Giovanni Pacini (1796-1867) was born in Sicily, and wrote 74 operas, as a good Sicilian composer living at that time might. When hearing this opera, I was of course reminded of Rossini, who had taken to Paris in 1824 only to leave the subsequent development of Italian opera to the likes of Bellini, Donizetti, and their compatriot, Pacini. I also entertained the blasphemous though that this opera by Pacini was actually more substantial sounding than many by Rossini. But a little research showed that Pacini was one of the people responsible, as Bellini and Donizetti, for changing the direction of opera, and so all began to make sense. There is more lushness to the orchestration, and more drama infused into the music, with fewer bel canto pyrotechnics that Rossini often relied upon as a substitute for genuine drama.
I love Rossini, don’t get me wrong, but you can hear some of the differences when listening to Pacini. It would not be until 1840 that Pacini hit a streak of major successes, but in the end was unable to maintain the type of momentum Bellini and Donizetti created, and it is only recently that we are discovering what a major composer he really is. This recording, based on Alexander the Great’s excursion in India (a fatal one) was written in the Rossini departure year of 1824, and so falls as a basically early piece in the composer’s corpus. It was also not terribly successful, probably because of the lack of action on the stage—this is a very introverted piece when one examines it carefully, but the music is simply outstanding, with wonderfully sustained melodic lines, a chorus-heavy piece of grand proportions. Even the opening of the overture is suitably dramatic as if to announce something big is going to happen, though the overture itself is not much of one, and serves more as a herald than anything substantial or related to the subsequent music.
Alexander overcame one of the kings of India, Poro, several times, restoring to him his lands after the conquest. The opera opens with Poro in open rebellion against Alexander after having been defeated again, and is said to have disappeared from sight and even believed dead. Alexander in the meantime has fallen in love with Cleofide, a Queen of another region, who is suggested in the libretto to have born him a son, though it may also be that she is married to Poro. Jealousy arises when Cleofide seems to have been courting Alexander’s attention, and even when Poro appears to her as proof of his still being alive, his suspicions continue when she insists in thanking Alexander in person for releasing some of his prisoners back to her.
Cleofide and Alexander try to outdo one another when they meet in terms of political expediency, and Alexander continues to fall for her. Poro comes to the camp in the guise of an aid, and begins to suggest that King Poro rejects Alexander and wishes to meet him again in the field of battle, and that Cleofide is not to be trusted. Poro finally is persuaded of Cleofide’s loyalty to him, though when the battle ensues and it looks like yet another defeat for him, he attempts to slay her thinking it better for them both to die together than to be caught. Alexander arrives and stops this, though Cleofide saves Poro by keeping up the ruse of Poro as an “aid.” Alexander is appalled by the barbarity of the situation, and takes the “aid” (Poro) into custody.
When Alexander proposes that Cleofide should marry him to avoid the demands of the Greek army for her death, another friend of hers declares himself to be King Poro, and says that he is the one who should die because it is he who is responsible. Alexander is moved by this, and relinquishes his claims to Cleofide, and restores her to the Poro -imitator. Meanwhile, Poro is announced to be dead, though the loyal friend of Cleofide sees him being rescued alive from the river. Cleofide, to Alexander’s surprise, agrees to marry Alexander. As the wedding begins, Cleofide then declares that it is a time for death, not love, and proposes to throw herself, as is custom, on the funeral pyre of her husband. Just then, Poro, who was about to stab her, reveals himself for who he is and asks her once again to join him in death. Alexander, now recognizing Poro for who he is, restores to Poro all his lands (and his wife) and the opera ends with great rejoicing. Whew!
I have gone into such detail to show that this indeed is a bit of a cluttered situation for a stage drama [aren’t they all?..Ed.], and even Opera Rara’s production is based on a concert performance. I cannot emphasize enough however, the quality of the music, and the performances match that quality easily, Jennifer Larmore and Laura Claycomb giving wonderful characterizations of Poro and Cleofide. Bruce Ford has a slightly less important part as Alexander, but is stirringly wonderful in it. The entire ensemble under David Parry is quite convinced of the validity of the piece, and Opera Rara, more than any company out there, gives us a model of fine production values, including a colorful 150-page booklet that includes texts and translations. The SACD sound is nicely conceived, though the middle and back speakers are used predominantly for special effects and emphasis, not a continuing presence throughout the recording. This package is expensive though, around $75, though for opera lovers this will not be a problem. A top recommendation for terrifically high quality.
— Steven Ritter
