La buona figliuola
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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La Cecchina, ossia La buona figliuola (Cecchina, or The Good-Natured Girl) is an opera buffa in three Acts by Niccolò Piccinni. The libretto, by Carlo Goldoni, is based on Samuel Richardson's novel Pamela. This was Piccinni's most successful Italian opera. There was a sequel entitled La buona figliuola maritata (1761) by the same composer and librettist. La buona figliuola supposta vedova by Gaetano Latilla followed in 1766.
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Performance history
It was first performed at the Teatro delle Dame, Rome on 6 February 1760 with Borghese, Savi, De Cristofori, Lovattini and Casaccia. It was given in London on 25 November 1766 with Gaetano Guadagni, Savi, Lovattini, Morigi, Quercioli, Piatti, and Michele.
This opera is said to be the first opera that has ever been performed in China, namely at the court of the Qianlong Emperor.Template:Fact
Roles
| Cast | Voice type | Premiere, February 6, 1760 |
|---|---|---|
| Cecchina, a maid | soprano | Tommaso Borghesi |
| Armidoro, engaged to Lucinda | tenor | Carlo De Cristofori |
| The marquis of Conchiglia, in love with Cecchina | tenor | Giovanni Lovatini |
| Lucinda, the marquis' sister | soprano | Gaspero Savoj |
| Mengotto, a poor man in love with Cecchina | baritone | Giuseppe Casaccia |
| Paoluccia, a maid | mezzo-soprano | Francesco Pieri |
| Sandrina, a maid | soprano | Giuseppe Giustinelli |
| Tagliaferro, a German soldier | baritone | Francesco Carattoli |
Synopsis
The marquis of Conchiglia has fallen in love with Cecchina who is a maid. Shocked by the social impropriety of such a match, Cavaliere Armidoro, the fiancee of the marquis's sister, refuses to marry Lucinda. Distraught over losing the man she loves, Lucinda begs the marquis to stop seeing Cecchina. Meanwhile Cecchina has several problems of her own, including Mengotto, a poor man who is infatuated with her and won't leave her alone, and Sandrina and Paoluccia, two jealous maids who try to cause as much trouble for Cecchina as they can. After many plot twists, the opera ends well when Tagliaferro, a German soldier, reveals that Cecchina is in fact the daughter of a German baron, which enables Cecchina to marry the Marchese without upsetting Armidoro.
Recordings
Piccinni: La Cecchina o sia La buona figliola - Orchestra Serenissima Pro Arte
- Conductor: Bruno Campanella
- Principal singers: Alessandra Ruffini, Bruno Pratico, Gabriella Morigi, Giuseppe Morino, Maria Angeles Peters
- Recording date:January 8, 2002
- Label: Nuova Era - B00005YD7U (CD)
