I vespri siciliani (The Sicilian Vespers, French
Les vêpres siciliennes) is an opera by
Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto, written by a popular French dramatist Eugène Scribe, and
Very Loosely Based on a True Story, was originally in French but the opera has since become better known in its Italian translation.
It’s the island of Sicily, 1282 (or whatever year the production director decides it to be). The French have just conquered the island, killing its ruler Duke Frederick in the process, and have set their own governor, Guy de Montfort. The Sicilian
La Résistance, led by
Elena, sister of the deceased Duke, and
Procida, a Sicilian doctor, plans to assassinate Montfort and start a rebellion. The situation becomes much more complicated when one of the rebels, a
young Henri/Arrigo, turns out to be Montfort’s
long-lost son…
Noted for its extremely difficult tenor part (with a high D, no less!), the opera is rarely performed today, although its grand overture and two arias (the soprano and the bass ones) are well known.
Tropes:- Ambiguous Ending: It’s either this or a Kill 'em All ending.
- Angry Mob Song: The chorus in Act I and in the finale.
- Anti-Villain: Arguably, Montfort. Really, he’s not as bad as La Résistance leaders would want us to believe.
- Badass Baritone: Procida is a bass and a morally ambiguous character, but quite Badass for sure.
- Basso Profondo: Procida
- Break the Cutie: Poor Arrigo. First he learns that his worst enemy is his father, then the said father captures and threatens to kill Ariigo's girlfriend, then the girlfriend treats Arrigo like a piece of shit because she thinks he has betrayed their common cause... And finally, La Résistance members kill Arrigo's newfound father. Geez, does this guy need a break.
- BSOD Song: what’s a Verdi opera without one? Arrigo’s Giorno di pianto. Act 5 has a BSOD trio of Arrigo, Elena and Procida, all going BSOD for different reasons.
- The Chick: Elena
- Counterpoint Duet: Arrigo and Montfort in Act I. The tenor is singing of how he hates the baritone, and the baritone admires his spirit.
- Dawson Casting: Good luck trying to find a 18-years old tenor who can sing the part of Henri/Arrigo.
- Determinator: Procida
- Face Heel Turn: Though it depends on how you look at it, because of…
- Grey and Grey Morality: Sure, Montfort and the French have killed the Duke and taken over the country, but the revolutionaries are perfectly willing to instigate bloodshed and let young brides be raped if it serves their purposes.
- Informed Ability: the list of characters says that Procida is a doctor (the historical Giovanni da Procida was one), but it’s never mentioned in the opera itself.
- Irrelevant Act Opener: Elena’s Mercé, dilette amiche in Act 5.
- La Résistance
- Les Collaborateurs: First Procida and Elena accuse Arrigo of being one, then Procida accuses them both.
- Luke, I Am Your Father
- Massive Multiplayer Ensemble Number: Act 3 grand finale.
- Ominous Latin Chanting: De profundis in Act 4
- Tenor Boy: Henri/Arrigo, of the most classic kind.
- The Unfettered: Procida, who blatantly states he’d sacrifice anything, even his honour, to liberate Sicily.
- Utopia Justifies the Means: Procida seems to believe it.
- Villainous Lament: Montfort’s In braccio alle dovizie.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Procida
- You Killed My Brother
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