Semirâma

Semirâma is an opera in three acts by Ottorino Respighi to a libretto by Alessandro Cerè based on Voltaire's 1748 play Sémiramis, the same subject used for Rossini's Semiramide. Semirâma premiered on 20 November 1910 at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna. The première obtained a great success, with several calls for the composer and the singers.[1]

Semirâma
Opera by Ottorino Respighi
Respighi in 1912
LibrettistAlessandro Cerè
LanguageItalian
Based onVoltaire's Sémiramis
Premiere
20 November 1910 (1910-11-20)
Teatro Comunale di Bologna

In this opera, which often exploits the exotic cues offered by the subject, it is possible to find influences of Salome by Richard Strauss.[2]

Roles
Roles, voice types, premiere cast
Role Voice type Premiere cast, 20 November 1910
Conductor: Rodolfo Ferrari[3]
Semirâma, Queen of BabylonsopranoElsa Bland
Merôdach, Leader of Babylonian armies, Son of Nino and SemirâmatenorGiuseppe Borgatti
Falâsar, Tetrarch of AssyriabaritoneEdoardo Faticanti
Susiâna, Chaldean PrincesssopranoMaria Llacer-Casali
Ormus, Wizard in the temple of BaalbassGiulio Cirino
Satibara, Priestess in the temple of BaalbassDomenico Casadio
First slave of Semirâmasoprano
Second slave of Semirâmasoprano

Instrumentation

Semirâma is scored for the following instruments:[4]

piccolo, 2 flutes , 2 oboes, English horn, E-flat clarinet, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, double bassoon, 6 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, bass tuba, timpani, triangle, sistrum, cymbals, celesta, bass drum, xylophone, tam-tam, harp, strings

On stage: 2 oboes, harp, sistrum

Synopsis
Place: Babylon

Act 1: The return

An unknown but brave warrior, Merôdach, returns home after victorious combats. The queen Semirâma, lover of the tetrarch Falâsar, who several years before to conquer the woman had her husband killed and her son Ninya banished, becomes infatuated with the mysterious hero. Merôdach, after his arrival, meets Susiâna, a woman that was a close friend of his during their childhood. They remind their old friendship, but the passion of Semirâma looms over them.

Act 2: The response

Falâsar, afraid of losing Semirâma, consults the wizard Ormus. Semirâma announces clearly to Falâsar that she intends to marry Merôdach. Falâsar tries to convince Semirâma that Merôdach is her own son Ninya, returning from exile as a valiant soldier, but Semirâma does not believe him. The response of Ormus is ominous.

Act 3: The matricide

The wedding between Semirâma and Merôdach is about to take place. Susiâna, informed by Falâsar of the true identity of Merôdach, reveals the story to her old friend. Merôdach thinks this is a slander and tries to kill Falâsar, but in the darkness instead of striking the tetrarch kills his own mother.

Recordings
1990: Lamberto Gardelli, Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, Hungarian State Radio and Television Chorus, CD Hungaroton Cat. 31197/98[5]

Semirâma: Éva Marton
Susiâna: Veronika Kincses
Merôdach: Lando Bartolini

Falâsar: Lajos Miller
Ormus: László Polgár
Satibara: Tamás Clementis

References
  1. "Il successo di Semirâma del M.° O. Respighi a Bologna". La Stampa (in Italian). Turin. 21 November 1910. p. 5. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  2. Johnson, Bret (2013-07-12). "Respighi". Tempo. 67 (265): 118–119. doi:10.1017/S0040298213000752. ISSN 0040-2982. S2CID 233357536.
  3. Casaglia, Gherardo (2005)."Semirâma, 20 November 1910". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
  4. "Ottorino Respighi. Catalogo delle composizioni suddiviso per generi musicali: Opere liriche". flaminioonline.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  5. "Ottorino Respighi – Semirama – Lamberto Gardelli (1990)". operaclass.com. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
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