Asrael Explained

Asrael
Composer:Alberto Franchetti
Type:leggenda
Librettist:Ferdinando Fontana
Language:Italian
Premiere Location:Teatro Municipale di Reggio

Asrael is a leggenda or opera in four acts by composer Alberto Franchetti and librettist Ferdinando Fontana. The plot, based on German fairy tale and folklore, displays the conflict between the spirit of evil and the spirit of Christian love, represented by Asrael and Nefta respectively. The work is Franchetti's first opera and displays strong influences of Meyerbeer and Wagner, mixed with late 19th-century Italian idioms. The opera premiered at the Teatro Municipale di Reggio on 11 February 1888.[1] The opera made its United States debut at the Metropolitan Opera on 26 November 1890 with Andreas Dippel in the title role.[2]

Roles

!Role!Voice type!Premiere cast, 11 February 1888
Nefta/Suor ClotildesopranoVirginia Damerini
AsraeltenorLadislao Mierzwinski
Lorettamezzo-sopranoGiulia Novelli
Lucifero/re di BrabantebassLodovico Contini
LiboriasopranoMaria Pia
ContadinobassFrancesco Carmignani
AraldobassUlisse Peroni

Notes and References

  1. [Jürgen Maehder]
  2. Metropolitan Opera Archives Dippel, Andreas (Tenor). Accessed 25 January 2009.