- Lo speziale
"Lo speziale" ("The Apothecary"), Hob. 28/3, is a three act
opera buffa byJoseph Haydn , with alibretto byCarlo Goldoni .A love triangle between the poor apprentice Mengone, the rich and assured dandy Volpino, and the local apothecary's ward, Grilletta, "Lo speziale" is a sidesplitting comedy of great warmth and ebullience.
Performance history
It was composed and first performed to popular and critical acclaim in 1768.
Roles
The opera is scored for two flutes, two oboes, bassoon, two horns, strings, continuo.
ynopsis
An old man, Sempronio, is determined to marry a young woman, Grilletta, more for her money than for any other reason. This will remind opera lovers of
Il barbiere di Siviglia , but it is a love rectangle, not the usual triangle. Sempronio has not one young rival but two: his apprentice, Mengone, who has taken the job only to be near Grilletta, and Volpino, a young man about town."Lo speziale" prefigures
Mozart . It opens with an aria, that complains about an apprentice apothecary's job, much like Leporello's opening aria inDon Giovanni . The trouser role of Volpino reminds one of Cherubino inLe nozze di Figaro and the young lovers' use of disguises will callCosi fan tutte to mind.External links
* [http://opera.stanford.edu/Haydn/main.html Haydn Opera page at Stanford]
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