Overview
Synopsis
King Enrico VIII has fallen in love with Giovanna Seymour, lady-in-waiting to his current wife, Anna Bolena. He has been unhappy with Anna for a long time, and has devised a plot to ensure he can remove her from the throne and annul their marriage. If he has to, he will go as far as having his wife executed. All he needs is to catch her in a compromising position.
Knowing of the history between Anna and Lord Percy, Enrico invites Lord Percy back to England out of his exile and offers him the freedom of the castle. He sets Signor Hervey the task of watching Percy and Anna, for any moments of transgression. It is not long before Anna and Percy are caught having a private conversation, facilitated by Lord Rochefort, Anna’s brother, and spied on by Smeton, the court musician. Enrico is delighted, he has plenty of evidence to remove his wife, and leaves the sentencing up to the council.
As the first installment of Donizetti’s Tudor Queens Trilogy, Anna Bolena is a beautiful period drama, set in Tudor England, where power and passion have more control over royalty than morality and honor.
Show Information
- Music
- Gaetano Donizetti
- Libretto
- Felice Romani
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1830
- Genres
- Drama, Historical/Biographical, Tragedy
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- England, 1536, London, Windsor
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Professional Opera, Star Vehicle Female, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
After the premiere of Anna Bolena on December 26, 1830, at the Teatro Carcano, Milan, Donizetti had secured himself a position as one of the foremost composers of his time, an expert of bel canto style, and carved out his place next to his contemporaries Bellini and Rossini. Musically, dramatically, and thematically, Anna Bolena really was Donizetti’s crowning glory at this point in his career, and was wildly successful.
It was snapped up for performance across the world in the following
to read the context for Anna Bolena and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
In the Queen’s apartments in Windsor castle, there is an expectant feeling as the people wait for the king’s arrival (‘Nè venne il re?’). Their mood is also ominous as they can know what is about to happen. King Enrico has been withdrawing his affection from his current wife, Anna Bolena, and his behavior tells them he has found himself a new woman. His knights have seen this happen before, with his first wife, and they know that the queen’s time of happiness is due to end.
to read the plot for Anna Bolena and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Contralto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
Songs
Act 1
No. 1 Introduction
- ‘Nè venne il re?’ - Chorus
- ‘Ella di me, sollecita’ - Giovanna, Anna
- Romance ‘Deh! Non voler costringere’ - Smeton
- Cavatina ‘Come, innocente giovane’ - Anna, Giovanna, Chorus
No. 2 Duet
- ‘Oh! Qual parlar fu il suo!’ - Giovanna, Enrico
- ‘Fanna! Si, L’avrete’ - Giovanna, Enrico
No. 3 Recitative and Cavatina
- ‘Chi veggo?... In Inghilterra’ - Rochefort, Percy
- Aria ‘Da quel dì che, lei perduta’ - Percy
No. 4 Quintet
- ‘Voi regina!... E fia pur vero’ - Anna, Enrico, Percy, Rochefort, Hervey, Chorus
No. 5 Finale I
- Aria ‘Ah parea che per incanto’ - Smeton
- Scene ‘Bada, bada…’ - Anna, Rochefort, Smeton
- Duet ‘Sei t’aborre, io t’amo ancora’ - Anna, Percy
- Finale I - Anna, Percy, Rochefort, Smeton, Enrico, Giovanna, Chorus
Act 2
No. 6 Introduction II
- ‘Oh! Dove mai ne andarono’ - Chorus
- ‘Regina! Rincoratevi;’ - Anna, Hervey, Chorus
No. 7 Duet
- ‘Dio che mi vedi in core’ - Anna, Giovanna
- ‘Tu! Che ascolto!’ - Anna, Giovanna
No. 8 Trio
- ‘Ebben? Dinanzi ai giudici’ - Chorus
- ‘Ambo morrete, o perfidi’ - Hervey, Enrico, Anna, Percy, Chorus
No. 9 Aria
- ‘Sposa a Percy pira che ad Enrico ell’era!’ - Enrico, Giovanna
- Aria ‘Per questa fiamma indomita’ - Giovanna, Enrico, Chorus
- ‘I Pari unanim’ - Hervey, Chorus
- Aria ‘Ah! Pensate che rivolti’ - Giovanna, Enrico, Chorus
No. 10 Aria
- ‘Tu pur dannato a morte’ - Percy, Rochefort, Hervey
- ‘Vivi tu, te ne scongiuro’ - Percy, Rochefort, Hervey=
No. 11 Finale II
- ‘Chi può vederla a ciglio asciutto’ - Chorus
- ‘Al dolce guidami castel natio’ - Anna
- ‘Qual mesto suon?’ - Anna, Hervey, Percy, Rochefort, Smeton, Chorus
- Aria ‘Coppia iniqua’ - Anna, Chorus
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.