''Flavio Crispo'' is a 1720 opera by Dresden kapellmeister

Johann David Heinichen Johann David Heinichen (17 April 1683 – 16 July 1729) was a German Baroque composer and music theorist who brought the musical genius of Venice to the court of Augustus II the Strong in Dresden. After he died, Heinichen's music attracted little a ...

concerning Flavius Crispus, son of the Emperor

Constantine I Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to Constantine the Great and Christianity, convert to Christiani ...

The opera was never performed due to an incident where the star castrato singer

Senesino Francesco Bernardi (; 31 October 1686 – 27 November 1758), known as Senesino ( or traditionally ), was a celebrated Italian contralto castrato, particularly remembered today for his long collaboration with the composer George Frideric Handel ...

tore up the music for one of his arias and cast it at the composer's feet. The incident was witnessed by Baron von Mordaxt, Protector of the King's Music who reported it to Friedrich August I, leading to the three Italian singers involved being dismissed and the opera cancelled. Senesino may have wanted to escape from the contract due to a more attractive offer from Handel, who the previous year had attempted to recruit the castrato to his company in London. Senesino was quickly hired by the Royal Academy of Music and spent the next 16 years in London. Heinichen never composed another opera for Dresden.Goldberg: Early Music Magazine - Volumes 47-49 - 2007 -Page 52 "Heinichen was also active in Dresden, where he composed both instrumental and sacred music; he wrote but a single opera, Flavio Crispo (1720) for the court of the Elector of Saxony. The score of the work, which was never staged, has survived."

Recording

*''Flavio Crispo'' Leandro Marziotte - as Flavio, Dana Marbach - as Elena, English princess at the court, Alessandra Visentin -

Fausta Flavia Maxima Fausta ''Augusta'' (289–326 AD) was a Roman empress. She was the daughter of Maximian and second wife of Constantine the Great, who had her executed and excluded from all official accounts for unknown reasons. Historians Zosimu ...

, Silke Gäng - as Imilee, Nina Bernsteiner - Gilimero, Tobias Hunger - Massenzio, Ismael Arronitz - Constantino,

Il Gusto Barocco il Gusto Barocco is an orchestra specialising in early music and historical performance practice with its headquarters in Stuttgart. History The Baroque Orchestra was founded in 2008 by Jörg Halubek and is made up of young, freelance musician ...

, Jörg Halubek CPO 2018

References

{{reflist 1720 operas Operas