La Grande Ecurie et La Chambre du Roy
CD 1
1 Ouverture 6.23
Atto primo · Act One · Acte un · Erster Akt
Scena I · Scene 1 · Scène 1 · 1. Szene
2 Recitativo: Delle nostre fatiche siam prossimi alla meta Goffredo
Aria: Sovra balze scoscese e pungenti Goffredo
Recitativo: Signor, già dal tuo senno Rinaldo, Goffredo, Almirena 6.51
3 Aria: Combatti da forte Almirena
Recitativo: Questi saggi consigli accogli nel tuo sen Eustazio, Rinaldo 4.20
4 Aria: Ogn’indugio d’un amante è una pena Rinaldo 4.08
Scena II · Scene 2 · Scène 2 · 2. Szene
5 Recitativo: Signor, che delle stelle emuli i pregi Araldo, Goffredo, Eustazio
Aria: Sulla ruota di fortuna va girando la speranza Eustazio 4.22
Scena III · Scene 3 · Scène 3 · 3. Szene
6 Aria: Sibillar gli angui d’Aletto Argante
Recitativo: Goffredo; se t’arrise sin qui fortuna Argante, Goffredo 5.21
7 Aria: No, no, che quest’alma scontenti non dà Goffredo
Scena IV · Scene 4 · Scène 4 · 4. Szene
Recitativo: Infra dubbi di Marte resta sospeso il cuore Argante 3.16
8 Aria: Vieni, o cara, a consolarmi Argante 3.12
Scena V · Scene 5 · Scène 5 · 5. Szene
9 Aria: Furie terribili Armida
Recitativo ed Accompagnato: Come a tempo giungesti, cara Argante, Armida 3.27
10 Aria: Molto voglio, molto spero Armida 3.05
Scena VI · Scene 6 · Scène 6 · 6. Szene
11 Aria: Augelletti che cantate Almirena
Recitativo: Adorato mio sposo, vieni a bear quest’alma Almirena, Rinaldo 5.19
12 Duetto: Scherzano sul tuo volto le grazie vezzosette Almirena, Rinaldo
Scena VII · Scene 7 · Scène 7 · 7. Szene
Recitativo: Al valor del mio brando cedi la nobil preda Armida, Almirena, Rinaldo
Sinfonia 5.04
13 Aria: Cara sposa, amante cara, dove sei? Rinaldo 9.11
CD 2
Scena VIII · Scene 8 · Scène 8 · 8. Szene
1 Recitativo: Ch’insolito stupore lega gli sensi tuoi Goffredo, Eustazio, Rinaldo
Aria: Cor ingrato, ti rammembri, e non scoppii di dolor? Rinaldo
Recitativo: Io all’ora impugno il brando Rinaldo, Goffredo, Eustazio 5.29
2 Aria: Col valor, colla virtù or si vada a trionfar Eustazio
Scena IX · Scene 9 · Scène 9 · 9. Szene
Recitativo: Di speranza un bel raggio ritorni Rinaldo 3.03
3 Aria: Venti, turbini, prestate le vostre ali a questo piè Rinaldo 4.11
Atto secondo · Act Two · Acte deux · Zweiter Akt
Scena I · Scene 1 · Scène 1 · 1. Szene
4 Aria: Siam prossimi al porto Eustazio
Scena II · Scene 2 · Scène 2 · 2. Szene
Recitativo: A quel sasso bramato Rinaldo, Goffredo, Eustazio
Scena III · Scene 3 · Scène 3 · 3. Szene
Recitativo: Per raccor d’Almirena i più dolci respiri Donna 5.58
5 Aria a due: Il vostro maggio de’ bei verdi anni Sirene
Recitativo: Qual incognita forza mi spinge Rinaldo, Goffredo, Eustazio, Donna 2.44
6 Aria: Il Tricerbero umiliato Rinaldo
Recitativo: Signor, strano ardimento! …
Ciò fu indegna vittoria del barbaro Acheronte Eustazio, Goffredo 3.10
7 Aria: Mio cor, che mi sai dir? Goffredo
Scena IV · Scene 4 · Scène 4 · 4. Szene
Recitativo: Armida dispietata! Almirena, Argante 4.41
8 Aria: Lascia ch’io pianga mia cruda sorte Almirena 4.31
9 Aria: Basta che sol tu chieda Argante
Scena V · Scene 5 · Scène 5 · 5. Szene
Recitativo: Cingetemi d’allori le trionfali chiome Armida
Scena VI · Scene 6 · Scène 6 · 6. Szene
Perfida, un cor illustre ha ben forza bastante Rinaldo, Armida 5.17
10 Duetto: Fermati — No, crudel Armida, Rinaldo
Scena VII · Scene 7 · Scène 7 · 7. Szene
Recitativo: Crudel, tu ch’involasti al mio core la calma Armida, Rinaldo 3.52
11 Aria: Abbruccio, avvampo e fremo Rinaldo 2.46
Scena VIII · Scene 8 · Scène 8 · 8. Szene
12 Recitativo accompagnato: Dunque i lacci d’un volto Armida
Aria: Ah! crudel, il pianto mio, deh! ti mova Armida
