ORLANDIANA -- Vivaldiana

Speranza

The combination of the two storylines (ORLANDO-MEDORO-ANGELICA and RUGGERO-BRADAMANTE-ALCINA) is found again in Haydn's ORLANDO (1782), but there it is extended with the ideas of the Enlightment and permeated with a powerful message of rationalism and restraint.

These elements may already be perceived in a nutshell in both Vivaldi's melodramma and Ariosto's epic.

They all introduce recognisable tragic characters, and show how man, though responsible for his own acts and gifted with a will of his own, can become a victim of unfortunate circumstances and destiny, especially when he loses control of himself.

Only RATIONALITY and restraint can save one's life.

In the plot of Haydn's opera, all the characters are 'reformed' at the end.

ALCINA has bestowed a new consciousness on Orlando, who therefore has completely forgotten Angelica.

The rather smug moral of the story is:

"If you want to be happy, don't love the one you love, but love the one who loves you. If you do that, nothing can go wrong."