SYNOPSIS

CD1

[1] Ouverture

Act One

The curtain rises on the Forum in Rome. [2] Licinius, a young Roman general who has just returned from a victorious campaign against the Gauls stands outside the Temple of Vesta, shrouded in the half-light of dawn, and rails against his fate. [3]-[4] His friend and comrade-in-arms, Cinna, finally prevails on him to admit the reason for his unhappiness: he is tormented by his love for Julia, whose hand had been promised to him in marriage five years previously by her mother. But, fearing that her father would reject him on account of his lowly birth, he had joined the army in the hope of returning covered with glory and thus proving himself worthy of her love. On his return, however, he had discovered that, with his dying breath, Julia’s father had appointed her a vestal virgin, with the result that, as the virginal attendant of the goddess Vesta, she is now lost to Licinius. Cinna is dismayed and, at the same time, overcome with compassion. He tries to dissuade his friend from this dangerous and illicit love but is forced to admit that Licinius’s feelings are too strong, and so he assures the latter of his loyalty and help, no matter what may happen. The two friends go off together.
[5] The priestesses assemble to sing their morning hymn in the sacred grove outside the Temple of Vesta. The hymn tells of the punishments that await any vestal virgin who breaks her vow of chastity, a threat that adds to Julia’s fears, since she is still in love with Licinius. The other vestals return to the temple to prepare for the celebrations in honour of the victorious Licinius, and Julia is left alone with the High Priestess, who suspects the young vestal’s inner conflict. [6]-[7] Julia asks to be allowed to absent herself from the triumphal procession, but the High Priestess insists that she herself must crown the victor and tend the sacred flame in the temple during the following night. [8] Julia is left alone with her feelings of despair, torn, as she is, between the prospect of being able to see Licinius again and her fear of the goddess’s vengeance. The triumphal procession is announced, and Julia hurries into the temple to attend the ceremony.
[9] The arrival of the triumphal procession brings the whole of Rome to the Temple of Vesta. The vestals themselves appear and make their way to their places of honour. [10] Julia consecrates the laurel wreath by holding it over the sacred flame, then presents it to Licinius, who takes the opportunity to whisper to her that he will visit her in the temple that night. [13]-[20] The festivities get underway with a succession of gladiatorial games, dances and marches, before [21] the Pontifex Maximus finally invites the assembled company to repair to the Capital, where Licinius is to offer up a sacrifice to Jupiter in thanks for his victory.

Act Two

CD 2

[1] In the Temple of Vesta, in the presence of all the vestals, the High Priestess hands Julia the golden staff that is used to tend the sacred flame, and reminds her of her duties. [2]-[3] Left alone, Julia entreats the gods to show her mercy and take pity on her ill-fated love. In spite of her feelings of guilt, she finally heeds the voice of love and opens the temple gates. [4] Licinius appears and they swear to be etemally true. He pleads with her to flee with him, but she is not yet ready to commit this final act of sacrilege, however much Licinius assures her that their love can never he a crime against the gods. Meanwhile, the sacred flame has grown imperceptibly weaker, until it finally goes out altogether. Julia’s fate thus appears to be scaled, and her only thought is to save her lover and know that he is safe. [5] Cinna rushes in and together they succeed in persuading Licinius to flee, while in the distance the threatening cries of the outraged crowd can be heard, demanding that this desecration of the temple be avenged. Licinius and Cinna manage to make good their escape, but swear to free Julia or to perish in the process.
[9] In the presence of the assembled priests, Julia accepts full responsibility for all that has happened and steadfastly refuses to reveal her lover’s name. Instead, she is prepared to suffer death for her transgression. [10] On the orders of the Pontifex Maximus, the foremost of the Roman priests, she is divested of her vestal’s veil and ornaments, and is led away by the lictors.

Act Three

CD 3

[1] A tomb has been prepared on the field of execration, the site where criminals were buried outside the gates of Rome. Here Julia will be buried alive. Licinius watches the preparations with a mixture of despair and fury. [2] Cinna arrives and reports that he has found only a few members of the army willing to risk their lives in an attempt to rescue Julia. He urges Licinius to ask the Pontifex Maximus to spare Julia’s life, while he himself gathers his men on the Quirinal and waits for the signal to attack.

[3] The Pontifex Maximus appears with the Chief Haruspex. Licinius attempts to persuade them to change their minds by revealing that he himself is Julia’s secret lover and hence solely to blame for all that has happened. But all his entreaties and threats are in vain, and he rushes away, vowing not to leave Julia to her fate without a struggle.

[4] The populace assembles for the execution of the outcast vestal. [6] Julia is brought in by the lictors to a mixture of compassion, grief and cries that her impiousness be punished. She receives a final blessing from the High Priestess. [8] The Pontifex Maximus orders Julia’s veil to be placed on the altar, where the sacred flame no longer bums: if the gods are merciful, the veil will ignite before the assembled populace. All stare at the altar, transfixed, but no miracle occurs, and so Julia is led away to the tomb. [9] Licinius now enters and admits that it was he who brought down Vesta’s curse on himself. But Julia denies that she even knows him and descends into the tomb, which is immediately sealed by the lictors. Licinius and his soldiers prepare to do battle. The priests and insurgent populace demand revenge, and the Pontifex’s soldiers take up their positions in front of the tomb: a confrontation seems inevitable. But at that moment the heavens grow dark and a violent storm m breaks out, scattering the crowd in all directions. At the height of the confusion, heaven gives a sign, and a flash of lightning ignites the veil on the altar: Vesta has forgiven her priestess. Meanwhile Licinius and Cinna have opened the tomb and carried out the unconscious Julia, who slowly regains her senses. [10] The Pontifex Maximus thanks the gods for their sign and commits the lovers to the care of Venus Erucina, before whose temple Julia and Licinius now celebrate their wedding.

Kirsten Niebuhr
Translation © 1995 Stewart Spencer