''Le cinesi'' (''The Chinese Women'') is an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

in one act, with music composed by

Christoph Willibald Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire, he g ...

. The Italian-language

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

was by

Pietro Metastasio Pietro Antonio Domenico Trapassi (3 January 1698 – 12 April 1782), better known by his pseudonym of Pietro Metastasio (), was an Italian poet and librettist, considered the most important writer of '' opera seria'' libretti. Early life Me ...

, and he described it as a ''componimento drammatico''. This libretto had first been set by

Antonio Caldara Antonio Caldara (ca 1670 – 28 December 1736) was an Italian Baroque composer. Life Caldara was born in Venice (exact date unknown), the son of a violinist. He became a chorister at St Mark's in Venice, where he learned several instruments, ...

in 1735. For Gluck's rework, the piece is often considered as an ''

azione teatrale Azione teatrale (; plural ''azioni teatrali'') is a genre of opera, popular in Italy and southern Europe. An ''azione teatrale'' was typically shorter in scale, with few actors, usually no chorus, and either presented in a single act or divided in ...

'', even though Metastasio and the composer both retained the original designation. The work was first performed for the Austrian royal family at the

Schloss Hof Schloss Hof is a palace located in Marchfeld, Austria near the border of Slovakia. It once belonged to Prince Eugene of Savoy who purchased it late in his life in 1726. He had it enlarged in the Baroque style by the architect Johann Lukas von Hil ...

on 24 September 1754, on the occasion of the visit of the Empress

Maria Theresa Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position ''suo jure'' (in her own right). ...

to the household of

Saxe-Hildburghausen Saxe-Hildburghausen () was an Ernestine duchy in the southern side of the present State of Thuringia in Germany. It existed from 1680 to 1826 but its name and borders are currently used by the District of Hildburghausen. History After the Duk ...

.Howard, Patricia, "Music in London: Opera – ''Le cinesi''" (September 1984). ''

The Musical Times ''The Musical Times'' is an academic journal of classical music edited and produced in the United Kingdom and currently the oldest such journal still being published in the country. It was originally created by Joseph Mainzer in 1842 as ''Mainze ...

'', 125 (1699): pp. 515–517. Max Loppert has commented on Gluck's relationship with the Austrian royal family and its bearings on this work. The work has also been characterized as a satire on then-contemporary opera conventions.

Roles

Synopsis

The Chinese women of the title are Lisinga and her two friends, Tangia and Sivene. The only other character is Lisinga's brother Silango, who has just returned from Europe. To entertain him, they perform arias in contrasting styles: * Lisinga sings a tragic ''scena'', as the character of

Andromache In Greek mythology, Andromache (; grc, Ἀνδρομάχη, ) was the wife of Hector, daughter of Eetion, and sister to Podes. She was born and raised in the city of Cilician Thebe, over which her father ruled. The name means 'man battler' or ...

. * Sivene and Silango sing a pastoral duet as shepherdess and shepherd, respectively. The two already share romantic feelings towards each other. * Tangia, who is envious of Silango's affection towards Sivene, sings a comic aria that pokes fun at a young Parisian dandy standing before a mirror, and thus indirectly satirising Sivene. The characters agree that each style has its drawbacks. The opera concludes with a ballet, ''The Judgment of Paris'', sung as a vocal quartet.

Recordings

* Deutsche Harmonia Mundi EL 16 9575 1: Isabelle Poulenard, Gloria Banditelli,

Anne Sofie von Otter Anne Sofie von Otter (born 9 May 1955) is a Swedish mezzo-soprano. Her repertoire encompasses lieder, operas, oratorios and also rock and pop songs. Early life Von Otter was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Her father was Göran von Otter, a Swe ...

, Guy de Mey; Orchestra of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis; René Jacobs, conductor * Orpheo Cat: 178891A: Kaaren Erickson, Alexandrina Milcheva,

Marga Schiml Marga Schiml (born 29 November 1945) is a German opera singer who sings mezzo-soprano and alto. She has appeared at major European opera houses and festivals, such as the Vienna State Opera, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Hamburg State Opera an ...

Thomas Moser Thomas Moser (born 27 May 1945) is an American-Austrian operatic tenor. Life Born in Richmond, Virginia, Moser first studied singing at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and with Martial Singher at the Music Academy of the West, attende ...

;

Munich Radio Orchestra The Munich Radio Orchestra (German: ''Münchner Rundfunkorchester'') is a German symphony broadcast orchestra based in Munich. It is one of the two orchestras affiliated with the Bavarian Radio (Bayerischer Rundfunk), the other being the Bavarian ...

;

Lamberto Gardelli Lamberto Gardelli (8 November 191517 July 1998) was a Swedish conductor of Italian birth,Lamberto Gardelli. ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera.'' Macmillan, London and New York, 1997. particularly associated with the Italian opera repertory, es ...

, conductor.''Le cinesi''

Naxos Records Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about 1 ...

References

External links

Libretto of ''Le cinesi''
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cinesi, Le Operas by Christoph Willibald Gluck Italian-language operas Azioni teatrali Operas 1754 operas