''Benvenuto Cellini '' is an

opera semiseria Opera semiseria ('semi-serious opera') is an Italian genre of opera, popular in the early and middle 19th century. Related to the opera buffa, opera semiseria contains elements of comedy but also of pathos, sometimes with a pastoral setting. It can ...

in four ''tableaux'' (spread across two or three acts) by Hector Berlioz, his first full-length work for the stage. Premiered at the

Académie Royale de Musique The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

(

Salle Le Peletier The Salle Le Peletier or Lepeletier (sometimes referred to as the Salle de la rue Le Peletier or the Opéra Le Peletier) was the home of the Paris Opera from 1821 until the building was destroyed by fire in 1873. The theatre was designed and con ...

) on 10 September 1838, it is a setting of a

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 ...

Léon de Wailly Armand François Léon de Wailly (28 July 1804 – 25 April 1864) was a 19th-century French novelist, playwright, adaptor and translator. Biography Born into a family of writers and academics, graduated from the École des chartes, Léon de W ...

and

Henri Auguste Barbier Henri Auguste Barbier (29 April 1805 – 13 February 1882) was a French dramatist and poet. Barbier was born in Paris, France. He was inspired by the July Revolution and poured forth a series of eager, vigorous poems, denouncing the evils of the ...

who were inspired by the memoirs of the titular Florentine sculptor but who invented most of the plot. The opera is technically challenging and was until the 21st century rarely performed. But its overture sometimes features in orchestral concerts, as does the concert overture '' Le carnaval romain'' which Berlioz composed from material in the opera.

Composition history

Berlioz wrote this in his ''

Mémoires ''Mémoires'' (''Memories'') is an artist's book made by the French social critic Guy Debord in collaboration with the Danish artist Asger Jorn. Its last page mentions that it was printed in 1959, however, it was printed in December 1958. This ...

'' about the background to the opera:

I had been greatly struck by certain episodes in the life of ''Benvenuto Cellini''. I had the misfortune to believe they would make an interesting and dramatic subject for an opera, and I asked Léon de Wailly and Auguste Barbier … to write a libretto around them.

The only plot element drawn directly from Cellini's memoirs concerns the casting of his famous statue of

Perseus with the Head of Medusa ''Perseus with the Head of Medusa'' is a bronze sculpture made by Benvenuto Cellini in the period 1545–1554. The sculpture stands on a square base which has bronze relief panels depicting the story of Perseus and Andromeda (mythology), Androm ...

for Duke Cosimo I de' Medici, although this was done in Florence, where it still stands in the

Loggia dei Lanzi The Loggia dei Lanzi, also called the Loggia della Signoria, is a building on a corner of the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy, adjoining the Uffizi Gallery. It consists of wide arches open to the street. The arches rest on clustered pi ...

, not in Rome, as the opera has it. All the opera's characters besides Cellini and

Pope Clement VII Pope Clement VII ( la, Clemens VII; it, Clemente VII; born Giulio de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the ...

, who is made commissioner of the statue in place of Cosimo, and all other episodes, are invented. The original libretto, which is lost, seems to have been in the format of an ''

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 ...

''; we know it was rejected by the Paris

Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief rival, the Comédie-Italienne ...

company. The story was then reworked as an ''opéra semiseria'', without spoken dialogue, and offered to the

Paris Opéra The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

where it was accepted in 1835 by that company's new director,

Henri Duponchel Henri Duponchel (28 July 1794 – 8 April 1868) was in turn a French architect, interior designer, costume designer, stage designer, stage director, managing director of the Paris Opera, and a silversmith. He has often been confused with Char ...

. Actual composition started in 1836. We don't know when it was finished. Several Berlioz scholars say it was completed that same year before the composer turned his attention to his massive ''

Grande messe des morts The ''Grande Messe des morts'' (or Requiem), Op. 5, by Hector Berlioz was composed in 1837. The ''Grande Messe des Morts'' is one of Berlioz's best-known works, with a tremendous orchestration of woodwind and brass instruments, including four ant ...

'' in 1837. In any event, its premiere was scheduled for June 1838, postponed, and finally given at the Opéra on 10 September 1838, conducted by

François Habeneck François Antoine Habeneck (22 January 1781 – 8 February 1849) was a French classical violinist and conductor. Early life Habeneck was born at Mézières, the son of a musician in a French regimental band. During his early youth, Habeneck w ...

and with Gilbert Duprez in the title role. It is likely the composer continued work on the score, or at least made revisions to it, during 1838 after the ''Grande messe'' was completed.

