We’re turning to another often-overlooked composer on this week’s Sunday Opera (2/2 3:00 p.m.). It’s Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, and the only verismo opera he wrote in his catalogue of approximately fifteen: “I gioielli della Madonna” (“The Jewels of the Madonna”). It caused quite a stir after it premiered in 1911 (in Berlin as “Der Schmuck der Madonna”) because of its themes implying criticism of the Catholic Church and love between a brother and his adopted sister.
Maliella (Pauline Tinsley) is a willful and wild young girl who often sings and dances wildly, attracting attention to herself. Her “brother,” Gennaro (Andre Turp), is the village smith, and he has fallen in love with Msaliella who was adopted by Genaro’s mother Carmela (Valerie Cockx) because she promised the Madonna that she’d help “an infant girl, born of sin” if the Madonna would cure her sickly son.
Unfortunately, Maliella is being pursued by Rafaele (Peter Glossop), the leader of the local chapter of the Camorra who swears that he would steal the jewels with which the Madonna is bedecked and give them to her. This gives Gennaro the idea to do it first, which he does, and this sets the action of the rest of the opera which ends with both Maliella and Gennaro killing themselves. She drowns herself in the ocean, and he stabs himself with a knife he finds in the Camorra’s stronghold.
Other members of the cast in this recording from 1976 radio performance include Henry Howell, John Winfield, Malcolm King, Stuart Kale, Janet Gail, Ann Pashlez, and Joan Davies. The BBC symphony Orchestra and Chorus are conducted by Alberto Erede.
Following the opera, join Michael Kownacky for Wolf-Ferrari’s oratorio “La Vita Nuova, Op. 9.” Based on the work of Dante Alighieri, the oratorio for soprano, baritone, and choruses, looks at courtly love and the attempt by Dante to raise it to an almost idealized sacred level. The soloists are Celina Lindsley and George Fortune and they’re joined by the St. Hedwig’s Children’s Choir and the St. Hedwig’s Berlin Cathedral Choir. Roland Bader conducts.
Rounding out the afternoon will be orchestral selections from Wolf-Ferrari’s opera “Il Campiello” (“The Square”) featuring the prologue, ritornello, and intermezzo.
