Semirâma is an opera in three acts by Ottorino Respighi to a libretto by Alessandro Cerè based on Voltaire's 1748 play Sémiramis, the same subject used for Rossini's Semiramide. Semirâma premiered on 20 November 1910 at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna. The première obtained a great success, with several calls for the composer and the singers.[1]
| Semirâma | |
|---|---|
| Opera by Ottorino Respighi | |
 Respighi in 1912 | |
| Librettist | Alessandro Cerè |
| Language | Italian |
| Based on | Voltaire's Sémiramis |
| Premiere | 20 November 1910 |
In this opera, which often exploits the exotic cues offered by the subject, it is possible to find influences of Salome by Richard Strauss.[2]
Roles
edit| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 20 November 1910 Conductor: Rodolfo Ferrari[3] |
|---|---|---|
| Semirâma, Queen of Babylon | soprano | Elsa Bland |
| Merôdach, Leader of Babylonian armies, Son of Nino and Semirâma | tenor | Giuseppe Borgatti |
| Falâsar, Tetrarch of Assyria | baritone | Edoardo Faticanti |
| Susiâna, Chaldean Princess | soprano | Maria Llacer-Casali |
| Ormus, Wizard in the temple of Baal | bass | Giulio Cirino |
| Satibara, Priestess in the temple of Baal | bass | Domenico Casadio |
| First slave of Semirâma | soprano | |
| Second slave of Semirâma | soprano |
Instrumentation
editSemirâma is scored for the following instruments:[4]
piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, E-flat clarinet, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, double bassoon, 6 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, bass tuba, timpani, triangle, sistrum, cymbals, celesta, bass drum, xylophone, tam-tam, harp, strings
Synopsis
edit- Place: Babylon
Act 1: The return
editAn unknown but brave warrior, Merôdach, returns home after victorious combats. The queen Semirâma, lover of the tetrarch Falâsar, who several years before to conquer the woman had her husband killed and her son Ninya banished, becomes infatuated with the mysterious hero. Merôdach, after his arrival, meets Susiâna, a woman that was a close friend of his during their childhood. They remind their old friendship, but the passion of Semirâma looms over them.
Act 2: The response
editFalâsar, afraid of losing Semirâma, consults the wizard Ormus. Semirâma announces clearly to Falâsar that she intends to marry Merôdach. Falâsar tries to convince Semirâma that Merôdach is her own son Ninya, returning from exile as a valiant soldier, but Semirâma does not believe him. The response of Ormus is ominous.
Act 3: The matricide
editThe wedding between Semirâma and Merôdach is about to take place. Susiâna, informed by Falâsar of the true identity of Merôdach, reveals the story to her old friend. Merôdach thinks this is a slander and tries to kill Falâsar, but in the darkness instead of striking the tetrarch kills his own mother.
Recordings
edit1990: Lamberto Gardelli, Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, Hungarian State Radio and Television Chorus, CD Hungaroton Cat. 31197/98[5]
| |
|---|---|
Semirâma: Éva Marton |
Falâsar: Lajos Miller |
References
edit- ^ "Il successo di Semirâma del M.° O. Respighi a Bologna". La Stampa (in Italian). Turin. 21 November 1910. p. 5. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
- ^ Johnson, Bret (2013-07-12). "Respighi". Tempo. 67 (265): 118–119. doi:10.1017/S0040298213000752. ISSN 0040-2982. S2CID 233357536.
- ^ Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Semirâma, 20 November 1910". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
- ^ "Ottorino Respighi. Catalogo delle composizioni suddiviso per generi musicali: Opere liriche". flaminioonline.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2 January 2015.
- ^ "Ottorino Respighi – Semirama – Lamberto Gardelli (1990)". operaclass.com. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