Premiere and revisions

At the premiere, with costumes by Paul Lormier and sets by René-Humanité Philastre and Charles-Antoine Cambon, the audience hissed most of the music after the first few numbers. In 1851

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

offered to revive the opera in a new production in

Weimar Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...

, suggesting changes to the score to Berlioz. A new version was in fact prepared and performed in

the next year, its title role being sung by Karl Beck, the same tenor who had originated

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

's ''

Lohengrin Lohengrin () is a character in German Arthurian literature. The son of Parzival (Percival), he is a knight of the Holy Grail sent in a boat pulled by swans to rescue a maiden who can never ask his identity. His story, which first appears in Wolf ...

'' in 1850, also under Liszt, and whose vocal powers were continuing to exhibit the same decline as was apparent two years earlier. ''Benvenuto Cellini'' was performed in London in 1853 as well, but was again poorly received. Its last performances in Berlioz's lifetime were in Weimar in 1856, this time without Beck, who had retired.

Versions

In 1856 the vocal score of the Weimar version was published in Germany; Choudens in 1863 issued a French edition of the same. Thomasin La May has examined the Weimar version of the opera. In 1996 a critical edition of the opera by

Hugh Macdonald Hugh John Macdonald (born 31 January 1940 in Newbury, Berkshire) is an English musicologist chiefly known for his work within the music of the 19th century, especially in France. He has been general editor of the ''Hector Berlioz: New Edition of ...

was published by Bärenreiter Verlag as part of the ''New Berlioz Edition'', taking into account all three versions because the composer himself was involved in all three: * the original version as Berlioz composed it ("Paris 1") before changes demanded by the censors; this is favored today * the opera as premiered in 1838 ("Paris 2") after changes imposed by the censors; this has no use today * the version of the 1850s ("Weimar") reflecting changes suggested by Liszt; this has three acts, is still in use, and is the basis in many reference works about the opera

Performance history

After Berlioz's death occasional performances took place — in Hanover in 1879, Vienna in 1911, and as part of the inaugural season at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, for six performances from 31 March 1913 conducted by

Felix Weingartner Paul Felix Weingartner, Edler von Münzberg (2 June 1863 – 7 May 1942) was an Austrian conductor, composer and pianist. Life and career Weingartner was born in Zara, Dalmatia, Austria-Hungary (now Zadar, Croatia), to Austrian parents. ...

. Kobbé, Gustav. '' Kobbé's Complete Opera Book'', ed. Harewood. Putnam, London & New York, 1954. Following '' Les Troyens'' in 1935, the

Glasgow Grand Opera Society The Glasgow Grand Opera Society, known by its members and audiences alike as simply 'The Grand', was an opera company based in Glasgow, Scotland. It was founded in 1906 and was wound up in 2000. Charles Manners used profits from a successful s ...

mounted ''Benvenuto Cellini'' the next year alongside a production of ''Béatrice et Bénédict'';

Erik Chisholm Erik William Chisholm (4 January 1904 – 8 June 1965) was a Scottish composer, pianist, organist and conductor sometimes known as "Scotland's forgotten composer". According to his biographer, Chisholm "was the first composer to absorb Celtic ...

conducted. The opera was revived in Vienna in 1952, where it was recorded. Four years later the

Carl Rosa Opera Company The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, and his wife, British operatic soprano Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company premiered ...

, a British touring entity, brought it into its repertoire, giving two performances to packed houses at London's Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1957; the title role was sung by Charles Craig, then at the start of his career. Conductor

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 ...

led the work in London in 1963 with Richard Lewis and Joan Carlyle, and again a recording was made. The

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...

did not stage ''Benvenuto Cellini'' until December 15, 1966, when Gedda sang the lead. The opera had its Swiss premiere in Geneva in 1964, and its first Italian performances in 1967, in Naples. After the first studio recording was made in July 1972, by

Philips Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...

Brent Town Hall Brent Town Hall, formerly Wembley Town Hall, is a landmark building in Wembley Park in the London Borough of Brent, northwest London, England. The building is T-shaped, with a long façade on Forty Lane. The building was the seat of Brent Londo ...

