies and in the last act, when the Teutonic Knights realise that Corrado is a parvenu who has caused their defeat by the Lithuanians, they condemn him to death. He has no chance to escape, but not wanting to fall in enemy hands, he drinks poison. In the last minute Aldona arrives, and Corrado/Walter dies in her arms. The final scene is very touching; Ponchielli is here again inspired.
The main soloists are some of the most prominent present-day Lithuanian singers, and they are no doubt excellent actors. Tadas Girininkas has a noble bass voice, and he draws a nuanced portrait of Albano. Jūratė Švedaitė-Waller also makes a credible Aldona. Kristian Benedikt’s dramatic tenor has retained its steel (he has been a great Otello for several years), and he has abundant opportunities to expose it as Corrado, but he is often quite strained. His soft singing, on the other hand, is excellent. The best and freshest voice, however, is that of the baritone Modestas Sedlevičius in the role of Arnoldo. Born in 1987 he was 33 when this recording was made, and bel canto tones flow effortlessly from his throat. I dearly hope to hear more from him.
I Lituani may not be on the same level as La Gioconda, but it still has a lot to offer and distinctly shows that Ponchielli was not just a one-work composer.
Göran Forsling
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Other cast
Vitoldo – Arūnas Malikėnas (baritone)
Minstrel – Agnė Stančikaitė (soprano)
Un araldo – Edgaras Montvidas (tenor)
