Zenobia (metastasis)
| Work data | |
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| Title: | Zenobia |
Third act, scenes III and IV. |
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| Shape: | Opera seria |
| Original language: | Italian |
| Music: | First setting by Giovanni Bononcini |
| Libretto : | Pietro Metastasio |
| Premiere: | August 28, 1737 |
| Place of premiere: | Vienna |
| Place and time of the action: | near Artaxata ( Armenia ) on the Araxes river , 54 |
| people | |
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Zenobia is an opera - libretto in three acts by Pietro Metastasio . It was performed for the first time in a setting by Giovanni Bononcini on August 28, 1737 to celebrate the birthday of Empress Elisabeth in Vienna.
A German translation of the libretto by Johann Anton Koch appeared in 1773 in the fifth volume of his unfinished complete edition Des Herr Abbot Peter Metastasio Kayserl. Royal Court Poet's Dramatic Poems.
action
Zenobia , the daughter of the Armenian king Mitridate (Mithridates) was engaged to the Parthian prince Tiridate ( Trdat I. ). For political reasons, however, she was forced by her father to secretly marry the Iberian prince Radamisto ( Rhadamistos ). When Mitridate was murdered a little later on the orders of Radamisto's father Farasmane (Pharasmanes I), he ensured that his son was accused of the act. Radamisto fled with Zenobia, who was unable to cope with the exertion of the flight and asked her husband to kill her rather than let her fall into the hands of the enemy. As the enemy soldiers were already approaching, he complied with their request, stabbed them and threw them into the Araxes River . He then stabbed himself to death. Both survived, however, seriously injured and were rescued independently. Meanwhile, Tiridate is still believing that he is engaged to Zenobia and is with his army on the way to their wedding.
“The virtuous Zenobia des Mitridates, daughter of the king of Armenia / had promised her love to Tiridates, the brother of the Parthian king, but despite her tender love, she was forced by her father to secretly marry the Radamistus, son of the Iberian king Farasmanes, who a great virtue of her filial obedience, but an even greater one, showing her loyalty to her husband.
When, not long after this secret heyraht, her father, King Mitridates, was murdered, and the Radamistus was believed to be the perpetrator (whether the murder and the betrayal had already been employed by Farasmanes' father) he was forced to the rage of the rebellious To escape the Armenians, to flee. He was forsaken by everyone, and in his unhappy condition he had no companion but his faithful wife, who did not want to leave him. But when she could not endure the great hardship of the journey, which they made on foot and in great haste, and suddenly fell to earth, and had arrived in the region of the river Araxes, she begged her husband that they would not follow him out of weariness better to kill her so she doesn't end up in the hands of her pursuers. The unhappy Zenobia was in these fears when she recognized the Tiridates soldier from afar by her flags, who knew nothing of her secret hey wire, and went to Armenia to marry her.
When Radamistus saw something like this, he was so furious that he stabbed Zenobia first and then himself with a dagger in the chest so that it would not get into the hands of his rival. It fell into the river Araxes and he remained lying on the bank in the pipe: but because the wounds were not fatal, he was found on the bank, and his wound healed by compassionate people. Zenobia was also pulled out of the water by compassionate shepherds, taken into her huts by a shepherdess, and her wounds healed by the same.
In such circumstances this spectacle arises / in which the great loyalty of the Zenobia to her husband / the Tiridates is so surprising that whether he might kill the Radamist as well as Zenobia had in his power, and All of Armenia wanted to declare him before its king, he let himself be overcome by generosity, and gave her husband back his freedom, and put them both on the Armenian throne.
The history is taken from the 12th book of the Taciti annalium. "
The following table of contents is based on the German translation of the libretto by Georg Caspar Schürmann , which was performed in Braunschweig in 1742 with music by Giovanni Verocai .
first act
Rock desert on the Araxes River
On behalf of Farasmanes, Zopiro searches for his son Radamisto in order to kill him. At the beginning of the opera he discovers him sleeping on a rock. However, since Radamisto wakes up in time, he insidiously offers him his friendship in order to wait for a better opportunity. Radamisto tells Zopiro his life story. He is looking for the body of Zenobia, which he threw into the river. Zopiro was secretly in love with Zenobia and now has another reason to kill Radamisto. Some of his people are already waiting nearby to help him.
