Asrael is a leggenda or opera in four acts by composer Alberto Franchetti and librettist Ferdinando Fontana. The plot, based on German fairy tale and folklore, displays the conflict between the spirit of evil and the spirit of Christian love, represented by Asrael and Nefta respectively. The work is Franchetti's first opera and displays strong influences of Meyerbeer and Wagner, mixed with late 19th-century Italian idioms. The opera premiered at the Teatro Municipale di Reggio on 11 February 1888.[1] The opera made its United States debut at the Metropolitan Opera on 26 November 1890 with Andreas Dippel in the title role.[2]
| Asrael | |
|---|---|
| leggenda by Alberto Franchetti | |
 The composer, c. 1906 | |
| Librettist | Ferdinando Fontana |
| Language | Italian |
| Premiere | 11 February 1888 |
Roles
edit_-_Archivio_Storico_Ricordi_ICON004214.jpg)
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 11 February 1888[3] |
|---|---|---|
| Nefta/Suor Clotilde | soprano | Virginia Damerini |
| Asrael | tenor | Ladislao Mierzwinski |
| Loretta | mezzo-soprano | Giulia Novelli |
| Lucifero/re di Brabante | bass | Lodovico Contini |
| Lidoria | contralto | Maria Pia |
| Contadino | bass | Francesco Carmignani |
| Araldo | bass | Ulisse Peroni |
References
edit- ^ Jürgen Maehder: "Asrael", Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed January 30, 2009), (subscription access)
- ^ Metropolitan Opera Archives Dippel, Andreas (Tenor). Accessed 25 January 2009.
- ^ Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Asrael, 11 February 1888". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
External links
edit- Asrael (Franchetti): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
