Usuario:Nesdran/Operas Handel

The opera house in the Haymarket —first known as the Queen's Theatre and then later as the King's Theatre— where many of Handel's works were first performed. Illustration by William Capon.

Las operas de George Frideric Handel comprende 42 dramas musicales compuestos entre 1705 y 1741 en varios generos. He began composing operas in Germany and then for a brief time in Italia to modest success. It wasn't until he came to England that he truly found great success in the genre. His first opera in England, Rinaldo (1711), was met with enthusiasm, and several more Italian operas soon followed. However, Handel's place as the central figure of opera in England during the eighteenth century was not solidified until, under the influence of Thomas Arne, he began composing large-scale works with English language texts. Though almost all of his English language works are technically oratorios and not operas, several of them, such as Semele (1743), have become an important part of the opera repertoire.

During the 36 years in which Italian opera was his principal concern, Handel adhered closely to the typical form of the era, determined by the precedence given to solo singing and to stage presentation in which set changes were made in front of the audience and the curtain not lowered until the work's conclusion. Recitatives preceded solo arias, usually in da capo form (though frequently with an abridged return to the chief section), dominate the operas, and scenes are normally devised to start with several characters on stage, each of whom sings an aria and then exits. The last scene typically concludes with a coro sung by the soloists; ensembles are otherwise atypical and mainly limited to scenes of communal celebration; only "Dall’orror" in Act 3 of Alcina (1735) reaches the depth of the choruses in the English choral works. Handel’s operas therefore seem to be highly similar to those of his contemporaries; what makes them unique is the brilliance of the music which skillfully conveys with instant fervor the emotional states of the characters within the context of the drama.

Introducción

Primera Edición del manuscrito deGiulio Cesare(1724). Esta opera es la mas conocida y famosa del corpus de su autor, siendo considerada el pináculo del subgénero de la Opera seria.

Handel's earlier operas tended to be of a lighter nature, although there are intermittent moments, such as the prison scene from Almira (1705), which are highly dramatic. Handel's music for his first operas in England was often derived from musical ideas and idioms found in his cantatas and other works written during his time spent in Italia (1706–09). For example, the characteristic harmonic structure of Agrippina (1709) is obviously a retention of material from this Italian period. In general, the orchestrations of Handel's earlier operas tended to be richer and smoother than in his later works, utilizing additional instruments like bassoons to achieve different tone colours. The music for Rinaldo (1711) notably utilizes four trumpets, an instrumental choice that Handel never repeated elsewhere.

Comenzando con Radamisto (1720), Handel compuso bastantes operas para la Royal Academy of Music entre 1720 y 1728. Con la excepción de Flavio (1723), las operas de este periodo tienen un tono serio, y la expresión musical, muy austera, en la linea de las primeras operas suyas. De particular importancia en este periodo, Julio Cesar(1724) contiene una de las partituras mas poderosas, expansivas y emotivas no solo del Sajón, si no de la opera en si, siendo considerada la cumbre del genero en la época barroca y del subgénero de la opera seria. Su música suntuosa y las grandes caracterizaciones de sus personajes hicieron de este titulo uno de los mas famosos y una de las primeras operas en poner en escena en el siglo XX con el renacimiento de las operas del Sajón. Otros títulos que tienen singular importancia en este periodo son Ottone, Tarmelano, Rodelinda, Admeto y Tolomeo. Tanto en Tarmelano y Rodelinda tienen la particularidad de que un tenor tiene el papel principal de Héroe, escrito especialmente para el tenor Francesco Borosini. Las ultimas operas de este periodo, de 1726 hasta 1728, están escritas en un clima de competitividad entre dos celebres sopranos de su tiempo,Francesca Cuzzoni y Faustina Bordoni, repartiendo números y protagonismo iguales para las primas donnas.

Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533) autor del poema Orlando Furioso, fue referencia para el libretto de tres de las operas mas famosas de Handel: Orlando, Alcina, and Ariodante.

