The staging of Metastasio's works, like Semiramide, in 1819 reflected the political conservatism of the time, following the Congress of Vienna and the Restoration period in post-Napoleonic Europe.
Composer Biography
Giacomo Meyerbeer, though at the start of his career when he composed Semiramide, was reportedly so wealthy that he could offer his scores to opera houses free of charge.
Notable Performances
This recording of Meyerbeer's Semiramide was made during the first modern performance of the opera at the Rossini in Wildbad Festival in July 2005.
Composition History
Giacomo Meyerbeer, a German composer, wrote his opera Semiramide in 1819, making it the final setting of Pietro Metastasio's 90-year-old libretto.
Compositional Technique
Meyerbeer's Semiramide features three principal roles written for great vocal virtuosity, including a mezzo role for Carolina Bassi that encompasses high notes only when her character drops her male disguise.
Critical Reception
Meyerbeer's Semiramide was a minor hit when it premiered in Turin in 1819 and received positive reviews in the German press, which was more enthusiastic than its Italian counterpart.
Recording & Production
This album is a live recording of Meyerbeer's Semiramide from the Rossini in Wildbad festival in Bad Wildbad, Germany, in July 2005.
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