It is with a certain trepidation that I embark on this Odyssey.
It is my intent to study a Bel Canto opera ( preferably rare ) every fortnight.
I thought I'd start with Mercadante, specifically his opera Virginia.
The truly intriguing thing about this work is that it had to wait 15 years to be staged.
Its gestation period began in 1849 when Salvatore Cammerano wrote the libretto. From there Mercadante completed the score in 1851 and placed the score in a drawer until its premiere in 1866!
A lot had happened to Italian opera in these 15 years. Verdi had produced his three middle period masterpieces(Rigoletto, Trovatore & Traviata) whilst also penning I Vespri Sicilianni, the first version of Simon Bocannegra, Aroldo, Ballo, Forza and the revised Macbeth!
Its surprising therefore to report that Virginia was a success at its premiere considering that musical values had changed so much through those 15 years.
I will update as I listen and dissect and invite all to add comments at your leisure.
Happy listening!
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