Mitridate, re di Ponto
Encyclopedia
Mitridate, re di Ponto K. 87 (74a)
Köchel-Verzeichnis
The Köchel-Verzeichnis is a complete, chronological catalogue of compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart which was originally created by Ludwig von Köchel. It is abbreviated K or KV. For example, Mozart's Requiem in D minor was, according to Köchel's counting, the 626th piece Mozart composed....

, is an early opera seria
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 three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...

. The 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...

 is by Vittorio Amadeo Cigna-Santi after Giuseppe Parini
Giuseppe Parini
Giuseppe Parini was an Italian Enlightenment satirist and poet of the neoclassic period.-Biography:Parini was born in Bosisio in Brianza, Lombardy...

's Italian translation of Jean Racine
Jean Racine
Jean Racine , baptismal name Jean-Baptiste Racine , was a French dramatist, one of the "Big Three" of 17th-century France , and one of the most important literary figures in the Western tradition...

.

Mozart wrote Mitridate while touring Italy in 1770. The musicologist Daniel E. Freeman has recently demonstrated that it was composed with close reference to the opera La Nitteti by Josef Mysliveček
Josef Myslivecek
Josef Mysliveček was a Czech composer who contributed to the formation of late eighteenth-century classicism in music...

. The latter was the opera being prepared for production in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...

 when Mozart met Mysliveček for the first time with his father in March of 1770. Mysliveček visited the Mozarts frequently in Bologna during the summer of 1770 while Wolfgang was working on Mitridate. Mozart gained expertise in composition from his older friend and also incorporated some of his musical motives into his own operatic setting. The opera was first performed at the Regio Ducal Teatro, Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...

, on 26 December 1770 (at the Milan Carnival). It was a success, having been performed twenty-one times despite doubts because of Mozart’s extreme youth — he was 14 at the time. No revival took place until the 20th century. This opera features virtuoso arias for the principal roles, but only two ensemble numbers: the Act II ending duet between Aspasia and Sifare (Se viver non degg’io), and the brief quintet that ends the opera, very characteristic of standard baroque opera seria
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...

 where the opera ends with a short coro or tutti number.

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere Cast, 26 December 1770
(Conductor: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...

)
Arbate, Governor of Nymphæa 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...

 castrato
Castrato
A castrato is a man with a singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto voice produced either by castration of the singer before puberty or one who, because of an endocrinological condition, never reaches sexual maturity.Castration before puberty prevents a boy's...

Pietro Muschietti
Sifare or Xiphares,
Mitridate's son
soprano castrato Pietro Benedetti (Sartorino)
Aspasia, pledged in marriage
to Mitridate, the Queen
soprano Antonia Bernasconi
Farnace or Pharnaces,
Mitridate's eldest son
alto
Alto
Alto is a musical term, derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" in Italian, that has several possible interpretations.When designating instruments, "alto" frequently refers to a member of an instrumental family that has the second highest range, below that of the treble or soprano. Hence,...

 castrato
Giuseppe Cicognani
Marzio or Marcius, Roman
legionary officer
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...

Gasparo Bassano
Mitridate, King of Pontus tenor Guglielmo d'Ettore
Ismene, Parthian Princess soprano Anna Francesca Varese

Synopsis

Place: around the Crimean port of Nymphæum
Time: 63BC during the conflict between Rome and Pontus

Prologue

Mitridate, having suffered a heavy defeat at a battle, is presumed dead. This false news is passed by Arbate, the Governor, to his fiancee Aspasia and his sons, Farnace and Sifare.

Act 1

Scene 1

Arbate, the governor of Nymphæum, welcomes Sifare. We learn that Sifare resents his brother, Farnace, because of his brother’s strong ties with their enemies, the Romans. Arbate pledges his loyalty to Sifare. Aspasia pleads for Sifare to help her against advances by Farnace. He accepts her plea and reveals his love for her.

