Full text of "Annales of Opera 1597-1940"

ANNALS OF OPERA 1597-1940 COMPILED FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCES BY ALFRED LOEWENBERG WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY EDWARD J. DENT Third edition, revised and corrected JOHN CALDER LONDON 1978 Published in Great Britain 1978 by John Calder (Publishers) Ltd, 18 Brewer Street, London WiR 4AS Originally published in January 1943 SECOND EDITION, REVISED 1955 REPRINTED AS ONE VOLUME 1970 THIRD EDITION, REVISED 1978 ) 1955, 1978 EDITH LOEWENBERG ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ISBN o 7145 3657 i Any paperback edition of this book whether published simultaneously with, or subsequent to, the hard bound edition is sold subject to the con- dition that it shall not, by way of trade, be lent, resold, hired out, or other- wise disposed of, without the publishers' consent, in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except for brief extracts for the purposes of review, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher. Printed and bound in Scotland by Robert MacLehose and Co. Ltd, Printers to the University of Glasgow To the Memory of OSCAR GEORGE THEODORE SONNECK 1873-1928 PREFACE THE bulk of the present work was finished before the war broke out. For various reasons publication was delayed till now. In the meanwhile the manuscript has undergone considerable alterations and additions, and while the annals nominally close with the year 1940, references to still more recent revivals and publications have been included when of sufficient im- portance. The book is intended to be a skeleton history of opera, in dates and other facts. It is therefore arranged chronologically, but by means of the copious indexes it can also be used as a dictionary of operas. There are no descriptions of plots, no musical analyses, no personal critical comments. The facts are to speak for themselves, and every care has been taken to verify them so that they may serve as a safe ground on which to build a real history of opera, yet to be written. The selection of some three or four thousand operas out of a total number of — I dare not offer a guess, was also chiefly guided by objective historical principles. Of older operas, preferably such have been chosen as are still extant in one form or another; of more recent works, those have been selected that have*obtained success or attracted attention outside their countries of origin. Even so, the number of entries could easily have been doubled; but the book had to be kept within reasonable limits. The term 'opera is used here in its widest possible sense, covering both 'grand opera' (as it is sometimes called), that is, opera with recitatives, and opera with spoken dialogue. Confining it to the former would result in omitting works like The Magic Flute and Carmen. Moreover, there are included examples of offshoots like the Italian intermezzo, the English ballad opera, the French vaudeville, the German 'melodrama' ; the pasticcio in its various types; border cases like Dassoucy's Andromede, Weber's Preciosa and Stravinsky's Histoire du Soldat; the modern operetta in different countries. Not included are plays with incidental music even by famous composers (such as Egmont or Peer Gyni), nor oratorios, cantatas, etc., unless they were at a later date presented in operatic form, such as Liszt's St. Elizabeth and Debussy's VEnfant Prodigue. It is stated on the titlepage that the book was 'compiled from the original sources.' That is to say, I did not rely upon second or third hand information. Whenever possible the dates and other particulars were collected from the original scores and librettos, from play-bills, contemporary newspapers and periodicals; next there came memoirs, letters and diaries, and die various bibliographical works, catalogues, and theatrical chronologies. For the more recent years, and for countries newspapers of which are not easily available, official publications of the opera-houses, and lists provided for the purpose by the authorities proved a great help. Here a certain inequality was unavoidable; VU1 PREFACE while I received from some towns, as for instance, Zagreb or Helsinki, all the information I required, it was in other cases impossible even to get an answer, as for instance from Bucharest. A few explanations of the methods employed in the arrangement of the book may find their appropriate place here. The entries are given in the chrono- logical order of their first performances. This implies that only such operas are recorded as were actually produced on the (public or private) stage, a rule which has been broken once or twice in exceptional cases (see for instance col. 297). The year of performance is always repeated at the top of the page, in order to simplify the task of finding a particular opera. Whenever possible, the exact day and month of the first performance are given. Where the day could not be established, the month or the season is indicated. Operas of which only the year of production is known are placed in the middle of that year. Of all the operas mentioned in these annals, John Blow's Venus and Adonis appears to be the only one of which even the year is uncertain; it has been tentatively inserted under 1684 for reasons which are explained in the entry. Dates in [] brackets are approximate, in most cases taken from dedications or licences in the librettos. The beginning of opera almost coincides with the introduction of the modern calendar, Gregorian style, in all Roman Catholic countries. The non- Catholic parts of Germany followed suit in 1700, other countries even later. All dates are given here according to one and the same system, viz. the Gre- gorian style. In this respect a word must be said about England and Russia, disregarding some cases of minor importance. In England the change of calendar took place in 1752. Wednesday, 2 Sep- tember of that year was followed by Thursday, 14 September. So the dates given in this book of performances in England before September 1752 will be found to differ from those quoted, for instance, by Burney, by 1 1 days in the 18th century, by 10 days in the 17th. I should have liked to retain the familiar Burney dates, but in an international chronology they had to be sacrificed for the sake of conformity. Boyce's The Chaplet was first produced, according to the original play-bill, on Saturday, 2 December 1749, which was Saturday, 13 December in most of the rest of Europe. Obviously it could not be placed in front of Rameau's Zoroastre (see col. 211), which actually was performed eight days before and not three days after The Chaplet The same applies to Russia, where the Gregorian calendar was not introduced until 1917. AU the dates of operatic performances in Russia are here given according to Western style, which is ahead of Russian style by 11 days in the 1 8th, 12 days in the 19th and 13 days in the 20th century. In some very few cases, where it could not be ascertained whether a date quoted from a review meant Russian or Western style, the figures are given in italics. PREFACE IX In each entry the date is followed by the name of the composer and the title of the opera. Fuller details about the composers will be found in index n. The name is printed within round brackets when the performance of the opera took place after the composer's death; within square brackets when he was the compiler or arrangeur rather than the real composer (see for instance col. 159). The titles of the operas are given in the form in which they first appeared on the play-bills or in the librettos, even if this form is unfamiliar (see for instance col. 448). It is also given in the original language, that is, the language in which the opera was first performed. It was thought unnecessary to translate Italian, French and German titles. To all other non-English titles a translation has been added unless the title is a proper name. Russian titles appear in the original characters, in an English transliteration, and in translation. In trans- literating Russian names and titles the rules of the British Museum Catalogue have been followed with some slight deviations, Next comes the name oft he town in which the opera was first performed, with the name of the theatre if the town was an important operatic centre (see list of abbreviations, p. xv). Some towns had different names at different periods, and sometimes both names had to be used. Obviously performances in 1 8th century Russia cannot be stated to have taken place at Leningrad. The notes appended to the heading begin in each case with the name of the author or librettist, and the literary source, if any, from which the libretto was derived. No effort has been spared to bring some light into this unexplored province of literature, and the authorship of not a few librettos is established here for the first time. Even more obscure is the bibliography of translations and adaptations, and this is the first attempt to collect systematically the widely scattered material. In general the results were rather surprising, although I confined myself to what may be called independent translations, that is, such as were used for performances in a foreign language or were issued as distinct publications. Only in exceptional cases have I mentioned translations which were printed opposite the original text (for use by the audience in the theatre) when the opera was produced in the original language in a foreign country. Concerning later revivals, the principles I followed were roughly these: the older operas, of the 17th and the greater part of the 18th century, are recorded as fully as possible. In the 19th century this proved to be tiresome and un- instructive. The operas of Donizetti, Bellini and Verdi were performed in hundreds of Italian towns every year throughout the century and there would have been no point in enumerating all those productions. In some cases, such as FreischiitZy Tristan, Otello full records are given up to a certain date. Generally only the first performances in other countries are indicated. By 'countries' I mean cultural rather than political units; islands, for instance, are treated as separate countries, and bi-cultural and bilingual towns like Nice, Trieste, X PREFACE Strasbourg, Prague have received special attention. It goes without saying that the European boundaries referred to in remarks such as 'for the first time in Czechoslovakia' are those which were in force before the second world war. Thus the notes, which range from a few lines to several pages, will be found to contain much information about the later history of a particular opera. It was manifestly impracticable to give the authority for every single date of the many thousands assembled here. Originally it was intended to add a complete bibliography of the books and other sources consulted. This plan had to be abandoned. Many of the more important sources, however, are quoted in the text. There remains to me the pleasant duty of gratefully acknowledging the valuable help I received from many quarters. In the first place my thanks are due to Mr. Richard Capell who, in the Daily Telegraph of 15 October 1938, took the unusual course of reviewing the manuscript of the present book. I have to thank Mr. Otto Haas, London, for his constant advice and interest, and for putting at my disposal his rich stock of music and books on music. I am very much indebted to the authorities and the staff of the British Museum, especially to Mr. William C. Smith and to Mr. Cecil B. Oldman; to Mr. Rupert Erlebach, librarian of the Royal College of Music; to the librarians of the Bibliotheque de T Arsenal and of the Bibliotheque Musicale de TOpera, Paris, of the Bibliotheque du Conservatoire, Brussels, and of the Gemeente Museum (Scheurleer collection), The Hague. For giving me access to books and other sources not elsewhere available I have to thank Mr. Paul Hirsch, Cambridge, and Mr. Michael D. Calvocoressi, London. I am very much obliged to Pro- fessor Otto Erich Deutsch, Cambridge, for letting me use his manuscript Repertory of the Imperial Theatres of Vienna, and for many valuable suggestions. Furthermore, I wish to convey my thanks to many correspondents for infor- mation concerning operatic history in their respective countries. To the directors and librarians of the opera-houses at Antwerp (Koiiinklijke Vlaamsche Opera); Copenhagen; Geneva (M. Bretton); Kaunas; Ljubljana (Dir. Vilko Ukmar) ; Paris (Theatre National de TOpera-Comique, M. L. Gallieni) ; Prague (Narodni Divadlo) ; Riga (Dir. J. Poruks); Sofia (Dir. V. Vassileff) ; Stockholm; and Zagreb. To M. Ludvik Bohacek, Prague ; Dr. Peter Gradenwitz, Tel- Aviv ; Mr. Herbert Graf, formerly of Berlin; Dr. Hemendra Nath Das Gupta, Girish Ghosh Lecturer, Calcutta University; Mr. Julius Mattfeld of the Library Division, Columbia Broadcasting System, New York; M. R. Aloys Mooser, editor of Dissonances, Geneva; Mme Jolantha von Pukanszky-Kadar, Budapest; and Mr. Waino Sola of the Suomalainen Oopera, Helsinki. Finally, I want to express my gratitude to Professor Edward J. Dent, Cambridge, not only for honouring this book with his introduction, but also for his help in going through the proofs; to my publishers, Messrs. W. Heffer & PREFACE XI Sons, Ltd., Cambridge, for their enterprising spirit and splendid efficiency; last not least to my wife, Edith Loewenberg, for heir never-failing help and encouragement throughout the many years it took to prepare the book. Alfred Loewenberg London, October 1942 (revised August 1954) The late Alfred Loewenberg left an interleaved and heavily annotated copy of his Annals; this has served as the basis of the present revised edition. Some alterations and fairly numerous corrections have been made, and many new dates and other facts added from the author's notes. Further corrections from other sources have been accepted and incorporated, but essentially the Annals remain Loewenberg's work, presented here as far as possible in his own revision. No attempt has been made to carry the records beyond 1940. Thanks are due to Mr. Theodore Besterman, whose initiative made possible the publication of the second edition, to Mr. Frank Walker, who generously undertook the laborious task of revising and editing the manuscript of the second edition (1955), and to Mr. Harold Rosenthal, for revising and for the additional material he furnished for the present edition. CONTENTS Preface page vii Abbreviations xv Introduction, by Edward J. Dent xvii Annals, 1597-1940 column 1-1440 Index of Operas 1441-1514 Index of Composers 15 15-1620 Index of Librettists 1621-1680 General Index 1681-1756 ABBREVIATIONS Besides the names of the theatres (see list below) very few abbreviations have been used, and most of them need no explanation (names of the months, etc.). A.M.Z.: Cam.: I.M.S. Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung. Carnival season (usually beginning De- cember z6 of the preceding year and lasting until February or March). International Musical Society. I.S.C.M. : International Society for Contemporary Music. n.d. : no date (undated publication). R.M.I. :. Rivista Musicale Italiana. S.I.M.: Societe* Internationale de Musique. PRINCIPAL THEATRES (T. and Th. are used for Theatre and its equivalents, Pal. for Palazzo. Where no theatre is mentioned, the principal theatre of the town is meant.) Liceo Deutsches Opernhaus. Friedrich-Wilhelmstadtisches (Theater). Konigsstadtisches (Theater). Kurftirsten-Oper. (Kbnigliches) Opernhaus Staatsoper). Schauspielhaus. Theater des Westens. Theater Unter den Linden. Volks-Oper. Victoria-Theater. (later Barcelona, L. Berlin, D.O. Fr.W. Kgst. KurfO. O. Sch. Tn.d.W. Th.U.d.L. V.O. Vict.Th. Bologna, T.C. Teatro Comunale. Brussels, F.P. Fantaisies-Parisiennes. M. (Theatre de la) Monnaie. Florence, P. (Teatro della )Pergola. T.C. Teatro Comunale. Genoa, C.F. (Teatro) Carlo Felice. S.Ag. Sant'Agostino. Lisbon, S.C. San Carlos. London, C.G. Covent Garden. D.L. Drury Lane. Hm. Haymarket. H.M.*s. His (or Her) Majesty's. L.O.H. London Opera House. Ly. Lyceum (English Opera House) O.C. Opera Comique. R.A.M. Royal Academy of Music. R.C.M. Royal College of Music. R.E.O. Royal English Opera (House). S.'s Wells. Sadler's Wells. St.J.'s St. James's. (Where no theatre is mentioned, the King's Theatre, Haymarket, is meant.) Madrid, T.L. T.R. Z. Milan, Can. Sc. T.d.V. T.L. T.R.D, Naples, Fior. S.B. S.C. T.N. New York, M. Teatro Lirico. Teatro Reale. (Teatro de la) Zarzuela. (Teatro della) Canobbiana. (Teatro alia) Scala. Teatro dal Verme. Teatro Lirico (Internazionale). Teatro Regio DucaL (Teatro dei) FiorentinL San Bartolomeo. San Carlo. Teatro Nuovo. Paris, B.P. CI. Ch.£. F.Dr. F.P. Fa. Fey. G.L. O. O.C. O.NX. Ren. St.G. St.L. Th.deM. Th.I. Th.L. Th.S.B. Tr.L. Prague, Cz. G. Rome, Ap. Arg. C. Capr. T.R. Tord. Turin, T.d.T. T.R. T.V.E. Venice, F. S.Ben. S.Cass. S.G.Gr. SS.G.e.P. S.Sal. ' S.Sam. Vienna, B. Ca. Jos. Ka. Leop. O. V.O. W. Bouffes-Parisiens. ComeViie-Italienne. (Theatre des) Champs-£lysees. Folies-Dramatiques. Fantaisies-Parisiennes. Theatre Favart. Theatre Feydeau. Gaitd-Lyrique. Ope*ra (Academie Royale de Musique, etc.). Opera-Comique. Opera National Lyrique. (Theatre de la) Renaissance. (Theatre de la Foire) Saint-Ger- (Tn&tre de la Foire) Saint-Lau- rent. Theatre de Monsieur. Tneatre-Italien. Tneatre-Lyrique. Theatre Sarah Bernhardt. Trianon-Lyrique- Czech Theatre. German Theatre. (Teatro) Apollo. (Teatro) Argentina. (Teatro) Costanzi. (Teatro) Capranica. Teatro Reale. (Teatro) Tordinona. Teatro di Torino. Teatro Regio. Teatro Vittorio Emanuele. (Teatro La) Fcnice. San Benedetto. San Cassiano. San Giovanni Grisostomo. Sana' Giovanni e Paolo. San Salvatore. San Samuele. Burgtheater. Carl-Theater. (Theater in der) Josefstadt. Karntnertor-Theater. (Theater in der) Leopoldstadt, Opernhaus (Hofoper, later Staats- oper). Volks-Oper. (Theater auf der) Wieden (later Theater an der Wien). Metropolitan (Opera House). * Opera titles marked thus indicate an entry with additional information in the supplementary volume being prepared by Harold Rosenthal, which will cover the period 1940-1978. INTRODUCTION The first attempt at a Dictionary of Operas was made by Leone Allacci, a learned Greek from the island of Chios, who became Librarian of the Vatican Library and published his Drammaturgia, a catalogue of all operas performed up to that date, in 1666. Since then a number of catalogues, dictionaries and histories of Opera have been published in various languages, but the present monumental work of Dr. Alfred Loewenbcrg is the first, as far as I know, to arrange the material year by year in chronological, rather than alphabetical order. It starts with the first of all operas, La Dafne, composed by Jacopo Peri and produced at Florence in 1597, and ends with those produced in 1940. The compiler makes no pretence of naming every single opera that has ever been produced anywhere during these three and a half centuries; to do so would have doubled or trebled the size of his volume. How many operas have been put on the stage, especially during the 19th century, for one performance only, never to be repeated or remembered, it is impossible to compute. In the volume before us we shall find the names of many quite unfamiliar works, and some of those were failures from their birth. Yet even these deserved recording for some reason or other; and it may be said that every work named in these pages has been contributory, in however slight a way, to the general history of the musical drama. For every opera named we are given the names of librettist and composer, as well as the name of the theatre and the town in which the first production took place; but besides these bare facts we are often supplied with a vast quan- tity of subsidiary information, especially as regards the source of the plot, subsequent revivals in other cities and translations into various languages. A reader who is already interested in operatic history and acquainted at least with the general outline of it will derive from browsing at random on these pages all sorts of new lights on the subject. The most obvious thing to be learned from this book is the course of the main stream of opera, beginning with what we might call "academic" opera in Florence, produced before a small audience of excessively cultivated people. And because the only people of that period who were in a position to become excessively cultivated were princes and cardinals and the courtiers attendant on them, opera struck root as an eminently aristocratic and courtly entertainment, becoming gradually more and more sumptuous and spectacular as the 17th century progressed. In spite of simultaneous currents in different directions, what we might call "dynamic" opera survived indeed right up to the end of the 18th century, even alter the French Revolution had begun to change the face of all European society; the last representative of "dynastic" opera was Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito in 1791. XV111 INTRODUCTION Commercial opera begins with the inauguration of the "Teatro Tron di San Cassiano" at Venice in 1637, the first opera open to the general public on pay- ment having been Manelli's Andromeda, of which the music is lost. This date gives Dr. Loewenberg one of his characteristic opportunities and the reader one of the peculiarly fascinating delights of this book: the occasional summaries of unexpected information such as can only be tracked down with difficulty else- where. Here, under date 1637, we find a complete list of the numerous Venetian theatres, called by the names of their parishes, like the St. James's and St. Martin's in London of to-day, but known also by the names of the noble families which erected and supported them. Later on we find the same sort of excursus on the operas of Lully, with a list of the latest dates at which they remained in the Paris repertory, and yet further on there is an interesting synopsis of the recent Handel opera revival in Germany. Dynastic opera was almost always in Italian, wherever it was performed, and for that reason it is Vienna which preserved dynastic opera the longest, Vienna being from a musical point of view much more an Italian city than a German one. In Vienna the spectacular Italian opera was deliberately maintained for the glorification of the reigning house, and no doubt it was Metastasio's choice of subjects such as La Clemenza di Tito which caused his librettos to be set to music over and over again for the entertainment of such courts as Stuttgart, Munich, Dresden and Berlin. Paris enjoyed its dynastic opera in French, and there is one solitary example of an English dynastic opera — Albion and Albanius, composed by a Frenchman. Dryden may have originally intended King Arthur to be something of the same sort, but as it eventually came to be, with the collaboration of Purcell, it was to the glorification of the country as a whole rather than of the monarch. We can' learn from these pages when opera first crossed the Alps, and when the idea first occurred of translating an opera into another language. The Dafne of Rinuccini was translated into German by Martin Opitz (a poet of considerable distinction) in 1627, but new music seems to have been composed for it by Schiitz; that suggests that in those days the words of an opera were still con- sidered more important than the music. Another early translation is that of Cambert's Ariane, made for the performance in London in 1674; but our author is careful to point out that the opera was sung in London in French, and that the translation was made merely for the convenience of readers. Lully's Roland was translated into Dutch, but not performed in that language. His Armide (1686) seems to have been the first opera ever performed in a second language; it was the first French opera performed in Italy (1690) and must have been sung in Italian, as it was given not only at Rome, but at Mantua and in other places as well, even as late as 1740. Lully's Acis et Galatee (his last opera, 1686) had the honour of being the first non-German opera performed at Hamburg (in French, 1689), and although no mention is made of any other INTRODUCTION XIX opera by Lully having been given in Germany, it is an undoubted fact that Lully's music was immensely popular in that country in the form of instrumental suites. Most of the German composers of this period set their operas to Italian words; it was only at Hamburg that opera in German had any great attraction, and that only for a short period. Thus the newly-built Italian opera-house at Hanover was inaugurated with Steffani's Enrico Leone (1689) ; later it was given in German at Hamburg, Brunswick, Augsburg and Stuttgart. That same year 1689 brings us to Dido and Aeneas of Purcell, and it is interesting to see from this book how it remained almost unknown