Gli amori d'Apollo e di Dafne (The Loves of Apollo and Daphne) is an opera by the Italian composer Francesco Cavalli. It was Cavalli's second operatic work and was premiered at the Teatro San Cassiano, Venice during the Carnival season of 1640. The libretto is by Giovanni Francesco Busenello and is based on the story of the god Apollo's love for the nymph Daphne as told in Ovid's Metamorphoses.
Roles RoleVoice typePremiere Cast, 1640(Conductor: - )Apollohaute-contreDafnemezzo-sopranoAurorasoprano Cefalotenor AmoresopranoFilena sopranoAlfesibeobaritoneSonnobaritonCirillahaute-contreVeneremezzo-sopranoGiovebassPantenorMorfeotenorProcrissopranoItatonsopranoTitoniotenorPeneobassPantobassThree musesmezzo-soprano and two sopranos Coro de Ninfe e Pastori
Recordings Gli Amori d'Apollo e di Dafne Orquestra Joven de la Sinfónica de Galicia, Alberto Zedda, Naxos, 2006. Gli amori d'Apollo e di Dafne Ensemble Elyma, Gabriel Garrido, K617 2009. Gli amori d'Apollo e di Dafne, Act 3: Misero Apollo Philippe Jaroussky, Artaserse. The Loves of Apollo & Dafne Filmed performance (2021) at Pinchgut Opera
References
Holden, Amanda (Ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. Libretto of the opera , in Italian.