Donizetti's Dalinda | The South African College of Music

DALINDA

Gaetano Donizetti

4, 6, 7, 8 September 2024

Opera UCT makes history with the world-première full staging of Donizetti’s opera Dalinda, a work lost for two centuries and censored for its murderous plot. In medieval Syria, Dalinda navigates a world of power, love, and politics at the end of the Third Crusade. The infamous wife of a feared Muslim leader, daughter of an assassin-lord, and estranged mother to a Christian knight, she must use all her cunning to maintain the fragile peace while dealing with the consequences of her own desires.

Directed by Italian director William Costabile Cisco. Jeremy Silver conducts the Opera UCT cast and chorus, as well as the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. At Baxter Theatre from 4 to 8 September.

Bookings available through Webtickets and the Baxter Box office.

A Co-Production with Opera Co-Pro

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PRICE

Under 18s FREE

From R100

VENUE

Pam Golding Theatre at The Baxter

RUNNING TIME

2 hours 15 minutes (including interval)

LANGUAGE

The opera is sung in Italian, with captions displayed in English and isiXhosa.

Story

Medieval Syria, at the end of the Third Crusade. Dalinda navigates a treacherous world of power, love, and religious politics. The infamous wife of a feared Muslim leader, daughter of the assassin-lord of Alamut, and estranged mother to a renowned Christian knight, she must use all her cunning to maintain the fragile peace while dealing with the consequences of her own desires.

Act 1 Act 2 Act 3

In the gardens of Emessa, a festive celebration marks the end of a three-year war between the Franks and the Saracens (the Christian Crusaders and Muslims in medieval times). A group of Franks express their hatred for Dalinda, who killed their relatives, while one of them, Ugo d'Asti recounts a dream warning him about her.

Ugo's brother-in-arms, Ildemaro dismisses this and falls asleep, unaware that Dalinda, disguised, has come looking for him - her long-lost son. She did not come alone, however. Her husband Acmet and his agent secretly followed her and mistake Ildemaro for Dalinda's lover. Ildemaro, strangely attracted to Dalinda, tells her of his common life before becoming a knight, but something in Dalinda's reaction hints at their true relationship. Suddenly, Ildemaro's friends return, recognise Dalinda, and tear off her veil - the gravest offence. In turn, they reveal that they are relatives of those that Dalinda has killed.

At Alamut Castle, Acmet hosts a celebration to welcome the Franks. Secretly, he orders his agent Elmelik to prepare poisoned wine to kill the Franks who dishonoured Dalinda. Ildemaro is captured and brought to Acmet, who suspects him of being Dalinda's lover and plans to kill him. Dalinda pleads for Ildemaro's life, unable to reveal that he is her son, but Acmet refuses. He presents Dalinda with two options for Ildemaro's death: by the sword or by poison. Dalinda chooses poison, knowing it will give her just enough time to save Ildemaro with an antidote. After initial suspicion, Ildemaro drinks the antidote, saving his life. Dalinda then helps him escape.

Ildemaro, now in a garden labyrinth, realises the castle is full of intrigue and reflects on Ugo's prophecy. He longs for his mother but is wary of Dalinda's intentions towards his friends. Corboga warns him of danger, but Ildemaro, unafraid of death, decides to stay. In a lavish chamber, the Saracens and Franks feast together. Ildemaro finds Ugo, and they embrace and drink. Ildemaro asks Ugo to help find and save his mother. As the knights realise they are surrounded, Dalinda, believing Ildemaro to have escaped, reveals her revenge for the dishonour they caused. Five of the knights fall victim to poison, and Ildemaro, having also drunk the poisoned wine, declares himself the sixth victim. Dalinda orders the soldiers to take away Ildemaro's friends, leaving her alone with her son. Dalinda reveals herself as Ildemaro's mother and begs him to drink the antidote, but since there is not enough to save his comrades, he refuses. The poison's effects kick in and he forgives his Dalinda as he dies. Acmet returns, and Dalinda's anger erupts as she reveals the truth about Ildemaro. The chorus condemns her to death.

Characters

Acmet - Saracen leader of Alamut

Dalinda - Daughter of the assassin-lord of Alamut, Acmet's wife

Ildemaro - Frankish knight,mercenary

Ugo d'Asti - brother-in-arms of Ildemaro

Garniero, Ubaldo, Ridolfo, Guglielmo - Frankish knights

Corboga, missionary of the assassin-lord of Alamut, disguised as a Frank

Elmelik, missionary of the assassin-lord of Alamut

Chorus of Frankish Knights, followers of Acmet and Saracen women

This Production

The opera features typical elements of Italian opera, like intense emotions and revenge, but with deeper character complexities. The femme fatale, Dalinda, is also a desperate mother, and the supposedly noble knights are prejudiced and cruel. Ildemaro, the protagonist, embodies doubt and struggles with his identity and loyalty, leading to his tragic end.

Our staging opts for an abstract environment with a Middle Eastern flavour and a medieval fantasy framework. The production uses a stylised approach, making the crusaders appear more like fantasy characters than historical figures to emphasise the timeless and abstract nature of the themes.

Creative Team

Jeremy Silver

Conductor

William Costabile Cisco

Leticia Parvoleta Ivanova

Vocal Coach / Répétiteur

Pretty Yende - Il Dolce Suono from Lucia Di Lammermoor

What's the music like?

Donizetti's vocal music forms part of the bel-canto (literally, beautiful singing) tradition of Italian opera, known for its emphasis on beautiful tone, agility, and expressive vocal technique. This means melodies are soaring and memorable and often ornamented with brilliant and dramatic variations when verses are repeated. Donizetti's music is known for its ability to reflect the drama, with the music telling the story along with the text.

More about the composer

Gaetano Donizetti, renowned for his prolific output, composed over 70 operas. Several, including beloved works like "L'elisir d'amore," "Lucia di Lammermoor," and "Don Pasquale" have remained popular, while others, just as dramatic and engaging, are now being revived after years of neglect. His career was marked by tremendous success and recognition, securing his place among the foremost opera composers of his time. Due to political unrest and the strict artistic censorship in Italy, Donizetti moved to Paris in 1838, where he found creative freedom and acclaim with operas such as "La Fille du Régiment." It was likely during this time that his manuscript of Dalinda was lost. Donizetti's legacy endures through his expressive vocal writing and his ability to evoke human emotions within his music.

Did you know?

Dalinda originally came to be when Donizetti rewrote his opera Lucrezia Borgia in an attempt to get around the strict censors in Naples.
Dalinda, much like Lucrezia Borgia, includes "scandalous" murder plots, both ending in deaths of several characters by poison.
When Donizetti moved to Paris for more creative freedom and better fees, Dalinda was set aside and eventually lost.
Musicologist Eleonora Di Cintio conducted meticulous research to reassemble the score. She rediscovered individual parts from various locations including Bergamo and Naples in Italy, as well as in Paris.
A semi-staged version of Dalinda was presented by the Berlin Operngruppe at the Konzerthaus in Berlin, Germany on May 14, 2023 - the first time the piece was performed after being lost for 185 years.
Dalinda's father is based on the real-life founder of the first Assassins, Hassan-i Sabbah.
Alamut Castle, where Acts II and III take place, is a real castle where the Order of Assassins was established.
"Alamut" is also the title of the novel that inspired the popular game franchise, Assassin's Creed.