Borgia, Lucretia: biography. Lucretia Borgia is a romantic opera in two acts. Composer - Gaetano Donizetti Influence in World Culture
Illegal daughter of the pope, pawn in the political game of his own family. This is all one and the same woman - Lucretia Borgia.
Childhood and youth
The illegitimate daughter of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia was born on April 18, 1480 in the Italian city of Subiako. Her mother was the mistress of Cardinal Vanozza dei Cattanei, who, for fifteen years of communication, gave birth to Borgia with three sons - and Giovanni before her daughter and Joffre after. Officially, all the children of the cardinal were considered his nephews.
Little is known about Lucretius's childhood. The girl was taken from her mother and given to her cousin from her father. Adriana de Mila, who had successfully married a representative of the Orsini clan, had already been widowed by that time. The teacher from the aunt turned out to be good: the girl knew several languages, was versed in art, danced well, was fond of history and alchemy.
A pretty girl, by nature, blossomed early. Rumor had it that the older brothers had a little brotherly love for her. Contemporaries noted the excellent build, regular nose, golden hair, white teeth and a graceful neck of the girl, not forgetting to mention her constant smile and cheerful character.
Now no one can say with certainty whether such a description is true. Historians and art historians are inclined to believe that there are no reliable portraits of Lucretia painted during her lifetime, noting that some paintings by brush masters probably reflect her features.
By the age of 13, Lucretia got engaged twice, but the engagement did not end with the wedding.
Daughter of the pope
In 1492, Cardinal Borgia became pope and henceforth was named Alexander VI. Then the manipulation of Lucretia began, which became a bargaining chip in the political auction of the Renaissance. Papa’s daughter (and there was no way to stop the rumors about his fatherhood) is a tidbit for grooms from the aristocracy, and the Borgia clan, famous for its illegibility in funds, used this with pleasure.
Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander VI - father of Lucretia Borgia A puppet of Pope and brother Cesare Borgia, Lucretia got married three times. Marriages were made with Giovanni Sforza, Duke of Pesaro, Alfonso of Aragon, Duke of Bisceglie, Prince of Salerno, and with Alfonso d "Este, Prince of Ferrara.
It is believed that the girl was happily married to her second husband, the bastard of the king of Naples. But happiness is nothing when it comes to politics, much less the happiness of others. By order of Cesare, Alfonso was killed as soon as he became useless for Borgia.
It is unlikely that the girl from the cruel and unprincipled clan was meek, but there is no reliable information that Lucretia directly participated in the dark affairs of relatives. Do not forget about the dependent position of women in the 15th century.
Personal life
In 1493, Giovanni Sforza, a cousin of the ruler of Milan, a widower of 26 years, received Lucretius, and with it 31 thousand ducats and a place in the papal army, as a life partner. A 13-year-old wife was considered not yet ripe for the fulfillment of her conjugal duty, therefore, at first, there was no intimate relationship between the newlyweds. It is likely that there was no later.
In 1497, the union of Borgia and Sforza ceased to exist as unnecessary - the alignment of forces in the political arena has changed too much. The Pope insisted on the recognition of the marriage of his daughter invalid due to the lack of his consummation.
The fact that the husband could not make the wife a woman was a weighty reason for divorce in the Middle Ages. The Sforza clan insisted that Giovanni confirm the version of the Pope, and the marriage was dissolved at the end of 1497. After that, Sforza began to spread rumors about the relationship of Lucretius with his father.
Lucrezia Borgia in his youth Young Borgia at the divorce process swore that she was a virgin. But in the spring of 1498, they started talking about the birth of a baby girl. One of the possible "heroes of the triumph" was called Pedro Calderón (aka Perotto), who served as a courier between Pope and Lucretia, when she was in the monastery of St. Styx. However, they quickly got rid of the likely lover, the child, if there was one, was not given to the mother, and Lucretius was again married.
In June 1498, Alfonso of Aragon became the girl’s husband. A year later, Borgia's friendship with the French alerted the king of Naples, and Alfonso left his wife, however, not for long. Lucrezia pope then gave the castle Neli and put in the chair of the governor of the town of Spoleto. The girl showed the talent of a manager and a politician - in a short time she established relations between Spoleto and Terni, who were at war with each other.
Lucrezia Borgia (left) and Alfonso of Aragon (right) An alliance with the Neapolitan crown, which had strongly lost ground at that time, became useless for Cesare. At first, the Naples bastard was guarded on the street, but after receiving a series of stab wounds, Alfonso survived. For almost a month, his wife tried to put him on his feet, but the killers got to the prince - they strangled him right in bed. Lucretia had to benefit the father in the Vatican - to answer letters when the pope was not in place. Then she got the castle of Sermonet.
In 1502, the Pope of Rome found Lucretia a party more profitable than previous husbands - Alfonso d’Este, heir to the Duke of Ferrara. Alexander VI planned an alliance with Ferrara against Venice. At first, the father and son refused the papal daughter, mindful of her slander against her first husband and illegitimate child. But the spoiled reputation was outweighed by the influence of Louis XII and a dowry of 100 thousand ducats.
Subsequently, Lucretia managed to win the good disposition of her husband and father-in-law. When Alexander VI passed away in 1503, the marriage lost its political meaning, but until her death, Borgia remained d’Este’s wife, although he was offered to get rid of her.
In 1503, Lucretia became the lover of the poet Pietro Bembo. They probably did not have a love affair, but tender correspondence existed. Another woman's lover was Francesco Gonzaga, the Marquis of Mantua, until his death in 1519. He may have been Lucrezia's lover, but if true, Borgia took great risks.
Alfonso in 1505 became the duke after the death of his father and often left for the duchy. And the duchess remained regent, doing the affairs of Ferrara with the help of a brother-in-law, Cardinal Ippolito. The husband, like his father once, paid tribute to the administrative talents of Lucretia and trusted his wife. And not in vain - the castle of the Dukes of Este was considered a brilliant courtyard. Lucretia patronized poets and artists, founded a convent in Ferrara and a charity.
Children
Part of Lucretia's pregnancies ended in miscarriages, several babies died in infancy. The list of children that descendants are aware of begins with the result of the likely relationship between the daughter of the pope and his servant Giovanni Borgia, whom Alexander VI secretly recognized as his child.
The woman gave birth to Duke Bichelieu, the son of Rodrigo, but, having entered into a third marriage, left the boy in the father's family. The child lived for 13 years.
The remaining children appeared married to d’Este. The first-born Alessandro died at the age of one, then there was a stillborn girl. In 1508, Alfonso appeared heir - Ercole II d’Este. After him, Ippolito II was born, who later became the Archbishop of Milan and Cardinal, Alessandro (lived 2 years), Leonora, Francesco and Isabella Maria, who died on her second birthday.
Death
Lucretia seemed to anticipate her death. Shortly before the end of her biography, the duchess often and for a long time was in the temple, compiled an inventory of property and valuables, wrote a will in which she mentioned the Ferrara temples.
In June 1519, Lucretia, exhausted by pregnancy, began a premature birth. On June 14, a premature baby girl was born. And on June 24, 1519, the 39-year-old Lucretia Borgia died of a maternity fever. They buried her in the monastery of Corpus Domini.