and un- performed (except in mutilated concert versions) until Stanford had it revived for the Purcell bi-centenary in 1895, after which it became a favourite opera for amateur and school performances in this country, and then, after 1924, was staged in New York, Munster, Stuttgart, Vienna, Paris, Basle, The Hague, Florence, and Budapest, the last performance being in Hungarian. The Fairy Queen, after the Cambridge revival of 1920, has been performed in German at Essen (193 1) and in French at Brussels (1935). It was not until 1701 that opera reached Berlin, which for centuries had remained far behind the other German courts in all cultural matters. This new undertaking was due to the instigation of Queen Sophia Charlotte, who herself played the harpsichord at the performance of Bononcini's Polifemo in 1702. Frederick the Great supported opera in Berlin at his own expense for many years, and insisted that the composers should all be German, but he was not so patriotic in the matter of language; it was taken for granted that the librettos could not be in anything but Italian. The 1 8th century shows the complete domination of the lyric stage by opera in Italian, whether serious or comic, apart from Paris, and even in Paris the conservative French party had to admit defeat in the famous Guerre desBouffcns. In the following century Paris had its regular Theatre des Italiens, which was much more expensive and consequently more fashionable than the native opera. The world triumph of Italian opera during the first half of the 18th century was due entirely to the attraction of the Italian voices, especially those of the castrati. This adoration of the artificial soprano singers is one of the most difficult things for the modern music-lover to understand, especially since the worship of Adelina Patti in the last quarter of the 19th century led every critic to think of florid singing as something essentially feminine, and indeed associated principally with females of light character such as La Traviata. The florid singing of the castrati was undoubtedly heroic in expression, and it was obviously associated closely in the minds of contemporary hearers with the florid style of trumpet-playing to which modern audiences are well accustomed in the oratorios of Handel and the concertos of J. S. Bach. With the reign of Queen Anne begins the sad story of native English opera and the gradual domination of almost all English musical life by foreign XX INTRODUCTION musicians who were only too happy to quit the poverty and the servility of continental life for the streets of London, traditionally supposed to be paved with gold. Here, the economic basis of Italian opera was not the royal privy purse as in Berlin or Stuttgart, but the extravagance of a wealthy aristocracy, and for two hundred years the Italian opera continued to be the acknowledged rendezvous of exclusive society. But a new rival was undermining the dignity of the old-fashioned opera serin; both in Italy and in France a new type of comic opera had been developed which was eventually to dethrone the castrati and itself suffer a certain degradation into the opera semi-seria of the early romantic period. Napoleon put an end to the castrati by making the operation a criminal offence; but the public had already tired of them, and they survived in Italy only as church singers. Dr. Loewenberg shows us very clearly how the comic types of opera spread rapidly over the whole continent. They fall into four main groups: (i) the early French vaudevilles, plays with songs set to popular airs, often intended as skits on the serious operas of the day; (2) the English ballad operas, which also had only a short vogue, but exercised a formative influence on the comic opera of Germany; (3) the Italian opera buffa, starting at Naples, imitated at Bologna and Venice and thence exported to the musical world in general ; (4) the French opera-comique, which could not come into being until after the vaudeville type had come to an end in 1762. The French opcra-comique always retained an essentially French character, although it had been initiated by Italian com- posers; it was much more of a play than an opera, and the music, despite the charm of such composers as Monsigny, Grctry and Dalayrac, was always rather a secondary consideration, whereas the Italian opera buffa, conventional and foolish to the last degree from the dramatic point of view, depended mainly on the attraction of the singing. It can be understood at once that comic operas were easily translatable into other languages, whereas the old opera seria was hardly conceivable without the Italian language and the voices of the Italian castrati. We can see from Burney's History of Music how the Italian comic opera soon came to demand equal rights with the serious opera at the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, and the book before us shows how 7 both French and Italian comic operas were trans- lated not only into English and German, but into Danish, Swedish, Polish and other languages. The first opera that had what one might call a world- wide success was one which is now completely forgotten except by biblio- graphers, Orlandini's II Marito Giocatore e la Moglie Bacchettona, originally an intermezzo between the acts of a serious opera, like the more famous La Serva Padrona. Orlandini's intermezzo came out at Venice in 1718, ten years before The Beggar's Opera and fifteen years before La Serva Padrona. Its cumbrous title was too much- for foreign lips and ears, but under various other names it went to Munich, Breslau, Brussels, Paris, Trieste, Vienna, Lisbon and London, INTRODUCTION XXI in which last city it was called The Gamester, but was sung in Italian — "the first intermezzo or comic interlude which was ever introduced between the acts of an Italian opera in England" (Burney); this was in 1737. It was given later at Prague, Hamburg, Dresden, Potsdam and Paris, always in Italian; in 1755 it reached Copenhagen, where it was sung first in Italian and then translated into Danish. St. Petersburg saw it in 1757, Edinburgh in 1763, and as late as 1777 it was performed in German at Berlin, where the music was attributed to one "Herr Bergulesi" ! We may note that at this period it was the general practice in Germany to sing only the recitatives in German; the songs and duets, etc., were all sung in Italian, which must have saved the unhappy translators a great deal of labour. With The Beggar's Opera begins the interesting history of English comic opera in the American colonies. Jamaica saw it in 1733 and New York in 1750. We need not pursue the subject here; early American opera has already been exhaustively treated by American musicologists. The history of Pergolesi's famous little opera — the only one by which he is now remembered — is complicated and curious. It came out first at Naples in 1733, but did not make very rapid progress in Italy. Its first performance outside Italy was at Graz in 1739, in Italian, and in Italian it was further given at the usual operatic centres, Dresden, Hamburg, Prague, Paris (1746), Vienna, Potsdam, Leipzig, Copenhagen, London (1750, as intermezzi for Ciampi's Adriano in Siria), Barcelona, Dijon, Dublin, and various other places. The first translation of it was into French in 1754, when it had 150 performances in Paris, and was given in Germany, Sweden and America too ; it was in fact the first opera sung in America in French (Baltimore, 1790). From 1758 onwards various English versions appeared. As regards German versions there is some obscurity, but Dr. Loewenberg is inclined to accept 1770 as the date of the first (Vienna). Dutch, Polish, Swedish and Russian translations were also made before the 18th century came to an end. During the first half of the 19th century the little opera seems to have dropped out of all repertories, but revivals began in 1862, first in French, later in Italian (Florence, 1870), in German after 1880 and finally in English, first at New York in 191 8, then in London, at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, in 1919. Recent years have seen many revivals in unfamiliar languages; it is interesting to note in Dr. Loewenberg's pages the operas which have had the largest number of performances in countries not usually associated much with opera. La Serva Padrona has been sung in Spanish, Hungarian, Portuguese, Croatian, Dutch and Hebrew. The next opera to enjoy these polyglot revivals in modern times was Gluck's Orfeo, which has even achieved a concert performance in Japanese. Of greater historical importance are the innumerable translations of French comic opera into most of the northern languages at the moment when the works of Monsigny, Dalayrac and Gretry were the fashionable novelties. Dr. XXU INTRODUCTION Loewenberg does not record much in the way of English translations, because in those days the English procedure was to get a libretto written by some native dramatist and supply it with songs taken from any source that came handy. A few songs by French composers might chance to find a place along with Italian songs and possibly a few traditional folk-songs; the ballad operas had set the tradition* and it was not until well on into the 19th century that the English theatres began to regard an opera in English as an organic musical whole, the work of one composer, be he native or foreign. The widespread popularity of the French comic operas did not long survive their owri time, but Monsigny and his contemporaries were succeeded in turn by Boieldieu, Auber and Adolphe Adam, and the influence of their music has been profound and lasting, not only on the theatre, but on the concert-music of those countries which most historians regard as belonging to the German sphere. In Germany itself the old French repertory was still current, even in such pre-eminent theatres as those of Dresden and Munich, during the early years of the present century. Beethoven, playing in the orchestra of the theatre at Bonn, became acquainted with all this French music, and it left a permanent trace on his own inspiration. Weber, Schubert and even Wagner, were saturated with the French comic opera style, a style to which the only possible rival in those days was that of Paer and Rossini. After 1800, operas come thick and fast in all countries, and our author's main difficulty must have been to decide what works deserved inclusion in this book. For many generations Paris was still to lead the way in opera, even for the Italians, for the political condition of Italy made it no very attractive territory for a young composer in pursuit of a career. Rossini's reputation was made mainly in Paris, London and Vienna, Bellini's in Paris and London, Donizetti's in Vienna and Paris. Vienna itself was quite unproductive; musically it was a poor imitation of Paris. True, Weber and Schubert were both writing operas, but as far as Vienna went, they were complete failures. German opera was in much the same condition as English opera is at this moment; its habitual repertory was entirely foreign, or else utterly trivial. An idealist like Weber might try to force Don Giovanni and Fidelio down the throats of his German audiences, but nobody wanted to listen to them, any more than English audiences want to hear the very distinguished works which some of our own composers have contributed to the stage. During the first half of the century the political aspect of opera becomes singularly interesting, and this book brings together a number of cases, perhaps already well known in isolation, but hardly considered by historians as part of a connected whole. The previous century had already seen the most dangerous play of the age, Le Mariage Ac Figaro, slip through the censorship under the disguise of an Italian opera. Later generations began to realize that opera, when it became a democratic diversion, might be a danger to lawful authority. INTRODUCTION XX111 Cimarosa, whose Matrimonio Segreto had won the honour of being "encored" in its entirety at the command of the Austrian Emperor in 1792, was imprisoned and condemned to death at Naples in 1799 for openly showing his enthusiasm for the French Republicans. Even Fidelio barely escaped the censorship at Vienna, and was saved only by a personal appeal to the Empress. A French full score of Fidelio exists, published in 1826, with the names of the singers who were to perform it. The performance never took place, according to Dr. Loewenberg; and the odd thing about the score is that the names of the characters are altered and the scene is transferred from Spain to Germany. What political mystery lay behind all this? Another French opera, Les Visitandines, by Devienne (1792), which made fun of nuns and friars, had a great vogue in Germany ; in Hamburg and Berlin it could be performed without alteration, but in Vienna the translator had to turn the convent into a Protestant girls' school. Rossini's Mose in Egitto (Naples, 1818) had to be given in London as Pietro I'Eremita at the King's Theatre, although it was accepted in the original form as an oratorio at Exeter Hall in 1878. Bellini's Bianca e Fernando (Naples, 1826) had to be called Bianca e Gernando, because Fernando was the name of the King of Naples ! In 1828 we come to Auber's La Muette de Portici (called Masaniello in England), a performance of which in Brussels on 25 August 1830, started the revolution which led to the independence of Belgium. Rossini's Guillaume Tell (1829) had to appear in London as Andreas Hofer, or The Tell of the Tyrol "On account of its political subject," says Dr. Loewenberg, "the opera had to be given in many countries in different disguises and with more or less essential alterations in the original libretto. ... As late as in 1866 the censor at Palermo demanded changes in the text." At Milan, Tell became William Wallace; at Rome, "Rodolfo di Sterlinga"; at St. Petersburg and Moscow, Charles the Bold. Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia (Milan, 1833) was another opera which suffered curious changes, but these were probably due not to the censorship but to Victor Hugo's objections to his play being turned into an opera. He made similar difficulties over Verdi's use of Le Roi s amuse (Rigoletto). Rigoletto, as is well known, had to have its characters changed before the Austrian censorship would pass it for Venice. Naples and Rome were always nervous of political trouble, and Madame Pasta, when she came to London with Bellini, told Lady Morgan that she had narrowly escaped being thrown into prison for pro- nouncing the word liberta on the stage. Les Huguenots (1836) was too much for Munich and Vienna; at Munich it was called Die Anglikaner und Puritaner, at Vienna, Die Gibellinen in Pisa. Florence preferred the "Anglican" version. Paris on the whole took a liberal view of opera; but it may be remarked that three distinguished men of letters were arraigned before a tribunal for offences against public morals — Victor Hugo for Marion de Lorme in 1829 and Le Roi XXIV INTRODUCTION $ amuse in 1832, Alexandre Dumas flls for La Dame aux Camelias (1849), and Flaubert for Madame Bovary (1857), all within a period of thirty years. Another subject which this book might provoke us to study in detail is the history of certain opera plots and the way in which the same story has been treated by a number of different composers. A typical example is that episode in Ariosto's Orlando Furioso which suggested the deception of Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing; Handel presented it in Ariodante, Mehul in Ariodant, J. S. Mayr in Ginevra di Scozia, besides settings by lesser composers. Even after Rossini's triumph, and during his own lifetime, other composers attempted (with no success) to re-set II Barbiere di Siviglia. Dr. Loewenberg has shown extraordinary learning and research in discovering the literary origins of numerous operas. The last few pages of the book bring us almost to the present day and may well make us wonder what is to be the prospect of opera in the future. The period 1920-3 3 was wonderfully productive of what one might call experimental operas, mainly in Germany and Italy. And there were successful operas too. Puccini's posthumous Turandot (Milan, 1926) is described by Dr. Loewenberg as "so far the last world success in the history of opera." In Germany, Richard Strauss continued his prosperous career, although probably Schreker, D' Albert and E. W. Korngold secured more performances for their various operas; we may doubt whether any of these, except perhaps D'Albert's unpleasant Tiefland, will ever be revived, even in their country of origin. Of the "experimental" type, Krenek's Jonny spelt aw/* made the most sensation ; Alban Berg's Wozzeck very nearly became a world success, in spite of its indescribable horror. One of the best of all the modern German operas was Die Biirgschaft, by Kurt Weill. The most prolific composers of opera during that period were Malipiero and Stravinsky; Malipiero, too, enjoyed the honour of having one of his operas suppressed by the authorities in Rome because it made fun of prime ministers in a modern-dress fairy-tale. Milhaud and Honegger also contributed works of high artistic value. How many of these will return to the stage when the world is at peace? The trouble with most of these operas (and with many by other composers) is that they are not such as will form the basis of a standard reper- tory. Every opera-house requires indispensably a certain number of works which may be counted on to fill the theatre whenever they are performed; that is why Cavalleria Rusticana, Bohhne and Butterfly, with some dozen older works, are to be seen all over the world. On the other hand, such an opera as Milhaud's magnificent Christophe Colomb, like Les Troyens of Berlioz or Busoni's Doktor Faust, can only be put on occasionally, with the probability of a considerable deficit, in a theatre generously State-supported, and running regularly as a huge and complete organization, about the functioning of which there can never be the slightest moment of anxiety. And the numerous smaller works, involving perhaps far less expense, but appealing only to an extremely cultivated INTRODUCTION XXV public, can only be produced when the management is quite certain that there exists such a highly specialized public to patronize them. Of our own operatic problem in England I will say nothing here, and I am not competent to speak of conditions in America. This book is printed in English, and we may indeed feel proud that an English firm has undertaken its publication in these difficult days; but it is a work of international importance and will eventually be indispensable to libraries, booksellers, operatic managers, musical critics and genuine lovers of opera in all countries. Edward J. Dent Cambridge, October 1942. "There is some danger at the present time that we may be led to an under-estimation of the efforts of the Florentine Camerata. They sought Greek drama and found opera. And whether or not they consciously or unconsciously utilized the traditional or progressive elements of their time, no historical subtleties will ever succeed in proving that opera really existed before the Florentine Camerata stumbled on it. All the undercurrents of their time might have been converging towards opera, yet of themselves they would not have led to opera without the new and distinguishing element of dramatic musical speech." (O. G. T. Sonneck, in The Musical Antiquary, Vol. Ill, p. 40.) ANNALS OF OPERA 1597 j. peri: La Dafne Carnival Florence, Pal. Corsi Text by O. Rinuccini. Not divided into acts (con- sists of prologue and 6 scenes). Libretto published in 1600; a new issue ap- peared in 1604. Peri's music is lost. So is a contemporary setting by Caccini (which might have been used at a per- formance in August 1600). Of an earlier, seem- ingly incomplete setting by Jacopo Corsi, two fragments were discovered at the Brussels Con- servatoire (MS.8750) by H. Panum in 1888 and first published in Musikalischcs Wochenblatt, 19 July 1888. When was Dafne, the first opera, first per- formed? Looking through books of reference and histories of music one will find the year 1594 in- dicated as often as the year 1597. The former date is founded on a rather ambiguous passage in the preface to Peri's Euridice score (1601); the latter date on a statement in Gagliano's Dafne score (1608). The whole complicated matter has been made perfectly clear by O. G. T. Sonneck; see his essay "Dafne the first opera" in Sammelba'nde der Inter- nationaien Musikgeselhchaft, Vol. xv (1913-14), or the note on the Dafne libretto in the Library of Congress Catalogue of Opera Librettos printed before 1800 (1914), pp.340-345. Sonneck's arguments in favour of Gagliano's statement that the first pro- duction was in the Carnival of 1597 seem to be quite convincing, and in the course of the past 25 years no new documents have been discovered which could upset his theory. It is to be hoped, however, that at least the mis- leading date of 1594 will disappear from the books of reference altogether, because Peri's "fin 1'anno 1594" — even if it really refers to a produc- tion and not merely to the date of commission or composition — means the beginning of our year 1595, as Sonneck pointed out. There remains one question which Sonneck apparently did not consider. What did Gagliano mean when in 1608 writing down the words "il carnovale dell' anno 1597"? Carnival began at the end of December and lasted until February or the beginning of March. But in 16th century Florence the Julian Calendar was still in force by which the new year began on 1 March. Thus the greater part of Carnival was not in the beginning of the year, but at the end, and Gagliano's words could refer to the last months of the Julian year 1597, i.e. to January or February of our, the Gregorian, year 1598. In this case Peri's "per tre anni continui che nel carnovale si rappresento" could mean per- formances of Dafne in the beginning of (Grego- rian) 1598, 1599 and 1600. This assumption would carry us down to the year in which the libretto was printed and would be perfectly consistent with all other dates established fey contemporary accounts. Dafne was first produced, whenever it was, at Jacopo Corsi's house, in the presence of "Don Giovanni Medici e d'alcuni de' principali gentil- uomini de la citta". According to Rinuccini's ac- count (in the preface to the Euridice libretto, 1600) it was given in an improved version ("miglior forma") again at Corsi's in the presence of the Grand Duchess and of the cardinals Dal Monte and Montalto (presumably before 18 January 1599) and repeated at the Palazzo Pitti 21 January 1599. Another performance at Corsi's took place in August 1600 (this time, perhaps, with Caccini's music), and a last revival at the Palazzo Pitti (prob- ably with Peri's music) 26 October 1604, in hon- our of a visit of the Duke of Parma (libretto re- printed with new first sheet). These are the per- formances which are known to have taken place ; but there may have been more of which we have no knowledge yet. i597-i6oo ANNALS OF OPERA 1600-02 (For Gagliano's new setting of the libretto, see 1608; for a German version of the libretto, see 1627.) 1600 j. peri: L'Euridice* 6 October. Florence, Pal. Pitti Text by O. Rinuccini. Not divided into acts (con- sists of prologue and 6 scenes). The first opera the music of which is extant. Pro- duced as part of the wedding festivities celebrated at Florence in honour of Henry iv, King of France, and Maria de' Medici, and Peri himself as Orpheus. Libretto published in 1600 (dedication to Maria de* Medici dated October 1600; in some copies 4 October 1600). Score published in 1601 (dedication dated 6 February 1600 — 1601 n.s.) as Le Musiche . . . Sopra V Euridice \ from Peri's preface we learn that parts of the music as sung in October 1600 were by Caccini (who set the same libretto to music at the same time; for the production of his setting as a whole, see below, 1602). Peri's music was again published at Venice in 1608; new editions 1863; c.1900 (in L. Torchi's V Arte musicale in Italia, Vol. vi); 1919 (vocal score, edited by C. Perinello); and 1934 (facsim- ile of the first edition). New York, Berkeley Lyceum, 15 March 1894 (Scenes from Act I only). Peri's Euridice was revived at Bologna, Casa Marescotti, 27 April 1616. The first modern revival was at a Milan con- cert, 13 May 1916, in a two-act version by G. Te- baldini. Other revivals took place at Naples, Poli- teama, 28 January 1920 (by the "Associazione Scarlatti"); Florence, Pal. Pitti 29 December 1923; Munich, University 23 January 1934 (Ger- men version by B. Beyerle). G. caccini: II Rapimento di Cefalo g October. Florence, Pal. Vecchio Text by G. Chiabrera. Prologue, 5 acts, and licenza. Libretto published in 1600 (reprinted in Vol. 111 of A. Solerti's Gli Albori del Melodramma, 1905). Il Rapimento di Cefalo was, three days after Euridice, produced in the course of the wedding festivities for Henri iv and Maria de' Medici. We know from the younger Michelangelo's descrip- tion that, besides Caccini, three other composers had a share in the score : Stefano Venturi del Nib- bio, Luca Bati and Pietro Strozzi. They were not mentioned by Caccini when he published parts of his music, consisting of two choruses and three airs, in his Le Nuove Musiche in 1601 (facsimile edition by F. Mantica issued in 1930). The first instance of a translation of an opera libretto occurs already at this early date: Le Ra- vissement de Cefale, a French version by N. Chre- tien des Croix, was published at Rouen in 1608 and was dedicated by the translator to the new- born Dauphin, Jean-Baptiste-Gaston (later Duke of Orleans), 'Theureux fruit" of the marriage which had been celebrated by the production of the Italian original eight years before. 