116:
521:, are in love and wish to marry. However Appio Claudio has declared that patricians and plebeians can not marry one another, a fact which makes their marriage impossible. At the same time Appio notices Virginia's beauty, and desiring her, attempts to force himself on her. Iclio intervenes, and while saving Virginia, is killed by Appio. Virginio comes to her aid, reminding Appio of Virginia's protection under
257:. While members of the deposed Royal House survived, they no longer carried any power, freeing Mercadante to present his opera. The work was finally premiered in Naples on 7 April 1866. The premiere night performance of the work proved to be problematic, but the second performance of the opera was triumphantly received.
209:
was scheduled to première at the Teatro di San Carlo in March 1850. However, King
Ferdinand II got word of the production and issued a ban on the opera's performance, even though Cammarano’s libretto carefully avoided any possible negative political implications. The censorship of the opera drew wide
176:
on
January 29, 1848. A dispute, however, arose as to the nature of the oath which should be taken by the members of the chamber of deputies. As an agreement could not be reached and the King refused to compromise, riots continued in the streets. Eventually, the King ordered the army to break them up
22:
203:. Mercadante asked Cammarano, with whom he frequently collaborated, to write the opera's libretto. Cammarano obliged, giving Mercadante a finished libretto in late 1849. Mercadante began composing the opera in December 1849, completing it in March 1850.
221:
In 1852, most likely out of an attempt at improving the state's public image, Ferdinand appointed
Mercadante as inspector of the royal military bands, a post which led to the commissioning of several compositions for these musical groups
537:
and it appears that Appio will have his way. Rather than be forced to be with Appio, Virginia stabs herself to death. Her act of tragic bravery inspires a massive insurrection of plebeians against Appio and the patrician regime.
210:
scorn for
Ferdinand throughout Europe. In an attempt to appease the outcry, the Italian state offered a compromise, set the opera in Egypt and not Italy. Mercadante refused to comply. In the place of
1426:
99:
The work finally had its premiere on 7 April 1866 at the Teatro di San Carlo. Although not the last opera composed by
Mercadante, it was the last of his operas to reach the stage.
84:, the subject matter of Mercadante's opera was objected to by the Bourbon government censors and performance was banned outright. That decision was widely ridiculed, not just in
265:
Although reactions to
Mercadante's opera were positive, the work failed to gain a significant place in the performance repertory. Subsequent productions were mounted in
177:
and dissolved the national parliament on March 13, 1849. Although the constitution was never formally abrogated, the King returned to reigning as an absolute monarch.
339:
on 29 March 1978. However, Caballé became ill just prior to the performance, and the production was cancelled, never to be rescheduled. Since the 1976 UK production,
1241:
1054:
826:
778:
1022:
1406:
1436:
149:
conducting performances of his own works. He left Naples to begin the tour in August 1847, and, after a success in Milan, was asked by
1234:
1015:
997:
990:
981:
739:
1411:
1110:
1047:
169:
1086:
1431:
231:
937:
863:
529:. Thwarted, Appio plots to get Virginia through legal trickery, claiming that she is not Virginio's daughter but in fact a
626:
316:. An unauthorized recording was made, copies of which are part of the collections of a number of libraries, including the
285:
1227:
1040:
324:
238:
93:
909:
868:
809:
1287:
391:
242:
1118:
1102:
115:
518:
401:
192:
revolt, spurred on by the tragic murder of the title heroine by her father, which leads to the founding of the
1359:
1327:
1158:
1126:
1026:
630:
530:
1279:
1003:
619:
344:
317:
173:
103:
has been rarely performed since its premiere, but a recent 2009 recording of the work was released on the
586:
328:
464:
1416:
579:
301:
164:
Mercadante returned to Naples in March 1848 in the aftermath of revolutionary activity in that city,
701:
1263:
1251:
305:
254:
250:
161:
beginning on the 5th of that month postponed the opera's premiere and cut short
Mercadante's tour.
158:
77:
59:
184:
as a means of expressing his criticism of the constitution's suppression. Alfieri's story, set in
1063:
787:
614:
423:
246:
48:
25:
21:
1011:
993:
986:
1295:
1208:
889:
313:
293:
230:; etc.) However, Ferdinand never lifted the ban on the opera, and neither did his successor
200:
63:
52:
1421:
1351:
1303:
1182:
1174:
1150:
1078:
446:
375:
133:
72:
1219:
308:
as Appio, Maurice Arthur as Icilio, and the Chorus of the
Northern Ireland Opera Trust.
