Nitocri
Nitocri is an opera (melodramma serio) in two acts composed by Saverio Mercadante to libretto by Apostolo Zeno adapted by Lodovico Piossasco Feys. The libretto is a fictionalised account of the Egyptian queen Nitocris. The opera premiered at the Teatro Regio in Turin on 26 December 1824.[1]
Background and performance history[edit]
According to Francesco Florimo, the opera was "well received" at its premiere. A second revised version was performed at the Teatro della Canobbiana in Milan on 2 October 1830 with newly designed sets by Alessandro Sanquirico.[2][3]
Although the opera fell into oblivion, Mirteo's aria "Se m'abbandoni", sung at the premiere by Brigida Lorenzani en travesti, became a popular concert piece for contraltos and mezzo-sopranos and was sometimes interpolated into other operas, notably by Maria Malibran in the final scene of Zingarelli's Giulietta e Romeo.
Roles[edit]
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 26 December 1824[1] Conductor: Giovanni Battista Polledro |
|---|---|---|
| Nitocri (Nitocris), Queen of Egypt, in love with Mirteo | soprano | Caterina Canzi |
| Mirteo, an Egyptian general, in love with Emirena | contralto | Brigida Lorenzani |
| Emirena, Nitocri's sister | soprano | Carolina Franchini |
| Feraspe, prince descended from the ancient kings of Egypt, in love with Nitocri | tenor | Nicola Tacchinardi |
| Micerino, an Egyptian general, Mirteo's friend, in love with Emirena | bass | Luciano Bianchi |
| Idaspe, Nitocri's confidante | tenor | Lorenzo Lombardi |
| Ramiro, Feraspe's confidante | soprano | Vittoria Smitt |
| Royal guards, Nitocri's handmaidens, government officials, Egyptian and Theban soldiers, Egyptian people | ||
Recordings[edit]
There are no complete recordings of the opera. However, the overture was recorded by the Orchestra Sinfonica Moldova for Mercadante: Sinfonie da Opere (Bongiovanni GB2144), and Mirteo's aria "Se m'abbandoni" sung by Della Jones appears on A Hundred Years of Italian Opera 1820–1830 (Opera Rara ORCH104)
References[edit]
- ^ a b Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Nitocri, 26 December 1824". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
- ^ Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Nitocri, 2 October 1830". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
- ^ Florimo, Francesco (1869). Cenno storico sulla scuola musicale di Napoli, vol. 1, p. 644. Tipografia di Lorenzo Rocco
External links[edit]
- Aria "Se m'abbandoni" from Nitocri: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Complete libretto for the 1824 premiere at the Teatro Regio di Torino (in Italian)
- Complete libretto for the 1830 performance at the Teatro della Canobbiana (in Italian)
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