Gli equivoci

Gli equivoci (Italian 'The Misunderstandings'), is an opera buffa by Stephen Storace to a libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte, based on Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors.

Following the success of his libretto for Le nozze di Figaro, Da Ponte was asked by Storace to provide for him a libretto based on Shakespeare. Da Ponte compressed Shakespeare's plot into two acts, but retained nearly all the key elements. Gli Equivoci was the second of Storace's operas to be performed at the Burgtheater.

Storace was to reuse some of the music of Gli equivoci in his English operas, including No song, no supper and The Pirates.

Performance history

The opera was first performed on 27 December 1786 in the Burgtheater, Vienna.

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, 27 December, 1786 Conductor:
Eufemio of Syracuse, son of Egeon and twin brother of Eufemio of Ephesus	tenor	Vincenzo Calvesi
Dromio of Syracuse, servant of Eufemio of Syracuse and twin brother of Dromio of Ephesus	baritone
Eufemio of Ephesus, son of Egeon and twin brother of Eufemio of Syracuse	tenor	Michael Kelly
Dromio of Ephesus, servant of Eufemio of Ephesus and twin brother of Dromio of Syracuse	baritone
Silinus, Duke of Ephesus	baritone
Egeon, a merchant from Syracuse	baritone
Sofronia, wife of Eufemio of Ephesus	soprano	Nancy Storace
Sostrate, sister of Sofronia	soprano
Angelo, a goldsmith	baritone
Lesbia, wife of Dromio of Syracuse	soprano
Dromia, young child of Lesbia and Dromio of Syracuse	soprano

References

• Amadeus Almanac
• Grove Music Online
• Bampton Classical Opera, Stephen Storace: The Comedy of Errors (Gli Equivoci)