Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks
CD 1
1 Vorspiel · Overture · Prélude 5.13
1. Szene · Scene 1 · Scène 1
2 Unsre Barke blüht schon wie ein Weinberg 2.51
Schiffer, 1. & 2. Magd, 1. & 2. Soldat
3 He, was machst Du? 5.01
2. Soldat, Matteo, 1. Soldat, 1. & 2. Magd, Bice, Barbara, Masken
2. Szene · Scene 2 · Scène 2
4 Schweigt still! Wie oft hab’ ich’s gesagt, daß ich das Lied nicht duld’ 2.46
Simone, 2. Soldat, Barbara, Matteo, Bice
3. Szene · Scene 3 · Scène 3
5 Ich hol’ Dich. Komm! Giovanni, Simone 1.45
6 Sie hasst ihn! Hasst ihn wie die Niedrigkeit! Simone, Giovanni 2.57
7 Wein! Blumen! Lichter! Geigenhauch! Giovanni, Violanta, Simone 1.55
4. Szene · Scene 4 · Scène 4
8 Violanta…? Simone, Violanta 2.57
9 “Aus den Gräbern…” Violanta, Masken, Simone 1.47
10 Dann hör’ ich durch Nacht und Stille mir nahen des Sünders Verlangen 1.36
Violanta, Simone
11 Violanta! — Du wirst ihn töten! Simone, Violanta 2.08
12 Ja, du wirst ihn töten! Violanta, Simone 1.12
13 Dicht Aug’ in Aug’ werd’ ich gegenüber ihm steh’n Violanta, Simone 2.09
5. Szene · Scene 5 · Scène 5
14 Barbara! Bring Lichter! Violanta, Barbara 2.42
15 Wie ging das Märchen, Barbara, das oft Du erzähltest, als ein Kind ich war? 2.10
Violanta, Barbara
16 So wünsch’ ich Dir: schlaf wohl, gnädige Frau Barbara 3.07
17 “Der Sommer will sich neigen…” Alfonso, Violanta, Schiffer 2.49
6. Szene · Scene 6 · Scène 6
18 Wie schön seid Ihr, wie herrlich schön! Alfonso, Violanta 3.07
19 Noch nicht das Lied! Legt erst den Mantel ab Violanta, Alfonso 3.20
20 Sterben wollt’ ich oft, wenn mir mein Leben leer wie Tand erschien Alfonso 4.19
21 Mona Violanta…? Alfonso, Violanta 5.20
22 Nie hab’ ich gelebt im Augenblick Violanta, Alfonso 3.21
23 Reine Lieb’, die ich suchte ein Leben lang Alfonso, Violanta, Simone 2.56
24 Violanta! Simone, Violanta, Alfonso 1.54
7. Szene · Scene 7 · Scène 7
25 Du riefst, hier bin ich Simone, Violanta, Alfonso 1.20
26 Still… mich tragen Wogen silberrein! Violanta, Giovanni, Simone, Masken 2.58
SYNOPSIS
Fifteenth-century Venice. The scene is the house of Simone Trovai, military commander of the Venetian republic.
1–2 It is the night of the great Carnival and the lagoon is bathed in the light of torches and fireworks; revellers can be heard singing the blasphemous Carnival song “From their graves arise the dead to dance…”
3 Matteo, a young soldier, hopelessly in love with Violanta, Simone’s beautiful wife, is mocked by other soldiers and serving maids. The singing and dancing gains in intensity 4 and reaches fever pitch as Simone storms in, dispersing the crowds and ordering the soldiers back to their posts. His rage is aggravated by the fact that no one knows where Violanta is to be found. She has been listless, melancholy and in no sense a wife to Simone ever since her sister Nerina, having been seduced by Alfonso the Prince of Naples, committed suicide. Since then Violanta has been bent on vengeance.
5–6 Giovanni Bracca, a foppishly dressed artist, enters in high spirits and tries to take Simone off to the Carnival. He is reluctant to go until he hears that Alfonso is there. 7 As they are about to leave Violanta appears, her hair in disarray and covered with confetti. She calmly orders Bracca to leave 8–9 and then explains to her dumbfounded husband how she went to the Carnival in search of Alfonso and enticed him away from his admirers by singing the Carnival song. Without revealing her identity she has arranged an assignation at Simone’s house, where she intends to have her husband murder Alfonso. Simone is horrified at this plan, not least because Alfonso, as Prince of Naples, could one day become his commanding officer. But Violanta is maniacally resolved to avenge her dead sister as well as all the other pure women that Alfonso has seduced. She tempts her husband with promises of resumption of marital privileges after the murder, and taunts him by hinting that her hatred could easily turn to love were the deed not done. Fired with jealousy and passion Simone concurs, and they agree on a plan. Simone will remain concealed until Alfonso is disarmed; Violanta will sing the Carnival song so detested by Simone as a signal that he should enter and strike the fatal blow.
14 Simone retires and Violanta is left alone, trembling with anticipation. Barbara, her old nurse, enters; 15 surprised at her mistress’s agitation, she tries to soothe her by singing her an old familiar fairy-tale.16 When she departs, leaving Violanta alone in the candlelit room, the scud of oars over the lagoon gradually becomes audible. It is Alfonso drawing nearer.
17 From his boat Alfonso sings a serenade to the accompaniment of a lute; 18 when he enters her chamber, he continues to praise Violanta’s great beauty, exhorting her to sing again the song that had brought them together. 19 She insists that he should first take off his cloak and unbuckle his sword. This done, he begins to sing the song himself, but she stops him with the explanation that it will be the last song he will ever hear. At once she reveals her true identity and her intention to avenge Nerina. 20 He interrupts her to explain the course of his life: his lonely childhood with neither mother nor sisters, and the hopeless mixture of transitory joys and permanent despair which is his present existence. A longing for death, he explains, is therefore no stranger to him, and he asks her to give the sign and let the deed be done quickly. 21 Violanta, however, is struck dumb; she finds herself unable to utter a word. Alfonso suddenly realises that she indeed loves him and has from the moment she first saw him. Burning with shame, she orders him to leave. Again he bids her give the sign, again she refuses. 22 She bemoans the living death that she must now endure, pure and yet impure, a wife and yet unfaithful, in love with her own sister’s seducer. He implores her to forget the past and the future and to think only of the present moment of ecstasy; 23 they fall into each other’s arms and sing of the sublimity of pure love.
24 Their bliss is interrupted by Simone who, growing impatient, calls out to his wife. Violanta recognises the end of a dream and, spurred on by Alfonso, sings the fateful song with hysterical abandon. 25 Simone rushes in to find the lovers locked in an embrace. Alfonso declares that Violanta has not deceived her husband because she was never really his. In a frenzy, Simone tries to stab him, but Violanta interposes herself and receives a mortal wound.
26 Bracca rushes in to take Simone off to the Carnival where festivities are in full swing. Revellers are heard singing the fateful Carnival song and Violanta, singing of the purity and sublimity she is to attain, dies in Simone’s arms.