FRANCESCO UTTINI – La Passione

Francesco Uttini

La Passione

Oratorio a 4 voci

Stockholm 1776

Libretto by Pietro Metastasio

Language: Italian

Article No.: BR 5

Full score (A4, adhesive binding, 275 pages.)

Urtext edition by Holger Schmitt Hallenberg.

Introduction in Swedish and English by Bernt Malmros.

Includes a facsimile reproduction of the original bilingual libretto (Italian/Swedish).

Cast:

Giovanni (Sopr.)

Maddalena (Mezzosopr.)

Pietro (Ten.)

Giuseppe (Bar.)

Chorus (SATB)

Orchestra:

2 Tr., 2 Cor., 2 Fl., 2 Ob., 2 Fag.; Strings, B.C.

The Italian Francesco Uttini was one of the most important composers working at the Court of King Gustaf III in Stockholm in the second half of the 18^th century. Since his arrival in Sweden in 1754, Uttini contributed significantly to the creation of the first national Swedish Opera, under the supervision of the King. But he also composed several Italian operas in the style of the fashionable modern ‘opera seria’, which was in high demand even in the Northern capitals of Copenhagen and Stockholm. In this virtuosic style he wrote his also oratorio ‘La Passione’, which was performed only once, during Easter 1776. It is a faithful Italian setting of Pietro Metastasio’s famous libretto ‘La Passione di Gesù Cristo Signor Nostro’. Two expressive choruses frame the extended arias which make great demands on the virtuosity and tessitura of the performers. A fascinating feature of the work are quotations from Pergolesi’s famous ‘Stabat Mater’, which was immensely popular in Stockholm at that time.