L’opera seria (Gassmann) La Scala Milan 2025 Pietro Spagnoli, Mattia Olivieri, Julie Fuchs, Lawrence Zazzo

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: L’opera seria   
• Composer: Gassmann Florian Leopold  
• Libretto: Ranieri de' Calzabigi, Metastasio    Libretto Text, Libretto Index
• Venue & Opera Company: Teatro alla Scala, Milano, Italy  
• Recorded: April 3, 2025
• Type: Staged Opera Live
• Singers: Pietro Spagnoli, Mattia Olivieri, Giovanni Sala, Josh Lovell, Julie Fuchs, Andrea Carroll, Serena Gamberoni, Alessio Arduini, Alberto Allegrezza, Lawrence Zazzo, Filippo Mineccia
• Conductor: Christophe Rousset  
• Orchestra: Teatro alla Scala Orchestra on historical instruments, Les Talens Lyriques  
• Choreographer: Lionel Hoche  
• Stage Director: Laurent Pelly   
• Stage Designer: Massimo Troncanetti  
• Costume Designer: Laurent Pelly   
• Lighting Designer: Marco Giusti  

Information about the Recording

• Published by: Teatro alla Scala  
• Date Published: 2025  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: yessubs, itsubs  

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

  L’opera seria is an opera buffa (original title: “Comedia per musica”) in three acts by Florian Leopold Gassmann (music) with a libretto by Ranieri de’ Calzabigi , which premiered in 1769 at the Burgtheater Vienna.

  Plot
  In a theater, the final rehearsals for the opera seria L’Oranzebe are taking place, which is to be performed that very evening. Present are the impresario Fallito, the librettist Delirio, and the composer Sospiro, who, as Kapellmeister, is conducting the work and still has to make changes. In the first act, the singers arrive. The second act deals with the rehearsal. The third act is the premiere of L’Oranzebe , which is a resounding failure.

  First Act
  Room with table and chairs in the impresario’s house

  Scene 1. After completing their joint opera, lyricist Delirio and composer Sospiro praise each other’s excellent work (duet: “Oh che bell’ Opera”). However, impresario Fallito demands cuts to the work (Fallito’s aria: “Signor Delirio tante sentenze”). The two authors immediately forget their hypocritical praise and fall upon each other.

  Scene 2. A servant calls Delirio out because the singer Ritornello wants to speak to him privately. Afterwards, Sospiro and Delirio are outraged by the impresario’s arrogance (Sospiro/Delirio duet: “Hò di fuoco nel petto un Vesuvio”).

  Scene 3. Stonatrilla, the opera’s first singer, is annoyed that no one is there to welcome her (Stonatrilla’s aria: “Camerieri, Staffieri, Lacchè!”). Fallito excuses himself by saying that everyone is at rehearsals. Stonatrilla reminds him of her high artistic rank, which requires special attention.

  Scene 4. Sospiro and Porporina, a singer specializing in breeches roles who is to take on the role of second singer, arrive, and a catfight immediately ensues between the two ladies, in which Porporina mocks Stonatrilla’s age and Stonatrilla counters with Porporina’s inexperience (Stonatrilla’s aria: “Ragazzuccia mettete giudizio”). Stonatrilla withdraws.

  Scene 5. Fallito pleads with the angry Porporina for restraint. She reminds Sospiro of an aria he has long promised her. Sospiro has already completed it and sings it to her (Sospiro’s aria: “Cari quegli occhi amabili”).

  Scene 6. Porporina wants to keep the composer, who is obviously in love with her, on her side, as he might still be useful to her and make a good husband after her active years. Now the overly sensitive second singer, Smorfiosa, appears and immediately begins to complain about everything.

  Scene 7. Ritornello, the opera’s first singer, enters. Without seeing the two, he sings a love song (Ritornello’s aria: “Benchè da te lontano”). After the ladies make their presence known, he promises Smorfiosa that he will support her in her entrance. Porporina leaves the lovers alone – but not without making fun of them (Porporina’s aria: “Più non si trovano frà noi le mutrie”).

  Scene 8. Ritornello and Smorfiosa assure each other of their mutual love (Smorfiosa’s aria: “Mio dolce amorino”).

  Entrance hall in the Fallitos house

  Scene 9. The ballet composer Passagallo advises Fallito to hire two traveling pairs of dancers (Passagallo’s aria: “Vederete che salti, che slanciano”).

  Scene 10. Fallito moans about the many difficulties in managing the theater, which ultimately lead to his ruin. Stonatrilla and Delirio offer advice. Delirio says he’s assured of success, as long as the stage design, the libretto, and the singer’s performance are right. However, he can’t count on the music (Delirio’s aria: “State attento a quest’ Oracolo”).

  Scene 11. The others arrive to inspect the dancers introduced by Passagallo. Afterwards, the singers examine their own costumes and the printed libretto. No one is truly satisfied with it (Ensemble: “Io vi giuro mie Dive adorabli”). The act ends in chaos.

