There are a number of plays and operas that use the name Masaniello as main (abbreviated) title:

1 The character
2 The plays
3 Masaniello, The Fisherman of Naples (1824)
4 Masaniello, The Fisherman of Naples (1825)
5 Masaniello, or The Dumb Girl of Portici by Thomas S. Cooke and Barham Livius, with libretto by James Kenney (1829)
6 Masaniello, or The Dumb Girl of Portici by Henry M. Milner (1829)
7 Masaniello, or The Fish-o'-Man of Naples (1857)
- 7.1 The original text
- 7.2 Translations and adaptations
8 Performance history of "Massielo" in South Africa
9 Sources
10 Return to

The character

Masaniello (i.e. Tommaso Aniello, 1622 – 1647)[1] was an Italian fisherman who became leader of the revolt against the rule of Habsburg Spain in Naples in 1647.

The plays

Masaniello, The Fisherman of Naples (1824)

Masaniello, the Fisherman of Naples is an historic play in three acts by Henry Milner.

The original text

First performed at the Royal Coburg Theatre, London, and published in London by John Lowndes in 1824.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1859: A play called simply Masaniello was performed in the Harrington Street Theatre, Cape Town, by the Cape Town Dramatic Club on 27 May, with Retribution (Taylor) and a performance of the brass band of the 59th Regiment. The text used may have been this versionby Milner, but it is more likely to have been Brough's burlesque version (see below).

Masaniello, The Fisherman of Naples (1825)

Masaniello, the Fisherman of Naples is an historic play in five acts by George Soane, with incidental music by Henry Rowley Bishop.

The original text

One source (Griffel, p. 308) suggests that the play is based on the musical drama by Milner (1829), which she dates as 1824, but no evidence of an earlier version of Milner's version has thus far been found. None the less, it may have been performed earlier, and thus given Soanes the inspiration for his work.

First performed in English at the Drury Lane Theatre, London, on February 17, 1825. Published in London by J. Miller, 1825.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1859: A play called simply Masaniello was performed in the Harrington Street Theatre, Cape Town, by the Cape Town Dramatic Club on 27 May: Retribution (Taylor) with Retribution (Taylor) and a performance of the brass band of the 59th Regiment. The text used may have the original play or opera by Soane, but it is more likely to have been Brough's burlesque version.

Masaniello, or The Dumb Girl of Portici by Thomas S. Cooke and Barham Livius, with libretto by James Kenney (1829)

Masaniello, or The Dumb Girl of Portici is an opera in three act by Thomas S. Cooke and Barham Livius, with libretto by James Kenney.

The original text

Based on the French opera, La Muette de Portici[2] by Auber, Scribe and Lavigne, which had been first performed at the Salle Le Peletier of the Paris Opéra on 29 February 1828.[2]

The English version of the it was first performed at the Drury Lane Theatre, London, on May 4, 1829 and the the Kenney libretto published by E. Moxon, London, 1831.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1859: A play simply called Masaniello was performed in the Harrington Street Theatre, Cape Town, by the Cape Town Dramatic Club on 27 May: Retribution (Taylor) with Retribution (Taylor) and a performance of the brass band of the 59th Regiment. The text used may have the original play by Soane or this opera , but it is more likely to have been Brough's burlesque version of Soane's work (below).

Masaniello, or The Dumb Girl of Portici by Henry M. Milner (1829)

Masaniello, or The Dumb Girl of Portici is a musical drama in three acts by Henry M. Milner ()[3], based on the Auber opera (some editions credit both). First performed at the (unknown date). Published by Davidson , London, in 1829, R.H. Elton in 1830 and in Cumberland's Minor theatre (Vol. 1 no. 9) in 1835 and French's Standard Drama, acting edition, no. 194. One source (Griffel, p. 308) suggests that the play dates from 1824, and that it was the basis for the 1825 five act opera by Soanes. No evidence of an earlier version of Milner's version has thus far been found though. None the less, it may have been performed earlier, and provided Soanes with his plot.

The original text

First performed at the Royal Theatres , London, and published in London by Davidson in 1829.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1859: A play called simply Masaniello was performed in the Harrington Street Theatre, Cape Town, by the Cape Town Dramatic Club on 27 May, with Retribution (Taylor) and a performance of the brass band of the 59th Regiment. The text used may have been this versionby Milner, but it is more likely to have been Brough's burlesque version (see below).

Masaniello, or The Fish-o'-Man of Naples (1857)

Masaniello, or The Fish-o'-Man of Naples is a burlesque by Robert Barnabas Brough (1828–1860)[4]

The original text

It is uncertain which of the original versions is being burlesques, but it was first performed at the Olympic Theatre, London, in on 2 July, 1857.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history of "Massielo" in South Africa

We list ALL the performances in their titles below.

1859: A play called simply Masaniello was performed in the Harrington Street Theatre, Cape Town, by the Cape Town Dramatic Club on 27 May, with Retribution (Taylor) and a performance of the brass band of the 59th Regiment. The text used may have been any of the versions discussed above, but it is most likely to have been Brough's burlesque version, given the nature of the work done by the Club at the time.