Didone (opera)
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Operas by Francesco Cavalli |
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![]() Le nozze di Teti e di Peleo (1639) |
Didone is an opera by Francesco Cavalli, set to a libretto by Giovanni Francesco Busenello (later librettist for Claudio Monteverdi). The opera was first performed at Venice's Teatro San Cassiano during 1641.
The plot is based on Virgil's Aeneid (Book 4 in particular), though Busenello, in his second libretto for Cavalli, replaces Dido's tragic suicide of Virgil with a happy ending in which Dido marries Iarbas, King of the Getuli, who saves Dido from herself after Aeneas abandons her. The action is divided into a prologue and 3 acts.
[edit] Roles
Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 1641 (Conductor: - ) |
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Aeneas | tenor | |
Dido | soprano | |
Iarbas | alto | |
Cassandra | soprano | |
Hecuba | mezzo-soprano | |
Anna | soprano | |
Mercury | alto | |
3 court ladies | soprano |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Ellen Rosand. "Didone", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (accessed 28 August 2007), grovemusic.com (subscription access).