Rinaldo (opera)

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Rinaldo is an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel. The libretto was written by Giacomo Rossi based on episodes of Torquato Tasso's Gerusalemme liberata ("Jerusalem Delivered"). Rinaldo was the first opera Handel produced for London and the first Italian opera composed specifically for the London stage. It was first performed in Her Majesty's Theatre in Haymarket on 24 February 1711. It was a great success thanks in part to the participation of two of the leading castrati of the era, Nicolo Grimaldi ("Nicolini") and Valentino Urbani.

Rinaldo and Armida by Francois Boucher, 1734 (Louvre Museum) : Armida is the enchantress who holds Rinaldo under her spell in a magical palace that is an illusion. Without him, affairs are going badly (offstage) for the crusaders. The pastoral idyll, Armida's hate for the crusaders turned to love for one Crusader, and the call of duty that leaves Armida abandoned, all appealed to Baroque and Rococo artists.

[edit] Summary

[edit] Act I

Commences at the Christian camp outside the gates of Jerusalem. Rinaldo, a soldier, reminds Goffredo, the captain general of the Crusade force, he has been promised the hand of his daughter Almirena, if the city is conquered. Armida, Queen of Damascus, 'Amazonian' enchantress and mistress of Argante, the Saracen king of Jerusalem, arrives in a fiery chariot and tells him that they will only conquer the city if Rinaldo is detached from the Christian army. In a grove, Almirena and Rinaldo affirm their love. Armida leads Almirena away. When Rinaldo resists, the women are carried away in a black cloud and Rinaldo is devastated. Goffredo and his brother Eustazio enter and the latter advises consulting a hermit to defeat Armida. Rinaldo calls on tempests to help him.

[edit] Act II

On a seashore, amid mermaids, Rinaldo and Goffredo complain about how far they must travel to find the hermit. Eustazio tells them they are close to their destination. Rinaldo is lured into a boat by a spirit in the form of a lovely woman who tells him Almirena has sent her. His companions are unable to prevent him entering the boat. In Armida's enchanted palace garden, Argante makes advances to Almirena, saying he can prove his love by breaking Armida's spell. She pleads to be left alone. Armida is pleased at Rinaldo's capture and offers him her love. When he refuses, she changes her appearance to that of Almirena. Taken in at first, he is furious when the deception is revealed. On Argante's arrival, she again changes her appearance which only exposes his affection for Almirena. She calls for revenge.

[edit] Act III

The hermit's cave at the bottom of a mountain with a palace at the top. The hermit-magician tells Goffredo and Eustazio that Rinaldo and Almirena are prisoners in the palace. The Christians' first attempt to release them is repelled by 'ugly' spirits, they escape back to the cave and the magician gives them special wands to conquer witchcraft. They strike the palace gates, the mountain disappears, leaving Goffredo and Eustazio clinging to the sides of a huge rock in the middle of the sea. Armida tries to stab Almirena, Rinaldo draws his sword but is restrained by spirits. His companions arrive and use their wands to transform the garden into the area near the city gate at Jerusalem. They are reunited with Rinaldo. Armida again tries to stab Almirena, Rinaldo attacks her and she vanishes. Argante and Armida are reconciled. The armies prepare to fight. The Christians win, thanks to Rinaldo. Argante and Armida are captured and profess the Christian faith. Almirena and Rinaldo are united.

[edit] Excerpt

Lascia ch'io pianga

[edit] Nowadays

Like Handel's other works in the opera seria genre, Rinaldo fell into oblivion for two hundred years. However, starting in the 1970s, it has been revived regularly and has become part of the standard operatic repertoire. The largo "Lascia ch'io pianga" has become a vehicle for both Sarah Brightman and Charlotte Church, reaching a vast international audience including millions unaware of its operatic setting. There are a several recordings of the entire opera, and it is regularly performed. In 1984, a production (directed by Frank Corsaro) of Rinaldo was mounted with the American mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne in the title role at the Metropolitan Opera, the first Handel opera ever performed at the Met. In more recent years, the opera has been revived for the counter-tenor David Daniels, who also participated in a complete recording of it with mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli and Christopher Hogwood conducting the Academy of Ancient Music.