MATTEO NORIS’S ATTILA (1672) AND THE REPRESENTATION OF LATE ANTIQUITY ON THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY STAGE

Abstract

As one of the first operas written on a Late Antique subject for a Venetian theatre, Matteo Noris’s Attila (1672) provides a unique case study on the dynamics of the reception of post-Classical history. In this paper, I examine what materials the librettist had access to, how particularly one work of Carlo Sigonio consequently shaped his understanding of Late Antiquity as a period, and thus how this and other primary sources influenced his treatment of the subject matter. I further examine how Noris accommodates traditionally Classical symbolism in his characterisation of Attila and how he freely alters the historical events in service of his specific audience and performance context. It is thus shown that the librettist presents a nuanced understanding of the period within the framework of traditional heroic operatic narrative, clearly delineating Late Antiquity as a separate conceptual category.