Queen Elizabeth example essay topic

Essay Gaetano Donizetti was a prolific writer of operas. His subjects were taken from many sources but throughout his life he returned again and again to stories drawn from the British royal family. British Kings and Queens are used in various Donizetti opera's: Elizabeth I, makes her first appearance in Il Castello di Kenilworth in 1829. Henry II is the tenor in Rosamond a d'Inghilterra of 1834 and Edward with Queen Isabella make an appearance in L'Aassedio di Calais of 1830. There are three operas however, that embody a fascination with the British royal bloods above all others. The three operas are Anna Bolena (1830), Maria Stuarda (1834) and Roberto Devereux (1837).

The purpose of this essay is to fully examine the main character in each opera. All these operas are based on actual historical figures. More specifically it will discuss and compare the three queens that are portrayed in these operas. The three queens that the operas refer to are Anne Boleyn (Queen of England), Mary Stuart (Queen of Scots) and Elisabeth I (Queen of England). The essay will begin by assessing the consistency of the three libretto with historical events. Furthermore it will focus on the queens individually and discuss their character development through musical elements and interpretation.

The first of the three, in order of composition, was Anna Bolena of 1830. The opera tells the story of Henry V's wife Anne Boleyn (1504-1536). Anne Boleyn was the second wife of King Henry the V. Anne is thought to have showed disinterest in the King until negotiations for a divorce from Catherine of Aragon were initiated. In 1533 Anne was secretly married to Henry, six years after their relations had begun and before the divorce had been achieved.

Before her marriage to the King, Anne had many suitors including Henry Percy the heir to the Earldom of Northumberland. Her father Sir Thomas Boleyn and her mother Elizabeth Howard refused this union insisting they had bigger plans for her. After the announcement of the royal marriage, Henry's interest in Anne cooled and the relationship worsened by the birth of Princess Elizabeth. King Henry in hopes of having a boy became even more outraged when Anne delivered a male stillborn child sometime later. During May Day celebrations Henry rode off abruptly from Greenwich, abandoning his queen before an audience and the following day she was arrested. She was accused of adultery with her own brother and four commoners.

They were all tried and convicted of treason. On the 19th of May Anne was beheaded and by the end of the month Henry V was married to Jane Seymour, Anne's handmaiden. At her execution it is recorded that she remained loyal to the King and recited a noble speech declaring her love for him and God. The opera itself Anna Bolena is fairly authentic to the actual historical life of Anne Boleyn. The expansive detail for the purpose of a more interesting plot however is completely fictional. More specifically the relationship between characters Anna (Anne) and Giovanna (Jane), the reason behind the arrest of Anna and Anna's love for her former suitor Percy.

The librettist for Anna Bolena Felice Romani shows Giovanna (Anna's maid) as a sympathetic character in the opera. She is a loyal friend to Anna and portrays much guilt when Enrico (King Henry V ) begins to neglect her. Giovanna admits to Anna that Enrico loves another woman and that it is herself. Anna's repugnance is overcome by Giovanna's remorse. Giovanna also begs Enrico to spare Anna's life after she is accused of adultery. Meanwhile it is Enrico who has planned Percy's return from exile as a trap for Anna.

Percy and Anna meet each other, Anna's household musician (Smeton) who is in love with her, tries to return a portrait of her that he has stolen, he is forced to hide as Anna hears Percy's confession of love. Percy draws his sword to kill himself, Smeton rushes forward just as Enrico bursts in and orders their arrest. The portrait falls out of Smeton's coat onto Enrico's foot. In spite of their protests, they are all sent to prison.

Smeton is tricked into confessing a love affair with Anna. Along with Anna's brother they are sentenced to death. At the execution Anna recalls her girlhood love for Percy and then calls on heaven not to curse the royal couple but to have mercy on them. The second creation by Donizetti, which portrayed the fascinating royals, is Maria Stuarda. In this opera of 1834, Donizetti tells the story of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. Mary Stuart had a very complicated personal life and was known to be politically immature.

