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Sant’alessio At The Barberini Palace, Rome

2002; Universidad Externado de Colombia; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/oso/9780195116373.003.0006

2346-2159

Piero Weiss,

Historical Influence and Diplomacy

Abstract Opera thrived in Rome in the days when the Barberini family were in power, with one member, Urban VIII, on the papal throne (1623-44) and two nephews prominent cardinals. Cardinal Francesco built the monumental Barberini Palace in the via Quattro Fontane and there presented operas for his invited guests. By 1639, with the palace completed, the space devoted to operatic productions was said to accommodate three thousand or more spectators. The most famous of the Barberini operas was Sant’Alessio, with music by Stefano Landi and libretto by Giulio Rospigliosi (later Pope Clement IX), first performed on 18 February 1632 and several times later that season. It was revived in 1634 in a revised and enlarged version to honor the visiting Prince Alexander Charles of Poland, for whom a full score was printed, decorated with plates illustrating the various stage settings.