"ezio" is the last of three operas handel composed to texts by the most famous librettist of the day, metastasio, the other two being "siroe" and "poro". many of the long passages of recitative in the metastasio original were cut in handel's version, london audiences preferring to move more swiftly from one aria to the next. unlike most of handel's operas, there are no duets or other ensembles in the piece at all, only recitatives and arias. "ezio" was performed just five times in handel's lifetime, one contemporary noting of it that it was "a new opera, clothes & all ye scenes new - but did not draw much company" (at that time scenery and costumes were often drawn from stock, entirely new costumes and scenes were an added attraction.) nevertheless, king george ii attended every performance but one.