Zelmira

Template:Rossini operas Zelmira is an opera in two acts by Gioacchino Rossini to a libretto by Andrea Leone Tottola (in turn based on the play by Du Belloy), the last of the composer's Neapolitan operas.

Stendhal called its music Teutonic, comparing it with La clemenza di Tito but remarking: "...while Mozart would probably, had he lived, have grown completely Italian, Rossini may well, by the end of his career, have become more German than Beethoven himself!"

Set for the masoleum (lithograph by Pasquale Canna, 1771 - 1830)

Performance history

The first performance of Zelmira was in Naples at the Teatro di San Carlo on February 16, 1822. This was followed by a premiere in Vienna on April 13, 1822, for which Rossini wrote some additional music, and Paris in 1826.

Roles

• Polidoro, King of Lesbos (bass)
• Zelmira, his daughte' (soprano)
• Emma (contralto) her confidant
• Ilo, Prince of Troy and husband of Zelmira (tenor, or tenorino)
• Antenore, a usurper (tenor)
• Leucippo, his confidant, a general (bass-baritone)
• Eacide (tenor)
• High priest (bass)

• Priests, populace, Mytilene army, train of Ilo, Zelmira's young daughter.

Synopsis

On the shore of the isle of Lesbos next to the royal tombs, Leucippo learns from the chorus that the beloved prince Azor has been murdered. Antenore sings of his horror and is then proclaimed avenger as well as successor to Azor. Once the chorus leaves he embraces Leucippo and discuss the remaining obstacles to the throne: Polidoro and the next in the line of succession, Zelmira. They part and Zelmira enters, followed Emma who accuses her of betraying her father's hiding place, Zelmira draws her aside to explain her actions. Polidoro emerges and sings a cavatina about leaving behind his daughter. Their joy at this sudden reunion is turned to terror by approaching martial strains.

Sources

• Stendhal, Life of Rossini translated and annotated by R. N. Coe (University of Washington Press, 1970)
• Kalmus/Belwin Mills has reprinted a piano-vocal score of apparently French origin with a table of contents giving prices for all the individual numbers included. No recitatives are given and whole scenes are omitted.
• Osborne, Richard (1992), 'Zelmira' in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7 offers a nutshell synopsis.
• The critical edition by Helen Greenwald and Kathleen Kuzmick Hansell forms vol. 33 of the Fondazione Rossini Pesaro's Opere (Ricordi 2005). The music for the large stage band (20+) fills a separate volume.

External links

Libretto (in Italian) at Karadar.com