L'Olimpiade is an operalibretto in three acts by Metastasio originally written for an operatic setting by Antonio Caldara of 1733. Metastasio’s plot vaguely draws upon the narrative of "The Trial of the Suitors" provided from Book 6 of The Histories of Herodotus, which had previously been the base for Apostolo Zeno's libretto Gli inganni felici (1695). The story, set in Ancient Greece at the time of the Olympic Games, is about amorous rivalry and characters' taking places to gain the loved one. The story ends with the announcement of two marriages.
Metastasio, as Imperial court poet at the court of Vienna, was requested to write the libretto to help celebrate the birthday of Empress Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in 1733. The court composer Caldara was assigned to compose the music. The libretto attracted attention immediately and productions were soon mounted across Europe. Metastasio himself commented to Saverio Mattei that L’Olimpiade had been "performed and repeated in all the theatres of Europe". Indeed, it ranks with Metastasio's Demofoonte and Didone abbandonata, which were excelled in popularity only by Artaserse and Alessandro nell'Indie. The popularity of L’Olimpiade may subsequently have prompted Metastasio’s La Nitteti, a twin drama in several respects.
Synopsisedit
Place: Ancient Greece
Time: During the Olympic Games
Act 1edit
Megacles arrives in Sicyon just in time to enter the Olympic Games under the name of Lycidas, a friend who once saved his life. Unknown to Megacles, Lycidas is in love with Aristaea, whose hand is to be offered to the winner of the games by her father, King Cleisthenes. Lycidas, once betrothed to Princess Argene of Crete, is unaware that Megacles and Aristaea already love each other, and he subsequently tells his friend of the prize. Aristaea and Megacles greet each other fondly, but Megacles now feels bound by his promise to compete as Lycidas. Meanwhile, Argene arrives in Olympia disguised as a shepherdess, to win back Lycidas.
Act 2edit
Megacles wins the games, confesses the truth to Aristaea and departs, broken-hearted. When Lycidas comes to claim her, Aristaea reproaches him, as does the disguised Argene, much to his dismay. Amyntas, tutor to Lycidas, reports that Megacles has drowned himself, and King Cleisthenes, apprised of the deception, banishes Lycidas.
Act 3edit
Argene prevents the desperate Aristaea from suicide, Megacles is rescued by a fisherman, and Lycidas contemplates the assassination of the king. Aristaea pleads mercy for Lycidas and Argene offers herself in his place; as proof that she is a princess, she shows Cleisthenes a chain given her by Lycidas. He recognizes it as belonging to his son, abandoned in infancy to forestall the prophecy that he would kill his father. Lycidas, reinstated, accepts Argene, leaving his sister to Megacles.
Other settings of the librettoedit
More than 60 baroque and classicalcomposers used the libretto for their own settings. The first composer to reuse the libretto was Antonio Vivaldi in Venice in 1734. This was followed by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's famous version in 1735. Although Pergolesi’s initial setting for Rome was not immediately successful, the number of subsequent stagings and extant manuscripts have particularly associated his name with this drama. In 1748 Baldassare Galuppi’s version premiered to resounding success in Milan and the opera is now regarded as his most successful opera seria. In 1765 Thomas Arne, who "still nursed the hope of achieving success in Italian opera", persuaded the directors of The King's Theatre in London to produce his own setting of the opera, which turned out however to be a complete failure.[1] The libretto was also the source for one of Josef Mysliveček's finest dramatic works (1778, Naples).[2] and a popular success for Antonio Sacchini in Padua 1763. Johann Nepomuk Poissl's Der Wettkampf zu Olympia, oder Die Freunde (1815) was the first German-language setting and his version enjoyed occasional revivals during the nineteenth century.
Mozart set Cleisthenes' last aria twice, first for Aloysia Weber (KV. 294) and latter for a subscription concert by Ludwig Fischer (K 512). Beethoven set the duet "Ne' giorni tuoi felici" for tenor, soprano and orchestra in 1802 – 1803 (WoO 93).
List of notable settingsedit
The following is a list of the most notable operas that subsequently utilized Metastasio's libretto in chronological order of first performance:
recording on video DVD – 2011 Teatro Valeria Moriconi, Iesi – Alessandro De Marchi (Conductor), Academia Montis Regalis, Mondavi; Italo Nunziata (stage director) – Cast: Raúl Giménez (Clistene), Lyubov Petrova (Aristea), Yetzabel Arias Fernández (Argene), Jennifer Rivera (Licida), Sofia Soloviy (Megacie), Antonio Lozano (Aminta), Milena Storti (Alcandro) – Arthaus Musik Cat. 101 650 (DVD)
^Todd Gilman, The Theatre Career of Thomas Arne, Cranbury, University of Delaware Press, 2012, p. 430, ISBN9781611494365.
