''Fedra'' is an opera in three acts composed by

Ildebrando Pizzetti Ildebrando Pizzetti (20 September 1880 – 13 February 1968) was an Italian composer of classical music, as well as a musicologist and a music critic. Biography Pizzetti was born in Parma in 1880. He was part of the "Generation of 1880" alon ...

to an Italian-language

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

which he abridged from the text of Gabriele D'Annunzio's 1909

tragedy A tragedy is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a tragic hero, main character or cast of characters. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy is to invoke an accompanying catharsi ...

of the same name. The play and the opera recount the story of the Greek mythological figure

Phaedra Phaedra may refer to: Mythology * Phaedra (mythology), Cretan princess, daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë, wife of Theseus Arts and entertainment * Phaedra (Cabanel), ''Phaedra'' (Cabanel), an 1880 painting by Alexandre Cabanel *House of Phaedra ...

and her unrequited love for her stepson Hippolytus. It premiered on 20 March 1915 at

La Scala La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was Santa Maria della Scala, Milan, a church). The premiere performa ...

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

conducted by

Gino Marinuzzi Gino Marinuzzi (24 March 188217 August 1945) was an Italian conductor and composer, particularly associated with the operas of Wagner and the Italian repertory. Biography Marinuzzi was born and studied in Palermo; graduating from the Palermo ...

.Viagrande, Riccardo (2013)
"Ildebrando Pizzetti: ''Fedra''"
GBOpera Magazine. Retrieved 7 July 2018

Roles

Synopsis

The Prelude opens with an extended melody for violas, reflecting Fedra’s passionate desire for Ippolito. Fedra conceives an insane irresistible passion for her stepson, Ippolito, born of a previous relationship of her husband with the queen of Amazons. She tries to kiss Ippolito when he's sleeping. Ippolito is awakened by the kiss and they have a fight. He rejects her love for him and makes it very clear to her that he is not interested. Fedra is distraught by the passion of love, but at the same time, is furious at having been rejected by him. She conceives a feeling of hatred so strong as to make her want revenge. Teseo arrives at the palace just in time to see the son flee, without answering his father who had called him repeatedly. Fedra claimed Ippolito had raped her. Teseo, at first, thinks that his wife's accusation against his son may be a lie, but when Fedra provides him with the proof, Teseo, who is blinded by anger, invokes Poseidon to have Ippolito die on that same day. Ippolito loses his life that very day near the sea as a result of an accident. He fell from his horse and his head hit against a rock. When Teseo finds out the truth of the accusation, he throws himself against Fedra, announcing her death among cruel torments.

Recordings

References

{{Ildebrando Pizzetti Operas by Ildebrando Pizzetti Italian-language operas 1915 operas Operas Operas based on works by Gabriele D'Annunzio Opera world premieres at La Scala Phaedra (mythology) Theseus Works based on Hippolytus (play)