Arminio or Chi la Dura la Vince is an opera ("Dramma musicale") – and the earliest extant opera composed in Salzburg – in three acts about the Germanic military hero Arminius, and the only surviving opera composed by Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, composed ca. 1690–1692 with an Italian libretto probably by Francesco Maria Raffaelini. The manuscript score is kept in the Carolino Augusteum of Salzburg.
Roles RoleVoice typeArminio A Germanic warriorBassCalligola Son of Germanico, enamored of SegestaAltoClaudia Enamored of CaligolaSopranoClimmia Giulia's nurseTenor or SopranoErchino Court jester, enamored of ClimmiaTenorGermanico A Roman commander, adopted son of Tiberio TenorGiulia Enamored of CaligolaSopranoNerone Son of Germanico, enamored of GiuliaTenorSegesta The wife of ArminioSopranoSeiano Prefect of the PraetoriansAlto or BassTiberio Emperor of the RomansBassVitellio A friend of GermanicoAlto
Synopsis Place and Time: Rome during the reign of emperor Tiberius.
The opera is about the story of the wife of Arminius, Thusnelda (Segesta) who becomes prisoner of Germanicus.
Recordings H.I.F. Biber: Arminio, Salzburger Hofmusik, Il Dolcimelo. Conductor: Wolfgang Brunner Singers: Gotthold Schwarz / Bernhard Landauer / Irena Troupova / Regina Schwarzer / Otto Rastbichler / Hermann Oswald / Barbara Schlick / Gerd Türk / Xenia Meijer / Florian Mehltretter / Gerd Kenda / Markus Forster Recording date: April 1994 Label: CPO
See also Arminius (Bruch) Arminio Hermann und Thusnelda
References
Piero Gelli, Filippo Poletti: Dizionario Dell'opera 2008, Dalai editore, 2007