^A detailed comparison of Mysliveček's popular aria "Se cerca, se dice" with settings by other 18th-century composers is provided in Daniel E. Freeman, "Mysliveček's Setting of the Aria 'Se cerca, se dice' from Metastasio's L'Olimpiade," in Il ciel non soffre inganni: Attorno al Demetrio di Mysliveček, 'Il Boemo', edited by Mariateresa Dellaborra (Lucca: Libreria Musicale Italiana, 2011), 113-36.
^The double CD is scheduled to be released on 10 May 2024.
Sources
George Loomis, "Metastatio's Olympians", Opera (London), Vol. 63, No. 5, May 2012, pp. 541–545.
olimpiade, other, uses, olimpiade, disambiguation, opera, libretto, three, acts, metastasio, originally, written, operatic, setting, antonio, caldara, 1733, metastasio, plot, vaguely, draws, upon, narrative, trial, suitors, provided, from, book, histories, her. For other uses see l Olimpiade disambiguation L Olimpiade is an opera libretto in three acts by Metastasio originally written for an operatic setting by Antonio Caldara of 1733 Metastasio s plot vaguely draws upon the narrative of The Trial of the Suitors provided from Book 6 of The Histories of Herodotus which had previously been the base for Apostolo Zeno s libretto Gli inganni felici 1695 The story set in Ancient Greece at the time of the Olympic Games is about amorous rivalry and characters taking places to gain the loved one The story ends with the announcement of two marriages Title page 1733 Contents 1 Background 2 Synopsis 2 1 Act 1 2 2 Act 2 2 3 Act 3 3 Other settings of the libretto 3 1 List of notable settings 4 Recordings 5 References 6 External linksBackground editMetastasio as Imperial court poet at the court of Vienna was requested to write the libretto to help celebrate the birthday of Empress Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel in 1733 The court composer Caldara was assigned to compose the music The libretto attracted attention immediately and productions were soon mounted across Europe Metastasio himself commented to Saverio Mattei that L Olimpiade had been performed and repeated in all the theatres of Europe Indeed it ranks with Metastasio s Demofoonte and Didone abbandonata which were excelled in popularity only by Artaserse and Alessandro nell Indie The popularity of L Olimpiade may subsequently have prompted Metastasio s La Nitteti a twin drama in several respects Synopsis editPlace Ancient Greece Time During the Olympic Games Act 1 edit Megacles arrives in Sicyon just in time to enter the Olympic Games under the name of Lycidas a friend who once saved his life Unknown to Megacles Lycidas is in love with Aristaea whose hand is to be offered to the winner of the games by her father King Cleisthenes Lycidas once betrothed to Princess Argene of Crete is unaware that Megacles and Aristaea already love each other and he subsequently tells his friend of the prize Aristaea and Megacles greet each other fondly but Megacles now feels bound by his promise to compete as Lycidas Meanwhile Argene arrives in Olympia disguised as a shepherdess to win back Lycidas Act 2 edit Megacles wins the games confesses the truth to Aristaea and departs broken hearted When Lycidas comes to claim her Aristaea reproaches him as does the disguised Argene much to his dismay Amyntas tutor to Lycidas reports that Megacles has drowned himself and King Cleisthenes apprised of the deception banishes Lycidas Act 3 edit Argene prevents the desperate Aristaea from suicide Megacles is rescued by a fisherman and Lycidas contemplates the assassination of the king Aristaea pleads mercy for Lycidas and Argene offers herself in his place as proof that she is a princess she shows Cleisthenes a chain given her by Lycidas He recognizes it as belonging to his son abandoned in infancy to forestall the prophecy that he would kill his father Lycidas reinstated accepts Argene leaving his sister to Megacles Other settings of the libretto editMore than 60 baroque and classical composers used the libretto for their own settings The first composer to reuse the libretto was Antonio Vivaldi in Venice in 1734 This was followed by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi s famous version in 1735 Although Pergolesi s initial setting for Rome was not immediately successful the number of subsequent stagings and extant manuscripts have particularly associated his name with this drama In 1748 Baldassare Galuppi s version premiered to resounding success in Milan and the opera is now regarded as his most successful opera seria In 1765 Thomas Arne who still nursed the hope of achieving success in