Librettist: Francesca Maria Piave
Based on Le pasteur, ou L'évangile et le foyer,
a play by Emile Souvestre and Eugène Bourgeois.

Cast of Characters

• Stiffelio, (tenor) an Ahasuerian preacher
• Lina, (soprano) his wife
• Stankar, (bass) count of the Empire and Lina's father
• Raffaele von Leuthold, (tenor) a nobleman
• Jorg, (bass) an old preacher
• Federico di Frengel, (tenor) Lina's cousin
• Dorotea, (mezzo-soprano) Lina's cousin
• The Count's friends, Stiffelio's disciples, and Ahasuerians.

Setting

Austria, in and around Stankar's castle by the river Salzbach,
at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

Premiere

Teatro Grande, Trieste, Italy; 16^th November 1850.

Plot

Stiffelio has returned home after being away on a mission of mercy. While away, his wife Lina, had an affair with a nobleman, Raffaele. Stankar, Lina's father, takes great offense at Raffaele's seduction of his daughter. When Stiffelio avoids taking vengeance, Stankar murders Raffaele. Moments later, Stiffelio leads his congregation in a passage from the Bible concerning a woman caught in adultery. As he reaches the phrase, "and she rose up forgiven," the congregation repeats the phrase and Lina is forgiven.

Memorable Music

Vidi dov unque gemere
Ah no, il perdono è facile
A te ascenda, o Dio clemente
Ah, no, è impossible!
Opposto è il calle
The Final Scene

Copyright © 1996, Stephen L. Parker