, London, using an early two-act edition, interest in the opera grew. The first American production came in 1975 from the

Opera Company of Boston The Opera Company of Boston was an American opera company located in Boston, Massachusetts, that was active from the late 1950s through the 1980s. The company was founded by American conductor Sarah Caldwell in 1958 under the name Boston Opera Gr ...

under the musical direction of

Sarah Caldwell Sarah Caldwell (March 6, 1924March 23, 2006) was an American opera conductor, impresario, and stage director. Early life Caldwell was born in Maryville, Missouri, and grew up in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She was a child prodigy and gave publ ...

, with

Jon Vickers Jonathan Stewart Vickers, (October 29, 1926 – July 10, 2015), known professionally as Jon Vickers, was a Canadian heldentenor. Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, he was the sixth in a family of eight children. In 1950, he was awarded a ...

in the title role and

John Reardon John Henry Reardon (born July 30, 1975) is a Canadian actor and former university football player. Prior to 2015, Reardon starred as Blake Laviolette on the CBC Television series ''Arctic Air'' and had a recurring role as Greg Cameron on the S ...

as Fieramosca. Stagings were mounted in Rome (1973 and 1995), Lyon (1982) and Florence (1987), among others. The opera's appearance in the ''New Berlioz Edition'' in the late 1990s added to its acceptance. Indeed in the 21st century it has become a repertory work, with new productions and recordings in London and Amsterdam (1999), Berlin, Paris and New York (2003), and London, Stockholm and Salzburg (2007). Those New York performances, eight of them, were the first at the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is operat ...

, with James Levine conducting an

Andrei Șerban Andrei Șerban (born June 21, 1943) is a Romanian- American theater director. A major name in twentieth-century theater, he is renowned for his innovative and iconoclastic interpretations and stagings. In 1992 he became Professor of Theater at th ...

staging and

Marcello Giordani Marcello Giordani (born Marcello Guagliardo; 25 January 1963 – 5 October 2019) was an Italian operatic tenor who sang leading roles of the Italian and French repertoire in opera houses throughout Europe and the United States. He had a distinguis ...

as Cellini. The Salzburg production was conducted by

Valery Gergiev Valery Abisalovich Gergiev (russian: Вале́рий Абиса́лович Ге́ргиев, ; os, Гергиты Абисалы фырт Валери, Gergity Abisaly fyrt Valeri; born 2 May 1953) is a Russian conductor and opera company d ...

and filmed. A production directed by

Terry Gilliam Terrence Vance Gilliam (; born 22 November 1940) is an American-born British filmmaker, comedian, animator, actor and former member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam has directed 13 feature films, including '' Time Bandits'' (1981), '' ...

, with the libretto in an English translation by Charles Hart, was premiered by

English National Opera English National Opera (ENO) is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera. ENO's productions are sung in English ...

on 5 June 2014 with

Michael Spyres Michael Spyres is an American operatic baritenor. He is particularly associated with the bel canto repertoire, especially the works of Rossini, and heroic roles in French grand opera. Biography Michael Spyres was born in 1979 in Missouri, US, and ...

in the title role and Edward Gardner conducting.

Mark Elder Sir Mark Philip Elder (born 2 June 1947) is a British conductor. He is currently music director of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, England. Life and career Elder was born in Hexham, Northumberland, the son of a dentist. He played the ba ...

led a staging in Amsterdam the next year, which was also filmed; John Osborn sang Cellini. Osborn again sang the role in Rome in 2016. Most recently a 2019 production in the

Château de Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed ...

conducted by

John Eliot Gardiner Sir John Eliot Gardiner (born 20 April 1943) is an English conductor, particularly known for his performances of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Life and career Born in Fontmell Magna, Dorset, son of Rolf Gardiner and Marabel Hodgkin, Ga ...

has been released on DVD, with Spyres as the sculptor.

Roles

Costumes

The costumes for the original production in 1838 were designed by Paul Lormier (1813–1895). File:Paul Lormier - Costumes for Hector Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini (1838) - No. 10 - Benvenuto Cellini.jpg, Cellini (Duprez) File:Paul Lormier - Costumes for Hector Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini (1838) - No. 23. Théresa.jpg, Teresa (Dorus-Gras) File:Paul Lormier - Costumes for Hector Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini (1838) - No.9 - Balducci.jpg, Balducci (Dérivis) File:Paul Lormier - Costumes for Hector Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini (1838) - No. 5. Le pape - Restoration.jpg, The Pope (Serda) File:Paul Lormier - Costumes for Hector Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini (1838) - No. 11 - Ascanio, M. Stoltz.jpg, Ascanio (Stoltz) File:Paul Lormier - Costumes for Hector Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini (1838) - No. 12 - Fieramosca, M. Massol.jpg, Fieramosca (Massol) File:Paul Lormier - Costumes for Hector Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini (1838) - No. 6 - Ciseleur. M. Wartel, (Francesco) - Restoration.jpg, Francesco (Wartel)

