G010003126831D Se Tu Conoscessi Semiramide, Sventurata La Diresti, Non Rea
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G010003126831D Se tu conoscessi Semiramide, sventurata la diresti, non rea. Kenntest du Semiramis, würdest du sie unglücklich nennen, nicht schuldig. Nessuno amò la povera regina, nessuno! Niemand liebt die arme Königin, nicht einer! Ella è sola, si sente sola nel suo vasto impero, come un’isola deserta sul mare. Sie ist allein, sie fühlt sich einsam in ihrem unermesslichen Imperium, wie eine verlassene Insel im Meer. Ognuno in lei vede e desidera la regina; Die Königin ist es, die alle in ihr sehen und begehren: nessuno ha amato la donna. Keiner liebt die Frau allein. Semiramide. Racconto babilonese (Anton Giulio Barrili, 1873) Semiramide. Racconto babilonese (Anton Giulio Barrili, 1873) If you knew Semiramis, you would call her unfortunate, not guilty. Si tu connaissais Sémiramis, tu la jugerais malheureuse, et non point coupable. No one loves the poor queen, no one! Personne n’aima la pauvre reine, personne! She is alone, she feels alone in her vast empire, Elle est seule, elle se sent seule dans son vaste empire, like a desert island in the sea. comme une île déserte au milieu de la mer. It is the queen that everyone sees in her and desires; Chacun voit et désire en elle la reine ; no one loved the woman. Mais jamais la femme ne fut aimée. Semiramide. Racconto babilonese (Anton Giulio Barrili, 1873) Semiramide. Racconto babilonese ( Anton Giulio Barrili, 1873 ) 3 S emiramide La Signora Regale ANTONIO CALDARA (1670–1736) SEMIRAMIDE IN ASCALONA | 1725 GIOVAN BATTISTA BORGHI (1738– 1796) LA MORTE DI SEMIRAMIDE | 1791 1 Introduzione * 4.22 9 Aria: “Figlio diletto e caro” * 5.07 2 Aria: “Povera navicella” * 4.07 SEBASTIANO NASOLINI (1768?–1798?) LA MORTE DI SEMIRAMIDE | 1792 NICOLA PORPORA (1686–1768) SEMIRAMIDE REGINA DELL’ASSIRIA | 1724 10 Recitativo e Aria con coro: “Fermati! Il ciel minaccia … 3 Aria: “Vanne fido, e al mesto regno” * 2.20 Deh sospendi ai pianti miei … Serbo ancora un’alma altera” * 9.41 NICCOLÒ JOMMELLI (1714–1774) SEMIRAMIDE RICONOSCIUTA | 1741 VINCENZO DI DONATO, Arsace | GIAN-LUCA ZOCCATELLI, Seleuco 4 Recitativo e Aria: “Barbaro … Tradita, sprezzata” * 5.52 CHARLES-SIMON CATEL (1773–1830) SÉMIRAMIS | 1802 ANDREA BERNASCONI (1706–1784) SEMIRAMIDE | 1765 11 Dance No. 2 * 3.28 5 Aria: “Ah non è vano il pianto” * 11.05 GIACOMO MEYERBEER (1791–1864) SEMIRAMIDE | 1819 TOMMASO TRAETTA (1727– 1779) SEMIRAMIDE | 1765 12 Recitativo e canzonetta con coro: “Più non si tardi… Il piacer, la gioia scenda” 6.31 6 Aria: “Il pastor se torna aprile” * 9.39 ELENA SPOTTI harp obbligata (harp Erard 1824, London) LUCA GIARDINI violin obbligato GIOACHINO ROSSINI (1792–1868) SEMIRAMIDE | 1823 GIOVANNI PAISIELLO (1740–1816) LA SEMIRAMIDE IN VILLA | 1772 13 Coro di donne e Cavatina: “Serena i vaghi rai… Bel raggio lusinghier” * / ** 7.57 7 Aria: “Serbo in seno il cor piagato” * 6.58 MANUEL GARCÍA (1775–1832) SEMIRAMIS | 1828 14 Recitativo e Aria: “Già il perfido discese … Al mio pregar t’arrendi” * 4.18 FRANCESCO BIANCHI (1752–1810) LA VENDETTA DI NINO | 1790 8 Sinfonia * 4.35 4 5 Bonus: GEORG FRIEDRICH HÄNDEL (1685–1759) pasticcio da LEONARDO VINCI (1696?–1730) SEMIRAMIDE RICONOSCIUTA | 1729–33 Aria: “Fuggi dagl’occhi miei” * 4.15 CHRISTOPH WILLIBALD GLUCK (1714–1787) SEMIRAMIDE RICONOSCIUTA | 1748 Aria: “Fuggi dagl’occhi miei” * 3.10 ANTONIO SALIERI (1750–1825) SEMIRAMIDE RICONOSCIUTA | 1782 Sinfonia 4.17 Total time: 1:37:26 * world premiere recordings ** world historical premiere Anna Bonitatibus mezzo-soprano Accademia degli Astrusi · La Stagione Armonica Federico Ferri 6 7 8 9 Introduction Semiramis, ‘Superwoman‘, builder and warrior, her eventful life. From Semi ra mi de in India by and sources, in turn, of precious rediscoveries. Bearing witness to the woman who really the 'Venus' of Mesopotamia, wife and queen, Francesco Sacrati (1648) to Semi ramis by existed, then became legendary, and finally achieved the status of myth. widow and mother. Michael Hamel (1983): a long journey that por- Anna Bonitatibus Who in reality is this heroine who has been trays every aspect of this first Queen of the celebrated and condemned through centuries Orient, delivering her once and for all from of the wide-ranging pursuit of knowledge? the dark moralistic mantle that in spite of Beautiful Semiramis, go gaily, Looking at the answers provided by archa- herself has shrouded her over the course of delighting, among joyous and warm-hearted people, e ological science, Assyriology in particular, the centuries. in the glory with which I adorn you, and the modest one element stands out above all: compared Considering the enormous variety of styles splendour of your quiet and honorable brilliance. with the copious tangible evidence relating to and musical forms, what is proposed here is So much my voice may give you, and so much male sovereigns