Cyrano de Bergerac is a 1936 opera in four acts with music by Franco Alfano and a French libretto by Henri Caïn, based on Edmond Rostand's 1897 French drama Cyrano de Bergerac.
Performance history The opera received its world premiere at the Teatro Reale in Rome on 22 January 1936, conducted by Tullio Serafin, with soprano Maria Caniglia and tenor José Luccioni in the leading roles.Kutsch, K. J.; Riemens, Leo (2003). Großes Sängerlexikon, 4th edition. Munich: K. G. Saur. p. 5215. . The performance was sung in an Italian translation by Cesare Meano and Filippo Brusa under the title Cyrano di Bergerac.Loewenberg, Alfred (1978). Annals of Opera 1597–1940 (third edition, revised). Totowa, New Jersey: Rowman and Littlefield. column 1432. .
The first performance sung in French was its French premiere on 29 May 1936, given by the Opéra-Comique at the Salle Favart in Paris, with Albert Wolff conducting and soprano Lillie Grandval and tenor José Luccioni in the leading roles.Wolff, Stéphane (1953). Un demi-siècle d'Opéra-Comique (1900-1950). Paris: André Bonne. p. 54. Sciannameo, Franco, "Turandot, Mussolini, and the Second String Quartet: Aspects of Alfano" (Winter 2002). The Musical Times, 143 (1881): pp. 27–41. Although Alfano wrote to critic Cesare Paglia, "Cyrano had an absolutely tumultuous success in Paris!", reviews were no more than "deferential", and the opera, which was presented near the end of the season, only received three performances.
Contemporary commentary on the opera by Guido M. Gatti criticised the composer as fearing "to seem too melodramatic", and the opera for being "overdecorated and labored" and containing "difficult and tortuous vocal writing". However, the same analysis also mentioned that "the opera has moments of definite effectiveness and exquisite poetry".
Many early productions in Italy and elsewhere were sung in Italian. It was sung in Italian at its premiere at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires on 21 May 1937. The opera was given two "lackluster" performances in Naples early in 1938. Magda Olivero and performed it at the Teatro della Moda in Turin in May 1939.
Cyrano was performed in Germany in February 1942, in a German translation by Georg C. Winkler, at the Neues Theater in Leipzig and later repeated in Erfurt.
Back in Italy, Maria Carbone sang in the opera in Parma in February 1950. Carla Gavazzi and sang in a production in Palermo conducted by Francesco Molinari-Pradelli in March 1953.
The opera received its La Scala premiere on 16 May 1954, with its ailing composer present. The cast included Ramón Vinay and Anna De Cavalieri. The conductor was Antonino Votto. Photographs show Alfano congratulating the singers after the performance. Alfano died soon thereafter, probably of heart failure, on 27 October at his home in San Remo.
The opera was performed in concert in French by the RAI Turin on 27 June 1975 in celebration of the centenary of Alfano's birth. William Johns and sang the leading roles, and conducted.Gualerzi, Giorgio, "Italy. Turin", Opera, November 1975, p. 1066. A recording made 6 September was released on CD by the Opera d'Oro label in 2004. A recording made 20 September was released by the Gala label in 2002..
In recent years, most productions have returned to the original French text, which was used in the Paris premiere.
A landmark revival in the original French was mounted by the Kiel Opera in May 2002. The producer was , and the designer, . The lead singers were Roman Sadnik and , and the conductor, Markus Frank.Jochen Breiholz, "Kiel", Opera, January 2003, pp. 62-63. An audio recording was made by cpo and DeutschlandRadio and issued on CD on the cpo label. In reviewing the CDs, the music critic John Steane stated it is "an opera that thoroughly deserves a place in the repertoire."
An "old-fashioned", traditional production was prepared for the 2003 Festival de Radio France et de Montpellier with Roberto Alagna in the title role and his two brothers David and Frédérico acting as producers and set designers but was cancelled due to labor strikes. However, a DVD was prepared from two private performances in July in the small Opéra-Comédie.Kasow, Joel, "Montpellier", Opera, June 2006, pp. 678–679. The production was first presented publicly by the festival on 16 March 2006 at the almost 2,000-seat CORUM. It was also given at the Monte Carlo Opera House on 24 April 2008. Carrerotti, Placido, Cyrano de Bergerac, Monte Carlo, 24/04/2008, Forum Opéra.
The US premiere was on 13 May 2005, when the opera was presented at the Metropolitan Opera in a production by Francesca Zambello with Plácido Domingo in the title role and Sondra Radvanovsky as the female lead Roxane and with Marco Armiliato conducting."Cyrano de Bergerac, 13 May 2005", Met Opera Archives DB. Zambello's production was also presented with the same lead singers by London's Royal Opera in 2006 conducted by Mark ElderTom Service (10 May 2006). "Review: Cyrano de Bergerac, Royal Opera House, London", The Guardian. and Milan's La Scala in 2008 conducted by Patrick Fournillier.Charles Searson, "Winning by a nose: A little-known opera is being championed worldwide by none other than Placido Domingo. Charles Searson catches it at La Scala", Gramophone, April 2008, p. 115.Alfano, Cyrano de Bergerac, Teatro alla Scala, 29 January - 15 February 2008 (6 Performances), Operabase.
The Zambello production with Domingo and Radvanovsky had been intended for presentation at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, Spain, but the collapse of a mobile stage platform necessitated the hasty creation of a new production by stage director and designer , which was presented in February 2007 with Fournillier conducting.Cester, Xavier, "Spain. Valencia", Opera, June 2007, p. 695. An HD video was recorded and released by Naxos.