Synopsis

:Time: three consecutive days in 1532, specifically the evening of

Shrove Monday Shrove Monday, sometimes known as Collopy Monday, Rose Monday, Merry Monday or Hall Monday, is a Christian observance falling on the Monday before Ash Wednesday every year. A part of the English traditional Shrovetide celebrations of the week b ...

, the evening of Mardi Gras, dawn of

Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent (the six weeks of penitence before Easter). It is observed by Catholics in the Rom ...

and evening of Ash Wednesday, for the four ''Tableaux'', respectively. :Place: Rome. :Structure: the ''Tableaux'' are numbered independently in the ''New Berlioz Edition''; ''Tableaux'' I and II correspond to Act I while III and IV comprise Act II; in the Weimar version, which reflects changes suggested by Liszt and is the basis in many reference works about the opera, ''Tableaux'' I is Act I, ''Tableaux'' II is Act II, and ''Tableaux'' III and IV, with chunks removed, are termed Act III.

''Tableau I (Balducci's residence)''

Balducci has been summoned to a meeting with Pope Clement VII concerning the commission of a bronze statue of Perseus from the sculptor Benvenuto Cellini. Balducci would have preferred Fieramosca as the chosen sculptor; he also hopes to marry his daughter Teresa to Fieramosca. But Teresa is smitten with Cellini. Before Balducci goes to his meeting with the Pope, Cellini and other Carnival celebrators come on the scene, and pelt Balducci with ''fausses dragées'' (flour pellets) that make him look "like a leopard". He can't clean himself off, however, so he continues to his meeting. A bouquet of flowers comes through the window and lands at Teresa's feet. Attached is a note from Cellini saying that he is coming up. He does so, and explains his plan to take her away from her father so that they can live together. He and his assistant Ascanio will be disguised as monks, and will take her from her father during the Mardi Gras celebrations, when the

Castel Sant'Angelo The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as Castel Sant'Angelo (; English: ''Castle of the Holy Angel''), is a towering cylindrical building in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausol ...

cannon is sounded to mark the end of Carnival. Unbeknownst to them both, Fieramosca has also entered the room, and overhears the plan. Upon hearing Balducci approach, Fieramosca hides in Teresa's bedroom, and Cellini hides behind the main room door. To distract her father, Teresa invents a story about a noise in her bedroom. Balducci goes to investigate, and Cellini escapes. To Teresa's surprise, Balducci produces Fieramosca from the bedroom. He and Teresa call on the servants and neighbors to take Fieramosca and dump him outside in the fountain, but Fieramosca breaks free of the crowd.

''Tableau II (a tavern, and then Piazza Colonna)''

Cellini, his apprentices and friends sing the praises of being goldsmiths. Bernardino asks for more wine, but the innkeeper demands settlement of their tab. Ascanio then appears with the Pope's advance payment for the Perseus statue, but also with a warning that the casting of the statue must occur the next day. The amount of money in the advance is less than expected, which gives new impetus to the plan to mock Balducci at Cassandro's booth that night. Fieramosca has also overheard this plan, and confides to his friend Pompeo. Pompeo suggests that they too disguise themselves as monks and abduct Teresa themselves. People gather in the piazza. A crowd assembles at Cassandro's booth, where "the pantomime-opera of King Midas or The Ass's Ears" is unfurled. Balducci and Teresa enter, soon after Cellini and Ascanio dressed as monks, and then Fieramosca and Pompeo similarly disguised. In the

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

Harlequin Harlequin (; it, Arlecchino ; lmo, Arlechin, Bergamasque dialect, Bergamasque pronunciation ) is the best-known of the ''zanni'' or comic servant characters from the Italian language, Italian ''commedia dell'arte'', associated with the city o ...

and

Pierrot Pierrot ( , , ) is a stock character of pantomime and '' commedia dell'arte'', whose origins are in the late seventeenth-century Italian troupe of players performing in Paris and known as the Comédie-Italienne. The name is a diminutive of ''Pi ...

compete for the attention of King Midas, who is attired to look like Balducci. At this, the real Balducci approaches the stage, leaving Teresa alone. Both sets of "friars" then approach Teresa, to her confusion. The four friars begin to battle by sword, and in the struggle, Cellini fatally stabs Pompeo. The crowd becomes silent, and Cellini is arrested for murder. As he is about to be taken away, the three cannon shots from Castel Sant'Angelo are heard, indicating the end of Carnival and the start of

Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...

