{{short description|1754 opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck}} {{for|the 1831 setting of the same libretto|Le cinesi (García)}} {{use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox opera | name = Le cinesi | composer = Christoph Willibald Gluck | image = Portrait of Christoph Willibald Gluck.jpg | image_upright = | caption = Portrait of the composer | translated_name = ''The Chinese Women'' | librettist = Pietro Metastasio | based_on = | language = Italian | premiere_date = {{Start date|1754|09|24|df=y}} | premiere_location = Schloss Hof, Marchfeld }} '''''Le cinesi''''' (''The Chinese Women'') is an opera in one act, with music composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck. The Italian-language libretto was by Pietro Metastasio, and he described it as a {{lang|it|componimento drammatico}}. This libretto had first been set by Antonio Caldara in 1735. For Gluck's rework, the piece is often considered as an {{lang|it|azione teatrale}}, even though Metastasio and the composer both retained the original designation. The work was first performed for the Austrian royal family at the Schloss Hof on 24 September 1754, on the occasion of the visit of the Empress Maria Theresa to the household of Saxe-Hildburghausen.<ref name="Howard">Howard, Patricia, "Music in London: Opera – ''Le cinesi''" (September 1984). ''The Musical Times'', '''125''' (1699): pp. 515–517.</ref>
Max Loppert has commented on Gluck's relationship with the Austrian royal family and its bearings on this work.<ref>Loppert, Max, "Gluck's Chinese Ladies: An Introduction" (June 1984 ''The Musical Times'', '''125''' (1696): pp. 321–323, 325.</ref> The work has also been characterized as a satire on then-contemporary opera conventions.<ref name="Howard"/><ref>Monelle, Raymond, Review of ''Les Fêtes théâtrales de Métastase à la cour de Vienne (1731–1767)'' by Jacques Joly (January 1980). ''Music & Letters'', '''61''' (1): pp. 113–114.</ref>
==Roles== {| class="wikitable" |+{{sronly|Roles, voice types, premiere cast}} !Role !Voice type !Premiere cast, 24 September 1754<ref>{{Almanacco|dmy=24-09-1754|match=Le cinesi}}</ref> |- |Lisinga |contralto |Vittoria Tesi |- |Silango |tenor |Joseph Friebert |- |Sivene |soprano |Theresia Heinisch |- |Tangia |contralto |Katharina Starzer |- |}
==Synopsis== The Chinese women of the title are Lisinga and her two friends, Tangia and Sivene. The only other character is Lisinga's brother Silango, who has just returned from Europe. To entertain him, they perform arias in contrasting styles: * Lisinga sings a tragic ''scena'', as the character of Andromache. * Sivene and Silango sing a pastoral duet as shepherdess and shepherd, respectively. The two already share romantic feelings towards each other. * Tangia, who is envious of Silango's affection towards Sivene, sings a comic aria that pokes fun at a young Parisian dandy standing before a mirror, and thus indirectly satirising Sivene. The characters agree that each style has its drawbacks. The opera concludes with a ballet, ''The Judgment of Paris'', sung as a vocal quartet.
==Recordings== * Deutsche Harmonia Mundi EL 16 9575 1: Isabelle Poulenard, Gloria Banditelli, Anne Sofie von Otter, Guy de Mey; Orchestra of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis; René Jacobs, conductor<ref>Rushton, Julian, Review of recording of ''Le cinesi'' (May 1987). ''Early Music'', '''15''' (2): pp. 297–298.</ref> * Orpheo Cat: 178891A: Kaaren Erickson, Alexandrina Miltcheva, Marga Schiml, Thomas Moser; Munich Radio Orchestra; Lamberto Gardelli, conductor.<ref>[https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=C178891A ''Le cinesi''], Naxos Records</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.librettidopera.it/cinesi/cinesi.html Libretto of ''Le cinesi''] *{{IMSLP|work=Le Cinesi, Wq.18 (Gluck, Christoph Willibald)|cname=''Le cinesi''}} *[https://bamptonopera.org/operadetail.htm?event=52 "Details"], Bampton Classical Opera
{{Christoph Willibald Gluck}} {{Portal bar|Opera}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cinesi, Le}} Category:Operas by Christoph Willibald Gluck Category:Italian-language operas Category:Azioni teatrali Category:Operas Category:1754 operas Category:Operas set in imperial China Category:Libretti by Metastasio