of the past, traces of Semiramis only one of infinite possible itineraries, and is gifted upon it, therefore, by Phoebus. seem insubstantial, almost fleeting. But while springs from the desire to give an account of But desire far exceeds capability. Assyro-Baby lo nian kings find that their me mo - at least the main poetic conceptions in which Perhaps it will be that I sing of you in few words ry is safeguarded in statues and ceremonial the operas bearing the name of Semiramide greater things in greater style; but noble engravings, Semiramis has an unhoped-for have had their origin. will be the story; and one accompanied by tears. and exclusive monumentum: Music! It is music The intention, moreover, is to cast new light that restores to us the features of a figure who on forgotten composers, or those whose works from La Semiramis boscareccia by Mutio Manfredi (1593) even today remains emblematic and who is are rarely performed, creating an imaginary L’Autore all’Opera yet to claim a place within the context of truth. scaffolding befitting the construction of the More than one hundred compositions magnificent edifice that is 'the Music of inspired by her – a veritable all-time record in Semiramide'. musical drama – lift the curtain on her story, A manifold universe par excellence, inviting us to listen to her thoughts, to pass Semiramis offers us furthermore the opportu- through her sumptuous palaces, to witness the nity to approach her charismatic aura through explosive intrigues and passions that mark some figurative works of art inspired by her 10 11 The Royal Lady Šamiran – Šamiram – Semiramis – Sammuramat – Semiramide, < 824 BC, Salmanassar III dies; Šamši-Adad is elected King. Sammuramat becomes Queen a Syrian woman whose Aramaic name means “Sammu [a god] is almighty”. Consort. < 822 BC sees the birth of Adad-narari III, son of the young rulers of Assyria. < She is born around 850 BC in a Syro-Palestinian locality, an area settled by an Aramaean < Šamši-Adad carries out numerous military cam paigns among which the most important population, which although politically independent is under the de facto rule of Assyria, will be those conducted against Babylon, des pite Sammuramat's advocacy of seeking having to pay enormous tributes in goods, men and women. peace. < Here she spends her childhood. In her eyes the great Assyrian king Salmanassar III, who < 812 BC, the boundaries imposed by Šamši-Adad are intolerable to the new Babylonian king achieves great feats as leader of his own army, is at this stage no more than a hated enemy; and his people, giving rise to a famous revolt. The Assyrian king, Sammuramat's husband, he will soon become her father-in-law. is killed. As soon as she hears the news, Sammuramat goes to Babylon to quell the in- < She arrives in Assyria, perhaps among the prisoners captured by Salmanassar as war booty: surrection. She will return victorious to Assyria, exalted at last by her own people. “A beautiful Syrian woman brought to the capital as an addition to the royal harem, but < Adad-narari III is about 10 years old, and in 811 BC, after a period of reorganization, with whom the crown prince will immediately become infatuated.”1 Sammuramat-Semiramis assumes the regency, though in deference to her son's claim to < She marries Šamši-Adad V, crown prince of Assyria and a valiant fighter. The marriage is the title and the succession. approved by Salmanassar and yet initially considered totally scandalous by the Assyrian < Ascending almost by accident to the most coveted throne in Eastern Antiquity, nobility, given that the Assyrians have been at war with the Aramaeans for over two hun- Sammuramat- Semiramis’s wisely does not proclaim herself Queen but simply rules with dred years. the title of ‘Royal Lady’, followed by ‘Wife of Šamši-Adad V, mother of Adad-narari III and < Although only twenty, she understands the astuteness of this political move by a father- daughter-in-law of Salmanassar III.’ in-law who is king, and who by choosing a Syrian for his daughter-in-law ensures peace < Sammuramat continues with the construction of the new palace of Nineveh, begun by her with the Aramaean states. Having to confront the open hostility of the Assyrians, “she husband. immediately took on the role as adviser to the young prince and perhaps it is she who < She introduces into Assyria the institutional figure of the ‘Queen Mother’, who is given the ought to be credited with the settling of hostilities and the right to govern in the absence of the reigning son, a practice unknown before then among re-establishment of peace between the warring factions.”1 the Assyrians and in Mesopotamia. < The royal consorts reside in the imposing palace of Calah and adopt the custom of < She undertakes the renovation of Calah, initiates the construction of two new palaces, Assyrian sovereigns of resorting for pleasure to Imgur-Eulil, modern-day Balawat.