Sings Flaming
Niobe – An Opera That Everyone Will Love
Often considered to be a forgotten masterpiece, the opera Niobe was written by Agostino Steffani who lived in Italy between 1654 and 1728. Steffani was greatly acclaimed in his day and his work admired for its originality by luminaries such as Handel. The opera was performed for the first time in Munich in 1688 but fell out of favor with audiences for many years – only being resurrected in recent times.
Ovid’s Metamorphoses is the basis for the story of the opera Niobe. Niobe is the arrogant queen of Thebes whose boastfulness incurs the wrath of the gods and results in her ultimate downfall. The opera ends in tragedy but a subplot featuring a young love blossoming and comedy scenes provided by Niobe’s nurse Nerea give the story some light-hearted moments.
Characters in the opera include Queen of Thebes Niobe in a soprano part and Anfione the King of Thebes, sung by a male soprano. Poliferno (bass) is an evil magician with a grudge against the King and Clearte (counter-tenor) is the King’s advisor who is secretly in love with Niobe. Another main character is Prince Creonte from Thessalonia who is tricked into attacking Thebes by Poliferno, this part is also sung by a counter-tenor.
The first Act sees Anfione the King abdicating and handing the crown over to his Queen, Niobe. Anfione appoints Clearte as her advisor not realizing that this man is secretly in love with his wife. The love-story subplot comes in the form of two characters Tiberino a prince and Manto a daughter of a priest. They meet outside the walls of Thebes and fall in love.
As he has a grudge against the former king, magician Poliferno tricks prince Creonte of Thessalonia into attacking Thebes. Anfione saves Thebes by singing to the walls and miraculously charming them into rising up higher, preventing access. Amazed Niobe compares her husband to the gods for this feat but blind priest Tiresias argues with her saying that her boastful nature will anger the gods. In an ensuing argument Tiresias calls on the gods for revenge against Niobe.
The second act sees Niobe continuing with her assertion that Anfione must be a god. Poliferno tricks Creonte into launching an attack on Thebes and creates a disguise for the young prince that tricks Niobe into believing that Creonte is the god Mars. Poliferno uses magic to have Anfione spirited away and Niobe falls in love with the celestially disguised Creonte.
Act three sees Poliferno and Creonte fleeing from the palace, breaking the spell and leaving Niobe to realize she has been the victim of Poliferno’s sorcery. Peace has been restored to the kingdom but Niobe provokes the rage of the gods by declaring that offerings should be made to her as if she was a goddess when Manto tries to make an offering to the goddess Latona to bless her union with Tiberino.
Punishment by the gods is swift with the palace burning down and Niobe’s children being killed. Anfione commits suicide at the sight of his dead children and all this is too much for Niobe who in her despair turns to stone. Creonte is crowned king of Thebes and gives his blessing to the marriage between Tiberino and Manto but Poliferno is banished from the kingdom for his wicked ways.
John sings Flaming Star
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