Composer

:

Egidio Romualdo Duni

Genre

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1737

First Performance

:

May 24, 1737

Demofoonte is an opera seria in three acts composed by Egidio Romualdo Duni. The libretto was written by Pietro Metastasio and the opera was first performed in Rome in 1756. The plot revolves around the story of King Demofoonte, who is torn between his love for his wife Creusa and his duty to his people. Act I begins with the return of Creusa from a long absence. She is greeted by her husband, Demofoonte, who is overjoyed to see her. However, their happiness is short-lived as they soon learn that their son, Timante, has been kidnapped by the enemy. Demofoonte is torn between his love for his wife and his duty to his people, as he must lead his army to rescue his son. Act II sees Demofoonte and his army in battle with the enemy. They are successful in rescuing Timante, but Demofoonte is wounded in the process. Creusa tends to his wounds and they reaffirm their love for each other. However, their happiness is short-lived as they learn that Timante has fallen in love with the enemy princess, Dircea. Act III sees Demofoonte torn between his duty to his people and his love for his son. He ultimately decides to spare Dircea's life and allow Timante to marry her, despite the objections of his people. The opera ends with a joyful celebration of the union between Timante and Dircea. Demofoonte is characterized by its beautiful melodies and intricate vocal writing. The opera is divided into arias, recitatives, and ensembles, each showcasing the vocal talents of the performers. The music is characterized by its use of ornamentation and virtuosic vocal lines, which were popular in the opera seria style of the time. The premiere of Demofoonte was a great success and the opera went on to be performed throughout Europe. It remains a popular work in the opera seria repertoire and is considered one of Duni's greatest works.

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