During the 1730s, Handel returned to writing operas of a comic and fantastic or heroic nature, largely because he no longer had to cater to the tastes of the Academy when choosing librettos. These works, such as Partenope (1730), Orlando (1733) and Alcina (1735), were influenced by the operas of Leonardo Vinci and Leonardo Leo and are written in a pre-classical manner. During this period, Handel began to more frequently utilize the scena in his works, and by the mid-1730s he was writing some of his most dramatically moving arias, such as the mad scene of Orlando and the end of Act 2 of Alcina. The size of the orchestras for these works was also larger, with Handel typically employing 12 violins, 8 violas, 6 cellos, 4 double basses, and two harpsichords in addition to four bassoons and a number of other wind instruments. In operas like Oreste (1734), Handel attempted to synthesize Italian opera with French opera in the sequences of dances and choruses , but made no further experimentation in this area outside of the operas of 1734 and 1735. Two of the operas from this period, Ariodante (1735) and Atalanta (1736), were a departure from the traditionally heroic librettos used by Handel, adopting a more realistic romantic intimacy.

Senesino, Celebre castrato que trabajo con Handel entre 1720 y 1733

By the late 1730s, Handel's attention was increasingly diverted away from composing operas and was much more focused on the English oratorio. A number of his operas from 1737 on lack the brilliance of his eariler works, most likely due to this shift in focus. Nevertheless, his operas Giustino (1737) and Serse (1738) contain some very fine music. Serse is also notable for successfully mixing comedy and poignant tragedy into a masterfully crafted plot, a development repeated less successfully in Imeneo (1740). Handel's last Italian opera, Deidamia, was produced in 1741 and was not received very well as England's taste for Italian opera had waned. Handel returned one more time to theatre music for the semi-opera Alceste in 1750.

Las Operas

The following is a complete list of Handel's operatic works. All are opera seria in three acts, unless otherwise stated.

