Maribor – the Scene of "La sorella di Mark", a Lost Opera by the Italian Composer Giacomo Setaccioli

Abstract

From the text of the article published in "Slovenski gospodar", July 25, 1896, by the philological and literary publicist Fran Solčavski (France Štiftar) it is evident that the author of the libretto Enrico Golisciani had chosen Maribor (Marburg an der Drau) for the scene of action in the opera "La sorella di Mark", by the Italian composer Giacomo Setaccioli ( 1868–1925). This scene was chosen at the request of Gemma Bellincioni-Stagno, a famous singer at the end of the century, who also sang the main role of Marka at the world premiere on May 6th, 1896, at Teatro Constanzi in Rome. Why the singer mentioned above wished that the action of the opera should take place at Maribor (former Marburg, towards the end of 1830's) is for the present still unclear. The libretto has been preserved, whereas the score is lost – and therefore nothing very specific about Setaccioli's music in this opera can be said. All that is at disposal is represented by brief, preserved materials: newspaper reviews and relevant articles published on the occasion of the premiere or immediately afterwards.