Stephen Storace

The Pirates is an opera by composer Stephen Storace with an English libretto by James Cobb. The work was partly adapted from Storace's 1786 opera Gli equivoci and is remarkable as affording one of the earliest instances of the introduction of a grand finale into an English opera.[1] The work premiered at the Haymarket Theatre on November 21, 1792.[2] The opera became a huge success and is considered by many music critics to be Storace's best composition. It was chosen as the starring prima buffa to be performed for King George III at the King's Theatre, London on 16 May 1794.[3]

Roles[4]

RoleVoice typePremiere Cast, November 21, 1792
Don AltadortenorMichael Kelly
Don Gasparo-Richard "Dicky" Suett
Don Guillermo-Mr. Sedgwick
Blazio-John Bannister
GenariellotenorCharles Dignum
Sotillo-Ralph Wewitzer
Captain of the Guard-Mr. Cook
Cosmino-Mr. Phillimore
Captain of the ship-Mr. Benson
Donna Aurora-Anna Maria Crouch
Fidelia-Maria Bland
FabulinasopranoNancy Storace
Marietta-Adelaide Du Camp

Musical numbers[4]

Storace reused some of the music from his 1785 opera Gli sposi malcontenti in The Pirates.[5]

Later productions

On 29 November 1827, the opera was revived at Drury Lane with the title Isidore de Merida. Most of Storace's music was retained but set to a new libretto, probably due to the original libretto's lack of publication.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Stephen Storace
  2. ↑ Stephen Storace
  3. ↑ Comprehensive Performances List
  4. 1 2 Cobb 1792.
  5. ↑ Girdham, Jane (1997). English Opera in Late Eighteenth-Century London: Stephen Storace at Drury Lane. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-816254-5.
  6. ↑ Girdham 2002.

Works consulted

  • Cobb, James (1792), The Songs, Duets, Trios, Chorusses, &c. In The Pirates, An Opera, In Three Acts, London: E. Cox
  • Girdham, Jane (2002), "Pirates, The", Grove Music Online, Oxford University Press


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