Erismena

Erismena is an opera in a prologue and three acts by Francesco Cavalli. It was designated as a dramma per musica. The Italian libretto was by Aurelio Aureli, the only work by this writer for Cavalli.

Erismena is the first full-length opera known to have been translated into English and may have been first performed in England in 1674.

Performance history

It was first performed in Venice at the Teatro Sant 'Apollinare on 30 December 1655^[1] with further performances between that date and 28 February 1656. Cavalli revised the work in 1670. Both versions have survived as well as one with an English translation, also dated to the 17th century.

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, December 30, 1655 (Conductor: - )
Erimante, King of Media	bass
Erismena, daughter of Erimante	soprano
Aldimira, favourite of Erimante	soprano
Alcesta, Aldimira's former nurse	contralto
Idraspe (Erineo), Prince of Iberia	contralto
Orimeno, Prince of Colchus	soprano
Agrippo, servant of Orimeno	bass
Diarte, a prison guard	bass
Clerio	soprano
Flerida	soprano
Oriste	bass

Recordings

Pier Francesco Cavalli: L'Erismena - Oakland Symphony Orchestra - 'Sung in English

• Conductor: Alan Curtis
• Principal singers: Walt McKibben (Alcesta), Carole Bogard (Aldimira), Edward Jameson (Argippo), Leslie Retallick (Clerio), Edgar Jones (Diark), Walter Matthes (Erimante), Delreen Hafenrichter (Erismena), Holly Alonso (Flerida), Melvin Brown (Idraspe), Paul Esswood (Orimeno)
• Recording date: 1968
• Label: Vox - SVBX 5213 (LPs)

References

Notes

1. Amadeus Almanac (see references) gives the date as 26 December 1655.

Sources

• Casaglia, Gherardo (2005).[http://www.amadeusonline.net/almanacco?r=&alm_testo=Erismena "Erismena"]. Almanacco Amadeus (Italian).
• Clinkscale, Martha Novak (1992), " Erismena " in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7
• Hall, George (2006, October 9) "Erismena" The Guardian. Accessed 7 September 07.