Semiramide (Mysliveček)
Encyclopedia
Semiramide is an 18th-century Italian opera
in 3 acts by the Czech composer Josef Mysliveček
. It was composed to a libretto
by the Italian poet Metastasio
that was first set to music in 1729. For a performance in the 1760s, it would only be expected that a libretto by Metastasio would be abbreviated and altered to suit contemporary operatic taste. The cuts and changes in the text made for the 1766 performance of Mysliveček's opera are not attributable.
in northern Italy during the summer fair there held in 1766, it attracted sufficient attention to lead to Mysliveček's commission to compose his opera Il Bellerofonte
for the Teatro San Carlo in Naples
, an overwhelming success that established him permanently as one of the leading composers of opera in Italy until his death in 1781. The original cast was not of first-rate abilities, but the simpler aria
s and ensembles composed for them found widespread use in Italy and central Europe after being copied into aria collections. Versions of the arias and ensembles with sacred texts substituted for the original Italian texts were disseminated in central Europe until the early 19th century. One of the vocal pieces that was particularly favored was the trio "Se sdegni un cor fedele" (operatic trios were rare in this period). Mysliveček's Semiramide is also known to have been performed in Alessandria
in 1766 and Prague
in 1768, when the composer made a triumphant return to his native city. It is only to be expected that Mysliveček would seek a competent model to help him compose his first opera. In this case, it would appear to be a setting of Semiramide composed by Tommaso Traetta
for Venice
in 1765. Among other traits, the Mysliveček setting exhibits the same restrained virtuosity that the Traetta setting does. Mysliveček was mainly centered in Venice during his first years in Italy and received training from the composer Giovanni Battista Pescetti
. Bergamo was the westernmost major city controlled by the Venetian Republic in his day.
, who may have lived in the 9th century BC. Almost nothing is known of the historical Semiramis, which invited Metastasio to concoct a complicated love intrigue typical of operatic conventions of his day. He depicted Semiramis with the Italianized name of Semiramide as an Egyptian princess who rules Assyria disguised as a man. Princess Tamiri prepares to choose a husband from three candidates, setting in motion a series of events that lead to Semiramide being reunited with her lover Scitalce, and the exposure of the villainy of his rival Sibari.
Act I, scene 4 - Aria of Scitalce, "Vorrei spiegar l'affanno"
Act I, scene 5 - Aria of Tamiri, "Che quel cor, quel ciglio altero"
Act I, scene 7 - Aria of Mirteno, "Bel piacer saria d'un core"
Act I, scene 10 - Aria of Scitalce, "Se intende sì poco"
Act I, scene 12 - Aria of Semiramide, "Ah, non è vano il pianto"
Act I, scene 14 - Aria of Ircano, "Talor se il vento fremi"
Act II, scene 2 - Chorus, "Il piacer, la gioia scenda"
Act II, scene 2 - Aria of Tamiri, "Tu mi disprezzi, ingrato"
Act II, scene 3 - Aria of Scitalce, "Voi, che le mie vicende"
Act II, scene 4 - Aria of Ircano, "Saper bramate"
Act II, scene 6 - Accompanied recitative for Semiramide, "Di Scitalce rifiuto"
Act II, scene 6 - Aria of Semiramide, "Il pastor, se torna Aprile"
Act II, scene 7 - Aria of Sibari, "Vieni, che in pochi istanti"
Act II, scene 8 - Aria of Mirteno, "Fiumicel che s'ode appena" [a non-Metastasian text]
Act II, scene 11 - Duet for Semiramide and Scitalce, "Giachè mi sprezzi, ingrato" [a non-Metastasian text]
Act III, scene 1 - Aria of Ircano, "Ciel mi vuole appresso" [a non-Metastasian text]
Act III, scene 4 - Aria of Semiramide, "Fuggi dagli occhi miei"
Act III, scene 7 - Trio for Mirteno, Tamiri, and Ircano, "Se sdegni un cor fedele" [a non-Metastasian text]
Act III, scene 9 - Chorus, "Viva lieta, e sia regina"
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in 3 acts by the Czech composer Josef Mysliveček
Josef Myslivecek
Josef Mysliveček was a Czech composer who contributed to the formation of late eighteenth-century classicism in music...
. It was composed to a libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by the Italian poet Metastasio
Metastasio
Pietro Antonio Domenico Trapassi, better known by his pseudonym of Metastasio, was an Italian poet and librettist, considered the most important writer of opera seria libretti.-Early life:...
that was first set to music in 1729. For a performance in the 1760s, it would only be expected that a libretto by Metastasio would be abbreviated and altered to suit contemporary operatic taste. The cuts and changes in the text made for the 1766 performance of Mysliveček's opera are not attributable.
Performance history
The opera was the first one ever composed by Mysliveček, just three years after he moved permanently from Prague to Italy, and just five years after he began composition lessons at the age of 24. As such, it represents an extraordinary achievement. Though produced at the minor operatic center of BergamoBergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
in northern Italy during the summer fair there held in 1766, it attracted sufficient attention to lead to Mysliveček's commission to compose his opera Il Bellerofonte
Il Bellerofonte
Il Bellerofonte is an 18th-century Italian opera in three acts by the Czech composer Josef Mysliveček. It conforms to the serious type that was typically set in the distant past. The libretto, based on the Greek legend of Bellerophon, was written by Giuseppe Bonecchi...
