[1] Born in Berlin to a wealthy family, as a young man, Giacomo Meyerbeer had musical ambitions; he studied and traveled in Italy.

[2][3] The libretti of Metastasio followed the form of opera seria, with passages of secco recitative followed by solo arias for the singers and contain little or no ensembles (duets, trios, etc.)

The 1729 libretto for Semiramide riconosciuta by Metastasio had some thirty arias, and had already been set to music by numerous composers including Gluck, Salieri, Porpora, and others.

[4] By 1819, musical and theatrical taste had changed and audiences wanted more from opera than one solo aria after the other, so the libretto was adapted by Lodovico Piossasco Feys to include duets and ensembles, a lengthy finale to the first act with ensembles and chorus, as demanded by the taste of the time, and the many passages of dialogue in recitative were shortened.

When Princess Tamiri is faced with a choice of husband from three candidates, this sets off a chain of events that eventually leads to Semiramide being reunited with her lover Scitalce, and his rival Sibari being exposed as a villain.

Princes and ambitious suitors have gathered in Babylon from far and wide for on this day the Princess Tamiri is to choose a husband.

A review appeared a few days after the premiere in the Gazette of Milan, which praised the singers and especially Carolina Bassi, both for her vocal art and her acting.

[3] The rondo for the title role, a theme with variations and interjections from the chorus, at the end of the first act, became the most famous piece in the opera.