Alessandro Severo

Not to be confused with Handel's opera Alessandro.

Alessandro Severo (Alexander Severus, HWV A13) is an opera by George Frideric Handel composed in 1738. It is one of Handel's three pasticcio works,^[1] made up of the music and arias of his previous operas Giustino, Berenice and Arminio. Only the overture and recitatives (as well as the words) were new. The impresario Johann Jacob Heidegger probably selected the 1717 libretto by Apostolo Zeno, originally written for Antonio Lotti and re-used by many composers thereafter.^[2]

Alessandro Severo
Opera by George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel, portrayed by Balthasar Denner, 1729
Librettist	Apostolo Zeno?
Language	Italian
Premiere	25 February 1738 (1738-02-25) King's Theatre, Haymarket, London

Performance history

Alessandro Severo was not a success at its premiere under the direction of the composer on 25 February 1738 at the King's Theatre, London.^[3]

Roles

Roles, voice types, and premiere cast

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, 25 February 1738
Sallustia	soprano	Elisabeth Duparc ("La Francesina")
Claudio	soprano	Margherita Chimenti ("La Droghierina")
Giulia	contralto	Antonia Merighi
Eurilla	mezzo-soprano	Maria Antonia Marchesini ("La Lucchesina")
Alessandro	mezzo-soprano castrato	Caffarelli
Marziano	bass	Antonio Montagnana

Synopsis

The opera is based upon the story of the Roman Emperor Alexander Severus.