Almeida studied in Rome during the 1720s before returning to Lisbon.The opera, the only one of the three composed by him that survives intact, shows the influence of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, whose La serva padrona was written six years earlier.
[1] His orchestra was similar to that of Alessandro Scarlatti, and, unusually for the time, none of the male roles in the opera were sung by castrati.
After the rediscovery of the opera, the first modern performance took place at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Lisbon, on 26 May 1965.
[1] It has since been performed in a number of other Portuguese towns and cities, including Porto in 2004, Lisbon, at the Centro Cultural de Belém in 2008 and Vigo in 2009.
A new studio recording of the complete opera by Os Músicos do Tejo was released by Naxos in 2012.
[3] Scene 1: Arsenio's house Dianora asks Spinalba to explain why she had dressed up as a man and left home for two weeks.
Spinalba's reply is that she wanted to spy on Ippolito, whom she had met in Florence but is now in Rome.
When Arsenio arrives, Dianora tells him that her daughter was visiting Elisa on her own, and had disguised herself as a man to protect herself.
Elisa now confesses to Vespina that she is passionate about Florindo (Spinalba in disguise) and that she feels nothing for either Ippolito or Leandro.
Ippolito reaffirms his love for Elisa and tries to make Vespina an ally, but the maid refuses to do anything to help him.
Aria (Elisa): "Sia ver che si desti frà voi tal cimento?".
Arsenio, increasingly upset, confuses Togno with Charon, the mythological boatman who transports the souls of the dead across the Styx.
He goes off to dress for the journey, first drawing a magic circle around Togno to stop him running away - if he does, he will be pursued by demons.
Arsenio, still deluded, returns dressed as a sailor, and confuses Vespina with Calliope, a muse who will accompany him to the underworld.
The disguised Spinalba dare not reveal her secret, and urges Elisa to return to Leandro.
Scene 1 Spinalba sends a message via Togno to ask Leandro not to leave the city.
Aria (Elisa): "Con innocente abbraccio vò stringerla al mio petto".
Duet (Vespina and Togno): "Perché così sdegnato, se l'amor mio tu sei?".
In the final scene, Arsenio gradually returns to his senses, and when Spinalba removes her disguise and apologises to him, he becomes his old self.
Leandro is taken back by Elisa, Ippolito asks Spinalba to forgive him, and Vespina accepts Togno's marriage proposal.