Opera Scotland

Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina The Liberation of Ruggiero from Alcina's Island

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Music

Francesca Caccini (born Florence, 18 September 1587; died after 1637)

Text

Ferdinando Saracinelli

Source

Canto VI of epic poem Orlando furioso  (1516) by Lodovico Ariosto (1474-1535).

 

Premieres

First performance: Florence (Villa Poggio Imperiale), 3 February 1625.

First performance in UK: Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire (Ardmedden Equestrian), 17 July 2022.

 

Background

This is the first opera composed by a woman, the daughter of the singer and composer Giulio Caccini (1551-1618).  It is thought to have had a second performance in Warsaw in 1628, which would make it the first opera performance outside Italy.