- Oreste
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Oreste (Orestes; HWV A11, HG 48/102) is an opera by George Frideric Handel in three acts. The libretto was anonymously adapted from Giangualberto Barlocci’s L’Oreste (1723, Rome), which was in turn adapted from Euripides' Iphigeneia in Tauris.[1]
The opera is a pasticcio (pastiche), meaning that it was cobbled together from earlier works, mainly other operas and cantatas also by Handel. The recitatives and parts of the dances are the only parts composed specifically for this work.[1]
The opera is in Italian, although it was written and performed in England. The lead role was written for the castrato Giovanni Carestini. It is now performed by either a countertenor or soprano.[1]
Contents
Performance history
The opera was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on December 18, 1734. The work was only performed three times in Handel's lifetime, having received a poor reception, and was first revived in 1988.[1]
Roles
Role Voice type Premiere Cast, 18 December 1734
(Conductor: - )Oreste mezzo-soprano castrato Giovanni Carestini Ifigenia soprano Cecilia Young Ermione soprano Anna Strada del Pò Pilade tenor John Beard Filotete contralto Maria Caterina Negri Toante bass Gustavus Waltz Notes
References
- Dean, Winton (2006), Handel's Operas, 1726-1741, Boydell Press, ISBN 1843832682 The second of the two volume definitive reference on the operas of Handel
- Anthony Hicks, "Oreste", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (accessed April 2, 2006), grovemusic.com (subscription access).
Categories:- 1734 operas
- Operas
- Operas by George Frideric Handel
- Operas based on Greco-Roman mythology
- Covent Garden world premieres
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