The Love for Three Oranges (L'amore delle tre melarance) is the title of a play in the Commedia dell'Arte tradition by Carlo Gozzi that was adapted as an opera by Sergei Prokofiev.
The absurd story concerns a young prince, cursed by a wicked witch and forced to voyage into distant lands in search of three oranges each of which contains a princess.
Prokofiev's version, his opus 33, was composed in 1919,and was first performed on December 30, 1921, at the Chicago Opera , with the composer himself conducting. The libretto was by Prokofiev and Vera Janacopoulos , based on Vsevold Meyerhold 's adaptation of Gozzi's play. The adaptation modernized some of the Commedia dell'Arte influences and also introduced a healthy dose of Surrealism. At its premiere, the opera was sung in French as L'Amour des Trois Oranges.
The most famous piece from the Prokofiev opera is the "March from The Love for Three Oranges". It is a popular orchestral selection, and was used by CBS in the series The FBI in Peace and War that was broadcast 1944-1958.
Characters
The opera features an array of whimsical characters, including:
- The Prince (tenor): the hero. In the first act he is dying of incurable hypochondria. After being cursed by Fata Morgana, he must go on a quest to rescue the three oranges from the evil chef Creonte, with the help of Trufaldino.
- King of Clubs (bass): the father of the Prince. Compare with the Queen of Hearts in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
- Truffaldino (tenor): the Prince's somewhat unreliable sidekick. Based on the Commedia dell'Arte character Arlecchino.
- Tchelio (bass): a bumbling wizard and protector of the Prince.
- Fata Morgana (soprano): the evil, somewhat bumbling witch who curses the Prince. There is an optical phenomenon of the same name. Ultimately the name derives from Morgan le Fay.
- Leandre (bass-baritone), Clarissa (mezzo), and Smeraldina (mezzo): plotters against the King and Prince, allies of Fata Morgana.
- Farfarello (baritone): antagonizing wind demon. Name is from the Italian for demon.
- Creonte (bass): the evil chef who has imprisoned the three oranges and threatens the Prince and Truffaldino with a giant ladle.
- Ninetta (soprano): the princess of the orange.
- Linetta (mezzo) and Nicoletta (soprano): ill-fated orange princesses.
- A chorus of "Ridiculous People" representing the audience of the play and also involved in the action of the play at times. Compare to the prologue of I Pagliacci or of Faust Part 1.
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