Ch'ella mi creda libero e lontano

by Luigi Speranza for "Gli Operai" jlsperanza@aol.com

--- From Ricordi's edition (1910) of "Fanciulla":

NOTE. The Girl of the Golden West — a drama of love and of moral redemption against a dark and vast background of primitive characters and untrammelled nature — is an episode in this original period of American history. The action takes place in that period of California history which follows immediately upon the discovery made by the miner Marshall of the first nugget of gold, at Coloma, in January, 1848. An unbridled greed, an upheaval of all social order, a restless anarchy followed upon the news of this discovery. The United States, which in the same year, 1848, had annexed California, were engaged in internal wars; and, as yet undisturbed by the abnormal state of things, they were practically outside everything that occurred in the period of this work; the presence of their sheriff indicates a mere show of supremacy and political control. An early history of California, quoted by Belasco, says of this period: "In those strange days, people coming from God knows where joined forces in that far Western land, and, according to the rude custom cf the camp, their very names were soon
lost and unrecorded, and here they struggled, laughed, gambled, cursed, killed, loved, and worked out their strange destinies in a manner incredible to us of to-day. Of one thing only we are sure — they lived!' And here we have the atmosphere in which is evolved the drama of the three leading characters. The cgmp of the gold-seekers in the valley, and the Sierra Mountains ; the inhabitants of the spot coming down from the mountains, joining the goldseekers who come from every part of America, making common cause with them, sharing the same passions ; round this mixed and lawless folk a conglomeration of thieving and murderous gangs has sprung up as a natural outcome of this same lust of gold, and infests the highways, robbing the foreign goldseekers as well as those from the mountains; from the strenuous conflict between these two parties arises the application of a primitive justice of cruelty and rapacity.

This opera by Giacomo Puccini is founded upon the drama of the same name by David Belasco. The libretto is written by Carlo Zangarini and Guelfo Civinni It was first produced in New York in 1910. The scene is laid in a mining camp at the foot of Cloudy Mountains, in California, in the days of the gold fever, 1849 and 1850.
Act I. In the barroom of the "Polka" a number of miners are gathered and amongst them is Ranee, the sheriff. Ashby enters and says that after three months of tracking, his men are rounding up Ramerrez, and his band of Mexican "greasers." Minnie, a comely young woman, who has l)een brought up among the miners and since her father's death continues to run the business, enters in time to stop a fight between the sheriff and a miner who resented Ranee's boast that Minnie would soon be his wife. Ranee makes love to Minnie, but she repulses him, even showing him a revolver that she carries. After a time a stranger api^cars. He gives his name as Dick Johnson from Sacramento, and when the sheriff threatens him, Minnie acknowledges that she has met him licfore. She and the stranger recall their chance meeting on the road when each fell in love with the other, and Johnson (who is no other tl:an Ramerrez, the outlaw, and who has come to rob the saloon, knowing that the miners leave their gold in Minnie's charge) finds himself so attracted by the girl that he relinquishes his plan. When Minnie has gone with him and the miners into the dance hall, .Ashby's men bring in Jose Castro. They are for hanging him, and Castro, though he sees his chief's saddle and thinks him captured, soon finds from the talk that Ramerrez is still free, and offers to conduct them to him. The miners go off with the sheriff and Ashby's men to seize the outlaw, leaving their barrel of gold in Minnie's charge, with only Nick and Billy to protect her and it. Nick reports that a greaser is sulking around, and Johnson knows that his men are only awaiting his whistle to come and seize the gold. Minnie declares valiantly that he who takes the gold will have to kill her first, and he admires her spirit. She invites him to call on her in her cabin after the miners come back, and he. accepting the invitation, goes out.
Act II. At Minnie's dwelling Wowkle is sitting on the floor before the fire rocking her baby in her arms. Billy comes in and Minnie soon follows. She puts on what finery she possesses and* when Johnson arrives entertains him graciously. They both acknowledge their love, and when a severe snowstorm comes up Minnie invites him to remain for the night. Pistol shots are heard and Johnson, knowing himself to be in grave danger, determines to stay with Minnie and vows that he will never give her up. Johnson is lying on Minnie's bed and she is resting on the hearth rug when shouts are heard without, and Nick hails Minnie. She insists that Johnson hide, and then she admits Nick, Ranee, Ashby and some of the miners. They tell her that Dick Johnson is Ramerrez, and is near, and that they were worried about her. They say also that Johnson came to the saloon to take their gold, though he left without it, which they cannot understand. She is overwhelmed by their revelations, especially when Johnson's photograph, obtained from a notorious woman at a nearby ranch, is shown her. She sends the men ofif and will not listen to having any one stay with her. When they are gone she confronts Johnson with the photograph and he confesses who he is and tells her how he was brought up to the life of an outlaw. Minnie cannot forgive him for deceiving her when she gave him her
love, and she sends him ofif. Johnson goes out, desperate and willing to die. A shot is heard and Minnie opens the door, drags him in wounded, and hides him in the loft. Ranee enters and Minnie has almost convinced him that the outlaw escaped and is not there, when a drop of blood falls on his hand. He drags the wounded man down from the loft. Minnie, knowing that the sherifiF has the gambler's passion, offers to play a game of poker with him, her life and Johnson's to be the stake. If she loses she will marry him and he may do what he will with Johnson. They play while Johnson lies unconscious near, and Ranee is winning when Minnie clearly cheats and so wins the game. Ranee, dumbfounded, but true to his word, goes out.
Act III. On the edge of the great Californian forest in the early dawn, Ranee, Ashby and Nick are waiting. Ranee tells of his chagrin that Johnson's wound was not fatal, and that Minnie had nursed him back to life at her cabin. Ashby's men come on the scene, having captured Johnson after an exciting chase. He is brought in, bound and wounded and his clothing torn. The men gather about him like animals about their prey, and taunt him savagely. Johnson confronts them defiantly, even when they name many of the robberies and murders that he and his gang have committed. As they are about to hang him he asks one favor — that they will never tell Minnie how he died. At the last moment Minnie dashes in on horseback. She places herself in front of Johnson and presents her pistol to the crowd, and in spite of Ranee's orders no one dares to push her aside and pull the noose taut. Minnie appeals to them, and at last, in spite of Ranee the miners cut the noose and restore Johnson to Minnie. The two go ofif together amid the affectionate farewells of the men.