Radamisto (Handel)
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| Operas by George Frideric Handel |
|---|
Almira (1705) |
Radamisto (HWV 12a/12b) is an opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel to an Italian libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym, based on L'amor tirranico, o Zenobia by Domenico Lalli and Zenobia by Matteo Noris. It was Handel's first opera for the Royal Academy of Music.
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[edit] Performance history
It was first performed at the King's Theatre, London on 27 April 1720 and was judged to be a success, resulting in 10 further performances. A revised version with different singers was written for a revival on 28 December 1720. More revisions followed for yet another version presented in 1721 and again for further revival in 1728. It was also given in Hamburg. The first modern performance was in Göttingen on 27 June 1927.
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, April 27, 1720 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Radamisto, son of Farasmane |
soprano / alto castrato |
Margherita Durastanti |
| Zenobia, his wife |
alto / soprano / mezzo-soprano |
Anastasia Robinson |
| Tiridate, King of Armenia |
tenor / bass | Alexander Gordon |
| Polissena, his wife, daughter of Farasmane |
soprano | Ann Turner Robinson |
| Farasmane, King of Thrace |
bass | Signor Lagarde |
| Tigrane, Prince of Pontus |
soprano / soprano castrato / alto castrato |
Caterina Galerati |
| Fraarte, brother of Tiridate |
soprano castrato / soprano |
Benedetto Baldassari |
| Role | Voice type | Revised version Premiere Cast, December 28, 1720 (Conductor: - ) |
Revised version Premiere Cast, 1728 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radamisto, son of Farasmane |
soprano / alto castrato |
Senesino | Senesino |
| Zenobia, his wife |
alto / soprano / mezzo-soprano |
Margherita Durastanti | Faustina Bordoni |
| Tiridate, King of Armenia |
tenor / bass | Giuseppe Maria Boschi | Giuseppe Maria Boschi |
| Polissena, his wife, daughter of Farasmane |
soprano | Maddalena Salvai | Francesca Cuzzoni |
| Farasmane, King of Thrace |
bass | Signor Lagarde | Giovanni Battista Palmerini |
| Tigrane, Prince of Pontus |
soprano / soprano castrato / alto castrato |
Matteo Berselli | Antonio Baldi |
| Fraarte, brother of Tiridate |
soprano castrato / soprano |
Caterina Galerati | (role cut) |
[edit] Synopsis
- Place: Armenia
- Time: 53 A.D.
The opera has set numbers with recitative. It is based on Tacitus's Annals of Imperial Rome.
"The happily married Radamisto and Zenobia are besieged by Tiridate, ruler of a neighboring country; Radamisto through an invasion of Tiridate has launched and Zenobia through Tiridate's attemppt to capture her during the warfare. Despite his marriage to the faithful Polissena , titidate has fallen passionately in love with Zenobia and his attempts to secure and seduce her are the forces that drive the story. The "tyranical love" which consumes Tiridate eventually gives way and his is reunited with Polissena, while Radamisto and Zenobia celebrate the "sweet refuse" they find in each others arms." [1]
[edit] The score
Score of Radamisto (ed. Friedrich Chrysander, Leipzig 1875)
[edit] References
- ^ "Handel, With Care", Crescendo, Spring 2008, a publication of the Santa Fe Opera.
- Dean, Winton & Knapp, J. Merrill (1987), Handel's Operas, 1704-1726, Clarendon Press, ISBN 0193152193 The first of the two volume definitive reference on the operas of Handel
