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Handel Opera Alessandro
Opera Alessandro by George Frideric Handel is first performed on May 5, 1726. The venue is at London’s King Theatre, with Faustina Bordoni making her debut as Rossane. The opera is in 3 acts, text by Paulo Antonio Rolli.
Summary of Handel Opera Alessandro
Opera Alessandro (Alexander the Great, HWV 21) is an opera written for the Royal Academy of Music in 1719, composed by George Frideric Handel in 1726. Paolo Rolli was the librettist who based the story on Ortensio Mauro’s La superbia d’Alessandro. The opera was first performed on 5 May 1726 at the King’s Theatre, London.
The story of opera Alessandro by Handel is based around Alexander the Great’s journey to India, where he meets Poro, the king of India. After capturing one of its cities, and becoming the king of Macedonia, he becomes involved in a complicated love triangle with two captive princesses. Alessandro has delusions believing that he is the son of the god Jupiter, therefore, he demands to be worshipped as a god. His Macedonian captains conspire to cure him of this belief. During the course of the work, Rossane and Lisaura are rivals for the affection of Alessandro.
Note on Handel’s original opera Alessandro
Alessandro was the first opera where composer Handel cast together the famous singers Faustina Bordoni, as Rossane, and Francesca Cuzzoni, as Lisaura. He made use of their real-life professional rivalry in his treatment of the story.
For more information about German-born English composer George F. Handel (famous for oratorio Messiah), please refer under this website’s Category: Handel G. F.
Händel Opera Alessandro Aria ”Brilla nell’ alma un non inteso ancor” HWV21 by Sandrine Piau
Related Link:
The opera was aired in BBC Radio broadcast some two years ago 2009. If interested, for more information about opera Alessandro, check out Handel Opera Cycle at BBC Through the Night.
Resources:
Price, Curtis, Review of recording of Alessandro (August 1986). Early Music, 14 (3): pp. 450, 452, 454.
Rosenthal. H and Warrack, J. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Opera. London: OUP, 1973 Reprint.
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Ponchielli Opera La Gioconda
La Gioconda (The Joyful Girl), an Italian melodramatic 4-act opera by Amilcare Ponchielli: opera plot synopsis, character description, and other Ponchielli opera information.
Amilcare Ponchielli’s lyric opera La Gioconda (“The Merry One” or “The Joyful Girl”), a melodramatic lyric drama has been popular to this day especially the Act 3 ballet “Dance of the Hours.” The opera was first performed April 8, 1876, in Milan.
The opera includes the popular “Dance of the Hours,” (the Italian, Danza Delle Ore), a short ballet from Act 3, Scene 2 of the opera. It depicts the hours of the day through solo and ensemble dances. Given the right performers (soloists) and excellent producers, this typical opera’s tale of love and murder, will attract audience.
La Gioconda also has beautiful passionate arias in it, such as the soprano’s “Suicidio!” and the tenor’s “Cielo e mar.” Here’s Ponchielli’s opera synopsis and other information —> La Gioconda
Related article:
“Dance of the Hours” in Ponchielli Opera La Gioconda
Video Credit: “Dance of the Hours“ at Youtube, uploaded by IndyBallet. Accessed 8 April 2012.
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Verdi Opera Macbeth
Giuseppe Verdi Opera Macbeth
Macbeth, an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi: Macbeth plot summary, Macbeth character list, and other Verdi opera information.
The 4-act tragic opera Macbeth by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi premieres in Teatro della Pergola, Florence, Italy, on March 14, 1847. It is based on the libretto by Francesco Maria Piave on a play of the same name by William Shakespeare. Verdi composed it 1846-1847, and revised 1864-1865. The revise version première was: April 21, 1865, in Paris.
Setting is in Scotland, around 11th century Macbeth’s castle
Main Cast of Characters in Verdi’s Macbeth
- Macbeth, a general and the future king of Scotland (baritone)
- Lady Macbeth, his wife (soprano)
- Duncan, King of Scotland (silent)
- Banquo, A general (bass)
- Macduff, A Scottish nobleman (tenor)
- Malcolm, Duncan’s son (tenor)
- Fleance, Banquo’s son (mute)
Synopsis / Plot Summary of Verdi’s Macbeth
Act I
The three witches predict to Macbeth and Banquo that Macbeth will become the next King of Scotland as well as Thane of Cawdor and that Banquo, son of the current King, will become the father to future kings. Macbeth becomes Thane of Cawdor. Lady Macbeth, having read a letter about the witches prophesy, questions her husband’s will to take the throne and sets in motion the kingship prophecy. She forces her husband to kill King Duncan whilst he is asleep. Macduff arrive to find a murdered King Duncan.
Act II
Macbeth is now king of Scotland. Remembering the prophesy of the witches, Macbeth decides that Banquo and his children must be put to death. Banquo is killed. Banquo’s son, Fleance, escapes murder. During a banquet, Banquo’s ghost appears. It scares Macbeth and he alone can see the ghost. Lady Macbeth tries to distract the guests. Macduff decides to leave Scotland for England.
