Ciro in Babilonia (Cyrus in Babylon / 1812 Rossini / Aventi), opera

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2013 Crutchfield (video recording)
2004 Fogliani (sound recording)
1988 Rizzi (sound recording)

Ciro in Babilonia; ossia, La caduta di Baldassare <Italian> / Cyrus in Babylon; or, The Fall of Belshazzar (1812) is an "azione sacra," set to music by Gioachino Rossini.

~ Libretto by Francesco Aventi.

Abstract

This story of the Fall of Babylon is based largely on the Book of Daniel. Rossini composed an "azione sacra", i.e., a scenic oratorio or quasi-opera, which could be either staged or presented in concert form.

Characters

  • Belshazzar / Baldassare, King of Assyria = tenor
  • Cyrus / Ciro, King of Persia = contralto
  • Amira, wife of Ciro = soprano
  • Argene, confidant of Amira = mezzo-soprano
  • Zambri, Babylonian prince = bass
  • Arbace, captain in Baldassare's army = tenor
  • Daniel / Daniello, prophet = bass

Editions

Performance History

Premiered in Ferrara, Italy: Teatro Comunale, 14 March 1812.

  • Also performed in many Italian cities and in Munich (1816), Lisbon, Vienna (1817), Weimar (1819), and Dresden (Königlich Sächsisches Theater, 1822). Then it disappeared until 1988.

Sound & Video Recordings

Savona 1988 (stage production, sound recording)

  • Orchestra sinfonica di San Remo -- Coro Francesco Cilea di Reggio Calabria (dir. Massimo Sabbatini).

Audio recording of a performance in the Teatro Chiabrera, Savona, Italy (30 October 1988). Released in Milan [Italy]: Arkadia, 1991.

2004 (sound recording)

  • Württembergische Philharmonie Orchestra -- ARS Brunensis Chamber Choir

Recorded at 3 performances at the Wildbad Festival, July 2004.

2008 (sound recording)

  • La Grande Ecurie et La Chambre du Roy -- Choeur de Chambre de Namur

2013 (video recording)

  • Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna

"The Biblical story of Belshazzar's hubristic arrogance, set against the valor of the young warrior-leader Cyrus, provided the 20-year-old Rossini with a dramatic story enriched by West-Eastern implications which still speak to us today. For the title role of Cyrus, Rossini wrote what would be his longest-ever contralto role, to which the great Rossini singer Ewa Podles is both naturally attracted and ideally suited. She is partnered by two young stars of Rossini singing, Jessica Pratt and Michael Spyres, and a conductor-scholar, Will Crutchfield, of great experience and sympathy. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true Surround Sound."--Publisher description.

External links

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