The Sicilian Vespers

Act I. Palermo, early 1282. Sicily is under French foreign rule. The Duchess Elena, whose brother, Frederick of Austria, has been executed by the occupying army, is forced to sing for the French soldiers. Her song is a barely disguised invitation to her fellow Sicilians to rise up in revolt. Only the arrival of the French governor, Monforte, prevents a scuffle from breaking out. Monforte’s attention is drawn to a young Sicilian, Arrigo, who indignantly turns down every attempt to persuade him to serve the French.

Act II. Giovanni da Procida has returned home from exile in the hope of persuading the Sicilians to throw off the yoke of their French oppressors. Elena and Arrigo welcome him as he disembarks. Arrigo is in love with Elena and wants to avenge her brother’s death. The infamous behaviour of the French at a dance party of young couples further enrages the Sicilians. Procida decides to murder Monforte at a masked ball that very night.

Act III. Monforte has recognized his own illegitimate son in Arrigo, but Arrigo refuses to acknowledge this kinship and rejects Monforte’s display of paternal affection. At the ball, Procida and Elena initiate Arrigo into their murderous plan, but when Elena draws her dagger to stab Monforte, Arrigo stands in her way in order to protect his father, causing his friends to accuse him of treachery. Monforte orders the conspirators to be arrested.

Act IV. Arrigo visits Elena in prison and explains why he had to protect Monforte. She forgives him, but Procida believes that the Sicilian cause is now lost. Monforte offers to pardon the conspirators if Arrigo publicly acknowledges him as his father. Arrigo finally agrees as Elena is being led to the scaffold and calls him “father”. Monforte issues an amnesty and as a token of the new spirit of reconciliation he orders that Elena and Arrigo shall marry the very same day. Procida decides to use this turn of events for his own nefarious ends.

Act V. Shortly before the wedding is due to take place, Elena discovers that the peal of her wedding bells is the signal for the Sicilians to rise up in revolt. In order to save Arrigo’s life, she refuses for no apparent reason to marry him. Monforte declines to believe in her sudden change of heart and orders the ceremony to go ahead as planned. As soon as the church bells begin to peal, the armed Sicilians under Procida’s leadership storm the governor’s palace and kill Monforte. /Eva Reisinger/

1855

Libretto by Eugène Scribe & Charles Duveyrier

Teatro Regio di Parma

Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Parma

Conducted by Massimo Zanetti

Staged by Pier Luigi Pizzi

Cast: Leo Nucci, Dario Russo, Andrea Mastroni, Fabio Armiliato, Giacomo Presia, Daniela Dessì