Edipodia operistica italiana: una cronologia

Speranza EDIPODIA OPERISTICA ITALIANA: una cronologia. ***** CINQUECENTO ***** 1520. A. PAZZI de' Medici, of Florence: "Edipo". A pretty early translation of the Graeco-Roman source (Seneca) into the vernacular. 1543. Ludovico DOLCE. "Tieste". 1549. Ludovico DOLCE. "Edipo e Giocasta: tragedia". 1560. L. DOLCE, "Edipo e Giocasta". 1556. G. A. dell'ANGUILARA, "Edipo: tragedia", Padova; prima rappresentazione: 1560. 1585. Andrea GABRIELI. "Edipo re" -- libretto: Orsatto Giustiniani, of Venice. 4 cori survive: -- Santo Oracol di Giove -- Qual è colui -- O voglia’l ciel -- Misera humana prole. Inaugurazione del Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza, 3 marzo. Most likely, the play was chosen because it was Aristotle's favourite in "Poetics". Apparently, the first choice was a pastoral drama, but the Accademia Olimpica fortunately changed their minds. ***** SEICENTO ***** 1615. L. LEONI, "Edipo", Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza. 1659. LULI (n. Firenze) "Edipo". Libretto: Corneille. New character: Dirce, Giocasta's daughter, legitimate heir to the throne. 1661. Torin-born Emanuele TESAURO, "Edipo" 1675. G.Legrenzi, "Eteocle e Polinice, ossia, I sette contro Tebe" (tratto da Euripide ed Eschilo). Aria: 'Festeggia, mio core', for a revival in 1680 in Venezia, to the melody of "Che fiero costume", published in 1678. THE PLOT: Fattorini relates the story as told by Stazio, in the "Tebaide", of the decree of Edipus that his twin sons should (how else?) rule alternately (diarchia) in Tebe, but with the introductory "Si finge", which had already become traditional, Fattorini develops his own plot. Eteocle after his father Edipo's death mercilessly slays all the Theban nobles who would have supported his brother Polinice. Adrasto, re d'Argo, has two daughters: Aigia, betrothed to Polinice, and Deifile, promised to Tideo, Principe d'Etolia. So far, believe it or not, Fattorini follows the myth. The opera begins in medias res, as Polinice, Adrasto, Tideo, and Deifile prepare to besiege Tebe. As it happens, Antigona (the brothers' sister -- there is no mention of Ismene) had previously fallen in love with Tideo, while Tideo was ambassador to Tebe and not yet betrothed to Deifile. Indeed, Tideo had promised Antigona marriage, but on his return to Argo his affection was somehow transferred to Deifile. In the assault on Tebe, Tideo is wounded, swoons, and is rescued by his page. But then, Deifile and Polinice are taken prisoners. Eteocle falls in love with Deifile but Deifile spurns him as a tyrant. Eteocle orders his minister Cleante to have Deifile slain. Antigona pleads with Eteocle in vain for Polinice's life. Then, dressed masculinely, Antigona enters the prison with Eteocle's seal, which she has stolen, and aids the good brother Polinice to escape. Polinice and Antigona then join Adrasto as does Tideo. Argia, learning that Antigona is a woman, doubts Tideo's faith. Cleante brings Eteocle a wild beast's heart, saying it is Deifile's, and Eteocle raves with remorse and grief. Meanwhile, inflamed by the news of the supposed death of Deifile, Polinice and his friends overthrow Eteocle, who repents in chains. Only then does Deifile consent to marry him. Antigone claims Tideo, and Argia is reconciled with Polinice. Legrenzi's opera ends with the sextet singing: POLINICE -- Argia. ETEOCLE -- Deifile, ANTIGONA -- Tideo, Dolcezza d'amore beatemi il core nel seno ridenti piovete contenti in placida calma tranquìllissi l'alma e reso giocondo rida il ciel, rida Tebe, e rida il mondo A novella Tebe indeed. The structural resemblances to Medoro in this cheerful adaptation of a story proverbial for its grim series of tragedies are obvious. Note that the triple love interest, the lady masquerading as a knight, the siege, are common to both plays. Again there are echoes of Ariosto: Argia's jealousy of Marfìsa. A new element is the substituted heart, which adds a folktale motif (also of course familiar in novella and romance). 