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Cesare della Valle (1776/77–1860) was Duke of Ventignano (a hamlet in Fucecchio, Florence). He is best known today as a playwright and librettist.

He wrote the libretto to Gioachino Rossini's opera Maometto II from his own drama tragedy Anna Erizo (1820). [1] Both were based on real-life Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II who took Negroponte from the Venetians in 1470.

That opera was completely reworked a few years later into Le siège de Corinthe (1826), but based on the same characters and story created by della Valle. [2]

References

  1. ^ "Rossini, G.: Maometto secondo (Venice version) [Opera] (Sedov, Gemmabella, Islam-Ali-Zade, Czech Philharmonic Choir, Czech Chamber Soloists, Cohen)".
  2. ^ Tommasini, Anthony (30 July 2012). "A Rossini Masterwork Ahead of Its Time". The New York Times.