''L’incontro improvviso'' (The unexpected encounter) (Hob. XXVIII:6) is an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

in three acts by

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

first performed at

Eszterháza Eszterháza is a palace in Fertőd, Hungary, built by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. Sometimes called the "Hungarian Versailles", it is Hungary's grandest Rococo edifice. It served as the home to Joseph Haydn and his orchestra from 1760 to 1790. In ...

on 29 August 1775 to mark the four-day visit of Archduke Ferdinand, Habsburg governor of Milan and his consort

Maria Beatrice d'Este Mary of Modena ( it, Maria Beatrice Eleonora Anna Margherita Isabella d'Este; ) was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of James II and VII. A devout Roman Catholic, Mary married the widower James, who was then the young ...

. The opera is designated a ''dramma giocoso'' (a comic opera) and is an example of the then Austrian fascination with Turkish subjects.

Composition and Performance History

The

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

by Carl Friberth was adapted and translated from a French

opéra comique ''Opéra comique'' (; plural: ''opéras comiques'') is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged from the popular '' opéras comiques en vaudevilles'' of the Fair Theatres of St Germain and St Laurent (and to a l ...

by L. H. Dancourt, already set by

Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period (music), classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the ...

in 1764 as the ''

La rencontre imprévue ''La rencontre imprévue, ou Les pèlerins de la Mecque'' Wq. 32 (''The Unexpected Encounter, or The Pilgrims to Mecca'') is a three-act ''opéra comique'', composed in 1763 by Christoph Willibald Gluck to a libretto by Louis Dancourt after th ...

''. In keeping with Italian practice, Friberth constructed longer buffo finale texts at the end of Acts I and II. It is not known if any further performances followed the Eszterháza production, although a German translation was made for

Bratislava Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approxim ...

. Danish musicologist Jens Peter Larsen discovered the autograph score in Leningrad in 1954, and the opera was subsequently broadcast in Russian in 1956. It was first staged in the UK at the

Camden Festival Camden Festival was an annual spring festival founded in 1954 and held in London, England. Originally, it was named the St Pancras Festival until 1965. It continued until 1987. The festival specialised in the revival of long-forgotten operas, some ...

in 1966. The first complete recording was made by Philips in 1980 in association with the Radio Suisse Romande and the European Broadcasting Union, conducted by

Antal Doráti Antal Doráti (, , ; 9 April 1906 – 13 November 1988) was a Hungarian-born conductor and composer who became a naturalized American citizen in 1943. Biography Antal Doráti was born in Budapest, where his father Alexander Doráti was a vi ...

. The first performance of the German translation was staged by Jakob Peter-Messer for the

Wuppertal Opera Opernhaus Wuppertal (Wuppertal Opera House) is a German theatre in Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia. It houses mostly performances of operas, but also plays, run by the municipal Wuppertaler Bühnen. The house is also the venue for dance perfo ...

in 2010 in cooperation with the Haydn-Institut in Cologne.

Roles

Synopsis

Overture (this was printed by Artaria in a set of six in 1782 without trumpets and percussion)

Act I

''A storehouse of all kinds of merchandise and edibles''
The qalandar and dervishes drink wine, smoke tobacco and sing merrily of their life as beggars and tricksters.
''A square''
Osmin is distracted by the qalandar begging; he has little trouble in persuading the hungry Osmin to become a mendicant dervish.
''A room in the seraglio''
Rezia has been told that her long-lost love has been sighted in Cairo, and shares the news with Balkis and Dardane in a beautiful trio.
''A square''
Ali, alone, explains how he fled to Persia and fell in love with Rezia. Though betrothed to another, Rezia eloped with Ali but they were separated and she was captured by pirates. Ali watches as Osmin is taught by the Qalandar the chant "Castagna, castagna". The Qalandar recognises Ali as the Prince of Balsóra. Balkis greets Ali with news that a woman has espied him from a window in the seraglio and wishes to meet him.
''A room containing a banquet table''
Osmin is enjoying a feast with Ali arrives with Balkis, and Ali gets increasingly angry with Osmin's inebriation.

