Librettist: Júlio Dantas Lyrical novel from the 13th century Year: 1901 Language: Italian Large-scale
Mécia: soprano
Fróile: mezzo-soprano
Álvaro Pires de Castro: baritone
Picandon: tenor
Lopo Dias de Haro: bass
Chorus
“In the first act — in the hall of the Biscay castle — the young maiden D. Mécia longs for the troubadour-knight she once saw in a dream. The Spanish troubadour Picandon sings a Troubadour song, hoping to win Mécia’s favor. She appears bored and irritated with Picandon. Then Álvaro Pires de Castro enters, declaring himself a troubadour and Portuguese. He too sings his Troubadour song. The Lord of Biscay, D. Lopo, enters and questions Pires de Castro about the reasons for his visit. Álvaro replies that he was sent by love — his love for Mécia. Tension rises, the Lord of Biscay refuses the lovers and threatens Álvaro. Mécia faints. Álvaro approaches Mécia, takes her in his arms and departs, amid general protest.
In the second act, in the Portuguese military camp, before dawn, Mécia and Álvaro are together after the simulated abduction and sing a love duet. The sounds of the Biscayan armies approach. Álvaro orders that the enemy be greeted and sings a hymn of victory. Picandon is sent as a messenger from Biscay — D. Lopo demands the return of his daughter. Picandon sings movingly about the old father, alone and without hope. Facing refusal, Picandon warns of war, advising Álvaro to raise thick walls of stone and earth, to which Álvaro replies with his famous phrase: that he would only raise walls of silk between himself and his adversaries. He orders the Portuguese camp to proceed in this manner, greeting the enemy with luminous silks, and the troops celebrate his bravery. Mécia, alone, fears for her father and for Álvaro. She prays for liberation and, in the end, her eyes weep with happiness — Álvaro and D. Lopo have resolved their differences, and the final chorus exalts the two knights.”¹
3 Fl | 2 Ob | 2 Cl | 2 Bsn | 4 Tpt | 2 Hn | 3 Tbn | Tb | Perc | Vln | Vla | Vc | Cb
The opera Dona Mécia is inspired by episodes from the life of Mencía López de Haro (c. 1215–c. 1270), a Biscayan noblewoman who was Queen Consort of Portugal through her marriage to D. Sancho II. Júlio Dantas’ libretto is based mainly on the Nobiliário of Count D. Pedro de Barcelos, which narrates legendary deeds of D. Álvaro Pérez de Castro, notably the famous episode in which he orders “walls of silk” to be erected during the siege of Paredes de Nava, a gesture motivated by his love for D. Mécia².
Classified as a “lyrical novel,” Dona Mécia adopts the Romantic style but reveals affinities with Germanic currents of the late 19th century, close to the Wagnerian ideal of “music drama.” The medieval theme and the conflict between Portuguese and Spanish troubadours give it a strong nationalist tone, although the historical treatment is free. Originally written with a libretto in Portuguese, the work was translated into Italian, in keeping with the operatic tradition prevailing in Lisbon at the time. Premiered at the Coliseu dos Recreios in July 1901, it was received by the press as a great success, returning to the stage only fifteen years later, in Porto and Braga³ . The first performance of the opera in Portuguese took place in 1971 at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, conducted by Manuel Ivo Cruz, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 1st centenary of Óscar da Silva’s birth⁴.
Date: 1901
Venue: Coliseu de Lisboa
Cast: Dolores Arroyo, Ceccarelli, Cabello and Candela
