Clementina, although wrongly and popularly known as La Clementina, is a zarzuela in two acts by Luigi Boccherini. The Spanish-language libretto was by Ramón de la Cruz. It premiered on 3 January 1787 at the Palace , Madrid.
Clementina is the only complete stage work by Boccherini. It was written when the zarzuela was close to the end of its period of greatest success, before this genre, at the beginning of the 19th century, was nearly forgotten in favour of the Italian opera. The librettist of Clementina, Ramón de la Cruz, had attempted to introduce innovations in the zarzuela, using folk elements instead of the more usual mythological subjects. The music is predominantly cheerful and turned towards comical sides, with pathetic fragments when it tries to describe unrequited love.
This work was written on commission of the Duchess Osuna-Benavente, a patron of the arts and lover of music who owned a private orchestra, under whose protection De La Cruz worked. Clementina premiered in Madrid in the palace of the countess, probably performed by amateur singers. Boccherini composed the music in less than one month. A further performance of Clementina took place in 1799, again in Madrid, in the , this time with very known artists: Catalina Tordesillas (Clementina), Manuela Monteis (Damiana), Joaquina Arteaga (Narcisa), Lorenza Correa (Cristeta), Vicente Sanchez (Don Urbano) and Manuel Garcia Parra (Don Lazzaro).
In modern times, Clementina was revived in Venice (La Fenice, 18 September 1951) in Munich (Cuvilliés Theatre, 1960) and in Aranjuez (Spain). A further performance was produced in Lucca in 2005. Opera Southwest is scheduled to give the American premiere in Albuquerque on 6 April 2025.
Roles RoleVoice typeDon Clemente, widowed and very rich gentleman spoken roleDoña Clementina, supposed daughter of Don Clemente sopranoDoña Narcisa, daughter of Don Clemente, younger than Clementina sopranoDoña Damiana, tutor of Clementina and Narcisa mezzo-sopranoDon Urbano, Portuguese gentleman, suitor of Clementina tenorMarquis de la Ballesta, suitor of Narcisa spoken roleDon Lazzaro, music teacher baritoneCristeta, housemaid sopranoA page spoken role
Synopsis The daughters of Don Clemente, Clementina and Narcisa, are courted respectively by Don Urbano and by the marquis de la Ballesta, but they do not accept the marriage proposals of their suitors. Don Clemente reveals that Clementina is not his natural daughter, but was adopted when she was a little child. Gradually, Don Urbano realizes that Clementina is his sister, of whom he had lost all trace and for whom he has been in search for long time. The opera ends with the marriages between Don Urbano and Narcisa, the marquis and Clementina, Don Lazzaro and Cristeta.
Orchestration and structure Clementina is scored for the following instruments: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, strings.
Clementina includes the overture, 12 arias, 2 obbligato recitatives and 6 ensembles, plus the dialogues.
Recordings 1958: Alfredo Simonetto, Milan RAI orchestra and chorus (Italian version), Cantus Classics (LC 03982) CACD 5.01226 F (2009)Clementina: Fiorella Carmen Forti Narcisa: Graziella Sciutti Damiana: Angela VercelliDon Urbano: Juan Oncina Don Lazzaro: Franco Calabrese Cristeta: Vittoria Palombini1965: Angelo Ephrikian, RSI orchestra and chorus, label Cat (Italian version), Nuova Era 223297Clementina: Elena Rizzieri Narcisa: Maria Grazia Ferracini Damiana: Karla ScheanDon Urbano: Ugo Benelli Don Lazzaro: Fernando Corena Cristeta: Luciana Ticinelli2008: Pablo Heras-Casado, La Compañia del Principe, Música Antigua Aranjuez MAA 008. New Musical Edition by Juan Pablo Fernández-Cortés.Clementina: María Hinojosa Narcisa: Sonia de Munck Damiana: Marta RodrigoDon Urbano: David Alegret Don Lazzaro: Toni Marsol Cristeta: Elena Rivero
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Includes full Spanish text of Clementina.