In May 2017 the Metropolitan Opera revived the Zambello production with Roberto Alagna in the title role, and soprano Jennifer Rowley as Roxane in her role debut."Cyrano de Bergerac, 2 May 2017", Met Opera Archives DB."Cyrano Crash Course – How Jennifer Rowley Went From Covering Patricia Racette to Metropolitan Opera Role Debut in No Time" by David Salazar, Operawire, 20 April 2017"Alagna and Rowley bring emotional depth to Met's Cyrano de Bergerac" by Eric C. Simpson, New York Classical Review, 3 May 2017
Roles +RoleVoice typePremiere cast, 22 January 1936Conductor: Tullio SerafinCyrano de Bergerac, captain of the Gascon cadets, poet, and swashbucklertenorJosé LuccioniRoxane, his cousinsopranoMaria CanigliaChristian de Neuveville, new recruittenorAlessio De PaolisDe Guiche, commander of the cadetsbaritoneGiuseppe ManacchiniRagueneau, bakerbass-baritoneEmilio GhirardiniVicomte de ValvertbaritoneMario BianchiCarbon, captainbassGiacomo VaghiLe Bretbass-baritoneErnesto DominiciLignièrebaritoneSaturno MelettiMontfleury, actor of the Hôtel de BourgognesilentLa duègne (duenna), governessmezzo-sopranoAgnese DubbiniSoeur Marthemezzo-sopranoEdmea LimbertiLisa, Ragueneau's wifesopranoMatilde ArbuffoSpanish officerbaritoneMillo MarucciCookbaritoneMusketeerbassFirst sentineltenorSecond sentineltenor
Synopsis Act 1 Theater of the Hôtel de Bourgogne, 1640
Nobles and commoners, including Le Bret, Ragueneau, Christian, and Lignière, have gathered for a theatrical performance. Among the actors is Roxane, whose beauty is admired by all. The performance begins with Montfleury's entrance, but he is interrupted after only a few words by a heckler. Cyrano de Bergerac had forbidden Montfleury from performing for a month and now drives him from the stage with threats. The agitated audience is divided. Some side with Cyrano, others with Montfleury. The Vicomte de Valvert speaks out against Cyrano, mentioning his large nose. Immediately, Cyrano draws his rapier and attacks Valvert. During the duel, he entertains the audience with an improvised ballad, describing his movements. The audience cheers his victory. Cyrano explains to Le Bret the reason for his prohibition: Montfleury had cast an unseemly glance at Roxane, whom he adores. He himself, however, has no hope that she could reciprocate his love because of his misshapen nose. Then her governess informs him that Roxane expects him the next morning for a private conversation at Ragueneau's shop. Cyrano is so excited with anticipation that he wants to cool off in a fight. Therefore, a plea for help from Lignière, who is being threatened by the Count de Guiche's men because of a satirical poem, is most welcome. He invites those present to watch the anticipated battle at the Porte de Nesle.
Act 2 Scene 1: In Ragueneau's bakery kitchen and pastry shop
The next morning, Ragueneau awaits his friend Cyrano and Roxane. Pastry chefs present him with the food they have prepared. One after another, Ragueneau's wife Lise, the impatient Cyrano, some musketeers, and poets arrive. The latter recount an astonishing battle at the Porte de Nesle, in which a single man defeated an entire band. Cyrano modestly omits the fact that he himself was this hero. Finally, Roxane appears, and the others retire. Roxane first thanks Cyrano for his intervention the previous evening—the enamored De Guiche had tried to force Valvert upon her as a "sham husband." But Cyrano's hope for a declaration of love from Roxane is quickly dashed when she tells him of her love for the young cadet Christian. He had been too shy to reveal himself to her, but she was certain of his love because of his ardent gaze. She asked Cyrano, who served in the same regiment, to watch over him and protect him from duels. With the suggestion that Christian should write her a letter, she departed.
Ragueneau and the poets returned, and the cadets from Cyrano's regiment also gathered at the tavern to celebrate Cyrano's victory. Everyone sang a cheerful song ("Ce sont les cadets de Gascogne"). De Guiche tried to recruit Cyrano but had to leave empty-handed. Among the cadets was Christian, who met Cyrano for the first time. Captain Carbon warned him, just to be safe, against making any comments about Cyrano's nose. When Cyrano recounted his battle at the Porte de Nesle, the exuberant Christian couldn't resist interrupting him again and again. Cyrano ignores this for a while, but then sends his comrades out, who are already worried about Christian. However, when Cyrano is alone with Christian, he embraces him, introduces himself as Roxane's cousin, and tells him of her love. It turns out that Christian doesn't feel confident enough to write the letter Roxane expects. Cyrano, on the other hand, would find it easy. The two make a pact: they will woo Roxane together. Christian is handsome, and Cyrano lends him his eloquence.
Scene 2: Square in front of Roxane's house, dusk
Roxane is talking with her governess. The two are about to leave for a lecture on love. De Guiche appears to say goodbye to Roxane. He has to go to war that very evening, as the city of Arras is under siege. He has been appointed colonel of the Guards regiment, in which Cyrano and Christian also serve. For him, this is the perfect opportunity to take revenge on Cyrano. Roxane deceives De Guiche into believing she is on his side. She claims that it would be a far greater punishment for Cyrano if he were not allowed to participate in the fighting. Through this ruse, she manages to persuade De Guiche to exempt the cadet company (and Christian) from the war.