On This Day
·

Amilcare Ponchielli's opera "La Gioconda" premieres in Milan

La Gioconda is an opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli set to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito (as Tobia Gorrio), based on Angelo, Tyrant of Padua, a 1835 play in prose by Victor Hugo (the…

La Gioconda is an opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli set to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito (as Tobia Gorrio), based on Angelo, Tyrant of Padua, a 1835 play in prose by Victor Hugo (the same source Gaetano Rossi had used for his libretto for Mercadante's Il giuramento in 1837).

First performed in 1876, La Gioconda was a major success for Ponchielli, as well as the most successful new Italian opera between Verdi's Aida (1871) and Otello (1887). It is also a famous example of the Italian genre of Grande opera, the equivalent of French Grand-Opéra.

Ponchielli revised the work three times; the fourth and final version was first performed in 1879 in Genoa before reaching Milan in 1880 where its reputation as the definitive version was established.

Historical Significance

La Gioconda is an opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli set to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito (as Tobia Gorrio), based on Angelo, Tyrant of Padua, a 1835 play in prose by Victor Hugo (the same source Gaetano Rossi had used for his libretto for Mercadante's Il giuramento in 1837).

Events Before

  1. Britain's Midland Railway abolishes second-class travel, ending the practice of carrying third-class passengers in open-

    Britain's Midland Railway abolishes second-class travel, ending the practice of carrying third-class passengers in open-air wagons [1]

  2. Princess Louise of Belgium marries Prince Philip von Saksen-Coburg-Gotha in Belgium

    Princess Louise of Belgium marries Prince Philip von Saksen-Coburg-Gotha in Belgium

  3. Georges Bizet's last and greatest opera "Carmen" premieres at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, France

    Georges Bizet's last and greatest opera "Carmen" premieres at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, France

  4. 1st Kentucky Derby: Oliver Lewis aboard Aristides wins in 2:37.75

    The Kentucky Derby () is an American Grade I stakes race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

  5. Captain Matthew Webb makes the first recorded unassisted swim across the English Channel in 21 hours and 45 minutes

    The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France.

Events After

  1. American Chester Greenwood patents earmuffs after inventing them at age 15

    American Chester Greenwood patents earmuffs after inventing them at age 15

  2. Test cricket debut of feared Australian fast bowler Fred "The Demon" Spofforth; Australia loses the second Test by four

    Test cricket debut of feared Australian fast bowler Fred "The Demon" Spofforth; Australia loses the second Test by four wickets to England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

  3. World's first home telephone is installed in Somerville, Massachusetts at the house of Charles Williams Jr. [1]

    The Charles Williams Jr. House, built in 1858, is a historic house in Somerville, Massachusetts. Charles Williams Jr.

  4. Russo-Turkish War: Russia declares war on the Ottoman Empire

    Russo-Turkish War: Russia declares war on the Ottoman Empire

  5. First Wimbledon tennis championship - first official lawn tennis tournament - begins featuring men's singles only

    The 1877 Wimbledon Championship was a men's tennis tournament held at the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club (AEC & LTC) in Wimbledon, London.

More from the 1870s

Belgium disbands its salt tax

Belgium disbands its salt tax

The Moerdijk railway bridge over Hollands Diep in South Holland opens, becoming the longest bridge in Europe at that tim

The Moerdijk railway bridge over Hollands Diep in South Holland opens, becoming the longest bridge in Europe at that time

Japan adopts the Gregorian calendar

Japanese calendar types have included a range of official and unofficial systems. At present, Japan uses the Gregorian calendar together with year designations stating the year of the reign of the…

New York City annexes the West Bronx

The boroughs of New York City are the five major governmental districts that compose New York City. They are the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 8, 1876?
La Gioconda is an opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli set to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito (as Tobia Gorrio), based on Angelo, Tyrant of Padua, a 1835 play in prose by Victor Hugo (the same source Gaetano Rossi had used for his libretto for Mercadante's Il giuramento in 1837). First performed in 1876, La Gioconda was a major success for Ponchielli, as well as the most successful new Italian opera between Verdi's Aida (1871) and Otello (1887). It is also a famous example of the Italian genre of Grande opera, the equivalent of French Grand-Opéra.
Why is Amilcare Ponchielli's opera "La Gioconda" premieres in Milan significant?
La Gioconda is an opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli set to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito (as Tobia Gorrio), based on Angelo, Tyrant of Padua, a 1835 play in prose by Victor Hugo (the same source Gaetano Rossi had used for his libretto for Mercadante's Il giuramento in 1837).

Explore More

April 8 in HistoryYear 1876