Scanderbeg (opera)

For other uses, see Skanderbeg (disambiguation).

Scanderbeg (Italian pronunciation: [ˈskanderbeɡ]; 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 22 June 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]

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere Cast
22 June 1718[3]
Scanderbeg, King of Albania alto castrato Giovanni Battista Carboni
Doneca, his wife, disguised as a shepardess soprano Francesca Cuzzoni-Sandoni, 'La Parmigiana'
Aroniz, Price of Epirus, father of Doneca, disguised as a shepherd tenor Antonio Ristorini
Ormondo, Count of Urana, army general alto castrato Giovanni Pietro Sbaraglia, "Il Pesciatino"
Climene, Scanderbeg's captain soprano (travesti) Anna Guglielmini
Amurat II, monarch of the Turks tenore Gaetano Mossi
Asteria, his daughter contralto Agata Landi
Acomat, Amurat's general, in love with Asteria soprano (travesti) Rosa Venturini

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

Notes

  1. ↑ Holmes (1994) p.16
  2. ↑ Colas and Di Profio (2009) p. 54; Strohm (2008a) p. 236
  3. ↑ Premiere cast from Strohm (2008a), I, p. 232.

Sources