Gli orti esperidi
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Gli orti esperidi |
Title page of the libretto from 1751 |
|
| Shape: | Componimento dramatico |
| Original language: | Italian |
| Music: | First setting by Nicola Antonio Porpora |
| Libretto : | Pietro Metastasio |
| Premiere: | August 28, 1721 |
| Place of premiere: | Naples |
| Place and time of the action: | Gardens of the Hesperides on the shores of the Ethiopian Sea, mythical time |
| people | |
Gli orti esperidi (German: "The Gardens of the Hesperides") is a libretto for a componimento dramatico in two parts by Pietro Metastasio . It was performed for the first time in a setting by Nicola Antonio Porpora on August 28, 1721 in Naples on the birthday of Empress Elisabeth Christine . It is dedicated to Maria Spinola, Princess Borghese.
action
The following table of contents is based on the German translation of the libretto of the setting by Nicola Porpora.
First part
Venus (also called Citerea in the libretto) has left her homeland Cyprus and is descending into the forests of the Atlas accompanied by her lover Adonis . There are the gardens of the Hesperides, the origin of the golden apple, which, according to the judgment of Paris, she received as the prize for her beauty. The trees are guarded by a dragon, the symbol of the Borghese family. Aigle, one of Hesperos ' daughters , comes towards them and asks them why they are coming. Venus replies that this is Elise's birthday ( Empress Elisabeth ) and that she would like to give her one of the apples. She intends to improve it so that it donates not strife but fertility. Adonis is not allowed to approach the trees. Therefore, he remains in the company of Aigle while Venus sets out to search. Since Adonis immediately feels lonely without Venus, Aigle comforts him with her own story. She has resigned herself to having to live far from her lover. Now the god of war Mars (Adonis' rival with Venus) and the sea deity Palaimon (Aigle's lover) approach . Mars is looking for Venus. As a precaution, Adonis withholds his real name and pretends to be Aigle's lover Elmiro. Mars is happy for him. Palaimon, on the other hand, becomes jealous.
Adonis warns Venus of the arrival of her jealous admirer Mars. He also fears that she may give in to his urge. However, Venus reassures him that their allegiance is invulnerable. The two affirm their love in the duet "Se fedel, cor mio, tu sei".
Second part
Mars complains to Adonis about Venus' dismissive behavior and wonders why he can't find her. Adonis thinks she might be looking for him and certainly loyal to him. Mars is not so easily calmed down, however, and threatens the dire consequences of his anger if he can prove her disloyalty. Alone again, Adonis worries about his fate.
Palaimon accuses Aigle of cheating on him with Elmiro. Although she explains Adonis' true identity to him, he doesn't believe her. Since Venus and Adonis get close, she asks him to hide and overhear their conversation. So he could learn the truth. The two get closer under oaths of love. Venus is concerned because she dreamed that Adonis was wounded by a wild boar while he was sleeping. Adonis' only worry, however, is being separated from her. Meanwhile, Palaimon is convinced of Aigle's innocence. The two remain hidden. As Mars returns, Venus and Adonis must resume their deception. Venus assures Mars that he is loyal to him and that he has already turned down some other admirers. Mars threatens the effects of his anger again if it finds otherwise. But if she should be friendly to him, he will suppress his anger and bring about peace. Venus agrees and says that the Golden Age will return for Elish's birthday . Aigle and Palaimon step out of their hiding place and agree to their wishes. A series of praises to Elisabeth follow. Palaimon declares that he only emerged from the sea for her celebration. Other goddesses appear along with the allegorical figures of honor and prosperity. Venus hands Elise the golden apple and promises her an heir to the throne. Mars assures her of its support in times of war and predicts that the Habsburg eagle will conquer the Orient as far as the Ganges and liberate Asia. At the end the choir sings about the peaceful times to be expected.
history
Gli orti esperidi is one of the first libretti metastasios. In 1721 he was commissioned by Marcantonio Borghese , the then Austrian viceroy of Naples, to write a musical drama on the occasion of Empress Elisabeth's birthday party. Since the Empress was expecting a child and the court wanted a boy to be the heir to the throne, the libretto also contains corresponding allusions. At that time Metastasio was working full-time as a lawyer and was challenged by his employer Giovanni Antonio Castagnola. In order not to upset him, Metastasio only accepted the order on the condition that his name as the author be kept secret. Until the performance, neither the composer Porpora nor the performers knew of his identity. He received 200 ducats for his work. The main role of Venus was played by Metastasio's patroness, the then famous prima donna Marianna Benti Bulgarelli (called "La Romanina"). The castrato Farinelli also took part. The performance on August 28, 1721 in the Palazzo Reale was a great success and the work was subsequently published in Naples with his name mentioned. The score then found some circulation and reached Hamburg in 1730.
