Alessandro Severo
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Alessandro Severo (Alexander Severus, HWV A13) is an opera by George Frideric Handel composed in 1738. It is one of Handel's three surviving pasticcio works,[1] made up of the music and arias of his previous operas Giustino, Berenice and Arminio. Only the overture and recitatives (as well as the words) were new. The impresario Johann Jacob Heidegger probably selected the 1717 libretto by Apostolo Zeno, originally written for Antonio Lotti and re-used by many composers thereafter.[2]
| Alessandro Severo | |
|---|---|
| Opera by George Frideric Handel | |
George Frideric Handel, portrayed by Balthasar Denner, 1729 | |
| Librettist | Apostolo Zeno |
| Language | Italian |
| Premiere | |
Performance history
Alessandro Severo was not a success at its premiere under the direction of the composer on 25 February 1738 at the King's Theatre, London.[3]
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 25 February 1738 |
|---|---|---|
| Sallustia | soprano | Elisabeth Duparc ("La Francesina") |
| Claudio | soprano | Margherita Chimenti ("La Droghierina") |
| Giulia | contralto | Antonia Merighi |
| Eurilla | mezzo-soprano | Maria Antonia Marchesini ("La Lucchesina") |
| Alessandro | mezzo-soprano castrato | Caffarelli |
| Marziano | bass | Antonio Montagnana |
Synopsis
The opera is based upon the story of the Roman Emperor Alexander Severus.
Recording
The world premiere recording was produced by MDG - Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm and performed by Armonia Atenea on period instruments under the baton of George Petrou, with Mary-Ellen Nesi as Alessandro, Kristina Hammarström as Giulia, Marita Solberg as Salustia, Irini Karaianni as Albina, Gemma Bertagnoli as Claudio and Petros Magoulas as Marziano and dedicated to Anthony Hicks. www.mdg.de