View source for Asrael

{{for|the symphony|Asrael Symphony}}
{{confused|Azrael (disambiguation)|Azriel (disambiguation)|Asriel (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox opera
| name              = Asrael
| composer          = [[Alberto Franchetti]]
| image             = Asrael Praha 1890 01.jpg
| image_upright     =
| alt               = 
| caption           = cast of the 1890 Prague production
| type              = ''leggenda''
| librettist        = [[Ferdinando Fontana]]
| based_on          = 
| language          = Italian
| premiere_date     = {{Start date|1888|02|11|df=y}}
| premiere_location = [[Teatro Municipale di Reggio]]
}}
'''''Asrael''''' is a ''leggenda'' or [[opera]] in four acts by composer [[Alberto Franchetti]] and [[librettist]] [[Ferdinando Fontana]]. The plot, based on German fairy tale and folklore, displays the conflict between the spirit of evil and the spirit of Christian love, represented by Asrael and Nefta respectively. The work is Franchetti's first opera and displays strong influences of [[Giacomo Meyerbeer|Meyerbeer]] and [[Richard Wagner|Wagner]], mixed with late 19th-century Italian idioms. The opera premiered at the [[Teatro Municipale di Reggio]] on 11 February 1888.<ref name="Grove">[[Jürgen Maehder]]: "''Asrael''", ''[[Grove Music Online]]'' ed. L. Macy (Accessed January 30, 2009), (subscription access)</ref> The opera made its United States debut at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] on 26 November 1890 with [[Andreas Dippel]] in the title role.<ref name="Met">Metropolitan Opera Archives [http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/gisrch2k.r?Term=Dippel,%20Andreas%20%5BTenor%5D&limit=5000&vsrchtype=no&xBranch=ALL&xmtype=&Start=&End=&theterm=Dipp%65l,%20And%72%65as%20%5B%54%65no%72%5D&srt=&x=0&xHome=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/bibpro.htm&xHomePath=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/ Dippel, Andreas (Tenor)]. Accessed 25 January 2009.</ref> The cast also included soprano [[Marie Jahn]] as Nefta/Suor Clotilde and contralto [[Marie Ritter-Götze]] as Loretta.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metropolitan Opera House|work=[[The New York Times]]|date= December 2, 1890|page= 4}}</ref> 

==Roles==
[[File:In cielo. Anfiteatro di nubi tagliato da una scala d'oro, bozzetto di Augusto Ferri per Asreal (s.d.) - Archivio Storico Ricordi ICON004214.jpg|thumb|''In cielo. Anfiteatro di nubi tagliato da una scala d'oro'', set design for Asreal act 1 scene 3 (undated).]]
{| class="wikitable"
|+{{sronly|Roles, voice types, premiere cast}}
!Role
![[Voice type]]
!Premiere cast, 11 February 1888<ref>{{Almanacco|dmy=11 February 1888|match=Asrael}}</ref>
|-
|Nefta/Suor Clotilde
|[[soprano]]
|[[Virginia Damerini]]
|-
|Asrael
|[[tenor]]
|Ladislao Mierzwinski
|-
|Loretta
|[[mezzo-soprano]]
|[[Giulia Novelli]]
|-
|Lucifero/re di Brabante
|[[bass (voice type)|bass]]
|Lodovico Contini
|-
|Lidoria
|[[contralto]]
|Maria Pia
|-
|Contadino
|bass
|Francesco Carmignani
|-
|Araldo
|bass
|Ulisse Peroni
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMSLP|work=Asrael (Franchetti, Alberto)|cname=''Asrael'' (Franchetti)}}

{{Alberto Franchetti|state=expanded}}
{{Portal bar|Opera}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Operas by Alberto Franchetti]]
[[Category:Italian-language operas]]
[[Category:1888 operas]]
[[Category:Operas based on fairy tales]]
[[Category:Operas]]