Francesco Cilea's opera Gloria: verismo at its best

Se in 14th-century Siena, Italy, Francesco Cilea’s opera Gloria, performed here in its 1932 revised edition, contains the tragic story of two lovers caught up in a conflict (between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines: of course, Gloria is a Guelph and her love Lionetto, a Ghibelline). The libretto is based on Victorien Sardou's play La Haine (Hatred), premiered in 1874; you might recognise the author's name in relain to Puccini's Tosca!).

Here's the trailer for Cilea's Gloria, to give you an idea:

Premiered at La Scala in 1907 (with none other than Arturo Toscanini at the helm; Pasquale Amato and Giuseppe Zenatello were among the cast!), Gloria is a tragic opera; the Dalmatian-Italian journalist Arturo Colautti provided the libretto for the original. Unfortunatly, in its original version it failed (two performances only) and was heard in a revised version in 1932 (with Ettore Moschino revising the text; it is this revision that is heard here). That premiere of that shorter score was in Naples' Teatro di San Carlo, again with big names (Maria Caniglia and Beniamino Gigli)

This is Cilea's fifth and final opera (it is the successor to Adriana Lecouvreur), and is precisely what might have been staged at Opera Holland Park when it specialised in verismo (it does so far less these days, unfortunately). The piece includes all tropes of grand opera, from vast choral scenes (the earlier parts of the opera are phenomenal in that respect, and the chorus of Cagliari's Teatro Lirico is in fine voice), to heralds with their annunciatory place in the scheme of things, valued place-holders in the drama (even the small roles are well cast) and fine ensembles (a quartet at the end of act I).

Before we look at the principals, it is Cilea's music that comes to the fore. Despite the success of Adriana Lecouvreur and L'arlesiana (both links to Opera Holland Park reviews!), Cilea offers more. The fervency of his melodies is compelling.

The smaller Italian opera houses are treasure troves, as I found out when I heard Verdi's Don Carlo at the Teatro Comunale in Modena fairly recently (my report was published in Opera Now). That Carlo boasted Michele Pertusi in the cast (as the King); Cagliari is clearly another hotspot. Conductor Francesco Ciliuffo directs with real sensitivity to the domain flow.

The parts ae well filled, not least the heroine, Gloria, taken by the rich-voiced Anastasia Bartoli. Carlo Ventre is the strong tenor who takes on Lionetto (de Ricci, to give him his full title). Elena Schirru makes an impression at the outset of the second act as "La Senese" (a Scienese woman), while Ventre's strong tenor comes into its own in the opera's final stages (with Gloria; they are newly weds, and Lionetto is dying; Gloria, after his death, stabs herself). This final stretch is verismo at its best, and Bartoli and Ventre's voices are well matched. With Ramaz Chikviladze as an imposing Aquilante di Bardi (despite sporting a rather silly beard), this opera is superbly served.

As in that Don Carlo mentioned above, sets are traditional, and to be honest, a touch monochrome for a story the includes so much ancient pageant. That said, lighting is effectively used.

To supplement the Dynamic DVD/Bluray/CD, here's a YouTube of the 1969 Turin RAI performance conducted by Previtali. The key roles are taken by Margherita Roberti (Gloria). Flaviano Labò (Lionetto de'Ricci), Ferruccio Mazzoli (Aquilante dei Bardi), and Lorenzo Testi (Bardo).

The DVD is available at Amazon here, the Blu-ray here. You can buy the Previtali here.

The Previtali is also available to stream below: