Artaserse (Mysliveček)

Artaserse is an opera in three acts by the Czech composer Josef Mysliveček, set to a popular libretto (or dramma per musica) by Metastasio that was originally performed in 1730.

Mysliveček received the commission on the strength of his opera Romolo ed Ersilia, which was performed on the queen's birthday the year before.

Eighteenth-century Italian operas in serious style are almost always set in a distant or legendary past and are built around historical, pseudo-historical, or mythological characters.

The main character of Metastasio's Artaserse is based on the life of king Artaxerxes I of Persia, a ruler of the fifth century B.C., son of Xerxes I.

Artabano tells him of his father's death and accuses Artaserse's older brother Dario of the murder, "Who but he at dead of night could penetrate the palace?

However, Megabise (also in love with Semira) has Arbace led into the chamber in chains, announcing that the bloody sword used to kill Serse had been found in his possession.

Act III, scene 7 - Accompanied recitative for Arbace, "S'io meritai" Act III, scene 7 - Aria of Arbace, "Cara, o Dio, nel volto espresso" [a non-Metastasian text] Act III, scene 7 - Chorus, "Giusto re, la Persia adora la clemenza assisa in trono" The complete score of Artaserse is available for study online on the Italian website Internet Culturale in the form of a reproduction of a manuscript once in the possession of the Teatro San Carlo of Naples.