| Operas by Alexander Zemlinsky |
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Eine florentinische Tragödie (1917) |
Eine florentinische Tragödie (A Florentine Tragedy) is an opera in one act, Opus 16, by Alexander Zemlinsky, with a German libretto adapted by the composer from a translation of Oscar Wilde's play by Max Meyerfeld.
It was premiered at the Hoftheater, Stuttgart, on January 30, 1917.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 30 January 1917 (Conductor: Max von Schillings) |
|---|---|---|
| Guido Bardi, Prince of Florence | tenor | Rudolf Ritter |
| Simone. a merchant | baritone | Felix Fleischer |
| Bianca, his wife | soprano | Helene Wildbrunn |
Synopsis
The scene is Simone's residence in 16th-century Florence.
Simone, a Florentine merchant, suspects that he is being cuckolded by Prince Guido. He sells Guido a robe and offers the prince everything that is in his house. Guido chooses Bianca, Simone's wife. Simone takes her to her room and makes her do spinning. After he leaves, she declares that she hates him and wishes he were dead. Hearing this, Simone ponders further about adultery and death. He then leaves Guido and Bianca alone and the two lovers express their love. When Guido is about to go home, Simone challenges the prince to a fight. They fight to the death: first with swords, then with daggers, before Simone finally strangles Guido. Bianca then rushes to embrace her husband and they are reconciled.
References
- Clayton, Alfred (1992), 'Florentinische Tragödie, Eine' in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7
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