| Calto | |
| Type: | Opera seria |
| Composer: | Francesco Bianchi |
| Image Upright: | 0.8 |
| Librettist: | Giuseppe Foppa |
| Language: | Italian |
| Based On: | Celtic poetry by Ossian |
| Premiere Location: | Teatro San Benedetto, Venice |
Calto is an opera seria in three acts by Francesco Bianchi. The libretto was by Giuseppe Maria Foppa, after the 'Celtic' poetry of Ossian. The opera was first performed at the Teatro San Benedetto in Venice on 23 January 1788.
Calto was an innovative work with some special instrumentation. As Marita P. McClymonds explains "Bianchi uses flat keys, fluctuating modes, chromatic dissonances and an unusually wide range of wind timbres (oboe, bassoon, clarinet, horn and English horn) for maximum dramatic effect."[1]
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 23 January 1788 (Conductor:) |
|---|---|---|
| Duntalmo, usurper king | Giuseppe Bertelli | |
| Corimba, Duntalmo's daughter, secretly married to Calto | soprano | Maria Giacinta Galli |
| Sinveno | soprano castrato | Tommaso Catena |
| Calto, son of the rightful king killed by Duntalmo, adopted by Sinveno | Giovanni Rubinelli | |
| Asteria | soprano | Maria Bellavigna |
| Conalbo | tenor | Antonio Mora |
Calto claims his rightful throne from the usurper Duntalmo, but the latter is saved by Corimba, who turns out to be both Duntalmo's daughter and the mother of Calto's two children.