Nov. 6 - 8: Friday and Saturday @ 7 p.m., Sunday @ 2 p.m.
Composed by Marc'Antonio Ziani on a libretto by Pietro Pariati, Andromeda is a one-act chamber opera set in ancient Egypt, dramatizing the myth of Perseus and Andromeda. As the story goes, Princess Andromeda, despite her love for Perseus, has been promised by her father King Cepheus to Agenore. But when Poseidon sends a sea monster to devastate the kingdom, she is offered as a sacrifice to save the king's people. Perseus vows to slay the monster and win Andromeda's hand. Facing the creature on the shore, he raises the shield given to him by Minerva, whose divine image turns the monster to stone, and Andromeda is saved.
Structured as a single continuous act in the tradition of the Viennese court componimento da camera, Andromeda divides naturally into two dramatic movements. The opera premiered for a small audience at the Hapsburg Court on November 4, 1714, and has not been performed since.
The cast includes soprano Aura Veruni as Andromeda; contralto Sara Couden as Perseus; Sidney Ragland as King Cepheus; mezzo-soprano Kindra Scharich as Cassiopeia; and tenor Maxwell Ary as Agenore.
Ars Minerva Founder Celine Ricci directs the production, and harpsichordist JungHae Kim conducts the period instrument orchestra. The creative team includes Del Medoff (lighting design), Entropy (projections design) and Marina Polakoff (costume design).
$25 - $125.
Presented by Ars Minerva.