. All of the lights in the piazza are extinguished. During the darkness and resulting confusion, Cellini escapes his captors and Ascanio and Teresa go off. Fieramosca is then mistakenly arrested in Cellini's place.

''Tableau III (Cellini's studio)''

Ascanio and Teresa wait for Cellini in his studio. When a procession of friars passes by, they join in the prayer. Cellini then enters, still in monk's disguise, and recounts his escape. Because he is now wanted for murder, he plans to escape Rome with Teresa, but Ascanio reminds him of his obligation to cast the statue. Ascanio goes off to find a horse. Balducci and Fieramosca then appear. Balducci denounces Cellini as a murderer and then promises Teresa to Fieramosca in marriage. The Pope then appears to check on the progress of the statue. Cellini makes excuses, but the Pope dismisses them and decides that he will give the commission to another sculptor. Cellini then threatens to destroy the mould, and when the Pope's guards approach him, he raises his hammer. The Pope then makes Cellini an offer: if Cellini can cast the statue that evening, he will forgive Cellini's crimes and let him marry Teresa. But if Cellini fails, he will be hanged. Persee-florence

''Tableau IV (The foundry)''

After an aria from Ascanio, Cellini comes on stage and muses, in a 6/8 air, on the quiet life of a shepherd. The foundry's smithies (''fondeurs'') sing a sea-shanty, which Cellini sees as a bad omen. Ascanio and Cellini encourage them to continue their work. Fieramosca arrives with henchmen and challenges Cellini to a duel, which Cellini accepts asking to settle it on the spot. But Fieramosca wants it settled elsewhere. Cellini agrees. Fieramosca and his men leave. Teresa arrives to see Ascanio handing Cellini his rapier. Cellini assures her he will be safe, and leaves. Alone, she hears the smithies start to lay down their tools, as they have not been paid and lack direction from Cellini. She tries to assure them they will be paid eventually, but to no avail. Fieramosca enters. Teresa faints, thinking Cellini dead. This is not so, as Fieramosca is about to offer a bribe to the smithies to cease work completely. But this turns the smithies against him, and they reassert their loyalty to Cellini, who reappears and, together with the smithies, recruits Fieramosca to help in the work. In the evening the Pope and Balducci enter to learn whether the statue has been completed. Fieramosca announces that they are out of metal, which Francesco and Bernardino confirm. Cellini then prays. In a sudden act he orders all works from his studio, of whatever metal, to be smelted and reused for the Perseus, much to the consternation of Francesco and Bernardino. Moments later an explosion bursts the casting and the splendid new Perseus is revealed. All acknowledge Cellini's success, and the Pope pardons him as promised. Cellini and Teresa are united. The opera closes with a chorus of praise for the smithies.

Recordings

Altogether there are at least 23 complete recordings in commercial release as of 2022, six of them videos, including the following: * Wallhall Eternity series CD-9737514: Edith Kermer (Teresa), Fritz Uhl (Cellini), Otto Wiener (Fieramosca), Leo Heppe, Grosses Wiener Rundfunkorchester, conducted by Kurt Tenner. (sung in german) 1952 * Music & Arts CD-618: Richard Lewis, (Cellini),

Joan Carlyle Joan Carlyle (6 April 1931 – 31 October 2021) was an English operatic soprano singer.Blyth, Alan"Carlyle, Joan" The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, accessed 12 January 2014 She was born in Upton o ...

(Teresa),

Josephine Veasey Josephine Veasey CBE (10 July 1930 – 22 February 2022) was a British mezzo-soprano, particularly associated with Wagner and Berlioz roles. Early years Born in Peckham, she studied with Audrey Langford, and became a member of the Royal Opera Ho ...

