Interwoven with Casanova’s original texts, the Theresia Youth Baroque Orchestra under the baton of Claudio Astronio performs extracts from the original version of Rameau’s opera Zoroastre. In the recently-restored neoclassical interiors of the Rimini’s Teatro Galli, Gianni Di Capua presents a delicate staging that uniquely celebrates classical music.

In 1751, the ambassador of the King of Poland and Elector of Saxony commissioned Casanova to create an Italian translation of a French opera that would “lend itself to great changes and could be enhanced with grands ballets on the same subject.” He chose Zoroastre, Rameau’s fourth lyric tragedy based on a libretto by Louis de Cahusac. Casanova wrote on this subject in his memoires: I had to adapt the Italian words to the music of the choruses of the original by Monsieur Rameau. The music remains beautiful, but the Italian poetry doesn’t shine. Despite this, I received a beautiful golden snuff box from the generous monarch, and I gave my mother great pleasure. The mother of the Venetian adventurer would play one of the principal roles, Erinice, in the premiere of his new translation.

Photo: © Massimo Di Capua