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During Alexander the Great’s campaign in India, two princesses, Lisaura and Rossane, vie for his love as he vacillates between them and proclaims himself a son of Jupiter. After he spares his protesting general Clito, conspirators attempt to overthrow him. Their revolt fails, and Alessandro chooses Rossane while King Tassile is united with Lisaura.
A three-act opera drawing on Ovid’s fables of Echo and Narcissus and Cephalus and Procris.
Paolo Rolli’s libretto brings Ariadne and Theseus into a new Italian opera by Nicola Porpora, alongside Piritoo, Onaro, and Antiope. Rolli’s text takes a different source route from Handel’s Arianna in Creta, drawing on Giovanni Porta’s pastoral drama Arianna.
A three-act opera by Giovanni Bononcini to a libretto by Paolo Rolli, after Apostolo Zeno and Pietro Pariati.
Achilles, disguised as a girl named Pyrrha, lives on Skyros and has become Deidamia’s lover. Odysseus and Phoenix arrive to recruit him for the Trojan War. They expose his identity by hiding weapons among women’s finery. Achilles agrees to go to war, and after a quarrel, Odysseus reconciles him with Deidamia. Phoenix and Nerea also unite.
In ancient Persia, King Oronte has usurped the throne and raised the rightful princess Elisa as his daughter Elmira. Oronte tries to prevent her marriage to the returning prince Floridante, then reveals his desire to marry her himself. After imprisoning Floridante and threatening Elmira, he is overthrown; Elmira becomes queen, marries Floridante, and pardons Oronte.
During Alexander the Great’s campaign in India, two princesses, Lisaura and Rossane, vie for his love as he vacillates between them and proclaims himself a son of Jupiter. After he spares his protesting general Clito, conspirators attempt to overthrow him. Their revolt fails, and Alessandro chooses Rossane while King Tassile is united with Lisaura.
A three-act opera drawing on Ovid’s fables of Echo and Narcissus and Cephalus and Procris.
Paolo Rolli’s libretto brings Ariadne and Theseus into a new Italian opera by Nicola Porpora, alongside Piritoo, Onaro, and Antiope. Rolli’s text takes a different source route from Handel’s Arianna in Creta, drawing on Giovanni Porta’s pastoral drama Arianna.
A three-act opera by Giovanni Bononcini to a libretto by Paolo Rolli, after Apostolo Zeno and Pietro Pariati.
Achilles, disguised as a girl named Pyrrha, lives on Skyros and has become Deidamia’s lover. Odysseus and Phoenix arrive to recruit him for the Trojan War. They expose his identity by hiding weapons among women’s finery. Achilles agrees to go to war, and after a quarrel, Odysseus reconciles him with Deidamia. Phoenix and Nerea also unite.
In ancient Persia, King Oronte has usurped the throne and raised the rightful princess Elisa as his daughter Elmira. Oronte tries to prevent her marriage to the returning prince Floridante, then reveals his desire to marry her himself. After imprisoning Floridante and threatening Elmira, he is overthrown; Elmira becomes queen, marries Floridante, and pardons Oronte.
King Gualtiero tests Griselda’s virtue, banishing her and claiming their daughter was killed. He plans to marry Almirena, unaware she is their daughter and in love with Ernesto. Back at her cottage, Griselda rejects the nobleman Rambaldo, who threatens her infant son. She flees to the palace and serves Almirena. Gualtiero’s final test is to order Griselda to marry Rambaldo; she refuses. The king reveals his motives, restores her as queen, and allows Almirena and Ernesto to reunite. Rambaldo is forgiven for fomenting rebellion to win Griselda.
Nicola Porpora’s serenata, with a libretto by Paolo Rolli, was composed to mark the marriage of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. The available text does not provide its plot.
As Tarquinio and Porsena attack Rome, Horatio defends the bridge and saves the city. Roman soldier Muzio tries to assassinate Porsena, fails, then earns the king’s respect by holding his hand in fire. Clelia escapes captivity, Tarquinio is defeated, and Porsena makes peace, allowing Muzio and Clelia and Horatio and Irene to marry.
Polifemo desires Galatea, who loves the mortal Aci. He kills Aci, but the gods restore him as a river deity. Meanwhile, Calipso helps Ulisse escape Polifemo’s control; Ulisse blinds the sleeping cyclops. Polifemo wanders in rage while Aci, Galatea, and Ulisse celebrate.
Shipwrecked in Cyprus on her way to marry Richard I, Costanza hides her identity at Governor Isacio’s court. Isacio plans to seduce her and substitute his daughter Pulcheria as Richard’s bride. Richard, disguised as an ambassador, uncovers the plot and later defeats Isacio’s forces when the governor captures Costanza. Isacio is allowed to live but loses power, and Pulcheria rules with Oronte.
At New Carthage, the Roman general Scipione falls in love with the captive Berenice, who loves the disguised Spanish prince Lucejo. Scipione initially considers marriage, but changes his mind when Berenice’s father honors his promise to Lucejo. He frees the couple and gives them their ransom as a wedding gift.