, Ascanio, Don Garrard (Balducci), John Cameron (Fieramosca), David Ward (Cardinal Salviati), Richard Lewis, Ranken Bushby (Pompeo), John Kentish, innkeeper;

BBC Symphony Orchestra The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. T ...

and Chorus,

, live concert performance, Royal Festival Hall, London, 23.1.1963; reviews on 24.1.1963 by The Times, Evening Standard, Daily Express, Daily Telegraph * Gala GL 100 618:

Nicolai Gedda Harry Gustaf Nikolai Gädda, known professionally as Nicolai Gedda (11 July 1925 – 8 January 2017), was a Swedish operatic tenor. Debuting in 1951, Gedda had a long and successful career in opera until the age of 77 in June 2003, when he made h ...

(Benvenuto Cellini), Elizabeth Vaughan (Teresa), Robert Massard (Fieramosca),

Yvonne Minton Yvonne Fay Minton CBE (born 4 December 1938) is an Australian-born but mostly British-resident opera singer. She is variously billed as a soprano, mezzo-soprano or contralto. A native of Sydney, she originally studied voice while on a scholarshi ...

(Ascanio), John Dobson (Francesco),

Napoléon Bisson Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

(Balducci), Victor Godfrey (Bernardino), David Ward (Cardinal),

Jules Bruyère Jules is the French form of the Latin "Julius" (e.g. Jules César, the French name for Julius Caesar). It is the given name of: People with the name *Jules Aarons (1921–2008), American space physicist and photographer *Jules Abadie (1876–195 ...

(Pompeo);

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

; John Pritchard, conductor. 1966. * Philips 416-955-2:

(Benvenuto Cellini),

Christiane Eda-Pierre Christiane Eda-Pierre (24 March 1932 – 6 September 2020) was a French coloratura soprano of Martinican origin, Alain Pâris. ''Dictionnaire des interprètes et de l’interprétation musicale au XX siècle.'' Éditions Robert Laffont, Paris, 19 ...

(Teresa), Jane Berbié (Ascanio),

Jules Bastin Jules Bastin (18 August 1933 – 2 December 1996, in Waterloo) was a Belgian operatic bass. Born in , he made his debut in 1960 at La Monnaie, singing Charon in ''L'Orfeo''. He appeared at major opera houses throughout Europe, including the Royal ...

(Balducci), Robert Massard (Fieramosca),

Roger Soyer Roger Soyer (born 1 September 1939) is a French operatic bass-baritone, particularly associated with the French repertory and with Mozart. Soyer was born in Thiais, and first studied privately with G. Daum, before entering the Conservatoire de Pa ...

(Pope Clement VII), Derek Blackwell (Francesco), Robert Lloyd (Bernardino), Raimund Herincx (Pompeo),

Hugues Cuénod Hugues-Adhémar Cuénod (; 26 June 19026 December 2010)

(Le cabaretier),

Janine Reiss Janine Reiss (23 November 1921 – 2 June 2020) was a French singing teacher and harpsichordist. Biography A harpsichordist by training, Reiss specialised in the 1960s in preparing international opera singers for the French repertoire. For ...

(Colombine; speaking role); Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden;

; Colin Davis, conductor (

Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording The Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by m ...

of 1973) * Allegro Opera d'Oro OPD-1373 (Weimar Edition):

Franco Bonisolli Franco Bonisolli (May 25, 1938 – October 30, 2003) was an Italian operatic tenor, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, notably as Manrico and Calaf. Life and career Bonisolli was born in Rovereto, Italy. He studied with Alfr ...

(Benvenuto Cellini),

Teresa Żylis-Gara Teresa Żylis-Gara (23 January 1930 – 28 August 2021) was a Polish operatic soprano who enjoyed a major international career from the 1950s through the 1990s. She made her stage debut at the Opera Krakowska in 1958 in the title role of Moni ...

(Teresa),

Wolfgang Brendel Wolfgang Brendel (born 20 October 1947, in Munich) is a German opera singer ( baritone), and a professor of voice at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. He has performed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Biography Wolfga ...

(Fieramosca),

Elizabeth Steiner Elizabeth Steiner (born April 5, 1963), also known as Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, is a Democratic member of the Oregon Senate, representing the 17th District. Steiner was appointed to the Senate in 2011 by commissioners from Multnomah and Washing ...

(Ascanio), Gino Sinimberghi (Francesco),

Pierre Thau Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

(Balducci), James Loomis (Bernardino), Robert Amis El Hage (Cardinal), Tommaso Frascati (Pompeo); RAI Orchestra and Chorus; Seiji Ozawa, conductor. 1973. * VAI Audio 1214-2:

(Benvenuto Cellini),

Patricia Wells Patricia Wells (born 5 November 1946 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a cookbook author and teacher. Biography She divides her time between Paris and Provence. She is the author of numerous food-related books. Her book ''Patricia Wells at Home in Prov ...