for the Teatro San Carlo in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, an overwhelming success that established him permanently as one of the leading composers of opera in Italy until his death in 1781. The original cast was not of first-rate abilities, but the simpler aria
Aria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
s and ensembles composed for them found widespread use in Italy and central Europe after being copied into aria collections. Versions of the arias and ensembles with sacred texts substituted for the original Italian texts were disseminated in central Europe until the early 19th century. One of the vocal pieces that was particularly favored was the trio "Se sdegni un cor fedele" (operatic trios were rare in this period). Mysliveček's Semiramide is also known to have been performed in Alessandria
Alessandria
-Monuments:* The Citadel * The church of Santa Maria di Castello * The church of Santa Maria del Carmine * Palazzo Ghilini * Università del Piemonte Orientale-Museums:* The Marengo Battle Museum...
in 1766 and Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in 1768, when the composer made a triumphant return to his native city. It is only to be expected that Mysliveček would seek a competent model to help him compose his first opera. In this case, it would appear to be a setting of Semiramide composed by Tommaso Traetta
Tommaso Traetta
Tommaso Michele Francesco Saverio Traetta was an Italian composer.-Biography:Traetta was born in Bitonto, a town near Bari, near the top of the heel of the boot of Italy. He eventually became a pupil of the composer, singer and teacher Nicola Porpora in Naples, and scored a first success with his...
for Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
in 1765. Among other traits, the Mysliveček setting exhibits the same restrained virtuosity that the Traetta setting does. Mysliveček was mainly centered in Venice during his first years in Italy and received training from the composer Giovanni Battista Pescetti
Giovanni Battista Pescetti
Giovanni Battista Pescetti was an organist and composer. Born in Venice around 1704, he studied under Antonio Lotti for some time...
. Bergamo was the westernmost major city controlled by the Venetian Republic in his day.
Roles
| Roles | Voice type | Premiere, summer 1766, Teatro di Cittadella, Bergamo |
|---|---|---|
| Semiramide, an Egyptian princess | soprano | Caterina Galli Caterina Galli Caterina Galli was an Italian operatic mezzo-soprano. She first rose to fame in England in the 1740s and early 1750s where she was particularly admired for her performances in the works of George Frideric Handel... |
| Mirteo, an Egyptian prince, brother of Semiramide | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... castrato Castrato A castrato is a man with a singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto voice produced either by castration of the singer before puberty or one who, because of an endocrinological condition, never reaches sexual maturity.Castration before puberty prevents a boy's... |
Adamo Solzi |
| Sibari, formerly in love with Semiramide | alto Alto Alto is a musical term, derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" in Italian, that has several possible interpretations.When designating instruments, "alto" frequently refers to a member of an instrumental family that has the second highest range, below that of the treble or soprano. Hence,... |
Rosa Polidora (in a breeches role Breeches role A breeches role is a role in which an actress appears in male clothing .In opera it also refers to any male character that is sung and acted by a female singer... ) |
| Idreno/Scitalce, an Indian prince, former lover of Semiramide | soprano castrato | Carlo Nicolini |
| Tamiri, princess of Bactria | soprano | Marianna Bucinelli |
| Ircano, a Scythian prince | soprano castrato | Antonio Pini |
Synopsis
18th-century Italian operas in serious style are usually set in a distant or legendary past and are built around historical, pseudo-historical, or mythological characters. The main character of Metastasio's Semiramide is based on the legendary Assyrian queen SemiramisSemiramis
The real and historical Shammuramat , was the Assyrian queen of Shamshi-Adad V , King of Assyria and ruler of the Neo Assyrian Empire, and its regent for four years until her son Adad-nirari III came of age....
, who may have lived in the 9th century BC. Almost nothing is known of the historical Semiramis, which invited Metastasio to concoct a complicated love intrigue typical of operatic conventions of his day. He depicted Semiramis with the Italianized name of Semiramide as an Egyptian princess who rules Assyria disguised as a man. Princess Tamiri prepares to choose a husband from three candidates, setting in motion a series of events that lead to Semiramide being reunited with her lover Scitalce, and the exposure of the villainy of his rival Sibari.
Vocal set pieces
Act I, scene 3 - Aria of Semiramide, "Non so se più t'accendi"Act I, scene 4 - Aria of Scitalce, "Vorrei spiegar l'affanno"
Act I, scene 5 - Aria of Tamiri, "Che quel cor, quel ciglio altero"
Act I, scene 7 - Aria of Mirteno, "Bel piacer saria d'un core"
Act I, scene 10 - Aria of Scitalce, "Se intende sì poco"
Act I, scene 12 - Aria of Semiramide, "Ah, non è vano il pianto"
Act I, scene 14 - Aria of Ircano, "Talor se il vento fremi"
Act II, scene 2 - Chorus, "Il piacer, la gioia scenda"
Act II, scene 2 - Aria of Tamiri, "Tu mi disprezzi, ingrato"
Act II, scene 3 - Aria of Scitalce, "Voi, che le mie vicende"
Act II, scene 4 - Aria of Ircano, "Saper bramate"
Act II, scene 6 - Accompanied recitative for Semiramide, "Di Scitalce rifiuto"
Act II, scene 6 - Aria of Semiramide, "Il pastor, se torna Aprile"
Act II, scene 7 - Aria of Sibari, "Vieni, che in pochi istanti"
Act II, scene 8 - Aria of Mirteno, "Fiumicel che s'ode appena" [a non-Metastasian text]
Act II, scene 11 - Duet for Semiramide and Scitalce, "Giachè mi sprezzi, ingrato" [a non-Metastasian text]
Act III, scene 1 - Aria of Ircano, "Ciel mi vuole appresso" [a non-Metastasian text]
Act III, scene 4 - Aria of Semiramide, "Fuggi dagli occhi miei"
Act III, scene 7 - Trio for Mirteno, Tamiri, and Ircano, "Se sdegni un cor fedele" [a non-Metastasian text]
Act III, scene 9 - Chorus, "Viva lieta, e sia regina"