Eliogabalo

The reign of Emperor Elagabalus, though short, was immensely colourful. A bisexual cross-dresser who took a vestal virgin as the second of his five wives, while referring to a blond charioteer as his husband, the 15-year-old Syrian became emperor in 218 AD and was assassinated four years later. It seems likely that Cavalli's opera about him, written for the Venetian carnival season of 1667, was banned prior to its first production due to its scandalous content, and replaced by a toned-down versi...

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