Francesco Silvani

Francesco Silvani (pseudonym: Frencasco Valsini ; * around 1660 in Venice ; † between 1728 and 1744 ) was an Italian librettist .

Life

Silvani was actually abbot . In 1682/83 he appeared for the first time as a librettist under the anagram Frencasco Valsini ; from 1691 to 1716 he wrote libretti for various Venetian theaters almost every year under his real name . 1699–1705 he was in the service of Carlo IV Gonzaga , Duke of Mantua ; however, he still seems to have stayed mostly in Venice. He reached the peak of his career in the years 1708 to 1714 when he worked for the Teatro Grimani a San Giovanni Grisostomo , which was considered the most important theater in Venice.

An anthology with 24 of his libretti was published posthumously in 1744 ( Opere drammatiche del signor Abate Francesco Silvani , Venice).

style

Silvani's libretti are characterized by clearly motivated actions, sophisticated language and extensive recitatives (in the sense of the reforms of Zenos and Pariati ). Occasionally he resorted to older templates (e.g. from Seneca , Tasso or Corneille ). Most of the librettos feature historical characters, but some of the plots are made up. Silvani had a preference for long, abstract titles that were often reduced to the name of a main character in later performances.

Works (selection)

• La costanza in trionfo (1696), set to music by Ziani and Handel (as Floridante )
• L'ingratitudine gastigata (1698), set to music a. a. by Albinoni and Caldara
• La fortezza al [in] cimento (1699), set to music a. a. by Aldrovandini and Albinoni
• Il duello d'amore e di vendetta (1700), set to music a. a. by Ziani , Handel (as Vincer se stesso è la maggior vittoria [ Rodrigo ]) and Galuppi (as L'odio placato )
• La fede tradita e vendicata (1704), set to music a. a. by Gasparini , Vivaldi , Vinci (as Ernelinda ) and Galuppi (as Ricimero )
• Il tradimento traditor di se stesso (1711), set to music a. a. by Lotti and Porpora (as Statira )
• I veri amici (with Domenico Lalli , 1712), set to music a. a. by Vivaldi (as Candace, o siano Li veri amici ), Albinoni and Leo (as Evergete )
• La verità nell'inganno (1713), set to music a. a. by Gasparini , Caldara (as Tiridate, overo La verità nell'inganno ), Porpora and Hasse (as Attalo, re di Bitinia )