Composer

:

Alessandro Scarlatti

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

First Performance

:

? 1706 09

Average_duration

:

27:57

Movement_count

:

23

Movement ....

Alessandro Scarlatti's 'Cupido e Onestà: Il trionfo dell'Onestà' is an opera in three acts that premiered in Rome in 1708. The libretto was written by Silvio Stampiglia, and the opera was commissioned by the Accademia degli Arcadi. The opera is a comedy that tells the story of Cupid, the god of love, and his attempts to bring together two couples who are in love with each other. The first act of the opera begins with Cupid and his mother, Venus, discussing the state of love in the world. Cupid complains that people are not honest in their love, and Venus suggests that he should try to bring together two couples who are truly in love with each other. Cupid agrees and sets out to find the couples. The first couple he finds is Fileno and Clori, who are deeply in love with each other but are too shy to express their feelings. Cupid decides to help them by disguising himself as a shepherd and encouraging them to confess their love for each other. The second couple he finds is Licori and Tirsi, who are also in love but are being kept apart by Licori's father. Cupid decides to help them by disguising himself as a lawyer and convincing Licori's father to allow them to be together. The second act of the opera begins with Cupid and Venus discussing the success of his mission. Cupid is pleased with himself, but Venus warns him that he must be careful not to interfere too much in the affairs of mortals. Cupid ignores her warning and decides to help another couple, Eurillo and Amarilli, who are in love but are being kept apart by Amarilli's jealous sister. Cupid decides to help them by disguising himself as a magician and using his powers to make Amarilli's sister fall in love with someone else. The third act of the opera begins with Cupid and Venus discussing the consequences of his actions. Cupid is proud of himself for bringing together three couples, but Venus warns him that he has caused chaos in the mortal world. Cupid realizes his mistake and decides to undo his actions. He reveals his true identity to the couples and tells them that they must learn to be honest with each other if they want their love to last. The music of 'Cupido e Onestà: Il trionfo dell'Onestà' is typical of Scarlatti's style, with arias that are characterized by their lyrical melodies and expressive harmonies. The opera also features a number of ensemble pieces, including duets, trios, and choruses, which add to the overall richness of the score. The opera's themes of love, honesty, and the consequences of meddling in the affairs of others are timeless and continue to resonate with audiences today.

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