Deidamia (HWV 42) was George Frideric Handel's last Italian opera. The Italian text was by Paolo Antonio Rolli.
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The opera was first performed on 10 January 1741 at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre, London. The opera received only three performances, at a time when the public was becoming tired of Italian opera. (Handel subsequently turned his attention to composing oratorios.) The opera was revived in the 1950s and is occasionally staged. It has been recorded.
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 10 January 1741 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Deidamia, daughter of Licomede | soprano | |
| Nerea, friend of Deidamia | soprano | |
| Achille (Achilles), in women's dress, under the name of Pirra | soprano | |
| Ulisse (Odysseus), King of Ithaca, using the name Antiloco | alto castrato or contralto | |
| Fenice, King of Argos | bass | |
| Licomede (Lycomedes), King of Skyros | bass |
The opera is based upon the Greek mythological character Deidamia, the daughter of King Lycomedes of Skyros, who bore a child by Achilles.
Score of Deidamia (ed. Friedrich Chrysander, Leipzig 1885)