<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The article aims at assessing the differences between Hasse's original setting of Metastasio's <italic>Siroe</italic> in 1733 and the composer's second setting of the same drama, exactly thirty years later, in terms of dramatic, vocal, and musical balance. The two versions will be comprehensively compared with a focus on two main issues. The first is the origin of the two settings, which goes back to two distinct versions of the libretto, originally conceived by Metastasio for Venice and Naples respectively; a different starting point which gave birth to two, largely separate dramatic projects, differentiated by a number of distinctive facets. On the other hand, special attention will be devoted to the play's characters, which, though basically the same in both settings, demonstrate remarkable differences in individual characterisation and overall balance, both as far as drama and music are concerned.</p>
</abstract>

The article aims at assessing the differences between Hasse's original setting of Metastasio's Siroe in 1733 and the composer's second setting of the same drama, exactly thirty years later, in terms of dramatic, vocal, and musical balance. The two versions will be comprehensively compared with a focus on two main issues. The first is the origin of the two settings, which goes back to two distinct versions of the libretto, originally conceived by Metastasio for Venice and Naples respectively; a different starting point which gave birth to two, largely separate dramatic projects, differentiated by a number of distinctive facets. On the other hand, special attention will be devoted to the play's characters, which, though basically the same in both settings, demonstrate remarkable differences in individual characterisation and overall balance, both as far as drama and music are concerned.

Hasse's <italic>Siroe</italic>, Thirty Years Later: A Veritable Work in Progress

Musicology Today

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Hasse's , Thirty Years Later: A Veritable Work in Progress

The article aims at assessing the differences between Hasse's original setting of Metastasio's Siroe in 1733 and the composer's second setting of the same...

Hasse's Siroe, Thirty Years Later: A Veritable Work in Progress

Published Online: Dec 31, 2021

Page range: 65 - 74

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/muso-2021-0007

Keywords
opera, libretto, singers’ role, musical setting, character

© 2021 Raffaele Mellace, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Hasse's Siroe, Thirty Years Later: A Veritable Work in Progress

Published Online: Dec 31, 2021

Page range: 65 - 74

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/muso-2021-0007

Keywordsopera, libretto, singers’ role, musical setting, character

© 2021 Raffaele Mellace, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
opera, libretto, singers’ role, musical setting, character