''Telemaco, ossia L'isola di Circe'' is a 1718 opera by

Alessandro Scarlatti Pietro Alessandro Gaspare Scarlatti (2 May 1660 – 22 October 1725) was an Italian Baroque music, Baroque composer, known especially for his operas and chamber cantatas. He is considered the most important representative of the Neapolitan sch ...

to a

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 ...

by Carlo Sigismondo Capece (sometimes spelled "Capeci"), court poet to Queen Maria Casimira of Poland, living in exile in Rome, for the

Teatro Capranica The Teatro Capranica is a theatre situated at 101 Piazza Capranica in the Colonna (rione of Rome), Colonna district of Rome. Originally constructed in 1679 by the Capranica family and housed in the early Renaissance architecture, Renaissance Palazz ...

in Rome, where it was premiered during the carnival season. The opera was revived in 2005 by the

Schwetzingen Festival The Schwetzingen Festival (German: Schwetzinger Festspiele, now Schwetzinger SWR Festspiele) is an early summer festival of opera and other classical music presented each year from May to early June in Schwetzingen, Germany. In 1952, the broadca ...

and the

Deutsche Oper am Rhein The Deutsche Oper am Rhein (German Opera on the Rhine) is an opera company based in Düsseldorf and Duisburg. The opera also has an associated classical ballet company. Axel Kober has been its music director since 2009. The resident orchestra, t ...

History

The libretto was written by Carlo Sigismondo Capece, based on Homer's ''

Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; ) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey'' is divi ...

'' and François Fénelon's didactic novel ''

Les Aventures de Télémaque :''"Les Aventures de Télémaque" is also the title of a 1922 seven-chapter story by Louis Aragon.'' ''Les Aventures de Télémaque, fils d'Ulysse'' () is a didactic novel by François Fénelon, Archbishop of Cambrai, who in 1689 became tutor to ...

''. The librettist was regarded as one of the central authors in Rome at the turn to the 18th century. ''Telemaco'' is his last work for the stage. The plot is full of intrigues and complications around

Telemachus In Greek mythology, Telemachus ( ; ) is the son of Odysseus and Penelope, who are central characters in Homer's ''Odyssey''. When Telemachus reached manhood, he visited Pylos and Sparta in search of his wandering father. On his return to Ithaca, ...

, the son of Odysseus. Scarlatti composed it, as one of his last operas, for the 1718 carnival season. The composer wrote 114 operas. ''Telemaco'' is known for a richness in melodies, contrasting characters, and a colourful orchestral treatment which includes dense textures and counterpoint. Scarlatti uses instruments on stage which support the action and play with the orchestra in the pit, sometimes in antiphony. The entrance of

Neptune Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun. It is the List of Solar System objects by size, fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 t ...

is accompanied by horns, oboes, and bassoon on stage, while Minerva enters in a chariot which holds a string orchestra with trumpets. ''Telemaco'' was premiered at the

in Rome.Edward T. Corp ''The Stuarts in Italy, 1719–1766: A Royal Court in Permanent Exile'' (2011): "In 1718, while James was at Urbino, the Capranica had staged one work by Alessandro Scarlatti (Telemaco), and another jointly composed by both Domenico Scarlatti and Nicola Porpora." In the leading role was Domenico Gizzi (1687-1758), a famous singer from Naples.

Thomas Hengelbrock Hans Thomas Hengelbrock (born 9 June 1958) is a German violinist, musicologist, stage director and conductor. Biography Hengelbrock was born in Wilhelmshaven, the son of teachers Günther and Dorothea Elisabeth (Schliefert) Hengelbrock. He stud ...

rediscovered the score at the

Austrian National Library The Austrian National Library (, ) is the largest library in Austria, with more than 12 million items in its various collections. The library is located in the Hofburg#Neue Burg, Neue Burg Wing of the Hofburg in Innere Stadt, center of Vienna. Sin ...

in Vienna and prepared it for a performance. He conducted the revival at the opening of the

with the Balthasar-Neumann-Ensemble staged by Lukas Hemleb. The performance was called "Rediscovery of the Year" (''Wiederentdeckung des Jahres 2005''). In the performances in

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...

, Andreas Stoehr conducted the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker and some specialists for

Baroque instruments Musical instruments used in Baroque music were partly used already before, partly are still in use today, but with no technology. The movement to perform music in a Historically informed performance, historically informed way, trying to recreate t ...

Recordings

*Sinfonia and two arias on ''Arias for Domenico Gizzi – A star castrato in Baroque Rome'' Scarlatti "Crude Parche", "Telemaco: Sinfonia", "O a morire o a goder" Roberta Invernizzi, I Turchini, Antonio Florio *Three arias on ''Alessandro Scarlatti: Opera Arias'' "Già nel seno", "Ho il cor tutto foco", "Vendetta, vendetta"

Daniela Barcellona Daniela Barcellona (born 28 March 1969) is an Italian operatic mezzo-soprano. Biography Barcellona was born in Trieste, where she completed her musical studies under the guidance of Alessandro Vitiello, pianist and conductor. She married Viti ...

, Concerto de Cavalieri, Marcello Di Lisa

Literature

* Thomas Hochradner: ''Alessandro Scarlatti. Telemaco (1717/18).'' In: (ed.): ''Musikerhandschriften von Heinrich Schütz bis Wolfgang Rihm.'' Reclam, Stuttgart 2002, , pp. 22–23 (with an image from the score).

References

External links

*
Telemaco. Dramma per musica di Carlo Sigismondo Capeci, da rappresentarsi nella sala dell'Illustrissimo signor Federico Capranica nel carnevale dell'anno 1718. Dedicato etc. In Roma, nella stamperia del Bernabò, 1718.
(libretto, in Italian) Digitalisat by ''Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica di Bologna''
Telemaco / dramma per musica in 3 atti
Corago,

University of Bologna The University of Bologna (, abbreviated Unibo) is a Public university, public research university in Bologna, Italy. Teaching began around 1088, with the university becoming organised as guilds of students () by the late 12th century. It is the ...

Barocker Opernthriller / Schwetzinger Festspiele: Alessandro Scarlatti – "Telemaco"
(review, in German) klassik-heute.com

Elisabeth Kulman {{authority control Operas 1718 operas Operas by Alessandro Scarlatti Operas based on the Odyssey Works based on Les Aventures de Télémaque