| Operas by George Frideric Handel |
|---|
 Almira (1705) |
Riccardo Primo re d’Inghilterra (or Richard the First, King of England) is an opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Almira Königin von Castilien or Der in Krohnen erlangte Glückswechsel (HWV 1 is George Frideric Handel 's first Opera. Der beglückte Florindo (HWV 3 is an Opera composed by Handel and was ordered by Reinhard Keiser, the manager of the Hamburg Opera at that time Rodrigo is an Opera in three acts composed by George Frideric Handel. Agrippina (HMV 6 is an Opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel, set to a Libretto by Cardinal Vincenzo Grimani Rinaldo ( HWV 7 is an Italian Opera by George Frideric Handel, now a part of the standard operatic repertoire Il pastor fido is an Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel. For the missile see Teseo. Teseo (or ' Theseus ' is an Opera seria with music by George Frideric Handel, the only Amadigi di Gaula is an opera with music by George Frideric Handel. For the Lully opera please see Acis et Galatée. Acis and Galatea ( HWV 49 was originally a Masque composed by George Frideric Radamisto (HWV 12a/12b is an Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel to an Italian Libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym Muzio Scevola (Mucius Scaevola is an Opera in three acts The Italian -language Libretto was by Paolo Antonio Rolli, adapted from Floridante (HWV 14 is an Opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Ottone re di Germania ( Otto King of Germany) is an Opera by George Frideric Handel, to an Italian-language libretto adapted by Nicola Haym Flavio re di Longobardi ( Flavio King of the Lombards) is an Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Giulio Cesare in Egitto ( Julius Caesar in Egypt) (HWV 17 is an Italian Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Tamerlano ( Tamerlane) (HWV 18 is an Opera in three acts with music by George Frideric Handel to an Italian text by Rodelinda regina de' Longobardi (HWV 19 is an Opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Scipione is an Opera in three acts with music composed by George Frideric Handel for the Royal Academy of Music in 1726 Alessandro ( Alexander the Great) is an Opera composed by George Frideric Handel in 1726 Admeto re di Tessaglia ( Admetus King of Thessaly) is a three-act Opera with music composed by George Frideric Handel to an Italian Siroe re di Persia (or Siroes King of Persia) is an Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Tolomeo re di Egitto ( Ptolemy King of Egypt) (HWV 25 is an Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel to an Italian text by Lotario ( Lothair) (HWV 26 is an Opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. For other uses see Parthenope Partenope is an Opera by George Frideric Handel composed in 1730 with an Italian Poro re dell'Indie (or Porus King of the Indians) (HWV 28 is an Opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Ezio ( Aetius) is an Opera by George Frideric Handel. It was his last opera based on a Libretto by Pietro Metastasio. Sosarme re di Media ( Sosarmes King of Media) is an Opera by George Frideric Handel. Orlando (HWV 31 is an Opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Arianna in Creta ( Ariadne in Crete) (HWV 32 is an Opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Oreste ( Orestes) (HG 48/102 HWV A11 is an opera by George Frideric Handel in three acts. For the opera by Étienne Méhul, see Ariodant. Ariodante ( HWV 33 is an Opera seria in three acts by Handel Alcina (HWV 34 is an Opera seria by George Frideric Handel. The Libretto 's author is unknown but the plot is taken (like those of the Handel Atalanta is an Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel composed in 1736 Arminio ( HWV 36 is an Opera composed by Georg Friedrich Händel. Giustino (or Justin) is an Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Berenice regina d'Egitto ( Berenice Queen of Egypt) (HWV 38 is an Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel to an Italian text Alessandro Severo ( Alexander Severus) is an Opera by George Frideric Handel composed in 1738 Faramondo ( Pharamond) (HWV 39 is an Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel to an Italian text adapted from Apostolo Zeno Serse ( Xerxes) ( HWV 40 is an Opera seria by George Frideric Handel. Giove in Argo (or Jupiter in Argos) ( HWV A14 is an Italian Opera by George Frideric Handel. Imeneo ( Hymen) (HWV 41 is an Opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Deidamia (HWV 42 was George Frideric Handel 's last Opera. The Italian text was by Paolo Antonio Rolli. Semele ( HWV 58 is an opera or oratorio in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto The Italian-language libretto was by Paolo Antonio Rolli, after Francesco Briani's Isacio tiranno, set by Antonio Lotti in 1710. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. A libretto is the text used in an extended Musical work such as an Opera, Operetta, Masque, sacred or secular Oratorio and Antonio Lotti ( January 5, 1667 &ndash January 5, 1740) was an Italian Composer of classical music. Year 1710 ( MDCCX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar or a Common year Handel wrote the work for the Royal Academy's 1726-1727 opera season, and also as homage to the newly crowned George II and the nation where Handel had just received citizenship. [1]
