I granatieri (The Grenadiers) is an 'Neapolitan operetta' in three acts by the Italian composer Vincenzo Valente with a libretto in Italian by Raffaele Della Campa and Joseph Méry. It has been called the first true Italian operetta. ^[1]

Performance history

I granatieri had its world premiere in Turin on 26 October 1889, presented by Luigi Maresca's theatre company. Later performances include:

• 19 May 1897 – first performance in the Teatro Amazonas in Manaus, Brazil (reprised in 1899, 1900, 1902, and 1906) ^[2]
• 4 February 1898 – first performance in the Teatro Costanzi in Rome ^[3]
• 12 June 1911 – New York City premiere at the Irving Place Theatre ^[4]

Roles

• Nini soprano
• Dorotea soprano
• Beatrice soprano
• Odoardo tenor
• Bernardo baritone
• Marchese Emilio baritone
• Giorgio bass
• John bass

Notes and references

• Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "I granatieri". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
• Istituzione Casa della Musica di Parma, Intorno all'operetta
• New York Times, "Old Timers' Festival Week" 13 June 1911, p. 9 ( PDF)