Composer

:

Carlo Francesco Pollarolo

Genre

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1716

Average_duration

:

4:04

Ariodante is an opera seria in three acts composed by Carlo Francesco Pollarolo. The opera was first performed in Venice in 1718. The libretto was written by Antonio Salvi and is based on a story from Ludovico Ariosto's epic poem Orlando Furioso. The plot of Ariodante revolves around the love story of Ariodante, the Prince of Scotland, and Ginevra, the daughter of the King of Scotland. The opera begins with the announcement of the upcoming wedding of Ariodante and Ginevra. However, the villainous Polinesso, who is in love with Ginevra, plots to ruin the wedding and take Ginevra for himself. He convinces Dalinda, Ginevra's lady-in-waiting, to dress up as Ginevra and lure Ariodante into a trap. Ariodante, believing that Ginevra has been unfaithful, attempts to kill himself. However, he is saved by his brother Lurcanio, who reveals the truth about Polinesso's deception. In the end, Polinesso is killed, and Ariodante and Ginevra are reunited. The music of Ariodante is characterized by its virtuosic vocal writing and its use of the da capo aria form. The opera features a number of memorable arias, including "Scherza infida" and "Dopo notte" sung by Ariodante, and "Il primo ardor" sung by Ginevra. Ariodante premiered at the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo in Venice on January 8, 1718. The opera was a great success and was subsequently performed in a number of other Italian cities, including Rome, Naples, and Florence. The opera was also performed in London in 1735, where it was well-received by audiences. Overall, Ariodante is a masterpiece of the opera seria genre, featuring beautiful music and a compelling story of love and betrayal.

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