Mary Stuart became Queen of Scotland after her father's death in 1542. She reigned as Queen until 1567. Since Mary had blood relation to Elizabeth I, this made Mary Elizabeth's heir when she was announced Queen in 1558. This became very problematic for both. Mary wed three times and during her second marriage had a son. Eventually she fled to England after her supporters were defeated in a battle.

Elizabeth using her tactful politics employed various ways to imprison Mary for the next 18 years. Mary, desperate to be free, plotted to assassinate Elizabeth and bring about a Catholic uprising. The discovery of this is what eventually led to her execution by Elizabeth I (Anne Boleyn's daughter). The opera does not refer to Mary's personal life whatsoever. It does however show a glimpse of her childhood in her first aria. The librettist Giuseppe Bardari based this opera on Elizabetta's (Elizabeth I) reluctant but inevitable order to have her executed.

The vicious meeting between the Queen's causing Maria Staurda (Mary Stuart) to yell out "Bastard!" is the highlight of the entire opera. Elizabetta is so infuriated at the sight of the youth and dignity of the Scottish Queen that she insults her. Stung, Maria calls Elizabetta her father's bastard and a stain on England's honour. For this statement Elizabetta threatens her with death. Although this meeting never took place historically it is the centerpiece of the opera. The last of the three great royal operas is Roberto Devereux of 1837.

This time Elizabeth I is the main character and the story mainly concerns her love for Roberto Devereux, who she also has to have executed. In historical fact a man by the name of Robert Dudley (Earl of Essex) is the only man Elizabeth ever had a close relationship with. She did not have him executed. Her relationship with Robert is the only consistent information regarding the libretto and actual fact. In the opera, Elizabeth I is madly in love with Roberto, she senses coldness from him and assures herself that he is in love with another woman, her council urges her to charge Roberto with treason, but she puts them off.

Meanwhile Roberto truly is in love with another woman named Sara. They exchange mementos, Roberto gives Sara a ring that the Queen has given him and Sara gives him a blue scarf. Sara's suitor Duke of Nottingham finds Roberto with the blue scarf. Duke of Nottingham is in a jealous fury and the Queen is filled with rage. Roberto is sent to the tower and prepared for the execution.

The only thing that can save him is if the Queen receives the ring that she had given him. The Queen gave this ring as a promise of pardon should he ever be arraigned. Roberto has sent Sara a letter explaining the pardon with the ring. Too late, Sara arrives with the ring. Ironically it is Elizabeth I in reality that always refused to marry especially Robert Dudley. Despite pressure from her Council she never did.

Mary Stuart's son, James VI of Scotland and I of England succeeded Elizabeth I when she died in 1603. Donizetti's librettist's Felice Romani, Giuseppe Bardari and Salvatore Cammarano do refer to historical facts. As each opera is discussed however it is evident that the librettists start to stray from the actual events that occurred. Anna Bolena is the most accurate. There is obvious fictional embellishment such as Enrico's trap for Anna, added characters (ie. Smeton), Giovanna's sincerity and Percy's suicidal love for Anna.

All the main characters however are non-fictional. Percy was Anne's primary suitor and the King did have an affair and marry Jane Seymour (Giovanna). The execution scene is also very accurate as described above. In both operas Maria Stuarda and Roberto Devereux the historical validity is very questionable. Although the librettists stay loyal to the historical figures and the main events their actions and emotions are vaguely accurate. Maria Stuarda however is much more factual than Roberto Devereux.

The concepts in Maria Stuarda that are viable to fact are: Mary and Elizabeth are definite rivals, Mary is imprisoned for nearly twenty years and Mary is executed. In Roberto Devereux the only thing that is viable is the name Robert. The Queen did have a relationship with Earl of Essex Robert Dudley but the opera itself is only a dramatic love triangle that did not occur in reality. Whether Donizetti was accurate with his characterizations is another question. He does however portray them very differently using many various musical elements. All three queens are similar in the fact that they are all sopranos.

