Muzio Scevola (Mucius Scaevola, HWV 13) is an opera in three acts. The Italian-language libretto was by Paolo Antonio Rolli, adapted from a text by Silvio Stampiglia. The music for the first act was composed by Filippo Amadei (family name sometimes given as Mattei[1]), the second act by Giovanni Bononcini, and the third by George Frideric Handel.[2] Collaborations of groups of composers were common in the 18th century, though this is the only one done in London. Bononcini had written the music for two earlier treatments of this story on his own, works dating from 1695 and 1710.[3]
The opera was first given at the King's Theatre in London on 15 April 1721 and repeated on 7 November 1722. It was also performed in Hamburg. The first modern performance was in Essen in 1928.
Contents |
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 15 April 1721 (Conductor:) |
|---|---|---|
| Fidalma | soprano | Maria Maddalena Salvai |
| Clelia (Cloelia) | soprano | Margherita Durastanti |
| Tarquinio (Luciius Tarquinius) | soprano (castrato) | Caterina Gallarati |
| Irene, daughter of Porsena | contralto | Anastasia Robinson |
| Orazio (Horatius Cocles) | soprano castrato | Matteo Berselli |
| Muzio Scevola | alto castrato | Francesco Bernardi "Senesino" |
| Porsena, King of Etruria | bass | Giuseppe Maria Boschi |
| Elisa | soprano | |
| Vitellia | soprano | |
| Milo | bass | |
| Publicola | bass |
Newport Classic NPD 85540/260125: Julianne Baird; Brewer Baroque Chamber Orchestra; Rudolph Palmer, conductor[4]
Score (Atto Terzo) of Muzio Scevola (ed. Friedrich Chrysander, Leipzig 1874)
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