Schmuck der Madonna, Der (I Gioielli della Madona)

I gioielli della Madonna/Der Schmuck der Madonna (The Jewels of the Madonna) was first performed in Berlin in December 1911. The first performance was in German, though it is usually performed in Italian. (Wolf-Ferrari stated that his operas were often first given in German simply because he had a German publisher.) The opera was in the regular international repertory for many years, and is one of the composer’s most colourful and expansive scores, which includes writing for guitars, mandolins, specific Neapolitan instruments, and even a wind machine! Though he did not write the libretto, Wolf-Ferrari himself came up with the (somewhat controversial) Neopolitan story, which includes love between a brother and his adopted sister, and implied criticism of the Catholic Church.

Instrumentation
2+picc. 2+ca. 2+bc. 3+cbn. / 4.3.3.1. / timp / perc / pno / org / cel / 2 mdln / 2 gtr / hp / str

Format
F/S V/S (Ger & It) S/P C/P (Ger & It) O/S Stage Music

Publisher
JW