About the work
Alessandro nell'Indie is an opera seria by Giovanni Paisiello to Pietro Metastasio's libretto (1729), dramatising the historical meeting of Alexander the Great with the Indian king Porus after the Battle of the Hydaspes (326 BC). It premiered on 26 December 1773 for the 1774 Carnival season at the court theatre in Modena.
Plot
After defeating King Porus, Alessandro treats him with unusual magnanimity. The central conflict is the love between Porus and Queen Cleofide, to whom Alessandro also feels drawn. After misunderstandings, jealousy and a foiled attempt on his life, Alessandro forgives everyone involved and allows the lovers to be united.
Cultural significance
Metastasio's text was set by more than 50 composers, including Handel, Hasse and Gluck, and stands as a model of opera seria with its strict hierarchy of roles. Paisiello's version was written for the Modena court, for which he worked repeatedly during the 1770s, before his international fame grew with his move to St Petersburg in 1776.