Rosmonda d'Inghilterra
- Enrico II, King of England (Tenor)
- Leonora, his wife (Soprano)
- Rosmonda, Enrico's mistress and daughter Clifford (Soprano)
- Gualtiero Clifford, Enrico's former teacher ( bass)
- Arturo, Enrico Page (mezzo- soprano)
- MPs, courtiers, pages, soldiers, servants (chorus )
Rosmonda d' Inghilterra is an opera by Gaetano Donizetti. The libretto was written by Felice Romani. The premiere took place in 1834 in Florence instead.
Content
Act 1:
Scene 1, garden of Castle Woodstock: The nation celebrates the return Enrico ( Henry II ) from the war against Ireland. Leonora ( Queen Eleanor ) learns about the page Arturo that Enrico has a secret mistress, which he keeps hidden in a tower. This has also experienced his old teacher Clifford and he introduces Enrico therefore to task. Clifford has no idea that it is the mistress is his own daughter Rosmonda and demands to see the unknown.
Scene 2, Rosmondas Tower: Rosmonda awaits the return of her lover " Edegardo " whose true identity she does not know. When the Page Arturo visiting Clifford's logs, Rosmonda panics. In the following confrontation with her father Rosmonda learns that her lover is the king. As this now seems even she faints. Also Leonora is in with her court. Enrico explains Leonora as Queen deposed.
Act 2:
Scene 1, Hall at Castle Woodstock: Enrico arranges to send the queen back in her native France. Leonora is making a futile attempt to change her husband.
Scene 2, Rosmondas Tower: Clifford orders his daughter to flee to France, where he wants to marry her to the pages Arturo. Enrico tries to retune Rosmonda, by promising her the throne. She declines.
Scene 3, Garden of Castle Woodstock: Rosmonda waiting for Arturo. But instead of his Leonora appears. Rosmonda protested her innocence and tells of the planned escape. Leonora is almost inclined to believe the rival. But when suddenly the appearance Enrico is announced, she stabs Rosmonda and explains Enrico for truly responsible for this act.
Background
A play about the life of Rosamund Clifford (1150-1176), a mistress of King Henry II, who must have been an exceptional beauty, Felice Romani served as a model for his libretto Rosmonda D' Inghiterra, which was first set to music in 1829 by Carlo Coccia and then again in 1834 by Gaetano Donizetti.
In the opera Queen Leonora stabs her rival Rosmonda what is historically untenable though, but as an opera material extremely effective.
More recently, the work was performed again in 1975 by the Opera Rara society at the festival in Camden, which also brought out in 1994 a complete recording of the work with Renée Fleming in the title role.