WERTHER LAMENTING OUTSIDE A CHURCH IN ACT II, WERTHER; AND 'REGNAVA NEL SILENZIO', LUCIA AND ALISA IN ACT I: SCENE II, LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR

Details

ALEXANDRE BENOIS (RUSSIAN, 1881-1962)
WERTHER LAMENTING OUTSIDE A CHURCH IN ACT II, WERTHER; AND 'REGNAVA NEL SILENZIO', LUCIA AND ALISA IN ACT I: SCENE II, LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
THE FIRST SIGNED AND DATED '1950. ALEXANDRE BENOIS' (LOWER RIGHT) AND INSCRIBED 'WERTHER ACTE II' (LOWER LEFT) WITH FURTHER INDISTINCT INSCRIPTION (LOWER CENTRE); THE SECOND SIGNED 'ALEXANDRE BENOIS' (LOWER LEFT) AND INSCRIBED 'LUCIA DI LUMERMOOR (SIC)' (LOWER CENTRE) AND FURTHER INSCRIBED AND DATED '19.X.1942 IN MILAN' (LOWER RIGHT)
PENCIL, PEN AND BLACK INK AND WATERCOLOUR WITH TOUCHES OF BODYCOLOUR
11½ X 18½ IN. (29.2 X 47 CM.) (2)

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Lot Essay

WERTHER, AN OPERA BY JULES MASSENET,IS BASED ON GOETHE'S EPISTOLARY NOVEL THE SORROWS OF YOUNG WERTHER. THE YOUNG POET WERTHER FALLS IN LOVE WITH CHARLOTTE WHO IS PROMISED IN MARRIAGE TO ALBERT. ACT II TAKES PLACE AFTER CHARLOTTE'S MARRIAGE TO ALBERT AND SEES A MISERABLE WERTHER FOLLOW THE COUPLE TO CHURCH AND CONFRONT CHARLOTTE WITH HIS LOVE.

GAETANO DONIZETTI'S TRAGIC OPERA LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR IS LOOSELY BASED ON SIR WALTER SCOTT'S NOVEL THE BRIDE OF LAMMERMOOR. IT FEATURES A PAIR OF ILL-FATED LOVERS, LUCIA AND EDGARDO WHO ARE PREVENTED FROM MARRYING BECAUSE OF AN OLD FAMILY FEUD. IN ACT I, SCENE II, LUCIA WAITS FOR HER LOVER WITH HER MAID ALISA AND SINGS HER OMINOUS ARIA REGNAVA NEL SILENZIO ABOUT A GIRL KILLED ON THE SAME SPOT BY A JEALOUS ANCESTOR.

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