Ermione was first performed at the Teatro di San Carlo, Naples on 27 March 1819. For reasons that are as yet unclear, the opera was withdrawn on 19 April after only seven performances, and was not seen again until over a hundred years after Rossini's death. One possible explanation for its failure might be Rossini's choice to renounce the use of secco recitative in favour of accompanied declamation and to connect each closed number to the next in a manner reminiscent of Gluck's French operas and of Spontini (the latter was also to have a huge influence on Weber's Euryanthe, four years later)
| Librettist | Andrea Leone Tottola (based on the play Andromaque by Jean Racine) |
| Date of composition | 1819 |
| Premiered | 1819, March 27th in Naples, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy |
| Type | Opera |
| Spoken language | Italian |
| Instruments |
Orchestra
Chorus/Choir Voice (Soprano) - Ermione (Hermione), daughter of Helen and Menelaus Voice (Contralto) - Andromaca (Andromache), widow of Hector Voice (Tenor) - Pirro, (Pyrrhus) son of Achilles and king of Epirus Voice (Tenor) - Oreste (Orestes), son of Agamemnon Voice (Tenor) - Pilade (Pylades), Oreste's companion Voice (Mezzo-Soprano) - Cleone, Ermione's confidante Voice (Bass) - Fenicio, Pirro's tutor Voice (Contralto) - Cefisa, Andromaca's confidante Voice (Tenor) - Attalo, Pirro's confidant Silent Role - Astianatte (Astyanax), Andromaca's son |
| Autotranslations beta |
Gioachino Rossini: Ermione Gioachino Rossini: Ermione Gioachino Rossini: Ermione |