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La
rondine (The swallow)
Music by Giacomo Puccini (1917)
Libretto
by Giuseppi Adami
The Characters
Magda
di Civry - Rambaldo’s mistress Rambaldo Fernandez- a wealthy Parisian banker Ruggero Lastouc -
son of a friend of Rambaldo Prunier - a poet Lisette - Magda’s maid Yvette, Bianca and
Suzy - friends of Magda Perichaud, Gobin, Crebillon - friends of Rambaldo Georgetta, Gabriella, Lolette
- Grisettes Morning voice Majordomo Whistler students, ladies and gentlemen, artists, grisettes,
dancers, flower girls and waiters
***** Setting
The action takes place in Paris and on the Riviera during the late 1850’s.
The story
Act I
An elegantly furnished salon in Magda’s
house in Paris
Magda and Rambaldo are entertaining guests in her elegant home in Paris.
Prunier, a poet, remarks, rather cynically, that romance is back in fashion in Paris — it’s a subtle microbe infecting the feminine world. He has even immortalized
this trend in his latest song, which he can’t seem to finish. Magda, a believer in true, romantic love, extemporizes a beautiful ending
to the story (Doretta’s
Dream) and
all the guests declare it “Exquisite!” Rambaldo declares romance is dead to him and presents Magda with a practical gift of pearls. Lisette
enters to announce that a man has asked at the door seven times to see Rambaldo. This is Ruggero Lastouc, the
son of an old friend, and Lisette goes off to show him in. Magda’s friends return to the subject of romance and
Magda relates a tale of her blossoming love once upon a time...an escape from a old aunt, happy moments dancing among students and seamstresses,
a mysterious man with dark sideburns, two Bocks, a sudden flight. Alas, without discovering his name, she fled the scene,
never to return. Oh to be able to relive the joy of that hour! Prunier now offers to read her palm to reveal her future. The
friends go out to the terrace and Prunier predicts that Magda, like a swallow, will return to the light of a distance romance.
Ruggero enters to meet Rambaldo. Explaining that this is his first evening in Paris, he extols the city in an impassioned
aria: Paris,
city of extravagant wishes, desires and dreams; goal of goals, you Siren! A city filled with strange magic; intoxicating
and captivating. Sleeping desires awaken! Where do I begin? What should I do first? The women accost him with suggestions
— go to Bal Musard, Frascati, Cadet. But Lisette suggests none other than Bullier! Yes, Bullier it is, where
Love and Joy, Laughter and Light await! Ruggero exits, his head spinning. Magda returns to the party and, hearing
her guests mention Bullier, wistfully reminisces to herself about her evening there long ago. She bids goodnight to
her guests and retires for the evening, remembering Prunier’s prediction. Soon, emerging from the dark, we see
Lisette who has a romantic rendezvous with none other than the cynical Prunier. He proves to be no less a romantic than Magda
and he and Lisette sing a charming duet as they prepare for their evening out. They exit singing of their devotion
to each other. Magda enters, disguised as a grisette. Like the swallow, she has decided to return to the land
of lost dreams to find her love. She is off to Bullier!
Act II
The Ballroom at Bullier’s
At the Bal Bullier,
the room is crowded with students, grisettes, flower vendors, dancers, waiters, and curiosity seekers. There is dancing
and wooing everywhere. Enter Ruggero into the fray, who is immediately spotted by a group of girls. They tease
him about being shy...What’s your name? Marcello? Tommaso? Mario? He must be incognito...and they leave him. Soon Magda enters and is surrounded
by a group of students eager for her attentions. She indicates that someone is expecting her and, seeing a young man
sitting alone at a table, she indicates it is he. Unknown to her, it is the same Ruggero Lastouc, who was at her house
earlier this evening. After an uncomfortable moment, she excuses herself, but Ruggero asks her to stay.
He is charmed by this stranger’s simple grace and the way she resembles the girls in his hometown of Montauban.