The opera received its premiere at the King's Theatre in London on 11 November 1727, and 11 subsequent performances. Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, located on The Haymarket, in the City of Westminster. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Year 1727 ( MDCCXXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common It was also performed in Hamburg and Brunswick. Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Braunschweig, known as Brunswiek in Low German, is a city of 245810 people (as of 31 December 2007 located in Lower Saxony, Germany. Handel subsequently re-used music from the opera in Scipione and Tolomeo. Scipione is an Opera in three acts with music composed by George Frideric Handel for the Royal Academy of Music in 1726 Tolomeo re di Egitto ( Ptolemy King of Egypt) (HWV 25 is an Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel to an Italian text by The opera fell into neglect after the 1728 closing of the Royal Academy. [1]
Riccardo Primo was rediscovered and performed by the Handel Opera Society at Sadler's Wells in London on 8 July 1964. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. [2] Later performances were given at Kourion Amphitheater in Cyprus at 1991, in order to mark the 800th anniversary of the historical events on which the opera is based, and also at the 1996 Göttingen Festival. Kourion (Κούριον also Curias ( Pliny v 13 or Latin: Curium, was a city in Cyprus, which endured from antiquity until [3]
R. B. Chatwin has discussed Handel's writing of orchestral parts for the chalumeau, a forerunner of the clarinet, as part of the musicological controversy over whether or not Handel wrote music for the clarinet or its precursors. The clarinet is a Musical instrument in the Woodwind family The name derives from adding the suffix -et meaning little to the Italian word [4] Winton Dean and Richard Drakeford have commented on the weaknesses of the dramatic characterisations in the libretto. [1] [3]
Contents |
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, November 11, 1727 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Riccardo | alto castrato | Senesino |
| Costanza, daughter of the King of Navarre | soprano | Francesca Cuzzoni |
| Isacio, Governor of Cyprus | bass | Giuseppe Maria Boschi |
| Pulcheria, his daughter | soprano | Faustina Bordoni |
| Oronte, Prince of Syria | alto castrato | Antonio Baldi |
| Berardo, Costanza's cousin | bass | Giovanni Battista Palmerini |
| Corrado, Prince of Bohemia | contralto | Anna Vincenza Dotti |
Synopsis
The story concerns the marriage of Richard I to Constanza, a Spanish princess, on the island of Cyprus in 1191. Alto is a musical term derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" that has several possible interpretations A castrato is a man with a singing voice equivalent to that of a Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, or Contralto voice produced either by Castration Senesino ( Francesco Bernardi) ( October 31 1686 &ndash November 27 1758) was a celebrated Italian alto Castrato This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. Francesca Cuzzoni ( 2 April 1696 &ndash 19 June 1778) was an Italian operatic Soprano of the Baroque era Giuseppe Maria Boschi (b ?Mantua fl 1698–1744 was an Italian bass singer - though in modern terms a Baritone - of the 18th century Faustina Bordoni ( 30 March 1697 &ndash 4 November 1781) was an Italian Mezzo-soprano. This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. Richard I (8 September 1157 &ndash 6 April 1199 was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía The character of Costanza is identified with Berengaria of Navarre, who married Richard I at Limassol at 1191. Berengaria (Berenguela Bérengère c 1165-1170 – 23 December 1230 was the eldest daughter of Sancho VI of Navarre and Sancha of Castile Richard I (8 September 1157 &ndash 6 April 1199 was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death Limassol or Lemesos ( Greek: Λεμεσός, Lemesos; Turkish: Limasol, alt
The opera begins in Cyprus in 1191. Prior to the action of the opera, Riccardo and Costanza have not yet met.
