Asger Hamerik - La Vendetta

[Justin]

In Milano, Italy on December 23rd, 1870, Asger Hamerik premiered a lyrical drama in five scenes, entitled La Vendetta.

I have just uploaded a recording of it in the downloads board, although I have zero information on its details. Also, the singers aren't top notch, but the overture is in itself quite pleasant and the sound quality is excellent.

The libretto was written by the composer himself in both Danish and Italian, and it appears to be an original story. A score reduction for singer and pianoforte may be viewed here: https://books.google.com/books/about/La_Vendetta_Dramma_lirico_in_cinque_scen.html?id=wOaGxHnr_wUC

[eschiss1]

That seems to be brokenish.
this link may work better. Then click on the cover.

[Justin]

That seems to be brokenish.
this link may work better. Then click on the cover.

Updated the link.

[hyperdanny]

oh wow---how exciting to discover that one of my absolute favorite Unsungs (I believe most of the symphonies to be not-minor masterpieces) had a connection with my city...do you happen to know "where" the event took place? Maybe not La Scala, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was Teatro Dal Verme...

[Justin]

Hi Danny,

According to the Danish National Opera, it in fact premiered at La Scala!

[eschiss1]

I interpreted the question as, where was the video performance, as opposed to where the work itself was premiered during Hamerik's lifetime, but I may have misread it.

[Mark Thomas]

I can find no details online of any modern performance or broadcast details, which is a shame as the quality of both the recording and the performance itself is pretty good.

[eschiss1]

"Hamerik found himself in Corsica in early 1869 working on his one act opera La Vendetta when news came to him of Berlioz's precarious condition." - HBerlioz.com. Doesn't answer my question, but gives some more information

[CelesteCadenza]

An article in the Danish newspaper Politiken from November 2017 discusses future plans of Den Jyske Opera and hints that La Vendetta may be in the offing, but that the only opera that is firmly planned is Enna's Kleopatra, which indeed was produced last year. As Mark rightly points out, it is unusual that the currently anonymous performance, which from the audio quality is likely of recent vintage, could fly so beneath the radar of unsung opera fanatics. The direct quote is:

"Ved præsentationen af den kommende sæson på Den Jyske Opera her til eftermiddag blev sløret således løftet for en ny plan om i de kommende år at genoplive danske operaer, der er gået i glemmebogen. Som eksempel nævner Den Jyske Opera operaen 'La Vendetta' af komponisten Asger Hamerik, der i sin tid havde premiere på La Scala i Milano.

I første omgang bliver det dog operaen 'Kleopatra' af August Enna, der får premiere i Musikhuset Aarhus i foråret 2019, hvorefter den sendes på turné rundt i landet."

https://politiken.dk/kultur/musik/art6219064/Dansk-operascene-ans%C3%A6tter-unge-internationale-sangere-og-genopliver-glemte-danske-operaer

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks CelesteCadenza, the mystery deepens.

[Alan Howe]

This is glorious stuff - proto-verismo in style, surely.

...in 1870, Hamerik was in Milan to study song technique with the famous teacher Francesco Lamperti; during that time, he wrote a one-act opera in Italian, and La vendetta was first performed at the famous La Scala in Milan in 1870.
https://jyske-opera.dk/media/2163/dendanskeserie_udstilling_final.pdf

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, it pre-dates verismo, but sounds very much like it, doesn't it? I loved it!

[hyperdanny]

thank you Justin and Alan....wow, directly at La Scala? I'm impressed..usually the stuff outside the consolidated pantheon of Opera went to the Teatro Dal Verme or the Teatro Lirico, Hamerik must have enjoyed a higher than average reputation, fascinating.

[eschiss1]

He was selected as first director of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore the year after the premiere (1871). I assume he had -some- reputation worth speaking of...

[CelesteCadenza]

La Vendeta was indeed performed by the Jutland Opera in Nov/Dec 2022 as a double-bill along with I Pagliacci. It was broadcast by Danish Radio on 17 December 2022: https://jyske-opera.dk/kalender/la-vendetta-i-pagliacci

A video teaser is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Icb4AZtlTFE&t=3s