IL PIRATA - Mirto Picchi 1958 (Complete Opera Bellini)

Imogene: Anna de Cavalieri (Anne McKnight) Gualtiero: Mirto Picchi Ernesto: Walter Monachesi Solitario: Tommaso Spataro Mario Rossi conducts the Orchestra Sinfonica della RAI, Torino February 9, 1958 ------------------------------------- Sinfonia - Overture (0:01) ATTO I Coro d'introduzione. Ciel! qual procella orribile (07:09) Scena e cavatina. Nel furor delle tempeste (14:14) Scena e cavatina. Lo sognai ferito, esangue (22:38) Coro di pirati. Viva! viva (32:47) Scena e duetto. Tu sciagurato! Ah! fuggi... (35:48) Marcia e coro. Più temuto, più splendido nome (52:16) Aria. Sì, vincemmo, e il pregio io sento (54:22) Finale I: Quintetto. Parlarti ancor per poco (1:01:30) ATTO II Coro d'introduzione. Che rechi tu? (1:07:30) Scena e duetto. Tu m'apristi in cor ferita (1:15:33) Scena e duetto. Vieni: cerchiam pe' mari (1:27:18) Terzetto. Cedo al destin orribile (1:31:58) Coro. Lasso! Perir così (1:38:20) Scena ed aria. Tu vedrai la sventurata (1:41:22) Scena ed aria finale. Col sorriso d'innocenza (1:46:04) ------------------------------------- IL PIRATA (The Pirate) is an opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini to an Italian libretto by Felice Romani. It premiered at La Scala on October 27, 1827. Sicily. 13th century. Act I. On a stormy sea-shore, fisherfolk watch a shipwreck. Among the survivors is Gualtiero, who tells that he drew strength from his continuing love for Imogene ("Nel furor delle tempeste... Per te di vane lagrime", 14:14), although she is now married to Ernesto. Imogene's long entrance scene accounts her dreams and fears: "Sorgete... Lo sognai ferito, esangue" (first - an image of her lover Gualtiero in blood; then - her husband, 22:38). Gualtiero learns that she had married Ernesto only because he had threatened her father's life ("Pietosa al padre", 44:50), and when he sees that she has borne Ernesto's child, he starts to think of revenge ("Bagnato dalle lagrime", 48:26). Act II. Gualtiero meets Imogene again ("Vieni: cerchiam pe' mari", 1:27:18). Ernesto, arriving, conceals himself and overhears the end of their passionate declarations of love ("Cedo al destin orribile", 1:31:58). He is discovered, and exits with Gualtiero, each determined to fight to the death. It is Ernesto who is killed. Gualtiero gives himself up to justice, and, as he is taken away, he prays that Imogene may forgive him: "Tu vedrai la sventurata... Ma non fia sempre odiata la mia memoria" (1:41:22). She appears in a state of anguish and sees visions of her dead husband and her son ("Col sorriso d'innocenza ... Oh sole, ti vela di tenebre oscure", 1:46:04). ------------------------------------- The greatest asset in the cast is the tenor, Mirto Picchi, a vast improvement over the Gualtiero's Imogene was confronted with in other performances of this opera... Mirto Picchi (1915-1980) made his debut in Milan as Radamès in Aïda, in 1946. He appeared in Vienna, as Don José in Carmen, and in London, at the Cambridge Theatre, as the Duca di Mantua in Rigoletto, Rodolfo in La Bohème, Cavaradossi in Tosca, and sang Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera at Edinburgh, in 1949. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 1952, as Pollione in Norma, opposite Maria Callas:    • NORMA - Maria Callas, London 1952 (Complet...   One of the leading tenors of the post-war period, he had a fine voice and was an accomplished singing-actor. He retired from the stage in 1974 (Don Basilio in Le nozze di Figaro, at La Scala), and published his autobiography, "Un trono vicino al sol", in 1978. From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirto_Pi... ------------------------------------- Giuseppe Morino in Bellini's IL PIRATA (live 1987):    • Giuseppe Morino in Bellini's IL PIRATA (li...   Giuseppe Morino - Tu vedrai la sventurata (score animation):    • Tu vedrai la sventurata (Il Pirata) - Gius...   IL PIRATA - Maria Callas, New York 1959 (Complete Opera Bellini):    • IL PIRATA - Maria Callas, New York 1959 (C...   Maria Callas as Imogene - Sorgete...Lo sognai ferito, esangue:    • Maria Callas as Imogene - Sorgete...Lo sog...   Maria Callas - Col sorriso d'innocenza (score animation):    • Maria Callas - Col sorriso d'innocenza (19...   IL PIRATA - Montserrat Caballé (live 1967) Complete Opera Bellini:    • IL PIRATA - Montserrat Caballé (live 1967)...   Bellini's Italian opera style influenced Chopin greatly: Chopin Grand Polonaise Brillante Op.22 (Arthur Rubinstein):    • Chopin Grand Polonaise Brillante Op.22 (Ar...   -------------------------------------