''Nerone'' (''Nero'') 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 libre ...

in four acts composed by

Arrigo Boito Arrigo Boito (; 24 February 1842 10 June 1918) (whose original name was Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni Boito and who wrote essays under the anagrammatic pseudonym of Tobia Gorrio) was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist, librettist and composer, be ...

, to a libretto in Italian written by the composer. The work is a series of scenes from

Imperial Rome The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...

at the time of Emperor

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 unt ...

depicting tensions between the Imperial religion and Christianity, and ends with the

Great Fire of Rome The Great Fire of Rome ( la, incendium magnum Romae) occurred in July AD 64. The fire began in the merchant shops around Rome's chariot stadium, Circus Maximus, on the night of 19 July. After six days, the fire was brought under control, but before ...

. Boito died in 1918 before finishing the work.

Performance history

It was eventually premiered posthumously at La Scala on May 1, 1924, conducted by

Arturo Toscanini Arturo Toscanini (; ; March 25, 1867January 16, 1957) was an Italian conductor. He was one of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century, renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orche ...

in a version of the score completed by Toscanini, Vincenzo Tommasini, and

Antonio Smareglia Antonio Smareglia (5 May 1854 – 15 April 1929) was an Italian opera composer. Life Antonio Smareglia was born in Pola (in the Istrian peninsula, under the Austria-Hungarian Empire, now in Croatia). In the house where he was born in Via Nettuno ...

. The role of Nero, originally intended for

Francesco Tamagno Francesco Tamagno (28 December 1850 – 31 August 1905) was an Italian operatic tenor who sang with enormous success throughout Europe and America.Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera'', 782 pages, On 5 February ...

, was first performed by

Aureliano Pertile Aureliano Pertile (9 November 1885 – 11 January 1952) was an Italian lyric tenor. Many critics consider him one of the most exciting operatic artists of the inter-war period, and one of the most important tenors of the 20th century. Life and ...

. The role of Asteria, a young woman torn between her love for Nero and her Christian sympathies, was created by

Rosa Raisa Rosa Raisa (30 May 189328 September 1963) was a Polish-born and Italian-trained Russian-Jewish dramatic operatic soprano who became a naturalized American. She possessed a voice of remarkable power and was the creator of the title role of Puccin ...

. The opera was very well received at its premiere, and the newly rebuilt

Rome Opera House The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma (Rome Opera House) is an opera house in Rome, Italy. Originally opened in November 1880 as the 2,212 seat ''Costanzi Theatre'', it has undergone several changes of name as well modifications and improvements. The pre ...

inaugurated its first season with ''Nerone'' in 1928. However, it has only been rarely performed since that time, even in Italy. It did not receive its US premiere until April 12, 1982, when it was performed in a concert version by the Opera Orchestra of New York in Carnegie Hall. Henahan, Donalbr>Review: ''Nerone'', Opera Orchestra of New York
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', April 14, 1982. Accessed 20 December 2007.

Roles

References

External links

* {{Authority control Operas by Arrigo Boito Italian-language operas Operas Depictions of Nero in opera Opera world premieres at La Scala Libretti by Arrigo Boito Operas completed by others

Performance history

Roles

References

Further reading

External links