austraLasia #1956
'Saint Francis de Sales' - the Operetta: on 42nd anniversary of Cimatti's death
TOKYO: 9th October 2007 -- Few people would be aware that Monsignor Cimatti, before he left Valsalice for Japan in 1925, wrote an Operetta in two acts - St Francis de Sales. The work was performed in Italy in 1924 and not again until 7th October 2007. The original, without accompaniment, was kept, but without the music it was only half an operetta! The orchestration was eventually re-written in 1983. Roberto Bosco had witnessed the one and only performance of the operetta in 1924 in Italy. He wrote the musical accompaniment, sent the score to Tokyo that year but it never arrived. At the magnificent age of 96, in 1995, he rewrote it and sent it off again!
Francis de Sales, born in Savoy in 1567, first studied at the University of Paris and then in Padua, where he completed his Doctorate in Law. Ordained priest in 1593, he went as a missionary to the Chablais region which had turned to Calvinism. Through his virtuous example and untiring zeal he brought most of the population back to their Catholic Faith of origin.
The first act of Cimatti's operetta is set in Padua on the day Francis is proclaimed a Doctor of Law. Three of his jealous companions set out to ruin his virtue, but fail in the attempt due to Francis's strength of character.
Act Two occurs four years later, now with the apostle of the Chablais appearing dressed as a shepherd at a country festival. The three companions are there once again and set out to revenge their earlier defeat. But with his gentleness on the one hand and a miraculous raising up of the child of one of the three, Francis conquers their hearts and that of the local population.
The operetta had its only performance at Valsalice (Turin) in 1924. Cimatti left for Japan in 1925 and probably took the original score with him but never worked on it again. When the musical accompaniment was finally completed the second time by Roberto Bosco, it was sent to Fr Crevacore who was then in charge of the Cimatti Museum in Tokyo. Crevacore died that year.
On 7th October 2007, to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the death of Monsignor Cimatti (6th October 1965), the Cimatti Museum organised the second performance of 'Francis de Sales' in the form of an oratorio. Soloists and choir, all volunteers, numbered around 50. It is possibly one of the most beautiful of Cimatti's operas and operettas (he wrote several - many would know 'Mark the Fisherman'). One certainly senses his great love for St Francis de Sales, protector and source of Salesian spirituality.
The operetta has been recorded and will be published on CD.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
'Saint Francis de Sales' - the Operetta: on 42nd anniversary of Cimatti's death
TOKYO: 9th October 2007 -- Few people would be aware that Monsignor Cimatti, before he left Valsalice for Japan in 1925, wrote an Operetta in two acts - St Francis de Sales. The work was performed in Italy in 1924 and not again until 7th October 2007. The original, without accompaniment, was kept, but without the music it was only half an operetta! The orchestration was eventually re-written in 1983. Roberto Bosco had witnessed the one and only performance of the operetta in 1924 in Italy. He wrote the musical accompaniment, sent the score to Tokyo that year but it never arrived. At the magnificent age of 96, in 1995, he rewrote it and sent it off again!
Francis de Sales, born in Savoy in 1567, first studied at the University of Paris and then in Padua, where he completed his Doctorate in Law. Ordained priest in 1593, he went as a missionary to the Chablais region which had turned to Calvinism. Through his virtuous example and untiring zeal he brought most of the population back to their Catholic Faith of origin.
The first act of Cimatti's operetta is set in Padua on the day Francis is proclaimed a Doctor of Law. Three of his jealous companions set out to ruin his virtue, but fail in the attempt due to Francis's strength of character.
Act Two occurs four years later, now with the apostle of the Chablais appearing dressed as a shepherd at a country festival. The three companions are there once again and set out to revenge their earlier defeat. But with his gentleness on the one hand and a miraculous raising up of the child of one of the three, Francis conquers their hearts and that of the local population.
The operetta had its only performance at Valsalice (Turin) in 1924. Cimatti left for Japan in 1925 and probably took the original score with him but never worked on it again. When the musical accompaniment was finally completed the second time by Roberto Bosco, it was sent to Fr Crevacore who was then in charge of the Cimatti Museum in Tokyo. Crevacore died that year.
On 7th October 2007, to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the death of Monsignor Cimatti (6th October 1965), the Cimatti Museum organised the second performance of 'Francis de Sales' in the form of an oratorio. Soloists and choir, all volunteers, numbered around 50. It is possibly one of the most beautiful of Cimatti's operas and operettas (he wrote several - many would know 'Mark the Fisherman'). One certainly senses his great love for St Francis de Sales, protector and source of Salesian spirituality.
The operetta has been recorded and will be published on CD.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
