Edited by Claudio Toscani (1996)
Revised edition based on the original sources | NR 137320
Piano vocal score available on sale | CP 137323
This edition offers a critical reading, based on the original sources, of Verdi’s Vêpres siciliennes, with the aim of restoring the poetic and musical text of the first performance, which took place at the Théâtre de l’Académie Impériale in Paris on 13 June 1855.
After the first performance, which was immensely successful and was greeted with the wide approval of both the audience and critics, the opera held the stage at the Paris Opéra until the departure of the prima donna, Sophie Cruvelli, towards the end of 1855. It was then resumed with other singers – Moreau-Saint, Barlot and Medori – until 1863, when Verdi agreed to supervise a revival of Les vêpres siciliennes with the soprano Sax (Hélène) and the tenor Villaret (Henri) in the main roles. For Villaret he wrote a new romanza, “O toi que j’ai chéri”, to replace the previous “O jour de peine”. The last repeat at the Opéra took place in 1865, after which the opera was definitively withdrawn from the French theatres.
Ever since the early stages of the Paris production Verdi worked on the idea of preparing an Italian translation of the libretto, so as to enable the work to be produced in the Italian opera houses as well. But the original title, which evoked a patriotic revolt and was hence viewed with suspicion by the various governments of the Italian states, made it necessary to adopt a ‘disguise’: the story was thus re-set in Portugal in the year 1740, at the time of the Spanish domination; the names of the characters were changed and the title itself became Giovanna de Guzman. In this form the opera was launched in Italy in grand style, being staged in as many as nine different theatres for the carnival season of 1855-56. The Italians had to wait until 1861 and the Unification of Italy before I vespri siciliani could circulate with its original title, setting and plot.
The edition remains as faithful as possible to Verdi’s writing and notation. It translates into modern notation only those signs that present purely graphic differences, without in any way altering the substance of the musical text. On the other hand, it preserves any sign that carries a specific meaning. The changes that have the sole function of modernizing or standardizing the appearance of the score are neither indicated typographically nor mentioned in the critical notes.
Given that the edition is designed for practical performance, it combines fidelity to the authentic sources with the needs of modern performance practice. It therefore offers a text that corrects errors or inaccuracies and completes omissions or ambiguities. It respects the conventions currently adopted today concerning the arrangement of the voices and instruments in score, the accidentals, the repeat marks and other secondary details. It completes the score with the various signs required by the modern performer. It resolves the inconsistencies present in the original sources; it extends the abbreviated markings; and it aims for the editorial consistency expected in a modern score. In these operations the edition adopts the norms governing the main critical editions of 19th-century operas produced today.
The edition has used the main sources of Les vêpres siciliennes: Verdi’s autograph score, prepared for the first performance; a contemporary manuscript copy prepared by the theatre where the first performance took place; the vocal score published in Paris by Escudier in 1855; and the edition of the libretto printed for the first performance.
Though carefully drawn up, the Verdi autograph is not free of those imprecise or fragmentary aspects that are a common feature of 19th-century manuscript scores and hence a source of difficulties for the modern performer: summary markings, which require pondered decisions rather than automatic choices; errors that can be resolved in different ways; scant or inconsistent dynamic and phrasing marks; contradictory indications for similar or identical passages. The vocal parts, in particular, need considerable attention. At times Verdi’s imperfect knowledge of French produced errors of spelling or syllable distribution. Sometimes the syllable underlay is impossible and calls for a change in the musical text. At other times the autograph presents a stratified appearance: the result of corrections (presumably made during the rehearsals with the singers) in which it is not always easy to distinguish the original from the revised version.
For all of these reasons the present edition has not limited himself to verifying and reinstating the correct reading of the original text. It has also included the emendations, additions, interpretations and acts of genuine ‘restoration’ (all critically grounded and also identified with the assistance of the secondary sources) that are necessary in a score designed for modern usage.