# The prolific Signor Pacini in Pompei



## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Giovanni Pacini may hold the record as the 19th century's most prolific opera composer. His contemporaries reckoned he'd written a hundred works; closer attention whittled this down to a more manageable 74.

Nearly all of them have been forgotten.

"This abandonment," Arthur Pougin (_Le Ménestrel_, 28 October 1866) wrote, "is the just punishment that awaits a man of talent and inspiration too careless of his renown, preferring quantity to quality, and infuriatingly scattering through a hundred mediocre or feeble scores, that which could have made twenty excellent ones."

In the first half of his career, he imitated Rossini; in the second half, he seems to have imitated everyone else.

Pacini admitted the influence in his _Memorie artistiche_:



> Rossini was always a source of indescribable admiration; but I was perfectly aware of being merely a slavish imitator by following him.
> 
> As many my contemporaries were in those days, all followed the same school, the same fashion, and were in consequence imitators, just like me, of the Great Star. - But, good God! What was one to do if there was no other way of sustaining oneself? Therefore, if I was a follower of the supreme Pesarese, the others were my equals; they may have been more fortunate in finding melodies, more accurate in their instrumentation, more educated; but the realization and the structure of the pieces was similar to mine."


For Joseph Caccia (_La comédie_, 15 December 1867), Pacini's imitation was a happy one, thanks to the richness of his imagination. "His melodies emerged easily and spontaneously, and many remained popular until his death." Pougin called Pacini "a medium-sized star, now a nebula - but he had the honour of being part of the Rossinian constellation". And Pierre Scudo ("Donizetti et l'école italienne depuis Rossini", _Revue des Deux Mondes_, 1848) dismisses Pacini as nothing more than a fluent imitator.

Pacini's operas were popular throughout Italy - some, like _Gli arabi nelle Gallie_ (1827), enormously so - but only a handful were performed elsewhere in Europe. To his admirers, he was _maestro delle cabalette_, the supreme master of the cabaletta. "Nobody better knew voices, nor used them with more skill, nor arranged them with more art," wrote A. de Rovray (_Le Nouvelliste_, 25 January 1855).

Pacini himself, though, was well aware of the shortcomings of his music. His system, he wrote, was one of "melodic simplicity, variability in the cabalettas, and unsophisticated instrumentation".



> My instrumentation has never been sufficiently accurate, and although it was lively and brilliant many times, it did not arise as a result of reflection, but rather by that natural taste given to me by God. I often neglected the quartet of stringed instruments, or took much care of the effects I could have achieved from the various other groups of instruments. I always have had an eye for the vocal part indeed, more than anything else, and above all, I tried to examine the vocal possibilities of the individual singers to whom i entrusted my compositions, with appropriate music adapted to their organs, in order to increase the probability of success.


Pacini made a name as a teenager and young man with one-act farse and the semiseria _Il barone di Dolsheim _(1818). After the success of _L'ultimo giorno di Pompei_ (1825), the impresario Barbaia engaged Pacini as music director and composer for the royal and imperial theatres of Naples, Milan, and Venice. Major works from this period include _Alessandro nelle Indie _(1824), and _Niobe _(1826).

Pacini retired in 1831. "I began to realize that I had to withdraw from the arena. - Bellini, the divine Bellini, and Donizetti had surpassed me."

He returned to the stage in 1839, with _Furio Camillo_. _Saffo_, supposedly his masterpiece, followed in 1840.

"From this period until his death," Caccia writes, "we see in all Pacini's operas the reflection and imitation not just of Rossini, but of all those who appeared on the musical horizon. In this second period, we find echoes of Bellini, Donizetti, Mercadante, and even Verdi." _Il saltimbanco_ (1858), for instance, is apparently only an exaggeration of Verdi's first manner. (Anyone want to listen to an imitation of _Attila, Alzira, I Lombardi, Il corsaro, Giovanna d'Arco_ or _Masnadieri_?)

Alexander Weatherson, however, writes that Pacini's later works are "pseudo-historic, immensely emotional operas sung by the greatest artists of the day… Their invention and variety are astonishing, and made an indelible impact."

_Dwight's Journal of Music_ (2 July 1858) raved about _Lorenzino de'Medici_ (1845), "a superb opera by Pacini, and one that for a time made me stagger in my Verdi faith. It is so fresh, so original, and combines musical science so well with ear-haunting and simple melody that it appears to me astonishing that it has not obtained a reputation out of Italy."

