About the work
Farnace is an opera seria in three acts by Josef Mysliveček, set to Antonio Maria Lucchini's libretto, which had been written in 1724 for Leonardo Vinci and was reused by some twenty composers up to 1782, including Vivaldi. Mysliveček wrote his setting for Naples, where it premiered at the Teatro San Carlo on 4 November 1767 to mark the nameday of King Charles III of Spain.
Plot
The Pontic king Farnace has been defeated by forces allied with Rome under Berenice. To keep his family from capture, he orders his wife Tamiri to kill their son and herself. Meanwhile his sister Selinda falls into the hands of the Roman commander Atridate, who along with the captain Gilade falls in love with her; she plays the two suitors against each other to save her brother. The opera ends in reconciliation and peace.
Cultural significance
Despite a relatively modest cast, the premiere was considered a success, and the opera was revived in Prague in December 1768 after the composer's return to his homeland.