Motezuma, RV 723, is an opera in three acts by Antonio Vivaldi with an Italian libretto by Alvise Giusti. The libretto is very loosely based on the life of the Aztec ruler Montezuma who died in 1520. The first performance was given in the Teatro Sant'Angelo in Venice on 14 November 1733. (In earlier reference books the opera is referred to as Montezuma, but since the reappearance of the original manuscript this has been corrected to Motezuma.) The music was thought to have been lost, but was discovered in 2002 in the archive of the music library of the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin. Its first fully staged performance in modern times took place in Düsseldorf, Germany, on 21 September 2005.
| Librettist | Girolamo Alvise Giusti (based on the life of the Aztec ruler Montezuma who died in 1520) |
| Premiered | 1733, November 14th (Teatro Sant’Angelo) in Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy |
| Catalogue | RV 723 |
| Instruments |
Voice (Bass-Baritone)
- Motezuma, Emperor of Mexico
Voice (Contralto) - Mitrena, his wife Voice (Soprano) - Teutile, his daughter Voice (Soprano) - (soprano castrato) Fernando, General of the Spanish armies Voice (Mezzo-Soprano) - (mezzo-soprano en travesti) Ramiro, his younger brother Voice (Soprano) - (soprano castrato) Asprano, General of the Mexicans Chorus/Choir Orchestra |
| Autotranslations beta |
Antonio Vivaldi: Motezuma, RV 723 Antonio Vivaldi: Motezuma, RV 723 Antonio Vivaldi: Motezuma, RV 723 |