Large field on the Araxes with peasant huts on one side and mountains and a dark cave on the other
A bridge crosses the river. On the other bank is the Parthian camp . The city of Artaxata can be seen in the distance .
Zenobia steps out of a peasant's hut with her savior, the shepherdess Egle. She tells her her life story and also mentions that she lost her youngest sister Arsinoe in the unrest fifteen years ago. Now she is afraid of seeing her former fiancé Tiridate, who has meanwhile arrived in Armenia. She hopes to find her husband Radamisto again soon. When she sees Tiridate coming, hides in the cave.
Tiridate is concerned about the fate of Zenobia. His fears are confirmed by Mitrane, who has learned that she was killed by Radamisto, her father's murderer. The crime was seen by a fisherman and her bloody robe was found. In his grief, Radamisto sends Mitrane away and draws his sword to kill himself. Zenobia comes out of hiding and prevents this. Tiridate recognizes her immediately, but she denies herself and leaves him alone. She stops his attempt to follow her with a suicide threat. Mitrane reports that the ambassadors from Artaxata have arrived. Confused about Zenobia's behavior, Tiridate asks him to follow her.
Second act
The Tiridates camp
Tiridate informs Mitrane that he has been offered the crown of Armenia, provided that he delivers the head of Radamistus. However, his thoughts are with Zenobia. In the meantime he has received vague information from Egle that she is still alive. To find out more, he asks Mitrane to fetch her. However, Egle cannot be found. Tiridate doesn't want to give up hope.
Ancient ruins in the background of a wide landscape
Zenobia asks Egle to look for Radamisto in the forest. Egle tells her about Tiridate's unbroken love. When Tiridate appears, Zenobia tells him that, although she still loves him, she cannot marry him. Zopiro approaches with his people and listens to the conversation from a distance. He now plans to incite Radamisto and Tiridate against each other so that they kill each other.
Egle confirms to Radamisto that she saved Zenobia. She goes to get them. Zopiro arrives and tells Radamisto about Zenobia's new love for Tiridate. Ramisto wants to kill him immediately. Zopiro suggests luring Tiridate to an interview so that he can be safely murdered. A ring that Zenobia had previously received from Tiridate and then given to Radamisto is supposed to serve as proof of his authorization.
Zopiro orders his soldiers to kill the survivor after the fight. Before that, however, Zenobia appears. Zopiro tells her about the expected duel and asks her to name her favorite so that he can support it. Reluctantly, she decides in favor of her husband Radamisto. Alone again, she nevertheless asks the gods to help Tiridate.
Third act
Forest
Egle shows Radamisto the ring that she had received from a stranger so that she could fetch Tiridate in the name of Zenobias. However, they suspected fraud and did not carry out the order. Radamisto tells her about Zenobia's suspected infidelity. Egle goes to warn Zenobia. Meanwhile, Zenobia arrives with Zopiro, who has made her believe that he wants to lead her to her lover. Radamisto overhears the two. Zopiro now claims to be her lover himself and tells her that her husband will shortly be dead. He only promised her that he would ensure the survival of her lover - but he is himself. Zenobia calls for help and Radamisto comes out. However, he cannot help her as Zopiro threatens to kill Zenobia. Only the newly arriving Tiridate succeeds in disarming Zopiro. This takes flight and is pursued by Radamisto. Zenobia tries to follow him, but is held back by Tiridate. She asks him to let her go without further questions.
Mitrane arrives and reports that Radamisto was arrested after killing Zopiro. Egle arrives and asks for mercy for Radamisto. He did not kill Zenobia's father, and despite his attempted murder, she did not want his death. In Tiridate, Radamisto is jealous. He goes. Since Egle shows great compassion for Radamisto, Mitrane suspects that she has more than just pity for him. Egle is actually in love with Radamisto, but cannot admit it due to the difference in class.
