In Slavic mythology, willis (or vily) are fantastical creatures comparable to Greek nymphs. They are often linked to ballet (Giselle) and to Romantic opera. It is this theme that the young Puccini chose for his entry in a competition organised by the music publisher Sonzogno in Milan. This first opera is set in the Black Forest: we see women who have died on the eve of their weddings, who meet at midnight to find the young man whom they will force to dance until he dies.
First performed in 1884, the work met with lively success, and the press were swift to call it a "masterpiece", underlining, correctly, that the young writer was "the composer that Italy has awaited for a long time". While Le Villi seems a little weak in hindsight, and seen alongside Puccini's later masterpieces, it is still strange that it should be so little-known. This trial run is already a masterly work, and Puccini's skill and language leap out at us.
At the head of a star cast, Sir Mark Edler recreates an opera which has not been heard since its first outings. His version takes on board the two-act revision made by Puccinia and published in a new critical edition of Ricordi. A very successful recording which may give opera directors some ideas for a stage performance. © François Hudry/Qobuz