Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Monday, January 26, 2015

25 January 1835 A.D. Parisian Opera about Puritans—“1 Puritani”


25 January 1835 A.D.  Parisian Opera about Puritans—“1 Puritani”

Graves, Dan. “Debut of 1 Puritani: an Opera About Puritans.”  Christianity.com.  May 2007.  http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/debut-of-i-puritani-an-opera-about-puritans-11630434.html.  Accessed 10 Jul 2014.

Debut of I Puritani, an Opera about Puritans An opera about the Puritans? As improbable as that sounds, such a work premiered on this day, January 25, 1835 in Paris.

 The opera, I Puritani, by Vincenzo Bellini, was set in England, against the backdrop of the English civil war of the 1640s that divided the nation between the largely Puritan supporters of Parliament under Oliver Cromwell (the Roundheads) and the Anglican and Catholic Royalists faithful to the Stuart monarchy (the Cavaliers). When the music begins, King Charles has already had his head whacked off. Queen Henrietta is a prisoner in a fortress at Plymouth.

Elvira, daughter of the Puritan commander of the fortress, is betrothed to Richard, a Puritan soldier. But she is moonstruck with Arthur Talbot, an ardent Royalist and convinces her father to allow her to marry whom she wishes. Arthur is welcomed into the fortress as Elvira's bridegroom. Discovering Queen Henrietta's captivity, he abandons Elvira at the altar, spiriting the queen out under disguise of Elvira's wedding veil. Richard allows Arthur to escape, believing this clears the way for him to claim Elvira.

Elvira thinks she has been abandoned for another woman and loses her mind. Arthur is condemned to die if captured. Elvira wanders the woods, singing of happier days.

Although closely hunted, Arthur returns to the scene of his late exploit, hoping to meet Elvira and prove that he never betrayed her. They meet, and Elvira's joy restores her sanity briefly. However, madness returns. Convinced that Arthur means to abandon her again, she calls the guards. Led by Richard, they seize Arthur and he is condemned to immediate death.

Just when all seems lost, a messenger arrives, announcing that Cromwell has defeated the Royalists and issued a general pardon to supporters of the king. Arthur is reprieved. Elvira recovers her reason and is reconciled with Arthur.

Although the music is superb, composer Vincenzo Bellini completely lost sight of faith. To a true Puritan, turning to God in a crisis would have been as natural as breathing. Elvira responds like a pagan woman without knowledge of the divine.

Bellini's Puritans were simply a handy post for the librettist to hang his arias on.

Bibliography:

Downes, Olin. The Lure of Music. Harper and Brothers, 1918. Source of the image.

Grout, Donald Jay. A History of Western Music. New York: W. W. Norton, 1960; esp at p. 553.

Lang, Paul Henry. Music in Western Civilization. New York: W. W. Norton, 1941; esp p 838ff.

Program notes from internet sites.

Various encyclopedia articles.

Last updated May, 2007.

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