L'Argia
Music by Antonio Cesti · libretto by Giovanni Apollonio Apolloni
L'Argia is an opera in a prologue and three acts composed by Antonio Cesti to a libretto by Giovanni Filippo Apolloni. It was first performed in the court theatre at Innsbruck on 4 November 1655 to celebrate the visit of Queen Christina of Sweden who was on her way to exile in Rome. Over the next 20 years it had multiple performances in Italian cities including Venice and Siena where it inaugurated Siena's new opera house in 1669. Its first performance in modern times took place at the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music in 1996. Set on the Island of Cyprus in ancient times the opera's convoluted plot, full of disguises and mistaken identities, revolves around the amorous misadventures of Selino who has been pursued to Salamis by his deserted wife Princess Argia.
Text from the Wikipedia article "L", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
About the Composer
Antonio Cesti (Italian pronunciation: [anˈtɔːnjo ˈtʃesti]; baptised Pietro Cesti, 5 August 1623; died 14 October 1669), known today primarily as an Italian composer of the Baroque era, was also a singer (tenor) and organist. He was "the most celebrated Italian musician of his generation".
Text from the Wikipedia article "Antonio Cesti", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Other Operas by Antonio Cesti
- Il pomo d'oro (1611)
- La Dori (1657)