''Temistocle'' 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 three acts composed by

Nicola Porpora Nicola (or Niccolò) Antonio Porpora (17 August 16863 March 1768) was an Italian composer and teacher of singing of the Baroque music, Baroque era, whose most famous singing students were the castrati Farinelli and Caffarelli (castrato), Caffarel ...

to an Italian

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 ...

Apostolo Zeno Apostolo Zeno (11 December 1668 in Venice – 11 November 1750 in Venice) was a Venetian poet, librettist, journalist, and man of letters. Early life Apostolo Zeno was born in Venice to a colonial branch of the Zeno family, an ancient Venet ...

. It was first performed at the Hoftheater in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

on 1 October 1718. It is possibly the same opera that was performed on 30 May 1756 at the Teatre de la Santa Creu, Barcelona. There is another version, also by Porpora, to a libretto by

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 ...

, first performed in 1743, as well as another opera on the same subject by

Francesco Manelli Francesco Manelli (Mannelli) ( 1595 – 1667) was a Roman Baroque composer, particularly of opera, and a theorbo player. He is most well known for his collaboration with fellow Roman composer Benedetto Ferrari in bringing commercial opera to Ve ...

(1595–1670).'' Enciclopèdia Espasa'', vol. 32, p. 787 () Apostolic Zeno's libretto was also set to music by Marc'Antonio Ziani in 1701 and by

Fortunato Chelleri Fortunato Chelleri (originally: Keller, also: Kelleri, Kellery, Cheler) (May or June 1690 in Parma – 11 December 1757 in Kassel) was a Baroque Kapellmeister and composer. Biography Chelleri's father had emigrated from Germany to Italy ...

in 1721.

Roles and action

The action is set in the 5th century BC and concerns the Athenian general

Themistocles Themistocles (; grc-gre, Θεμιστοκλῆς; c. 524–459 BC) was an Athenian politician and general. He was one of a new breed of non-aristocratic politicians who rose to prominence in the early years of the Athenian democracy. A ...

who is in exile at the court of

Artaxerxes I of Persia Artaxerxes I (, peo, 𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎠 ; grc-gre, Ἀρταξέρξης) was the fifth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, from 465 to December 424 BC. He was the third son of Xerxes I. He may have been the " Artas ...

. It is based on book 1 of

Thucydides Thucydides (; grc, , }; BC) was an Athenian historian and general. His ''History of the Peloponnesian War'' recounts the fifth-century BC war between Sparta and Athens until the year 411 BC. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of "scientifi ...

' '' Historiae.'' Artaserse, Temistocle, Palmide (lover of Temistocle), Eraclea (daughter of Temistocle), Cambise (favourite of Artaserse, in love with Palmide), Clearco (Athenian ambassador, in love with Eraclea), Arsace (captain of the guard). The plot revolves around conflicts of loyalty, central to which is Temistocle's refusal to assist Artaserse in conquering Athens. This prompts the king to condemn him to death although at the end of the opera, impressed with Temistocle's sense of honour, he relents. Temistocle loves Palmide but since Artaserse wishes them to marry he cannot love her without the burden of feeling that royal approval requires him to betray his country.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Italian-language operas 1718 operas Operas Operas by Nicola Porpora Operas set in ancient Greece

Roles and action

See also

References

External links