Demofonte at Theater an der Wien

Of the first eight operas of Christoph Willibald Gluck from his Milanese period, only one Ipermestra) has fully preserved for posterity. From Demo Fonte least all solo vocal numbers are known, the car Grafe are believed to have been destroyed in a fire in the house of his heirs. After the sensational success of his opera first-Artaserse (libretto by Pietro Metastasio) for the season opening of the Milan Court Theatre in 1742, which has exceeded all expectations, Gluck was also commissioned for the next season with a scrittura. Gluck's second Milanese opera - Demo Fonte - based again on a libretto by Metastasio.
Demo Fonte, king of Thrace, have for the year to the god Apollo darzubringende sacrifice the young Dircea, secret wife of his son Timante determined and the princess Creusa provided as his wife.
When he learns of the secret marriage of his son, he first stands by its decision, however, directs, through the mediation Creusas that for the younger brother Timantes gets the man a.
It would be wrong to want to recognize already signs of his later willingness to reform in Gluck's early operas; yet they are already impressive testimonies of his personal style, which is characterized in particular by the straightforwardness of melody and clarity of diatonic harmony.