Arsilda, regina di Ponto
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| Arsilda, regina di Ponto | |
|---|---|
| Dramma per musica by Antonio Vivaldi | |
 Title page of the libretto, Venice 1716 | |
| Librettist | Domenico Lalli |
| Language | Italian |
| Premiere | October 1716 Teatro Sant'Angelo, Venice |
Arsilda, regina di Ponto is a dramma per musica by Antonio Vivaldi to a libretto by Domenico Lalli. The opera was first performed at the Teatro Sant'Angelo in Venice on 27 or 28 October 1716.[1][2]
Plot
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 1716 |
|---|---|---|
| Arsilda, Queen of Pontos | mezzo-soprano | Anna Vincenza Dotti |
| Nicandro, noble from Bithynia | soprano (en travesti) | Antonia Pellizzari |
| Cisardo, Tamese's and Lisea's uncle | bass | Angelo Zannoni |
| Tamese, King of Cilicia | tenor | Annibale Pio Fabri |
| Barzane, Prince of Lydia | soprano castrato | Carlo Valcata |
| Mirinda, noble confidante of Lisea | soprano | Maria Teresa Cotti |
| Lisea, Tamese's sister, mistaken for her brother | mezzo-soprano | Anna Maria Fabbri |
The plot was considered rather controversial at the time and led originally to censorship of the opera. It involves the title character falling in love with another woman dressed as a man.
