The work under consideration here is Francesca Caccini’s Il liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina. Written as a court entertainment in Florence in 1625 it’s almost certainly the first work of its kind by a woman. It was commissioned by the two female regents of Florence; Christine of Lorraine and Maria Maddalena of Austria, for the visit of Wladyslaw, Prince of Poland and Sweden. Can it really be thought of as an opera though? It’s from that period when gentlemanly (and ladylike) scholars were trying to reconstruct what they believed Classical Greek drama had been like, though in this case the theatrical elements are mixed with dances (that would have been performed by the ladies and gentlemen of the Court) and even an equestrian ballet which might prove tricky in a modern opera house!
The first opera by a woman composer?
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I use the word sumptuous in at least two senses. This is a really good recording with a fine period instrument ensemble and voices carefully matched to parts. It’s also very carefully researched in the quest to get as close as what Monteverdi’s audience heard as possible. It’s also sumptuous in presentation. It’s a beautiful hardback book with 3 CD slots built in. The binding and printing are Folio Society quality. It’s sumptuous also in terms of book content. The English language version has 165 pages of explanatory essays plus libretto and translation! There is a wealth of information on what was happening in Venetian theatre , as well as influences from further afield. There’s a section on how discoveries in the sciences were reshaping perspectives on art and aesrthetics and there’s a load of detail on the links between the commedia dell’arte and the opera stage. For a music loving bibliophile it’s a real treat.