Act II

''A room with a sofa''
Dardane tries to charm Ali to test his faithfulness. Rezia enters, taking Ali and Osmin by surprise. The three women tell of the unfortunate travels which brought them to Cairo.
''The qalandar's room''
Osmin informs the qalandar that Ali's lover is Rezia and solicits his help in letting the couple escape.
''A garden''
While preparations are made for a banquet before their escape, Rezia and Ali sing a love duet. The mood is shattered when Balkis and Dardane come in to announce that the Sultan has returned unexpectedly from the hunt. Everyone flees via a secret staircase.

Act III

''Night. The qalandar's storehouse''
News of the Sultan's reward for the recovery of Rezia has reached the qalandar who decides to betray them to win the bounty. Ali disguises himself as a French painter to avoid arrest, but to no avail. The Sultan however forgives them and condemns the treacherous qalandar.
''A hall lit by chandeliers''
The Sultan pardons Rezia and Ali and gives them his blessing. At the couple's request the qalandar is pardoned, but banished from Cairo.

Music

Although not Haydn's greatest success in the operatic field, ''L'incontro improvviso'' does include some high-class and varied music. As well as the 'Turkish' music, amusing scenes for Osmin and Calandro, the 'painting' aria in the last act where Ali describes the contents of a picture with orchestral help, and another aria "Senti, al buio pian" for Osmin with orchestral colouring, there is Italian lyricism evident in arias for Ali ("Deh! se in ciel pietade avete") and Rezia ("Or vicina a te"). Act II has two powerful arias for sopranos; Haydn detached Rezia's "Or vicino a te" and published it separately in 1783. The superb first act "Mi sembra un sogno" which contrasts a trio for female voices with muted violins, cors anglais and horns is a highlight.Rice J A. Opera, in ''Haydn (Oxford Composer Companion)'' ed Wyn Jones D. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2002. The work is scored for an orchestra consisting of 2 oboes (doubling cors anglais), 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, 2 horns, timpani, percussion, violins I & II, viola, cello, bass and continuo.

Recordings

* 1979 – Claes H. Ahnsjö (Ali),

Linda Zoghby Linda Zoghby (born August 17, 1949) is an American operatic soprano. Zoghby was born in Mobile, Alabama, and began her vocal studies under Elena Nikolaidi at Florida State University. Her professional debut came in 1973 at Chicago's Grant Park M ...

(Rezia), Margaret Marshall (Balkis),

Della Jones Della Jones is a Welsh mezzo-soprano, particularly well known for her interpretations of works by Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, and Britten. Early life Jones was born in Tonna, near Neath, Wales. She attended Neath Grammar School for Girls ...

(Dardane),

Domenico Trimarchi Domenico Trimarchi is an Italian bass-baritone opera singer. He was born in Naples (21 December 1938), where he studied singing at the Naples Conservatory.Benjamin Luxon Benjamin Matthew Luxon (born 24 March 1937, Redruth, Cornwall) is a retired British baritone. Biography He studied with Walther Gruner at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (while working part-time as a PE teacher in the East End) and est ...

(Calandro), Jonathan Prescott (Sultan), James Hooper (Ufficiale) –

Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne The Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (OCL, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra) is a Swiss chamber orchestra of around 40 musicians based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It has a vast repertoire, from the earliest baroque to contemporary premieres. The founder Vi ...

– 3 CDs (

Philips Records Philips Records is a record label founded by the Dutch electronics company Philips. It was founded as Philips Phonographische Industrie in 1950. In 1946, Philips acquired the company which pressed records for British Decca's Dutch outlet in A ...

). The issue also featured three arias and a trio, originally written by Haydn for ''L'incontro improvviso'', sung by Claes H. Ahnsjö,

Aldo Baldin Aldo Baldin (1 January 1945 - 5 January 1994) was a Brazilian opera and concert-hall tenor. His recordings include a number of Bach cantatas. Life Born in Urussanga, Santa Catarina, he was taught singing and cello by Heloisa Nemoto Vergara and J ...

and Michael Devlin, with the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, conducted by Doráti.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Incontro Improvisso Italian-language operas 1775 operas Operas by Joseph Haydn Operas