1602 g. caccini: L'Euridice 5 December. Florence, Pal. Pitti Rinuccini's text, as composed by Peri in 1600. Parts of Caccini's music had already been used at the performances of 1600, as we know from the preface in Peri's score. Caccini's score was published earlier (dedication dated 20 December 1600) than Peri's (dedication dated 6 February 1600-01). The production, however, of Caccini's setting as a whole did not take place before 5 De- cember 1602, when his Euridice was performed in honour of the Cardinals Montalto and Dal Monte and the Marchese Peretti. Caccini's score was published in 1600 (or rather, actually about January 1601) as L'Euridice com- posta in Musica In stile rappresentativo; it was re- printed at Venice in 1615; new editions 1863, 1880 and 1881 (in Vol. x of Eitner's Publikationen der Gesellschaft fur Musikforschung). No separate issue of the libretto was printed for Euridice in 1602. Nor was Caccini's setting ever revived. 1606-07 ANNALS OF OPERA 1607 I6O6 A g A z z A r I : Eumelio Carnival. Rome, Seminario Romano Librettist unknown. Dramma pastorale retitato . . . Con le Musiche dell* Armonico Intronato (which was the composer's surname as a member of the "Ac- cademia degli Intronati" of Siena). Prologue and 3 acts. The score was published at Venice in 1606 (one single copy at the Biblioteca di S. Cecilia, Rome, extant). The preface informs us that the opera was written within a fortnight and performed by pupils of the Seminario Romano with great suc- cess. No libretto seems to have been printed. The prologue published in La Diana (Siena) 1933- 1607 monteverdi: La Favola d'Orfeo* 24 February. Mantua Text by A. Striggio (Rappresentata in Mnsica). Prologue and 5 acts. Libretto published in 1607. Score (Favola in Musica) published at Venice in 1609 (dedication dated 22 August) and in 1615. Of these two edi- tions only eight copies are known to be extant (three of them being preserved in Italy, two in England, two in Germany, and one in Belgium). There are new editions by Eitner (1881), d'Indy (1904), Orefice (1909), Erdmann-Guckel (1913), Malipiero (1923 and 1930). Orff (1930), Benve- nuti (1934), and Respighi (1935). A facsimile of the 1609 score was edited by A. Sandberger in 1928. The opera was dedicated to the Hereditary Prince of Mantua, Francesco Gonzaga. After the private production at the "Accademia degl' In- vaghiti" (the exact date of which is unknown) Orfeo was repeated at the Court Theatre, Mantua on 24 February and 1 March 1607. At Cremona, Monteverdi's native town, Orfeo was given by the /*Accademia degl' Animosi" on 10 August 1607 (parts only); stage productions probably took place at Turin in 1610 and about the same time at Florence and Milan (see Solerti, Gli Albori del Melodramma, Vol. 1, pp.70 and 139). After an interval of nearly 300 years it was only in the 20th century that Orfeo was restored to living music. The following revivals are to be recorded : paris, schola cantorum 25 February 1904 (in concert form, inFrench, translated and arranged by Vincent d'Indy; repeated there 2 March 1904, 27 January 1905, 26 February 1905). milan, conservatorio 30 November 1909 (in concert form, under Giacomo Orefice; this version was repeated at Mantua, T. Sociale 5 April 1910 and the following days at Venice, Bologna, Florence, Turin and in other Italian towns; also at Monte Carlo 16 April 1910. Brussels 23 January 1910 (in concert form, under Sylvain Dupuis). paris, th. rejane 2 May 1911 (this was the first modern stage performance, under the direction of Marcel Labey ; repeated 1 1 April and 13 April 1913). new york, m. 14 April 1912 (concert perform- ance, Orefice's version); Chicago 4 January I9I3- breslau 8 June 1913 (stage performance, German version by H. Erdmann-Guckel). buenos aires io May 1920 (Orefice's version) and 23 July 1937 (Benvenuti's version). London 8 March 1924 (in concert form at the Institut Francais, Cromwell Gardens, d'Indy *s version, under Louis Bourgeois). mannheim 17 April 1925 (stage performance, new German version by C. Orff) ; revised by OrfF 1940 and staged Dresden, 4 October 1940. oxford 7 December 1925 (in English, translated by R. L. Stuart, orchestrated by J. A. Westrup and W. H. Harris). Cairo 1928 (in Italian). cologne Summer 1928 (d'Indy *s version, trans- lated into German by H. Jalowetz). Leningrad Summer 1929 (Malipiero's version). Northampton, mass. 12 May 1929 (in Mali- piero's version). London, scala 30 December 1929 (the Oxford 1925 version). Vienna 14 January 193 1 (in concert form, OrfTs version, translated by D. Giinther). 1607-08 ANNALS OF OPERA 1608-10 Lisbon Spring 1932 (d'Indy's version, in Portu- guese, under I. Cruz). mantua, loggia ducale April 1933 (under A. Zanella). perugia 19 September 1934 (Oreficc's version). rome, t.r. 26 December 1934 (new version by G. Bcnvcnuti, text adapted by A. Rossato). Milan, sc. 16 March 1935 (new version by O. Respighi, text adapted by C. Guastalla). modena May 1935 (Respighi's version, text adapted by C. Guastalla). zurich 10 February 1936 (concert performance, in Italian; music arranged by H. F. Rcdlich). Budapest 25 April 1936 (in Hungarian, translated by V. Lanyi, Respighi's version). 1608 * GAGLIANO: La Dafne* January. Mantua, T. dclla Corte Rinuccini's text (see 1597), slightly altered and enlarged. Gagliano's first opera. The score was published in 1608 (dedication dated 20 October; reprinted in an abridged ver- sion by Eitner in Vol. x of the Publihationen der Gesellschaftfor Musikforschung, 1881). The libretto does not seem to have been printed. The opera was performed twice in the course of the Car- nival, and repeated at Florence, presumably in Carnival 1610. A recent revival of Gagliano's opera took place at Moscow Spring of 191 1 (rescored by one Pro- fessor von Glchn); see Die Musik, July 191 1, p. 5 5. Monteverdi: U Ariannd* 28 May. Mantua, T. della Corte Text by O. Rinuccini (Tragedia . . . Rapprcsentata in musica). Not divided into acts (consists of pro- logue and 8 scenes). Performed at the wedding of Francesco Gon- zaga, Hereditary Prince of Mantua, withMarghe- rita, Princess of Savoy. The libretto was first published in 1608 and has been frequently reprinted since. Of the music, un- fortunately only a fragment has been preserved, the celebrated Lamento d'Ariatma (begins "Las- ciatcmi morire"), first published in the sixth book of Monteverdi's Madrigals, Venice, 1614. The opera probably was repeated at Florence in Carnival 1614 and revived at Venice, Autumn 1639 (at the inauguration of the Tcatro di San Moisc, the third Venetian opera-house). Modern revivals of the one extant scene took place at Carlsruhc January 1926 and Paris, Petite Scene 31 May 193 1 ; Gera, 30 November 1940 in a realization by Carl Orff. Ariatma is known to have been famous in Italy for many years. The tunes were sung and played everywhere. When revived at Venice in 1639, more than 30 years after its first appearance, the old opera had hardly to be altered at all (as a com- parison of the librettos shows) and still proved much more successful than many of the "modcm*\ works. The Lamento served as a model of its kind for centuries to come, ". . . quclqucs pages, les plus doulourcuses ct les plus vraics qu'il ait ccritcs, et que Gluck n'a pas surpassecs . . ." (Romain Rolland). I6IO giacobbi: Andromeda Carnival. Bologna, Salone del Podesta Text by R. Campcggi (Tragedia . . . Da recitarsi in Musica). Prologue and 5 acts. First opera produced at Bologna of which the composer is known. Libretto printed in 1610 (copies in the Licco Musicale, Bologna, and in the British Museum). "Fatta recitare in Musica di stile rapprescntativo nella Citta di Bologna, per dis- porto delle sue bellissime Dame. Ne i giorni di Carnescftle, con apparato magnifico, TAnno mdcx . . . Fece la Musica Girolamo Giacobbi Mastro di Capella di S. Petronio di Bologna." The music is lost; one air, "Io ti sfido, o mostro infame," is known to have been famous all over Italy. A work entitled Andromeda, which might have been Giacobbi's opera, was performed at Salzburg on 15 February 1618. This would be, if the iden- i6io-i6 ANNALS OF OPERA 1616-19 tification is correct, the first known instance of an opera produced outside Italy. l6l6 belli: 77 Pianto d'Orfeo Carnival. Florence, Pal. Gherardesca Text by G. Chiabrcra. Five intermezzi. The text was published in 161 5 in Chiabrera's Favolette . . . da rappresentarsi cantando, and, ac- cording to A llacci and other bibliographers, sepa- rately at Genoa in 1622 (no copy of the sepa- rate edition has been traced yet). The music was published under the title of Orfeo doJente in 1616 (one single copy of this score has been preserved at Breslau). The title-page in- forms us that it was sung between the acts of a performance of Tasso's Aminta. Tasso's Aminta was revived, with Belli's inter- mezzi, at Brussels on 3 March 1926 (French ver- sion by A. de Rudder, music arranged by A. Tirabassi); this version was also published atBrus- sels 1927. For an analysis of the work see H. Riemann, Handbuch der Musikgeschichte, Vol. it, Pt. 2, p.288. The text was reprinted by A. Solerti in Vol. in of his Gli Albori del Melodramma (1905). See also So- lerti's Musica . . . alia CorteMedicea (1905), pp.375- 391, where the version of the text as contained in the score is reproduced. A recent attempt of A. Tirabassi (The Musical Quarterly, January 1939) to claim for Belli's opera a priority over even Peri's and Caccini's works is based on arguments which are certainly not suf- ficient to upset the whole history of early Italian opera (see ibid., July 1940). boschetti: Strali d'Amore 14 February. Viterbo Librettist unknown. No copy of the libretto traced yet. Five intermezzi. Score published in 161 8 (Favola recitata in Musica Per Intermedin . . .). Produced at Count Andrea Maidalchini's, Viterbo, between the acts of a comedy. Dedication in the score dated 15 March 1618. The first description of the work (which is on the Mars- Venus-Vulcan story) was given by A. W. Ambros in 1878 (Geschichte der Musik,Vo\. iv, p.301). Only two copies of the score are known to be extant. I6I9 l a N D i : La Mortc d'Orfeo [ijune], Rome Text by the composer (and not, as often stated, by Alcssandro Matthei to whom the work is dedi- cated). Tragicomedia Pastorale, 5 acts. Landi was the first composer who wrote his own libretto. Score printed in 1619 (the only known copy of this edition is in the British Museum) and again in 1639. Parts of the music were reprinted by H. Goldschmidt in 1901. Text reprinted by A. Solerti in Vol. in of his Gli Albori del Melodramma, 1905, from the score ofi6i9. The opera is stated to have been produced be- fore the Papal Court. gagliano: II Medoro 25 September. Florence, Pal. Pitti Text by A. Salvador! (. . . rappresentato in musica), founded on an episode in Ariosto's Orlando fu- rioso. Three acts. Libretto printed in 1619 and 1623 (only copies of this second edition seem to be extant). Music lost. The opera was produced to celebrate the elec- tion of the Emperor Ferdinand 11 (Cosimo de* Medici's brother-in-law). An intended revival at Mantua in 1622 (often mentioned on the author- ity of E. Vogel's monograph, 1889) did not take place as we learn from the dedication in the 1623 libretto. From a contemporary diary, Solerti revealed the fact that Peri had a (presumably small) share in the music. 