Opera „Varžybos / La Gara / The Competition“

This is a book presenting, in Lithuanian, Italian and English, “La Gara” (The Competition), an example of the rare tourney opera genre, that was created in 1652 by the famous Italian diplomat and priest Michele Bianchi, going by the pseudonym Alberto Vimina, which was premiered at a theatre in Vienna in the presence of Ferdinand III. Facsimile copies of the libretto are given in Italian and German, along with the authentic scene descriptions. Philologist Birutė Žindžiūtė-Michelini prepared the Lithuanian translation of the Italian original. Professor Guido Michelini of Parma University wrote the contextual introduction that is featured here in Lithuanian, Italian and English. The foreword is by the well-known Lithuanian theatre director Eimuntas Nekrošius.

 

With this book the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania continues the important task of publicizing Lithuanian historical sources related to the cultural heritage of Lithuania’s and other European states’ rulers’ palaces, as well as the evolution of opera. M. Bianchi’s opera libretto is important also for the fact that the author was familiar with Lithuania, having visited and described the country in subsequent texts. In addition, Emperor Ferdinand III was the brother of Cecilia Renata of Austria (Habsburg) (Lit. Cecilija Renata Habsburgaitė, Pol. Cecylia Renata Austriaczka or Cecylia Renata Habsburżanka, Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania [1611–1644]) and the brother-in-law of Ladislaus Vasa (Lit. Vladislovas Vaza, Pol. Władysław IV Waza, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, 1632–1648), who produced the first three operas in Vilnius in the first half of the 17th century.

 

Thus the opera libretto and its author’s biography being publicized here, the spread of the opera phenomenon and the mentioned dynastic ties are a clear testimonial of the partnership of Central European culture and art in the early Baroque period.

 

 

ISBN 978-609-8061-22-2