Lucrezia Borgia in art
In most books and films, the daughter of the pope is the embodiment of evil. Occasionally she is represented as a victim, a pawn in the hands of relatives. in 1833 he wrote the play Lucretius Borgia, based on which Gaetano Donizetti composed the opera that same year. Thanks to Hugo, readers learned the story of Lucretia, enriched by the fiction of the author.
The writer talked about the birth of a 11-year-old Lucretia child from his brother Giovanni, about the ring with poison inside, with which the woman poisoned the unwanted, that in Ferrara, her husband kept her in prison.
Authors who later wrote novels about the Borgia family enjoyed using the Hugo version and embellished it in their own way. Lucretia is a character in the works of Friedrich Klinger, Louis Gastin, Genie Kalogridis, and others.
Filmmakers could not pass by the vivid image of Lucretius. The list of films and series is great, in which, starting in 1922, the daughter of the pope embodied actresses from to. In the photo in the image of Lucretia, they are all different, but equally beautiful.
The Borgia family was noted even in computer games - "Assassin" s Creed: Brotherhood "and" Assassin "s Creed II."
Borgia of Lucretia
(born in 1480 - d. in 1519)
A worthy daughter of the Borgia family, who became a toy in the political game of father and brother. She became famous for her beauty, depravity, cruelty and ... patronage of literature and the arts.
The story of Lucrezia Borgia can not be preceded by the history of its kind. Without her, much can remain unclear or misinterpreted in the personal life of this woman.
The Spanish genus Borja of Khativa has been known since the 12th century. Gradually, the family strengthened its position among the nobility. And the law doctor Alonso de Borja (b. 1378), supporting the King of Aragon and Neapolitan Alphonse Y in time, became his closest adviser, personal secretary (1418), the head of the wealthy bishopric of Valencia (1429) and the mentor of the king’s illegitimate son . And Alonso himself was not particularly holy. The bishop was attached to the families of his sisters and patronized his nephews in everything. He especially highlighted Rodrigo and Francisco, who, according to historian A. Chaconne (Chaconnius), were his illegitimate sons, a sin of incest, but this fact remains unproven, although at that time there was nothing unusual in it.
Before the master of political intrigue, Cardinal Bishop of Valencia, a road opened to Rome in exchange for the betrayal of his king. In 1455, the conclave elected Alonso Borgia as pope (as they began to call him in the Italian manner). He took the name Calixtus III. A year later, Rodrigo and Francisco become cardinals. The family uses all imaginable and inconceivable means to strengthen the power and wealth of its clan as opposed to the Medici, Sforza, Este, Gonzag, and in two years of the papacy Calixtus III succeeds in this. Rodrigo, an educated, active, undisguised intriguer, skillfully using his mind and connections, secured a particularly strong position. For 12 years of cardinality, he helped four popes ascend to the Holy See, receiving profitable posts and huge money for this. And in 1491, Rodrigo himself put on a papal tiara under the name of Alexander VI and launched a storm of political and aggressive activities, strengthened the power, prestige and financial capabilities of the Holy See, and at the same time the Spanish clan of Borgia became richer and stronger than the Italian.
But Rodrigo does more than that. Breaking all church vows, he leads a depraved life, and from numerous mistresses at different times he has nine children. But he especially distinguished Rosa Vanozzi, who gave birth to him Cesare (or Caesar, born in 1475), Juan (more often in literature Francesco, born in 1476), Lucretius (born in 1480) and Hofre (1482). R.). While still a cardinal,
Rodrigo regularly successfully marries his mistress and her spouses venerate their horns for honor. Moreover, he not only recognizes, but also legitimizes the birth of all children, which does not cause an objection to the church, and he also closely monitors the education of sons and raises them as princes.
Baby Lucretia, who was born in the Abbey of Subiaco, was not left without custody. The voluptuous father entrusted the daughter to his widow cousin Andrienne de Mila, the mother of the young Orso (evil tongues claimed that he was also the son of the pope). The cardinal often visited her house, but not so much because of her daughter (she was still small), but because of Orso's young bride, Julia Farnese. Then Lucretia was educated in the monastery of St. Sixtus, but at 11 years old, an early-blooming beauty was returned home. How did she get prettier: lush blond hair, charming body lines, light green eyes, invocative and languid at the same time ...
Alexander VI had special views on her. Lucretia was to pick up a politically advantageous groom. The contract with the Spaniard, Don Cherubino, Juan de Centella, was terminated two months later and concluded with another bidder, 15-year-old Don Gaspara, but even then his father changed his mind. He decided to intermarry with the influential Sforza family. Even without breaking the previous engagement, Lucretia becomes the bride, and then the wife of Giovanni Sforza, ruler of Pesaro (1493). Vain, intrigued by rumors, the 26-year-old widower and 13-year-old bride and groom after a luxurious wedding ceremony are present at the banquet, which lasts almost a week, turning at night into a real orgy. The young woman was not accustomed to such spectacles, because she spent the last two years in the house of Andrienne de Mila and Julia Farnese, her father's lovers. In addition, it was rumored that the immaculate beautiful Lucretia still managed to become the wife of Count Averza, and Alexander VI barely paid off his first son-in-law.
But the political situation showed that they hurried with this marriage. Sensing a threat to his life, Sforza retired to his estate, and Lucretia remained in the Vatican. Rumors spread around Rome, and it seemed, not unfounded, that she began to live with her father and brothers Juan and Cesare. Lucretia blossomed and became so beautiful that as a married but single woman began to attract many fans. One oddity is that her admirers soon died from the knife, not even having time to climb into her warm bed. The slightest creep on the part of the Venetian Marcello Candiano and the Ferrara Dalbergetti was enough for the jealous Cesare to send them to the forefathers. While her husband was on the run, Lucretia gave birth to a daughter, Laura. “Yes, this is a living portrait of the pope, of course, this is his child!” - exclaimed one of the relatives, prelate Lorenzo Pucci. The child was given some kind of nurse. When her mother thought about her before her death, the girls were no longer alive. For decency, Lucretia lived a little with her husband in Pesaro, but her life there seemed fresh, and her relatives missed her.
The war of Alexander VI and the French king Charles VIII proved to the pope how important it is for the family to strengthen its secular influence. The 16-year-old Countess Sforza again becomes a bargaining chip in resolving this issue. Frightened by constant threats, the husband again escapes from Rome. Lucretia complains to everyone that he abandoned her. She tried to get information to Giovanni that they were going to kill him. Although her husband was tired of her, Lucretia still felt sorry for her unlucky spouse, she really did not want him to become another victim of the jealous brothers, Juan and Cesare, who hated each other. Not one was going to refuse criminal love to the sister. Lucrezia herself liked Juan of Gandia more - he was more beautiful, tender and courteous of assertive and rude Cesare. The brothers were second only to their father. There were few women able to refuse Rodrigo Borgia. One of his contemporaries wrote: “He has a soulful voice. He speaks passionately and very softly at the same time. His black eyes are magnificent. The face is always nice. It expresses gaiety and happiness. Talking to him in a strange way can agitate the weaker sex. It attracts women like a magnet attracts iron. But he cleverly hides his victories, and no one knows how many women obeyed him. ” And the obedient daughter did not refuse him.
