La grotta di Trofonio

La grotta di Trofonio
Opera by Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri, engraving by Carl Traugott Riedel, 1802
TranslationTrofonio's Cave
LibrettistGiovanni Battista Casti
LanguageItalian
Premiere
12 October 1785 (1785-10-12)
Burgtheater, Vienna

La grotta di Trofonio (Trofonio's Cave) is an opera, described as an opera comica, in two acts (five scenes) composed by Antonio Salieri to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Battista Casti.

The work was first performed in Vienna at the Burgtheater on 12 October 1785.[1] The similarity of the story of the opera may have influenced Lorenzo da Ponte when he wrote the libretto of Mozart's Così fan tutte.[2]

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere cast
12 October 1785[3] 		Revival
14 March 2005
Aristone bass Francesco Bussani Olivier Lallouette
Dori, daughter of Aristone, in love with Plistene soprano Celeste Coltellini Marie Arnet
Ofelia, daughter of Aristone, in love with Artemidoro soprano Nancy Storace Raffaella Milanesi
Artemidoro tenor Vincenzo Calvesi Nikolai Schukoff
Plistene tenor

Stefano Mandini

Mario Cassi
Trofonio, a magician bass Francesco Benucci Carlo Lepore

Synopsis

Dori and Ofelia (sisters) are in love with Plistene and Artemidoro (friends). The two pairs have contrasting personalities: Dori and Plistene are extroverted and enthusiastic, Ofelia and Artemidoro are introverted and reserved. The magician Trofonio invites them to his magic cave where their characters are reversed, first the men and then the women. Eventually everything is sorted out and there is a happy ending.

Recordings

Les Talens Lyriques and Lausanne Opera Chorus

  • Conductor: Christophe Rousset
  • Principal singers: Olivier Lallouette, Raffaella Milanesi, Marie Arnet, Nikolai Schukoff, Mario Cassi
  • Recording date: (published 2005)
  • Label: Ambroisie AMB 9986

References

  1. ^ Opera Manager - Opera: Antonio Salieri Grotta di Trofonio, La
  2. ^ Salieri: La Grotta di Trofonio, Lallouette/Lausanne Opera Chorus/ Les Talens Lyriques/ Rousset | | Guardian Unlimited Arts
  3. ^ Vol7.indd

Literature

  • Rice, John A (1992), 'Grotta di Trofonio, La' in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7