Adelaide di Borgogna

Adelaide di Borgogna, ossia Ottone, re d’Italia (Adelaide of Burgundy, or Otto, King of Italy) is a two-act opera composed by Gioachino Rossini (with contributions by Michele Carafa) to a libretto by Giovanni Schmidt. It was premièred at the Teatro Argentina in Rome on 27 December 1817.

The libretto of the opera is based on an episode in medieval Italian history. Lotario II, King of Italy from 945 to 950, was poisoned by Berengario, who usurped the Italian crown. Lotario’s widow, Adelaide of Burgundy, took refuge in the fortress of Canossa (Canosso in the opera), to escape Berengario, who wanted to force her to marry his son Adelberto. In Canossa, Adelaide was protected by Attone (Iroldo in the opera) but, unable to resist the siege by Berengario, she asked for the intervention of Otto the Great (Ottone in Italian), the “Holy Roman Emperor” of Germany, offering to be his wife if he granted her the royal rights due to her. Otto crossed the Alps with his army, went down to Lombardy, freed Adelaide, married her, and took her with him to Germany.

However, Giovanni Schmidt’s libretto contains some historical inaccuracies: the action is dated in 947, when in reality Lotario died in 950; moreover, the fortress of Canossa is said to be located near Lake Garda, but in reality it is on the Apennines of Reggio Emilia.

The scene takes place partly in the fortress of Canossa, partly in Otto’s camp.