Semele (opera)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Semele is an opera by John Eccles. The libretto is by William Congreve, drawing on the Greek myth of Semele. The opera was written in 1707, but was never performed in Eccles's lifetime; in fact, the work was not performed until the late twentieth century.
Eccles's work should not be confused with the 1744 secular oratorio Semele by George Frederick Handel, also based upon Congreve's libretto. There is also an opera on the same theme by Marin Marais.
[edit] Recording
The first full recording was produced in 2003 with Anthony Rooley, conducting the Florida State University Opera Orchestra, with Mangrum, Taylor, Ferrill, Phipps, Roberson, Grau, and Clements. Regis.
[edit] External links
- Congreve's libretto for Semele hosted by the University of Oregon
- "Dramatic Themes in John Eccles’s 1707 Setting of William Congreve’s Semele" by Robert Kelley (PDF)
- Synopsis and history of Semele from the Juilliard School