Il palazzo incantato
Il palazzo incantato (The Enchanted Palace) or Il Palagio d’Atlante, o vero La guerriera amante (Atlante's Palace, or The Warrior Woman in Love) is an opera in a prologue and three acts by the Italian composer Luigi Rossi. The libretto, by Giulio Rospigliosi, is based on Ariosto's Orlando furioso. It was first performed in Rome in a lavish production at the Teatro delle Quattro Fontane (Palazzo Barberini) on 22 February 1642. Rossi was criticised for giving too much music to his friend, the castrato Marc'Antonio Pasqualini, who played Bradamante, at the expense of the other roles. Some of the highly complicated stage machinery failed to work during the performance too.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast |
|---|---|---|
| Atlante | tenor | Lorenzo Sances |
| Orlando | tenor | Odoardo Ceccarelli |
| Angelica | castrato (mezzo-soprano) | Loreto Vittori |
| Bradamante | castrato (mezzo-soprano) | Marc'Antonio Pasqualini |
| Ruggiero | tenor | Francesco Bianchi |
| Doralice | castrato (mezzo-soprano) | Giovanni Paolo Selli |
| Fiordiligi | castrato (mezzo-soprano) | Ludovico Camelano |
| Marfisa | castrato (mezzo-soprano) | Paolo Visconti |
| Alceste | tenor | Mario Savioni |
| Ferraù | tenor | Giacomo Brilli |
| Astolfo/Iroldo | tenor | Francesco Stilli |
| Huntsman/False Ruggiero | tenor | F.Acquisti |
| Mandricardo | bass | Bartolomeo Nicolini |
| Sacripante | bass | Antonio Sarci |
| Gradasso | bass | Geronimo Navarra |
Synopsis
The magician Atlante captures Christian and pagan knights and ladies in his enchanted palace of illusions. Orlando, Ferraù and Sacripante enter the palace in search of Angelica. Bradamante seeks Ruggiero and, finding him with Angelica, vows to kill him in a fit of jealous rage. But Atlante calms things by reminding Angelica of her love for Medoro. Atlante feels threatened when Astolfo arrives as the knight is immune to his magic. Atlante convinces his captives that Astolfo is the enemy. Meanwhile, Ruggiero has broken the spell. Atlante responds by disguising himself as Ruggiero but when he is faced with a duel with the real Ruggiero he is forced to admit defeat. The magic palace vanishes and the knights and ladies are freed.
Sources
- The Viking Opera Guide ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)
- Le magazine de l'opéra baroque by Jean-Claude Brenac
- Del Teatro (in Italian)
- Amadeus Online
