L'ERISEMENA di Cavalli

Speranza

We should never shy away from viewing lesser-known works alongside Puccini and Verdi's greatest hits, but ERISMENA is a truly heroic undertaking.

Monteverdi's Orfeo and Purcell's Dido and Aeneas are reasonably familiar to modern audiences, but how many people have heard of Cavalli's Erismena and Handel's Tolomeo - or indeed of Carissimi's oratorio Jephthe?

And more to the point, are these obscure works worthy of revival?

Erismena was first performed in 1655 in VENEZIA and became one of the most successful operas of the seventeenth century.

An English singing translation (the first of its kind) dated 1673 seems to suggest that Erismena may have been London's first taste of Italian opera.

Baroque librettists never let clarity and common sense stand in the way of a dramatic story and Aureli was no exception.

It's not much of an exaggeration to say that Erismena contains more plot elements than the entire Ring cycle, and it's impossible to summarize the story in less than 500 words and without diagrams.

Suffice it to say that after the usual complications involving disguise, bent genders, narrowly avoided incest and attempted murder, true love is rewarded and a father reunited with his long-lost daughter.

All of which would probably have been just as confusing had this not been a concert performance, although the cast did their best to help by dressing to indicate the social status of their characters.

As is usually the case with Baroque opera, the most sensible course of action is to stop struggling with the plot and simply enjoy the music.

 Despite the fact that Cavalli lacked the dramatic genius of Monteverdi, some say, there is a great deal to enjoy in Erismena, although the appealing arias and duets are strung together with long stretches of monotonous recitative.

Two characters were cut from this version of the opera (for this relief much thanks) but the remaining seven roles are sung with great conviction:

King Erimante
Prince Idraspe
Aldimira
Aldimira's maid Flerida
Prince Orimeno
Argippo
and Erismena.

The Orchestra gives a fine account of Cavalli's uneven but interesting score.

Finally, all credit to people for having the courage to embark on such an unusual and financially risky project.

If you are tired of Tosca and bored with Butterfly, ERISMENA is an excellent introduction to the weird and wonderful world of early opera.