Cavalli, Francesco - Orione (It) (Urtext).

For more than a decade, Cavalli hesitated to set the text of a young poet to music, a poet to whom fame had opened the gates of the lagoon city in 1642. Cavalli had doubts whether Francesco Melosio's "Orione" would be adequately received as a libretto for an opera setting. The text was sparkling and witty, but it had one flaw: it was not "Venetian". Cavalli's greatest concerns, however, were perhaps about another "un-Venetian" trait. The characters in "Orione" are all a little exalted, even quite unsympathetic. Melosio's cynicism compels readers to enjoy the wit of the text more than it allows them to be moved. Nevertheless, Cavalli ultimately decided against shelving the amusing libretto.

About the plot: Blinded by feelings of revenge, Orione reaches Delos during the Pythian Games. There, the demigod regains his sight owing to Apollo but as a result of just this becomes a victim when he sees Diana's beauty. The reciprocated love triggers jealousy among the assembled gods, which is further fuelled by the simplicity of the young man and his foolish servant. Diana herself kills the lover she does not recognise, unconsciously incited by her brother Apollo, who has just returned, jealous, from the wiles of Venus and the whims of Cupid.

In his setting of the original text, Cavalli adapted his style to the libretto and demonstrated an extraordinary theatrical sensibility. This however did not sway contemporary audiences who, after four decades of "opera history", were accustomed to certain dramaturgical conventions and musical sequences "Orione" does not adhere to. In fact, the work enjoyed a moderate success out of respect for the composer. Crossing an old but innovative libretto with music that was modern but did not conform to the contemporary schemata was an approach unable to make an impact in its day. However, in our day, it allows with its multi-layered linguistic features for astonishing insights into that era. For today’s listeners who are prepared to patiently rediscover this work, "Orione" reveals great freshness in all its innovative madness even after several centuries.

This new edition which is part of the "Francesco Cavalli - Opere" series has been meticulously edited in terms of the music and libretto, thus lending itself not only for scholarly study but also for the performance of this unusual work in Cavalli's oeuvre. The historical introduction is particularly noteworthy as it goes beyond the genesis of “Orione”, offering a fascinating insight into the workings of 17th century Italian opera.