Los diamantes de la corona is a zarzuela in three acts by the composer Francisco Asenjo Barbieri with a libretto by Francisco Camprodón. The opera is taken from the original French libretto by Eugène Scribe and Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges which was set to music by Daniel Auber in 1841. Barbieri's work was first performed at the Teatro del Circo in Madrid on 15 September 1854.
Auber's work retained popularity at the Opéra-Comique from its première there in 1841 (receiving 180 performances in its first eight seasons), with over 370 performances up to the fire of 1887.
The dramatist and poet Francisco Camprodón Lafont, first declining the composers Joaquín Gaztambide and José Inzenga, offered his adaptation to Barbieri, who had already achieved his first major zarzuela success with Jugar con fuego in 1851, and was in the process of creating a new theatre in Madrid.
A recording was made at the Teatro Monumental Madrid in 1957 by Columbia, with Pilar Lorengar, María Dolores Alite, Ginés Torrano, Manuel Ausensi, Gerardo Monreal and Rafael Campos, with Ataúlfo Argenta conducting the Orquesta Sinfónica the Coros Cantores de Madrid. This was re-issued in 1997.
The work was staged in the Teatro de la Zarzuela Madrid in the 2009–10 and 2014–15 seasons, which transferred to Lisbon.
Roles
Synopsis
The action takes place in Portugal during 1777, in and around Coimbra in the first two acts and in Lisbon in the final act.
Queen Maria of Portugal (Catalina) has not yet come of age and the Conde de Campomayor is therefore her regent. To alleviate the poverty of the people, the queen decides to use the jewels of the royal collection to change into money, but secretly swapping the real jewels for fakes.
Act 1
In the ruins of an old chapel, a counterfeiting ring are working busily. The Marquis de Sandoval, a Portuguese noble, comes upon the place after fleeing his carriage in the midst of a storm. Hearing voices he hides, and overhears a conversation involving Rebolledo, one of the bandits. Rebolledo had been saved from hanging by Catalina and she was made their chief.
The bandits discover the hidden Marques but Catalina appears. Her beauty strikes Sandoval, while his baggage is looted by the bandits who are ordered to return all to him except for a blank safe-conduct pass signed by Campomayor. Catalina sings her ballad.
Left alone he explains that he was travelling to visit his uncle, Campomayor to arrange the marriage with his cousin Diana. Catarina agrees to let him free, provided he swears not to let anyone know about his adventure for one year nor recognize her should they meet again.
Rebolledo sends to prepare a carriage for Sandoval to go, he afraid that something might happen to Catalina, but she assures him that all will be well. She warns the bandits that the Portuguese army is on their trail but they can move off using the stolen safe-conduct, with the case of jewels, disguised as the monks of San Huberto. The soldiers who have entered led by Don Sebastián pay respects to the departing 'monks'.
Act 2
In a salon of the villa of Count Campomayor, his daughter Diana is talking with Sebastián, the captain in charge of arresting the bandits, about her impending marriage to her cousin Sandoval, saying that she does not want to proceed and that her affection is only for Sebastián. Campomayor comes in with Sandoval, oblivious to the plans for a big party where the contract for the marriage of Diana and Sandoval will be signed.
Guests enter, and a servant brings a message about a coach accident and the passengers asking for hospitality; the Count accepts while dealing with the guests. Posing as the Duchess of Albaflor and her servant, Catalina and Rebolledo enter elegantly dressed, provoking admiration of the guests. Catalina and Diana sing a bolero.
Sandoval recognizes the arrivals and tries to talk to her aside, declaring his love but Catalina openly rejects him because she knows about his impending marriage to Diana, which he denies. To prove his affection, he has a ring as a gift for her.
The news comes that the crown jewels have been stolen. Seeing a ring in the hands of Sandoval, Campomayor interrogates him about the owner, but he lies about Catalina. Diana has read the papers, and notes that the description matches Catalina. Sandoval implores their protection, reveals to her his love for Catalina, she takes the opportunity to ask him to surrender his hand in exchange for help to escape from the villa.