_La Riforma _wrote of _Niccolò de'Lapi _(1873): "Meyerbeer and Wagner and the Verdi of _Forza del Destino_, of _Don Carlos_, of _Aida_, have found a powerful rival, a true titan, in the immense and stupendous finale of the second act."

So there must be something in Pacini.

Not in _L'ultimo giorno di Pompei_, though.

*L'ULTIMO GIORNO DI POMPEI*
Melodramma tragico in 2 acts

Composer: Giovanni Pacini

Libretto: Andrea Leone Tottola

First performed: Teatro San Carlo, Naples, 19 November 1825

*CHARACTERS*

SALLUSTIO, First Magistrate of Pompeii (bass): Luigi Lablache
OTTAVIA, his wife (soprano): Adelaide Tosi
MENENIO, their son (soprano): Eloisa Manzocchi
APPIO DIOMEDE, tribune (tenor): Giovanni David
PUBBLIO, thermal baths custodian (tenor): Giuseppe Ciccimarra
CLODIO, his son (soprano): Almerinda Manzocchi
HIGH PRIEST OF JOVE'S TEMPLE (bass): Michele Benedetti
FAUSTO, Sallustio's freedman (tenor): Gaetano Chizzola
Chorus: Priests, magistrates, patricians, people, soldiers, maids

SETTING: Pompeii, 24 August 79 AD

PLOT: The tribune Appio Diomede is in love with Ottavia, wife of Sallustio, who has just been elected magistrate.

Act I: When Ottavia rejects his advances, the jealous Appio schemes to frame her for adultery, a charge carrying the death sentence. As magistrate, Sallustio must judge the case - and punish her, if necessary.

Act II: Sallustio finds his wife guilty, and condemns her to be buried alive. Appio and his henchmen confess, however, just in time to save Ottavia. She and her family escape, while the villains are executed, and Vesuvius erupts, raining down fiery death on everybody else.

COMMENTARY
"_L'ultimo giorno di Pompei_," Pacini wrote in his memoirs, "became the greatest triumph of my first artistic period.



> I will set all modesty aside by simply exposing the truth. The whole of Naples got enthusiastic by this work, and gave me a laurel wreath that was quite difficult to obtain from that musical population. I received a congratulatory letter by order of H.M. King Francesco I of Bourbon, and I was appointed corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Barbaia, upon this truly sensational success (after which he was appointed in Milan and other capitals as well), offered me a contract for nine years as director of his theatres, at stipulations and conditions similar to those the great Pesarese [Rossini] had obtained. - I accepted.


It was his 27th opera, and belongs to his Rossinian period, with a starring role for the great tenor Giovanni David.

"I put more coherence in the colour of the composition," Pacini wrote, "but, I confess, in some parts of the score the Rossinian style is noticeable."

Much of the music is conventional, but not inspired enough to be imitation Rossini. It sounds, really, like Rossini crossed with Spontini: pompous ceremonies and processions in Ancient Rome.

The opera was apparently a triumph of special effects, with molten lava flowing towards a terrified audience. The idea for the opera came from the Teatro an Carlo's scenographer Antonio Niccolini, whose production involved real explosives and complex lighting

Alessandro Sanquirico's designs for the 1827 La Scala production influenced Paris Opéra designer Cicéri's erupting volcano in Auber's _Muette de Portici_. Sanquirico's designs are imposing, and a clue to the sheer scale of the work. One three-minute scene involves a new set, never used again. (Barbaia was obviously making a motza from his casino.)

For all its stage effects, erupting volcano, and fiery deaths, the work leaves me cold.


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

B]ACT I[/B]
*Entrance hall of Sallustio's house
*









The lively introduzione ("Viva Sallustio!") is in the mould of Rossini; it calls for flexible, agile voices that fire volleys and cascades of coloratura, and ends in a series of patented crescendi.

After Sallustio and company have gone to the baths, his wife Ottavia expresses her happiness and love for her husband in a conventional cavatina ("Alfin goder m'è dato").

Appio tries to seduce the virtuous Ottavia, in a three-part aria ("Da te, l'estrema volta"). She remains adamant. This is one of the better pieces in the score. The andante section, where he throws himself at her feet, is beautiful, and it ends in an exciting, heated allegro.





*Gates of Pompei at Porta Nolana
*









Appio and Pubblio scheme, in recitative.

