Tigrane

Operas by Alessandro Scarlatti
L'honestà negli amori (1680) Il Pompeo (1683) Mitridate Eupatore (1707) Tigrane (1715) Il trionfo dell'onore (1718) Griselda (1721)
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Tigrane, o vero L'egual impegno d'amore e di fede (Tigranes or The Equal Ties of Love and Faith) is an opera seria in three acts by the Italian composer Alessandro Scarlatti with a libretto by Domenico Lalli (loosely based on the Histories of Herodotus). It was first performed at the Teatro San Bartolomeo, Naples on 16 February 1715. It is regarded as one of Scarlatti's finest operas. As well as the serious main plot, there are also comic scenes involving the servants Dorilla and Orcone.

Roles

Cast	Voice type	Premiere cast[1]
Tigrane Prince of Armenia	soprano castrato	Nicolo Grimaldi, "Nicolini"
Tomiri Queen of the Massagetae	soprano	Marianna Benti-Bulgarelli, "la Romanina"
Meroe daughter of the late King of Persia	soprano	Angiola Augusti
Policare King of Lydia	contralto (en travesti)	Giovanna Albertini, "la Reggiana"
Doraspe King of Damascus	tenor	Gaetano Borghi
Oronte captain of Tomiri's guards	soprano castrato	Nicola Ippolito Cherubini
Dorilla Tomiri's maid	contralto	Santa Marchesini
Orcone a slave	bass	Gioacchino Corrado
The echo	soprano	Angiola Augusti

Synopsis

Act One

Queen Tomiri (Tomyris in Herodotus) has two sons. One has been kidnapped and brought up as the Armenian prince, Tigrane. The other has been killed by Ciro, King of Persia. To avenge his death, Tomiri has fought and defeated Ciro with the aid of Policare and Doraspe. In return for their help, she has promised to marry one of them, but she is reluctant to come to a decision as she finds herself attracted to Tigrane, a commander in the allied army, unaware he is her son. Ciro's daughter, Meroe, is also in love with Tigrane and arrives at Tomiri's court in disguise, bent on avenging her father. Tomiri entrusts the choice of her husband to Tigrane, who says that whichever of the two kings can beat him in combat will win Tomiri's hand. Policare and Doraspe plot against Tigrane.

Act Two

Tomiri reconciles the two kings and Tigrane. Meroe is about to kill Tomiri as she sleeps when she is prevented by Tigrane. Tigrane, surprised with Meroe's dagger in his hand, is accused of trying to murder Tomiri. Unwilling to reveal the truth, which would endanger Meroe, Tigrane is condemned to death.

Act Three

As Tigrane faces execution, Meroe reveals her true identity. She is led away in chains and Tigrane is freed. The truth about Tigrane's parentage is finally discovered and Tomiri is reunited with her son. She pardons Meroe and allows her to marry Tigrane while the queen herself chooses Policare as her husband.

References

1. ^ according to the original printed libretto, as quoted by Michael Collins, p. 8, and to Gherardo Casaglia

Sources

• The Viking Opera Guide ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)
• Del Teatro (in Italian)
• Magazine de l'opéra baroque (in French)
• Casaglia, Gherardo, Almanacco (in Italian), "© Amadeusonline", Paragon s.r.l.
• Collins, Michael (ed), Tigrane, volume VIII of The operas of Alessandro Scarlatti (Donald Jay Grout, General Editor): 1983, Harvard publications in music, 13. ISBN 0-674-64034-9