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

Ciro in Babilonia; ossia, La caduta di Baldassare <Italian> / Cyrus in Babylon; or, The fall of Belshazzar (1812) is an opera by Gioachino Rossini (mus.) and Francesco Aventi (libr.).

Abstract

This story of the fall of Babylon is based largely on the Bible. Belshazzar (Baldassare), Cyrus (Ciro) and Daniel (Daniello) are among the characters.

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, performances

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

Performance History

• Ciro in Babilonia (Cyrus in Babylon / 1812 / @1812 Rossini), Ferrara production, world premiere (opera)

• Ciro in Babilonia (Cyrus in Babylon / 1813 / @1812 Rossini), Mantua production, world premiere (opera)

• Ciro in Babilonia (Cyrus in Babylon / 1817 / @1812 Rossini), Padua production (opera)

• Ciro in Babilonia (Cyrus in Babylon / 1820 / @1812 Rossini), Naples production (opera)

• Ciro in Babilonia (Cyrus in Babylon / 1823 / @1812 Rossini), London production (opera) -- 30 January 1823 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London - UK premiere - in concert

• Also performed in many Italian cities and in Munich (1816), Lisbon, Vienna (1817), Weimar (1819), and Dresden (Königlich Sächsisches Theater, 1822), until about 1827. Then it disappeared until 1988.

• Ciro in Babilonia (Cyrus in Babylon / 1988 Rizzi / @1812 Rossini), sound recording (opera)

• Ciro in Babilonia (Cyrus in Babylon / 2004 Fogliani / @1812 Rossini), sound recording (opera)

• Ciro in Babilonia (Cyrus in Babylon / 2008 Malgoire / @1812 Rossini), sound recording (opera)

• Ciro in Babilonia (Cyrus in Babylon / 2013 Crutchfield / Livermore, Biggiero / @1812 Rossini), video recording (opera)

External links

• Wikipedia