Francesco Antonio Pistocchi (1659-1926), known as Pistocchino, was one of the most famous castrati who lived between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. From 1686 to 1695, he was in the service of the Farnese family in Parma and also took part in the sumptuous performances organized in 1690 on the occasion of the wedding of Prince Ranuccio with Dorotea Sofia, Countess Palatine of Neuburg. He was also an excellent composer and wrote roles intended to be interpreted by himself. It is likely that this also happened with regard to the oratorio dedicated to the martyrdom of Saint Adrian that Pistocchi wrote with a libretto by Silvio Stampiglia. The text tells the legend of Adrian of Nicomedia, a pagan born around 278 AD who, despite being a captain in the Roman army forced to persecute the Christians, was struck by their steadfastness and converted. He was tortured by having his limbs cut off and died a martyr. Among the characters, we find his wife Natalia, already converted to Christianity, and his friend Claudio, in the service of the Emperor Maximian, who tried to dissuade him from his new faith.
The work, like every oratorio, featured few characters on stage and was intended to be performed during the Lenten period, when the theaters were closed. It was performed in Modena in 1692 on the occasion of the wedding of Francesco II d’Este with his cousin Margherita Farnese. Subsequently, it was repeated four years later, again in Modena and was performed in various cities such as Venice at the convent of SS. Giovanni e Paolo, when, in 1699, the composer was serving the Margrave of Brandenburg.
Compagnia de Violini
in collaboration with the “Arrigo Boito” Conservatory of Music in Parma.
- Rui Hoshina, soprano
- Valentina Ferrarese, contralto
- Alberto Allegrezza, tenor
- William Buonsanti, bass
- Alessandro Ciccolini, first violin
- Francesco Baroni, harpsichord and direction