Sosarme

Sosarme, re di Media ("Sosarmes, King of Media", HWV 30) is an opera by George Frideric Handel written in 1732 for the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, London, where it ran for 12 performances. The text was based on an earlier libretto by Antonio Salvi, Dionisio, Re di Portogallo (Dionisius, King of Portugal), and adapted by an unknown writer. The original setting of Portugal was changed to Sardis in Lydia.

Sosarme had its premiere on 15 February 1732 and was a great success, as noted by the diary known as "Colman's Opera Register": "In Febry Sosarmes - a New Opera - took much by Hendell - & was for many Nights much crowded to some peoples admiration." It was revived for 3 performances in 1734 with arias from Riccardo Primo. The first revival since 1734 was in 1970 at Abingdon, UK, though the work had been broadcast in full by the BBC in 1955, a performance on which the slightly abridged recording of the same year, under Anthony Lewis (listed below) was based. As with all Baroque opera seria, Sosarme went unperformed for many years, but with the revival of interest in Baroque music and historically informed musical performance since the 1960s,Sosarme, like all Handel operas, receives performances at festivals and opera houses today. Among other performances, the opera was staged by the London Handel Festival in 2004.

Melo, son and heir of King Haliate of Lydia, has rebelled against his father and raised an army to try to overthrow him, believing the king wishes to disinherit him in favour of his illegitimate son Argone. Sosarme King of the neighbouring empire of the Medes had been engaged to marry Princess Elmira, Melo's sister, and is invading with an army of his own to try to stop this dynastic war.

King Haliate is besieging Sardis, where his rebellious son Melo, his daughter Elmira and wife Erenice are living in the palace. The citizens are starving and Melo decides to launch an attack on Haliate's forces. His mother and sister beg him not to risk injury or death to his father, but Melo will not be moved.

Argone, illegitimate son of Haliate, is also the grandson of Sosarme's counsellor Altomaro, who urges Argone to fight to be proclaimed Haliate's heir, but Argone thinks this would be ignoble.

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