Farnace was Leonardo Vinci's first opera for Rome. It premiered at the Teatro Alibert on January 8, 1724, to huge acclaim. It is one of Vinci's most extensive, elaborate scores, and contains 45 set pieces. He was probably trying to impress his new Roman patrons with his compositional abilities, and produced a lengthy, highly varied work that was very well received. Because of the 1588 decree of Pope Sixtus V, women were forbidden to appear on stage in Rome, and so for the first time Vinci found himself composing for an all-male cast made up of seven castrati and one tenor. Berenice, the female lead, was sung by Carlo Broschi, also known as Farinelli, one of the finest castrati of the era. In Naples and elsewhere, comic intermezzi were performed as entertainments between the acts of serious operas. But in Rome, ballets were danced as between-the-act entertainments, by groups of all male dancers. The libretto for Farnace was written specifically for Vinci by Antonio Maria Lucchini. The subject was taken from history, and concerns Pharnaces II, King of Pontus, who attempted to establish a kingdom on the Bosporus in the first century B.C. The plot is exceedingly complicated and includes a variety of theatrical twists. There is a coup d'état, a firing squad, kidnappings, conversions, a military tribunal, and a lieto fine in the form of a deus ex machina. The story was meant to honor the Stuart Pretender to the English throne, who was a popular hero in Italy at the time. The Protestant Hanoverians were considered usurpers of the throne of England by the Italians.

The style of the music for Vinci's first Roman opera is understandably conservative and cautious. Because of the length and magnitude of the work, however, there is incredible variety in the set pieces and dramatic situations. Some of the music resembles the style of Alessandro Scarlatti, while some show the influence of Handel and even of Vivaldi. Some of the most lovely music of the opera is given to Berenice during her revenge arias. Although the texts are full of anger, Vinci has written music of breathtaking beauty. One of her arias contains a delicate obbligato for psaltery in the manner of Vivaldi, while "Da quel ferro" contains cascading sequences, lilting rhythms, and chromatic alterations which bend deliciously with the contours of the melody.

Some of the arias are in a pathetic style, and contain expressive phrases and affective intervals. "Mi piace m'inamora" is a sarabande in D minor with the characteristics of a lament, expressive appoggiaturas, trills, and echo effects. "S bigottisce il pastorello" is a heroic aria in the style of a minuet. Elaborate coloratura, concerto-like figuration, and torrential accompaniments make this piece symphonic in conception. His most modern aria in the score is "Non trova mai ripose," which contains the delicately ornamented periodic melody for which Vinci was to earn his fame, set above a busy trommelbass accompaniment.

© All Music Guide