Montezuma (Graun)
Montezuma is an opera seria in three acts by the German composer Carl Heinrich Graun. The scenario was written in French by Graun's patron, Frederick the Great, the King of Prussia, and turned into an Italian libretto by Giampetro Tagliazucchi.
The work's plot concerns Hernán Cortés's conquest of Mexico and the defeat of the Aztec emperor Montezuma. The title role was originally performed by a castrato, but today is performed by either a male countertenor or female mezzo-soprano.[1]
Other premieres
The U.S. premiere (in Italian) was given on 14 February 1973 by the Associate Artists Opera Company[2] at the Cyclorama Boston Center for the Arts.[3]
The premiere recording of the complete opera was released in 2008, conducted by Johannes Goritzki.[4][5] Highlights had earlier been recorded by Lauris Elms (title role), Joan Sutherland, Elizabeth Harwood and Joseph Ward, conducted by Richard Bonynge. [6]
References
- ^ The Viking Opera Guide ed. Holden (1993)
- ^ The Harvard Crimson
- ^ Open Library
- ^ hb direct
- ^ University of Vermont Libraries
- ^ amazon