While her fate was being decided, the “abandoned wife” retired, according to custom, to the monastery of San Sisto, where she secretly received only Juan. Brought into a rage by this, Cesare decided on a murder. After a feast at Vanozzi, at which Lucretia managed to “reconcile” the brothers and they parted amicably, Juan went on a love date prepared by Cesare, but never returned home. On the night of June 16, 1497, he was killed by mercenaries who dumped the body in the Tiber, and even in the place where garbage is usually dumped. An actively launched investigation safely reached an impasse. Everyone in Rome knew who the murderer was, but for the sake of family honor, the pope forgave Cesare the death of his beloved son and even appointed him legate to Naples. Lucretia atone for the sins in the monastery and left it occasionally in order to "console" the pope.
Alexander VI, meanwhile, is trying to get his daughter divorced from Giovanni Sforza, accusing him of male bankruptcy. Lucretia dies of boredom. Dad sends her gentle letters to the monastery with promises that the retreat will end soon. His constant and “reliable” postman becomes the beautiful and young Spanish chamberlain Pedro Caldes (Calderon), also called Perotto. He did not have to break away for a long time the 17-year-old beauty, who suffered greatly without the male company. But, surrendering to a young passion, they completely forgot about the caution and plans of the family - Lucretia became pregnant. In the sixth month in spacious clothes, a beautiful lady appeared at the divorce ceremony (1497), where she was declared a virgin, with the consent of her husband (than you will not sacrifice to save a life!).
As soon as a divorce was reported, the names of three applicants for the “untouched” beauty became known. But while the pope decided which bridegroom was preferable, Lucretia was resolved from the burden by the boy Gianni (1498). Only three years later his birth was legalized, and he had two fathers at once. In one bull, Cesare recognized him, and in the other, Alexander VI himself. The name Lucretia was not even mentioned. Mother was an “unmarried woman”. And the real father (or maybe he was not the culprit and only got on hot) was first sent to prison, and then "fell into the Tiber against his will," wrote the master of ceremonies of the papal palace Burkard (Burchard). Steamy jokes crawled across Rome. The humanist Sannadzaro even put together an epigram in the form of an epitaph: “Lucretius, better known as Thys, is sleeping in this grave because she was the daughter, wife and daughter-in-law of Alexander VI.” But Borgia kept absolute calm, and Lucretia was preparing for the wedding.
Finally, a bridegroom was found for the woman who was languishing - Alfonso of Aragonese, the Duke of Bisella (Bishegl) - one of the most beautiful princes of that time, with amiable manners and gentle character, but most importantly - the son of the King of Naples, although by the side. The future husband, picked up by his brother, Lucretia really liked. In July 1498, a magnificent wedding was held. At the evening masquerade, Cesare appeared in a unicorn costume - a symbol of purity and fidelity. It was very funny. But this marriage was even shorter than the first. Oddly enough, Lucretia became attached to her husband and was expecting a child from him. She calmed down after marrying and leaving Cesare, but could not convince Alfonso that there was no threat. He well knew how many people suffered from the disfavor of Borgia.
Hiding in Genazzano, the duke calls for his wife. But Alexander VI, to whom her daughter meekly obeyed everything, appointed her governor in the main papal fortress north of Rome Spoletto and Foligno (1499). This position was usually occupied only by cardinals and prelates. Lucrezia spent only two months as governor, but, according to contemporaries, she successfully coped with her duties: at the expense of the commune, she organized the gendarmerie corps to help the police, obliged Spoletto and Terni to conclude a three-month truce. She was calm and happy, especially after the return of Alfonso, who was near her at the time of the birth of their son Rodrigo, the first legitimate grandson of the pope from all his children.
Lucretia was just beginning to get a taste of family life, as political interests demanded a new victim from her. On June 15, 1499, the assassins of Cesare seriously wounded the young duke, but considered him dead and threw him on the pavement. The servants carried the bleeding lord to Lucretia, and she went out for a month. Cesare vomited and metal after visiting the Duke, seeing the care of Lucretia. She still preferred her to his wife and mistresses. Those present heard strange words said goodbye to them: "What is not done for lunch will be done for dinner." And Burkard writes in his diary: "Given that don Alfonso refused to die from his wounds, he was strangled in his bed." Mount Lucretia this time was unfeigned. The duke became her first true love. Her behavior irritated Papa and Cesare, they were tired of her tears and swollen face. The widow was sent to Nepi to “seek solace”, as the stinging Burkard writes (as it turned out later, he was a supporter of Giuliano della Rover and not everything can be trusted in his words). Of course, it is difficult to believe that such a depraved woman among her relatives, who were distinguished by shamelessness, could sincerely grieve, but she ended each letter with the words: “The most miserable woman.” She did not need to play in front of her father, who drowned her in the mud.
But returning to Rome, the young widow again plunges into voluptuous debauchery. Her body accustomed to love pleasures requires men. Now that Cesare is far away and fighting for land and wealth, Lucretia herself can successfully cope with any bored lover. For this, there is the famous poison of Borgia. Her feelings were sharpened to the limit in anticipation of the death of the admirer. Poisoned fruit, wine, gifts ... And Lucretius also had a bedroom key, a small thorn of which was covered with poison. The castle is tight, the fan is impatient, a little scratch, a night of passion, and after a day or two - death ... Not a single applicant for sweet pleasures was put to death in this way, everyone knew about it, but nonetheless those who wanted it did not decrease. Lucretia was the worthy daughter of her father, who resolved difficult issues and made a huge fortune, poisoning many church fathers and unwanted but wealthy guests.
All murders, orgies, sacrilege did not surprise anyone - Rome was the most depraved city. No wonder Petrarch wrote: "It is enough to see Rome to lose faith." No one was indignant that the depraved Lucretia ruled the Vatican three times in 1501, occupied papal apartments (women are not even allowed to enter there) and led the current affairs of the Church. She is only 21 years old, her name is trampled in the mud, but you won’t refuse her mind. She made no mistakes in the manual.
Two years later, Lucretia again picked up the groom. The prince, heir to the Duchy of Ferrara, Alfonso d’Este, son of Hercules I. He is a childless 24-year-old widower. Unpleasant memories remained from the first marriage with Anna Sforza: the wife avoided intimacy with him, content with a black slave. The representative of d'Este in the Vatican, D. Castellini, informed the prince about the new bride that “she is undoubtedly beautiful, has become even more magnificent and seems so tender that it is impossible and should not be suspected of sinister crimes ... Don Alfonso will be completely satisfied with her, because besides her perfect grace, modesty, friendliness and honesty, she is a zealous Catholic and God-fearing. " The young duke was interested, but his father in exchange for the princely title demanded a huge dowry. Alexander VI met all the conditions, especially since Lucretia herself asked for it, realizing that this marriage would be her triumph ... Even the sons of Gianni and Rodrigo received a huge dowry, confiscated from the Roman barons.
Before her departure, Cesare arranged a farewell feast, at which he invited 50 famous courtesans of Rome for guests. Burkard writes: “After dinner, women of easy virtue danced with the servants and other guests. At first they were in dresses. Then they were completely naked. Since dinner was over, candlesticks with candles were placed on the floor. The guests began to scatter chestnuts, and the courtesans gathered them, crawling between the candlesticks. Finally, silk wraps, shoes, hats were put on public display - they were promised to those who best demonstrate their masculine power to the courtesans. Copulation took place immediately with everyone in the hall. Those present, who acted as arbitrators, handed out prizes to those who were declared the winner. Lucretia sat with her dad on a high stage, holding in his hands a prize intended for the most ardent and tireless lover. " This is exactly what the Roman nobility and clergy entertained, but most historians doubt the presence of Lucretius on the orgy. She was not profitable to show herself in such a light in front of the Ferrara guests.
The road from Rome to Ferrara became a fabulous journey for Lucretia. Alfonso d’Este met her at first sight was captivated by a kind, charming, sparkling mind and jewels bride. Tales of steamy adventures only aroused his desire, but dulled his attention. The taste and joy of life were the key to the success of Lucretia among all representatives of the groom's family. On February 2, 1502, a magnificent wedding was held in Ferrara.
After the splendor of wedding celebrations, the d'Este family, distinguished by stinginess, returned to its former dull life in a gloomy castle. Lucretia and her husband had a complete idyll. A dark-skinned, broad-shouldered, sensual handsome man in bed quite satisfied his ardent wife. And while he was engaged in cannons, horses, tournaments, played the viola and painted faience, Lucretia surrounded herself with a chosen society, gravitating to elegant literature. Many were surprised when, among the expensive outfits, they found a very decent library that belonged to Lucretia. This group of her favorites includes: Nicolo Correggio - poet, singer, producer of antique comedies (he will remain faithful to his patroness until his death); Tito Vespasiano Strozzi is a venerable old man, a member of the highest tribunal of the Twelve, the most famous poet of Ferrara, and his son Ercole, who wrote melancholy poems; as well as the scientist and poacher Antonio Tibaldeo. All this impressed the gloomy husband, and gradually he truly fell in love with his wife. He was also struck by the attention with which the frivolous, according to reviews, woman refers to her son and "nephew" Gianni. Married to Alfonso, Lucretia became pregnant 11 times, but only four children survived. Despite the huge loss of strength and health, she remained an attractive woman, worthy of the attention of other men. Thus, the tender friendship and platonic love between Lucretia and the famous poet, scientist and leader of the humanists, Pietro Bembo gave way to fiery passion. In ardent elegies, subtle sonnets, he sang her beauty and mind, and devoted his "Azolan Conversations" - dialogues about love - to the "Beautiful Lady of Ferrara." However, for some time, Lucretia had to forget about the love of the poet: she received the terrible news of the painful death of Alexander VI (August 18, 1503). The gloomy Alfonso remained indifferent to her grief. Lucretia could not blame her father for anything, because all his crimes were committed in the name of the prosperity of the Borgia family and she - the illegitimate daughter - is now a princess. Only Pietro comforted her, and then with letters, but the duke became suspicious, and soon correspondence and love died away.
After the death of the pope and disgrace, Cesare, against whom all the wronged took up arms, the rulers of Ferrara clearly hinted at getting rid of the imposed daughter-in-law and wife, but everyone became attached to her. Lucretia was only forbidden to bring her son and children to Cesare, since she gave birth to an heir to her husband (Hercules II) only in April 1508, when her brother was no longer alive. But she could not be forbidden to help financially and protect their future, especially after the death of the old duke, when Lucretia became the ruling duchess of Ferrara. Only her care saved the lives of the children of Cesare.
And the dying passions were replaced by a new love. And although the jealous Alfonso tried to alienate his wife from the Spaniards and even built an internal passage from the official apartments to the private quarters of Lucretia, she found a new admirer - she became her brother-in-law, Francisco Gonzaga, margrave of Mantua, delicate and attentive. But the matter didn’t go beyond correspondence either: the fan was corroded by syphilis, and he was impotent. However, on the orders of a jealous husband, the lover's attorney Ercole Strozzi was killed.
Lucrezia’s lifestyle has changed, now her father and brother, in whose hands she was an obedient toy, a trump card and in some way a victim, did not dominate her. After all, living in the midst of debauchery and staying clean is the lot of saints, and she was born a passionate woman. Now Lucretia patronized poets and artists, and the courtyard of d'Este was recognized as one of the most enlightened. Alfonso, leaving on business or another war, calmly left the control of the duchy to his wife, who was assisted by a council of ten citizens. The dangers that she and her husband survived — a campaign against Pope Julius II on Ferrara, a four-year war, the capture and escape of Alfonso, his excommunication — completely reconciled the spouses. Louis XII, persistently demanding the resignation of Lucretia after the death of the pope, admitted that "this woman is from those empresses who are worthy to compete with the queen of France." Moreover, it turned out that she was a wonderful mother and a devoted wife.
After the death of the evil Julius II (1513), Pope Leo X made peace with Ferrara and Mantua, and the poet and old friend of Lucretia Pietro Bembo became his personal secretary. The beautiful lady from Ferrara has changed a lot, she became religious, she wore a hair shirt under her thin shirts and went to church hard. Children grew up in a decent environment and received proper education. Lucretia was calm in advance for the fate of everyone: the Duke of Hercules II married in marriage with Rene of France, daughter of Louis XII, and became the ancestor of Henry de Guise; Hippolytus II became a cardinal and was one of the most generous philanthropists; Francesco received the title of Marquis de Massalombard; Eleanor had her hair cut as a nun and became abbess of the monastery of the Body of the Lord in Ferrara. Lucretia was still beautiful. Ludovico Ariosto, who praised her on the eve of the wedding, once again extols her in the poem Frantic Roland: "She surpasses perfection itself with her special beauty, her great care." The inhabitants of Ferrara, too, can not boast of their mistress.
In 1518, 77-year-old mother of Lucretia Rosa Vanozzi died. After the death of Alexander VI, the lover and father of her children, she managed to earn universal respect and bequeathed all her enormous fortune to churches, hospitals and children of the poor. By order of Leo X, she was given the honors that the cardinals usually awarded. Lucretia could not say goodbye to her mother - she was expecting a baby and pregnancy was very difficult. She was not yet 40 years old, and she had no life left. The daughter died immediately after baptism, and Lucretia began a maternity fever. She received from Leo X a complete absolution. For ten days the husband did not leave her bed, with whom they lived together, suffering and rejoicing, for 17 years.
Lucretia Borgia died on June 24, 1519 and was buried in a family crypt. Alfonso wrote to his nephew how hard it was for him to “part with a dear and gentle companion, because she was dear to me and sweet with her virtues and tenderness, uniting us.” And it's all about the insidious, cruel, depraved, not abhorring the murders, adulteress ... Perhaps, if there weren’t so much abomination around her, she would become a decent woman, and not a terrible ghost, appearing through the centuries in the novel by A. Dumas and in the drama B Hugo. After all, it’s not without reason that D. Campori in his study called her “a victim of history”.
But the duke d’Este very quickly consoled in the arms of his mistress, the daughter of a hosiery. But what is not a sin for a man is a shame for a woman ...
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From the book of 50 famous lovers the author Vasilyeva Elena KonstantinovnaPope Alexander VI, Rodrigo Borgia (born in 1430 - d. 1503) Pope, the most depraved of the popes since the Ottones. Among the famous families of Italy of the Renaissance, the Borgia family occupies a special and, it must be said, by no means honorable a place. His bad reputation
From the book of 50 famous lovers the author Ziolkovskaya Alina VitalievnaBorgia Lucretia (born in 1480 - d. 1519) A worthy daughter of the Borgia family, who became a toy in the political game of father and brother. She became famous for her beauty, depravity, cruelty and ... patronage of literature and the arts. The story of Lucretius Borgia is impossible not to
From the book of 100 famous tyrants the author Vagman Ilya YakovlevichALEXANDER VI BORJIA (born in 1431 - d. In 1503) Pope. He sought to subjugate Italy to the rule of his family and create a central kingdom in central Italy. In the fight against opponents, he used poison and hired killers. The Renaissance, which gave humanity a huge
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From the book The Imaginary Sonnets [collection] the author Lee Hamilton Eugene29. Alexander VI - Cesare Borgia (1497) Like a bowl of Murano glass It bursts instantly, meeting with poison, So the world where you stack of combustible lava exploded, white-hot! You call me your father ... Evil evil, You are one-headed descendant of Kerbera! Let your mouth fall with a smirk
From the book Artists in the Mirror of Medicine author Neumeir AntonAt CESAR BORGIA CAMP, on April 24, 1500, Leonardo arrived in the city of his youth, which he had not seen for almost 20 years. Meanwhile, he turned 48. But he tried once again to connect his life with Florence, once abandoned by him. The last decades of the 15th century have completely changed
From the book Naughty Princesses the author Mc Robbie Linda RodriguezThe surviving Princesses, who had to make difficult or reprehensible decisions by Lucretius (April 18, 1480–24 June 1519), Renaissance Mafia Princess Italy It was said that the beautiful Lucretia B? Rgia wears a ring with poison on her finger. If you are not careful
According to the schedule of film screenings, the Moscow premiere of the Lucretia Borgia 3D project took place on April 4. As usual during such musical movie nights, this time Nevafilm invited the Moscow audience to the Khudozhestvenny cinema, to its base rental point in the capital. Recently, (from November last year), a special section called “Opera Nights” appeared on the site of this cinema on the “Poster” tab of the main menu - and if you resurrect its pages for this period, you can find a lot of interesting things in them.
So, the December poster was decorated with Mozart’s opera Don Juan staged by the London Covent Garden and from the stage of the La Scala theater in Milan. Of course, in January Massenet's opera rarity entitled “Cinderella” deserved special interest, in February - Adrienne Lecouvreur Chilea (both productions are Covent Garden products), and in March - Mozart’s “Magic Flute” from La Scala ". So, not only Petersburg music lovers, the “cinema screen” proposal for which is always naturally more diverse and intense, but this time Moscow opera lovers also had what’s called what take your soul! As we already said, the beginning of April was marked by the Lucrezia Borgia 3D project, and closer to the end of its second decade, Puccini's Bohemia, an Australian opera production, is planned Opera Australia) from the scene Sydney opera house.
So, "Lucretia Borgia 3D." At the entrance to the hall you are given special glasses, the “glasses” of which are more like convex mirrors - you need to look into them. And even if you wave your hand and say that you can do without 3D, sooner or later you will wear these glasses anyway, because without them the image on the screen is blurry blurry. But once you put on these 3D glasses, you obviously don’t want to take them off, because it’s on large movie plans — they prevail in the film — that an amazing virtual illusion of the depth of the stage is created, and the characters themselves seem to be standing right in front of you and singing their music exclusively for you. On the general plans, the 3D effect is practically not felt, but this is also due to the fact that the scenography of the performance, with all its reasonable correctness, reveals only a very dosed theatrical scale, a kind of “positional locality”, so we can say that the main principle of the visual series is its minimum sufficiency.
For the filmmaker Mike Figgis, the quite traditional “costume-historical” production of “Lucretia Borgia” in ENO became his opera and theater debut. In his creative team, he took stage designer Es Devlin, costume designer Brigitte Raiffenstuhl and lighting designer Peter Mumford. The production seen on the screen, despite its inherent minimal sufficiency from the point of view of a theatrical performance, gives the impression of a static, but generally pompous spectacle. This production was simply created for cameramen to keep close-ups. I wonder if she will produce the same exciting effect with her live perception in the theater? All the "luxury" of this film production - we can talk about it exclusively within the framework of this aspect - is enclosed in rich historical costumes, a surprisingly organically selected ensemble of soloists and their stunning dramatic play: in 3D format, when you literally look not in the eye, but in soul of the performer, it turns out to be extremely important.
The scenographic shell of this performance itself is rather gloomy and, generally speaking, very abstract. She does not seek to "fill" the entire space of the stage; the visual series is based on snatching out theatrical paraphernalia from the darkness. In the prologue to you is no terrace of the Venetian palazzo Grimani, no gondola, on which Lucretius Borgia should come here to see Gennaro, his long-lost son, sought after her order. We see only an abstract tree in the background and a bench in the foreground, on which Gennaro, who is far away from the company of friends, peacefully sleeps, and Donna Lucretia to him just coming.
The main plot of the opera (two acts) unfolds already in Ferrara in the possession of the Duke Alfonso d’Este and Donna Lucretia (his wife), where Gennaro, serving in Venice, arrives with his friends as part of the Venetian embassy. The first picture of the first act is minimal, but quite realistic “fences” of the exterior of the square in Ferrara, the second is a room in the duke’s palace, the main visual point attribute of which is the double throne, which symbolizes both the power of the duke and the impotence of Lucretia, whom the jealous husband suspects of Adultery with Gennaro. Despite the pleas of Lucretia, Alfonso is adamant: Gennaro, in a fit of indignation at the atrocities of Lucretia Borgia, defiled her family coat of arms, must die. Unsuspecting Gennaro drinks the poisoned Borgia wine, but his son, still unaware that Lucretia is his mother, this time she is able to save in secret from Alfonso with the help of an antidote.
The first picture of the second act - a fatal conversation with his best friend Maffio Orsini - unfolds against the backdrop of a hand-drawn decoration of the ducal palace. Anticipating something was wrong, Gennaro wants to immediately return to Venice, but yielding to the persuasion of a friend and not being able to leave him alone, agrees to go with him to an official reception with Princess Negroni: in fact, into a death trap arranged by Lucretia to the friends of Gennaro for the humiliation which she had occasion to experience from them in Venice. She would have known that her son would fall into this trap!
The second picture of the second (final) act of the opera suspiciously resembles the interior and composition of Leonardo da Vinci's famous fresco "The Last Supper", which he created on the wall of the refectory of the Dominican Monastery Santa maria delle grazie in Milan. Only Judas, who betrayed Christ, now does not sit at the same table with him. The role of Judas is assigned to Lucretia Borgia, who betrayed and poisoned everyone sitting at this table with her “signature” wine ... In vain this time she tries to save her son: he chooses death with his friends. Only dying, Gennaro learns from Lucretia that she is his mother.
