'Saint Francis de Sales' - the Operetta: on 42nd
anniversary of Cimatti's death
TOKYO: 9th October 2007 -- Few people would be aware
that Monsignor Cimatti, before he left Valsalice for Japan in 1925,
wrote an Operetta in two acts - St Francis de Sales. The
work was performed in Italy in 1924 and not again until 7th October
2007. The original, without accompaniment, was kept, but without
the music it was only half an operetta! The orchestration was
eventually re-written in 1983. Roberto Bosco had
witnessed the one and only performance of the operetta in 1924 in Italy.
He wrote the musical accompaniment, sent the score to Tokyo that year
but it never arrived. At the magnificent age of 96, in 1995, he
rewrote it and sent it off again!
Francis de Sales, born in Savoy in 1567, first
studied at the University of Paris and then in Padua, where he
completed his Doctorate in Law. Ordained priest in 1593, he went
as a missionary to the Chablais region which had turned to
Calvinism. Through his virtuous example and untiring zeal he
brought most of the population back to their Catholic Faith of origin.
The first act of Cimatti's operetta is set in Padua
on the day Francis is proclaimed a Doctor of Law. Three of his
jealous companions set out to ruin his virtue, but fail in the attempt
due to Francis's strength of character.
Act Two occurs four years later, now with the
apostle of the Chablais appearing dressed as a shepherd at a country
festival. The three companions are there once again and set out
to revenge their earlier defeat. But with his gentleness on the one
hand and a miraculous raising up of the child of one of the three,
Francis conquers their hearts and that of the local population.
The operetta had its only performance at Valsalice
(Turin) in 1924. Cimatti left for Japan in 1925 and probably took the
original score with him but never worked on it again. When the
musical accompaniment was finally completed the second time by Roberto
Bosco, it was sent to Fr Crevacore who was then in charge of the
Cimatti Museum in Tokyo. Crevacore died that year.
On 7th October 2007, to commemorate the 42nd
anniversary of the death of Monsignor Cimatti (6th October 1965), the
Cimatti Museum organised the second performance of 'Francis de Sales'
in the form of an oratorio. Soloists and choir, all volunteers,
numbered around 50. It is possibly one of the most beautiful of
Cimatti's operas and operettas (he wrote several - many would know
'Mark the Fisherman'). One certainly senses his great love for St
Francis de Sales, protector and source of Salesian spirituality.
The operetta has been recorded and will be published
on CD. _________________ AustraLasia is an
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