''The Duchess of Malfi'' 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 the British composer
Stephen Oliver, based on the
eponymous play by
John Webster. Oliver originally wrote this opera, his ninth in 1971, at age 21, for a production at the Oxford Playhouse on commission from the
Oxford University
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
Opera Club. The premiere was on November 23, 1971, with the following cast members:
* Jillian Crowe (The Duchess)
* Keith Jones (Antonio)
* Marion Milford (Julia)
* Peter Reynolds (The Cardinal)
* Stephen Oliver (Bosola)
* Anthony Sargent (Ferdinand)
* Alison Stamp (Cariola)
The conductor was
Peter Robinson Peter Robinson may refer to:
Entertainment
* Peter Robinson (sideshow artist) (1873–1947), American actor and sideshow performer, known for his appearance in film ''Freaks'' (1932)
* J. Peter Robinson (born 1945), British musician and film score ...
, and the director Julian Hope.
Oliver then rewrote the work, and the revised version received its US premiere at
Santa Fe Opera on August 5, 1978.
Roles
*The Duchess of Malfi
[The roles in this list are per the revised 1978 version]
*The Cardinal
*Daniel de Bosola
*Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria
*Antonio Bologna
*Delio
*Castruccio
*Silvio
*Jester
*Cariola
*First Officer
*Second Officer
*A mad priest
*A mad astrologer
*A mad lawyer
*A mad doctor
*A doctor - Thomas Hammons
Synopsis
The play is set in the court of Malfi (
Amalfi
Amalfi (, , ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto (1,315 metres, 4,314 feet), surrounded by dramatic c ...
), Italy. The young Duchess has recently been widowed, but her brothers, Ferdinand and the Cardinal, do not wish her to share their inheritance with a new spouse. They thus forbid her from remarrying. The brothers place Daniel de Bosola in her household as a spy. Nonetheless, the Countess falls in love with Antonio, her steward, and they secretly marry. Eventually, the brothers discover the marriage and imprison their sister. In the climatic duel, Bosola and Ferdinand wind up killing each other.
References
External links
Chester Novello page on Stephen Oliver's ''The Duchess of Malfi''Cast list of the revised 1978 version
Santa Fe Opera
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duchess of Malfi, The (opera)
1971 operas
English-language operas
Operas
Operas based on plays
Operas set in Italy