1343:
1335:
905:
281:
193:
1400:
1319:
1166:
1134:
976:
850:
763:
526:
336:
332:
323:
On the heels of the UK premiere was a scheduled
American premiere of the work by the
273:(1877) and again in Naples (1901), but otherwise the opera remained largely ignored.
1383:
1367:
914:
507:
348:
185:
131:
in 1839, but the idea was rejected. After the triumphant success of his 1846 opera
157:("The Saracen slave"). That opera was supposed to premiere in January 1848, but a
572:
428:
297:
942:
638:
352:
309:
180:
Deploring the pattern of events in his country, Mercadante selected
Alfieri's
104:
66:'s tragedy of the same name. Alfieri's play was in turn taken from a story in
1271:
534:
522:
128:
1142:
517:, is the virgin daughter of Virginio, a Roman soldier. She and Icilio, a
514:
459:
189:
150:
55:
45:
331:
began to prepare the title role in 1977 for the anticipated premiere at
1311:
1094:
975:
Rose, Michael (1998), “Mercandante, (Giuseppe) Saverio (Raffaele)" in
386:
289:
196:
165:
137:
in Naples, Mercadante was invited to tour the Austrian territories of
1032:
142:
138:
89:
81:
985:, Vol. Three, pp. 334–339. London: Macmillan Publishers, Inc.
441:
407:
270:
146:
114:
85:
37:
20:
266:
67:
1223:
1036:
533:
belonging to his associate Marco. The case is brought before a
76:. Although initially written for performance in 1850 at the
851:
Opera Glass's List of role creators in the Mercadante operas
816:(London), 19 October 2010; review of 2010 Wexford season
702:"Mercadante: Virginia; Wekerlin: La Laitière de Trianon"
343:
was not revived until 2010 when it was mounted by the
595:(Recording of a performance in Belfast, 27 November)
355:
released the first commercial recording of the work.
284:
premiere on November 27, 1976 in Whitla Hall at the
1201:
1070:
96:in 1861, the ban on the opera no longer existed.
910:"On a mission to bring lost operas back to life"
810:Andrew Clark, "Wexford Festival Opera, Ireland"
740:"Buena ocasiĂłn para profundizar en Mercadante"
1427:Opera world premieres at the Teatro San Carlo
1235:
1048:
8:
1242:
1228:
1220:
1055:
1041:
1033:
1020:Wittmann, Michael, "Mercadante, Saverio",
168:, and the Cilento region which had forced
172:to grant a constitution patterned on the
695:
693:
691:
689:
687:
545:
362:
1023:Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
972:. London: Oxford University Press, 2000
938:"Editor's Choice: MERCADANTE: VIRGINIA"
738:Raúl González Arévalo (27 March 2009).
724:
722:
677:
675:
673:
671:
669:
667:
665:
661:
864:"Heerlijke opname van vergeten opera"
7:
894:on operadis-opera-discography.org.uk
218:occurred in Naples on 1 March 1851.
936:Stephen Francis Vasta (July 2009).
862:Jordi Kooiman (November 25, 2007).
837:. L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia
14:
1010:, New York: Penguin Putnam, Inc.
982:The New Grove Dictionary of Opera
700:Dominic McHugh (20 March 2009).
170:Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
119:Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
970:Italy in the Nineteenth Century
214:, the premiere of Mercadante's
159:major revolutionary disturbance
127:as the subject of an opera to
1:
767:at the Chicago Public Library
627:London Philharmonic Orchestra
598:Audio CD: Premiere Opera Ltd.
1407:Operas by Saverio Mercadante
593:Belfast Orchestra and Chorus
351:in the title role. In 2009
296:. The notable cast included
253:which was in the process of
228:Fantasia sull’inno borbonico
1008:The New Penguin Opera Guide
372:Premiere Cast, 7 April 1866
325:Opera Orchestra of New York
239:Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
123:Mercadante first suggested
94:Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
16:Opera by Saverio Mercadante
1453:
1437:Operas set in ancient Rome
946:. Vol. 74, no. 1
825:Casaglia, Gherardo (2005).
