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George Frideric Handel

Floridante, HWV.14

Opera

HWV 14 Stage

Floridante (HWV 14) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian-language libretto was by Paolo Antonio Rolli after Francesco Silvani's libretto for Marc'Antonio Ziani dramma per musica La costanza in trionfo of 1696.

The opera was first given at the King's Theatre in London on 9 December 1721 and was a success with audiences, being revived by Handel in several subsequent seasons. The plot involves dynastic struggles and love tangles in a fictionalised Ancient Persia and is notable for an exceptionally beautiful duet, "Ah, mia cara."

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Synopsis

Scene: Persia, in antiquity.

Years before the action begins, Persian general Oronte had staged a coup, murdered the king, seized the throne himself and adopted the slain king's baby daughter, Elisa, bringing her up as his own daughter under the name Elmira by the side of his real daughter Rossane. Now the girls are of marriageable age, Elmira has been betrothed to Prince Floridante, a leader of Oronte's armies, and Rossane is to be married to a prince of a nearby kingdom, Timante, Prince of Tyre. However, Oronte has fallen in love with his adopted daughter himself and no longer wishes her to marry Floridante, and Tyre and Persia have gone to war, so Rossane's wedding to Timante (whom she has never met, the marriage having been arranged for reasons of diplomacy) is also looking unlikely.

  1. Overtura

Atto I

Floridante returns from battle, where he has just won a glorious victory over Tyre, and is greeted by the royal sisters (as they believe) Elmira and Rossane. Rossane, who has been upset because of the cancellation of her marriage to Timante, now at war with Persia, is presented by Floridante with a Tyrian captive from the battle, by name of Gilcore, who is actually none other than Timante in disguise. A letter from King Oronte is delivered to Floridante, which, much to the consternation of all assembled, orders him to leave the country immediately.
Rossane appeals to her father Oronte not to banish Floridante. Oronte agrees at least to see Floridante but says important state considerations now make his marriage to Elmira impossible. Rossane also has a discussion with "Gilcore" who tells her that Timante managed to escape from the battle unharmed and proclaimed that he would love her forever.
Floridante is brought before the king, who will not revoke his banishment despite Floridante's pleas or the tearful appeals of Elmira. Elmira and Floridante take a sad farewell of each other.

  1. Aria "Alma mia" (Floridante)
  2. Aria "Dimmi, o spene" (Elmira)
  3. Aria "Dopo il nembo e la procella" (Timante)
  4. Aria "Finché lo strale" (Oronte)
  5. Aria "Godi, o spene" (Elmira)
  6. Aria "Ma pria vedrò le stelle" (Elmira)
  7. Aria "Ma un dolce mio pensiero" (Rossane)
  8. Aria "Sospiro, è vero" (Rossane)
  9. Aria "Sventurato, godi, o core" (Floridante)
  10. Duetto "Ah, mia cara, se tu resti" (Floridante, Elmira)
  11. Marche
  12. Recitativo "Al primo cenno, sire" (Floridante, Oronte)
  13. Recitativo "Avventurosa Elmira" (Rossane)
  14. Recitativo "Ch'io parta?" (Floridante, Elmira)
  15. Recitativo "Cinto d'allori" (Rossane, Oronte)
  16. Recitativo "Fammi bersaglio" (Floridante)
  17. Recitativo "Giove compensator" (Rossane, Floridante, Elmira, Timante)
  18. Recitativo "Ma viene il prigionier" (Rossane, Timante)
  19. Recitativo "Novo aspetto di cose" (Rossane)
  20. Recitativo "Oggi di Tracia" (Elmira, Rossanne)
  21. Recitativo "Oronte, il re de' Persi" (Coralbo, Floridante, Elmira, Rossana)
  22. Recitativo "Padre, signor, frena lo sdegno" (Elmira, Oronte, Floridante)
  23. Recitativo "Per quali vie lontane" (Timante)
  24. Recitativo "Questo de' miei trionfi" (Floridante, Elmira)

Atto II

"Gilcore" assures Rossane that her betrothed, Timante, lives, and presents her with a portrait of him. She is overjoyed to recognise the picture as that of "Gilcore" himself.
Floridante has disguised himself as a Moor and plans to escape with Elmira, taking "Gilcore" and Rossane along with them, but before they can do that Oronte confronts Elmira and tells her that he wants to marry her himself, explaining that he is not really her father. She is nonetheless shocked and horrified by his suggestion and denounces him as monstrous.
The lovers are preparing to escape when Oronte catches them, sends Floridante to the dungeon and gives Elmira the choice of marrying him or being put to death.

