Composer

:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1772

Average_duration

:

167:31

Movement_count

:

32

Movement ....

Lucio Silla is an opera seria in three acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1772. The libretto was written by Giovanni de Gamerra and is based on the life of the Roman dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla. The opera premiered on December 26, 1772, at the Teatro Regio Ducal in Milan. The plot of Lucio Silla revolves around the tyrannical rule of the Roman dictator Lucio Silla. The opera opens with Silla having just returned from a military campaign and planning to marry Giunia, the daughter of his political rival Gaius Marius. However, Giunia is in love with the exiled senator Cecilio, who returns to Rome in disguise to win her hand. Throughout the opera, Silla becomes increasingly paranoid and cruel, ordering the execution of anyone he perceives as a threat to his power. Cecilio is captured and sentenced to death, but Giunia pleads with Silla to spare his life. In the end, Silla relents and allows Cecilio and Giunia to marry, but not before he is struck by lightning and dies. The music of Lucio Silla is characterized by Mozart's mastery of the opera seria style, with its emphasis on vocal virtuosity and formal structure. The arias are particularly notable for their expressive melodies and intricate ornamentation, showcasing the talents of the singers. The premiere of Lucio Silla was not a great success, with some critics finding the plot and characters unconvincing. However, the music was widely praised, and the opera has since become recognized as an important work in Mozart's early career. The opera has been revived numerous times, with notable productions including those at the Salzburg Festival in 2005 and the Royal Opera House in London in 2013.

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