Lucio Silla
- Lucio Silla ( Lucius Cornelius Sulla ) ( Tenor)
- Cecilio, Roman senator (soprano )
- Giunia Cecilios Bride ( soprano)
- Lucio Cinna, friend Cecilios (soprano )
- Celia, Silla's sister (soprano )
- Aufidio, confidant of Silla (Tenor)
- Choir
Lucio Silla ( " Lucius Sulla ") is an opera seria ( dramma per musica ) in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( KV 135). It is about the Roman dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix and his - historically verbürgtem - resignation.
Orchestra
2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 timpani, strings, harpsichord
Action
The action takes place in Rome in 79 BC - Cecilio, the Silla had banished like many other of his enemies from Rome, is secretly returned to Rome to see his bride Giunia. Giunia is the daughter of Gaius Marius, Silla's mortal enemy. Silla wants to force her to marry him, but what it refuses Giunia. Secretly to Cecilio and Giunia meet. Silla's sister Celia loves meanwhile Cecilios friend Cinna. Cecilio wants to murder Silla, but fails and is thrown into prison. In prison, Cecilio and Giunia take leave of each other. But Silla eventually leaves mercy: He dispensed Giunia and are they Cecilio wife. Also, Celia and Cinna are allowed to marry. All exiles allowed to return home, Silla resigns and is the Republic restored.
Music
Lucio Silla - after Mitridate, re di Ponto - Mozart's second contribution to the genre of opera seria. Compared to the two- year-older Mitridate Mozart has gained considerable maturity. The music exemplary meets the requirements that have been placed on an opera seria. At the same time the music of the sixteen- year-old composer but already rises well above the level of his contemporaries, such as in regard to the wealth of inventions that differentiated harmonies and artful, unusually heavily influenced by wind instruments, instrumentation. The music offers a wide variety of different expressions and characters. At the end of the first act several numbers are associated to a large scene. Several grave and prison scenes Mozart gave opportunity for a highly individual and expressive music. In three places - in every act a time - also presents the choir.
Formation
Lucio Silla Mozart wrote for the Milan Carnival season in 1773., He got the job in March 1771 in Verona after the great success of his Mitridate ( also in Milan ). The lyrics were written by Giovanni di Gamerra (1743-1803), whose penchant for eerie and uncanny - he had the body exhumed and burned his wife to always carry their ashes with it can - is also reflected in the text of Lucio Silla. Giovanni di Gamerra sent his text to the master of opera seria, Pietro Metastasio, for review, who also undertook some changes to the text. The arias Mozart wrote, as usual, in the context of the samples the singers on the body. In view of the limited capacity of the singer in the title role of Mozart set to music from the four provided for only two arias Silla. The opera was a great success, although Mozart was in Italy no further orders more.