One interesting element is that Queen Elizabeth is a mezzo-soprano in Maria Stuarda and a soprano Roberto Devereux. Donizetti may have chose to set all the queens as sopranos to identify them as the main character. The portrayal of the main character Elizabeth in Roberto Devereux towers above all others. She is a dramatic character and Donizetti makes her the most involuntarily cruel and tragic of his queens. Elizabeth is shrewd and has temperamental moods, which are translated in the music by vigorous changes of tempo. Her entrances are usually accompanied with pompous chords and a very strict structured rhythm.

Throughout the opera Elizabeth is marked with vehemence and fury. The only moment of sincerity is displayed in the cavatina "L'amor suo mi fe beata" in regards to Roberto in Act I. This is an immense contrast to the rest of the music. It consists of a much more legato melody with a warm full accompaniment. It contains high pianissimo pitches, which is rare for her yet common for the other queens. It is still of a serious nature preserving her independence and power. When Roberto rejects Elizabeth, her pride is attacked creating a very dramatic moment.

At this instance her vocal melody jumps from an acute high A to a D below the staff. From this point on Elizabeth's rage is uncontrollable. The orchestral texture is very thick during Elizabeth's arias representing the power that she withholds. Much of her music contains accents and stresses emphasizing that everything she says is the law.

Dotted rhythms ascending to high accented fortissimo notes is also quite common. In Elizabeth's final aria all of her fearsome musical elements are present. The thick orchestration is filled with fortissimo, staccato and chromatic chords and her melody consists of large ascending leaps (see Ex. 1). It is rare to see a dynamic marking other than mf to ff. A tempo marking of allegro vivace is commonly used when Elizabeth is unleashing her wrath of fury.

As the end of the final aria approaches a dark descending coloratura passage is sung. Minimizing the inner power she so proudly holds. She is terrorized by remorse and guilt as she witnesses the terrible images of her cruelty: Sara's imprisonment, the platform, Roberto's beheaded body and all the blood she has shed during her reign. Elisabeth changes from a wary but loving woman at the start to a furious queen who is traumatized by her sense of betrayal both as a sovereign and as a woman. She at last almost disintegrates as she is consumed by remorse and avenging visions. Anna Bolena's character is quite different compared to Elizabeth's.

Anna is portrayed by Donizetti as a heroine and does not show any hostility or vindictiveness as seen in Elizabeth's character. The music during Anna's first entrance is accompanied by harp and sung by Smeton (her servant). It provides a melancholy state and one might think she were sighing for her first love. During her first cantabile she states she would have been happier had she not abandoned her first love Percy. This cantabile, which is stately and melancholy, has a very legato melody with a gentle yet full orchestration.

There are no large leaps and the high notes are usually prepared with an ascending linear scale. In contrast to the orchestration in Roberto Devereux, Anna's accompaniment contains many higher registered instruments such as the flute, which mimics her quite often. Anna's forgiveness and nobility is primarily seen in Act 2 sc. i in the duet to between Anna and Giovanna. Anna raises her hand forgiving Giovanna during the cabaletta, "Va, in felice, e to co reca" in A minor modulating to C major. A noble melody in the strings accompanies Anna's entrance from her cell during the second scene in Act 2. This emphasizes that she is still a queen even though her mind is now disoriented and her dress in disarray due to Enrico's betrayal.

In Anna's cantabile "Cielo a ' mie i lung hi spa simi" is a familiar tune "Home, sweet home". It is later accompanied with three harmonizing voices depicting the angelic and loyal tendencies of the Queen. The cabaletta "Coppie ini qua" in E major is a dramatic contrast containing an energetic tempo and exploiting the extremes of the vocal register. This conveys the ultimate expression of Anna's passion.

