''Fosca'' is an

opera seria ''Opera seria'' (; plural: ''opere serie''; usually called ''dramma per musica'' or ''melodramma serio'') is an Italian musical term which refers to the noble and "serious" style of Italian opera that predominated in Europe from the 1710s to abou ...

in four acts by Brazilian composer Antônio Carlos Gomes to an Italian-language

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

Antonio Ghislanzoni Antonio Ghislanzoni (; 25 November 1824 – 16 July 1893) was an Italian journalist, poet, and novelist who wrote librettos for Verdi, among other composers, of which the best known are ''Aida'' and the revised version of '' La forza del de ...

based on Luigi Capranica's 1869 novel ''La festa delle Marie''.

Performance history

The opera premiered at

La Scala La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was Santa Maria della Scala, Milan, a church). The premiere performa ...

in Milan on 16 February 1873. It was a failure because of a dispute between lovers of

bel canto , )—with several similar constructions (, , , pronounced in English as )—is a term with several meanings that relate to Italian singing, and whose definitions have often been misunderstood. ''Bel canto'' was not only seen as a vocal technique ...

and supporters of

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...

ian music-drama. Gomes revised it in 1877, and the premiere of the new version (this time described as a melodramma) on February 7, 1878, also at La Scala, was a success. Since then, performances of the opera, mostly in Brazil, have been rare. The most recent productions, in both cases of the revised version, were given at the Teatro Amazonas,

Manaus Manaus () is the List of capitals of subdivisions of Brazil, capital and largest city of the States of Brazil, Brazilian state of Amazonas (Brazilian state), Amazonas. It is the List of largest cities in Brazil, seventh-largest city in Brazil, w ...

, in May 1998, and by

Wexford Festival Opera Wexford Festival Opera () is an opera festival that takes place in the town of Wexford in south-eastern Ireland during the months of October and November. Festival origins, growth and development Tom Walsh, 1951 to 1966 Tom Walsh, an avid o ...

in October of the same year. In 2016, Theatro Municipal de

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

has made a new production of the opera, staged in December.

Roles

Synopsis

:Place:

Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; ; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian: ; ; ) is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. Located at th ...

and Venice :Time: The 10th century

Act 1

''The pirates' lair near

Piran Piran (; ) is a town in southwestern Slovenia on the Gulf of Piran on the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the three major towns of Slovenian Istria. A bilingual city, with population speaking both Slovene and Italian, Piran is known for its medieva ...

'' The pirates ask Gajolo about their next raid. He is planning a

kidnapping Kidnapping or abduction is the unlawful abduction and confinement of a person against their will, and is a crime in many jurisdictions. Kidnapping may be accomplished by use of force or fear, or a victim may be enticed into confinement by frau ...

of brides who are participating in the "Feast of the Marys" at San Pietro in Venice. Cambro arrives to report that Michele Giotta, father of the pirates' prisoner, Paolo, is offering a reward for his son's return. Fosca, who loves Paolo, suggests double-crossing Giotta and claiming the money without releasing Paolo. The pirates reject this dishonourable plan. Gajolo asks Cambro to watch Fosca, and the pirates depart. Paolo, thinking he is to be executed, is brought out of his cell by Fosca. She confesses her love for him, but he rejects her: he is in love with Delia, to whom he is betrothed. Gajolo reappears with Giotta, who has paid Paolo's

ransom Ransom refers to the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release. It also refers to the sum of money paid by the other party to secure a captive's freedom. When ransom means "payment", the word ...

, and, to Fosca's horror, father and son leave for Venice. Cambro asks Fosca what his reward might be if he can deliver Delia to her. She replies "I will marry you".

Act 2

''Scene 1: Delia's house in Venice'' Paolo and Delia are to be married in an hour. Delia is worried that Paolo may have been attracted to Fosca, who nursed him when he was ill during his captivity. Paolo reassures her. Cambro, disguised as a Turkish merchant, offers to sell valuable jewellery to Delia. She declines. Paolo and Delia exchange fond farewells and depart in opposite directions in order to prepare for the wedding. Cambro looks forward to abducting Delia. ''Scene 2: A

piazza A town square (or public square, urban square, city square or simply square), also called a plaza or piazza, is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town or city, and which is used for community gatherings. Rela ...

in front of the church of San Pietro'' Cambro, still in disguise, tells Fosca (who is also in disguise) of Paolo's love for Delia and promises that he will avenge her. She invokes demons and rails against God. Gajolo is surprised to find Fosca at the church, but she reassures him that she is not intending to disrupt his raid. The wedding procession arrives and Fosca suddenly attacks Paolo. The pirates restrain her but she reiterates her desire for vengeance. The procession proceeds and some of the pirates carry Delia off, to Fosca's delight. Paolo is also captured, but a group of Venetian nobles overpower Gajolo.

Act 3

''A cell in the pirates' lair'' Delia bemoans her fate and her separation from Paolo. Fosca enters and Delia recognises her as her attacker at the church. Fosca tells her that Paolo is now in her power. Delia begs her to save Paolo and offers to die in place of him or to become Fosca's slave. Fosca, moved, relents and declares that it is she who will suffer. The pirates are aghast at the capture of Gajolo. Cambro fuels Fosca's jealousy once more, and she decides that she will rescue Gajolo and honour her promise to Cambro.

Act 4

''Scene 1: The

Doge's Palace The Doge's Palace (''Doge'' pronounced ; ; ) is a palace built in Venetian Gothic architecture, Venetian Gothic style, and one of the main landmarks of the city of Venice in northern Italy. The palace included government offices, a jail, and th ...

in Venice'' The Doge agrees to set Gajolo free. However, if it turns out that Fosca has killed Paolo, Gajolo must return to Venice and be executed. If he does not do so, he will be pursued to the ends of the earth. ''Scene 2: The pirates' lair'' Paolo, a prisoner again, believes that Delia is dead and longs for his own death. Fosca tells him that he must die unless Delia, whom she produces, takes poison. Delia is in two minds, but Paolo angrily rejects Fosca's proposal. She orders the pirates to kill Paolo, but at that moment Gajolo appears and demands that Paolo be freed. He reveals that when Cambro tried to murder him in Venice, he killed Cambro, and recounts his encounter with the Doge – Paolo and Delia must return to Venice or he will die. Fosca, distraught, pleads for the lovers' forgiveness. They depart, saying that they will pray for her. Fosca takes the poison intended for Delia and, as she dies, the pirates vent their anger at Venice.The synopsis is based on those in the Wexford Festival Opera programme book and in Grove Opera.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fosca (Opera) Operas by Carlos Gomes Italian-language operas Operas 1873 operas Operas based on novels Operas set in Venice Opera world premieres at La Scala