Ciro in Babilonia
Opera
Ciro in Babilonia, ossia La caduta di Baldassare (Cyrus in Babylon, or The Downfall of Belshazzar) is an azione sacra in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Francesco Aventi. It was first performed at the Teatro Comunale in Ferrara during Lent, 1812. The exact date of the premiere is unknown but is believed to be 14 March. During Lent it was the custom for Italian opera houses either to close or to stage works on themes from the Bible. Ciro in Babilonia is one of two Lenten operas by Rossini (along with Mosè in Egitto) and is based on the Biblical story of the overthrow of the Babylonian king Belshazzar by the Persian ruler Cyrus the Great.
Synopsis
Time: 539 B.C.
Place: Babylon
https://www.rossinioperafestival.it/en/stories/ciro-in-babilonia/
The plot of "Ciro in Babilonia" concerns the events, drawn from the Bible, surrounding the invasion of Babylon by Ciro (Cyrus), king of Persia. During the fighting, Ciro's wife, Amira, and their son are captured by Baldassare (Belshazzar), king of Babylon. Under a plan hatched by Arbace, Ciro's general, Ciro disguises himself as an ambassador to the Babylonians, so as to embed himself in Baldassare's court and plot the release of his wife and son. After a series of tribulations and plot twists (including divine intervention), Baldassare is defeated, and in triumph, Ciro is joyfully reunited with his wife and son.
- Sinfonia
Act I
- Aria: Avrai tu pur vendetta (Arbace)
- Aria: Vorrei veder lo sposo (Amira, Chorus)
- Chorus and Cavatina: Veh come pallido (Chorus, Ciro)
- Duet: T’arrendi: alfin dipende (Baldassare, Amira)
- Finale: Guardie. Ola (Baldassare, Zambri, Ciro, Amira, Chorus)
- Introduzione: Di Babilonia i popoli (Chorus, Zambri, Baldassare)
- Recitative: L’aspetto mio… la mia presenza (Baldassare, Amira, Ciro)
- Recitative: Signor, a te dal campo (Zambri, Baldassare, Ciro, Amira)
- Recitative: Stanco di tue ripulse (Baldassare, Amira, Argene, Arbace)
- Recitativo: Non piu miei fidi (Ciro, Arbace)
Act II
- Aria: Chi disprezza gl’infelici (Argene)
- Aria: Daniello io son (Daniele)
- Aria: Deh! per me non v’affliggete (Amira)
- Aria: Misero me, che intesi! (Baldassare, Magi)
- Che si tarda? (Baldassare, Chorus, Ciro)
- Chorus - Recitative - Chorus: Intorno fumino (Chorus, Baldassare)
- Chorus, Scene and Aria: Dunque in oggi i nume irati (Chorus, Ciro)
- Duet: Nello stringerti al mio petto (Ciro, Amira)
- Dunque fia ver che il vincitor di Creso (Ciro)
- E lieto e contento (Ciro, Baldassare, Chorus)
- Finale: Al vincitor clemente (Chorus, Ciro, Amira, Zambri)
- Introduzione: Si bell’alma soccorrete (Chorus)
- Recitative, Temporale and Scene: Son questi, o Zambri (Baldassare, Zambri, Daniele)
- Recitative: Abbia fin l’atra strage (Zambri, Ciro, Argene, Amira)
- Recitative: Deh! tu m’aita, o Zambri (Argene, Zambri)
- Recitative: Oh quanta pieta mi desti in sen! (Argene, Amira)
- Recitative: Udisti Argene? E pronto il gran convito (Zambri, Argene)
- Terzetto: Ma qual voce… (Amira, Ciro, Baldassare)
- T’abbraccio, ti stringo (Ciro)
Synopsis from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.