The Nubian King Agorante, who is infatuated with Zoraide, has defeated her father, Ircano and captured her. Ricciardo, a Christian knight and Zoraide's lover, accompanies an emissary to plead for her release. Agorante's jealous wife, Zomira, arranges the capture of Ricciardo as well and plots to have the young lovers executed to protect her position as Queen. The opera ends with an army of Christian knights rescuing Ricciardo and Zoraide. Ricciardo spares Agorante's life.
| Original Name | Ricciardo e Zoraide |
| Librettist | Francesco Berio di Salsa (based on cantos XIV and XV of Il Ricciardetto, an epic poem by Niccolò Forteguerri) |
| Premiered | 1818, December 3rd (Teatro San Carlo) in Naples, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy |
| Type | Opera |
| Spoken language | Italian |
| Instruments |
Orchestra
Voice (Tenor) - Agorante, King of Nubia, infatuated with Zoraide Voice (Contralto) - Zomira, wife of Agorante Voice (Tenor) - Zamorre, confidant of Agorante Voice (Mezzo-Soprano) - Elmira, confidant of Zomira Voice (Bass) - Ircano, a Nubian prince Voice (Soprano) - Zoraide, daughter of Ircano, in love with Ricciardo Voice (Tenor) - Ricciardo, a Christian paladin knight, in love with Zoraide Voice (Mezzo-Soprano) - Fatima, confidant of Zoraide Voice (Tenor) - Ernesto, friend of Ricciardo, Christian camp ambassador |
| Autotranslations beta |
Gioachino Rossini: Ricciardo and Zoraide Gioachino Rossini: Ricciardo and Zoraide Gioachino Rossini: Ricciardo and Zoraide |