Arbace

Arbace
Opera seria by Francesco Bianchi
The composer in 1805
LibrettistGaetano Sertor
LanguageItalian
Premiere
20 January 1781 (1781-01-20)

Arbace is an opera seria in three acts by Francesco Bianchi. The libretto was by Gaetano Sertor.

The opera was forward looking in its structure, with tension gradually mounting, via an exciting prison scene ("a fore-shadowing of romanticism"[1]) to a considerable climax. Marita P. McClymonds remarks on "The use of tonality, modality, chromaticism and strong dynamic contrasts for expressive purposes, as well as the liberal use of wind instruments ..."[1]

  1. ^ a b McClymonds, Marita P (1992), 'Arbace' in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera vol 1 p 162