Opera - Mary Stuart

GAETANO DONIZETTI

Mary Stuart

136:06

Libretto by Giuseppe Bardari after Schiller

English Translation by Tom Hammond

1

Prelude

1:36

Act I

2

'Let us wait here'

2:35

Chorus, Voice

3

'Yes, but the French Prince is seeking . . .'

1:13

Elizabeth

4

'If fortune one day should send to me . . .'

3:16

5

'In this moment of rejoicing'

1:49

Talbot, Chorus, Elizabeth, Cecil

6

'May the light of wisdom and justice'

4:24

Elizabeth, Chorus, Cecil

7

'But, where is the Earl of Leicester?'

2:11

Elizabeth, Cecil, Leicester

8

'Did you not ask to see me, earlier today?'

2:15

Leicester, Talbot

9

'I remember these lovely features'

3:37

10

'If she dare trust in me'

1:47

11

'Do I disturb you?'

2:09

Elizabeth, Leicester

12

'How affecting . . .' 'Is she relenting?'

1:47

13

'When I first looked upon her face'

4:36

14

'My arrogant rival has long sought to rob me'

2:15

Act II

15

'Why run so fast, my lady?'

3:00

Hannah, Mary

16

'You murmuring breezes . . .'

3:45

Mary

17

'What tumult! Those voices!'

0:56

Mary, Chorus, Hannah

18

'In the peace of my gloomy seclusion'

3:36

Mary, Hannah, Ladies

19

'Ah! May this joy not deceive me'

1:47

Mary, Leicester

20

'Long by the world forsaken'

4:34

21

'All too well I surely know her!'

3:37

'Ah! Though my spirit never faltered'

22

'What place is this then?'

2:24

Elizabeth, Leicester, Cecil, Talbot, Mary

23

'Report has not failed me'

2:38

Elizabeth, Mary, Talbot, Hannah, Leicester, Cecil

24

'Bid her welcome!'

0:41

Leicester, Elizabeth, Talbot, Mary

25

'Dead to justice, throne and kingdom'

7:18

Mary, Cecil, Elizabeth, Leicester, Talbot

26

'Go, prepare yourself for sentence'

2:03

Elizabeth, Cecil, Mary, Hannah, Leicester, Talbot, Chorus

Act III

Scene 1

27

'Still pensive? Still delaying?'

4:00

Cecil, Elizabeth

28

'While she's living I'm still in danger'

3:40

29

'Your Highness!' 'You do but speed her execution'

4:51

Leicester, Elizabeth, Cecil

30

'You have conspired a sister's death'

3:44

Scene 2

31

'Elizabeth will continue to mock and insult me'

4:53

Mary, Cecil

32

'Oh faithful Talbot!'

5:05

Mary, Talbot

33

'Once all the radiant joys of youth'

4:18

34

'There still remains another charge'

0:58

35

'No, I never turned from my Saviour'

1:25

36

'Go leave this world of grief behind'

3:03

Scene 3

37

'You saw them?'

6:28

Chorus

38

'Hannah!' 'Do not disturb her'

4:42

Chorus, Hannah, Mary

39

'Oh, deign to hear our prayer, merciful Saviour!'

4:04

40

'The signal'

1:27

All, Cecil, Mary

41

'Death hovers near me, so take my pardon'

4:03

Mary, Hannah, Talbot, Chorus, Cecil

42

'Leicester approaches'

2:21

Talbot, Mary, Leicester, Cecil

43

'Though you once made a vow to protect me'

5:14

Mary, Leicester, Talbot, Hannah, Chorus, Cecil

Dame Janet Baker mezzo-soprano - Mary Stuart

Rosalind Plowright soprano - Queen Elizabeth I

David Rendall tenor - Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester

Alan Opie baritone - Sir William Cecil

John Tomlinson bass - George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury

Angela Bostock soprano - Hannah Kennedy

Sir Charles Mackerras

1, 10, 14 & 22 April 1982