L’Olimpiade (Vivaldi) Vicenza 2020 Patrizio La Placa, Daniela Salvo, Francesca Lione, Sandro Rossi

L’Olimpiade by Antonio Vivaldi,
Teatro Olimpico,  Vicenza, Vicenza
2020

Clistene, Patrizio La Placa
Aristea, Daniela Salvo
Argene, Francesca Lione
Licida, Sandro Rossi
Megacle, Emma Alessi Innocenti
Aminta, Maddalena De Biasi
Alcandro, Elcin Huseynov
voce narrante, Stefania Carlesso
attori, Luca Rossi, Francesco Motta
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Conductor: Francesco Erle
Ensemble barocco del Festival Vicenza in Lirica

Stage Director: Bepi Morassi
Costume Designer: Carlos Tieppo
Lightning Designer: Abdrea Grussu
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L’Olimpiade is an opera libretto in three acts by Metastasio originally written for an operatic setting by Antonio Caldara of 1733. Metastasio’s plot vaguely draws upon the narrative of “The Trial of the Suitors” provided from Book 6 of The Histories of Herodotus, which had previously been the base for Apostolo Zeno’s libretto Gli inganni felici (1695). The story, set in Ancient Greece at the time of the Olympic Games, is about amorous rivalry and characters’ taking places to gain the loved one. The story ends with the announcement of two marriages.

Metastasio, as Imperial court poet at the court of Vienna, was requested to write the libretto to help celebrate the birthday of Empress Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in 1733. The court composer Caldara was assigned to compose the music. The libretto attracted attention immediately and productions were soon mounted across Europe. Metastasio himself commented to Saverio Mattei that L’Olimpiade had been “performed and repeated in all the theatres of Europe”. Indeed, it ranks with Metastasio’s Demofoonte and Didone abbandonata, which were excelled in popularity only by Artaserse and Alessandro nell’Indie. The popularity of L’Olimpiade may subsequently have prompted Metastasio’s La Nitteti, a twin drama in several respects.

Synopsis

Place: Ancient Greece Time: During the Olympic Games
Act 1
Megacles arrives in Sicyon just in time to enter the Olympic Games under the name of Lycidas, a friend who once saved his life. Unknown to Megacles, Lycidas is in love with Aristaea, whose hand is to be offered to the winner of the games by her father, King Cleisthenes. Lycidas, once betrothed to Princess Argene of Crete, is unaware that Megacles and Aristaea already love each other, and he subsequently tells his friend of the prize. Aristaea and Megacles greet each other fondly, but Megacles now feels bound by his promise to compete as Lycidas. Meanwhile, Argene arrives in Olympia disguised as a shepherdess, to win back Lycidas.

Act 2
Megacles wins the games, confesses the truth to Aristaea and departs, broken-hearted. When Lycidas comes to claim her, Aristaea reproaches him, as does the disguised Argene, much to his dismay. Amyntas, tutor to Lycidas, reports that Megacles has drowned himself, and King Cleisthenes, apprised of the deception, banishes Lycidas.

Act 3
Argene prevents the desperate Aristaea from suicide, Megacles is rescued by a fisherman, and Lycidas contemplates the assassination of the king. Aristaea pleads mercy for Lycidas and Argene offers herself in his place; as proof that she is a princess, she shows Cleisthenes a chain given her by Lycidas. He recognizes it as belonging to his son, abandoned in infancy to forestall the prophecy that he would kill his father. Lycidas, reinstated, accepts Argene, leaving his sister to Megacles.

Quoted from Wikipedia