Montemezzi: L'amore dei tre re [Import]

Montemezzi is a technical master, with an orchestral language, influenced by Wagner, that is charged with dynamism and electricity. Yet the lyricism and pacing are wholly Italian. It's a shame that this opera is so little staged these days.

The story tells of Fiora, torn between her old love--Avito, son of the deposed king of Altura, and Manfredo, the son of the now aged Germanic conquerer Archibaldo, to whom she was forcibly married. Both princes gain our sympathy, and we can even identify with the rage of the old blind king, who can sense that his daughter-in-law is being unfaithful to his son, but cannot prove it. Fiora is torn, but her heart is given to Avito, and when the old king finally has evidence of her sin, he strangles her to death. Hoping to also kill her unknown partner in crime, he smears the dead woman's lips with poison. But he becomes the unwitting murderer of his own son as it is Manfredo who first kisses her dead lips, though Avito, knowing the consequences follows suit.

The librettist, Sem Benelli, was a follower of Gabrielle d'Annunzio, and the story he tells is not so far from similar tales of d'Annunzio's, such as "Francesca da Rimini". But Benelli is a little shallower--his characters not quite as deeply defined or realistic. Yet the drama is still gripping, and Montemezzi's love music in Act II soars. Elsewhere the whole score is suffused with a sense of horror and unquiet well in keeping with it's dreadful tale.

For those who like this opera, I would recommend two other recordings. The first being Montemezzi's own account of the score from the Metropolitan opera in 1941 with Ezio Pinza in the role of Archibaldo. This has long been available on pirate tapes, but has now also been released commercially on the Guild label. Unfortunately, due to copyright issues, it can only be obtained from overseas sources, or on Ebay (where I got mine). Montemezzi's read is far more electric than Santi's more prosaic efforts. Of course, the sound is poorer. Also, the commentary by the host gives one the feeling that one is truly experiencing history.

The second recommendation would be the album "Souvenirs from Verismo Operas Vol. 4", which contains a complete recording of Montemezzi's brief final opera "L'incantesimo", also led by the composer. I consider this 44 minute jewel an even finer work than the much more famous "L'amore dei tre re". Both are worth a listen!

Needless to say they are also both very much worth staging. I'd also kill to see or listen two other Montemezzi operas that still lie shamefully unrecorded, such as the opera he considered his masterpiece, "La nave" from 1918, and "L'notte di Zoraima" which premiered at the Met with Rosa Ponselle in the lead.