HWV	Titulo	Libreto	Fecha de estreno	Lugar de estreno	Revival moderno	class="unsortable"|Notas
1	Almira (Der in Krohnen erlangte Glücks-Wechsel, oder: Alimira, Königin von Castilien)	Friedrich Christian Feustking, after Giulio Pancieri	8 de Enero de 1705	Hamburgo, Theater am Gänsemarkt	4 de Junio de 1994, Halleschen Händelfestspiele, Bad Lauchstädt	'Definido como un Singspiel, pero no tiene dialogo habado
2	Nero (Die durch Blut und Mord erlangete Liebe)	{{Hs|Feustking}}Friedrich Christian Feustking	{{Hs|1705-02-25}}25 February 1705	Hamburg, Theater am Gänsemarkt		Music lost
3	Florindo (Der beglückte Florindo)	{{Hs|Hinsch}}Hinrich Hinsch	{{Hs|1708-01-01}}January 1708	Hamburg, Theater am Gänsemarkt		Almost all of the music is lost
4	Daphne (Die verwandelte Daphne)	{{Hs|Hinsch}}Hinrich Hinsch	{{Hs|1708-01-02}}January 1708	Hamburg, Theater am Gänsemarkt		A sequel to Florindo, intended to be performed on the day after it. Almost all of the music is lost
5	Rodrigo (Vincer se stesso è la maggior vittoria)	{{Hs|Silvani}}After Francesco Silvani's II duello d'Amore e di Vendetta Italian libretto	{{Hs|1707-11-00}}c, November 1707	Florence, Teatro di via del Cocomero	{{Hs|1984-00-00}}1984, Innsbruck	Some music is lost
6	Agrippina	{{Hs|Grimani}}Vincenzo Grimani	{{Hs|1709-12-26}}26 December 1709 / early 1710	Venice, Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo	{{Hs|1943-00-00}}1943, Halle
7a/b	Rinaldo	{{Hs|Rossi}}Giacomo Rossi/Aaron Hill, after Tasso, La Gerusalemme liberata, Italian libretto	{{Hs|1711-02-24}}24 February 1711	London, Queen's Theatre	{{Hs|1954-06-00}}June 1954, Halle	HWV 7b is the 1731 revision; the libretto of a revision of 1717 also exists
8a/b/c	{{Hs|Pastor fido}}Il pastor fido	{{Hs|Rossi}}Giacomo Rossi, after Giovanni Battista Guarini 8b Italian libretto, 8c Italian libretto	{{Hs|1712-11-22}}22 November 1712	London, Queen's Theatre	{{Hs|1948-06-20}}20 June 1948, Gotinga (third, November 1734 version); 14 September 1971, Abingdon, (first, 1712 version)	HWV 8b/c are the revivals of May and November 1734
9	Teseo	{{Hs|Haym}}Nicola Francesco Haym, after Philippe Quinault's libretto for Thésée Italian libretto	{{Hs|1713-01-10}}10 January 1713	London, Queen's Theatre	{{Hs|1947-06-29}}29 June 1947, Gotinga	5 acts
10	Silla	{{Hs|Rossi}}Giacomo Rossi, after Plutarch's Life of Sulla Italian libretto	{{Hs|1713-06-02}}2 June 1713?	London, Queen's Theatre? (or Burlington House?)		Much of the music was re-used in Amadigi
11	Amadigi di Gaula	{{Hs|RossiHaym}}Rossi or Haym (?), after Antoine Houdar de la Motte's Amadis de Grèce, 1699 Italian libretto	{{Hs|1715-05-25}}25 May 1715	London, King's Theatre	{{Hs|1929-00-00}}Osnabrück, 1929	Various additions during the initial run and the revivals of 1716 and 1717
12a/b	Radamisto	{{Hs|Haym}}Haym (?), after Domenico Lalli's L'amor tirannico, o Zenobia Italian libretto	{{Hs|1720-04-27}}27 April 1720	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1927-06-27}}27 June 1927, Gotinga	Librettos of the revised versions of December 1720 and 1728 exist
13	Muzio Scevola	{{Hs|Rolli}}Paolo Antonio Rolli, after a reworking of a Nicolò Minato libretto by Silvio Stampiglia Italian libretto	{{Hs|1721-04-15}}15 April 1721	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1928-00-00}}1928, Essen (Act 3 only)	only Act 3 is by Handel
14	Floridante	{{Hs|Rolli}}Rolli, after Francesco Silvani's La costanza in trionfo Italian libretto	{{Hs|1721-12-09}}9 December 1721	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1962-05-10}}10 May 1962, Unicorn Theatre, Abingdon	Revised versions premiered in 1722, 1727 and 1733
15	Ottone	{{Hs|Haym}}Haym, after Stefano Benedetto Pallavicino's libretto for Antonio Lotti's opera Teofane Italian libretto	{{Hs|1723-01-12}}12 January 1723	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1921-07-05}}5 July 1921, Gotinga	Revised versions premiered in 1726 and 1733
16	Flavio	{{Hs|Haym}}Haym, after M Noris's Il Flavio Cuniberto Italian libretto	{{Hs|1723-05-14}}14 May 1723	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1967-07-02}}2 July, 1967, Gotinga	The libretto of the revised version of 1732 exists
17	Giulio Cesare	{{Hs|Haym}}Haym Italian libretto	{{Hs|1724-02-20}}20 February 1724	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1992-00-00}}1922, Gotinga
18	Tamerlano	{{Hs|Haym}}Haym, after Agostin Piovene and Nicholas Pradon Italian libretto	{{Hs|1724-10-31}}31 October 1724	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1924-09-07}}7 September 1924, Karlsruhe
