Among the great Italian Baroque composers who deserve to be rediscovered, Alessandro Scarlatti stands out, especially on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of his death. The composer—born in Palermo in 1660 and deceased in Naples on October 22, 1725—is the most distinguished representative of the Neapolitan school, with 114 operas to his name.
Far from being parochial, Venice’s Teatro La Fenice (Naples’ great rival at the time) is paying tribute to the master of opera by staging Il trionfo dell’onore, a comedic masterpiece and Scarlatti’s only known venture into opera buffa. From March 7 to 15, 2025, the Teatro Malibran in Venice will host, for the very first time in its history, a production directed by Stefano Vizioli.
The opera echoes the figure of Don Giovanni through the character of the young libertine Riccardo Albenori, who flits from one woman to another. The role is performed by a soprano in a trouser role—here, Giulia Bolcato. The stellar cast includes the expert direction of Enrico Onofri and the beautiful voices of Rosa Bove, Raffaele Pe, Giuseppina Bridelli, and Dave Monaco.
Beyond its comedic flair, the work holds significant historical and musical importance as it laid the foundations for a new model of opera buffa, with a coherent dramaturgical and musical structure and a preference for the Italian language over Neapolitan. Plenty of reasons to head to Venice—even with a libertine in tow!
To see the opera in Venice, click here!
Il trionfo dell’onore © Teatro La Fenice website
