Kublai, the ruler of the Tatars, has a lot of trouble on his hands: the court officials are scheming, his own son is so stupid that the princess from the neighboring country doesn't want to marry him, and to make matters worse, an Italian adventurer couple is upsetting the traditions of his country. The comic opera Cublai, gran kan de' Tartari by Giambattista Casti, with music by Antonio Salieri, appears to be set in Catai, but it actually brings to the stage the conditions of the European princely courts, especially those of the Russian tsar's court. How do powerful people deal with their responsibility for their country is the central question that the authors raise in the spirit of the European Enlightenment. But because Russia was an ally of Emperor Joseph II, he cancelled the premiere without further ado after the start of the Turkish War in 1787. Thus, one of the most unusual operas of the 18th century, which draws on the comedy of the Commedia dell'arte and is hardly inferior to the works of Jacques Offenbach in its satirical sharpness, fell into oblivion for more than 200 years. The conductor Christophe Rousset, who has been committed to the music of Antonio Salieri for many years, will now rehearse the late premiere of the original Italian version of Cublai, gran kan de' Tartari .
5 to 15 April 2024, MuseumsQuartier, Hall E
www.theater-wien.at
Carlo Lepore (Kublai) © Carlo Lepore