(Teresa),

(Fieramosca), Nancy Williams (Ascanio),

Joey Evans Joey may refer to: People *Joey (name) Animals * Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial * Joey, a Blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets Film and television * ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horace ...

(Francesco), Gimi Beni (Balducci), Ralph Griffin (Bernardino),

Donald Gramm Donald John Gramm (February 26, 1927 – June 2, 1983) was an American bass-baritone whose career was divided between opera and concert performances. His appearances were primarily limited to the United States, which at the time was unusual for an ...

(Cardinal), Ralph Griffin (Pompeo);

The Opera Company of Boston The Opera Company of Boston was an American opera company located in Boston, Massachusetts, that was active from the late 1950s through the 1980s. The company was founded by American conductor Sarah Caldwell in 1958 under the name Boston Opera Gr ...

;

, conductor. 1975 * Virgin Classics 7243 5 45706 2 9 (using the New Berlioz Edition):

Gregory Kunde Gregory Kunde (February 24, 1954, Kankakee, Illinois) is an American operatic tenor particularly associated with the French and Italian repertoires. Career Kunde studied choral conducting and voice at Illinois State University before making his ...

(Benvenuto Cellini),

Patrizia Ciofi Patrizia Ciofi (born 7 June 1967) is an Italian operatic coloratura soprano. Career Born in Casole d'Elsa, Ciofi studied at the Istituto Musicale Pietro Mascagni in Livorno. She subsequently took part in master classes at the Accademia Musicale ...

(Teresa),

Joyce DiDonato Joyce DiDonato (née Flaherty; born February 13, 1969) is an American lyric-coloratura mezzo-soprano. She is notable for her interpretations of operas and concert works in the 19th-century romantic era in addition to works by Handel and Mozart. ...

(Ascanio),

Laurent Naouri Laurent Naouri, Chevalier L.H. (born May 23, 1964) is a French bass-baritone. Initially beginning his education at the École Centrale de Lyon, Naouri decided to concentrate on opera in 1986 and continued his musical studies at the Guildhall S ...

(Balducci), Jean-François Lapointe (Fieramosca), Renaud Delaigue (Pope Clement VII), Eric Salha(Francesco), Marc Mauillon (Bernardino), Roman Nédélec (Pompeo), Éric Huchet (Le cabaretier); Chorus of Radio France;

Orchestre National de France The Orchestre national de France (ONF; literal translation, ''National Orchestra of France'') is a French symphony orchestra based in Paris, founded in 1934. Placed under the administration of the French national radio (named Radio France sinc ...

; John Nelson, conductor. 2003. * Hänssler Classic 093.105.000 (Weimar Edition): Bruce Ford (Benvenuto Cellini), Laura Claycomb (Teresa),

Monica Groop Gerd Monica Groop née Riska (born 14 April 1958 in Helsinki) is a Finnish operatic mezzo-soprano. After graduating from the Sibelius Academy, she joined the Finnish National Opera in 1986 where she remains a member. She has sung leading roles a ...

(Ascanio), Franz Hawlata (Balducci),

Christopher Maltman Christopher Maltman (born 6 February 1970) is a British operatic baritone. Christopher Maltman was born in Cleethorpes and was educated at Warwick University where he received a degree in Biochemistry and subsequently studied music at the Royal A ...

(Fieramosca);

MDR Rundfunkchor MDR Rundfunkchor is the radio choir of the German broadcaster Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), based in Leipzig, Saxony. Dating back to 1924, the choir became the radio choir of a predecessor of the MDR in 1946, then called Kammerchor des Senders L ...

(Leipzig); Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra; Roger Norrington, conductorCD – ''Benvenuto Cellini''
2006. * LSO Live LSO0623:

(Benvenuto Cellini), Laura Claycomb (Teresa), Isabelle Cals (Ascanio), Darren Jeffery (Balducci),

Peter Coleman-Wright Peter Coleman-Wright (born 13 October 1958) is an Australian baritone from Geelong. He began his career at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, where he sang Guglielmo in ''Così fan tutte'', winning the Touring Prize. Subsequently, he sang Sid in '' Al ...

