Scanderbeg (opera)

Antonio Vivaldi

Scanderbeg (RV 732) is an opera (dramma per musica) in three acts composed by Antonio Vivaldi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Salvi. It was first performed at the Teatro della Pergola in Florence on June 22, 1718 to mark the re-opening of the theatre to public performances.[1] While the libretto has been preserved only fragments of the original score remain.[2]

Contents

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere Cast
June 22, 1718[3]
Doneca soprano Francesca Cuzzoni-Sandoni, 'La Parmigiana'
Climene soprano Anna Guglielmi
Asteria contralto Agata Landi
Acomat soprano Rosa Venturini
Scanderbeg alto castrato Giovanni Battista Carboni
Aroniz alto castrato Antonio Ristorini
Ormondo alto castrato Giovanni Pietro Sbaraglia
Amurat II alto castrato Gaetano Mossi

Synopsis

The subject of the opera is Skanderbeg, the 15th-century Albanian hero.

Recordings

Two arias the opera's second act, "S'a voi penso, o luci belle" (Ormondo) and "Con palme ed allori" (Scanderbeg), can be heard on Arie ritrovate sung by contralto Sonia Prina with the Accademia Bizantina, conducted by Ottavio Dantone. (Naïve Records)

References

  1. ^ Holmes (1994) p.16
  2. ^ Colas and Di Profio (2009) p. 54; Strohm (2008a) p. 236
  3. ^ Premiere cast from Cassaglia (2005)

Sources