Everything that was told above, over the course of nine evenings, was seen by the theatrical audience filling the auditorium of the London Coliseum, but between the operas the visual series of the film version was expanded by very controversial and dubious game inserts that told us the story of young Lucretia and her maid. political machinations and crimes of the father of Lucretius - Pope Alexander VI Borgia, as well as her all-powerful brother Cesare ( tradition Caesar - approx. ed.) Borgia, leading a blind and unaccountable horror to contemporaries. We were shown the seduction of Lucretia and the subsequent murder on the orders of the Pope of his chamberlain Pedro Calderon, nicknamed Perotto (the alleged father of her son). We were shown the birth of the son of Lucretia, and the fact that she was separated from him.
The question is, why such “attacks” of filmmaking zeal? It does not bring absolutely anything constructive to the cinema viewer - it only constantly creates a dissonance with the perception of the opera musical texture of Belcanto, who is completely alien to the laws of aggressive feature films, and moreover, the movie is clearly staged, artificialcompletely devoid of an “aura of realism” of historical events recreated on the screen. In these "inserts" Mike Figgis brings down on the viewer a sea of \u200b\u200bblood, cruelty and naturalism. But the musical stylistics of an outstanding example of Italian Belcanto of the first half of the 19th century (1833), albeit one that tells of the gloomy events of the beginning of the 16th century, resolutely rebels against this! There is nothing to be done, but the bloody plot, even if you like, the "mass thriller" from Donizetti, is still packed in an exquisitely beautiful belcanto shell. And in the first place should be beautiful singing as such (i.e. belcanto itself) and aesthetically beautiful theater setting. Nothing more is needed, because all the shades of emotions, the whole drama of the characters should reach the viewer and listener exclusively through vocal and musical impressions.
And these impressions, first of all, thanks to the director of the performance Paul Daniel, turn out to be incredibly strong: it seems that his orchestra sings with his singers, and the singers play with his orchestra. You listen to this score in such a stunning orchestral accompaniment in the same breath and you can’t hear enough. Paul Daniel “concurrently” is also the author of the English version of the text of the libretto, because, as you know, all the performances in ENO traditionally go in English.
Of all the performers of key characters, I personally only knew the work of Alastair Miles. And this time, the owner of the soft-moving, insinuating bass in the part of Alfonso demonstrated the sound of a voice filled with a subtle game of psychological colors: he turned out to be simply “refined and refined-refined” opera villain. But the true three vocal discoveries of this movie evening were the soprano Claire Ratter in the part of Lucretia, the tenor Michael Fabiano in the part of Gennaro and the mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong in the part of Orsini.
In intonational-stylistic terms, Claire Rutter appears as "dramatically steel", but at the same time an incredibly technical vocalist, striking her amazingly penetrating artistry. The natural-stage mentality of the noble-sensual Michael Fabiano is the exact opposite of her, although, according to the plot, Gennaro is a brave and brave warrior. Together they make an incredibly organic duet: Lucretia’s “ice” and Gennaro’s “flame” give rise to the necessary musical warmth of the Belcanto, and in the final duet (dying for Gennaro) they simply roll a lump in their throat. But Rutter-Lucrezia then also sings the bravura-energetic “cavine of despair”, putting all her boundless motherly sorrow into this bravura on the verge of insanity of reason ... Elizabeth DeShong, whose voice has the depth and power of a contra-tide, is simply charmingly good in the hero-travesty part . The character of her character is emotional, expressive, and the vocal side of his part is simply impeccable ...
On such optimistic notes, our journey to the cinema world of the three-dimensional Belcanto Donizetti ends, but as a special and specific genre of musical art, the opera continues on the screen ... And I would really like this definitely positive process to never stop!
Lucrezia borders
History of creation[ | ]
Portrait of Gaetano Donizetti
Characters[ | ]
| Alfonso d’Este, Duke of Ferrara | bass |
| Lucrezia Borgia | soprano |
| Muffio Orsini | contralto |
| Gennaro | tenor |
| Jeppo Liverotto | tenor |
| don Aposto Gazella | bass |
| Ascanio Petrucci | baritone |
| Holoferno Vitellozzo | tenor |
| Rustigello, servant of Don Alfonso | tenor |
| Gubetto, servant of Lucretia | bass |
| Astolfo, servant of Lucretius | tenor |
| princess Negroni | without words |
| The action takes place in Venice and Ferrara in the 16th century. | |
Libretto [ | ]
Prologue [ | ]
Terrace of the Palazzo Grimaldi in Venice. Night masquerade. On the terrace, which overlooks the Judecca Canal, amusing young people run out. These are Liverotto, Gazella, Vitellozzo, Orsini and Gennaro. They are the last day in Venice, tomorrow they leave for Ferrara to the court of the Duke Alfonso. The youth is secretly watched by a servant of Lucretia Gubetta. Orsini talks about the murders and other crimes that the Duke and especially his wife Lucretia Borgia are accused of (Nella fatal di Rimini e memorabil guerra ...). Friends conclude that for such acts she is worthy of death. Gradually the fun fades. Gennaro falls asleep right on the bench on the terrace. The rest are leaving. A gondola appears on the channel. Gubetto helps a masked lady get out of her. This is Lucrezia Borgia. She is looking for Gennaro. With love she looks at a sleeping young man. This is her son, who was brought up secretly and never knew or saw his mother (Com "? Bello! Quale incanto ...). From afar Lucrezia is watched by her husband Don Alfonso with his servant Rustigello. The Duke thinks that the young man is another lover of Lucretia, and orders Rustigello to watch over Gennaro. Gennaro wakes up. He is surprised by the attention of an unknown lady. Lucretia admits that she is Gennaro’s mother, but does not give her name. Gennaro is delighted, he has long dreamed of meeting his mother (Di pescatore ignobile esser figliuol credei ...). Gennaro's friends are returning. He represents and mother. Suddenly discovers Orsini in Lucrezia Borgia and the stranger tore off her mask. Everyone throw in the face of the Duchess of charges of murder, called the names of dead people. Lucrezia in horror covers his face with his hands. Young leaves, taking weeping Gennaro. Lucrezia in despair.
Act one. The first picture. Area in Ferrara[ | ]
The crowd welcomed the returning Duke Alfonso. But the duke himself was not cheerful. He is jealous of his wife for a young lover, as he believes, and orders Rustigello to find a way to destroy the young man who arrived in Ferrara (Vieni: la mia vendetta ...). The Duke enters the palace. Gennaro and his friends come out of one of the houses. After the holiday, they say goodbye. Gennaro, in which feelings for mother and solidarity with friends are struggling, decides to take a dangerous trick: he knocks the letter B from the coat of arms of the duchess depicted in the palace, leaving the word orgia from the name Borgia. From the palace appears Gubetto. Everyone runs away. This whole incident was observed by Rustigello. He calls the head of the Lucrezia Astolfo guard and reports that the prestige of the duchess suffered damage for which the death penalty is due, and that he knows the culprit. Astolfo calls the guard, and they go to arrest Gennaro.