10 162025 ANNALS OF OPERA 1626-27 1620 vitali: UAretusa 8 February. Rome, Pal. Corsini Text by O. Corsini (Favola in Musica). Prologue- and 3 acts. Score published in 1620 (text reprinted by A. Solerti from the score). The preface informs us that the opera was writ- ten and composed within 44 days; it also gives the cast; the name part was sung by the castrato Gregorio Lazerini. I625 f. c a c c i n i : La Liberazidne di Ruggiero dalVhola d'Alcina 2 February. Florence, Villa Poggio Imperiale Text by F. Saracinelli (Balletto rappresentato in musica), founded on an episode in Ariosto's Or- lando furioso. Not divided into acts (consists of prologue and 3 scenes). Performed at a visit of Wladislaw Sigismund, Prince of Poland, to the Grand Duchess of Tus- cany. Both score and libretto were published in 1625. The first extant example of an "opera ballo"; at the same time the first instance of an operatic work written by a woman composer (Francesca was the daughter of Giulio Gaccini, see 1600 and 1602). Parts of. the music were reprinted by H. Goldschmidt in 1901. It has been stated that La Liberazione di Ruggiero was also produced in Poland at an early date. While there is no evidence that a production actually took place, it is true that there exists a printed Polish translation by S. S. Jagodyiiski, called Wybawienie Ruggiera z Wyspy Alcyny, pub- lished at Cracow in 1628. See K. Estreicher, Bib- liograjia Polska y Vol xxvn (1929), p. 124. 1626 d. mazzocchi: La Catena d'Adone Before 13 February. Rome, Casa Evandro Conti Text by O. Tronsarelli {Favola boschereccia), founded on an episode in G. B. Marini's poem Adone. Prologue and 5 acts. Both score and libretto were published in 1626. The opera was revived at Bologna, T. Mal- vezzi, in Autumn 1648 (with prologue and inter- mezzi by N. Zoppio Turchi). Parts of the music were reprinted by H. Goldschmidt in 1901. The dedications in the libretto (which was printed only after the performance) are dated 30 March and 12 May 1626. The dedication in the score is dated 24 October 1626. The first (or at least, an early) performance is referred to in a letter, dated 13 February 1626, which was discovered by A. Saviotti (see Gior^ nale Storico della Letteratura Italiana, Vol. xli, p.70). The writer, one Antonio Donato, gives this piece of early opera criticism: "Fu cosa meno che me- diocre, ma onorata da Nepoti Pontefici e molti cardinali." Modern critics would not agree with him on the quality of the work which is one of the most important operas of that period. The opera seems to have been repeated at Vi- terbo later in 1626 (libretto reprinted). There is also an edition of the libretto dated Venice 1627. 1627 schutz: Dafne 23 April. Torgau Text by M. Opitz (partly translated' from Ri- nuccini's Italian libretto, see 1597). ". . . Musica- lisch in den Schawplatz zu bringen. . . ." Prologue and 5 acts. Written to celebrate the wedding of George, Landgrave of Hesse, with Sophia Eleonora, Prin- cess of Saxony, and performed at Hartenfels Cas- tle, Torgau, Saxony. The libretto was printed in 1627. The music of this earliest German opera is lost. The date of the 11 12 1627-29 ANNALS OF OPERA 1632-33 first (or at least, an early) performance is indicated in a contemporary account of the wedding fes- tival. It has been suggested that the actual first per- formance took place on 31 March/10 April 1627, the night before the wedding, as in the prologue bride and bridegroom are apostrophized. 1628 gagliano and j. peri: La Flora, o vero II Natal de' Fiori 11 October. Florence, Pal. Pitti Text by A. Salvadori (Favola . . . Rappresentata in musica recitativa). Prologue and 5 acts. Performed at the wedding of Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma, with Margherita of Tuscany. Both score and libretto were published in 1628. Gagliano is the only composer mentioned on the title-page of the score, but a note in it informs us that "Le musiche furono tutte del Sig. Marco da Gagliano, eccetto la parte di Clori, la quale fu opera del Sig. Jacopo Peri. . . ." Parts of the music were reprinted by H. Gold- schmidtin 1901. 1629 CORNACCHiOLi: Diana schernita Carnival Rome Text by G. F. Parisano [Favola Boscareccia). Five acts. Score published in 1629. Libretto not traced yet. The work was performed at the private house of the German Baron Johann Rudolf von Hohen- rechberg. The only known work of Cornacchioli, who was a native of Ascoli. Dedication in the score dated 6june 1629. At the end the remark : "Questa Fauola c tolta dalle Metamorfesi di Ouidio, & posta in questi versi dal Sig. Giac: Francesco Pari- sani d'AscoIi." 1632 landi: IlS.Alessio* 23 February. Rome, Pal. Barberini Text by G. RospigHosi (the future Pope Clement ix). Dramma Musicale, prologue and 3 acts. First opera produced at the theatre in the Pa- lazzo Barberini. Repeated there February 1634 in honour of a visit of Alexander Charles, brother of King Wladislaw iv of Poland. Revived Bo- logna 1647 (probably Landfs work). Score published in 1634 (the only opera score of that period which is not exceedingly rare). For an account of 5. Alessio see G. Pavan in Musica d'oggi, October 1921; also U. Rolandi in La Rassegna Dorica, 20 February 1932. Parts of the music were reprinted by H. Goldschmidt in 1901. In most dictionaries 1634 is given as the year of the first production. The date of 23 February 1632, however, is established by the account of a French traveller, Jean-Jacques Bouchard, who witnessed the first performance. See Lucien Mar- cheix, Un Parisien a Rome et a Naples en i6j2 t D'apres un manuscrit inidit ... (at the Bibliotheque de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris), 1897, p.9-10. 1633 m. A. rossi: Erminia sul Giordano January. Rome, Pal. Barberini Text probably by G. RospigHosi (who became Pope Clement ix in 1667), founded on an episode in Tasso's Gerusalemme liberata. Dramma musicale, prologue and 3 acts. Score published in 1637. Libretto not printed. The opera seems to have been repeated several times during the following years. It was the com- poser's only work for the stage. Parts of the music were reprinted by H. Goldschmidt in 1901. The year of the first performance is given as 1625 by Fetis, Clement, Riemann, and others (which is obviously a mistake); SchmidFs Dic- tionary has 1635, Rolland, Goldschmidt, and Prunieres 1637. Again (as in the case of La 13 14 1633-37 ANNALS OF OPERA 1637-39 Catena d'Adone, sec 1626) a contemporary letter, discovered by A. Saviotti at the Biblioteca Olivcriana, Pcsaro (sec Giornak Storico dclla Letteratura Italiana, Vol. xn, p.70) gives to the earlier date of Carnival, 1633, a high degree of probability. The letter is dated 2 February 1633, and the writer, one Fabio Almerici, refers to the opera as La Fuga d'Ernrinia. 1637 manelli: U Andromeda February or March. Venice, S. Cass. Text by B. Ferrari (. . . rappresentata in musica)* Three acts. Written for the inauguration of the T. Tron di San Cassiano which was the first public opera- house in any town. The libretto was printed only about two months after the production, the approximate date of which we can guess from the date of the publisher's dedication (6 May 1637) and the remark "Andromeda che su le scene rinacque gia son due mesi. . . ." The music is lost, like the rest of Manellfs operas. For a bibliography of his works sec G. Radiciotti, L'Arte musicale in Tivolt (1921), p.49. Venice remained for many years the only town with regular opera seasons every Carnival. It ap- pears from the chronologies that in the course of the 17th century more than 350 operas were pro- duced at the different Venetian theatres, a number which increased to more than 1,600 at the close of the 1 8th century (including revivals and operas previously given elsewhere). The following is a list of the principal Venetian opera-houses founded before 1800. Name. First opera given there and subsequent data. s. cassiano, 1637: Andromeda, by Manelli. Operas until about 1 800. ss. Giovanni E paolo, 1639: Delia, by Sacrati. Operas until 1748. 15 s. moise, 1640: Arianna, by Monteverdi. Operas until 181 8. novissimo, 1641 : Lafinta Pazza, by Sacrati. Seven operas until 1647. ss. apostoli, 1649: Orontea, by Cesti. Five operas until 1687. s. apollinare, 165 1 : Oristeo, by Cavalli. Ten operas until 1660. s. salvatore, 1661 : Pasifc, by Castrovillari. Be- came T. S. Luca 1799, T. Apollo 1833, T. Gol- doni 1875. s. angelo, 1676: Elena, by Freschi. Operas until about 1800. s. Giovanni grisostomo, 1678: Vespasiano, by Pallavicino. Became T. Malibran 1835. s. fantino, 1699; Paolo Emilio, by Pignatta. Operas until 1720. s. samuele, 1 710: Vlngannator ingannato, by Rug- ged. Existed until 1870. s. Benedetto, 1755 : Z° e > by Cocchi. Became T. Rossini 1868. la fenice, 1792 : 1 Giuochi d'Agrigento, by Paisiello. Still in existence under that name. 1638 manelli: La Magafulminata [6 February]. Venice, S. Cass. Text by B. Ferrari. Three acts. Also given at Bologna [20 April] 1641. Ma- nelli's second opera, and the second opera which was produced at Venice. Music lost. The Venice libretto is dedicated to Basil Feil- ding (2nd Earl of Denbigh) who from 1634-39 was British Ambasador Extraordinary to the Republic of Venice. 1639 viTTORitLd Galatea Carnival Rome, Pal. Barberini Text by the composer (dramma . . . posto in musica). Prologue and 3 acts. Score published Rome 1639, libretto Spoleto 1655. Vittori's only opera. Date of production 16 1639 ANNALS OF OPERA 1639 unknown (the Carnival ended 8 March 1639). Parts of the music were reprinted by H. Gold- schmidt in 1901. A recent opinion on La Galatea may be quoted here: "La Galatea c uno dei migliori esemplari dell' opera romana del Seicento per magnificenza di scenario, per agilita dell' azione scenica, per opportuna collocazione di arie a solo e d'insieme, per impiego efficace di parti corali. L'ultimo atto e un vcro capolavoro per nobilta d'espressione e per grandiosita di disegno" (F. Vatielli in R.M.I., Vol. xnn, 1939). sacrati: La Delia o sizLa Sera Sposa del Sole Before 20 January. Venice, SS.G. e P. Text by G. Strozzi (Poema dramatico, first set to music by F. Manelli, Bologna 1630). Three acts. Written for the opening of the second Venetian opera-house, the Teatro Grimani dei Santi Gio- vanni e Paolo. From a note in the libretto it appears that the production must have preceded the date of the dedication (20 January). For use at the actual performance, a scenario was printed in which, by the way, Manelli, and not Sacrati, was indicated as the composer. The libretto was reprinted in 1644 (which points to a possible re- vival in that year). The music is lost, like the rest of Sacrati's operas. Also given at Milan 1647 by the Accademici Febiarmonici. cavalli: Le Nozze di Teti e di Peleo [24 January]. Venice, S. Cass. Text by O. Persiani (Opera scenica). Prologue and 3 acts. Cavalli's first opera. The first Venetian opera the music of which has been preserved (in the Contarini collection, Biblioteca di S. Marco, Venice; see note on Pallavicino, 1679). b. ferrari: UArmida February. Venice, SS.G. e P. Text by the composer (after Tasso). Prologue and 3 acts. The first opera of which Ferrari, composer, poet, operatic manager, and theorbo virtuoso, wrote the music as v/ell as the words. The music is lost, like the rest of Ferrari's operas. Revived Piacenza 1650. v. mazzocchi and marazzou: Chi soffre, speri* 2 j February. Rome, Pal. Barberini Text by G. Rospigliosi (the future Pope Cle- ment ix). Comedia musicale, prologue and 3 acts. The first comic opera. MS score extant (only one copy known, in the Biblioteca Vaticana, Rome). Libretto not printed (but preserved in ms). Only an Argomento et allegoria of the opera was published in 1639 (copy in the Library of Congress, Washington). According to A. Salza (l?.AfJ.,Vol.xiv, p.477) Chi soffre, speri possibly is an enlarged version of an earlier opera called 7/ Falcone, and produced at the same theatre towards the end of 1637. Mazarin and Milton were amongst the illus- trious guests who witnessed the birth of comic opera. Milton alludes to the performance in a letter to Lucas Holstenius, dated Florence, 30 March 1639. See further, U. Rolandi in Nuova Antologia, October 1927. Parts of the music were published by H. Goldschmidt in 1901. monteverdi: L'Adone [21 December]. Venice, SS.G. e P. Text by P. Vendramin (Tragedia musicale) f founded on the poem by G. B. Marini. Prologue and 5 acts. The first opera Monteverdi — then aged 72 — wrote for a public theatre. Very successful, given during the whole Carnival of 1640 and