Gli sposi malcontenti (The Discontented Newly-weds) is an opera buffa in 2 acts composed by Stephen Storace to an Italian libretto by Gaetano Brunati.
The opera, Storace's first, was first performed at the Burgtheater, Vienna, on 1 June 1785. At the time the composer was in Vienna in the company of his younger sister Nancy Storace who was engaged as a lead soprano in the Imperial Italian opera company. Emperor Joseph II greatly admired Nancy which led him to commission this work from the novice composer.[1][2][3]
At the première, Nancy's voice failed during the performance, and it took her some weeks to recover.[4] Nevertheless, the opera was a success, with further performances at the Burgtheater.[5][6]
- ^ Girdham 1997, p. 13: "It was certainly Nancy who influenced Emperor Joseph II into commissioning Stephen to write his first opera, probably out of respect for her professional judgment rather than any purported intimacy between them."
- ^ Brace 1991, p. 45: "It has been said that Anna persuaded the Emperor to offer it to her brother because they were lovers, but there is no evidence of this. The letter quoted above indicates rather the contrary. She may certainly have recommended her brother, and the Emperor would respect her musical judgment."
- ^ Geiringer, Karl; Geiringer, Irene (1981). Weaver, Robert L. (ed.). "Stephen and Nancy Storace in Vienna". Essays on the Music of J.S. Bach and Other Divers Subjects: A Tribute to Gerhard Herz. Louisville, Kentucky: 235–244.
- ^ Fiske, Roger (5 January 1960). "The Operas of Stephen Storace". Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association. 86 (86th Sess. (1959–1960)): 29–44. doi:10.1093/jrma/86.1.29. JSTOR 766017.
- ^ Platt, Richard (2002). "Sposi malcontenti, Gli". Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.O904850.
- ^ Girdham 1997, p. 14; Brace 1991, pp. 46–47