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Gaetano Donizetti: British Royal Queens in Competition
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Essay Gaetano Donizetti was a prolific writer of operas. His subjects were taken from many sources but throughout his life he returned again and again to stories drawn from the British royal family. British Kings and Queens are used in various Donizetti opera’s: Elizabeth I, makes her first appearance in Il Castello di Kenilworth in 1829. Henry II is the tenor in Rosamonda d’Inghilterra of 1834 and Edward III with Queen Isabella make an appearance in L’Aassedio di Calais of 1830. There are three operas however, that embody a fascination with the British royal bloods above all others. The three operas are Anna Bolena (1830), Maria Stuarda (1834) and Roberto Devereux (1837). The purpose of this essay is to fully examine the main character in each opera. All these operas are based on actual historical figures. More specifically it will discuss and compare the three queens that are portrayed in these operas. The three queens that the operas refer to are Anne Boleyn (Queen of England), Mary Stuart (Queen of Scots) and Elisabeth I (Queen of England). The essay will begin by assessing the consistency of the three libretti with historical events. Furthermore it will focus on the queens individually and discuss their character development through musical elements and interpretation. The first of the three, in order of composition, was Anna Bolena of 1830. The opera tells the story of Henry VIII’s wife Anne Boleyn (1504-1536). Anne Boleyn was the second wife of King Henry the VIII. Anne is thought to have showed disinterest in the King until negotiations for a divorce from Catherine of Aragon were initiated. In 1533 Anne was secretly married to Henry, six years after their relations had begun and before the divorce had been achieved. Before her marriage to the King, Anne had many suitors including Henry Percy the heir to the Earldom of Northumberland. Her father Sir Thomas Boleyn and her mother Elizabeth Howard refused this union insisting they had bigger plans for her. After the announcement of the royal marriage, Henry’s interest in Anne cooled and the relationship worsened by the birth of Princess Elizabeth. King Henry in hopes of having a boy became even more outraged when Anne delivered a male stillborn child sometime later. During May Day celebrations Henry rode off abruptly from Greenwich, abandoning his queen before an audience and the following day she was arrested. She was accused of adultery with her own brother and four commoners. They were all tried and convicted of treason. On the 19th of May Anne was beheaded and by the end of the month Henry VIII was married to Jane Seymour, Anne’s handmaiden. At her execution it is recorded that she remained loyal to the King and recited a noble speech declaring her love for him and God. The opera itself Anna Bolena is fairly authentic to the actual historical life of Anne Boleyn. The expansive detail for the purpose of a more interesting plot however is completely fictional. More specifically the relationship between characters Anna (Anne) and Giovanna (Jane), the reason behind the arrest of Anna and Anna’s love for her former suitor Percy. The librettist for Anna Bolena Felice Romani shows Giovanna (Anna’s maid) as a sympathetic character in the opera. She is a loyal friend to Anna and portrays much guilt when Enrico (King Henry VIII) begins to neglect her. Giovanna admits to Anna that Enrico loves another woman and that it is herself. Anna’s repugnance is overcome by Giovanna’s remorse. Giovanna also begs Enrico to spare Anna’s life after she is accused of adultery. Meanwhile it is Enrico who has planned Percy’s return from exile as a trap for Anna. Percy and Anna meet each other, Anna’s household musician (Smeton) who is in love with her, tries to return a portrait of her that he has stolen, he is forced to hide as Anna hears Percy’s confession of love. Percy draws his sword to kill himself, Smeton rushes forward just as Enrico bursts in and orders their arrest. The portrait falls out of Smeton’s coat onto Enrico’s foot. In spite of their protests, they are all sent to prison. Smeton is tricked into confessing a love affair with Anna. Along with Anna’s brother they are sentenced to death. At the execution Anna recalls her girlhood love for Percy and then calls on heaven not to curse the royal couple but to have mercy on them.
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