She is flattered and they agree to enjoy a dance. Magda’s dream of love is returning to her and the chorus joins
the pair in singing of sweet caresses. How wonderful when two hearts burn with equal ardor. Trembling, foolish kisses are the life
for lovers. The air is filled with the flowers of spring. Lisette arrives with Prunier, who urges her to behave herself. Magda and Ruggero leave the dance floor and Ruggero
orders two Bocks — just as in Magda’s bygone dream. She toasts his many loves, but Ruggero insists that
he will have only one true love for life. They exchange names— she calls herself Paulette. Ruggero insists that although she is still a mystery
to him, he feels that she is his destiny, that she is the love his heart has awaited. They embrace and kiss and the
room is quieted in respect of love. Lisette cries out suddenly as she recognizes the young lovers. At her outburst,
Magda sees Prunier, but gives him a sign to to keep quiet. While Lisette continues her ranting, Prunier insists she
is drunk and introduces her to Ruggero, who innocently introduces his friend, Paulette. The quartet and chorus join in a toast to Life which gives us Love, Suddenly, Rambaldo enters.
Ruggero is whisked away under Lisette’s care. Prunier stays with Magda to confront her lover. She has decided
to leave him for true love and he tells her simply that he hopes she does not regret her decision. The crowd disperses
as the first voice of morning is heard with a whistling street vendor. Ruggero returns to find Paulette and they leave together singing of love.
Act III
The villa of
Magda and Ruggero on the Riviera
Magda and Ruggero are alone on the
terrace. Even the sea sighs with them and the flowers fill the air with their scent. She fixes a cup of tea for
her lover, proclaiming it a potion to dispel every weariness. Magda wonders if this life is too tedious for Ruggero, but he exclaims that his love for her reawakens
more ardent, more holy each morning. They reminisce about their first meeting and declare their love for each other:
Let my love
enfold you, Blessed be this love and this life! Ruggero announces he has a reward her...a secret to be revealed. He has written his father
for permission to marry her. Magda is stunned. This is not what she expected. Ruggero continues tenderly,
Follow me
to my beautiful home in Montauban, where our love will blossom under the holy protection of my mother, where we can
raise our children. But Magda is dumbfounded. Ruggero leaves. Magda anguishes over how she can tell Ruggero the truth.
How can she tell him that these happy dreams can never come true — she cannot enter his home. She exits.
Lisette and Prunier appear on the scene. It seems that they have been in Nice, where Prunier has unsuccessfully tried to turn Lisette
into an actress. She can still hear the crowd whistling her off the stage! Now she simply wishes to return to
her old job as a maid and to have Prunier leave her alone in peace. They have sought out Magda for this purpose.
Magda is delighted to see them and receives Lisette warmly. Prunier delivers a message from Rambaldo, encouraging Magda
(like the swallow) to return to her life in Paris. His message delivered, he departs, but not without making a secret
rendezvous with Lisette for later that evening. It seems they have returned, like swallows, to their familiar ways.
Ruggero enters excitedly telling Magda that his mother has written. He asks her to read the letter for herself:
My dear son,
if you believe the girl you love to be pure and chaste, that her love for you is holy, then this girl, who is to be the mother
of your children (for it is in motherhood that love becomes holy), is blessed by me. We eagerly await your return to
your home with your elected one. Please give her my kiss. Magda must end their dream. She desperately explains to Ruggero that
she can no longer deceive him. She cannot go to his mother’s home...her past haunts her and she can never be the
chaste girl her mother believes her to be. Ruggero protests: No, do not leave me alone! You are my life, my love. Do not
break my heart! But Magda insists, sadly, that she can never be his wife. She asks him to remember that she sacrificed her love
for him so that he might live the life he must. Her soul will always be with him. He must return to his home,
she to her sorrow. He makes a final protest, but she stops him. She quietly, gently, bids him farewell and, like
the swallow she must be, returns to her former life. End of the opera (Program notes
by Dr. Harry N. Dunstan, all rights reserved.)
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