La Favorita

Opera in 4 acts by Gaetano Donizetti (1797 - 1848).

The Italian version of La Favorite (1842) is undeniably a flawed text. The French original (1840) was conceived in a vein of high religious seriousness as a discussion of the conflict between religious and profane love; the Italian, which had to satisfy the demands of censorship and temper the religious element, introduced serious inconsistencies which mar the story, and compounded the errors with bad verses. Despite the alterations, however, the religious element remains dominant and the allegorical nature of the work is central to an understanding of it.

The historical background to the opera is that of Spain in the year 1340, the year Castile and Portugal united to defeat the Moslem invasion of Rio Salado; Alfonso Xl is on the throne of Castile but his authority is tempered by the all pervading power of the Papacy. Although he is married, Aifonso has a mistress, the beautiful (and historically notorious) Leonora de Guzmán, the 'favourite' of the title. For the purposes of the opera, papal power in Spain is vested in the person of Baldassarre, who is not only the Superior of St. James of Compostela (a focal point of pilgrimage throughout the Middle Ages and therefore probably the most important religious institution in the country) but also the 'Reggitor', or Governor. The Italian librettists also make Baldassare the father of Alfonso's rejected Queen, thus investing his opposition to the King's marital irregularities with a paternal as well as a religious motive. Less forgivably, they make Fernando, who according to the French libretto is simply a novice in the monastery of St James, his child as well, which makes nonsense of the young man's innocence of the situation at court on which so much of the story depends. Although irritating to the logical mind, such flaws can and should be discounted in the context of the lyrical enchantment and powerful dramatic impulse of Donizetti's score.

SYNOPSIS

Act One

Scene 1

The curtain rises on the cloisters of St James of Compostela as the monks process slowly towards the Chapel for their early morning office. They are chanting, not a hymn, but an invocation to the rising sun to lighten the path of their revered Superior. He follows behind them accompanied by his son Fernando, who is a novice of the Order. Observing that the young man seems wrapped in his own thoughts, he stops him from entering the chapel and invites his confidence. Fernando promptly unburdens his soul. His dedication to the monastic life has been totally disrupted by the fact that he has chanced to see a beautiful woman in the church where he was praying, and ever since his mind has been haunted by her. His faith is unshaken, but his future lies with her and not in the cloister. Baldassare, who had envisaged his son inheriting his own cloak of religious authority, is at first incredulous and then outraged. Warning him of the perfidy of the profane world, and prophesying that one day he will return to the cloister a sadder and wiser man, he bids him be gone.

Scene 2

The lush, flower strewn Lion Island, close to the Portuguese coast. Alfonso's mistress, Leonora, is the Circe of this island, A boat is approaching the shore. The passenger is Fernando. We are now to understand that, having left the monastery, he has succeeded in tracing the mysterious beauty who had captivated him in the church, and has not only declared his passion, but been given to understand that it is returned. However, he has been kept in ignorance of the identity of his beloved, who even stipulates that when he comes to see her he should be blindfolded until his arrival. Ines, Leonora's confidante, comes to meet him as he steps ashore, and he voices to her his puzzlement over such secretive measures, but she will not be drawn past the point of admitting that there is a reason for them that is more grave than he could imagine. Ines retires and Leonora herself impetuously greets her beloved. When Fernando invites her to become his bride, Leonora declares that this is impossible and that furthermore their brief idyll must come to an end. Bidding Fernando never to see her again, she hands him some papers which she says will provide for his future. Ines announces the arrival of the King and Leonora reacts with consternation. When she has left him, a part of the truth dawns on Fernando. Leonora's presence has been sought by the King himself, therefore she is a highborn lady socially beyond his reach. (The Italian librettists have forgotten, at this stage, that Fernando is the King's brother in law.) Reading the paper Leonora has given him, he sees that it is a commission in the army and he deduces that she is giving him the chance to prove himself eventually worthy of her by becoming a hero.

