La morte di Cesare

La morte di Cesare (The Death of Caesar) is an opera seria in three acts by Francesco Bianchi. The libretto was by Gaetano Sertor, after Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.

La morte di Cesare
Opera seria by Francesco Bianchi
The composer in 1805
LibrettistGaetano Sertor
LanguageItalian
Based onShakespeare's Julius Caesar
Premiere
27 December 1788 (1788-12-27)
Teatro San Samuele, Venice

La morte di Cesare was one of six texts that Sertor wrote for Bianchi, influencing a popular series of Venetian 'morte' operas in the 1790s. While the murder itself was not shown on the stage, the audience were left with the body of Caesar conspicuously in view during the closing scenes.

As with other Bianchi operas, there were innovations: the chorus participated actively in the drama, there was a ballet and a pantomime, a duet for two men, and a final oath scene (giuramento), besides the basically unconventional tragic ending.[1]

Performance history

The opera was first performed at the Teatro San Samuele in Venice on 27 December 1788.

Roles
Role Voice type Premiere Cast, 27 December 1788[2]
(Conductor: )
Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar) soprano castrato Gaspare Pacchierotti
Calfurnia (Calpurnia) soprano Anna Casentini
Antonio (Mark Antony) bass Niccolò Perotti
Cassio (Cassius) tenor Filippo Martinelli
Bruto (Brutus) tenor Matteo Babini
Porzia (Porcia) soprano Antonia Viscardini
Albino soprano castrato Michele Cavanna

Synopsis

The subject of the opera is the conspiracy, led by Cassio, Bruto and Porzia, to murder Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar) in Rome in 44 BC. Giulio Cesare's loving relationship with Calfurnia forms a subplot.

References
  1. McClymonds, Marita P (1992), 'Sertor, Gaetano' in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera vol 4 p 328
  2. Libretti d'opera-Università di Padova Archived 2012-03-23 at the Wayback Machine
  • Casaglia, Gherardo (2005)."La morte di Cesare". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
  • McClymonds, Marita P (1992), Morte di Cesare, La in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7
  • McClymonds, Marita P (1992), 'Sertor, Gaetano' in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7
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