On her sea journey to be married to Riccardo, Costanza and her party are shipwrecked off the coast of Cyprus. She finds shelter at the court of the local governor, Isacio. Upon seeing Costanza, Isacio makes violent advances towards her, and has the idea to send his daughter, Pulcheria, in place of Costanza to Riccardo, whilst keeping the real Costanza for himself. This is spite of the fact that Pulcheria is currently engaged to his ally Oronte, Prince of Syria. However, Pulcheria has noticed that Oronte is himself attracted to Costanza, and sees her father's duplicity as an opportunity to humble her fiancé.
Riccardo himself arrives, disguised as his kingdom's ambassador, and asks after Costanza. Oronte has discovered Isacio's plot and stops it, which leads Pulcheria to forgive her fiancé. Riccardo is angry upon learning of Isacio's designs, but retains his disguise and plans to offer charity towards Isacio in spite of the ill plotting. Speaking "on behalf" of Riccardo, "the Ambassador" offers Isacio the choice of either peace or war. Isacio chooses war, with Costanza as the proposed prize. Pulcheria then introduces Riccardo, still incognito, to Costanza, and Act II closes with a love duet for Costanza and Pulcherio.
In the conflict during Act III, Isacio says that he will kill Costanza if Riccardo does not call off the attack. Pulcheria has offered herself as a hostage to Riccardo's forces. She takes a sword from a soldier and prepares to stab herself, but Oronte prevents her. Riccardo's army eventually captures Isacio, and Riccardo dispenses justice as follows. Isacio must renounce his power, but is allowed to live. Pulcheria, with Oronte as her husband, shall reign in place of her father.
Selected recordings
- L'Oiseau Lyre 452 201-2: Sara Mingardo (Riccardo), Sandrine Piau (Costanza), Olivier Lallouette (Berardo), Robert Scaltriti (Isacio), Claire Brua (Pulcheria), Pascal Bertin (Oronte); Les Talens Lyriques; Christophe Rousset, conductor[5]
References
- ^ a b c Dean, Winton, "Handel's Riccardo Primo" (July 1964). Sandrine Piau (b 5 June 1965 in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France) is an opera Soprano. Les Talens Lyriques is a Baroque orchestra founded in 1991 by French conductor Christophe Rousset. Christophe Rousset (born 1961) is a French Harpsichordist and conductor, specializing in the performance of Baroque music on The Musical Times, 105 (1457): pp. 498-500.
- ^ Dean, Winton, "Handel Operas" (September 1964). The Musical Times, 105 (1459): pp. 670-671.
- ^ a b Drakeford, Richard, "Festival Reviews: Virtue & Pleasure" (September 1996). The Musical Times, 137 (1843): pp. 36+38.
- ^ Chatwin, R. B. , "Handel and the Clarinet" (March 1950). The Galpin Society Journal, 3: pp. 3-8.
- ^ Burrows, Donald, "Recording Reviews: Handel Operas and Cantatas" (May 1998). Early Music, 26 (2): pp. 361-362.
Sources
- Dean, Winton (2006), Handel's Operas, 1726-1741, Boydell Press, ISBN 1843832682 The second of the two volume definitive reference on the operas of Handel
- Riccardo Primo by Anthony Hicks, in 'The New Grove Dictionary of Opera', ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Opera is an Encyclopedia of Opera, considered to be one of the best general reference sources on the subject Stanley Sadie (London, 1992) ISBN 0-333-73432-7
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