Act one. The second picture. In the palace of Don Alfonso[ | ]
Rustigello reports to the Duke that Gennaro has been arrested. Lucretius appears. She complains about the insults to which she is subjected in Ferrara and demands that the guilty person in damage to the coat of arms of Borgia be found and executed. Don Alfonso, reports that the Duchess's desire is already satisfied, and orders to bring Gennaro. Lucretia is terrified. She asks her husband to forgive the offender, but the duke reminds her that she has just demanded that the perpetrator insult the death penalty, and insists that retaliation be carried out, and orders Gennaro to be taken back to prison. After a dramatic explanation of the spouses, the duke announces that he agrees to have mercy on Gennaro. Gennaro is again brought into the hall, and the duke offers him a drink in honor of reconciliation, ordering Lucretia to serve the Borgia gold cups (Guai se ti sfugge un moto ...). The Duke is leaving. Lucretia explains to his son that poison is in the goblets of the Borgia, and gives him an antidote, confirms that he loves him and asks to leave Ferrara immediately in order to avoid persecution of the duke (Bevi e fuggi ... te’n prego, o Gennaro ...). In a struggle of feelings, Gennaro again wins the love of his mother, he promises to leave, and Lucretia releases him through a secret door.
Act two. The first picture. Alley at Gennaro's house[ | ]
Rustigello continues to follow Gennaro as directed by the Duke. Orsini walks up to the house and knocks on the door. Opens Gennaro. Orsini invites a friend to the farewell carnival ball at Princess Negroni. Lent begins tomorrow and this is the last chance to have fun. Gennaro says he promised his mother to leave immediately. Orsini laughs at his obedience. In the end, Gennaro decides to take part in the celebration, and leave in the morning. He leaves with Orsini. Rustigello, who had heard all this conversation, hurries to the palace to tell the duke about everything.
Act two. The second picture. Hall in Negroni Palace[ | ]
Orsini and Gennaro join a fun society. These are all the same friends. Gubetta enters the hall. On behalf of the Greek merchant, he brought to the noble community a beautiful Syracuse wine. Youth enthusiastically accepts a gift. They fill the goblets. Orsini sings a feast song (Il segreto per esser felici ...). The song is interrupted by the singing of penitent monks coming from the street. The carnival is over, Lent begins. Orsini suddenly becomes ill. Then everyone else feels a malaise. The doors of the hall open. The triumphant Lucretius appears. She did not forgive Orsini and the company for the insults inflicted on her in Venice, and most importantly, for trying to set her son against her. And now, having sent Gennaro from Ferrara, she sent them poisoned wine on behalf of the Greek. In less than a few minutes, everyone will be dead. Suddenly Lucretia notices among the guests Gennaro. She asks her son to take the antidote, but Gennaro does not want to leave her friends. He is torn between a feeling of love for the mother and the horror of her crimes (Tu pur qui? Non sei fuggito? ..). Gennaro is dying. Duke Alfonso enters. He came to look at the death of Gennaro at the hands of Lucretia. He knew from Rustigello that Gennaro would take part in the celebration, but did not warn his wife. Lucretia reveals the truth - Gennaro is her son (Era desso il figlio mio ...). Love for her son was her only bright feeling, but Heaven punished her. Lucretia without feelings falls on the body of his son.
Staging [ | ]
In the city, the opera Lucretia Borgia became the first opera to be staged in full
Opera in two acts, four scenes with a prologue. Libretto F. Romani.
Premiere: December 26, 1833 at the La Scala Theater in Milan.
Characters:
Alfonso d "Este, Duke of Ferrara (bass)
Lucrezia Borgia, his wife (soprano)
Nobles from the retinue of Grimani, the Venetian envoy to Ferrara:
Gennaro, captain of the mercenaries (tenor)
Muffio Orsini (soprano)
Jeppo Liverotto (tenor)
Ascanio Petrucci (bass)
Holoferno Vitelozzo (tenor)
Apostolo Gazella (bass)
Rustigello, secret agent of the Duke (tenor)
Gubetta, Lucrezia's secret agent, posing as a Spanish nobleman (bass)
Astolfo, guard of Lucretius (bass)
Courtiers, masks, mercenaries, people
The action takes place in Venice and Ferrara at the beginning of the 16th century.
History of creation
On October 10, 1833, Donizetti signed a contract for the opera Lucretius Borgia, which was to be staged in the winter season at La Scala's largest theater in Milan. The most famous Italian librettist Felice Romani (1780-1865) began to write this libretto for the famous composer Saverio Mercadante, but he lost to Donizetti. The composer has already created six operas on Romani’s texts, including Anne Boleyn and Love Drink. Work on Lucretia Borgia went quickly. The composer and the librettist together drew up a plan for the opera, poems and music were born almost simultaneously. On November 25, the libretto was completed, and two weeks later rehearsals began in the theater.
For one year, Donizetti for the third time turned to the events in the family of the Dukes of Ferrara associated with criminal love: the young duchess to the stepson (“Parisine”), the duke’s sister to the court poet (“Torquato Tasso”) and, finally, the history of Lucretia. Lucrezia Borgia is a historical character (1480-1519), the illegitimate daughter of the future Pope Alexander VI, the sister of Caesar Borgia, who dreamed of subjugating the entire Apennine Peninsula, famous for treachery and secret murders. One of the most brilliant women of her time, famous for her beauty, wit, love of art, her nature is soft and supple, Lucretia became a toy in the hands of her father and brother. At 12, she was engaged to two Spanish grandees at once, and at 13 she was married. The marriage did not last long. Soon, the Pope declared Lucretius divorced and married again after the first spouse barely escaped Caesar Borgia. The second marriage was even shorter and ended tragically: four murderers attacked her husband, and then they strangled the dying man in bed in front of Caesar. Lucretia, who then had two more husbands, was also accused of murders and poisonings, although history does not confirm this. She had two children, one she passed off as a brother, and Pope Alexander declared either his son or the son of Caesar (why in one of her modern poems Lucretius was called the daughter, wife and daughter-in-law of Alexander). Her last husband, Alfonso d Este, the Duke of Ferrara, was jealous of many of Lucretius, one of the alleged lovers was killed on his orders.
True historical facts and legends inspired the leader of the French romantics Victor Hugo (1802-1855) to create the drama "Lucretius Borgia" (1833). It was a success thanks to the melodramatic plot, vivid theatricality, mastery of composition and the inherent Hugo accusatory pathos directed against the tyranny and immorality of an aristocratic society, which awaits inevitable retaliation. In the Romani libretto, the most shocking details of the drama are omitted or softened. In Hugo, in the first scene, one of the protagonist’s friends tells how Caesar Borgia killed his older brother and threw his body into the Tiber, because they were rivals in love for his sister, and at the end of the same act friends accuse Lucretius of incest both brothers and father. At the end of the drama, when her son takes a knife from the table to kill Lucretia, she tries in horror to stop him, confessing that she is his father’s sister, and the final remark, as always with Hugo, is cast and effective: “You killed me! Gennaro, I am your mother! ” In the opera on the site of the first story - a mysterious prophecy about the hero’s death, transferred from a later drama scene, in the finale Gennaro, forgiving the repentant mother, refuses revenge and, poisoned by her, dies on her chest. However, even such a libretto displeased censorship, which called for changes “for political reasons and other reasons.” One of the aristocratic families, whose family dates back to Lucretia Borgia, sent a protest to the government, so the opera was almost banned. And just because the relationship was not proven, a ban on the production did not follow.