Scena IX · Scene 9 · Scène 9 · 9. Szene
Recitativo: Riprendiam d’Almirena il mentito sembiante Armida
Scena X · Scene 10 · Scène 10 · 10. Szene
Recitativo: Adorata Almirena, ogni breve dimora Argante, Armida 8.33
13 Aria: Vo’ far guerra, e vincer voglio Armida 3.07
CD 3
Atto terzo · Act Three · Acte trois · Dritter Akt
Scena I · Scene 1 · Scène 1 · 1. Szene
1 Recitativo: Quivi par che rubelle la terra s’alzi Eustazio, Goffredo
Scena II · Scene 2 · Scène 2 · 2. Szene
Recitativo: La causa che vi spinge in sì remota parte Mago, Goffredo, Eustazio
Sinfonia
Recitativo: Qui vomita Cocito tutta sua nera peste Goffredo, Eustazio, Mago 6.09
2 Aria e Recitativo: Andate, o forti, fra stragi e morti Mago
Scena III · Scene 3 · Scène 3 · 3. Szene
Recitativo: Mori svenata. — O Numi! Armida, Almirena, Rinaldo
Scena IV · Scene 4 · Scène 4 · 4. Szene
Recitativo: Nella guardata soglia come osaste portar sicuro il piede? 5.35
Armida, Goffredo, Rinaldo, Eustazio, Almirena
3 Aria: Sorge nel petto certo diletto Goffredo
Recitativo: Al trionfo s’affretti senza ritardo il corso! Rinaldo 4.12
4 Aria: È un incendio fra due venti Rinaldo
Scena V · Scene 5 · Scène 5 · 5. Szene
Recitativo: Chiuso fra quelle mura langue il comun valore Argante
Scena VI · Scene 6 · Scène 6 · 6. Szene
Recitativo: Per fomentar lo sdegno a fronte d’un sleal anco mi trovo? 6.54
Armida, Argante
5 March
Recitativo: In quel bosco di strali Argante, Armida 2.01
6 Duetto: Al trionfo del nostro furore or corriamo Argante, Armida
Scena VII · Scene 7 · Scène 7 · 7. Szene
Recitativo: Di quei strani accidenti se la serie ripiglio 4.07
Goffredo, Almirena, Rinaldo
7 Aria: Bel piacere è godere fido amor Almirena
Scena VIII · Scene 8 · Scène 8 · 8. Szene
Recitativo: Signor, l’oste nemica con barbari ululati s’avvicina 3.13
Eustazio, Goffredo, Rinaldo, Almirena
8 Aria: Di Sion nell’alta sede Eustazio 3.24
Scena IX · Scene 9 · Scène 9 · 9. Szene
9 March
Recitativo: Se ciò t’è in grado, o Prence Rinaldo, Goffredo 1.39
10 Aria: Or la tromba in suon festante mi richiama a trionfar Rinaldo
Scena X · Scene 10 · Scène 10 · 10. Szene
Recitativo: Miei fidi, ecco là in campo colmo di mille furti Argante
Scena XI · Scene 11 · Scène 11 · 11. Szene
Recitativo: Magnanimi campioni, ecco l’ultimo giorno delle vostre fatiche 5.16
Goffredo
11 Battaglia 1.44
12 [Aria]: Solo dal brando, dal senno solo della vittoria Goffredo
Scena XII · Scene 12 · Scène 12 · 12. Szene
Recitativo: Goffredo, ecco il superbo in lacci avolto Rinaldo, Argante, Goffredo
Scena XIII · Scene 13 · Scène 13 · 13. Szene
Recitativo: Ecco, german, la cruda 4.34
Eustazio, Argante, Armida, Rinaldo, Almirena, Goffredo
13 Coro: Vinto è sol dalla virtù degli affetti il rio livor 1.24
Armida, Almirena, Rinaldo, Eustazio, Argante, Goffredo
SYNOPSIS
CD 1 1Overture
Act One
The action takes place in Outremer during the First Crusade (1096–99). Christian forces led by Goffredo (Godfrey of Bouillon) are laying siege to the city of Jerusalem, which is defended by its king, Argante. With Goffredo are his brother Eustazio and his daughter Almirena, who loves and is loved by the Christian knight Rinaldo. Argante’s ally and lover is Armida, Queen of Damascus and a formidable sorceress.
2 In the Christian camp,Goffredo anticipates the glory that Jerusalem’s imminent capture will bring and confirms his promise to Rinaldo of Almirena’s hand in marriage if the Christians are victorious. 3 Almirena encourages Rinaldo to focus on the military campaign, setting aside for the moment all thoughts of love, 4 but he laments the pain of love delayed.
