Long-lost Vivaldi opera 'Argippo' returns to Prague after 278 years

PRAGUE, Czech Republic: When a musician from the southern Czech Republic stumbled upon an anonymous score, he knew it was the long-lost opera "Argippo" by Italian baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi.

Ondrej Macek, a 36-year-old harpsichordist and conductor from Cesky Krumlov, then decided to bring the opera back to Prague, where it opened 278 years ago.

The 2008 premiere, which will be attended by hundreds of Vivaldi's fans at Prague Castle, is scheduled for Saturday night. It will be performed by Macek's Baroque Music Ensemble Hofmusici.

Vivaldi's opera opened in the Palace of Count Spork in downtown Prague in 1730. The Czech capital was a city of arts with some of the best music of its time, often performed by the continent's prominent singers and musicians.

Sifting through European archives in the autumn of 2006, Macek discovered that the troupe of Italian singers and musicians who first performed "Argippo" in Prague later moved on to Regensburg, Germany.

Macek started his search in archives in the Bavarian town. The historical booklet from the opening night that included the libretto was his only clue.

"I went for the section called 'anonymous' because I knew it surely was not listed under Vivaldi," Macek said. "When I saw the text of the first aria that was identical to the one I knew from Prague, there was no doubt I had it."

Indeed, it was Vivaldi's music — the original score of "Argippo" and a good reason to celebrate. But Macek, who is more of a musician than archivist, went one step further and decided to reintroduce the opera in Prague.

First, it was necessary to re-create the missing parts of the opera. Only about two-thirds of the score survived the centuries and Macek used other arias from Vivaldi to fit the preserved text.

"I used music from operas he wrote at the time, shortly before and after the date of the premiere and sometimes they (the arias) fit really perfectly," Macek said. Soon, "Argippo," the opera "of passion, love and trickery" in an Indian ruler's court was ready for a new opening night.

This time, Macek and his Hofmusici orchestra opted for Prague Castle, the seat of the Czech presidency. "Argippo" will come back to life in the 16th century Spanish Hall in the castle's northern wing. It will be performed by 13 singers and 24 musicians.

"We will use original historical instruments and the Spanish Hall is great for the sound of music from that era," Macek told The Associated Press during a break of the final rehearsal Friday.

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