Giuseppe Verdi

I Vespri Siciliani

The first performance of I Vespri Siciliani (The Sicilian Vespers), a five-act opera by Guiseppe Verdi (1813-1901), took place at the Paris Opera on June 13, 1855, under the direction of Narcisse Girard. Verdi set to music an adaptation of a libretto originally intended for Donizetti, called "The Duke of Alba", based on the 16th-century Spanish tyrant but replacing the earliest Dutch setting with a Sicilian one. When it was first performed in Italy, the text was changed under the title "Giovanna de Guzman" to satisfy the Italian censors. In 1860, it returned to its original title with a new translation. Although not as frequently performed today, it achieved great success with both audiences and critics. Elena (Hélène) sings the Siciliana "Mercè, dilette amiche" ("Thank you, beloved friends") before her marriage to Henri, transforming wedding flowers into a metaphor for the joyful sensations of her Sicilian motherland. This is preceded by the chorus "Si celebri alfine tra canti" ("It is celebrated at the end among the songs"). Instrumentation: 1+Picc.2.2.2: 4.2+2.3.1: Timp.Perc(2): Harp: Str (4-4-3-3-3 in set): Solo Soprano. Reprint edition.