Italian opera persuaded the directors of The King s Theatre in London to produce his own setting of the opera which turned out however to be a complete failure 1 The libretto was also the source for one of Josef Myslivecek s finest dramatic works 1778 Naples 2 and a popular success for Antonio Sacchini in Padua 1763 Johann Nepomuk Poissl s Der Wettkampf zu Olympia oder Die Freunde 1815 was the first German language setting and his version enjoyed occasional revivals during the nineteenth century Mozart set Cleisthenes last aria twice first for Aloysia Weber KV 294 and latter for a subscription concert by Ludwig Fischer K 512 Beethoven set the duet Ne giorni tuoi felici for tenor soprano and orchestra in 1802 1803 WoO 93 List of notable settings edit The following is a list of the most notable operas that subsequently utilized Metastasio s libretto in chronological order of first performance Antonio Caldara L Olimpiade Vienna 1733 Antonio Vivaldi L Olimpiade Venice Teatro Sant Angelo 1734 Giovanni Battista Pergolesi L Olimpiade Rome 1735 Leonardo Leo L Olimpiade Naples 1737 Baldassare Galuppi L Olimpiade Milan 1748 Davide Perez L Olimpiade Lisbon 1753 Johann Adolf Hasse L Olimpiade Dresden 1756 Tommaso Traetta L Olimpiade Verona 1758 Niccolo Jommelli L Olimpiade Stuttgart 1761 Niccolo Piccinni L Olimpiade Rome 1761 Vincenzo Manfredini L Olimpiade Moscow 1762 Antonio Sacchini L Olimpiade Padua 1763 Florian Leopold Gassmann L Olimpiade Vienna 1764 Thomas Arne L Olimpiade London 1765 Giuseppe Sarti L Olimpiade Florence 1778 Josef Myslivecek L Olimpiade Naples Teatro San Carlo 4 November 1778 Luigi Cherubini L Olimpiade Venice 1783 Domenico Cimarosa L Olimpiade it Vicenza 10 July 1784 Giovanni Paisiello L Olimpiade Naples Teatro San Carlo 20 January 1786 Johann Friedrich Reichardt L olimpiade Berlin Kgl 2 Oct 1791 Gaetano Donizetti Olimpiade 1817 incomplete Recordings editVivaldi L Olimpiade Vivaldi recording on CD Rinaldo Alessandrini Conductor Concerto Italiano Cast Sara Mingardo Licida Roberta Invernizzi Megacle Sonia Prina Aristea Marianna Kulikova Argene Laura Giordano Aminta Riccardo Novaro Clistene Sergio Foresti Alcandro Naive Records Vivaldi Edition Pergolesi L Olimpiade Pergolesi recording on CD 2010 Innsbruck period instruments Alessandro De Marchi Conductor Academia Montis Regalis Cast Jeffrey Francis Raffaella Milanesi Ann Beth Solvang Jennifer Rivera Olga Pasishnyk Deutsche Harmonia Mundi Cat 88697807712 recording on video DVD 2011 Teatro Valeria Moriconi Iesi Alessandro De Marchi Conductor Academia Montis Regalis Mondavi Italo Nunziata stage director Cast Raul Gimenez Clistene Lyubov Petrova Aristea Yetzabel Arias Fernandez Argene Jennifer Rivera Licida Sofia Soloviy Megacie Antonio Lozano Aminta Milena Storti Alcandro Arthaus Musik Cat 101 650 DVD Galuppi L Olimpiade Galuppi premiere recording on video DVD 2006 Teatro Malibran Venice Andrea Marcon Conductor Venice Baroque Orchestra Dominique Poulange stage director Cast Mark Tucker Ruth Rosique Roberta Invernizzi Romina Basso Franziska Gottwald Dynamic Cat 33545 Cimarosa L Olimpiade Cimarosa it recording on CD Royal Opera of Versailles Christophe Rousset Conductor Les Talens Lyriques Mathilde Ortscheidt Alex Banfield Maite Beaumont Marie Lys Rocio Perez Josh Lovell Chateau de Versailles Spectacles CHAV143 2 3 Myslivecek L Olimpiade Myslivecek live recording on CD 2012 Teatro Comunale di Bologna Oliver von Dohnanyi Conductor Cast Pervin Chakar Yasushi Watanabe Erika Tanaka Maria Teresa Leva Carlo Vistoli Saltan Akhmetova Pasquale Scircoli Bongiovanni GB 2469 70 2References editNotes Todd Gilman The Theatre Career of Thomas Arne Cranbury University of Delaware Press 2012 p 430 ISBN 9781611494365 A detailed comparison of Myslivecek s popular aria Se cerca se dice with settings by other 18th century composers is provided in Daniel E Freeman Myslivecek s Setting of the Aria Se cerca se dice from Metastasio s L Olimpiade in Il ciel non soffre inganni Attorno al Demetrio di Myslivecek Il Boemo edited by Mariateresa Dellaborra Lucca Libreria Musicale Italiana 2011 113 36 The double CD is scheduled to be released on 10 May 2024 Sources George Loomis Metastatio s Olympians Opera London Vol 63 No 5 May 2012 pp 541 545 External links edit1733 libretto at Google Books Synopsis at The Aris Christoffelis Voice Page Libretto Vivaldi version Libretto Caldara version 1784 libretto Cimarosa version at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title L 27Olimpiade amp oldid 1217047966, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