(Fieramosca),

John Relyea John Relyea (born 1972 in Toronto) is a Canadian bass-baritone opera singer and winner of the 2003 Richard Tucker Award. He was born in 1972 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Gary Relyea, one of Canada's well-known opera singers, and a native Es ...

(Pope Clement VII), Andrew Kennedy (Francesco),

Andrew Foster-Williams Andrew Foster-Williams (born in Wigan, Greater Manchester) is an English operatic bass-baritone, concert singer and recitalist. Andrew Foster-Williams read music at the Royal Academy of Music in London, graduating with a first-class honours degree ...

(Bernardino), Jacques Imbrailo (Pompeo),

Alasdair Elliott Alasdair Elliott is a British operatic tenor. With The Royal Opera, Elliott sang the role of Emperor Altoum in Puccini's ''Turandot ''Turandot'' (; see below) is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, posthumously completed by Franco Alf ...

(Le cabaretier);

London Symphony Chorus The London Symphony Chorus (abbreviated to LSC) is a large symphonic concert choir based in London, UK, consisting of over 150 amateur singers, and is one of the major symphony choruses of the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1966 as the ''L ...

;

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

; Sir Colin Davis, conductor. 2007. * Naxos Blu-ray/DVD; Philipp Stozl director; Burkhard Fritz (Benvenuto Cellini), Maija Kovaļevska (Teresa),

(Fieramosca),

Kate Aldrich Kate Aldrich (born October 31, 1973, Damariscotta, Maine) is an American mezzo-soprano. She has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Hamburg State Opera, Teatro Regio (Turin), Rossini ...

(Ascanio), Xavier Mas (Francesco), Brindley Sherratt (Balducci), Roberto Tagliavini (Bernardino), Adam Plachetka (Pompeo), Sung-Keun Park (Innkeeper), Mikhail Petrenko (Pope Clement VII);

Vienna Philharmonic The Vienna Philharmonic (VPO; german: Wiener Philharmoniker, links=no) is an orchestra that was founded in 1842 and is considered to be one of the finest in the world. The Vienna Philharmonic is based at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria. It ...

; Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor;

conductor. 2007–2009 * Naxos Blu-ray/DVD;

director; John Osborn (Benvenuto Cellini), Mariangela Sicilia (Teresa), Maurizio Muraro (Balducci), Michèle Losier (Ascanio),

(Fieramosca), Orlin Anastassov (Pope Clement VII), Nicky Spence (Francesco), André Morsch (Pompeo), Scott Conner (Bernardino), Marcel Beekman (Un cabaretier);

Dutch National Opera The Dutch National Opera (DNO; formerly De Nederlandse Opera, now De Nationale Opera in Dutch) is a Dutch opera company based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its present home base is the Dutch National Opera & Ballet housed in the Stopera building, a m ...

Chorus; Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra;

Sir Mark Elder Sir Mark Philip Elder (born 2 June 1947) is a British conductor. He is currently music director of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, England. Life and career Elder was born in Hexham, Northumberland, the son of a dentist. He played the ...

conductor. 2018 *Château de Versailles Spectacles DVD, Cat: CVS020:

(Benvenuto Cellini), Sophia Burgos (Teresa), Maurizio Muraro (Balducci), Adèle Charvet (Ascanio), Lionel Lhote (Fieramosca), Tareq Nazmi (Pope Clement VII), Vincent Delhoume (Francesco),

Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique The Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, founded in 1989 by John Eliot Gardiner, performs Classical and Romantic music using the principles and original instruments of historically informed performance. The orchestra has recorded symphonies, ...

Monteverdi Choir The Monteverdi Choir was founded in 1964 by Sir John Eliot Gardiner for a performance of the ''Vespro della Beata Vergine'' in King's College Chapel, Cambridge. A specialist Baroque ensemble, the Choir has become famous for its stylistic convic ...

Sir John Eliot Gardiner Sir John Eliot Gardiner (born 20 April 1943) is an English conductor, particularly known for his performances of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Life and career Born in Fontmell Magna, Dorset, son of Rolf Gardiner and Marabel Hodgkin, Gard ...

. 2020

References

Notes Sources * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

Information on ''Benvenuto Cellini''
from the Metropolitan Opera *
French libretti of works by Berlioz, including two version of ''Cellini''
{{Authority control Operas by Hector Berlioz Operas based on real people French-language operas 1838 operas Operas Opera semiseria Opera world premieres at the Paris Opera Cultural depictions of Benvenuto Cellini Cultural depictions of Pope Clement VII