About the work
Adriano in Siria is an opera seria in three acts by Giuseppe Sarti, setting Pietro Metastasio's libretto. Sarti wrote it for Rome's Teatro Argentina, where it premiered on 28 December 1778 and was revived the following carnival season in 1779.
Plot
The action is set in ancient Antioch: the Roman emperor Adriano falls in love with the captive Parthian princess Emirena, although he is betrothed to Sabina and Emirena is promised to the Parthian prince Farnaspe. Emirena's father Osroe plots revenge against the emperor. In the end Adriano overcomes his passion, pardons the prisoners and lets Emirena marry Farnaspe.
Cultural significance
Metastasio's libretto, written in 1732 for the Viennese court, was set by more than 50 composers up to 1828, including Pergolesi, Hasse and Cherubini. Sarti's Roman version of 1778 came shortly before he moved to Milan Cathedral, where he won the post of maestro di cappella against Giovanni Paisiello in 1779.