Ercole su'l Termodonte (‘Hercules in Thermodon’) is
a baroque Italian opera in three acts. In 1723, it
became the sixteenth opera set to music by Antonio
Vivaldi. Its catalogue number is RV 710. The libretto
was written by Antonio Salvi (not Giacomo Francesco
Bussani as previously misattributed). The opera was
premiered January 23, 1723 in Rome's Teatro Capranica.
Due to a papal edict preventing women from appearing
onstage in Rome, it premiered with castrati singing all
the female roles. Vi...(+)
Ercole su'l Termodonte (‘Hercules in Thermodon’) is
a baroque Italian opera in three acts. In 1723, it
became the sixteenth opera set to music by Antonio
Vivaldi. Its catalogue number is RV 710. The libretto
was written by Antonio Salvi (not Giacomo Francesco
Bussani as previously misattributed). The opera was
premiered January 23, 1723 in Rome's Teatro Capranica.
Due to a papal edict preventing women from appearing
onstage in Rome, it premiered with castrati singing all
the female roles. Vivaldi was both conductor and solo
violinist.
Although the score was believed to have been lost, 30
arias and 2 duets were discovered in several archives,
and the rest of the opera was reconstructed by
Alessandro Ciccolini.
The story is based on the ninth of twelve legendary
Labors of Hercules. To atone for killing his children
in wrath, Hercules must perform twelve labors, the
ninth of which is to travel to Thermodon and capture
the sword of the Amazon Queen Antiope. (In other
versions of the story, the quest was for her magical
girdle.) The Amazons were a tribe of female warriors
who put all their male children to death.
Vieni o mio diletto ("Come my beloved") is one of the
Bass arias originally scored for voice and strings
(with continuo) however, I created this arrangement for
Viola & Acoustic Piano.
PARTITION