Act III
Macbeth returns to the witches, who tell him that “no man born of woman” will ever harm him. Another ghost tells Macbeth that no harm will come to him until Birnam Wood moves towards him. Macbeth sees a vision of eight kings pass before his eyes, which terrifies him. The last of the eight kings is the ghost of Banquo. Macbeth plans to kill Banquo’s son, and Macduff’s wife and children.
Act IV
Macduff is planning revenge, after hearing the news that his family has been killed. As Lady Macbeth sleepwalks, she imagines blood on her hands and remembers the murders that they have committed. Macbeth sees Birnam Wood approaching, but also remembers that no man “born of woman” can hurt him. Macduff tells Macbeth that he was “ripped” from his mother’s womb at birth and then kills Macbeth.
Verdi Opera Macbeth – La Scala 1975 part 1
Verdi Opera Macbeth – La Scala 1975 part 2
Macbeth – La Scala 1975 part 2, uploaded by coloraturafan2. Accessed, March 14, 2012.
Major Operas by Verdi:
- Nabucco
- I Lombardi alla prima crociata
- Ernani
- Attila
- Macbeth
- Luisa Miller
- Rigoletto
- Il Trovatore
- La Traviata
- Simon Boccanegra
- Un ballo in maschera
- La forza del destino
- Don Carlos
- Aida
- Otello
- Falstaff
Other Verdi plot summaries are also available. Search in this website for “Verdi operas” or specific keywords like “Verdi opera Aida”, “Verdi opera Otello”, etc.
Sources:
- Holden, Amanda (Ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001.
- Riding, Alan & Dunton-Downer, Leslie, Opera. DK: London, 2006
- Warrack, John and West, Ewan, The Oxford Dictionary of Opera. New York: OUP: 1992.
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Cherubini Opera Médée
Opera Médée by Luigi Cherubini, Médée plot summary & characters, Médée opera information.
Médée (Medea) is a French language opéra-comique by Luigi Cherubini. The libretto by François-Benoît Hoffmann (Nicolas Étienne Framéry) was based on Euripides’ tragedy of Medea and Pierre Corneille’s play Médée.
The opera was premiered on 13 March 1797 at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. Médée is considered the operatic masterpiece of Cherubini. It has such intensity that uses music to transform Euripides‘ Medea, a Greek myth, into a tragic human drama. During the nineteenth- and most of the twentieth-century, it was usually performed in Italian translation as Medea, with the spoken dialogue replaced by recitatives unauthorized by the composer. However, in recent times, opera performing companies have returned to Cherubini’s original version of Médée.
In one-liner summary, the story tells of the Colchis princess Medea who commits murder to help her lover Jason steal the Golden Fleece, then kills their two children to punish his betrayal.
Main Characters of Médée
- Médée, A sorceress princess, soprano
- Jason, Father of Médée’s two children, tenor
- Dircé, Créon’s daughter, soprano
- Néris, Médée’s maid, mezzo-soprano
- King Créon, King of Corinth, bass
- Captain of the Guard, speaking role
- Two children, silent roles
Extra roles: Captain of the Guard, speaking role; two children, silent roles; and chorus: Servants of Dircé, Argonauts, priests, warriors, people of Corinth.
Synopsis / Plot Summary of Cherubini’s Opera Médée
Act 1. Outside the Palace of King Créon
Dircé is preparing for her wedding to Jason. Earlier in the story, Jason had stolen the golden fleece with Médée’s help, and in doing this, Médée had betrayed her family and established a relationship with him, resulting in having two children. Jason had since abandoned Médée, but she reappears and demands that he return to her. Jason, now in love with Dircé, refuses. Médée curses him, vows revenge.
Act 2. Inside the Palace
In despair, Médée is encouraged to leave the city by her slave, Néris. King Créon appears and orders that Médée leave. She asks for one more day with her children and, after the king agrees, she appears to be calmer to conceal her plans and asks Néris to give two wedding presents to take to Dircé, a robe and diadem. Médée watches Créon and his followers enter the Temple of Hera for Dircé’s wedding to Jason before she takes hold of a blazing torch from the altar while waiting her moment of revenge.
Act 3. Between the Palace and the Temple
Néris brings the two children out to where Médée is waiting. Sounds of fury and lamentation are heard from within the palace upon Jason’s discovery that Dircé has been posioned by Médée’s wedding presents. An angry crowd gathers and Néris, Médée, and the children take refuge in the temple. The two women reappear with Médée grasping a blood-stained knife with which she has killed her two children. The temple, to which Médée returns, goes up in flames and she disappears into the fire.
Finale Medea Callas 1953 Atre furie volate a me
Video Credit:
Cherubini’s Medea with Callas as Medea. YouTube, uploaded by youfeda on Apr 15, 2010. Accessed March 13, 2012.
Note: I’ve particularly chosen to feature Maria Callas for the video to this post. Medea was a total triumph each time Callas sang the role. She was best-known for her roles as Norma, Lucia, Traviata and Tosca. However, opera lovers over time have also equated la divina Callas, herself a Greek, as best fit ever for the role of Cherubini’s Medea, a Greek myth from Euripides’ tragic drama. As there’s no “live” YouTube available on Callas, we focus on the power and brilliance of her voice.
Sources:
Information from Operone website. Accessed, March 13, 2012.
Riding, Alan & Dunton-Downer, Leslie. Opera. London: DK, 2006.
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