La buona figliuola

La buona figliuola ("The Good-Natured Girl" or "The Accomplish'd Maid"), or La Cecchina (The girl from Cecchina), is an opera buffa in three acts by Niccolò Piccinni. The libretto, by Carlo Goldoni, is based on Samuel Richardson's novel "Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded". This was Piccinni's most successful Italian opera. There was a sequel entitled "La buona figliuola maritata" (1761) by the same composer and librettist. "La buona figliuola supposta vedova" by Gaetano Latilla followed in 1766.
Performance history.
It was first performed at the Teatro delle Dame, Rome, on 6 February 1760 with an all-male cast. It was given in London at the King's Theatre on 25 November 1766 with Gaetano Guadagni, Savi, Lovattini, Morigi, Quercioli, Piatti, and Michele; and at Covent Garden in English as "The Accomplish'd Maid" on 3 December 1766. It was revived as "La Cecchina" (with alterations) on 7 February 1928 in Bari (the composer's native city), as part of a celebration of the bicentenary of Piccinni's birth.
This opera is said to have been performed by Jesuits in China in 1778, namely at the court of the Qianlong Emperor.
Synopsis.
The marquis of Conchiglia has fallen in love with Cecchina, who is a maid. Shocked by the social impropriety of such a match, Cavaliere Armidoro, the fiancé of the marquis's sister, refuses to marry Lucinda. Distraught over losing the man she loves, Lucinda begs the marquis to stop seeing Cecchina. Meanwhile, Cecchina has several problems of her own, including Mengotto, a poor man who is infatuated with her and won't leave her alone, and Sandrina and Paoluccia, two jealous maids who try to cause as much trouble for Cecchina as they can. After many plot twists, the opera ends well when Tagliaferro, a German soldier, reveals that Cecchina is in fact the daughter of a German baron, which enables Cecchina to marry the Marchese without upsetting Armidoro.
Recordings.
Piccinni: "La Cecchina, ossia La buona figliuola" – Orchestra Serenissima Pro Arte
Piccinni: "La buona figliola" – Orchestra del Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
Piccinni: "La Cecchina, ossia La buona figliuola" – La Lyra di Anfione
References.
Notes
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