repeated in the autumn of that year. The music is lost. The music has been attributed to Monteverdi by all older and most modern historians, from Bonlini (1730) to Prunieres (1926) and Malipiero (1929). Yet it should be mentioned that the opera is most definitely ascribed to Manelli by some 17 18 1639-41 ANNALS OF OPERA 1641 authorities, notably by G. Radicictti (in the bib- liography of Manelli's works, contained in his L*Arte musicale in Tivoli, 1921) and by P. Came- rini in Piazzola (1925), p.339. As a matter of fact, Monteverdi's name is not mentioned in the original libretto which contains, on the other hand, a dedication by Manelli to Antonio Grimani (the proprietor of the theatre) and a letter by the librettist Vendramin to Manelli. The question would be of major importance if the music were extant. I64O cavalli: Gli Amori di Apollo e di Dafne Carnival. Venice, S. Cass. Text by G. F. Busenello (rappresentati in musica). Prologue and 3 acts. Cavalli's second opera. Revived Venice, SS. G. et P., Carnival 1647. Score preserved. The libretto was printed (reprinted?) in 1656. b. ferrari: II Pastor regio [23 January], Venice, S. Moise Text by the composer (dramma . . . rappresentato in musica). Prologue and 3 acts. Ferrari's second opera. Music lost. Also given at Bologna [18 May] 1641; Genoa (indicated by Allacci without date); Piacenza 15 April 1646; Milan 1646. I64I cavalli : La Didone* Carnival Venice, S. Cass. Text by G. F. Busenello (opera rappresentata in musica). Prologue and 3 acts. Text printed as late as 1656 (separately, and in Busenello's Ore ociose); in 1641 only an Argo- mento e scenario was published. One of Cavalli's more important works. Score preserved. sacrati: Lafinta Pazza [14 January], Venice, T. Novissimo Text by G. StrozzL Prologue and 3 acts. No connection with La finta Pazza Licori> another libretto by Strozzi, set to music by Mon- teverdi in 1627. Sacrati's opera was written for the opening of the fourth Venetian opera-house ("Teatro Novissimo"); it was very successful there (performed 12 times in 17 days) and was perhaps revived at the same theatre in 1644 (as the libretto was reprinted in that year). It was also given at Piacenza 1644; Bologna 1647; Genoa 1647; Milan 1662. Lafinta Pazza was also one of the first Italian operas ever performed in Paris (at the Salle du Petit Bourbon 14 December 1645). Strictly speaking, it was the second, having been preceded by an unknown Italian opera, performed at the Palais Royal in February or March of the same year 1645, as we know from a letter written by the singer Atto Melani (the brother of the com- poser Jacopo Melani) to his protector Prince Mattias de'Medici. Ademollo who first published that letter (in his I primi Fasti delta Musica italiana a Parigi, 1884) suggested that the unknown opera, mentioned by Melani, might have been Lafinta Pazza; conse- quently the date of 25 February 1645 for the Paris production of Sacrati's opera is given in many books of reference. In 191 3 H. Prunieres published his L* Opera Ita- lien en France avant Lulli in which he demon- strated that it must have been a different work which was produced in Paris in Carnival 1645. But, on his part, Prunieres conjectured that the unknown opera was Nicandro e Fileno (by Loren- zani, see 1681), the music of which, discovered by Prunieres himself some years later, he attributed to Marazzoli. And, although Prunieres corrected himself (Revue Musicale, August 1922), his con- jecture left its traces in many books published not only between 191 3 and 1922 but also later (as in E. J. Dent's Foundations of English Opera, 1928, p.45). We still do not know which Italian opera actually was performed in Paris in February 1645. 19 20 1641-42 ANNALS OF OPERA 1642 We may assume that, when H. Kretzschmar in Jahrbuch der Musik-Bibliothek Peters, 1903, p.82, expressly rectifies a "mistake" of Grimm's (which is no mistake but perfectly correct), he was a victim of the same confusion. Monteverdi: II Ritorno d'Ulisse inPatria* February. Venice, S. Cass. Text by G. Badoaro. Prologue and 5 acts. Of this opera only a scenario was printed in 1641 ; a MS of the libretto is in the Biblioteca di S. Marco, Venice, a ms of the score in the Na- tional-Bibliothek, Vienna. (The authenticity of the latter has been doubted by some authorities.) The score was published in 1923 (in Denkmaler der Tonkmist in Osterreich, edited by R. Haas). From some differences between the Venice lib- retto and the Vienna score (which is in 3 acts) it would appear that the opera was altered for a Vienna production; but there is no evidence to show that a performance at Vienna actually took place. The opera was revived in concert form at the Institut des Hautes Etudes, Brussels 9 January 1925 (fragments only; French version by C. van den Borren); on the stage: Paris, Petite Scene 16 May 1925 (French version by X. de Courville, reduced to 3 acts, music adapted and re-scored by Vincent d'Indy) ; and, once more, in concert form, by the Schola Cantorum Paris 2$ February 1927. In London the work was broadcast 16 January 1928 (English version by D. M. Craig). I642 luigi rossi: Palazzo d'Atlante incantato 22 February. Rome, Pal. Barberini Text by G. Rospigliosi (the future Pope Clement ix). Three acts. Apparently no libretto was printed. The above title is taken from a ms copy of the text (Biblio- teca Nazionale, Florence). Different titles are to be found in ms copies of the score, viz. // Palagio d'Atlante: overo La Guerriera amante (Bologna score) and // Palazzo incantato (Rome score). The opera seems to have been revived at Pesaro about 1670. Extracts from the music were pub- lished by H. Goldschmidt in 1901, Monteverdi: V IncoTOtiatione * di Poppea Autumn. Venice, SS.G. e P. Text by G. F. Busenello (opera musicale). Prologue and 3 acts. Monteverdi's last opera. Revived at Venice, SS. G. e P. Carnival 1646; given at Naples 1651 (as // Nerone overo V incoronatione di Popped), by the company of "I Febi Armonici" as one of the earliest operas there, if not the first. Libretto printed in 165 1 (at Naples) and 1656 (in Busenello's Ore ociose). For the Venice pro- ductions in 1642 and 1646 only scenarios were printed. From the MS score at the Biblioteca di San Marco, Venice, the music was published by H. Goldschmidt in 1904 (in Vol. 11 of Studien zur Geschichte der italienischen Oper im 1 j.Jahrhundert). The Naples score has also been preserved. A fac- simile edition of the Venice score was published in 1938 (edited by G. Benvenuti). V Incoronatione di Poppea is the first opera on a historical (instead of mythological, biblical, or poetical) subject. It has been revived frequently in recent times, first in concert form, by the Schola Cantorum, Paris 24 February 1905 (music ar- ranged by V. d'Indy); at the Institut des Hautes Etudes, Brussels February 1922 (in Italian). Stage productions took place at: paris, th. des arts 5 February 1913 (in French). NORTHAMPTON, MASS., SMITH COLLEGE 27 April 1926. buenos aires 9 August 1927 (d'Indy 's version) and 7 August 1938 (Benvenuti's version). oxford, university opera club 6 December 1927 (in English, translated by R. L. Stuart). new york, juilliard school of music 23 Feb- ruary 1933 (in Italian). 1642-44 ANNALS OF OPERA 1644-45 Florence, giardino BOBGU 3 June 1937 (music arranged by G. Benvenuti). Vienna, v.o. 25 September 1937 (in German, translated and orchestrated by E. Kfenek). Paris, o.c. 23 December 1937 (in French, trans- lated by C. van den Borren) ; this version had previously been heard at Brussels April 1923 (fragments only, in concert form, orchestrated by R. Moulaert). I643 c A v A l l i : UEgisto* Autumn. Venice, S. Cass. Text by G. Faustini (Favola dramatica musicale)* Prologue and 3 acts. Also given at Rome 1643 (at the French Am- bassador's); Genoa 1645; Paris February 1040; Florence [27 May] 1646; Bologna, T.Formagliari 1647 (revived 1659); perhaps also Naples 1651 (unrecorded reprint of the libretto, published Venice and Naples 1651, in the British Museum). Libretto also reprinted Florence 1667; Modena 1667. It has been stated by various authors that Ca- valli wrote this opera for the Vienna court and that it was produced there in 1642. Apart from the fact that the autograph score of UEgisto is in the Vienna National-Bibliothek, there is no evi- dence to show that the opera was produced there at all, let alone earlier than at Venice. Cavalli's 7th opera and the first he wrote for soloists only. He used the chorus again in his Ercole amante, 1662. 1644 staden: Seelewig ??. Nuremberg Text by G. P. HarsdorfFer. Prologue and 3 acts. The full title reads: Das Geistliche Waldgedicht, oder Freudenspiely genant Seelewig, Gesangsweis auf Italienische Artgesetzet. Published in HarsdorfFer s Frauenzimmer Gesprechspiele (8 vols., 1641-1649), Vol. rv (1644), first the text, and on pp.489-622 the music, for voices and thorough bass. It was reprinted, in vocal score, by R. Eitner in 1881 (in Vol. xm of Monatshefte fur Musik-Geschichte). In a note, HarsdorfFer alludes to a performance (which presumably took place at some private house at Nuremberg). There are records of pro- ductions at Wolfenbuttel in 1654 and at Augsburg as late as 1698 (see Die Musik, in, p.345). Revivals took place at Cologne in 1912 (arranged by R. Schulz-Dornburg) and at Gera in 1924. As the music of Schiitz's Daphne (see 1627) is lost, Seelewig is regarded as the first extant example of German opera. The first German opera preserved in full score dates only from 1671 I645 r o v e t t A : Ercole in Lidia Carnival. Venice, T. Novissimo Text by M. Bisaccioni. Prologue and 3 acts. The first and probably the only produced opera of Rovetta, who in 1643 had succeeded Monte- verdi as maestro di cappella of S. Marco, Venice. (He himself was succeeded by Cavalli in 1668.) John Evelyn attended a performance of this opera (see his Diary, Bray's edition, 1, p.204). Music lost. cOLONNA:La Proserpina rapita 5 January. Rome, Pal. Gallicano Text by O. Castelli. Prologue and five acts. A MS score of this opera was discovered in the Royal Music Library, British Museum, and iden- tified by W. Barclay Squire (see his paper An Opera under Innocent x, in Gedenkboek . . . Dr. D. F. Scheurleer, 1925). John Evelyn was present at a revival on 8 April 1645, and mentions the performance in his Diary (Bray's edition, 1, p. 177). Of the libretto no copy seems to have been traced yet. "The whole work is not a masterpiece, but so few operas of the Roman School of the period have survived that its recovery is of considerable musical interest" (W. B. Squire). 23 24 1647-49 ANNALS OF OPERA 1649 I647 luigi rossi: UOrfeo* 2 March. Paris, Palais Royal Text by F. Buti (tragicomcdia per musica). Prologue and 3 acts. The libretto was not printed ; a manuscript of it is in the Biblioteca Barbcrini, Rome. Only an "abrege," in French, was published in 1647. The score was discovered by Romain Rolland in the Biblioteca Chigi, Rome, in 1888, and parts of the music were printed in H. Goldschmidt*s Studien zur Geschichte der italivnischen Oper im ij.Jahr- hundert (1901). Not the first Italian opera produced at Paris, but the first which was commissioned and ex- pressly written for the French capital. The dates of 26 February or 3 March (given in some books of reference) are to be rectified. See further, H. Prunicrcs, L'Opera en France avant Ltilli (1913), pp.86-150. I649 cavalli: Giasone* [5 January]. Venice, S. Cass. Text by G. A. Cicognini (dramwa tmtsicale). Prologue and 3 acts. Cavalli's most successful work; the libretto had to be reprinted at Venice three times in the course of two years, and there were further edi- tions in 1654, 1664, and 1666. Giasone was sub- sequently given at Milan 1650; Florence 1650; Bologna December 1651; Naples 1653; Rome 1654; Piacenza 1655; Palermo 1655; Vicenza 1658; Ferrara 1659; Viterbo 1659; Genoa 1661; Ancona December 1664; Siena 1666 (altered); Brescia 1667. There were revivals at Florence 1651, 1656, 1658, 1662 and 1680; Naples i<5<5i, 1667 and 1672; Milan 1662; Venice, S. Cass. 23 February 1666; Rome, Tord. 24 January 1671 (as II novello Gia- sone, with a new prologue and other additions by A. Stradella); and Bologna 1673. A last revival at Rome in 1676 according to Ademollo did not take place owing to Pope Innocent xi's dislike of theatrical entertainments. The libretto, however, was printed beforehand (copies in the Conserva- toire, Brussels, and in the British Museum). Sonncck, in