Organization

Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival

Singer

Countertenor

Yuriy Mynenko

Bass-baritone

Pavel Kudinov

Polifemo

Soprano

Rinnat Moriah

Nerea

Mezzo-soprano

Sonja Runje

Calipso

Julia Lezhneva

Galatea

Max Emanuel Cencic

Ulisse

Conductor

George Petrou

Others

Choir of the Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival

Italian

Polifemo -  (Polyphemus)

Bayreuth

Germany

Markgräfliches Opernhaus

Nicola Porpora was Farinelli's teacher and a rival of Handel and Hasse. One of the most enigmatic figures of Baroque music, he gave a decisive impetus to the development of opera in the first half of the 18th century. He worked in Italy – above all in his native city of Naples – but also in London, Dresden and Vienna, not always with great fairness towards his fellow composers, but always with the intention of developing elemental musical beauties. He knew how to deal with singing voices, both in terms of their training and their actual use. At the beginning of 1735, he wrote the opera seria Polifemo for the Opera of the Nobility, which was then established in the British metropolis as a competitor to Handel's operatic empire, and which was created with Farinelli as Aci.


Paolo Rolli's libretto is based on two well-known Greek myths, both linked to the Cyclops Polyphemus: the story of the nymph Galateia and the shepherd Akis, and the encounter with Odysseus, which ends unfavorably for the one-eyed giant. . Porpora has created music of great expressiveness and virtuosity for the multicolored scenes, which is sure to impress, then as now – especially when a top-notch ensemble makes the score shine. of Porpora.

Polifemo Porpora

Public

Polyphemus

Approved

Polyphemus by Porpora, From (2021/2021), Conductor George Petrou, Markgräfliches Opernhaus, Bayreuth, Germany

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Ensemble

Programme, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues