Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra can refer to any of two theatrical works, a short opera by Gioachino Rossini (1815) and a 5 act play by Paolo Giacometti (1860).

The Rossini opera

Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra ("Elizabeth, Queen of England") is a opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) [1], with a libretto by Giovanni Schmidt (1775-1839)[2].

The original text

According to the Wikipedia entry[3], this was taken from the play Il Paggio di Leicester ("Leicester's Page") by Carlo Federici, which itself "was derived from a novel The Recess (1785) by Sophia Lee." The opera had its premiére at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples on 4 October 1815 and was first performed in England on 30 April 1818 at the King's Theatre in London.

Translations and adaptations

The Giacometti play

Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra is an Italian historical play in five acts by Paolo Giacometti (1816-1882)[4].

The original text

Said to have been written especially for and performed by Adelaide Ristori (1822-1906)[5], the play opened in ** 1860(?), and was later performed by her and her company on tours of the USA (e.g. in 1866) and Australia (in 1875).

Published in Teatro scelto di Paolo Giacometti ("Selected plays by Paolo Giacometti") as Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra, "dramma storico in cinque atti" in 1860

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Catallan as Isabel, Reina de Inglaterra by Francisco de Paula Hidalgo, performed by the Adelaide Ristori Company and published in Cádiz by Imprenta de La Paz, 1859.

Translated into Dutch as Elisabeth, Koningin van Engeland by J.M. Anne, published in Utrecht, 1870.

Translated into English as Elizabeth, Queen of England ("An Historical Play in Five Acts") by an unnamed translator, based on the Catallan (Spanish) text performed by the Adelaide Ristori company in the USA. Published in New York by Gray & Green, 1873

Translated into French as Elisabeth, Reine D'angleterre ("Drame Historique En Cinq Actes") by C. Ferrari ()[] and published in 1861.

Performance history of both works in South Africa

1901: Giacometti's play produced in English (as Elizabeth) in the Good Hope Theatre, Cape Town, during September by the Wheeler Theatre Company with American actress Nance O'Neill in the leading role.

1902: Produced again in the Good Hope Theatre by the Wheeler Theatre Company during February, once more with Nance O'Neill in the lead.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabetta,_regina_d%27Inghilterra

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Giacometti

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gioachino_Rossini

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Schmidt

https://www.amazon.com/Giacometti-Elisabetta-dInghilterra-storico-Leather/dp/B07QXXKNF1

Facsimile version of the 1873 English text, Google E-book[6]

https://www.worldcat.org/title/elisabeth-koningin-van-engeland-historisch-drama-in-5-bedrijven/oclc/65732627&referer=brief_results

https://www.worldcat.org/title/isabel-reina-de-inglaterra-drama-historico-en-cinco-actos/oclc/1086393684

Facsimile version of the 1859 Catallan text, Hathi Trust Digital Library[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nc01.ark:/13960/t09w7mb9g&view=1up&seq=1

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.203-205

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