*Forum of Pompei decorated for the celebrations
*









The Triumphal Scene is modelled on Spontini's Vestale. Processions of magistrates, old men, patricians, matrons, maids, young girls, and dancing boys. Sallustio in a chariot rides to the temple. The people praise Sallustio, in a pompous chorus ("Plauso…Onor… -Festeggiamo l'istante augurato").

Sallustio promises to punish every offender's crime, joined by Pubblio, Appio, and Ottavia in a solemn quartet ("Ecco la man di astrea").

Sallustio, in a cheerful, Rossinian aria ("Se i numi fausti"), asks the gods to always bestow happiness on Pompeii.

*Portico of the great theatre*









Appio and Pubblio plot once again in a short, dry, and musically perfunctory duettino ("Io la vedrò fra i palpiti").

Rossini's _Semiramide _seems to be the inspiration for the finale's powerful concertato ("Qual denso velo"). The stretta is effective.


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

*ACT II
**The temple*









The chorus of people, patricians, and senators urge Sallustio in a nondescript chorus ("Sei nell'augusto tempio") to ignore his private feelings, but uphold duty and honour.

Ottavia tries to convince her husband of her innocence; the duet ("Squarciami il core, o barbaro!") has a rather nice andante.





In a massive concertato ("Dei! qual fragore insolito!"), Sallustio condemns his wife to be buried alive - and Vesuvius starts to rumble.





*The garden of Appio's house, near the city walls
*









Appio wavers between love and desire for revenge in a pleasant but unmemorable cavatina and cabaletta ("Oh mio crudele affetto! - Cela le acerbe smanie").

*Dungeon*









The finale obviously caught Pacini's imagination, and he's more inspired than anywhere else in the score. The scene opens with a mournful chorus of maids and people ("Oh sventuarata Ottavia!"). The prima donna's big scene ("Su questa man concedi") looks forward to Bellini and Donizetti.

Volcano day! The ending ("Oh terror! … si fugga … è dove?") is suitably cataclysmic.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Well, I think Pacini was rather overwhelmed by what he perceived as his failure in fulfilling the expectations of being a worthy successor to Rossini, while writing music at the same period than Donizetti or Bellini.

However, he was a talented musician, and a crafted opera composer. Let's listen to this cabaletta from a little known opera, Allan Cameron, dealing with the youth of the English king, Charles II, and worthy of the 'Il Maestro delle cabalette', indeed:






However, my favorite piece from Pacini is this:










The opera is based on Victor Hugo's "Marie Tudor" and the libretto is by Leopoldo Tarantini. The plot is about Queen Mary's affair with Lord Talbot and how she is cheated, orders the death of the Scottish knight, only to repent at the last moment, but it's already too late, as Gualtiero Churchill, the Lord Chancellor, has already carried out the royal wish. In the action, a pair of other roles (Ernesto and Clotilde) appear, to provide further love interest.

In his autobiography, Pacini recalled that the premiere, in Palermo (Pacini was Sicilian, incidentally), back in 1843, was very successful, and he was required to salute 42 times. However, after just about ten years, "Maria" disappeared from the stage, until it was rescued by Opera Rara:






I am a big fan of Italian belcanto period, so take my words with a pinch of salt. But I do think this is a very nice opera, and a quite entertaining three hours of singing.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

A thread on Pacini. Shall we revive it ? @ColdGenius here is the overview of your opera about Pompei.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Noble Roman housewife sentenced to death?! In imperial period?! To be buried alive???! For adultery???!!!    It's even more ridiculous than any Hollywood peplum. They both, her husband and her presumed lover, had to discover her to be a runaway Vestal virgin at least.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

ColdGenius said:


> Noble Roman housewife sentenced to death?! In imperial period?! To be buried alive???! For adultery???!!


Times had changed. They longer thought in the mindset _"women all do it anyway, just forgive them."_


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

ColdGenius said:


> Noble Roman housewife sentenced to death?! In imperial period?! To be buried alive???! For adultery???!!!    It's even more ridiculous than any Hollywood peplum. They both, her husband and her presumed lover, had to discover her to be a runaway Vestal virgin at least.


To be serious, Coleen McColough wrote a series of historical novels on ancient Rome, where a patriarch of the family, in that case, brother, had an absolute power over his sister. His sister did not want to marry his friend, whom she found unattractive, so he locked her up in her room untill she agreed. I don't know how would such dictatorship transfer to wives.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

I read in one book on Ancient Rome, that Roman women had freedom and rights, which English women of Victorian era could only dream on. But the question if they could choose whether marry or not was never brought up. Vestals (always belonging to an upper class) were a rare exception.


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