Orazi e Curiazi

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Opera dates
Title: Horatians and Curiatians
Original title: Orazi e Curiazi
Title page of the libretto, Naples 1846

Title page of the libretto, Naples 1846

Shape: Tragedia lirica in three acts
Original language: Italian
Music: Saverio Mercadante
Libretto : Salvadore Cammarano
Literary source: Pierre Corneille : Horace
Premiere: November 10, 1846
Place of premiere: Teatro San Carlo in Naples
Playing time: approx. 2 ¾ hours
Place and time of the action: in and around Rome, around 450 BC Chr.
people
  • the old Orazio, Roman nobleman ( bass )
  • Orazio, his son ( baritone )
  • Camilla, his daughter ( soprano )
  • Sabina, wife of Orazios (soprano)
  • Curiazio, her brother, Albasch warrior ( tenor )
  • the high priest (tenor)
  • 2 brothers Orazios (2 baritones)
  • 2 Curiazios brothers (2 tenors)
  • a voice (bass)
  • a messenger from Alba (silent role)
  • Women, girls, senators, Roman people, priests, members of the Orazi of both sexes, Roman and Albasche soldiers, Roman and Albasche military leaders, Flaminians in the entourage of the high priest, noble Roman women in Sabina's entourage ( choir , extras)

Orazi e Curiazi (German: Horatier and Curiatier ) is an opera (original name: "tragedia lirica") in three acts by Saverio Mercadante . The libretto was written by Salvadore Cammarano based on the tragedy Horace by Pierre Corneille . The first performance took place on November 10, 1846 in the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.

action

First act: “Alba e Roma” - Alba and Rome

Camilla and Sabina cannot join the women's prayers for the victory of the Romans over the Albaer , because Sabina is Albaerin and married a Roman to Camilla's brother Orazio, while Camilla is engaged to Sabina's brother Curiazio. Finally, the news arrives that the fight has been canceled. Instead, three selected Romans should compete against three selected Albaers. At first nothing seems to stand in the way of the happiness of Camilla and Curiazio. However, the wedding is canceled when the three Camillas brothers are selected to fight for Rome while Curiazio and his two brothers are set to fight for Alba. Camilla tries in vain to stop Curiazio from fighting.

Second act: "L'oracolo" - The Oracle

When Orazio and his brothers want to set off to fight, Orazio is held back by Curiazio, who wants to bring about a reconciliation. But he does not succeed in dissuading Orazio from the fight. Shortly before the fight begins, the high priest explains that a fight between relatives could displease the gods. He therefore consults the oracle. Camilla prays for the fight to be canceled. But the oracle announces that the fight should take place.

Third act: “La pugna” - The fight

Curiazio realizes that no matter what the outcome of the fight, his luck is ruined. Camilla asks Curiazio in vain to kill her. Old Orazio is waiting for news of the outcome of the fight. First he learns that two of his sons have died, the third, Orazio, is on the run. It turns out, however, that this escape was merely a ruse and that Orazio ultimately killed all three Curiazi. The people of Rome cheer Orazio as the victor. The jubilation is disturbed by Camilla, who curses Rome and begs the gods to destroy the city. Furious, Orazio stabs his sister to death.

Instrumentation

The orchestral line-up for the opera includes the following instruments:

Work history

Marco Arati (Alter Orazio), Pietro Balzar (Orazio), Erminia Frezzolini (Camilla), Anna Salvetti (Sabina), Gaetano Fraschini (Curiazio) and Teofilo Rossi (High Priest) sang at the premiere on November 10, 1846 in the Teatro San Carlo in Naples ). Antonio Farelli was the musical director. The stage came from Angelo Belloni, Leopoldo Galluzzi and Giuseppe Castagna.

After the successful premiere, the opera was performed on numerous Italian stages as well as in Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Malta and Brazil until 1859. The opera was last performed in Naples in the 19th century in 1882. Then the work fell into oblivion until the concert performances of the Opera Rara Society in 1975 in Bristol, Exeter and London. In 1993 Opera Rara released the first studio recording of the opera.

Recordings

Web links

Commons : Orazi e Curiazi  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Norbert Miller: Orazi e Curiazi. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Musical Theater . Volume 4: Works. Massine - Piccinni. Piper, Munich / Zurich 1991, ISBN 3-492-02414-9 , pp. 87-90.
  2. ↑ a b Booklet of the complete recording of the Opera Rara from 1993
  3. ↑ November 10, 1846: “Orazi e Curiazi”. In: L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia ..
  4. ↑ a b Saverio Mercadante. In: Andreas Ommer: Directory of all opera complete recordings. Zeno.org , volume 20.