About the work
Il Bellerofonte is an opera seria in three acts by Josef Mysliveček to a libretto by Giuseppe Bonecchi, based on the Greek myth of Bellerophon. It premiered on 20 January 1767 at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, marking the birthday of King Charles III of Spain. It was only the composer's second opera, but the first that gave him access to star singers such as Caterina Gabrielli and Anton Raaff.
Plot
Bellerofonte must slay a monster threatening the kingdom of Princess Argene's father to prove himself worthy of her hand. After his victory, news arrives that he is also heir to the throne of Corinth, clearing the way for the marriage; a secondary romance unfolds around the young Briseide.
Cultural significance
The premiere's success launched Mysliveček's rise to become one of Italy's best-paid opera composers: from then until his death in 1781 he had more new opere serie staged than any other composer in Europe, and more new works produced at the Teatro San Carlo than any contemporary. Individual arias circulated across Europe in manuscript copies and were later even adapted with Latin texts for church collections in Central Europe.