L'Arianna (Ariadne) was the second opera by Claudio Monteverdi, composed
in 1607–08; all the music is lost apart from the extended recitative
known as "Lamento d'Arianna", or "Ariadne's Lament"
(pictured). One of
the earliest operas, it was first performed on 28 May 1608, as part of
the musical festivities for a royal wedding at the court of Duke
Vincenzo Gonzaga in Mantua. The libretto was written in eight scenes by
Ottavio Rinuccini, who used Ovid's Heroides and other classical sources
to relate the story of Ariadne's abandonment by Theseus on the island of
Naxos and her subsequent elevation as bride to the god Bacchus.The
composer later said that the effort of creating the opera almost killed
him. The first performance, produced with lavish and innovative special
effects, was highly praised, and the work was equally well received in
Venice when it was revived under the composer's direction in 1640 as the
inaugural work for the Teatro San Moisè. Expressive laments became an
integral feature of Italian opera for much of the 17th century. In
recent years the "Lamento" has become popular as a concert and recital
piece and has been frequently recorded.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Arianna>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1340:
Hundred Years' War: The English fleet commanded by Edward III
almost totally destroyed the French fleet at the Battle of Sluys.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sluys>
1622:
Dutch–Portuguese War: An outnumbered Portuguese force
repelled a Dutch attack in the Battle of Macau, the only major military
engagement that was fought between two European powers on the Chinese
mainland.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Macau>
1812:
Napoleonic Wars: The French Grande Armée under Napoleon
crossed the Neman River, marking the start of their invasion of Russia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_invasion_of_Russia>
1981:
The Humber Bridge opened, connecting the East Riding of
Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire in England, at the time the longest
single-span suspension bridge.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humber_Bridge>
2010:
Julia Gillard assumed office as the first female Prime Minister
of Australia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Gillard>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
dead tree edition:
(idiomatic, pejorative, humorous) Paper version of a publication that
can be found online.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dead_tree_edition>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Any law that takes hold of a man’s daily life cannot prevail
in a community, unless the vast majority of the community are actively
in favor of it. The laws that are the most operative are the laws which
protect life.
--Henry Ward Beecher
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Henry_Ward_Beecher>