Ciro in Babilonia, ossia La caduta di Baldassare (Cyrus in Babylon, or The Downfall of Belshazzar) in an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Francesco Aventi. It was first performed at the Teatro Comunale, Ferrara during Lent, 1812. The exact date of the premiere is unknown but is believed to be March 14. During Lent it was the custom for Italian opera houses either to close or to stage works on themes from the Bible. Ciro in Babilonia is one of two Lenten operas by Rossini (along with Mosè in Egitto) and is based on the Biblical story of the overthrow of the Babylonian king Belshazzar by the Persian ruler Cyrus the Great.
Contents |
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, March 14(?), 1812[1] (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Baldassare, King of Assyria | tenor | Eliodoro Bianchi |
| Ciro, King of Persia | contralto | Marietta Marcolini |
| Almira, wife of Ciro, imprisoned by Baldassare | soprano | Elisabetta Manfredini-Guarmani |
| Argene, confidant of Almira | mezzo-soprano | Anna Savinelli |
| Zambri, Babylonian prince | bass | Giovanni Layner |
| Arbace, captain in Baldassare's army | tenor | Francesco Savinelli |
| Daniello, prophet | bass | Giovanni Fraschi |
| Year | Cast: Baldassare, Ciro, Amira, Argene |
Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra |
Label [3] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Ernesto Palacio, Caterina Calvi, Daniela Dessi, Oriana Ferraris |
Carlo Rizzi, Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo and Coro Francesco Cilea di Reggio (Recording of a performance in the Teatro Chiabrera, Savona, 30 October) |
Audio CD: Hunt, Cat: 105; Arkadia, Cat: CDAK 105.2; Celestial Audio, Cat: CA 502 |
| 2004 | Riccardo Botta, Annarita Gemmabella, Luisa Islam-Ali-Zade, Maria Soulis |
Antonino Fogliani, Württembergische Philharmonie Orchestra and ARS Brunensis Chamber Choir (Recorded at 3 performances at the Wildbad Festival, July) |
Audio CD: Naxos Cat: 8.660203/4 |
| 2008 | Cyril Auvity, Nora Gubisch, Elena de la Merced, Sophie Daneman |
Jean-Claude Malgoire, La Grande Ecurie et La Chambre du Roy and Choeur de Chambre de Namur (Recording of a concert performance in the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, 12 January) |
Audio CD: Premiere Opera Cat: ?? |