Scene 2

Farnace makes his advances on Aspasia. Aspasia refuses with support from Sifare who protects her from his forceful brother. News arrives that Mitridate is alive and is approaching the city. Arbate urges brothers to conceal their differences and greet their father. Brothers agree to hide their feelings for Aspasia. Farnace conspires with Marzio, Roman legionary officer, against Mitridate.

Scene 3

Mitridate arrives on the shores of Nymphæaum with princess Ismene, daughter of his ally the King of Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....

. Mitridate wants Farnace to marry Ismene, his promised bride. Ismene is in love with Farnace but senses problems and is worried about her future. Arbate tells Mitridate that Farnace is pursuing Aspasia not mentioning Sifare. Jealous Mitridate swears revenge on Farnace.

Act 2

Scene 1

Farnace scorns and threatens Ismene. She tells Mitridate who suggests that she should marry Sifare. Mitridate asks Aspasia for immediate marriage but she hesitates proving to him she is unfaithful. Aspasia confesses love to Sifare but they both agree to part to save their honour. Sifare plans to leave and Aspasia is troubled with the conflict between love and duty.

Scene 2

Mitridate is aware of Farnaces plot against him with the Romans and plans his revenge despite Marzio’s offer of peace. He arrests Farnace to execute him. Ismene rescues the prince who admits treachery but implicates Sifare. Mitridate tricks Aspasia into admitting her love for Sifare and swears revenge. Aspasia and Sifare wish to die together in fear of Mitridate’s threats.

Act 3

Scene 1

Ismene, still in love with Farnace, tries to convince Mitridate to forgive Aspasia. Romans attack and Mitridate leaves for battle. Aspasia contemplates suicide by poison. Sifare also wants to die and joins his father in the battle.

Scene 2

Marzio liberates Farnace and promises the rule of Nymphæum to him. Farnace changes his mind deciding to side with Mitridate.

Scene 3

Mitridate commits suicide avoiding defeat. Before he dies he gives his blessing to Sifare and Aspasia and forgives Farnace who now agrees to marry Ismene. All four pledge to free the world from Rome.

Noted arias

Act 1
  • "Nel sen mi palpita" - Aspasia
  • "Parto : nel gran cimento" - Sifare
  • "Quel ribelle" - Mitridate
  • "Se di lauri" - Mitridate
  • "In faccia all'oggetto" - Ismene
  • "L'odio nel cor" - Arbate
  • "Al destin che la minaccia" - Aspasia
  • "Soffre il mio cor" - Sifare
  • "Venga pur, minacci" - Farnace

Act 2
  • "Già di pietà mi spoglio" - Mitridate
  • "Lungi da te" - Sifare

  • "Nel grave tormento" - Aspasia
  • "So quanto a te" - Ismene
  • "Son reo; l'error confesso" - Farnace
  • "Tu che fedel" - Mitridate
  • "Va, l'error mio palesa" - Farnace

Act 3
  • "Ah ben ne fui presaga…Pallid' ombre" - Aspasia
  • "Già dagli occhi" - Farnace
  • "Se di regnar" - Marzio
  • "Se il rigor d'ingrata sorte" - Sifare
  • "Tu sai per che m'accese" - Ismene
  • "Vado incontro" - Mitridate


Recordings

  • M22: Mitridate, re di Ponto (DVD), Salzburg Festival 2006 (Minkowski/R Croft,B Mehta, Persson)
  • Mitridate, re di Ponto (DVD) JP Ponnelle film (Harnoncourt/Winbergh, Kenny, Murray)
  • Mitridate, re di Ponto (DVD) ROH 1993 (P Daniel/Ford, Kowalski, Murray, Orgonasova)
  • Mitridate, re di Ponto (CD), Salzburg Mozart Week 1997 (Norrington/Ford, Kasarova, Sieden, Oelze)
  • Mitridate, re di Ponto (CD), 1999 (Rousset/Sabbatini, Asawa, Bartoli, Dessay)

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK