Ars Minerva

Ars Minerva is an American opera company founded in 2013 by mezzo-soprano Céline Ricci. It is based in San Francisco, California.[1] The company, run as a non-profit organization, produces little-known Baroque Italian operas researched by the founding director. They have been well received by audiences and critics.

Photo of the stage set for the Ars Minerva production of Messalina

Programming

2015

La Cleopatra (1662) by Daniele da Castrovillari, libretto by Giacomo dall'Angelo.

Cleopatra was performed at the Marines Memorial Theater in San Francisco, with the title role sung by Céline Ricci and Marc Antonio by countertenor Randall Scotting.[2]

2016

The Amazons in the Fortunate Isles, or Le Amazone nelle Isole Fortunate (1679) by Carlo Pallavicino, libretto by C.M. Piccioli.

The modern premiere of Amazons by Ars Minerva opened in May 2016. The opera had not been produced since its initial opening in 1679.[3]

2017

La Circe (1665) by Pietro Andrea Ziani, libretto by Cristoforo Ivanovich.

This production was given a circus-like staging at the ODC Theater in San Francisco.[4]

2018

Ifigenia en Aulide (1738) by Giovanni Porta.

This was the first 18th century opera the company produced. Soprano Aura Veruni sang the title role, with countertenor Matheus Coura as Teurco and Céline Ricci as Achille.[5]

2019

Ermelinda (1680), composed by Domenico Freschi, libretto by Francesco Maria Piccioli. This romantic Venetian opera is set in ancient Phoenecia. The title role was sung by soprano Nikola Printz.[6][7]

2021

Messalina, composed by Carlo Pallavicino, libretto by Francesco Maria Piccioli.

This production of the little known 17th century Venetian opera, a complicated farce with scenes in brothels and bathhouses, featured Aura Veruni in the title role, with Deborah Rosengaus as the Emperor Claudio, Shawnette Sulker as Floralba, and Kindra Schacter as Erginda.[8]

References
  1. MacBean, James Roy (March 30, 2018). "Céline Ricci's Ars Minerva Salutes Women of the Mediterranean". Berkeley Daily Planet. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  2. Nockin, Maria (26 Mar 2015). "Ars Minerva presents Castrovillari's La Cleopatra in San Francisco". Opera Today. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  3. Fancher, Lou (May 17, 2016). "Ars Minerva Discovers Lusty Amazons Opera". Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  4. Winn, Stephen (September 12, 2017). "Ars Minerva Summons a Circe From 17th-Century Venice". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  5. Hirsch, Lisa (December 4, 2018). "Ars Minerva Produces a Winning Revival of Ifigenia in Aulide". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  6. Kosman, Joshua (November 24, 2019). "Ars Minerva revives an unknown Baroque opera with beauty and style". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  7. Fancher, Lou (November 15, 2019). "A Plucky Ermelinda Emerges With Ars Minerva". Classical Voice. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  8. Jones, Nicholas (November 22, 2021). "Ars Minerva Undrapes a Lusty Messalina". Classical Voice. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
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