Composer

:

George Frederick Handel

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1732

Average_duration

:

171:36

Movement_count

:

81

Movement ....

"Ezio" is an opera seria composed by George Frederick Handel in 1732. The libretto was written by Metastasio and was based on the story of the Roman general Aetius, who was known as Ezio in Italian. The opera premiered on January 15, 1732, at the King's Theatre in London. The plot of "Ezio" revolves around the love triangle between Ezio, the Roman emperor Valentiniano III, and the princess Fulvia. Ezio is a loyal general who has been falsely accused of treason by Valentiniano III. Fulvia, who is in love with Ezio, tries to help him clear his name. However, Valentiniano III is also in love with Fulvia and is determined to keep Ezio away from her. The opera is divided into three acts and features a total of 28 musical numbers. The first act introduces the characters and sets up the conflict between Ezio and Valentiniano III. The second act focuses on the love triangle between Ezio, Fulvia, and Valentiniano III. The third act resolves the conflict and ends with Ezio being exonerated and reunited with Fulvia. Handel's music for "Ezio" is characterized by its dramatic intensity and emotional depth. The arias are written in the da capo form, which allows for a wide range of expression and virtuosity. The orchestration is also notable for its use of horns and trumpets, which add to the grandeur of the music. "Ezio" was a popular opera during Handel's lifetime and was performed frequently throughout Europe. It was also one of Handel's personal favorites, and he revived it several times during his career. Today, "Ezio" is considered one of Handel's finest operas and is still performed by opera companies around the world.

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