19	Rodelinda	{{Hs|Haym}}Haym, after Antonio Salvi, after Pierre Corneille's play Pertharite, roi des Lombards Italian libretto	{{Hs|1725-02-13}}13 February 1725	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1920-06-26}}26 June 1920, Gotinga
20	Scipione	{{Hs|Rolli}}Rolli Italian libretto	{{Hs|1726-03-12}}12 March 1726	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1937-00-00}}1937, Gotinga
21	Alessandro	{{Hs|Mauro}}O Mauro Italian libretto	{{Hs|1726-05-05}}5 May 1726	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1959-00-00}}1959, Stuttgart (in German)
22	Admeto	{{Hs|Haym}}Haym Italian libretto	{{Hs|1727-01-31}}31 January 1727	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1964-00-00}}1964, Abingdon
23	Riccardo Primo	{{Hs|Rolli}}Rolli, after Francesco Briani Italian libretto	{{Hs|1727-11-11}}11 November 1727	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1964-07-08}}8 July 1964, Sadler's Wells Theatre (Handel Opera Society), London
24	Siroe	{{Hs|Haym}}Haym, after Metastasio Italian libretto	{{Hs|1728-02-17}}17 February 1728	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1925-12-00}}December 1925, Gera
25	Tolomeo	{{Hs|Haym}}Haym, adapted from Carlo Sigismondo Capece Italian libretto	{{Hs|1728-04-30}}30 April 1728	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1938-06-19}}19 June 1938, Gotinga
26	Lotario	{{Hs|Salvi}}After Antonio Salvi Italian libretto	{{Hs|1729-12-02}}2 December 1729	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1975-09-03}}3 September 1975, Kenton Theatre, Henley-on-Thames
27	Partenope	{{Hs|Stampiglia}}After Silvio Stampiglia Italian libretto	{{Hs|1730-02-24}}24 February 1730	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1935-06-23}}23 June 1935, Gotinga
28	Poro	{{Hs|Metastasio}}After Metastasio Italian libretto	{{Hs|1731-02-02}}2 February 1731	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1928-00-00}}1928, Braunschweig
29	Ezio	{{Hs|Metastasio}}Metastasio Italian libretto	{{Hs|1732-01-15}}15 January 1732	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1926-06-30}}30 June 1926, Gotinga
30	Sosarme	{{Hs|Salvi}}After Salvi Italian libretto	{{Hs|1732-02-15}}15 February 1732	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1970-00-00}}1970, Abingdon
31	Orlando	{{Hs|Capece}}After Capece, after Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando furioso Italian libretto	{{Hs|1733-01-27}}27 January 1733	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1959-05-06}}6 May 1959, Abingdon
32	Arianna in Creta	{{Hs|Pariati}}After Pietro Pariati's Arianna e Teseo	{{Hs|1734-01-26}}26 January 1734	London, King’s Theatre
33	Ariodante	{{Hs|Salvi}}After Salvi, after Ariosto's Orlando Furioso Italian libretto	{{Hs|1735-01-08}}8 January 1735	London, Covent Garden Theatre
34	Alcina	{{Hs|Ariosto}}After Ariosto's Orlando Furioso Italian libretto	{{Hs|1735-04-16}}16 April 1735	London, Covent Garden Theatre	{{Hs|1928-00-00}}1928, Leipzig
35	Atalanta	{{Hs|Valeriani}}After Belisario Valeriani Italian libretto	{{Hs|1736-05-12}}12 May 1736	London, Covent Garden Theatre	{{Hs|1970-00-00}}1970, Hintlesham Festival, Hintlesham
36	Arminio	{{Hs|Salvi}}After Salvi Italian libretto	{{Hs|1737-01-12}}12 January 1737	London, Covent Garden Theatre	{{Hs|1935-02-23}}23 February 1935, Leipzig (in German)
37	Giustino	{{Hs|Pariati}}Adapted from Pariati's Giustino, after Nicolo Beregan's Il Giustino Italian libretto	{{Hs|1737-02-16}}16 February 1737	London, Covent Garden Theatre	{{Hs|1963-04-21}}21 April 1963, Abingdon
38	Berenice	{{Hs|Salvi}}After Salvi	{{Hs|1737-05-18}}18 May 1737	London, Covent Garden Theatre
39	Faramondo	{{Hs|Zeno}}Adapted from Apostolo Zeno's Faramondo Italian libretto	{{Hs|1738-01-03}}3 January 1738	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1976-03-05}}5 March 1976, Halle
40	Serse	{{Hs|Stampiglia}}After Stampiglia Italian libretto	{{Hs|1738-04-15}}15 April 1738	London, King’s Theatre	{{Hs|1924-06-05}}5 July 1924, Gotinga	Also known as Xerxes
41	Imeneo	{{Hs|Stampiglia}}After Stampiglia's Imeneo	{{Hs|1740-11-22}}22 November 1740	London, theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields	{{Hs|1960-03-13}}13 March 1960, Halle
42	Deidamia	{{Hs|Rolli}}Rolli Italian libretto	{{Hs|1741-01-10}}10 January 1741	London, theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields

Referencias

• Hicks, Anthony (1992), 'Handel, George Frideric' in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7
• Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), The Oxford Dictionary of Opera, 782 pages, ISBN 0-19-869164-5
• Some of the information in this article is taken from the related Dutch Wikipedia article.