his note on the Rome 1671 edition of Giasone (Washington Catalogue, p.557), misin- terprets Wotquenne's remark (Brussels Cata- logue, p.78); it was the 1676, not the 1671, revival which was prohibited (Innocent xi was not elected until 1676). The music of Giasone has been preserved; parts of it were published by Eitner in Vol. xn of Publihationen der Gesellschaft fur Musikforschung (1883). cesti: Orontea* [20 January]. Venice, SS. Apostoli Text by G. A. Cicognini (drama musicale). Pro- logue and 3 acts. Ccsti's first opera. Written for the inauguration of the short-lived Teatro dei Santi Apostoli (which was the fifth Venetian opera-house). Very successful in Italy and one of the earliest Italian operas to be given in Germany. Revived at Ven- ice, SS.G. e P. [10 January] 1666 and Carnival 1683. Outside Venice produced at Genoa 1660; Turin 1662; Milan 1662 and 1664; Ferrara 1663; Macerata [22 June] 1665 ; Bologna 1665 and 1669; Palermo 1667; Lucca Carnival 1668; Naples pri- vately 1674 ("musica rinnovata" perhaps at the Princess of Avpllino's, by the "Filomolpi"); Reggio 1674; Hanover February 1678 (probably first opera there, text revised); Wolfenbuttel August 1686. There must have been other productions be- tween 1649 and 1662, as in the Turin libretto is an allusion to the successful vogue of Orontea in all parts of Italy. (For a French adaptation of the libretto, see 1688.) leardini: La Psiche September. Mantua Text by D. Gabrielli (tragicomedia rappresentata in musica). Prologue and 5 acts. 25 26 1649-50 ANNALS OF OPERA 1650-51 Written for the wedding of Charles n, Duke of Mantua, with Isabella Clara, Archduchess of Austria. Score preserved. I65O dassoucy: Andromede February. Paris, Petit Bourbon Text by P. Corneille. Prologue and 5 acts. This Tragedie Representee avec les Machines . . . may be and has been regarded as a forerunner of French opera. The music, it is true, plays but a subordinate part in the play; there are some airs and duets and several choruses. In a letter written in 1672, Dassoucy claims: "II scait que c'est moi qui ay donn6 Tame aux vers de F Andromede de Mr. de Corneille." Only fragments of the music are extant. Andromede was revived at the Come- die-Francaise 19 July 1682, with new music by Charpentier. A Dutch translation by F. Ryk was published in 1699. See J. Carlez, Pierre et Thomas Corneille, Libret- tistes (1881), pp.8-16; H. Prunieres in his VOpha italien en France avant Lulli (1913) and in Revue Musicale, 1937-39 ("Les Aventures de M. Das- soucy"). Prunieres mentions another early op- eratic attempt by the same composer, a pastoral play Les Amours d*Apollon et de Daphne, of which Dassoucy also wrote the words. The text was printed in 1650, but there is no record of a per- formance. zamponi: Ulisse alVlsola di Circe 24 February. Brussels Text probably by A. Amalteo (who signed the dedicatory poem in the libretto). Prologue, 3 acts and licenza. First opera ever produced at Brussels, cele- brating the wedding of Philip iv, King of Spain, with the Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria. Repeated at Brussels 4 February 1655 in honour of a visit of Queen Christina of Sweden. Libretto printed in 1650 (copy at Dresden). Score pre- served (at Vienna). See R. Haas in Zeitschriftfur Musikwissenschaft, Vol. m (1920-21), p.385, and Vol. v (1922-23), p.63 ; and H. Liebrecht in he Flambeau, December 1 921. I65I cavalli: UOristeo Carnival Venice, S. Apollinare Text by G. Faustini (drama per musica). Prologue and 3 acts. , Written for the inauguration of the short-lived Teatro Sant' Apollinare which was the sixth Ve- netian opera-house. Revived Bologna [2 January] 1656 as VOristeo travestito, altered {per cosl dire, mascherato); ac- cording to Allacci with intermezzi by Niccolo Zoppio Turchi, but they do not appear in the Bologna libretto as described by Sonneck; Per- haps he was responsible for the numerous alter- ations. c a v a L l I : Alessandro Vincitor di se Stesso [20 January]. Venice, SS.G. e P. Text by F. Sbarra (dramma musicale). Prologue and 3 acts. One of Cavalli's more successful works. Given at: Florence [15 January] 1653 (libretto British Mu- seum; 15 January 1653 is the date of dedica- tion; imprint 1654) bologna 1655 Munich 28 February 1658 MILAN 1659 Naples [8 October] 1662 As hardly any of the above-mentioned librettos have the name of the composer, it should be mentioned that there exists a second setting by Cesti and Bigongiari (see Sonneck's Catalogue, p.56), produced at Lucca 3 February 1654. This Lucca edition is remarkable as a very early instance of a libretto with a printed cast. A new edition (quarta impressione), Rome 1664 (see Wot- quenne's Catalogue p.n) was printed for reading (probably Cavalli's setting) 27 28 1651-53 ANNALS OF OPERA 1653-54 purposes rather than for an actual revival, as it retains the Lucca cast; so was the Bologna edition of 1683, mentioned by Allaci. I652 bertali: Theti March. Mantua Text by D. Gabrielli (Fauola dramatica). Prologue and 5 acts. Produced to celebrate the arrival of the Arch- duke Ferdinand Carl and his consort Anna de'Me- dici on their visit to Italy. Revived Vienna 13 July 1656. One of the few operas of Bertali, the music of which is extant. Bertali had been appointed court conductor at Vienna in 1649 (succeeding Gio- vanni Valentini), and as opera performances began at Vienna about that year, he is the first holder of that important post with whom we have to deal. Felice Sances became his successor in 1669 (q.v.). I653 bertali: Ulnganno d'Amore [20 February], Regensburg Text by B. Ferrari. Prologue and 3 acts. Besides the Italian libretto, a German argument Innhalt und Verfassung der Comoedi Von Liebs Betrug was published in 1653. One of the earliest Italian operas performed in Germany. It was dedicated to the Emperor Fer- dinand in and produced at the Imperial Diet. Music lost. cavalli: UOrione [15 June}. Milan, T.R.D. Text by F. Melosio. Prologue and 3 acts. The first opera Cavalli was commissioned to write for a town other than Venice (to celebrate the election of Ferdinand iv as King of the Romans). The opera does not seem to have been revived at Venice, although the text was reprinted there (in 1683 according to Allacci; but also earlier, in 1673, as a copy in the British Museum proves). Libretto also published Genoa 1653. MARAZZOLI and ABBATINi: Dal Male il Bene* About July. Rome, Pal. Barbcrini Text by G. Rospigliosi (the future Pope Clement ix). Dramma musicale. Prologue and 3 acts. First and third act composed by Abbatini, second act by Marazzoli. Libretto not printed. Music extant (partly pub- lished by H. Goldschmidt in 1901). Produced at the wedding of MafFeo Barbcrini, Prince of Pa- lestrina, with Olimpia Giustiniani. I654 cavalli: Xerse [12 January}. Venice, SS.G. e P. Text by N. Minato. Prologue and 3 acts. One of Cavalli's most celebrated works. Given at Genoa 1656; Naples 1657; revived at Venice 1657 (with new prologue, intermezzi and other additions); Bologna 1657 (with alterations); Pa- lermo 1658 (first opera ever produced there; with alterations and comic intermezzi); Verona 1665 and Milan 1665 (altered by C. Righenzi). In Italian also given at Paris 22 November 1660 (at the Grande Galerie du Louvre, celebrating the wedding of Louis xiv and Maria Theresa of Austria; Lully provided the airs de ballet for this production). cavalli: IlCiro [30 January}. Venice, SS.G. e P. Text by G. C. Sorentino (according to the pre- face earlier given at Naples with music by some other, unknown, composer). Prologue and 3 acts. According to the preface, Cavalli composed only those parts of the music made necessary by the textual alterations per accomodarsi al costume of Venice. 29 30 1654 ANNALS OF OPERA 1654-55 Also given at Genoa 1654; revived Venice, SS. G. e P. [4 February] 1665 (with additional music by A. Mattioli) ; Bologna Carnival 1666 (with in- termezzi by G. P. Cremata) and 1671 ; Modena 1675; Perugia 1678; Pistoia 1697. The prologue was published by E. Wellesz in 191 3 (Vol. I of Studien zur Musikwissenschaft). caproli: Le Nozze di Peleo e di Theti 14 April Paris, Petit Bourbon Text by F. ButL Prologue and 3 acts. After Rossi's Orfeo (see 1647), this was the second Italian opera commissioned and written expressly for Paris. Libretto printed in 1654. Of the music only the airs de ballet are extant (whether they were composed by Caproli, or rather by some French composer, is an open question). "L'Orfeo avait etc" un veritable opera; les bal- lets qui s'y trouvaient n'avaient qu'un role en quelque sorte decoratif et £taient dans& par des professionels. Au contraire dans Le Nozze la fu- sion de l'oplra italien et du ballet de Cour fran^ais est aussi complete que possible. Le ballet, au lieu de se suffire a lui-meme, tire sa raison d'etre de la comddie et celle-ci fait participer le ballet a Tac- tion dramatique" (Prunieres). Buti's text seems to be the earliest Italian libretto which was translated into English, as "The Nuptials ofPeleus and Thetis. A new Italian Comedy, whence the preceding Mask was ex- tracted; Made English by a nearer adherence to the Original, than to the French Translation," 1654. The translator was James Howell, Historio- grapher Royal to Charles n. (In the British Museum catalogued, with a question-mark, as a translation of D. Gabrielli's 5-act The ti text, see 1652.) cirillo: UOtontea Regina di Egitto ??. Naples Cicognini's text (first composed by Cesti, see 1649). Three acts. The first extant example of an opera by a Neapolitan composer, though possibly some of Cesti's music was retained. The libretto published in 1654 says the work was "arricchita di nuova musica da Francesco Cirillo". For an analysis of the score see N. d'Arienzo's Dell* opera eomica dalle origini a G. B. Pergolesi (1887). It is not known whether the opera was produced at the Teatro S. Bartolomeo, at the Royal Palace, or elsewhere. 1655 cavalli: L'Erismena* January. Venice, Sant'Apollinare Text by A. Aureli. Prologue and 3 acts. Revised Venice, S. Salv. [13 February] 1670 (with alterations and without the prologue). Also given at Bologna, T. Formagliari 1661 and re- vived there 1668; Florence 1661; Milan [11 Feb- ruary] 1661; Genoa 1666; Lucca Carnival 1668; Forli 1673 (with added intermezzi); and Brescia (undated libretto printed). The scores of both the 1655 and the 1670 ver- sions are extant. la guerre: Le Triomphe de V Amour sur des Bergers et Bergeres 22 January. Paris, Louvre Text by C. de Beys. One art. Libretto printed 1654 (copy Bibl. Mazarine, Paris) and again c.1661-62 (copy Bibl. Nat., Paris). Called in the second edition Pastorale . . . mise en musique. Publicly rehearsed 15 December 1654, first per- formed at the Louvre 22 January 1655, probably in concert form. Repeated, as indicated in the second edition, 26 March 1657 "Devant Leurs Majestez" with some alterations and, this time, probably with scenery. In a dedicatory letter to Louis xrv (in his Oeuvres en vers de divers Autheurs . . ., c.1662) La. Guerre says: "11 y a quelques annees qu'ayant eu 31 32 1655-56 ANNALS OF OPERA 1656 Thonneur de faire reprcsenter devant Votre Ma- jeste une Comedie francaise en Musique, intitulce Le Triomphe de l'Amour, Elle temoigna ne pas desagreer tout a fait la nouveaute de cette Piece, dont j'avois invente la maniere et qui est en effet le premier ouvrage de cette sorte qui ait jamais paru en ce Royaume. . . ." Four years later, exactly the same claim was made by Perrin and Cambert (see 1659). The discovery of this earliest example of French opera is due to H. Quittard (La premiere comedie francaise en musique, in Bulletin Francais de la S.I.M., April and May, 1908). The music, like that of Cambert's Pastorale (see 1659) seems to be lost. the same year, 1656. Last opera produced at the the Barberini Theatre, in honour of Queen Christina of Sweden, to whom the score (Dramma musicale) is dedicated. It was printed in 1658, apart from Bontempfs Paride (see 1662), the last Italian opera of the 17th century which was published. It is only about 100 years later that we find printed scores of Italian operas again. (See the astonishingly small list compiled by O. G. T. Sonneck in his Miscellaneous Studies in the History of Music, 1921, pp.305-7.) While printed scores of Italian operas are an exception, they are the rule with French operas; nearly all of them were published, until 1775 almost exclusively by the firm of Ballard. cesti: VArgia 4 November. Innsbruck Text by 