Original id:
10614
Start date:
5 February 1730
Degree of relationship to ancient play:
Distant relative
Production notes:
Libretto: Apostolo Zeno, 'Andromaca. Dramma per musica da rappreesentarsi nel Nuovo Teatro del signor Domenico Valle nel carnevale dell'anno 1730. Dedicato all'e.mo [...] cardinale Niccolò Coscia' (Rome: Zempel e de May, 1730). Manuscript score: GB-Lbl, MS.Add. 24303. This production was based on the second musical setting of Zeno's libretto, which had originally been written for the composer Antonio Caldara (Vienna, 1724; see Sartori ID 1894). 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.
Media of production:
Opera, musical and related genres
Languages:
Italian