| Francesco Cavalli |
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Operas
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Ormindo (L'Ormindo) is an opera in three acts and a Prologue by Francesco Cavalli to an original Italian libretto by Giovanni Faustini. The manuscript score and libretto, which describes the work as a favola dramatica musicale, are held at the Biblioteca Marciana in Venice. The opera has set numbers with recitative, and is set in Fez in the ancient Kingdom of Mauretania.
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Ormindo was first performed at the Teatro San Cassiano, Venice, 1644. It is now rarely staged. It was arranged by Raymond Leppard for performance at Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 1967, and this was probably the first time Ormindo had been performed since 1644. The work received its American premiere in 1968 in a performance at the Juilliard School supervised by Leppard. A recent performance was by the Pittsburgh Opera in February, 2007, using a new performing edition by Peter Foster. It was conducted by Bernard McDonald and directed by Chas Rader-Shieber. Peter Foster's edition was also used by The Harvard Early Music Society in its November, 2008 performance of the work, conducted by Matthew Hall and directed by Roy Kimmey. The Baylor University School of Music performed the work in English on November 21-22, 2008 under the direction of Dr. Michael Johnson with conductor Dr. Andrew Hudson. It was performed by Pinchgut Opera of Sydney in December 2009.
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 1644 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Amida, Prince of Tremisene | tenor | |
| Amore (Cupid) | soprano | |
| Custode | tenor | |
| Erice, Sicle's nurse | tenor | |
| Erisbe, the wife of Hariadeno | soprano | |
| Hariadeno, King of Mauretania | bass | |
| Il Destino (Destiny) | tenor | |
| L'Armonia (Harmony) | soprano | |
| La Fortuna (Fortune) | mezzo-soprano | |
| Melide, Sicle's lady-in-waiting | soprano | |
| Mirinda, Erisbe's confidante | soprano | |
| Nerillo, Amida's page | mezzo-soprano | |
| Ormindo, Prince of Tunis | alto | |
| Osman, King Hariadeno's captain | tenor | |
| Sicle, Princess of Susio (Scotland) | soprano | |
| Messo (Messenger) | mezzo-soprano | |
| The Winds, Ormindo's soldiers, Amida's soldiers, Mauritanian soldiers, Erisbe's ladies-in-waiting | ||
The foreign princes, Amida and Ormindo, who are assisting in the defense of Mauretania, are both in love with Erisbe who is unhappily married to Hariadeno, Mauretania's elderly king. The princes agree to remain friends while they test her love. During the course of the opera, there is much plotting by Amore, Princess Sicle (Amida's abandoned lover) and Erice (Sicle's nurse) to interfere with the contest. Erice stages a séance to communicate with the 'dead' Sicle who reproaches Amida for his inconstancy which had driven her to suicide. Amida, overcome with remorse, realizes that he still loves Princess Sicle and is overjoyed when it is revealed that she is actually alive and not a ghost. Meanwhile, Erisbe and Ormindo decide to elope to Tunis, where Ormindo must defend his homeland from attack. When King Hariadeno discovers their adultery, he orders his captain, Osmano, to have them poisoned. However, Osmano substitutes a sleeping potion for the poison at the urging of Mirinda (Erisbe's confidante) who has promised to marry him if he spares the lovers. All ends more or less happily when the King learns that Ormindo is actually his son from a youthful liaison. He forgives everyone and cedes his kingdom to Ormindo.
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