Il Re Teodoro in Venezia

The penniless adventurer Teodoro, in reality a Westphalian baron named Theodor von Neuhoff, falls in love with the innkeeper’s daughter Lisetta. As he is up to his ears in debt, he is however far more enamoured of her father’s stable income. Although Lisetta’s heart belongs to another, she allows herself to be led on by the prospect of becoming Teodoro’s queen – the fact that he has only assumed a regal state does not at present have to concern anybody… Lisetta’s original fiancé however, Sandrino, is not going to give up easily: his jealousy leads him to begin his counter-offensive by sending the debt collectors to King Teodoro. Although Teodoro has promoted the vain innkeeper to the rank of general, this can no longer save him. Arrested, maligned and now in a state of total bankruptcy, the unmasked imposter comes round to the bitter and ironic opinion that there is no ultimate security for anyone in the whole world. He accepts his fate heroically: ‘Whoever has sunk to the depths will eventually return to the top...’.

"Economic independence is and always was the biggest problem of the Montepulciano "Cantiere" festival. This year [1992] we had to suffer deep cuts in public subventions which forced us to reduce the orchestra by a half and make programme changes. First, in order not to have to abandon the concerts entirely, the rehearsal schedule was reorganised. It was soon beyond doubt that, in such circumstances, either Re Teodoro could not be performed, or only be presented to the public in a new form. This new form, in contrast to the original form in which the work had its premiere in Vienna 200 years ago, consists of only 20 solo instruments. I have also allowed myself, with much love and respect, to carry out various changes in the rhythm, sound, harmony and occasionally also the melody. Many of these changes spring from my variation-fever, which is peculiar to many German composers. Other modifications, though, by which the project gained an individual style, were achieved as a result of numerous and refreshing conversations with Lorenzo Mariani, whom we have to thank for the idea of revising the recitative, not only departing from the original but also from any convention. Ferruccio Busoni has taught us that every epoch must interpret anew the works of past ages. The idea of devoting oneself to Paisiello, to rework his compositions in order to underline the inherent liveliness, humour and tenderness of the music of the composer from Taranto, seemed to me especially interesting."