I due timidi (in English, The Two Timid Ones) is a one-act radio opera (also described as a commedia lirica) composed in 1950 by Nino Rota[1] with libretto by the film writer Suso Cecchi d'Amico.[2]
It was originally written as a radio production for Radio Audizioni Italiane[3] and first performed, on air, on 15 November 1950. The first staged production was in London at the Scala Theatre (London Opera Club) on 17 March 1952. It was also given at the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari on 18 January 1971, and at the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo on 23 October 1972.
It was revived by the Wiener Kammeroper opera company in Vienna in 2007.[4] [5] and again by the Santa Fe Opera as part of their "One-Hour Opera" program in the spring of 2008.[6]
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 15 November 1950 (Conductor: Franco Ferrara) |
|---|---|---|
| Mariuccia | soprano | Emma Tegani |
| Lucia | soprano | Graziella Sciutti |
| Maria | soprano | Mirella Ronconi |
| Signora Guidotti | mezzo-soprano | Agnese Dubbini |
| Lisa | mezzo-soprano | Scilly Fortunato |
| Raimondo | tenor | Amedeo Berdini |
| Dr Sinisgalli | tenor | Mario Carlin |
| Vittorio | baritone | Lorenzo Catacchio |
| Narrator | Bass | Franco Calabrese |
| Mariuccia's mother | mezzo-soprano | |
Rota: I due timidi, La notte di un nevrastenico, Orchestra Filarmonia Veneta 'G F Malipiero', Chorus of the Teatro Sociale di Rovigo Conductor: Flavio Emilio Scogna Principal singers: Paolo Drigo, Shin Young-Hoon, Sabrina Testa, Lorenzo Battagion, Nunzio Galli, Giuliano Scaranello Release date: 2005 Label: Bongiovanni 2367 (CD)