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L'amore dei tre re
Premiere at Teatro alla Scala, Milan, April 10, 1913 ACT I. A castle terrace, just before dawn.King Archibaldo conquered the Italian kingdom of Altura forty years ago, but the country has never been fully subdued. Now the old, blind king waits in the pre-dawn hours for the return of his son, Manfredo, who is still fighting rebels. In his pre-dawn conversation with the Alturan servant Flaminio, Archibaldo describes how, in order to connect his family to the country, he raised a princess of the older ruling family and married her to his son. Flaminio leads Archibaldo off to rest. 
Manfredo's wife, Fiora emerges from her bedroom with a Prince of Altura, Avito. They are very deeply in love and drowsy with post-sexual euphoria. Archibaldo's return interrupts them, but Avito gets away. Archibaldo senses that Fiora has not been alone, but she denies his accusations. Although Archibaldo knows Fiora is lying, even though the old king knows Fiora is lying, out of love for his son he decides to spare Manfredo's feelings. When they hear Manfredo's approach, Archibaldo sends her to her room to pretend as though she is still asleep. Manfredo comes in, greets his father and looks forward to seeing Fiora. When she re-enters, she is cool to him. Manfredo, however, is desperately in love with her and leads her back toward their bedroom. Archibaldo prays for more blindness. ACT II. The castle battlements, late afternoon.Manfredo and Fiora walk on the battlements. He is upset because his sorrow at their imminent parting seems to be so much more than hers. She complains that he's never at home and when he does return, the first thing he announces is that he must be leaving soon. Fiora's heart is touched, though, by his request that she wave her veil from the tower as he rides away. Manfredo rushes away and Avito, who has been hiding in the castle disguised as a guard, surprises her. At first Fiora tries to maintain her distance while continuing to signal Manfredo with her veil. Avito's insistent passion, however, weakens her resolve and she drops the veil and yields to him. They express their love with the imagery of night and flowers and insatiable sexual yearning. Once more, Archibaldo surprises them. Flaminio helps Avito escape and returns to inform Fiora and Archibaldo that Manfredo is returning. When Flaminio hurries off to greet Manfredo, Archibaldo confronts Fiora with her infidelity. After first denying his accusation, Fiora finally admits she has a lover. She tells her father-in-law that she will tell Manfredo herself. In a fury because he knows his son will forgive her, Archibaldo seizes her by the throat and kills her. When Manfredo finds them, Archibaldo offers to kill himself for having murdered Fiora. He tells Manfredo that Fiora betrayed both her marriage and her country. Manfredo is devastated to discover that Fiora had been capable of so much love, but none of it for him. Archibaldo pledges to discover Fiora's lover, picks up her body and carries it off. ACT III. Fiora's tomb, at night.Mourners lament Fiora's death, and ask for vengeance on her murderer. After they leave, Avito comes out of the shadows and approaches her body. Despairing for their lost love, he kisses her. Immediately, he feels a strange sensation. Manfredo surprises him, recognizes him, and reveals that Archibaldo had spread a powerful poison on Fiora's lips in order to catch her lover. Manfredo begs the dying Avito to tell him whether Fiora truly loved Avito. Struggling for breath, Avito says she loved him as much as life itself. Manfredo catches Avito and eases him to the ground as he dies. However, his own grief without Fiora overwhelms him and Manfredo also kisses Fiora's lips. Archibaldo comes groping toward the groaning man, determined to capture the traitor. But as his powerful hands grip the dying man, he discovers it is his own son. Archibaldo is left alone in the shadows. |
Italo Montemezzi |
