Tito Manlio (Italian pronunciation: [ˈtiːto ˈmanljo]; RV 738) is an opera (dramma per musica) in three acts by Antonio Vivaldi, to a libretto by Matteo Noris. It was written in celebration of the marriage of Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt (1671–1736),[1] the governor of Mantua, which he had announced at Christmas. Vivaldi quickly composed the opera within five days. Whereas the wedding eventually did not take place at all, the opera was successfully premiered at the Teatro Arciducale ‘detto il Comico’ in Mantua during the carnival season of 1719.[2]

Tito Manlio
Opera by Antonio Vivaldi
Title page of 1719 libretto
LibrettistMatteo Noris
LanguageItalian
Premiere
1719 (1719)
Teatro Arciducale, Mantua

Roles

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Role Voice type Premiere Cast,[3]
Carnival 1719
Tito Manlio, Consul of Rome bass Giovanni Francesco Benedetti
Manlio, Titus's son soprano (en travesti) Margherita Gualandi
Decio, Roman captain contralto castrato Lorenzo Beretta
Lucio, a knight soprano castrato Gasparo Geri
Vitellia, Titus's daughter contralto Teresa Mucci
Geminio, latin captain tenor Giuseppe Pederzoli
Servilia, Manlius's fiance contralto Anna Ambreville
Lindo, Tito's servant bass Giovanni Battista Calvi

Synopsis

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The opera is about the story of Titus Manlius Torquatus, consul of Rome and the conflict between him and the region of Latium.

Recordings

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• 1978 — Giancarlo Luccardi (Tito Manlio), Rose Wagemann (Manlio), Julia Hamari (Servilia), Birgit Finnilä (Vitellia), Margaret Marshall (Lucio), Domenico Trimarchi (Lindo), Norma Lerer (Decio), Claes H. Ahnsjö (Geminio) — Rundfunkchor Berlin, Berlin Chamber Orchestra, Vittorio Negri — 4 CD Philips Classics Records (recorded in 1978, remastered in 1990 on CD, it's regarded as the complete reference recording and was included in the Philips Vivaldi Edition)

References

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  1. ^ Eric Cross. "Tito Manlio." The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, (subscription required), accessed December 28, 2015, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/O009614.
  2. ^ Cross, Eric. "Tito Manlio (dramma per musica by Vivaldi)." Grove Music Online. 2002; Accessed 17 Sep. 2020. https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-5000009614 .
  3. ^ Antonio Fanna, Giovanni Morelli (1988). Nuovi Studi Vivaldiani: Edizione E Cronologia Critica Delle Opere, Part 2. Florence: L.S. Olschki. p. 599.
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