FULL LE CINESI (Gluck) Sommacampagna 2000 Diana Pelegatti, Sabrina Modena, Inés Olabarria Smith, Ruben Martinez
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Le Cinesi
- Composer: Gluck Christoph Willibald
- Libretto: Pietro Metastasio Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: Villa Venier, Sommacampagna, Italy
- Recorded: August 21, 2000
- Type: Staged Opera Live
- Singers: Diana Pelegatti, Sabrina Modena, Inés Olabarria Smith, Ruben Martinez
- Conductor: Paolo Savio
- Orchestra: Verona Classica
- Stage Director: Giorgio Bagnoli
- Stage Designer: Giorgio Bagnoli
- Costume Designer: Giorgio Bagnoli
Information about the Recording
- Published by: GBopera Channel 2
- Date Published: 2024
- Format: Unknown
- Quality Video: 2 Audio:2
- Subtitles: yessubs, itsubs, gensubs
- Video Recording from: YouTube FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
Le cinesi (The Chinese Women) is an opera in one act, with music composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck. The Italian-language libretto was by Pietro Metastasio, and he described it as a componimento drammatico. This libretto had first been set by Antonio Caldara in 1735. For Gluck’s rework, the piece is often considered as an azione teatrale, even though Metastasio and the composer both retained the original designation. The work was first performed for the Austrian royal family at the Schloss Hof on 24 September 1754, on the occasion of the visit of the Empress Maria Theresa to the household of Saxe-Hildburghausen.
Max Loppert has commented on Gluck’s relationship with the Austrian royal family and its bearings on this work. The work has also been characterized as a satire on then-contemporary opera conventions.
Synopsis
The Chinese women of the title are Lisinga and her two friends, Tangia and Sivene. The only other character is Lisinga’s brother Silango, who has just returned from Europe. To entertain him, they perform arias in contrasting styles:
Lisinga sings a tragic scena, as the character of Andromache.
Sivene and Silango sing a pastoral duet as shepherdess and shepherd, respectively. The two already share romantic feelings towards each other.
Tangia, who is envious of Silango’s affection towards Sivene, sings a comic aria that pokes fun at a young Parisian dandy standing before a mirror, and thus indirectly satirising Sivene.
The characters agree that each style has its drawbacks. The opera concludes with a ballet, The Judgment of Paris, sung as a vocal quartet.