Il matrimonio segreto
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| Operas by Domenico Cimarosa |
|---|
La finta parigina (1773) |
Il matrimonio segreto (The Secret Marriage) is an opera in two acts, music by Domenico Cimarosa, on a libretto by Giovanni Bertati, based on the play The Clandestine Marriage by George Colman the Elder and David Garrick. It was first performed on February 7, 1792 in Vienna, at the Imperial Hofburg Theatre, in the presence of Emperor Leopold II.
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[edit] Performance history
Cimarosa's only work still to be regularly performed, it is arguably one of the greatest 18th century opera buffa apart from those by Mozart. Its premiere was the occasion of the longest encore in operatic history; Leopold II was so delighted that he ordered supper served to the company and the entire opera repeated immediately after.
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, February 7, 1792 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina | soprano | Irene Tomeoni |
| Elisetta | soprano | Giuseppina Nettelet |
| Fidalma | mezzo-soprano | Dorothea Bussani |
| Paolino | tenor | Santi Nencini |
| Geronimo | bass | Giambattista Serafino Blasi |
| Count Robinson | bass | Francesco Benucci |
[edit] Synopsis
The action takes place in 18th century Bologna.
Paolino has secretly married Geronimo's daughter Carolina. Their situation is complicated by Carolina's aunt Fidalma, who loves Paolino, and by the arrival of the Englishman Count Robinson who, although betrothed to Geronimo's other daughter Elisetta, falls in love with Carolina. After much scheming and amorous intrigue, the truth about the marriage is revealed and all ends happily.
[edit] Recordings
EMI Graziella Sciutti , Luigi Alva, Franco Calabrese,Ebbe Stignani, Eugenia Ratti- Nino Sanzogno-Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala,Milano ] Cetra]] reissued by Warner-Fonit: Alda Noni, Ornella Rovere, Giulietta Simionato, Cesare Valletti, Sesto Bruscantini, Antonio Cassinelli - Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Manno Wolf-Ferrari (1951)
- Deutsche Grammophon: Arleen Auger, Ryland Davies, Julia Varady, Alberto Rinaldi, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Julia Hamari; English Chamber Orchestra; Daniel Barenboim, conductor[1]
[edit] Sources
- The Complete Dictionary of Opera & Operetta, James Anderson, (Wings Books, 1993) ISBN 0-517-09156-9
[edit] References
- ^ Winton Dean, Record review of Il matrimonio segreto. The Musical Times, 119(1623), 426 (1978).
