“Maria Stuarda” by Gaetano Donizetti

Notes on the Libretto

The libretto of Gaetano Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda, written by Giuseppe Bardari after Friedrich Schiller’s tragedy, has a particularly complicated textual history. Originally intended for Naples in 1834, the opera was prohibited before its premiere and its music adapted for Buondelmonte. Maria Stuarda finally reached the stage at La Scala on December 30, 1835, with Maria Malibran in the title role.

The confrontation between the two queens was especially troublesome for the censors. Maria’s furious denunciation of Elisabetta as “vil bastarda” (“vile bastard”) was softened in the censored Milanese libretto to “donna vile”. Malibran reportedly restored the more provocative wording in performance. The original expression is preserved in the Italian text presented on LibrettoArchive.

Comparing the Italian libretto with published sources and recorded performances also revealed smaller textual inconsistencies. In the confession scene, one printed text gives Talbot’s question as “Che favello?” (“What am I saying?”), although “Che favelli?” (“What are you saying?”) agrees with the dramatic context and the wording heard in performance.

Other editorial adjustments concern historical terminology and orthography. Cecil’s title, gran tesoriere, is properly rendered “Lord High Treasurer,” while older poetic forms such as soglio, Imene, and ritorte retain their place in the Italian text.