Opera in three acts
Libretto by Silvio Stampiglia
First performance: King's Theatre, London; February 24, 1730

Roles:
Partenope, queen of Naples (soprano)
Arsace, prince of Corinth (alto)
Armindo, prince of Rhodes (alto)
Emilio, prince of Cumae (tenor)
Rosmira (alto)
Ormonte, captain of Partenope's guard (bass)

Program Notes by Martin Pearlman

Handel's Partenope is not frequently heard today.  Yet it is a brilliant work, much admired by those who know it.  Like the best of Handel, it has an astonishing range of human emotions, virtuosic music for singers, and beautiful orchestral writing, and its libretto is one that some modern writers consider one of the best that Handel set to music.  It is a comic opera, something relatively rare in Handel's output and his first one for London audiences.    

The libretto was written in 1699, decades before Handel adapted it, and it was extremely popular.  Altogether, it was set thirty-six times in the first part of the eighteenth century, of which twenty-three settings -- including one by Vivaldi -- were written before Handel's.  Silvio Stampiglia originally wrote his libretto for a production in Naples and, although the story is entirely his invention, he chose as his heroine the mythological founder of Naples, the siren Partenope. 

Stampiglia's mix of comedy with more serious drama was different from the more "elevated" opera seria produced by many of his colleagues, and for that reason, it was both popular and criticised.  Handel himself was clearly attracted to it and inspired by it.  In all probability, he had heard it in Caldara's setting many years earlier, during his youthful sojourn in Italy.  But, when he first proposed the project to the Royal Academy of Music in 1726, it was rejected as being too frivolous.  This was a company that was committed to producing opera seria, and, for one of its agents, the thought that Partenope might actually be produced

put me in a Sweat . . . for it is the very worst book (excepting one) that I ever read in my whole life: Signor Stampiglia (the author of it) endeavours to be humourous and witty in it:  If he succeeded in his attempt, on any stage in Italy, 'twas, meerly, from a depravity of Taste in the audience -- but I am very sure that 'twill be received with contempt in England.

Nonetheless, Handel returned to this project three years later, after he had assumed more control of the company, and had the libretto adapted for his use by an unknown collaborator.  For the most part, he used the version that Caldara had set in 1708.  His greatest alterations to the libretto came at the ends of the acts, where he created stronger finales. 

Handel completed his score a mere two weeks before the premiere, which took place at the King's Theatre in London on February 24, 1730.  We do not know what kind of reception Partenope received, but we do know that it was performed only seven times. However, it was revived in the following season for an additional seven performances.  The only other revival during Handel's lifetime was in 1737, when it ran for four nights.

A year before writing Partenope, Handel had gone to Italy to find singers for his company.  Among others, he signed the soprano Anna Strada, who would become his new leading lady and who would sing a great many of his most important roles.  It was for her that he wrote the brilliant title role of Partenope, a role which showed off Strada's high notes and fast coloratura, a role which is not only virtuosic but also has a whimsical and seductive side.  Perhaps it was to showcase Anna Strada that this opera has only a single high voice.  Most of the roles are in the middle range -- contralto, two male alto parts and a tenor -- with a smaller role for a bass.  But those roles too are virtuosic and take their characters through a broad range of emotions.

As with so many works of Handel, there are multiple versions of arias and a variety of different cuts, alterations and additions even within the autograph manuscript.  There is no single, definitive version, although we can get a reasonably good idea of what music was included in the original production.  The serious, forceful overture has struck a few writers as being somewhat different in character from the rest of the opera, and it does appear to be physically added onto the manuscript volume and not originally a part of it.  Perhaps it was first written for another occasion but put to use here, when Handel was under pressure to complete his score.  That would not have been unusual.  Handel often adapted his earlier music and even music of other composers for inclusion in new works, and Partenope is no exception.

Vocal Ornamentation by Martin Pearlman

Click on the aria titles below to download or view a PDF of the vocal ornamentation by Martin Pearlman. The arias are organized by opera character.

Aria ornamentation is also available for Handel’s Agrippina, Alcina, Amadigi di Gaula, Ariodante, Giulio Cesare, Semele, and Serse.

Orchestration Chart

This chart gives an overview of the work, showing which soloists and instruments are in each movement. It has also been useful in planning rehearsals, since one can see at a glance all the music that a particular musician plays. Red X's indicate major solo moments for a singer. An X in parentheses indicates that the use of that instrument is ad libitum.

This is a preview of the beginning of the chart. You can download or view a PDF of the whole chart here.

Boston Baroque Performances

Partenope

October 19 & 20, 2012
NEC’s Jordan Hall, Boston, MA
Martin Pearlman, conductor
David Gately, stage director

Soloists:
Amanda Forsythe - Partenope
Owen Willetts - Arsace
Kirsten Sollek - Rosmira
David Trudgen - Armindo
Aaron Sheehan - Emilio
Andrew Garland - Oromonte

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