Cleofide - Dramma per musica von Johann Adolf Hasse

Johann Adolf Hasse (1699–1783) is considered the most successful composer from the middle third of the 18th century. He spent the most important and longest portion of his professional musical career as Music Director at the Dresden Court of Friedrich August II. The fact that Hasse was offered this prestigious position was due to the success of his opera Cleofide, which was performed in Dresden in September 1731 – still during the reign of August the Strong – with his wife, Faustina (née Bordoni), singing the female lead. In connection with the first edition of Cleofide (Johann Adolf Hasse, Werke, Vol. I/1, Stuttgart, 2008) the editor, Zenon Mojzysz, undertook extensive research of the cultural-historical environment surrounding this opera. With reference to numerous original sources, in the present volume the circumstances which led to the composer’s appointment at the Dresden Court and to the performance there of Cleofide will be brought to light.