Act Two

The Moorish invasion has taken place and been successfully repulsed. King Alfonso, the victor, has taken over the Moorish palace of Alcazar, and as the act opens he is enjoying the spoils of war. Don Gasparo is with him, and from their ensuing conversation we learn that Fernando has indeed distinguished himself in battle and earned the gratitude of the King, which is about to be publicly acknowledged. We also learn that the King's father in law has arrived at the court and that he is very angry. The King well knows the reason: someone has informed Baldassare that he (Alfonso) is about to divorce his wife in order to marry Leonora. Sending Don Gasparo away, Alfonso muses on his love for his mistress and his determination to wed her in the face of all opposition. When Leonora herself enters, however, she has only reproaches for him. Her misery is twofold, now that she has fallen in love with Fernando, but her reproach to the King concerns only the fact that when she became his mistress it had not occurred to her that he would not make her his Queen. Her social position at court has become unbearable and her conscience is pricking her too (rather belatedly). Alfonso attempts to comfort her, but realises that he has lost her affection. He orders a grand entertainment for her delectation. As the ballet draws to a close, Don Gasparo approaches the King. A letter has been intercepted, on the person of Ines, intended for Leonora, by which it has been deduced that Leonora has a lover. Leonora does not seek to deny that this is so, and announces that she is in love with the man. Alfonso's understandably furious reaction is cut short by the entrance, unannounced, of Baldassare. He has come to confront Alfonso with a papal document that will force him to relinquish his plans to divorce his present Queen and marry his mistress. Alfonso tries to assert his authority as monarch, but he has the entire court, as well as the church against him.

Act Three

Fernando arrives for the ceremony already mentioned by the King as having been organised to reward him for his valour. Alfonso asks him to name his own reward and Fernando unhesitatingly asks for the hand of a noble lady whose love, he says, has inspired his prowess in the field. 'She's yours', says Alfonso, 'name her'. Fernando points to Leonora. The King is stupefied, but recovers quickly. He knows he has lost Leonora's love, and he now guesses that Fernando is his successful rival. He is in trouble with both church and court and here is the solution. He orders Leonora to accept Fernando's offer of marriage and stipulates that the wedding shall take place within one hour. Alfonso and Femando leave, and Leonora, left on her own, expresses her mingled reaction of shame and delight. She decides that Fernando must know the truth whatever the consequences may be, and Ines is entrusted with this mission. Before she has a chance to fulfil it, however, Ines is arrested and imprisoned as a result of Alfonso's previous orders regarding the letter. Leonora does not realise what has happened and goes to her wedding believing Fernando to have been given the facts and to have forgiven her. Fernando is in the seventh heaven. The ceremony over, he invites the courtiers to share his happiness and is bewildered and dismayed by their contemptuous behaviour. The truth is revealed and it breaks him. He casts his honours and his medals back at the King and breaks his sword before him. Stripped by his own volition of every worldly distinction, but with his honourable reputation restored, Fernando leaves the court in the company of Baldassarre.

Act Four

At the Monastery of St. James, the community is enveloped in an aura of death. The body of the Queen, dead of grief, has been returned to her father's care for burial. Fernando has returned, too, and is about to take his final vows. From the chapel come the sounds of the community praying for the soul of the departed. A figure staggers into view, collapses before the cross. It is Leonora. As she lies there she hears Fernando's voice rising above the others, uttering a bitterly vindictive prayer for the woman who was the guilty cause of the death he mourns. Fernando then emerges, and when he recognises Leonora he orders her off the sacred ground which her presence profanes. But Leonora has no anger, no bitterness, only love and compassion. At first against his will Fernando begins to remember, then as Leonora explains her unwitting deception, he begins to forgive. Now it is he who would once more plunge into the outside world and live for love alone. But it is too late. Worn out by her physical and spiritual pilgrimage. Leonora expires in his arms.