A German translation of the libretto by Johann J. von Huber appeared in 1805 under the name The Gardens of Hesperiens in Augsburg.
Settings
The following composers set this libretto to music:
| year | composer | premiere | Performance location | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1721 | Nicola Antonio Porpora | August 28, 1721, Palazzo Reale | Naples | “Componimento dramatico”; on the birthday of Empress Elisabeth Christine ; also in Hamburg in 1730 |
| 1751 | Nicola Conforto | May 13, 1751 | Naples | "Cantata"; for the birthday of Empress Maria Theresa |
| 1764 | Luciano Xavier Santos | 1764, Palazzo Queluz | Lisbon | "Dramma per musica" |
| 1775 | Domenico Fischietti | April 22, 1775 | Salzburg | "Serenata"; for the visit of Archduke Maximilian Franz , commissioned by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart together with Il re pastore . |
| 1779 | Jerónimo Francisco de Lima | April 5, 1779, Palazzo Ajuda | Lisbon | "Serenata per musica"; for the birthday of the Queen Mother Maria Anna Viktoria |
| 1802 | Pietro Vannacci | July 14, 1802 | Pisa | "Componimento drammatico" |
Recordings and performances in recent times
-
Nicola Antonio Porpora :
- 2013: Performance at the Villa Pignatelli Cortes in Naples with the chamber orchestra I Talenti Vulcanici della Pietà de 'Turchini under the direction of Stefano Demicheli . The singers were Maria Grazia Schiavo (Venere), Ilham Nazarov (Adone), Takaya Ehara (Marte), Tatia Jibladze (Egle) and Riccardo Angelo Strano (Palemone).
Web links
Digital copies
- ^ A b c Libretto (German translation by Johann J. von Huber) of the version set to music by Nicola Porpora, Augsburg 1805 as digitized version at the Munich Digitization Center .
- ^ Libretto (Italian) of the cantata by Nicolò Conforto, Naples 1751 as a digital copy in the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
- ^ Libretto (Italian) of the opera by Jerónimo Francisco de Lima, Lisbon 1779. Digitized in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna .
Individual evidence
- ^ A b c Don Neville: Metastasio [Trapassi], Pietro (Antonio Domenico Bonaventura). In: Grove Music Online (English; subscription required).
- ↑ Metastasio, Pietro in Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart , p. 50861 ff (cf. MGG vol. 9, p. 229 ff.) Bärenreiter-Verlag 1986 ( digital library volume 60).
- ↑ a b c Jacques Joly: Les fêtes théâtrales de Métastase à la cour de Vienne, 1731-1767. Pu Blaise Pascal, 1978, ISBN 978-2845160194 , pp. 65 ff. ( Online at Google Books)
- ↑ In other versions of the libretto, the name of the person worshiped is used here
- ^ George Hogarth: Memoirs of the opera in Italy, France, Germany, and England. R. Bentley, 1851, p. 231 ( online at Google Books).
- ↑ a b c Porpora: Gli orti esperidi (Naples / Villa Pignatelli Cortes). Review of the performance on Kultiversum (registration required), accessed on February 11, 2015.
- ↑ Nicola Porpora at operabaroque.fr (French), accessed on February 11, 2015.
- ↑ Gli orti esperidi (Nicola Porpora) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on February 11, 2015.
- ↑ Gli orti esperidi (Nicolò Conforti) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on February 11, 2015.
- ↑ Gli orti esperidi (Luciano Xavier Santos) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on February 11, 2015.
- ↑ List of stage works by Domenico Fischietti based on the MGG at Operone, accessed on September 29, 2014.
- ↑ Johanna Senigl: Florilegium Pratense: Mozart, his time, his posterity. Königshausen & Neumann, 2005, ISBN 978382603258-5 , p. 170 ( online at Google Books).
- ↑ Gli orti esperidi (Jerónimo Francisco de Lima) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on February 11, 2015.
- ^ Library data set for the libretto des componimento drammatico by Pietro Vannacci on opac.sbn.it , accessed on February 11, 2015.