The vocal embellishments in this cabaletta communicate the hurtful deep feeling she is experiencing. Although this cabaletta has similar musical traits as seen in Elizabeth's arias, it is quite different considering it is sung out of frustration and desperation rather than aggression. The rhythmic formula within this cabaletta also generates and sustains a passionate intensity to the point of obsessiveness (see Ex. 2). In Anna's final Ultima Scene the music is dominated by constantly shifting lyrical periods and orchestral interjections. It is also linked with choral interventions, recitative and then concludes with the final aria sung by Anna.

The contrasting elements of music portray the extraordinary way Anna wavers between sanity and madness. As she resumes herself there is a grand orchestral texture accompanying her dominant sustained melody. She has accepted her fate with nobility not condemning the people that have persecuted her. Similar to Anna, Maria Stuardo also accepts her fate however with hopes that she will be avenged. Maria Stuardo is a complex character surrounded by an aura of femininity. The aria "O nube che lieve" is a reminder of her happy childhood in France.

The melody is very light and free which is not seen in the other queens (see Ex. 3). It is elegant and simple and accompanied with a much lighter orchestral setting. This represents Maria's free spirited life that is filled with no regrets. Elizabeth is envious of this characteristic along with her youthfulness and affection. The commoners and the Council love Maria, making her an enormous threat to Elizabeth.

Maria is also a very sentimental character, which is expressed with light pianissimo coloratura passages. The coloratura is much smoother and linear in comparison to the other queens (see Ex. 4). Many grace notes are added for a softer affect, a very distinct characteristic (see Ex. 5).

Instruments such as the clarinet and woodwinds accompany Maria portraying a much more timid queen. Her entrances are much more pleasant in comparison to Elizabeth's. They are moti vic with scurrying triplets and fortissimo tonic chords. Anna's entrances however are much more serious and grander in scale. In the final scene the music shifts to the parallel minor halfway through, she remembers her first husband as she awaits her execution. In her final aria "O colpo" a shift to a major key from the minor also occurs.

Maria's voice ascends for the first time to a pianissimo high A and B-flat. During this moment she states that her shed blood will cancel all her sins. The queens and their encounter surpass the finale climactically and dramatically. Maria is satisfied knowing that she will die having insulted Elizabeth to the highest degree. She no longer cares about the consequences, she is now free and willing to accept her fate joyfully. The operas along with the characters are all tragic, and each for their own distinct reasons.

Although Anna and Maria are both displayed as heroines, that is not the case concerning Elizabeth, her tragic fate is caused by her own torment and vanity. While some historical facts may be inaccurate one cannot ignore the fact that all three operas are masterworks of not only Donizetti's compositions but of the operatic world as well. Regardless of the fact that all three leading ladies are sopranos, Donizetti's diversity as a composer provides us with a unique and individualistic portrayal of each queen, bringing history to life. Gaetano Donizetti: The British Royal Queens in Competition. Examples Ex.

1) Roberto Devereux. Act sc., aria "Vivi ingrate a lei d'accant" Ex. 2) Anna Bolena. Act II sc., "Saliva d'Inghilterra " (rhythmical segment only) Ex. 3) Maria Stuarda. Act II sc. ii, aria "O nube che lieve" Ex.

4) Maria Stuarda. Act II sc. ii, recitative "Sa prat i amparo" Ex. 5) Maria Stuarda. Act II sc. ii, aria "O nube che lieve"

Bibliography

Ashbrook, William. Donizetti and his Operas, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982.
Donizetti, Gaetano. Maria Stuarda, London: Egret House, 1973.
Donizetti, Gaetano. Roberto Devereux, London: Egret House, 1975.
Gossett, Philip. Anna Bolena and the artistic maturity of Gaetano Donizetti, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1985.
Paulson, Michael. The Queen's encounter: The Mary Stuart anachronism in dramas, New York: P. Lang, 1987.
Schmid gall, Gary. Literature of Opera, New York: Oxford University Press, 1971.
BBCi, November 6, 2002.