Edgar: Act I, Prelude [1892 version] [Alf:36-A904401]

Hoping to repeat the success of his first opera LE VILLI, the publisher Ricordi commissioned Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) to write EDGAR, SC 62, based on a libretto by Ferdinando Fontana after Alfred de Musset's play La Coupe et les l¨vres. The poor reception of the original four-act version persuaded Puccini to revise it twice over the course of two years, the second being a shortened three-act version. The last revision came in 1905, at which point, Puccini gave up trying to correct what he perceived to be the dramatic flaws in the work. The story depicts the Flemish knight Edgar who spurns the love of the virtuous Fidelia and elopes with her adopted sister, the sensuous Tigrana. The 2nd edition was produced in 1892 and was the first version to be reduced to three acts. This version of the Prelude to Act I comes from that year. Instrumentation: 3(3rd dPicc).2+EH.2+BCl.2: 4.2+2(Crnt).3.1: Timp.Perc(2): Hp: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set). Edited by Puccini expert Michael Kaye.