Il palazzo incantato explained

Il Palazzo incantato (The Enchanted Palace) or Il Palagio d’Atlante, overo La Guerriera Amante (The Palace of Atlantes, or The Warrior Woman in Love), or also Lealtà con valore (Loyalty with Bravery) is an opera in a prologue and three acts by the Italian composer Luigi Rossi. The libretto, by Giulio Rospigliosi, the future Pope Clement IX, is based on Ariosto's Orlando furioso. It was first performed in Rome in a lavish production at the Teatro delle Quattro Fontane (Palazzo Barberini) on 22 February 1642. Rossi was criticised for giving too much music to his friend, the castrato Marc'Antonio Pasqualini, who played Bradamante, at the expense of the other roles. Some of the highly complicated stage machinery failed to work during the performance. Revived by Opera Dijon in a January 2021 online production.

Roles

!Role!Voice type[1] !Premiere cast, 22 February 1642[2]
Pittura/Marfisasoprano castrato (en travesti)Pietro Paolo Visconti
Poesia/Fioralba (a woman)soprano castrato (en travesti)Michele Angelo Soldi
Musica/Olimpiasoprano castrato (en travesti)Santi Casata
Magia/Prasildosoprano castratoAngelo Ferrotti
Atlantealto (countertenor[3])Lorenzo Sances
OrlandotenorOdoardo Ceccarelli
Angelicasoprano castrato (en travesti)Loreto Vittori
Giant/MandricardobassBartolomeo Nicolini
Bradamantesoprano castrato (en travesti)Marc'Antonio Pasqualini
FerraùtenorGiacomo Brilli
SacripantebassAntonio Sarci
RuggierotenorFrancesco Bianchi
Astolfo/IroldotenorFrancesco Stilli
Alcestealto (countertenor[4])Mario Savioni
GradassobassGeronimo Navarra
Huntsman/False RuggierotenorFrancesco Acquisti
Doralicesoprano castrato (en travesti)[5] Giovanni Paolo Selli
Fiordiligisoprano castrato (en travesti)Ludovico Camelano
Echosoprano castrato
Finardo (a dwarf)soprano castratoZuradio

Synopsis

The magician Atlante captures Christian and pagan knights and ladies in his enchanted palace of illusions. Orlando, Ferraù and Sacripante enter the palace in search of Angelica. Bradamante seeks Ruggiero and, finding him with Angelica, vows to kill him in a fit of jealous rage. But Atlante calms things by reminding Angelica of her love for Medoro. Atlante feels threatened when Astolfo arrives as the knight is immune to his magic. Atlante convinces his captives that Astolfo is the enemy. Meanwhile, Ruggiero has broken the spell. Atlante responds by disguising himself as Ruggiero but when he is faced with a duel with the real Ruggiero he is forced to admit defeat. The magic palace vanishes and the knights and ladies are freed.

Notes

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Notes and References

  1. According to Marina Vaccarini.
  2. Prunières . Henry . January–March 1913 . Les représentations du Palazzo d'Atlante à Rome (1642). D'après des documents inédits . Sammelbände der Internationalen Musikgesellschaft . 2 . 14 . 221 . 929370 .
  3. According to Paolo Alberto Rismondo, Lorenzo Sances was a falsettist, not a castrato ("Sances, Giovanni Felice", in Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 90, 2017).
  4. Mario Savioni was an uncastrated male alto.
  5. This role is not included in Vaccarini's list.