Artaserse is an opera (dramma per musica) in three acts composed by Leonardo Vinci to an Italian libretto by Pietro Metastasio. This was the first of many musical settings of Metastasio's libretto Artaserse. Vinci and Metastasio were known to have collaborated closely for the world premiere of the opera in Rome. This was the last opera Vinci composed before his death, and also considered to be his masterpiece."Vinci: Artaserse by Clive Paget, Limelight, 1 February 2013 It is known among Baroque opera enthusiasts for its florid vocal lines and taxing tessituras. It premiered during the carnival season on 4 February 1730 at the Teatro delle Dame in Rome. As women were banned from the opera stage in Rome in the 18th century, all the female roles in the original production were taken up by castrati."Vinci: Artaserse – review" by Tim Ashley, The Guardian, 15 November 2012 However, subsequent 18th-century productions outside Rome included women in the cast.Martha Feldman, Opera and Sovereignty, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009, 249.
Artaserse continued to be popular for a while after Vinci's death, but has since faded into obscurity. The first modern revival of Artaserse was staged at the Opéra national de Lorraine in Nancy on 2 November 2012, featuring Philippe Jaroussky as Artaserse, Max Emanuel Cenčić as Mandane, Juan Sancho as Artabano, Franco Fagioli as Arbace, Valer Barna-Sabadus as Semira and Yuriy Mynenko as Megabise.Leonardo Vinci: Artaserse, Parnassus Arts Productions booklet, 2013/14 In honour of the single-sex casting at the original premiere, the revival was staged with an all-male cast, with countertenors cast in skirt roles to play the female characters in the opera.
Roles +RoleVoice typePremiere cast, 4 February 1730Artaserse Prince and subsequently King of Persia; friend of Arbace and in love with SemirasopranoSignorini has also been referred to as an alto: "Raffaele Signorini", profile castratoRaffaele SignoriniMandane Sister of Artaserse; in love with Arbacesoprano castrato(en travesti)Giacinto Fontana ("Farfallino")Artabano Prefect of the Royal Guard; father of Arbace and SemiratenorFrancesco TolveArbace Brother of Semira; Friend of Artaserse; in love with Mandanesoprano castratoGiovanni Carestini ("Cusanino")Semira Sister of Arbace; in love with Artasersesoprano castratoAppiani has also been referred to as an alto: "Giuseppe Appiani", profile (en travesti)Giuseppe AppianiMegabise General of the Persian Army and confidant of Artabano; also in love with Semiraalto castratoOssi had a vocal range from alto to mezzo-soprano: "Giovanni Ossi", profile Giovanni Ossi
Synopsis Eighteenth-century Italian operas in serious style are almost always set in a distant or legendary past and are built around historical, pseudo-historical, or mythological characters. The main character of Metastasio's Artaserse is based on the life of king Artaxerxes I of Persia, a ruler of the fifth century B.C., son of Xerxes I. As women were banned from singing on stage in Rome (part of the Papal States) at that time, all the female roles were played by castrati. As was typical of Baroque Italian operas of the 18th century, the heroic roles of Arbace and Artaserse were played by castrati. The lone tenor plays the main villain Artabano, as typical of Baroque Italian operas, where the broken male voice is usually assigned to villains and servants.
Overture As is typical of Italian operas of that time, Artaserse opens with an Italian overture or sinfonia in three (fast-slow-fast) movements (in this case allegro, grave and minuetto).
Act 1 The opera opens in a moonlit garden of the palace of Serse (Xerxes). Mandane, the daughter of King Serse, and Arbace, the son of the King's general Artabano, are in love. Serse has opposed their marriage and banished Arbace from the palace. Arbace climbs the wall into the garden. The two young lovers express their love for each other, as well as their pain for not being able to be together despite their love. Arbace and Mandane say goodbye as Mandane heads back into the palace, and Mandane asks Arbace not to forget her. (Aria: ).
As Mandane heads back into the palace, Artabano arrives carrying a bloody sword. His fury at Serse's treatment of his son and his desire for Arbace to become King have led him to assassinate Serse. Artabano confesses the murder to Arbace and exchanges his bloody sword for that of Arbace. However, Arbace is not happy about the turn of events due to his love for Mandane and his friendship with the king's son, Artaserse, as well as the sheer cruelty of the act. (Aria: ). Arbace leaves and Artabano says that eliminating the whole royal family was the only way for Arbace to become king. Artaserse, the King's younger son, arrives with his guards. Artabano tells him of his father's death and accuses Artaserse's older brother Dario of the murder, "Who but he at dead of night could penetrate the palace? Who approach the royal bed? Nay, more, his royal ambition..." Artaserse commands Artabano to avenge his father's death by killing Dario. Artaserse expresses apprehension at having to kill his own brother, but Artabano declares that a son who murders his father is no son. (Aria: ).
Megabise enters and Artaserse confides his sadness and anger at the recent events to Megabise. Megabise consoles Artaserse and says that killing Dario was necessary as a form of self-defense. Semira, Arbace's sister, enters as Artaserse prepares to leave. Semira asks Artaserse not to leave but he proceeds to do so anyway, but not before declaring his love for Semira. (Aria: ). Semira knows that something is wrong and asks Megabise, who tells her that Serse was murdered in his sleep and Dario is the one responsible. Semira expresses her shock, but Megabise is indifferent, declaring that it does not matter who is on the throne. Megabise is also in love with Semira and declares his love for her, but Semira is already in love with Artaserse and is unable to reciprocate Megabise's feelings. Megabise declares that he will fight to win Semira's love. (Aria: ). Semira expresses her pain at separation from Artaserse due to the recent events. (Aria: )
In the King's palace, Mandane and Artaserse express their pain at having to put their brother Dario to death. Artabano enters and announces the execution of Dario. Mandane expresses her grief, while Artaserse expresses his guilt at having to resort to this, though Artabano says that it is a just punishment for murdering his father. Semira enters and declares that Dario was not the murderer, as the murderer had escaped through the garden with blood still fresh on his sword. Given the evidence, Mandane thinks that Arbace must be the murderer. Artaserse and Mandane also realise that they had just put an innocent man to death. Artaserse demands that Arbace be brought before him. Megabise enters and declares that Arbace is the murderer. Arbace is brought into the palace in chains by the palace guards, and he declares his innocence. Artaserse asks Arbace to prove his innocence, but Arbace is unable to do so, and can only offer his word as evidence. Mandane questions Arbace with the evidence, and also points out Arbace's unhappiness with Serse, and Arbace does not deny the evidence, but continues to maintain his innocence to the very end. Presented with overwhelming evidence before him, Artaserse has no choice but to declare Arbace guilty. Arbace asks Artabano to defend him, but he acts indifferent to Arbace's plight. Artaserse declares the case solved but does so painfully as he leaves. (Aria: ). Arbace asks for Artabano to take pity on him, but Artabano declares that a son who is a traitor is no son of his. (Aria: ). Arbace then turns to Semira, but Semira says that she will support him if he can prove his innocence, but as he is currently seen to be guilty, she cannot let her feelings get in the way. (Aria: ).
Arbace turns to Megabise next, but he too is indifferent to Arbace's plight and leaves. Finally, Arbace turns to Mandane and asks her to believe in his innocence, but Mandane refuses to do so and angrily declares Arbace her enemy before she leaves. (Aria: ). Arbace laments his fate, but is unable to speak up due to his love for his father. (Aria: ).
Act 2 Artaserse and Artabano are talking about the recent events, and Artabano says that Arbace deserves to die for his crime. However, Artaserse is reluctant to kill his friend, and envies Artabano for his mental strength to condemn his own son without question. Artaserse asks Artabano to find a way to save Arbace, but Artabano says that Arbace's silence is proof of his guilt. Nevertheless, Artaserse says that Arbace has proclaimed his innocence and refuses to believe that his friend is guilty, instead believing that there must be some other reason for his silence. (Aria: Rendimi il caro amico). After Artaserse leaves, Arbace is brought in by a guard. Artabano asks the guard to leave the two of them alone. Artabano plans to sneak Arbace out, but Arbace refuses. Artabano reveals his plans to kill the whole royal family and make Arbace king. Arbace is horrified at his father's treachery, and angrily refuses to follow him. (Aria: Mi scacci sdegnato!). Arbace is led away by the guard, and Artabano sighs, saying that despite all that he cannot condemn the son he loves. Megabise enters and notices Artabano's hesitation. Megabise says that time is short and they have to act quickly if he is to secure the throne for Arbace. Together, Artabano and Megabise discuss the plans to kill Artaserse. Artabano promises Semira's hand in marriage to Megabise if he cooperates, which Megabise is very pleased to hear. Semira enters, and Artabano forces her to marry Megabise against her will. (Aria: Amalo e se al tuo sguardo). Semira asks Megabise to spare her from the marriage if he truly loves her, but Megabise refuses. Semira declares that Megabise can have her body, but can never win her heart. Nevertheless, Megabise is content to marry Semira, even if it means that she will hate him for it. (Aria: Non temer ch'io mai ti dica). Semira is devastated at the turn of events. Mandane enters and talks to Semira. It pains both of them greatly to think of Arbace as a traitor, and Semira notes that Mandane will have to abandon her feelings for him. However, it still pains Mandane greatly to think that the man she loved would turn out to be so cruel. (Aria: Se d'un amor tiranno). Semira also feels greatly conflicted, and is confused about whom to side with in this crisis. (Aria: Se del fiume altera l'onda).