Andromaca (1724)

Original id: 
10612
Start date: 
28 August 1724
Degree of relationship to ancient play: 
Distant relative
Production notes: 
Libretto: Apostolo Zeno, 'Andromaca. Dramma per musica da rappresentarsi nell'imperial Favorita festeggiandosi il felicissimo giorno natalizio [...] di Elisabetta Cristina imperadrice regnante, per comando [...] di Carlo VI imperadore de'romani [...] l'anno 1724' (Vienna: Johann Peter van Ghelen / Giovanni Pietro van Ghelen, 1724). Zeno's libretto is vaguely connected with Euripides and evidently informed by Racine's Andromaque, as well as by extant opera libretti based on Racine, primarily Antonio Salvi's Astianatte (Florence 1701; Sartori ID 3265). Zeno's version retains the basic love triangle Pirro-Ermione-Andromaca, but explores the story very freely. It adopts the character of Andromaca's son Astianatte from Racine/Salvi and introduces the scheming Ulisse and his son Telemaco. This is one of the few adaptations of the Greek story in which reason triumphs over passion: Pirro lets Andromaca and Astianatte go and marries Ermione. Written for an occasion at the Hapsburg court, it was obviously intended as a celebration of princely decorum. For productions of other settings of Zeno's libretto see Sartori IDs 1895, 1897, 1912.
Media of production: 
Opera, musical and related genres
Languages: 
Italian
Companies:
Ancient works:

Information related to this production

Script Author(s)
Andromache Euripides
Person Role Notes
Antonio Caldara (c.1670-1736) Composer
Antonio Galli-Bibiena (1697-1774) Set Designer
Pietro Simone Levassori de la Motta Choreographer for the ballets
Niccola Matteis (1670s-1737) Composer for the ballets
Alessandro Philebois Choreographer
Apostolo Zeno (1668-1750) Librettist
Venue Festival Dates Notes
Teatro della Favorita (Vienna, Vienna, Austria) 20 August, 1724
Source Format Location if held at the APGRD Pagination
Grove Music Online Website New Grove Opera: Dale E. Monson, 'Andromache'; Elena Sala di Felice, 'Zeno, Apostolo'; Brian W. Pritchard, 'Caldara, Antonio'
I Libretti Italiani a Stampa dalle Origini al 1800. 7 vols Book library Entry number 1894
From Alessandro (1726) to Tolomeo (1728): The Final Royal Academy Operas Thesis archive Ch. 7: Astianatte and the Scandal, page 187
Italian opera librettos, 1640-1770 Book

How to cite this production

Andromaca (1724), accessed at http://www.apgrd.ox.ac.uk/productions/production/10612 <14 May 2024>