Solimano (Migliavacca)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Solimano is the title of a libretto by Giovanni Ambrogio Migliavacca that was often set to music in the Baroque era . It is by far the most frequently set libretto by the Dresden court poet.

The first setting was the opera seria (original genre name Dramma per musica ) Solimano by Johann Adolph Hasse , which was premiered in 1753 at the Dresden Kurfürstenhof . It caused a sensation and because of its pompous and extensive equipment went down not only in Dresden but also in opera history in general.

Historical background

Migliavacca refers to figures from the 16th century that existed historically and for which he used the Histoire générale de la religion des Turcs, avec la vie de Mahomet, et des quatre premiers califes (1626) by the French historian Michel Baudier as a source. He describes an episode about the Ottoman ruler Suleyman the Magnificent (Solimano) during the Ottoman-Safavid War . Historically, Mustafa (Selim), son of Süleyman and his favorite wife Roxelane (Rosselane) and the firstborn son Cihangir (Osmino), originally favored by Süleyman for the succession to the throne, finally Süleyman's and Roxelane's son-in-law and grand vizier Rustem Pascha (Rusteno). The daughters of the Safavid -Herrschers Tahmasp I. (Tacmante) and the Janissary Aga Acomate are historically not clearly understand. In the preface to the print version of the libretto for Hasse's opera, Migliavacca remarks that he had replaced the names Cihangirs and Mustafas with the more suitable names Osmino and Selim and, contrary to historical facts, given the opera a lieto fine . Suleyman's actual heir to the throne, who later became Selim II , does not appear in the opera.

Suleyman I had  become a legendary oriental ruler through the reception of the First and Second Viennese Siege by the Turks . In the 18th century, Turkish fashion emerged in Central Europe as a reaction to the threat posed by foreign Orientals . Migliavacca's text is one of the numerous operas based on 'Turkish' subjects, the most famous of which a few decades later would become that of Mozart's kidnapping .

action

The plot of the later operas is based on the same development as in the first version for Hasse described here. The names and functions of some roles are the most striking changes. The texts of the recitatives and arias hardly differ from those of the first version.

The action takes place in the encampment of the Ottoman army, near Babylon .

first act

Selim, son of Sultan Soliman, returns victorious from the military campaign against the Persians to the camp. Among the prisoners brought with them are the Persian princesses Narsea and Emira. Selim falls in love with Narsea, his half-brother Osmin with Emira.

However, the four's happiness comes to an abrupt end when their father Soliman appears. Rustem, the Grand Vizier, whispered to him that Selim was planning to overthrow him, his father, and even kill him. He is also accused of deliberately allowing the Shah of Persia to escape and wanting to make peace with him. Despite an attempt to appease Acomates, Soliman has his son jailed for high treason. Prince Selim himself does not have a say.

Second act

Acomates and Narsea try again in vain to prove the innocence of the prince. Osmin also wants to help his brother, which Selim only accepts when he swears that he only loves Emira and not Narsea. The Sultan demands that Selim and Narsea give up their love on pain of death. When Narsea and Selim say goodbye with a heavy heart so as not to anger Soliman any further, Soliman also enters the scene, is touched by so much affection and promises to forgive the two. However, both are not convinced of this promise.

Third act

The Sultan is sent a forged letter from the power-hungry Grand Vizier Rustem, which is supposed to prove that Selim is negotiating with the Shah of Persia, Tacmantes, and is therefore guilty of high treason. Soliman then issues the death sentence for his son. When he hands it to Rustem, Acomates manages to take it. He knows that because of the imprisonment of their glorious leader Selim, the soldiers are now rebelling.

Now it also emerges that vizier Rustem and the sultana have spun the intrigue against Selim in order to secure rule for their son Osmin. When Osmin confesses to the Sultan that the letter that is supposed to prove Selim's guilt is a forgery, he is appalled.

In the meantime the army has also deployed in front of the sultan's palace. At the same time, Acomates and Selim who he freed from prison appear. The latter is greeted happily by the soldiers. Selim and his father speak out, Grand Vizier Rustem is dismissed from the Sultan's service and Acomates is appointed his successor. Selim and Narsea as well as Osmin and Emira hug each other and are happy.

Later versions

The Solimano was Migliavacca's first libretto. He wrote it after he had been appointed court poet to the court of the Saxon electors in Dresden on the recommendation of Metastasio in 1752 , who were also kings of Poland at the time. It was to be Migliavacca's most successful libretto, both in terms of the pomp and furor of the premiere, as well as the number of dubbings and new settings. After Rita Laurance, Hasse was not satisfied with the original text and worked intensively on the final version of the text.

According to Hasse, the original version of the libretto (as described here) was set to music eight times between 1753 and 1762, including by

There is also a second version of the libretto in which Selim's half-brother is referred to by his historical name Cihangir (Zanghire). Osmin, however, is the name of an Agas at the court of the Sultan. His sister Barsina, in turn, is engaged to Selim's half-brother Cihangir. So Cihangir does not love a Persian princess, as in the original, but a Turkish woman. At the end of the day, Selim gets the heir to the throne of Persia, who is not called Narsea, but Persane.

This second version, of which it is not clear whether it was also set up by Migliavacca or by someone else, was set to music by

An exemplary description of the plot with the personage of the second version can be found under Solimano (Perez) .

A third version of the libretto with the personage and the storyline after the first setting by Hasse 30 years earlier was set to music by Giuseppe Maria Curcio or Curci (1752–1832) in 1768 and performed at the Reggio Teatro in Turin.

In addition, there were at least three pasticci (1758 and 1765 in London, 1778 in Florence).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Print version of the first libretto for the performance at the Saxon Court, facsimile online
  2. ↑ Backgrounds on Turkish fashion in Central Europe on turkenbeute.de ( Memento from March 28, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/composition/mc0002563400
  4. ↑ Libretto online
  5. ↑ Libretto for 1768 online
  6. ↑ Libretto for Barcelona 1769 online
  7. ↑ Libretto for 1768 online