Another scandal erupted during rehearsals: the orchestra could not cope with unusually dense instrumentation. Then Donizetti planted the orchestra musicians in a new way, grouping the strings in the center so that they would lead the rest of the instruments, just as it came into practice in the middle of the 19th century. Then I had to satisfy the demand of the leading woman to write a spectacular final aria; she replaced the expanded duet of the mother with her dying son poisoned by her (this number was significantly reduced). Subsequently, Donizetti wrote a number of numbers for famous singers, including for the Russian tenor who spoke in Italy, Glinka's friend Nikolai Ivanov. However, these days they are usually not executed.
The premiere of “Lucretia Borgia” took place on December 26, 1833 in the La Scala theater in Milan, was not successful and caused a lot of criticism. But still, before the end of the season, the opera was held 33 times and quickly gained wide popularity in various countries. In St. Petersburg, the melody of the final prologue ensemble (“Maffio Orsini is standing in front of you”) was well-known to everyone, so when the Volunteers chose the music for their anthem, it was she who voiced the text of Nekrasov’s poem “Reflections at the Main Entrance” (“Tell me such a cloister ").
Plot
The terrace of the Grimani Palace on the waterfront of the Judecca Canal in Venice. Night holiday. The masks pass through the garden, followed by young hangers, glorifying the entertainment of their hometown, with which they must part: in the morning they go to the Ferrara envoy Grimani. They are comforted by the secret agent of Lucretia Gubetta, posing as a Spanish nobleman: at the court of the Duke Alfonso and his wife there are no less joys. As soon as he pronounces the name of Lucretius Borgia, curses are heard, and Orsino talks about a terrible prophecy. After the battle, when Gennaro saved him from death, and they swore eternal friendship, an old man in black appeared of gigantic growth, foretelling their death one day at the hands of Lucretia. Gennaro, not wanting to listen to the curse, steps aside and falls into a dream. Friends go to have fun. A gondola adheres to the shore, from which a masked woman emerges and leans over Gennaro. Duke Alfonso and his agent Rustigello quietly watch her; when she takes off her mask to wipe away the tears, the duke recognizes his wife and hides. Awakened Gennaro is fascinated by a stranger and tells her his secret. He grew up in the family of a poor Neapolitan fisherman, but once an unknown person handed him a weapon, a horse and a letter from his mother. She is a victim of ruthless relatives belonging to the famous family and who killed his father; the son should not know the name of the mother. Gennaro lives the dream of meeting her. Seeing Gennaro's friends approaching, Lucretia puts on a mask, but late. They accuse her of poisoning, and reveal Gennaro her name.
The square in front of the palace of the Duke of Ferrara with the coat of arms of the Borgia. The Duke and Rustigello watch the neighboring small house, where Gennaro has fun with his friends every night. Confident of his wife's betrayal, the Duke swears to wash away the shame with the blood of Gennaro. Friends are determined to meet at a feast at the Duchess Negroni. To prove his hatred of Lucretia, Gennaro knocks the first letter of the surname off the coat of arms, so that the sparkling word “orgia” remains. Rustigello, who appeared for Gennaro with the guards, makes the guard of the Duchess Astolfo retreat.
Throne room in the palace of the Duke of Ferrara. He orders Rustigello to bring two decanters, gold and silver; in one of them is Borgia's drink. Angry Lucretius appears. She demands to punish the impudent, insulting her name. The duke swears to execute the guilty and commands to introduce him. With horror, Lucretia sees Gennaro. She begs the duke for mercy, but he refuses, considering Gennaro his wife's lover. The duke informs him of forgiveness at the request of the duchess and offers to empty the cup in the name of friendship. On the orders of the Duke of Lucretia, he pours Gennaro a golden decanter, but as soon as Alfonso leaves, he hands Gennaro a bottle of antidote. The young man refuses to accept him, suspecting fraud - after all, Borgia is known to everyone as a poisoner. Finally, her pleas and oaths in the name of her mother make him give in. Gennaro drinks the antidote.
At night, assassins led by Rustigello gather in the courtyard of Gennaro's house. Orsini, who came to call a friend for a feast, discovers that he is leaving Ferrara. He reproaches Gennaro for cowardice and suspicion, and, in the end, having sworn an eternal friendship, both go to the Duchess of Negroni.
Luxurious banquet hall in Negroni Palace. Gubetta solders the Venetians, starts a quarrel with Orsini and ensures that everyone except Gennaro's friends leaves the feast. Orsini sings a carefree feast that is interrupted by voices coming from behind the door. Suddenly the lamps go out, Lucretius appears, who came to avenge the Venetians for insults: the wine is poisoned, five coffins await them. When she sees Gennaro, she orders the guard to take his friends away and begs him to take the antidote that still remains in the bottle. Gennaro refuses. He will die with friends, but first will take revenge by slaying Lucretius. She is not afraid of death from his hand. Having revealed to his son the secret of his origin, Lucretius pleads for forgiveness. Gennaro drops the dagger and dies on his mother’s chest. A duke enters with his retinue and finds out that he did not kill his opponent, but his wife’s son. Lucretia falls without feelings.
Music
In Lucrezia Borgia, Donizetti applied his favorite tricks that brought success without fail. Arias and duets shine with spectacular colors, scenes with the choir are full of dramatic clashes. However, all this is devoid of the originality inherent in his best operas - Anne Boleyn and Lucia di Lammermoor.
The prologue stands out the lyric romance of Lucretia over the sleeping Gennaro "How beautiful, noble." The grand finale of “Maffio Orsini stands in front of you” is built on a wide, energetic melody, repeatedly repeated by the soloists and the choir. Cavatina Duke in the first picture of Act I, “I am waiting for the bliss of revenge,” according to tradition, begins the slow part with a melodious melody and ends with a more mobile and energetic. In the second picture of Act II, Orsini’s carefree song “This is my secret, how to live happily everyone” is picked up by a choir of banquets, interrupted by a bell and gloomy exclamations “All the joys of the earth suddenly disappeared like smoke” from the choir with the lead singer. The finale of the opera is the duet of Lucretia and Gennaro, “So are you here?” with brief mournful phrases and Lucrezia’s detailed aria “Oh, listen to me”, developing into a duet and including replicas of the choir.
A. Koenigsberg
One of the most popular operas of Donizetti in the 19th century. It was subjected to severe censorship like everything related to the history of the Borgia family and, especially to Lucretia, the papal daughter. In 1840, Donizetti made changes to the opera, adding a number of numbers. And today it is included in the repertoire of musical theaters, although it has lost the palm to such masterpieces as “Lucia di Lammermoor”, “Love Drink”.
In Russia in 1844 it was staged by an Italian troupe, the Russian premiere took place in 1847 (Moscow, Bolshoi Theater).
The spectacular title part of the opera is popular among the leading singers of the world (among the best performers of Sutherland, Caballe and others). Note the production of 1980 in Covent Garden (Sutherland in the title part).
Discography: CD - Decca. Deere Boning, Lucretia (Sutherland), Gennaro (Aragal), Alfons (Wicksell), Orsini (Horn).