561:Opera House and Orchestra
392:Marcella Lotti della Santa
243:Expedition of the Thousand
1258:
1103:Caritea, regina di Spagna
1002:Rose, Michael (2001), in
556:Virginio, Icilio, Marco)
551:
276:After a 75-year absence,
224:Fantasia sull’inno russo
92:. After the fall of the
1412:Italian-language operas
1360:La battaglia di Legnano
1027:Oxford University Press
631:Geoffrey Mitchell Choir
249:. Garibaldi served the
153:to compose a new work,
620:Andrew Foster-Williams
412:Filippo Morelli-Ponti
345:Wexford Festival Opera
318:Chicago Public Library
188:, tells the tale of a
174:French Charter of 1830
120:
28:
1432:Operas based on plays
525:as the daughter of a
241:was conquered by the
118:
24:
1202:Named for Mercadante
706:musicalcriticism.com
610:Paul Charles Clarke,
580:Christian du Plessis
577:Bonaventura Bottone,
437:Virginia's boyfriend
302:Christian du Plessis
280:was revived for its
1280:L'assedio di Calais
1264:Lucia di Lammermoor
1252:Salvadore Cammarano
1111:Francesca da Rimini
908:(1 February 2009).
634:(studio recording)
306:Bonaventura Bottone
261:Performance history
255:Italian unification
251:Kingdom of Sardinia
155:La schiava saracena
111:Composition history
78:Teatro di San Carlo
60:Salvadore Cammarano
44:, in three acts by
1250:Opera libretti by
1087:Didone abbandonata
1064:Saverio Mercadante
788:The New York Times
615:Charles Castronovo
612:Stefano Antonucci,
329:Montserrat Caballé
286:Queen's University
247:Giuseppe Garibaldi
121:
49:Saverio Mercadante
29:
26:Saverio Mercadante
1394:
1393:
1217:
1216:
728:Davis, p. ??
648:
647:
554:(Virginia, Appio,
498:
497:
487:Virginia's cousin
480:Adelaide Morelli
455:Appio's associate
419:Virginia's father
400:a powerful Roman
88:, but throughout
1444:
1296:Roberto Devereux
1244:
1237:
1230:
1221:
1209:Teatro del Fondo
1057:
1050:
1043:
1034:
968:Davis, John A.,
956:
955:
953:
951:
933:
927:
926:
924:
922:
902:
896:
887:
881:
880:
878:
876:
869:Place de l'Opera
859:
853:
848:
842:
840:
834:
823:
817:
807:
801:
800:
798:
796:
775:
769:
761:
755:
754:
752:
750:
744:mundoclasico.com
735:
729:
726:
717:
716:
714:
712:
697:
682:
679:
624:Maurizio Benini,
608:Susan Patterson,
546:
473:Virginia's nurse
465:Giorgio Stigelli
363:
314:Ulster Orchestra
294:Northern Ireland
201:Plebeian Council
64:Vittorio Alfieri
1452:
1451:
1447:
1446:
1445:
1443:
1442:
1441:
1397:
1396:
1395:
1390:
1352:Orazi e Curiazi
1304:Maria de Rudenz
1288:Pia de' Tolomei
1254:
1248:
1218:
1213:
1197:
1175:Orazi e Curiazi
1151:Elena da Feltre
1079:Elisa e Claudio
1066:
1061:
960:
959:
949:
947:
935:
934:
930:
920:
918:
904:
903:
899:
888:
884:
874:
872:
861:
860:
856:
849:
845:
838:
832:
824:
820:
814:Financial Times
808:
804:
794:
792:
791:. 26 March 1978
783:Opera Canceled"
777:
776:
772:
762:
758:
748:
746:
737:
736:
732:
727:
720:
710:
708:
699:
698:
685:
680:
663:
653:
644:
642:
633:
625:
618:
613:
611:
609:
599:
594:
592:
585:
584:Maurice Arthur,
583:
578:
576:
560:
555:
553:
544:
535:public tribunal
503:
447:Raffaele Mirate
398:Appio Claudio,
376:Nicola De Giosa
373:
361:
263:
134:Orazi e Curiazi
113:
73:Ab Urbe condita
42:tragedia lirica
17:
12:
11:
5:
1450:
1448:
1440:
1439:
1434:
1429:
1424:
1419:
1414:
1409:
1399:
1398:
1392:
1391:
1389:
1388:
1380:
1372:
1364:
1356:
1348:
1340:
1336:Maria di Rohan
1332:
1324:
1316:
1308:
1300:
1292:
1284:
1276:
1268:
1259:
1256:
1255:
1249:
1247:
1246:
1239:
1232:
1224:
1215:
1214:
1212:
1211:
1205:
1203:
1199:
1198:
1196:
1195:
1187:
1179:
1171:
1163:
1155:
1147:
1139:
1131:
1123:
1115:
1107:
1099:
1091:
1083:
1074:
1072:
1068:
1067:
1062:
1060:
1059:
1052:
1045:
1037:
1031:
1030:
1018:
1004:Holden, Amanda
1000:
973:
958:
957:
928:
906:Fiona Maddocks
897:
890:Recordings of
882:
854:
843:
818:
802:
770:
756:
730:
718:
683:
660:
659:
652:
649:
646:
645:
635:
622:
606:
602:
601:
596:
589:
587:John Tomlinson
570:
566:
565:
562:
557:
550:
543:
540:
511:
510:
502:
499:
496:
495:
494:Michele Memmi
492:
489:
482:
481:
478:
475:
468:
467:
462:
457:
450:
449:
444:
439:
432:
431:
426:
421:
414:
413:
410:
405:
395:
394:
389:
384:
380:
379:
374:(Conductor: -
370:
367:
360:
357:
312:conducted the
282:United Kingdom
262:
259:
194:Roman Republic
112:
109:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1449:
1438:
1435:
1433:
1430:
1428:
1425:
1423:
1420:
1418:
1415:
1413:
1410:
1408:
1405:
1404:
1402:
1386:
1385:
1381:
1378:
1377:
1373:
1370:
1369:
1365:
1362:
1361:
1357:
1354:
1353:
1349:
1346:
1345:
1341:
1338:
1337:
1333:
1330:
1329:
1325:
1322:
1321:
1317:
1314:
1313:
1309:
1306:
1305:
1301:
1298:
1297:
1293:
1290:
1289:
1285:
1282:
1281:
1277:
1274:
1273:
1269:
1266:
1265:
1261:
1260:
1257:
1253:
1245:
1240:
1238:
1233:
1231:
1226:
1225:
1222:
1210:
1207:
1206:
1204:
1200:
1193:
1192:
1188:
1185:
1184:
1180:
1177:
1176:
1172:
1169:
1168:
1167:Il proscritto
1164:
1161:
1160:
1156:
1153:
1152:
1148:
1145:
1144:
1140:
1137:
1136:
1135:Il giuramento
1132:
1129:
1128:
1124:
1121:
1120:
1116:
1113:
1112:
1108:
1105:
1104:
1100:
1097:
1096:
1092:
1089:
1088:
1084:
1081:
1080:
1076:
1075:
1073:
1069:
1065:
1058:
1053:
1051:
1046:
1044:
1039:
1038:
1035:
1028:
1025:
1024:
1019:
1017:
1016:0-14-029312-4
1013:
1009:
1005:
1001:
999:
998:1-56159-228-5
995:
992:
991:0-333-73432-7
988:
984:
983:
978:
977:Stanley Sadie
974:
971:
967:
966:
965:
964:
963:Other sources
945:
944:
939:
932:
929:
917:
916:
911:
907:
901:
898:
895:
893:
886:
883:
871:
870:
865:
858:
855:
852:
847:
844:
836:
835:7 April 1866"
830:
822:
819:
815:
811:
806:
803:
790:
789:
784:
782:
774:
771:
768:
766:
760:
757:
745:
741:
734:
731:
725:
723:
719:
707:
703:
696:
694:
692:
690:
688:
684:
678:
676:
674:
672:
670:
668:
666:
662:
658:
657:
650:
640:
636:
632:
628:
623:
621:
616:
607:
604:
603:
597:
590:
588:
581:
574:
571:
568:
567:
563:
558:
548:
547:
541:
539:
536:
532:
528:
527:Roman citizen
524:
520:
516:
509:
505:
504:
500:
493:
490:
488:
484:
483:
479:
476:
474:
470:
469:
466:
463:
461:
458:
456:
452:
451:
448:
445:
443:
440:
438:
434:
433:
430:
427:
425:
422:
420:
416:
415:
411:
409:
406:
404:
403:
397:
396:
393:
390:
388:
385:
382:
381:
377:
371:
368:
365:
364:
358:
356:
354:
350:
347:with soprano
346:
342:
338:
337:New York City
334:
333:Carnegie Hall
330:
326:
321:
319:
315:
311:
307:
304:as Virginio,
303:
300:as Virginia,
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
274:
272:
268:
260:
258:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
235:
233:
229:
225:
219:
217:
213:
208:
204:
202:
198:
195:
191:
187:
183:
178:
175:
171:
167:
162:
160:
156:
152:
148:
144:
140:
136:
135:
130:
126:
117:
110:
108:
106:
102:
97:
95:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
74:
69:
65:
61:
57:
54:
50:
47:
43:
39:
35:
34:
27:
23:
19:
1384:Il trovatore
1382:
1375:
1374:
1368:Luisa Miller
1366:
1358:
1350:
1342:
1334:
1326:
1318:
1310:
1302:
1294:
1286:
1278:
1270:
1262:
1190:
1189:
1181:
1173:
1165:
1157:
1149:
1141:
1133:
1125:
1119:I due Figaro
1117:
1109:
1101:
1093:
1085:
1077:
1021:
1007:
980:
969:
962:
961:
948:. Retrieved
941:
931:
919:. Retrieved
915:The Observer
913:
900:
891:
885:
873:. Retrieved
867:
857:
846:
839:(in Italian)
828:
821:
813:
805:
793:. Retrieved
786:
780:
773:
764:
759:
747:. Retrieved
743:
733:
709:. Retrieved
705:
655:
654:
600:CDNO 2651-2
513:Virginia, a
512:
508:Ancient Rome
486:
472:
454:
436:
418:
399:
349:Angela Meade
340:
322:
288:Festival in
277:
275:
264:
237:In 1861 the
236:
227:
223:
220:
215:
211:
206:
205:
186:Ancient Rome
181:
179:
163:
154:
132:
124:
122:
100:
98:
71:
62:is based on
41:
32:
31:
30:
18:
1417:1866 operas
643:Cat: ORC 39
591:James Judd,
573:Janet Price
429:Marco Arati
369:Voice type
298:Janet Price
1401:Categories
1328:La vestale
1159:La vestale
1127:I briganti
943:Opera News
651:References
639:Opera Rara
637:Audio CD:
559:Conductor,
542:Recordings
417:Virginio,
353:Opera Rara
310:James Judd
232:Francis II
105:Opera Rara
1272:Belisario
979:, (Ed.),
523:Roman law
519:patrician
485:Valerio,
402:patrician
383:Virginia
129:La Fenice
1376:Virginia
1191:Virginia
1143:Il bravo
1006:,(ed.),
950:June 26,
921:June 26,
892:Virginia
875:June 26,
829:Virginia
781:Virginia
765:Virginia
749:June 27,
711:June 26,
681:Wittmann
629:and the
515:plebeian
501:Synopsis
477:soprano
471:Tullia,
460:baritone
435:Icilio,
341:Virginia
278:Virginia
269:(1872),
212:Virginia
207:Virginia
199:and the
197:tribunes
190:plebeian
182:Virginia
151:La Scala
125:Virginia
101:Virginia
56:libretto
46:composer
33:Virginia
1312:Poliuto
1183:Pelagio
1095:Nitocri
795:27 June
506:Place:
453:Marco,
387:soprano
290:Belfast
166:Salerno
107:label.
53:Italian
1422:Operas
1387:(1853)
1379:(1850)
1371:(1849)
1363:(1849)
1355:(1846)
1347:(1845)
1344:Alzira
1339:(1843)
1331:(1840)
1323:(1840)
1315:(1838)
1307:(1838)
1299:(1837)
1291:(1837)
1283:(1836)
1275:(1836)
1267:(1835)
1194:(1866)
1186:(1857)
1178:(1846)
1170:(1842)
1162:(1840)
1154:(1839)
1146:(1839)
1138:(1837)
1130:(1836)
1122:(1835)
1114:(1831)
1106:(1826)
1098:(1824)
1090:(1823)
1082:(1821)
1071:Operas
1029:, 2007
1014:
996:
989:
833:
564:Label
491:tenor
245:under
145:, and
143:Triest
139:Venice
90:Europe
82:Naples
51:. The
36:is an
1320:Saffo
656:Notes
569:1976
549:Year
531:slave
442:tenor
408:tenor
366:Role
359:Roles
271:Turin
216:Medea
147:Milan
86:Italy
38:opera
1012:ISBN
994:ISBN
987:ISBN
952:2009
923:2009
877:2009
797:2009
751:2009
713:2009
605:2007
552:Cast
424:bass
267:Rome
68:Livy
40:, a
335:in
80:in
70:'s
58:by
1403::
940:.
912:.
866:.
812:,
785:.
742:.
721:^
704:.
686:^
664:^
641:,
378:)
327:.
320:.
292:,
234:.
226:;
141:,
1243:e
1236:t
1229:v
1056:e
1049:t
1042:v
954:.
925:.
879:.
841:.
831:,
827:"
799:.
779:"
753:.
715:.
617:,
582:,
575:,
222:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
