Talk:Zelmira

Synopsis

This synopsis bears very little resemblance to the one given in Grove. Would it be better to delete it until someone has the libretto and sufficient time to do a proper one? -- Kleinzach (talk) 09:05, 27 November 2007 (UTC)

The Italian article's synop. is slightly shorter even than Grove's, but does note that the action is more complicated than the description. It's not really that surprising that the actual regicides are also guilty of dissembling in the opening scene, is it? Of course I'd welcome a 'proper one'; you could have a go yourself, the libretto being online (though unfortunately without the personaggi- baritone might well be an anachronistic term, but I might hesitate to cast a bass as Leucippo, and he is not a professional hit-man, as I ought to know ;-)).Sparafucil (talk) 10:47, 27 November 2007 (UTC)

What Italian article? We can't use a copy and paste job - potential copyright violation - or is a translation? In any case the synopsis doesn't make sense. If you can't rewrite it now it would be better to delete it until someone else can take it on. -- Kleinzach (talk) 14:37, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

You can find the Italian article at the bottom of the left hand WP menu. You seem confused; There is no question of copying or translation, or of offering a finished version either. I can only vouch that I have so far faithfully summarized scenes 1 & 3 and confirmed that scene 2 is omitted from the piano score at hand. The nutshell version of Grove is handy enough but not sufficiently detailed for a discussion of musical highlights, imho. A bold rewrite from someone interested enough to consult primary sources would be welcome though. Sparafucil (talk) 00:43, 29 November 2007 (UTC)

It's true, I am frequently confused by your editing etc. So the 'Italian article' is the Italian Wikiedia article? And you have only provided a brief summary of part of the opera? If so I understand why it makes so little sense, and will now delete it. Paraphrasing the Grove summary without reference to the original work would obviously not be a good idea. IMO a synopsis should be based on the whole of the original libretti. -- Kleinzach (talk) 04:10, 29 November 2007 (UTC)

I've replaced the (partial) synopsis with one that I have summarized and translated into English from the Dizionario dell'Opera. The one I have added is more or less complete as to the basic plot, but obviously lacks information about the various arias, as well as details of the stage settings for each scene. These can be eventually added from translating the libretto itself. I don't have time to do that right now, but I think this new version of the synopsis is reasonably serviceable for now. Best, Voceditenore (talk) 13:56, 29 November 2007 (UTC)

Thanks. That's good. Your synopsis goes considerably further than the brief one in Grove. -- Kleinzach (talk) 23:55, 29 November 2007 (UTC)

Possibly useful sources for modern productions etc.

• The New York Times on the 1989 revival by the Opera di Roma at the Rossini Festival.
• The Scotsman on the 2003 concert performance in Edinburgh.
• This University of Chicago page has what looks like a definitive role list from the critical edition by Greenwald and Hansell plus some musical analysis.

Voceditenore (talk) 15:28, 29 November 2007 (UTC)

Hats off on the synopsis, Vdt. Why not put these in the External links section? Sparafucil (talk) 20:59, 29 November 2007 (UTC)