5 A herald announces the arrival of Argante who is, as Eustazio rightly anticipates, 6 fearful of defeat, and 7 who comes to request a three-day truce, to which Goffredo agrees. 8 Left alone, Argante longs for the arrival of Armida, 9 who descends from the skies in a chariot drawn by dragons 10 and informs him that her magic arts have enabled her to discover that their only hope of victory lies in depriving the Christian forces of Rinaldo’s support — a task which she herself will undertake.
11 In a beautiful garden with singing birds, Almirena’s thoughts are of love. 12 She and Rinaldo exchange endearments until suddenly Armida abducts Almirena under cover of a cloud full of fire-breathing monsters, 13 leaving a distraught Rinaldo. CD 2 1–2 He tells Goffredo and Eustazio what has happened and Eustazio suggests he seek help from a Christian sorcerer. Rinaldo is encouraged and 3 calls on the winds and heaven to second his revenge.
Act Two
4 Eustazio, Rinaldo and Goffredo arrive at a shore near the Sorcerer’s dwelling. A spirit in the form of a beautiful woman and claiming to be sent by Almirena tries to lure Rinaldo into her boat, while 5 two Sirens sing of love’s delights. Suspecting a trap, Rinaldo’s companions try to hold him back, 6 but he rejects their counsel, breaks free, enters the boat and sails away. Eustazio is amazed at Rinaldo’s apparent desertion, 7 Goffredo steels himself to fight on despite having now lost both Almirena and Rinaldo.
8 In a beautiful garden in Armida’s enchanted palace, Almirena laments her captivity. Argante declares his love for Almirena, who challenges him to prove it by securing her release. As she continues lamenting, Argante feels himself weakening 9 and finally promises to help her.
Armida, meanwhile, exults at Rinaldo’s capture. When he is brought before her, however, she is captivated by his defiance and declares her love for him, 10 only to be scornfully repulsed. She then tries to seduce him by taking the form of Almirena, but after some initial confusion, Rinaldo quickly suspects some deception. 11 He leaves, 12 and Armida is torn between vindictive fury at having been spurned and a love that renders her incapable of vengeance.
Still hoping to dupe Rinaldo, Armida resumes the form of Almirena, but it is Argante who now approaches. Unlike Rinaldo, he is taken in and resumes his advances on “Almirena” —much to Armida’s fury. She accuses him of treachery, he admits to loving Almirena and renounces Armida’s help. 13 Armida vows to be revenged on Argante.
Act Three
CD 3 1 Eustazio and Goffredo arrive at the Sorcerer’s cave, at the foot of the same mountain on whose summit Armida’s palace is situated, guarded by monsters. The Sorcerer tells them that Rinaldo and Almirena are in the palace, and they immediately set off up the mountain with their troops, ignoring his warning that they can only gain entry to the palace if they are armed with a power equal to the infernal power of Armida. Hideous monsters drive them back and the mountain belches smoke and flames.
The Sorcerer then furnishes Goffredo and Eustazio with magic wands able to overcome Armida’s magic and encourages them to make another assault on the mountain. With the help of the wands, the monsters are routed. When the brothers touch the gates of the palace with them, both the palace and the mountain disappear and they find themselves clinging to a rock above a stormy sea. They climb over the rock and are lost to view. 2 The hermit sings to encourage them until victory is achieved, then returns to his cave.
Meanwhile, in the garden of her palace Armida is on the point of killing Almirena to avenge herself for Rinaldo’s indifference. He draws his sword, but spirits rise out of the ground to defend Armida. She calls on the Furies to protect her as Goffredo and Eustazio arrive, but when they touch the garden with their magic wands, it disappears, leaving a vast plain with Jerusalem in the distance. Armida again tries to stab Almirena, but vanishes when Rinaldo strikes her with his sword, and Goffredo, Eustazio, Almirena and Rinaldo rejoice at being reunited. The heroes resolve to launch an assault on Jerusalem the next morning 3 and Goffredo encourages Rinaldo to redeem the time he has lost to amorous dalliance with deeds of valour; 4 Rinaldo reflects that love and a desire for glory both spur him on to distinguish himself.
The Saracens too are preparing for battle. Argante encourages his generals to fight bravely to defend Jerusalem. 5–6 Faced with a common enemy, he and Armida are reconciled, and together they review their troops.
7 In the Christian camp, Almirena looks forward to her love’s fulfilment. 8 As the enemy approaches, Goffredo entrusts her and the camp to Eustazio’s protection. 9 Goffredo and Rinaldo review their troops andplan their battle strategy; Goffredo will lead the main army, while Rinaldo will attack from the flank. 10 Rinaldo looks forward to success in battle and the consummation of his love. Argante and Goffredo order and encourage their troops, ! and finally battle is joined. 12 For a time, the outcome hangs in the balance, but when Rinaldo, who has already succeeded in taking Jerusalem, makes his flank attack, the enemy is routed. Argante is captured by Rinaldo, Armida by Eustazio. Rinaldo and Almirena are united, Armida and Argante both embrace Christianity and are released by Goffredo. 13 All proclaim the supreme value of virtue.