Once again, Ars Minerva has announced plans to present the “modern world premiere” of an opera that has not been performed since the seventeenth century. This year that opera will be La Flora, composed jointly in 1681 by Antonio Sartorio and Marc’Antonio Ziani. This opera was first performed in Venice in that same year, 1681. It was apparently very well received; but, just as apparently, it has never been performed since then.
Soprano Alexa Anderson in the title role of La Flora (photograph by Valentina Sadiul, courtesy of Ars Minerva)
The title character of the opera, Flora, is the love interest of Pompey the Great (who, as some readers probably recall, was having a hard time of things at the very beginning of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar). Like many of the past Ars Minerva productions, the libretto involves a narrative that ranges from tragedy to farce. It also sidesteps Shakespeare with an earlier setting in Rome ruled by Sulla (bass Wayne Wong), the Roman general that ended the Republic by declaring himself emperor. Pompey (contralto Jasmine Johnson) sees his own path to power through marrying Sulla’s daughter Flora (soprano Alexa Andersen), in spite of the fact that she is already married. This tangled web of relationships recalls Anna Russell’s primary rule of all librettos: “You can do anything you want in opera as long as you sing it!”
As usual, Céline Ricci, Founder and Artistic Director of Ars Minerva, will stage the production. Also as in the past, Matthew Dirst will direct an ensemble of period instruments from the harpsichord. The other musicians will be violinists Cynthia Keiko Black and Gail Hernandez Rosa, Gretchen Claassen on cello, violist Daria D’Andrea, Richard Savino on theorbo, and trumpeter Dominic Favia. Again as in the past, Adam Cockerham has prepared the performing version of the score.
As has been the case with previous productions, there will be three performances taking place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 15, and Saturday, November 16, and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 17. The venue will be the ODC Theater, located in the Mission at 3153 17th Street on the southwest corner of Shotwell Street. Ticket prices are $127 and $82. Students will be admitted for $27. Tickets may be purchased through the above hyperlinks for each of the performance dates. Reservations may also be placed by calling 415-863-9834.
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