  Second Act
  Gallery with harpsichord and chairs in the impresario’s house

  Scene 1. Delirio and Sospiro seem to have reconciled. Fallito tells them that Ritornello insists on reworking his aria because he doesn’t like the rhythm. Immediately, a dispute breaks out between poet and composer, as each wants to leave their part unchanged and criticizes the other’s work (Trio: “Asinaccio! Ignorantacci!”).

  Scene 2. Fallito searches for a way to sort out the mess. He orders a servant to fetch Delirio. He asks him to rewrite the aria in question. Delirio has already done so. In gratitude, Fallito gives the poet some fatherly advice: he should under no circumstances aspire to become an impresario (Fallito’s aria: “Se di fare l’impresario”).

  Scene 3. Delirio takes this advice to heart. Ritornello appears to listen to the new aria. He has great difficulty deciphering the text (duet: “Quel Cocchier – Nò, nò: Nocchiero”).

  Scene 4. Sospiro thinks this new text would be a perfect fit for an older aria with which Ritornello has already enjoyed great success. Ritornello still remembers it well (Ritornello’s aria: “Col tuo dolce amico oblio”), and Sospiro immediately has it taken to the copyist.

  Scene 5. For Porporina, however, Sospiro has composed a completely new aria that particularly showcases her talents (Sospiro’s aria: “Barbara! E non rammenti”). Porporina likes it.

  Scene 6. Everyone arrives for rehearsal to learn the finished work. Since the two singers Gargana and Gastigo have not yet arrived, they begin directly with the third act. The first two acts are already known anyway, and Sospiro will take over the recitatives himself if necessary. At Smorfiosa’s request, the recitatives from the third act are also omitted from the rehearsal. Ritornello’s piece (“Abbastanza finora”) is criticized. Smorfiosa’s aria (“Va: sul tuo cap, ingrato” – “No crudel d’amor capace”) is met with Ritornello’s approval, but Delirio says the music does not fit the text. The duet between Stonatrilla and Ritornello (“Ah non mi dir così”) bores the others. Porporina’s allegorical aria (“Già propizio à miei voti” – “Dolphin che al laccio infido”) is unintentionally comic, as it deals with dolphins and tuna. Stonatrilla is rehearsing her suicide scene, which is particularly important for the opera (“Dove son! Che m’arriva!” – “Pallid’ ombra del misero amante”), and Ritornello is introducing his new aria (“Quel Nocchier, che scioglie a’ venti”), the text of which he has arbitrarily changed. Delirio finds the music completely inappropriate. At the ballet rehearsal that follows, the singers constantly mock the dancers. The two groups get into such a heated argument that Fallito has to call the guards to restore order (Ensemble: “Conoscete eh Porporina?”). He would prefer to have them all thrown in prison.

  Third Act
  Grand square of Agra , the capital of the Mughal Empire , illuminated at night; decorated with triumphal arches and trophies to celebrate Nasercano’s victory

  Scene 1. The Mughal general Nasercano (sung by Ritornello) makes a celebratory entry into Agra after his great victory. Among the spoils of war is the Indian Queen Saebe (Smorfiosa). Nasercano thanks his warriors but refuses to allow their courage to overshadow his own (Nasercano’s aria: “Se con voi dò in braccio al vento”). Saebe complains about the ill-treatment she receives from Emperor Oranzebe . She begs Nasercano for a merciful death if this continues. Only the chains of love console her for the chains of captivity (Saebe’s aria: “Saprei costante, e ardita”). Nasercano assures her that Oranzebe adores her and will make her queen.

  Scene 2. The officer Rana (Porporina) pays homage to Nasercano in the name of all the heroes of India.

  Scene 3. Princess Rossanara (Stonatrilla), Oranzebe’s sister and Nasercano’s fiancée, is carried in a richly decorated litter carried by slaves. Eunuchs and pages fan her. She thanks Nasercano for the victory on her brother’s behalf, but quickly becomes jealous when Rana points out the captured Saebe (Rossanara’s aria: “Nò; se a te non toglie il Fato”).

  Scene 4. Loud boos and disruptive behavior from the audience force the performance to be stopped. The performers flee. Passagallo is particularly dismayed, as his dances can no longer be performed (Passagallo’s aria: “I miei Balli son tanti miracoli”).

  The interior of the theater; dressing rooms on the right, a corridor leading to the stage on the left

  Scene 5, “ultima.” Delirio, Ritornello, and Passagallo are distraught. They summon the mothers of the three singers to hear their opinions. Bragherona (Porporina’s mother), Befana (Smorfiosa’s mother), and Caverna (Stonatrilla’s mother) each blame their own daughter’s rivals. Naturally, another argument ensues. Then Sospiro reports that Delirio has made off with the evening’s proceeds. Everyone swears eternal hatred to the theater managers (“We giuriamo qualunque Impresario”).

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