Admin

New Chamber Opera

Conductor

Steven Devine

Summer Opera 2024

Public

The True Constancy

Larissa Andrea Pereira

Approved

Haydn's riotous comedy, La vera Costanza, The True Constant, was one
of the composer's early works for the theatre at Eszterhaza, the
summer palace of his patron, from 1762, Nikolaus I, Prince
Esterhazy. The opera was first performed on 25 April 1779 and was
later revived there in 1785. The version of the work we have today is
a reconstruction for the 1785 revival; a fire destroyed the theatre in
late 1779, and with it were lost the performing materials and scores
for some of Haydn's operas. The composer subsequently reconstruc-
ted a number of them - including the much-loved Il mondo della
luna- from sketches and from memory.
Haydn's opening storm sequence which begins in the overture, sees
Baroness Irene, Ernesto, Lisetta, and Villotto rescued from a ship-
wreck by Rosina and Masino. Count Errico, whom she hopes to dis-
suade from marrying the fisherwoman Rosina. But - and not unusu-
ally for the 18th century - we discover that the Count has ALREADY
married (and abandoned) Rosina, who has had a child by him.
Neither the Count nor the Baroness and her retinue know of the
child's existence. The Baroness is promoting Villotto as a possible
husband for Rosina, an impossibility that descends into farce, when
the Count suddenly appears, threatening to kill his rival with a pistol.
And so the opera proceeds, with Ernesto threatening Masino with a
dagger, and other probable - and improbable - incidents!

English

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