Il diluvio universale

• Noè ( bass)
• Sem, Cham, and Japheth, his sons (tenor, baritone)
• Tesbite, Asfene, Abra, their wives (alto, mezzo- soprano, soprano )
• Cadmo, leader of the satraps of Sennar (Tenor)
• Sela, his wife (Soprano)
• Artoo, a satrapischer Hauptmann ( bass-baritone )
• Ada - Mezzo- Soprano
• Followers of Cadmo, satraps and their families, people

Il diluvio universal ( German: The Flood ) is a composer Gaetano Donizetti's opera. The libretto by Domenico Gilardoni Lord Byron's drama Heaven and Earth and Padre Ringhieris Il diluvio. The opera was premiered in 1830 at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. For a further Performance, January 28, 1834 in Genoa, Donizetti wrote a second version.

Action

The opera is based around the biblical story of Noah's Ark opera equitable, although not implausible conspiracies and entanglements on.

While Noè prepared for the deluge, the pagan Satrapenführer Cadmo trying to destroy the ark. Cadmos woman Sela, converted to the God of the Hebrews warns Noè - what her confidante Ada but behind brings Cadmo. Again, this tries to harm Noè, in turn, Sela takes the side Noès who wants to take on the ark with his family. Sela prefers the death of their salvation; Cadmo believed to have triumphed over Noè and its God and decides in defiant triumph to marry Ada. About the excesses of the wedding to open the floodgates of heaven.

Reception

Donizetti and his librettist laid Il diluvio universal before as an opera for Lent 1830, the censor board for consideration. Although the love and family drama at the core is little different from the usual stage productions of the time, but was able to work on the basis of the biblical framework and the final doom of sinners are regarded as a kind of oratorio and so pass the censorship.

Even the premiere of the opera was not a success, although had taken over the lead role of Noè with Luigi Lablache one of the leading singers of his time. Donizetti revised the work for a production in Genoa, which was performed on March 6, 1834 at the Teatro Carlo Felice. Now even more was spoken of an opera, after the original version barely stage directions could still be found. However, the work in this version was not successful, so that today it is one of the many forgotten operas of Donizetti; Significantly Il diluvio is universal not even treated encyclopedia of musical theater in the six-volume standard work Pipers. For the entire 19th century, only two performances ever recorded. In recent times, there were performances in Genoa (1985) and London ( 2005). 2010, the opera was performed at the St. Gallen Festival, where three of the soloists of the CD recording were involved in 2005. While the performance was exactly in historicizing, was the staging in St. Gallen more in character of director's theater.

Recordings

• 2005, Conway Hall London (South London Ethical Society). Mirco Palazzi, Majella Cullagh, Colin Lee, Manuela Custer, Simon Bailey, Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Giuliano Carella. Opera Rara. ORC31, recording of the revised version of 1834