Good News from Ars Minerva: Their Next Opera!

Ars Minerva has put on a series of outstanding presentations of 17th and 18th c. opera over the last several years. I'm so happy to see the announcement of their planned fall, 2020 production Doesn't this look like fun??

MESSALINA

An opera composed by Carlo Pallavicino in 1679 - Libretto by Francesco Maria Piccioli

A sex farce with teeth. Clever, lecherous Messalina turns the tables several times on the gullible Emperor Claudius, who is hardly innocent himself. Meanwhile two other couples suffer their own romantic vicissitudes. Furtive assignations, frustrated trysts, kidnappings, betrayals, sudden recognitions, a heroine and a hero both in drag, and a plot as convoluted as only 17th-century Venetian opera can put together, all lead to a reconciliation that will last only as long as Messalina can keep pulling the wool over Claudius’ eyes. 

WHEN & WHERE
October/November 2020
ODC THEATER
3153 17 St, San Francisco.

In the event of a longer worldwide health crisis, the performances will be postponed. We are also working on eventual live stream performances.

ABOUT THE COMPOSER

Carlo Pallavicino (1630-1688): Italian composer Carlo Pallavicino wrote more than 20 operas, which premiered in the cities where he worked during his life: Venice, Italy and Dresden, Germany. He also wrote oratorios and sacred works. Pallavicino began his musical career as a church organist in 1665-66 in Padua, Italy. His first operas were staged in Venice, Italy in 1666. He moved on to the Dresden, Germany court in 1667, where he was a choirmaster for a few years. After that period, he returned to his organist position in Venice. He became the musical director of a Venice conservatory that provided musical training for orphaned children. Then, in 1685, he resumed his post in Dresden and then became director of chamber and theater music in 1687. Two of his operas were staged in Dresden, but he continued to compose mainly for Venice. Of Pallavicino’s operas, Vespasiano (staged in 1678 in Venice) was his most popular.

Dear Friend of Ars Minerva,
 

Ars Minerva is a unique and young performing arts organization. On a shoestring budget we have presented 5 annual modern world premieres of lost operas that no one else presents, producing them for Bay Area audiences since 2015, and collaborated with San Francisco Bay local artists. Messalina cast calls for 8 vocalists and 6 instrumentalists, a creative team and a technical team. Our artists, except one, will be residents of the San Francisco Bay Area and are actively contributing to the local and vital arts scene. Please consider supporting us during this difficult time.

You can support Ars Minerva on Go Fund Me.