Rodelinda, Regina de' Longobardi Dramma per musica in tre atti The revivals of 1725/26 and 1731

PREFACE

The vocal score of Rodelinda, like the full score , presents as its main text the version of the opera that was given at the King’s Theatre in the Haymarket, London, at the first performance on 13 February 1725. The appendix contains, in addition to four items that Handel discarded before the first performance, all the music he composed for the two revivals of the opera, including three pieces taken from his own operas: Grimoaldo‘s arias “Non pensi quell’altera” and “Vi sento, sì” (both from Lotario ), and the duet for Rodelinda and Bertarido, “Se il cor” (from Tolomeo). The orchestral coda that was added to Grimoaldo’s accompanied recitative is printed as a footnote within the main text. Rodelinda followed Giulio Cesare and Tamerlano as the third of a remarkable trio of operatic masterpieces that Handel composed between 20 February 1724 and 13 February 1725. For all three Nicola Haym supplied the libretto; in case of Rodelinda he adapted Antonio Salvi’s libretto of 1710, which in turn was derived from Pierre Corneille’s play Pertharite, Roi des Lombards, first performed in 1652 and published in 1653. Salvi’s changes to Corneille’s plot, in particular his introduction of Bertarido at a much earlier stage, produce a far more compelling drama. Haym removed the character of Unoldo and changed the allocation of arias so as to shift the balance away from the minor characters and towards the main ones. Haym concentrated attention on the central theme of the opera: the courage and the unswerving devotion of a wife to her husband.
The historical background
The principal source for the history of Lombardy in the Middle Ages is the Historia Langobardorum by Paulus Diaconus: book 4 (chapter 51) and book 5 (chapters 1—33) provide the background and the historical basis of Handel‘s opera Rodelinda. When Aripert, die king of Lombardy, died in 661 AD he left his kingdom to his two sons: Perctarit was to rule in Milan, and Godepert in Pavia. Soon there developed hostility between the brothers. Godepert sent Garipald, Duke of Turin, to Duke Grimuald of Benevento, in order to enlist his support in the conflict with Perctarit. As a reward for his help, Godepert promised Garipald the hand of his sister in marriage. (She is not named in the Historia Langobardorum; in Corneille, Salvi and Haym she is Éduige/ Eduige.) The treacherous Garipald, however, persuaded Grimuald to seize the throne of Lombardy for himself. Grimuald killed Godepert and assurned sovereignty in Pavia. Hearing of this, Perctarit fled Milan and went into exile. His wife, Rodelinda, and their son, Cunicpert, were themselves sent into exile by Grimuald, who had now taken control in Milan as well. Garipald was murdered by a dwarf (a former member of the household of Godepert) in the church of St. John in Turin. Grimuald married Godepert‘s sister. Perctarit returned to Milan, having been promised by Grimuald that no bann would come to him. But rumours were spread that popular support for Perctarit might enable him to regain the throne, and so Grimuald made elaborate plans to have him murdered. The attempt on Perctarit‘s life was unsuccessful, however, and he escaped with the help of a valet and his faithful friend Unulfus. On discovering the escape, and the complicity of Unulfus and Perctarit‘s valet, Grimuald showed the magnanimous side of his nature by praising the two for their fidelity, and allowing them to join Perctarit in exile in the land of the Franks. After several years Grimuald died. When he heard the news Perctarit returned to Milan, brought his wife and son back from exile, and assumed once more the throne of Lombardy.

The first dramatised version of these events appeared in the play Pertharite, Roi des Lombards by Pierre Corneille. Although abandoned many of the historical facts and invented new elements, it is interesting that he based the complex character of Grimoald on the account of Paulus Diaconus: after the escape of Pertharite, Grimoald‘s courtiers urged him to have the valet killed. Surprisingly, Grimoald showed clemency both to him and to Unulphe: though a usurper and a murderer, he respected the virtue of loyalty. Among the more radical of Corneille‘s changes to the historical account are the return of Pertharite before the death of Grimoald (the latter does not happen in the play); the retention of Garibalde as the evil power behind the throne (his treacherous nature, however, is derived from the historical account of Paulus Diaconus); the continued residence of Rodelinde and her son in Milan; and the love of Grimoald for Rodelinde, and of Garibalde for Éduige. There is no doubt that these changes make for a more powerful drama. Salvi clearly saw in them the opportunity for a similarly compelling operatic libretto: not only the major changes but also many of the details are retained in his libretto.

The plot
Bertarido has fled his kingdom following the seizure of the throne of Milan by Grimoaldo, and is believed dead. Grimoaldo offers his hand in marriage to Bertarido’s wife, Rodelinda, but she spurns it. Eduige, Bertarido’s sister, has a claim on Grimoaldo, but he rejects her. The evil Garibaldo, feigning support for Grimoaldo, wishes to seize the throne for himself by marrying Eduige. Bertarido returns from exile in disguise, but is persuaded by his friend Unulfo not to reveal himself, for fear of compromising the safety of his wife and son, Flavio. He is horrified to witness his wife’s apparent capitulation to Grimoaldo. She, however, frustrates Grimoaldo’s desire by telling him that she will marry him only on condition that he kill her son – a deed she knows he cannot perform. Bertarido is reassured by Eduige that Rodelinda is faithful to him; Unulfo brings the news of Bertarido’s safe return to Rodelinda. Husband and wife are reunited, but only briefly. Grimoaldo condemns Bertarido to death and throws him into prison. Two plans are made to help Bertarido escape: Unulfo gains access to the prison with a key given to him by Eduige; she meanwhile throws a sword down into Bertarido’s cell. Hearing Unulfo approach, Bertarido mistakes him for his executioner, and accidentally wounds him with the sword. The two men escape. Eduige, Rodelinda, and Flavio enter the cell; finding Bertarido’s cloak and fresh blood, they fear the worst. Unulfo leaves Bertarido hidden in the royal garden, and goes to fetch Rodelinda and Flavio. Grimoaldo enters, driven mad by jealousy, anger, love, and remorse for his sins. He falls asleep. Garibaldo seizes the opportunity and tries to murder him, but is prevented from doing so by Bertarido, who kills Garibaldo. Rodelinda is overjoyed to find her husband alive; Unulfo and Eduige explain the rescue. Grimoaldo renounces the throne of Milan in Bertarido’s favour; he will rule in Pavia with Eduige as his wife.

Handel’s singers and the two revivals

The singers at the first performance (13 February 1752) were:
Francesca Cuzzoni (soprano) Rodelinda
Senesino (alto castrato) Bertarido
Francesco Borosini (tenor) Grimoaldo
Giuseppe Boschi (bass) Garibaldo
Anna Dotti (contralto) Eduige
Andrea Pacini (alto castrato) Unulfo

At the first revival (December 1725 – January 1726) there were two changes: Grimoaldo was sung by Luigi Antinori (tenor), and Unulfo by Antonio Baldi (alto castrato).
The singers of the second revival (May 1731) were:
Anna Strada (soprano) Rodelinda
Senesino (alto castrato) Bertarido
Annibale Fabri (tenor) Grimoaldo
Giovanni Commano (bass) Garibaldo
Antonia Merighi (contralto) Eduige
Francesca Bertolli (contralto) Unulfo

Since the voice types remained essentially the same throughout the three performance runs, Handel’s changes for the first and second revivals must have been prompted – at least in part – by the different technical abilities of his new singers. The changes that Handel made for the two revivals are summarized at the beginning of the Appendix, which also includes guidance on the reconstruction of the revival versions, together with the music that Handel composed for these revivals.
Andrew V. Jones