About the work
Didone abbandonata is a three-act opera seria by Johann Adolph Hasse based on Pietro Metastasio's libretto of the same name, adapted for this setting by Francesco Algarotti. Hasse premiered the work on 7 October 1742 for the Saxon-Polish court of Augustus III at Hubertusburg Palace, followed by a performance at the Dresden court opera in February 1743.
Plot
The Carthaginian queen Dido falls in love with the shipwrecked Trojan Aeneas. When he follows his divine mission to found Rome and leaves her, the despairing Dido throws herself into the flames of her burning city.
Cultural significance
Metastasio's debut libretto of 1724 is among the most frequently performed opera texts of the 18th century, with more than 60 settings; Algarotti's adaptation gives Hasse's version a distinct profile among the many others.