Club to screen ‘La Forza del Destino’ in CH 3
OPERA CLUB
All are welcome to watch “La Forza del Destino” (“The Force of Destiny”) on Tuesday, March 18, at 2:30 p.m. in the Learning Center of Clubhouse 3. This 18th century opera of love, honor, revenge and inescapable destiny composed by Giuseppe Verdi will be introduced by club member Bob Kastanek.
Act 1 opens in Sevilla, Spain, where the Marquis of Calatrave bids good night to his daughter Leonora, who is hesitant about her upcoming elopement with Don Alvaro, a Peruvian prince. When the Marquis returns to the drawing room, he finds Leonora and Alvaro about to depart and challenges the suitor with his sword. Alvaro refuses the challenge by throwing down his pistol which accidentally discharges and kills the father, but not before the Marquis expresses a curse on both lovers who flee in separate directions.
Act 2 finds Carlo, the brother of Leonora, in search of both Alvaro and his sister to avenge his father’s death and carry out the curse. Leonora is trying to find Alvaro from whom she became separated, and disguises herself and flees to a monastery. The Father Superior grants her permission to stay in a cave isolated from others.
In Act 3, Alvaro and Carlo have separately joined the Spanish military using false names, and do not recognize each other when they meet. However, when Alvaro rescues Carlo from assassins, they pledge to each other lifelong friendship. When Alvaro gets wounded in battle, he entrusts Carlo with items for safekeeping. As Carlo discovers a likeness of his sister, Leonora, he recognizes Alvaro’s true identity and challenges him to a duel. Alvaro then prefers to flee and become a monk.
In Act 4, Carlo ultimately tracks Alvaro to the monastery and challenges him again. Alvaro accepts and manages to inflict a huge wound on Carlo. Leonora is within hearing distance. She responds but the dying Carlo stabs her in his final act of revenge. She finds her way back to Alvaro who acknowledges her passing to God.
The production is in Italian with English subtitles. No dues or fees are collected. For more information, contact Margaret Gillon at 562-370-3844 or Margaretgi@ yahoo.com. —Sylvan Von Burg