  1. Accompagnato ed Recitativo "Sorte nemica" (Elmira)
  2. Aria "Barbaro, t'odio a morte" (Elmira)
  3. Aria "Bramo te sola" (Floridante)
  4. Aria "Gode l'alma innamorata" (Rossane)
  5. Aria "Lascioti, o bella, il volto" (Timante)
  6. Aria "Ma che vuoi più da me" (Elmira)
  7. Aria "Ma non s'aspetti" (Oronte)
  8. Aria "Tacerò, ma non potrai comandar" (Floridante)
  9. Arioso ed Accompagnato "Notte cara" (Elmira)
  10. Duetto "Fuor di periglio" (Rossane, Timante)
  11. Recitativo "Convien lasciar libero" (Oronte)
  12. Recitativo "Difficil cosa è il ravvisarti" (Timante, Floridante)
  13. Recitativo "Ecco il vago mio sol" (Timante, Rossane)
  14. Recitativo "Fedele Elmira! (Floridante, Elmira)
  15. Recitativo "Glicon, se sei verace" (Rossane, Timante, Floridante, Elmira)
  16. Recitativo "Guardia a costei severa" (Oronte)
  17. Recitativo "Oh fortunati affetti miei" (Rossane)
  18. Recitativo "Ormai tutta silenzio" (Rossane, Timante)
  19. Recitativo "Oronte un messo invia" (Timante, Elmira, Rossane)
  20. Recitativo "Qual bona sorte!" (Oronte, Elmira, Floridante)
  21. Recitativo "Questo è il tempo fatal" (Oronte, Elmira)
  22. Recitiativo "O facil porta" (Floridante, Elmira)

Atto III

Rossane tells Elmira that even though they have now discovered they are not really sisters, as they had believed, she will always feel sisterly love for her. Oronte enters and tells Elmira that the "Moor" (Floridante) has died, at which she faints away. While she is unconscious, Oronte has Floridante brought to him in chains and tells him Elmira must either marry him or die. Oronte suggests Floridante save her life by advising her to marry him. Floridante attempts to do so when Elmira revives, but she insists she prefers to die by his side.
Rossana and Timante have decided to overthrow the cruel Oronte, who has ordered Elmira to bring a poisoned drink to Floridante in the dungeon. She does so, but is about to drink it herself rather than give it to him, when Oronte enters and dashes it from her hand. Timante and Rossane rush in, seize Oronte and announce that Elmira is rightful Queen of Persia.
The final scene takes place at the coronation celebrations of Elmira, now under her real name as Queen Elisa, with her beloved husband Floridante by her side. They swear to be faithful to each other and rule their empire justly. Rossane appeals to Elisa to pardon her father Oronte, which she does. Rossane and Timante will also wed and rule over Tyre.

  1. Aria "Amor comanda" (Timante)
  2. Aria "Che veggio? che sento?" (Oronte)
  3. Aria "Mia bella, godo che son per te" (Floridante)
  4. Aria "Non lasciar oppressa della sorte" (Coralbo)
  5. Aria "Questi ceppi e quest' orrore" (Floridante)
  6. Aria "Se dolce m'era già" (Floridante)
  7. Aria "Se risolvi abbandonarmi" (Rossane)
  8. Aria "Sì, coronar vogl'io" (Elmira)
  9. Aria "Vivere per penare" (Elmira)
  10. Arietta "Vanne, segui 'l mio desio" (Rossane)
  11. Coro "Quando pena la costanza"
  12. Recitativo "Ah, traditor Coralbo" (Oronte)
  13. Recitativo "Elmira, a te ritorno" (Oronte, Elmira)
  14. Recitativo "Fido e guerriero" (Elmira, Floridante, Rossane, Timante)
  15. Recitativo "La cittade, la reggia" (Elmira)
  16. Recitativo "Misero amato Prence" (Elmira, Floridante)
  17. Recitativo "Nella vasta città" (Timante, Rossane)
  18. Recitativo "Numi, che aspetto di dolor" (Floridante, Oronte, Elmira)
  19. Recitativo "Oh sventuratie vani disegni" (Rossane, Elmira, Coralbo)
  20. Recitativo "Or mi si svela il grand' arcano" (Coralbo, Elmira)
  21. Recitativo "S'uccida chi resiste" (Coralbo, Oronte, Timante, Elmira, Floridante)
  22. Recitativo "Servasi alla mia bella" (Timante)
  23. Recitativo "Si mora, sì" (Elmira)
  24. Recitativo "Tale non era il cenno mio!" (Oronte, Floridante, Elmira)
  25. Sinfonia

Synopsis from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Elsewhere

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