Composer

:

Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga

Genre

:

Orchestral

Style

:

Overture

Compose Date

:

1819

Publication Date

:

1950

First Performance

:

1819

Average_duration

:

8:08

Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga was a Spanish composer who lived a short but prolific life. He was born in Bilbao in 1806 and died in Paris in 1826 at the age of 19. Despite his young age, he left behind a significant body of work, including the opera "Los Esclavos Felices" (The Happy Slaves). "Los Esclavos Felices" was composed in 1820 when Arriaga was only 14 years old. It premiered in Bilbao in 1821 and was later performed in Madrid in 1822. The opera is in two acts and is based on a libretto by Francisco Martínez de la Rosa. The first act of the opera takes place in a slave market in ancient Rome. The protagonist, Publio, is a Roman soldier who falls in love with a slave girl named Floro. He buys her and sets her free, but she refuses to leave him. The second act takes place in Publio's house, where he and Floro are living together. Publio's father, who disapproves of his son's relationship with a slave, arrives and tries to convince Publio to give Floro up. In the end, Publio and Floro are reunited and the opera ends with a joyful chorus celebrating their love. "Los Esclavos Felices" is notable for its melodic inventiveness and its use of Spanish folk music. Arriaga was influenced by the Italian opera composers of his time, such as Rossini and Donizetti, but he also incorporated elements of Spanish music into his work. The opera features lively dance rhythms and colorful orchestration, including the use of castanets and tambourines. Despite its success at the time of its premiere, "Los Esclavos Felices" fell into obscurity after Arriaga's death. It was not until the 20th century that his music began to be rediscovered and appreciated. Today, Arriaga is considered one of the most important Spanish composers of the Romantic era, and "Los Esclavos Felices" is recognized as a significant work in his oeuvre.

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