Gismondo, Rè di Polonia
Opera by Leonardo Vinci
Frontispiece from the libretto of the 1727 Rome premiere of Gismondo, Rè di Polonia
LibrettistFrancesco Briani
LanguageItalian
Premiere
11 January 1727 (1727-01-11)
Teatro delle Dame, Rome

Gismondo, rè di Polonia ossia il vincitor generoso ("Sigismund, King of Poland or the Generous Victor") is an opera (dramma per musica) whose libretto was written by Francesco Briani and with music composed by Leonardo Vinci.[1]

It was first performed in Rome, at the Teatro delle Dame on 11 January 1727 as part of the festivities of the Carnival.

The original libretto, written for Lotti's opera of the same name, is an homage to Frederick IV of Denmark lauding monarchic values and diplomatic virtues. In the same spirit, Vinci's opera is dedicated to "Giacomo III, Rè della Gran Brettagna &c.", i.e. James Francis Edward Stuart.[2][3][4]

Synopsis

In order to put an end to their war, the king of Poland (Gismondo) and the duke of Lithuania (Primislao) are trying to negotiate a peace alliance in the form of a marriage between Otone (son of Gismondo) and Cunegonda (Primislao’s daughter) who happen to be in love. But when the peace process is sabotaged Primislao believes Gismondo responsible for his public humiliation and the war starts again. After a particularly violent battle Primislao is believed dead, leading Cunegonda to seek revenge on Otone. However it is revealed that Giuditta, Otone's sister, who, from the start, was secretly in love with Primislao, has rescued the latter and peace can now be made.[4]

Roles

The original cast were all castrati, as the opera was produced in Rome, where women were forbidden to appear on stage.[4]

Roles, voice types, premiere cast
Role Voice type Premiere cast[2]
Gismondo

King of Poland

 castrato Giovanni Battista Minelli
Primislao

Duke of Lituania

 tenor Antonio Barbieri
Otone

Gismondo's son, Cunegonde's lover.

 castrato Filippo Balatri
Cunegonda

Primislao's daughter. Otone's lover.

 castrato soprano Giacinto Fontana, aka Farfallino
Giuditta

Gismondo's daughter. Primislao's lover.

 castrato soprano Giovanni Maria Morosi, aka Morosino
Ernesto

Prince of Livonia, Giuditta's lover.

 castrato Giovanni Ossi
Ermano

Prince of Moravia, General of Gismondo's army, also Giuditta's lover.

 castrato Giovanni Andrea Tassi


Recordings

References

  1. ↑ Markstrom, Kurt (20 January 2001). "Vinci, Leonardo". Grove Music Online. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 Briani, Francesco; Vinci, Leonardo (1727). Gismondo, re' di Polonia; dramma per musica da rappresentarsi nel teatro detto delle dame nel carnevale dell'anno 1727 (1st ed.). Rome: Bernabò.
  3. ↑ "VINCI Gismondo, re di Polonia (Pastuszka)". Gramophone. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  4. 1 2 3 Fuller, Nicholas (2021-02-05). "201. Gismondo, re di Polonia (Vinci)". The Opera Scribe. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
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