About the work
Opera seria by Egidio Duni to Pietro Metastasio's libretto 'Demofoonte', premiered on 24 May 1737 at the King's Theatre, Haymarket, in London, where it was announced under the English title 'Demophontes, King of Thrace'. The performance fell during Duni's brief London period, more than a decade before his time as court composer in Parma and his later career in Paris.
Plot
The Thracian king Demofoonte consults Apollo's oracle on how to end the annual sacrifice of a virgin; the cryptic answer speaks of an 'innocent usurper'. When young Dircea is chosen for sacrifice, revelations follow: she turns out to be Demofoonte's own daughter and Timante's sister, while Timante, believed to be the king's son, is in fact the son of Matusio. Untangling their parentage lifts the curse and clears the way for Timante and Dircea to marry.
Cultural significance
Metastasio's 'Demofoonte', with more than seventy known settings, was among the most successful librettos of the opera seria era; Duni wrote his version for the Italian opera season at London's King's Theatre, which regularly hosted visiting Italian companies at the time.