Ifigenia (Pizzetti)

Ifigenia is a tragic opera in one act by Ildebrando Pizzetti, who also wrote the libretto with Alberto Perrini. The libretto is in Italian language. It was premiered as a radio broadcast from RAI Auditorium in Turin on 3 October 1950. In the same year, it received the first prize of Prix Italia radio annual award, that was held in Turin. The opera made its theatrical debut at Teatro Comunale in Florence on 9 May 1951 during the 14th Maggio Musicale Fiorentino festival. [1][2]

Ifigenia
Opera by Ildebrando Pizzetti
Iphigenia (1862) by Anselm Feuerbach
LibrettistIldebrando Pizzetti and Alberto Perrini
LanguageItalian
Premiere
3 October 1950 (1950-10-03)
RAI broadcast, Turin

Roles
Roles, voice types, premiere casts
Role Voice type Premiere cast
Radio broadcast, 3 October 1950
Conductor: Fernando Previtali		 Staged, 9 May 1951
Conductor: Ildebrando Pizzetti
Ifigenia (Iphigenia),
daughter of Agamennone and Clitennestra		 soprano Rosanna Carteri Rosanna Carteri
Clitennestra (Clytemnestra),
the Queen, Agamennone’s wife		 mezzo-soprano Elena Nicolai Elena Nicolai
Achille (Achilles),
Greek hero of the Trojan war		 tenor Aldo Bertocci Antonio Annaloro
Agamennone (Agamemnon),
the King, Clitennestra’s husband		 bass Giacomo Vaghi Giacomo Vaghi

Synopsis

The background is presented by a narrator: the gods were angry with the Greeks, have imposed King Agamennone to sacrifice his daughter, Ifigenia, as a condition for his fleet to gain fair winds for the Greek ships bound for Troy. Ifigenia and her mother, Clitennestra were invited by Agamennone, believing that they were preparing for marriage ceremony between her and Achille. Upon arrival, Achille unveiled the truth to them, showing firmness towards the divine will.

The king is relentless, beyond the wrath of the gods, he also fears the rebellion of the soldiers impatient to set sail. He calls upon Ifigenia and urges her to face the terrible trial with courage. The girl accepted her fate and surrender to the altar of sacrifice.

In the epilogue, when the mist descending to hide the sacrificial act is thinned out, a mysterious voice rises to ask why the eternal perpetuation of the war. But there was no answer, and the same voice, after the intervention of the choir, which symbolically multiplies the painful question in several languages "Why? Pourquoi? Por qué? Warum? Why? Quare?", and chanting the prayer in Latin "Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine, quis substinevit?, irascaris, Domine. Dona nobis pacem" for all the victims and perpetrators.[3]

Recordings
Year Cast: Ifigenia,
Clitennestra,
Achille,
Agamennone		 Conductor,
Opera house, orchestra		 Label
1960[4] Rosanna Carteri,
Fiorenza Cossotto,
Ottorino Begali,
Nicola Rossi-Lemeni		 Nino Sanzogno,
Teatro la Fenice Orchestra and Chorus, Venice		 House of Opera
SN: CD8400

References
  1. Ildebrando Pizzetti – Elenco delle composizioni. L'Orchestra Virtuale del Flaminio site. Retrieved 15 July 2018 (in Italian)
  2. Past edition Prix Italia winner. Prix Italia site. Retrieved 15 July 2018
  3. Ifigenia – Tragedia musicale in un atto. L'Orchestra Virtuale del Flaminio site. Retrieved 15 July 2018 (in Italian)
  4. "Ildebrando Pizzetti: Ifigenia, 1960 Venice. House of Opera site. Retrieved 15 July 2018
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