Radamisto: Opera seria in tre atti, HWV 12a, and: Radamisto: Opera seria in tre atti, HWV 12b, and: Radamisto: Opera seria in tre atti, HWV 12b [vocal score] (review)
2002; Music Library Association; Volume: 59; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/not.2002.0166
ISSN1534-150X
Autores Tópico(s)Diverse Musicological Studies
ResumoI can picture the scene now—a college professor standing before a class of undergraduate students relates the following story. A composer has written an opera for a new opera company. The first performances are so well received that the company schedules the opera for another performance the very next season. The cast, however, changes between seasons, and the composer has to make a considerable number of alterations—transposing parts and adding or subtracting arias to suit the voices of his new cast. The opera is revived yet again the following year, and the composer makes a few more changes to the score. The last revival during the composer's lifetime is seven years later still, for which he once more adapts the work, this time to suit the needs of two prime donne. Now the conundrum: which version do the students think will be the best? They will no doubt regard the professor as if she did not have two brain cells to rub together, informing her that, of course, the first version will most closely correspond to the composer's intentions and therefore will logically be the best. If all things were equal, they could, of course, be quite correct —but all things are not always equal.
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