Lo schiavo
Encyclopedia
Lo schiavo is an opera seria
in four acts by the Brazilian
composer Carlos Gomes. The Italian
libretto
was by Rodolfo Paravicini, after a play by Alfredo Taunay
. The opera deals with the subject of slavery
, a major concern in Brazil at the time (the institution had only been abolished by the Lei Áurea
in 1888).
As Béhague explains, "Lo sciavo is considered in Brazil to be the best of Gomes's operas, as it reflects a national subject which required and was given new treatment."
, Rio de Janeiro
on 27 September 1889.
Opera seria
Opera seria is an Italian musical term which refers to the noble and "serious" style of Italian opera that predominated in Europe from the 1710s to c. 1770...
in four acts by the Brazilian
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
composer Carlos Gomes. The Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
was by Rodolfo Paravicini, after a play by Alfredo Taunay
Alfredo D'Escragnolle Taunay
Alfredo Maria Adriano d'Escragnolle Taunay, Viscount of Taunay was a Brazilian writer, musician, professor, military engineer, historian, politician, sociologist and nobleman...
. The opera deals with the subject of slavery
Slavery in Brazil
Slavery in Brazil shaped the country's social structure and ethnic landscape. During the colonial epoch and for over six decades after the 1822 independence, slavery was a mainstay of the Brazilian economy, especially in mining, cotton, and sugar cane production.Brazil obtained an estimated 35% of...
, a major concern in Brazil at the time (the institution had only been abolished by the Lei Áurea
Lei Áurea
The Lei Áurea , adopted on May 13, 1888, was the law that abolished slavery in Brazil.It was preceded by the Rio Branco Law of September 28, 1871 , which freed all children born to slave parents, and by the Saraiva-Cotegipe Law , of September 28, 1885, that freed slaves when they reached the age of...
in 1888).
As Béhague explains, "Lo sciavo is considered in Brazil to be the best of Gomes's operas, as it reflects a national subject which required and was given new treatment."
Performance hstory
It was first performed at the Theatro Imperial Dom Pedro IITheatro D. Pedro II
The Theatro D. Pedro II was a theatre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The theatre was inaugurated in 1871, and received the name of Theatro Imperial D. Pedro II in 1875....
, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
on 27 September 1889.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, September 27, 1889 (Conductor: Carlos Gomes) |
|---|---|---|
| Ilàra | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Maria Peri |
| Condesa Boissy | soprano | Marie Oster van Cauteren |
| Américo | tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Franco Cardinali |
| Ibère | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Innocente De Anna |
| Gianfèra | baritone | Francesco Bartolomasi |
| Conde Rodrigo | bass | Enrico Serbolini |
| Guarûco | tenor | |
| Tapacoà | tenor | |
| Tupinambà | baritone | |
| Goitacà | bass | |
| Lion | bass | |