We’re turning to music of Giovanni Simone Mayr on this week’s Sunday Opera (1/5 3:00 p.m.) with a live performance of his 1801 work “Ginevra di Scozia.” The libretto by Gaetano Rossi is based on a story by Antonio Salvi that was used nearly 20 times in other classical works by composers such as Handel.
“Ginevra di Scozia" is a tale of love, betrayal, and redemption, and it explores themes of jealousy, deception, and the triumph of good over evil.
The Scottish princess Ginevra (Elizabeth Vidal) and the Italian knight Ariodante (Daniela Barcellona) are deeply in love, but their relationship is threatened by Polinesso (Antonino Siragusa), the Duke of Albany. Polinesso, consumed by jealousy, devises a cruel plan to ruin Ginevra's reputation and separate her from Ariodante. He manipulates Dalinda (Giuseppina Piunti), one of Ginevra's ladies-in-waiting who is in love with Polinesso, into pretending to be Ginevra and meeting him on the balcony.
Ariodante, misled by the deception, believes Ginevra is unfaithful and attempts suicide, but is rescued by a hermit (Damiano Locatelli).
Ginevra is accused of adultery and is sentenced to be burned at the stake unless a champion will defend her honor. Ariodante, driven by love and justice, resolves to save Ginevra and expose Polinesso's treachery disguised as a black knight.
Polinesso is bettered by Ariodante and, overwhelmed with guilt, confesses his evil deeds and reveals the truth.
Ginevra is exonerated, Ariodante reveals himself, and receives Ginevra’s hand in marriage as a reward for his bravery and loyalty.
The cast also includes Luca Grassi as Ginevra’s father the King of Scotland, Marco Lazzara as Lucanio, Ariodante’s brother who is in love with Dalinda, and Aldo Orsolini as Aroidante’s squire Vafrino. They’re joined by the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi Trieste, conducted by Tiziano Severini.
We’ll complete our time together with a dramatic cantata by Mayr entitled “L’Armonia” (“Harmony”) featuring Talia Or, Altin Piriu, and Kiolay Korchev with the Simon Mayr Choir and the Ingolstadt Georgian Chamber Orchestra conducted by Frank Hauk. Our final work with be the overture from Mayr’s opera “La Lodoiska” featuring the Munich Radio Orchestra conducted by George Petrou.
