From around the world: Zurich.(International)(Opera Review)

Antonio Salieri's Axur, Re d'Ormus, a "tragicomic drama" in five acts, was given its premiere in Vienna in 1788 and was an instant hit, with twenty-nine performances that season (as opposed to fifteen for Don Giovanni, new to Vienna at the time). Salieri's librettist was Lorenzo da Ponte, translating and adapting a libretto by Beaumarchais. The original libretto, called Tarare, had been commissioned by the Paris Opera, with a score by Salieri, and it was so successful at its premiere, in 1777, that Joseph II ordered an immediate performance at Vienna's Burgtheater. At this point, da Ponte was chosen as translator. As the Viennese preparations progressed, however, Salieri and da Ponte agreed that the French were actors, not singers, and music written in French fell short of the needs of the Italians, who were singers, not actors. The two overhauled Tarare, and Axur was the result.

As presented by Zurich's Opera House, in its satellite theater at Winterthur, to open the 2003-04 season, Axur proved perfectly charming, despite a ludicrous libretto and silly production (seen Sept. 5). Director Dieter Kaegi (the Swiss Intendant of Dublin's Opera Ireland) attempted to inject a note of topicality by changing the setting from the Persian island of Hormuz to Italy, in the later days of Mussolini's regime. His inspiration obviously was Pasolini's film, Salo (1975), a still-shocking portrait of sadomasochism and Fascism.

The plot concerns the title character (bass-baritone), who secretly kidnaps Aspasia (soprano), the virtuous wife of his heroic general, Atar (tenor), who once saved his life. Rather than help Atar, Axur orders his murder. With the assistance of Biscroma, the Leporello-ish harem eunuch, Atar escapes. Aspasia refuses to submit to Axur, who orders her to be raped, then executed. But the rapist turns out to be Atar in disguise, and in the ensuing turmoil Axur commits suicide and Atar is hailed as the new king.

The opera's three hours of intrigue were reduced ...