The magnificent Tiridates tent with various cabinets
Mitrane tells Tiridate that Radamisto and Zenobia are clearly a couple. She begged him for his life when she received a letter from the Roman camp. Zenobia comes and reports that before his death Zopiro confessed that her father was murdered on Farasmane's orders. A letter from Farasmanes was found on him confirming this. She asks Tiridate again for Radamisto's life and explains the circumstances of her forced marriage. Tiridate promises to release Radamisto and sends Mitrane to get him.
Egle joins them and reveals himself as Arsinoe, Zenobia's sister, who was believed to be lost. As proof, it shows a red star-shaped mark on the left arm, which is a characteristic of the family. Her foster father had so far withheld her origin and only now revealed Zenobia's fate out of emotion. Mitrane returns with Radamisto. Radamisto and Tiridate greet each other amicably. Tiridate agrees to leave Zenobia to him, and Radamisto asks her forgiveness for his attack. Zenobia points out Tiridate's love for him and thus brings these two together.
history
The plot of this libretto is based on the twelfth book of the Annals of Tacitus . This story had already been processed in other works, for example in Zénobie reyne d'Arménie by Jacques de Montauban (1653) and the tragedy Rhadamiste et Zénobi by Prosper Jolyot Crébillon (1711). Another source of inspiration for Metastasio's libretto is the “Christian tragedy” Polyeucte martyr by Pierre Corneille , published in 1641 , which also deals with a married woman and her previous lover. There were also other opera libretti by Giovanni Moniglia ( Radamisto , 1695), Pietro Trecchi ( Radamisto , also 1695), Antonio Marchi ( Radamisto , 1698, set to music by Tomaso Albinoni ), Nicolò Giuvo ( Radamisto , 1707), Domenico Lalli ( L'amor tirannico , 1710, set to music by Francesco Gasparini and as Radamisto by Georg Friedrich Händel ), as well as Ippolito Bentivoglio and Nicolò Minato ( Zenobia e Radamisto and Tiridate , 1665 and 1668, both versions set to music by Giovanni Lenzei ).
However, better known than the Armenian Zenobia described here was Septimia Zenobia , the Queen of Palmyra , who lived in the third century. It too became the subject of many dramas and opera librettos in the 17th and 18th centuries. On January 10, 1666, La Zenobia with a libretto by Matteo Noris and music by Giovanni Antonio Boretti was premiered at the Teatro San Cassiano in Venice . The same-named festa teatrale by Giovanni Pasquini , which was performed in Vienna in 1732 with music by Georg Reutter the Younger , is also about this Zenobia . Metastasio may have attended this performance.
Settings
The following composers used this libretto for an opera:
| year | composer | premiere | Performance location | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1737 | Giovanni Bononcini | August 28, 1737, Favorita | Vienna | ||
| 1740 | Luca Antonio Predieri | August 28, 1740, Favorita | Vienna |
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| 1740 | Guglielmo Sbacchi | November 12th 1740, Teatro Sant'Angelo | Venice | ||
| 1740 | Nicola Antonio Porpora | December 19, 1740, Teatro San Carlo | Naples | as Tiridate | |
| 1741 | Pietro Pellegrini | Carnival 1741, Teatro | Brescia | ||
| 1741 | Francesco Poncini Zilioli | Carnival 1741, Teatro Sant'Agostino | Genoa | ||
| 1742 | Gaetano Latilla | Carnival 1742, Teatro Regio | Turin |
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| 1742 | Giovanni Verocai (Sinfonia and Arias) | Winter fair 1742, court theater | Braunschweig | German-language libretto translated by Georg Caspar Schürmann as Zenobia and Radamistus ; Schürmann probably also set the recitatives to music. |
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| 1746 | Girolamo Michieli | around October 22, 1746, Teatro San Moisè | Venice | ||
| 1748 | Pietro sweater | 1748, Teatro Regio Ducale | Milan | ||
