Didone (opera)

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.

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere Cast, 1641
(Conductor: - )
Enea tenor
Didone soprano
Iarbas contralto
Cassandra soprano
Anchise tenor
Ascanio soprano
Hecuba contralto
Creusa soprano
Anna soprano
Mercurio contralto
Sicheo tenor
Pirro tenor
Corebo contralto
Sinon Greco bass
Ambasciatore Ilionèo contralto
Acate tenor
Giove bass
Giunone soprano
Iride soprano
Venere soprano
Amore soprano
Nettuno bass
Eolo tenor
Fortuna soprano
Three court ladies sopranos

Recordings

See also

References

Sources

External links