Arianna, the tragedy in music written by Ottavio Rinuccini and Claudio Monteverdi, was performed for the first time in Mantova on the 28th of May 1608. However, it is a very well known fact, that the score of Arianna has unfortunately gone missing, probably for good. Nevertheless the Lamento alone was printed twice in 1623 both in Venice and in Orvieto. Why was only part of the score printed years after? Why just the Lamento? Why in 1623? Many musicologists began to ask these questions in the second half of the XXth century and they put forward credible theories sustained by facts. This paper introduces in this debate news arguments, that, although not conclusive, are well sustained by facts and therefore very likely. This hypothesis regards the Venetian publication of the Lamento di Arianna in 1623 as the climax of the interest for the composition that grew between Mantua and Bologna from 1620 onwards and that was started by Duke Ferdinando Gonzaga. The life of the new duke, who was already a cardinal, is so strictly interwoven with what happened to the Arianna that his interest, at times, may appear to assume to be a symbolic revenge on his personal life. The chain of events way back in 1608.

The 1620s: the rebirth of 'Arianna'

BESUTTI, Paola
2013-01-01

Abstract

Arianna, the tragedy in music written by Ottavio Rinuccini and Claudio Monteverdi, was performed for the first time in Mantova on the 28th of May 1608. However, it is a very well known fact, that the score of Arianna has unfortunately gone missing, probably for good. Nevertheless the Lamento alone was printed twice in 1623 both in Venice and in Orvieto. Why was only part of the score printed years after? Why just the Lamento? Why in 1623? Many musicologists began to ask these questions in the second half of the XXth century and they put forward credible theories sustained by facts. This paper introduces in this debate news arguments, that, although not conclusive, are well sustained by facts and therefore very likely. This hypothesis regards the Venetian publication of the Lamento di Arianna in 1623 as the climax of the interest for the composition that grew between Mantua and Bologna from 1620 onwards and that was started by Duke Ferdinando Gonzaga. The life of the new duke, who was already a cardinal, is so strictly interwoven with what happened to the Arianna that his interest, at times, may appear to assume to be a symbolic revenge on his personal life. The chain of events way back in 1608.
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11575/10646
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 2
social impact