| 1750 | anonymous | August 1750, Teatro al Campamento | Prague | further performances of anonymous settings or ( pasticci ) in January 1758 at the Teatro San Moisè in Venice; Carnival 1762 in the Teatro di Santa Cecilia in Palermo; on August 15, 1766 at the Teatro de la Santa Cruz in Barcelona; 1768 in the theater in Kassel | |
| 1751 | Davide Perez | 15th September 1751, Teatro Regio Ducale | Milan | also Carnival 1755 in the Teatro Rangoni in Modena; Carnival 1757 in the Teatro in Lodi ; Summer 1765 in the Teatro del Bairo Alto in Lisbon | |
| 1754 | Francesco Antonio Uttini | Carnival 1754, Danske Skueplads | Copenhagen | in two acts; repeated performance in 1770 |
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| 1756 | Niccolò Piccinni | December 18, 1756, Teatro San Carlo | Naples | further performances on December 26, 1767 and June 17, 1769 | |
| 1758 | Gioacchino Cocchi | January 10th 1758, King's Theater on Haymarket | London | ||
| 1760 | Giovanni Battista Zingoni | Autumn 1760, Gran Teatro | Amsterdam | ||
| 1760 | Nicola Sala | December 27th 1760, Teatro San Carlo | Naples | ||
| 1761 | Johann Adolph Hasse | Carnival 1761, Burgtheater | Vienna | also on October 7, 1761 in the Royal Polish Opera House in Warsaw | |
| 1761 | Giovanni Battista Pescetti | June 1761, Teatro Nuovo | Padua |
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| 1761 | Tommaso Traetta | Fall 1761, Teatro | Lucca | also on January 7, 1762 in the Teatro Argentina in Rome | |
| 1762 | Domenico Fischietti | 1762 | Prague | Attribution doubtful | |
| between 1764 and 1774 | Joseph Frieberth | between 1764 and 1774 | Passau | ||
| 1766 | Johann Gottfried Schwanenberger | Winter fair 1766, court theater | Braunschweig | ||
| 1773 | Antonio Tozzi | Carnival 1773, court theater | Munich |
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| 1779 | Giuseppe Calegari | Carnival 1779, Teatro Ducale | Modena | ||
| 1783 | Francesco Sirotti | Carnival 1783, Rangoni Theater | Modena | ||
| 1797 | Francesco Bianchi | Spring 1797 | London | ||
| 1800 | Richard Edgcumbe | 1800, King's Theater on Haymarket | London | as Zenobia of Armenia |
Discography
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Johann Adolph Hasse :
- 2006: CD with highlights: Musicae Antiquae, Collegium Varsoviense, conductor: Władysław Kłosiewicz . Olga Pasitschnyk (Zenobia), Bernard Pyrzyk (Tiridate), Marta Boberska (Radamisto), Dorota Lachowicz (Egle), Leszek Swidzinski (Zopiro), Jacek Laszczkowski (Mitrane).
Web links
- Several different versions of the libretto as full text (Italian) on progettometastasio.it.
- The Other Zenobia. Treachery in Armenia and the Musical Drama of Johann Adolf Hasse! at judithweingarten.blogspot.de , accessed on January 14, 2014.
Digital copies
- ^ Johann Anton Koch: The abbot Peter Metastasio Kayserl. Royal Court Poet's Dramatic Poems, translated from Italian. Fifth volume. Krauss, Frankfurt and Leipzig in 1773 as digitization at the Munich digitization center .
- ^ A b c Libretto (German) of the opera by Giovanni Verocai, Braunschweig 1742 as digitized version at the Wolfenbüttel digital library .
- ^ Libretto (Italian) of the opera by Luca Antonio Predieri, Vienna 1740. Digitized in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna .
- ^ Libretto (Italian) of the opera by Gaetano Latilla, Turin 1742 as digitized version in the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
- ^ Libretto (Italian / German) of the anonymous opera, Prague 1750. Digitized in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna .
- ^ Libretto (Italian / Spanish) of the anonymous opera, Barcelona 1766 as a digitized version on Google Books .
- ^ Libretto (Italian) of the opera by Davide Perez, Milan 1751 as digitized version in the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
- ^ Libretto (Italian) of the opera by Niccolò Piccinni, Naples 1756 as a digitized version in the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
- ^ Libretto (Italian) of the opera by Nicola Sala, Naples 1760 as digitized version in the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
- ↑ Score of the opera by Johann Adolph Hasse, 1761 as digitized version with the International Music Score Library Project .
- ^ Libretto (Italian) of the opera by Giovanni Battista Pescetti, Padua 1761. Digitized in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna .
- ^ Libretto (Italian) of the opera by Tommaso Traetta, Lucca 1761 as digitized version in the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
- ^ Libretto (Italian / German) of the opera by Antonio Tozzi, Munich 1773 as digitized version at the Munich Digitization Center .
- ^ Libretto (Italian) of the opera by Giuseppe Calegari, Modena 1779 as digitized version in the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Don Neville: Zenobia. 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).
- ^ Radamisto (Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 14, 2015.
- ↑ L'amor tirannico (Francesco Gasparini) in Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed January 14, 2015.
- ↑ Tiridate (Giovanni L Limiti) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 14, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia e Radamisto (Giovanni Lenzei) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 14, 2015.
- ↑ La Zenobia (Giovanni Antonio Boretti) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on November 13, 2017.
- ↑ Zenobia (Georg Reütter (ii)) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 14, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Giovanni Bononcini) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 10, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Luca Antonio Predieri) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 10, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Guglielmo Sbacchi) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 10, 2015.
- ↑ Tiridate (Nicola Porpora) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 10, 2015.
- ↑ La Zenobia (Pietro Pellegrini) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 10, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Francesco Poncini Zilioli) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 10, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Gaetano Latilla) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 10, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia and Radamistus (Giovanni Verocai) at Opening Night! Opera & Oratorio Premieres , Stanford University, accessed January 10, 2015.
- ^ List of the stage works by Giovanni Verocai based on the MGG at Operone, accessed on January 10, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Girolamo Michelli) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 10, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Girolamo Michieli) at Opening Night! Opera & Oratorio Premieres , Stanford University, accessed January 10, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Pietro Sweater) at Opening Night! Opera & Oratorio Premieres , Stanford University, accessed January 10, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia [Praga 1750] (anonymous) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (anonymous) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia [PA 1762] (anonymous) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia [Barc. 1766] (anonymous) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia [Kassel 1768] (anonymous) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (David Perez) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 10, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Francesco Antonio Baldassare Uttini) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Francesco Antonio Uttini) at Opening Night! Opera & Oratorio Premieres , Stanford University, accessed January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Niccolò Piccinni) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Gioacchino Cocchi) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Giovanni Battista Zingoni) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Nicola Sala) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Johann Adolf Hasse) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Johann Adolf Hasse) at the opening night! Opera & Oratorio Premieres , Stanford University, accessed January 11, 2015.
- ^ La Zenobia (Giovanni Battista Pescetti) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ^ List of the stage works by Giovanni Battista Pescetti based on the MGG at Operone, accessed on September 29, 2014.
- ↑ Zenobia (Tommaso Traetta) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ List of stage works by Domenico Fischietti based on the MGG at Operone, accessed on September 29, 2014.
- ↑ Domenico Fischietti in: Dizionario Biografico - Treccani , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Joseph Friebert) at Opening Night! Opera & Oratorio Premieres , Stanford University, accessed January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Karl Maria Pisarowitz: Friebert (family). In: The music in history and present , Bärenreiter-Verlag 1986 ( digital library volume 60), p. 24669 (cf. MGG vol. 16, p. 368).
- ↑ Zenobia (Johann Gottfried Schwanenberger) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Antonio Tozzi) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ La Zenobia in Palmira (Giuseppe Calegari) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia (Francesco Sirotti) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on January 11, 2015.
- ↑ Francesco Bianchi in: Dizionario Biografico - Treccani , accessed on January 13, 2015.
- ↑ Zenobia of Armenia (Richard Edgcumbe) at Opening Night! Opera & Oratorio Premieres , Stanford University, accessed January 11, 2015.
- ^ Johann Adolf Hasse: Zenobia [highlights] - Wladyslaw Klosiewicz . CD information from Allmusic , accessed January 11, 2015.