1678. Enrico Purcell, "Edipo". Libretto: Dryden. Arias: Two songs: "Hear, ye sullen powers below" "Come away, do not stay" -- Due terzetti -- (a) Laius, hear, hear. (b) Music for a while------------------------------------a shall all your cares beguile----------------------a wond’ring how your pains were eas’d--------b and disdaining to be pleas’d---------------------b till Alecto free the dead----------------------------c from their eternal bands---------------------------d till the snakes drop from her head-------------d and the whip from out her hands---------------d "A full statement of the ground bass precedes the entrance of the first priest. The arpeggiated chords of the bass part intertwine with the tenor voice line as both slowly rise with powerful chromatic alterations, depicting the rising of the dead King Laius. The tonally ambiguous, non-diatonic bass line allows for greater harmonic exploration through modulation in the middle of the piece. During the fourth repetition of the ground, the pattern goes astray, although maintaining the basic arpeggio figure of the bass line. At this point, the text describes one of the Furies, Alecto, who is capable of “free[ing] the dead from their eternal bands.” When the narrator describes snakes dropping from Alecto’s head, Purcell places a rest between each of the numerous statements of “drop,” which occur on the second half of the beat. A gentle descending line closes the middle section on the dominant as preparation for the return to the tonic. Purcell’s return to the home key (C minor) brings with it a return of the opening melody and text; a regular occurrence in Purcell’s late ground-bass arias."] ***** SETTECENTO ***** 1711. Piovene, "Edipo." 1718. G. M. Orlandini, "La Fedeltà coronata, ossia l'Antigone". Libretto: B. Pasqualigo). Rappresentazione al Teatro Malvezzi di Bologna nell'estate 1727, con Broschi, accanto al celebre e non più giovane cantante A. Bernacchi, che gli fu prodigo di consigli. 1729. Pietro Torri, "Edipo: tragedia per musica". 22 ott. Teatro di corte di Monaco. Libretto: Biancardi ("Domenico Lalli"). Edipo (Carlo Broschi), Giocasta (Faustina Bordoni); Ismene (Elisabetta Casolani), Filoteto (Agostino Galli); Meneceo (Francesco Cignoni), Sorete (Giovanni Perprich); Corifo (Bortolo Strapparapa); Pestelli ascribes the music to Ferrandini. 1740. Arne, "Edipo". Libretto: Dryden. 1751. G. Gebel, "Edipo". 1779. M. A. Desaugier, "Il piccolo Edipo". 1786. A. M. G. Sacchini, "Edipo" -- libretto: G. Schmidt. Lainez, tenore, Polinice. 1791. Mereaux, "Edipo a Tebe". ***** OTTOCENTO ***** 1802. N. A. Zingarelli, "Edipo: tragedia per musica", La Fenice, Venezia. The Edipo role (tenor), created by M. Babini. dec. 26. 1819. Rossini, "Edipo coloneo". Libretto: Giambattista Giusti, Bologna. 1836. Huettenbrenner, "Edipo a Colono" 1837. G. Pacini, "Edipo". Libretto: Felice Bellotti. Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza. 1874. E. Lassen, "Edipo". 1893. Vanzo, "Edipo". 1894. K. Kovarivic, "Edipo". ***** NOVECENTO ***** 1919. R. Leoncavallo, "Edipo re" -- intended as vehicle for baritone T. Ruffo. 1920. J. Seymour, "Antigone". 1927. A. Honneger, "Antigone". -- Also: I. Stravinsky, "Edipo" 1928. A. Ghislanzoni, "Antigone". 1932. A. Aytano, "Edipo". 1933. I. Krejci, "Antigone". 1934. P. Bastide, "Edipo". 1936. G. Enesco, "Edipo", Opera di Parigi. 1942. M. Pallantios, "Antigone" 1948. Pedrollo. "Edipo", Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza. 1949. C. Orff, "Antigone". 1952. L. Lidiabella, Antigone. 1959. C. Orff, "Edipo". 1960. H. Elder, "Edipo". 1968. R. Travis, "Edipo". 1972. R. S. Brindle, "Antigone". 1974. J. Soler, "Edipo e Giocasta".