Didone Abbandonata
Italian poet and librettist Pietro Metastasio's first original work was the opera libretto Didone Abbandonata, inspired by Book IV of Virgil's Aeneid. The action takes place in Carthage, and it was first set to music in 1724 by Domenico Sarro, whose opera was first performed on 1 February 1724 in Naples. The text became popular with subsequent composers, being set by Nicola Porpora in 1725, Leonardo Vinci in 1726 (with a first performance in Rome on 14 January 1726) and many others.
A selection of articles about Didone Abbandonata
CD Spotlight. Heart-wrenching Scenes - Leonardo Vinci's 'Didone Abbandonata', recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Superbly performed and recorded, this set is a must for all opera lovers who are genuinely interested in discovering a work that has been hidden for too long despite its extreme beauty.'
Ensemble. A Great Revival - Leonardo Vinci and Pietro Metastasio's 'Didone Abbandonata', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Historically Significant - 'Didone Abbandonata' by Johann Hasse, heard by Howard Smith. 'Michael Hofstetter directs a consistently dramatic, high tensile performance.'