Tasso: melodramma all'italiana: Armida (Lulli), 1686

Speranza "Rinaldo ed Armida" is an opera by G. B. Lulli. The libretto was written by Philippe Quinault, based on Torquato Tasso's La Gerusalemme liberata (Jerusalem Delivered). Critics in the 18th century regarded "Rinaldo ed Armida" as Lully's masterpiece. Unlike most of his operas, Armide concentrates on the sustained psychological development of a character — not Rinaldo, who spends most of the opera under Armida's spell, but Armida, who repeatedly tries without success to choose vengeance over love. The work is in the form of a tragédie en musique, a genre invented by Lully and Quinault. Lully's Armida was first performed in Paris at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal on February 15, 1686, with scenery by Bérain, in the presence of the Grand Dauphin. To Lully's great distress, however, the king would not attend the première or any of the following performances. In the summer of 2012, the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York, will present Lully's Armida in a joint production with Opera Atelier of Toronto, Canada. The dates of performance are July 21, 2012 through August 23, 2012. [edit] Roles Role Voice type Premiere cast, 15 February 1686[2] (conductor: Pascal Collasse) Allegorical Prologue La Gloire [Glory] soprano La Sagesse [Wisdom] soprano Main Plot Armida, magician, niece of Hidraot soprano Marie Le Rochois Rinaldo, a knight haute-contre Louis Gaulard Dumesny Phénice, a confidante of Armide soprano Marie-Louise Desmatins Sidonie, a confidante of Armide soprano Françoise Fanchon Moreau, la Cadette Hidraot, magician, King of Damascus basse-taille (bass-baritone) Jean Dun père[3] Aronte, guard of Armide's captive knights taille (baritenor) Artémidor, a knight taille La Haine [Hatred] taille M. Frère Ubalde, a knight basse-taille The Danish Knight, companion of Ubalde haute-contre A Demon in the form of a Water Nimph soprano A Demon in the form of Lucinde, the Danish Knight's beloved soprano A Demon in the form of Melisse, Ubalde's beloved soprano Heroes who follow Glory; nymphs who follow Wisdom; people of Damascus; demons disguised as nymphs, shepherds and shepherdesses; flying demons disguised as Zephyrs; followers of Hatred, the Furies, Cruelty, Vengeance, Rage, etc.; demons disguised as rustics; Pleasures; demons disguised as happy lovers [edit] Synopsis Rinaldo and Armida by Nicolas Poussin During the First Crusade, Armide ensnares her enemy the Christian knight Renaud with her magic spells. At the moment she raises her dagger to kill him, she finds herself falling in love with him. She casts a spell to make him love her in return. Upon returning to her castle, she cannot bear that Renaud's love is only the work of enchantment. She calls on the Goddess of Hate to restore her hatred for Renaud, but fails to escape from her feelings of love for him. The Goddess condemns Armide to eternal love. Before Armide can return to Renaud, two of his fellow soldiers reach Renaud and break Armide's spell. Renaud manages to escape from Armide, who is left enraged, despairing, and hopeless. [edit] History and analysis Roughly eight decades following Monteverdi's "L'Orfeo", Jean-Baptiste Lully produced Armide with his longtime collaborator, playwright Jean-Philippe Quinault. Together they had developed the tragédie en musique/tragédie lyrique, which served as a new form of opera that combined elements of classical French drama with ballet, the French song tradition, and a new form of recitative. Armide was one of Lully’s last operas and is therefore extremely developed in style. The opera's instrumental overture is divided into two parts, all with the same highly professional sound, as if to accompany the entrance of a highly revered authority. It is in fact, according to the Norton Anthology of Western Music, a “majesty suitable to the king of France, whose entrance into the theater the overture usually accompanied when he was in attendance” (NAWM p. 520). At points it is playful and bouncy, while always remaining ceremonious. The first section of the overture is in fact slower than the second, which speeds up the rhythm, before returning to the slower pace of the beginning. The most famous moment in the opera is Act II, scene 5, a monologue by the enchantress Armide, considered "one of the most impressive recitatives in all of Lully's operas".[4] Armide, accompanied by only continuo, alternates between glorying in her own power and succumbing to piercing angst. Clutching a dagger, she expresses her unyielding desire to kill the knight Renaud, who has foiled her plan to keep the knights of the Crusades in captivity. Though not elaborate in terms of orchestration, the techniques of dramatic interpretation of rhythm, impressive use of stressing on downbeats, and exaggerated use of rests beautifully complicate this piece. Renaud had taken on the heroic and courageous duty of freeing these knights, much to the vexation of Armide, who now plans to murder him as quickly and swiftly as she can, while he is fast asleep under her magical spell. A stark sense of hesitation washes over her, and her voice grows softer and more full of doubt as she finds herself unexpectedly falling in love with her sworn enemy. Her passion for revenge, to which she was originally so committed, gives way to her new-found love: "Let us get on with it… I tremble! Let us avenge… I sigh! / My rage is extinguished when I approach him / He seems to be made for love." The exaggerated use of rests is exemplified perfectly here, in measures 38-42, amidst her rage and vengefulness. Armide is struck by her contradictory and confusing feelings of love, and the use of ellipses conveys this dramatic hesitation and inner turmoil. She reaches a decision far more humane than murdering Renaud, by casting a further spell to make him fall in love with her. The bass amplifies and is much more emphatic in this part, while the supporting dynamic harmony permits a more melodic style. The idea is elaborated with accompanying music that evokes love and idealism, similar to the structure of a minuet. Repetition is also prevalent with the orchestra first introducing the entire melody, and Armide echoing its sentiment. A variation begins with Armide's changing emotions, resulting in a dance-like feel that contains orchestral preludes and a pair of recitative styles. [edit] References Notes 1.^ Le magazin de l'opéra baroque (accessed 23 February 2011). 2.^ Sources: Le magazin de l'opéra baroque (accessed 23 February 2011); Rosow. 3.^ According to Rosow, the role of Hidraot might have been performed either by Dun père or by François Beaumavielle. 4.^ NAWM p 520 Sources Lois Rosow, "Armide (i)", in Stanley Sadie (ed.), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, (Oxford University Press, New York, 1997), ISBN 978-0-19-522186-2, I, p. 200-02 (French) Le magazin de l'opéra baroque [edit] External links Armide: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project Libretto View page ratings Rate this page What's this? Trustworthy Objective Complete Well-written I am highly knowledgeable about this topic (optional) Submit ratings Categories: Operas by Jean-Baptiste Lully French-language operas Tragédies en musique 1680s operas 1686 operas Operas Paris Opera world premieres Operas based on works by Torquato Tasso