''Pyrrhus and Demetrius'' was a 1708 adaptation for the London stage of the 1694 opera ''Il Pirro e Demetrio'' by

Alessandro Scarlatti Pietro Alessandro Gaspare Scarlatti (2 May 1660 – 22 October 1725) was an Italian Baroque composer, known especially for his operas and chamber cantatas. He is considered the most important representative of the Neapolitan school of opera. ...

with a libretto by

Adriano Morselli Adriano Morselli was a Venetian librettist active between 1679 and 1691. His libretti have been set to music by composers like Antonio Vivaldi, Alessandro Scarlatti, Giacomo Antonio Perti, Bernardo Sabadini, Carlo Francesco Pollarolo and Domenico G ...

, first performed at the :it:Teatro San Bartolomeo. ''Pyrrhus and Demetrius'' was the second most successful opera in early 18th century London, after '' Camilla''. It had 58 or 59 performances between 1708 and 1717. The opera marked the London debut of the

castrato A castrato (Italian, plural: ''castrati'') is a type of classical male singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto. The voice is produced by castration of the singer before puberty, or it occurs in one who, due to ...

Nicolò Grimaldi Nicolò Francesco Leonardo Grimaldi (5 April 1673 (bap) – 1 January 1732) was an Italian mezzo-soprano castrato who is best remembered today for his association with the composer George Frideric Handel, in two of whose early operas he sang ...

(Nicolini).

Score and libretto

The London version was prepared by Nicola Haym, who composed a new

overture Overture (from French ''ouverture'', "opening") in music was originally the instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. During the early Romantic era, composers such as Beethoven and Mendelssohn composed overt ...

and 24 new arias, retaining only 14 of Scarlatti's original arias. Haym also inserted an aria by

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...

from Agrippina: ''Ho un non so che nel cor''. The English libretto was created by

Owen Swiny Owen Swiny (Also spelled McSwiny, Swiney, MacSwiny or MacSwinny) (1676, near Enniscorthy, Ireland – 2 October 1754) was an Irish theatre impresario and art dealer active in London known for his work in popularising Italian opera in London ...

. In January 1709 Walsh, Randall, and Hare printed the overture and 54 arias in ''Songs in the Opera Call'd Pyrrhus and Demetrius''. In May 1709 a different edition of ''The Songs in the Opera of Pyrrhus and Demetrius'' was published by John Cullen.

Roles and action

The roles in the opera are: Pyrrhus, king of Epirus; Demetrius king of Macedonia; Climene, daughter of King Lysimachus, enemy of Demetrius; Climene, sister of Pyrrhus; Clearte, lover of Deidamia; Arbante, a knight; Marius, son of Arbante; Breno, servant of Deidamia. The action is set in ancient Macedonia. Demetrius has seized the throne after having murdered Alexander, himself the murderer of his mother Thessalonice. He then wants to invade Asia, but Ptolemy, Seleucus and Lysimachus join forces against him, joined by Pyrrhus, king of Epirus. Pyrrhus succeeds in driving out Demetrius and replacing him on the throne, before himself being driven away by Lysimachus.

Performance history

The opera opened at the Queen's Theatre on December 14, 1708, with the castrato

(Nicolini) starring as Pyrrhus, who had sung in the original 1694 production in Naples; another castrato

Valentino Urbani Valentino Urbani (born in Udine; ''fl.'' 1690–1722) was an Italian mezzo-soprano or alto castrato who sang for the composer George Frideric Handel in the 18th century. He was known by the stage name Valentini. He sang the role of Eustazio at t ...

, (Valentini) in the role of Demetrius, Littleton Ramondon (Cleartes), Purbeck Turner (Arbantes), Margherita de L’Epine (Marius), Cook (Brennus),

Catherine Tofts Catherine Tofts or Katherine Tofts (died 1756) was the first English singer who sang Italian opera in England. Life About 1704, the competition between Tofts and Margherita de l'Épine was in earnest. Perhaps to illustrate the famed rivalry, M ...

(Climene), Joanna Maria Lindelheim (Deidamia). The two castrati sang in Italian, the other singers in English. The sets for the first production were created by

Marco Ricci Marco Ricci (6 June 1676 – 21 January 1730) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Early years He was born at Belluno and received his first instruction in art from his uncle, Sebastiano Ricci, likely in Milan in 1694–6.Giacometti, Mar ...

and

Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini (29 April 1675 – 2 November 1741) was one of the leading Venetian history painters of the early 18th century. His style melded the Renaissance style of Paolo Veronese with the Baroque of Pietro da Cortona and ...

. The opera had a significant impact on the business of running an opera house in England. Nicolini brought with him a detailed account of the economics of Venetian opera houses, and the management of the Queen's Theatre adapted its business model accordingly. In accordance with Nicolini's advice a subscription of 1000 guineas was raised from Queen Anne and both subscriptions and ticket prices were increased.

Critical reception

Richard Steele Sir Richard Steele (bap. 12 March 1672 – 1 September 1729) was an Anglo-Irish writer, playwright, and politician, remembered as co-founder, with his friend Joseph Addison, of the magazine ''The Spectator''. Early life Steele was born in Du ...

described the opera as 'a noble entertainment,' and praised Nicolini who, ‘by the grace and propriety of his action and gesture, does honour to an human figure.’ The author of ''A Critical Discourse'' stated that the opera was considered to be the best Scarlatti ever wrote, having achieved universal applause wherever it was performed. He also praised the judicious composition and addition of new material in the Lindon adaptation, which he contrasted with the incoherent efforts of earlier ventures such as ''

Arsinoe, Queen of Cyprus ''Arsinoe, Queen of Cyprus'' by Thomas Clayton was the first Italian-style opera (in English) to be staged in England. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 16 January 1705. There were various historical women named Arsinoe, but from th ...

''.

External links

digital copy of songs from ''Pyrrhus and Demetrius''

References

{{Authority control Opera in England Italian-language operas English-language operas 1708 operas Operas Operas by multiple composers Operas by Alessandro Scarlatti