“Armida” – Act 1

ACT ONE

A battlefield. In the distance, the city of Jerusalem.

SCENE ONE

Trumpets announce the presence of the supreme leader, and the Franks, emerging from their respective tents, form ranks, rendering him military honors. Goffredo appears from his tent, accompanied by a number of leading paladins.

CHORUS OF PALADINS Joyful, smiling More than usual, In the East The day appears. PART OF THE CHORUS Perhaps glory, Alongside peace, Your victory Is thus foretold. FULL CHORUS Your victory Is thus foretold. Your victory Is thus foretold.

FULL CHORUS Your victory Is thus foretold. GOFFREDO Ah! no: let this Be a day of truce; A fatal duty Shall be fulfilled. Brave men, to anger We shall return. For now, boldness Must yield to pity. CHORUS OF PALADINS Brave men, to anger We shall return. For now, boldness Must yield to pity. GOFFREDO Yes, warriors, sacred shall be Our care for the departed Dudon. A funeral rite for the honored body Let the tomb grant today. Praises, sighs And tribute of tears Let the hero receive, who at life’s end Shows others the path of virtue.

SCENE TWO

Eustazio. The preceding characters.

EUSTAZIO My kinsman, a royal lady, Weeping, asks of you Now to come before you To implore your aid. GOFFREDO Let her come. (Eustazio exits.) No greater comfort Can the soul find Than in raising a heart Lost in sorrow. CHORUS OF PALADINS Your example, lord, Is wont to guide Every soul to virtue’s haven.

SCENE THREE

Preceded and followed by many warriors, among whom Eustazio, Armida appears upon a chariot, accompanied by Idraote in disguise, and by a small retinue of Damascenes on horseback. All crowd around her.

GENERAL CHORUS That morning star, Herald of the rays of day, Adorned with such light Has never yet appeared. In that noble face An angelic power Surpasses every splendor, Outshines all brilliance. (Armida descends and, led by Eustazio, presents herself to Goffredo.) ARMIDA My lord, your name resounds so widely That even among your enemies It awakens in their hearts Feelings of wonder and respect. As heir to the throne of Damascus (Whose misfortune surpasses Every cruel misfortune), I present myself to you.

The barbarian Idraote, Bound to me by blood, not only seeks To take from me my ancestral crown, But also threatens my life. If you are magnanimous, as I believe you are, As you are valiant, From you I may hope for my deliverance. GOFFREDO Noble princess, what can I do? Speak. ARMIDA Your compassion I implore. Among so many Exalted heroes who surround you, The desolate Armida Asks of you ten chosen champions.

These will be sufficient To restore me to my throne. My faithful people Await only one to incite them to arms; And if I appear before Damascus With such valiant men at its walls, Leader, my fortune will be fully secured. (Lowering her eyes, with feigned humility, she awaits Goffredo’s reply.) IDRAOTE (What will he say?) EUSTAZIO (That voice, those sorrowful accents Pierce my soul.) GOFFREDO (after reflecting) Queen, listen.

In the service of heaven, We shed blood and sweat. Let Zion Return to freedom; upon that mountain Let the revered emblem Of our faith wave, And then your lost kingdom shall be considered. (Armida appears to weep, Idraote trembles with rage, Eustazio and several paladins show signs of sorrow.) ARMIDA Unhappy woman! what remains for me now If I find no pity in you? More dreadful than death Life has now become for me. GOFFREDO Calm your grief; for you Hope is not yet extinguished.

Remember my promise: Take my word as pledge. IDRAOTE (May you not betray me, friendly hope; Do not weary, O my fury.) EUSTAZIO and CHORUS (He has no heart who does not sigh At her weeping, at her sorrow.) ARMIDA (For me all sigh and lament, Now prey to a mad love.) (To Idraote) Come. EUSTAZIO Where? ARMIDA Wherever The harshness of a hostile fate leads me.

EUSTAZIO (to Armida) Stay... IDRAOTE Alas, unhappy maiden! EUSTAZIO Ah! brother, pity Armida. CHORUS (to Goffredo) Ah! pity her, lord. GOFFREDO (What shall I do? Must I yield? Assist me, O heaven.) ARMIDA I have no hope, I cannot endure... Cruel fate! EUSTAZIO and IDRAOTE (Who can endure Her torment Has no soul.)

CHORUS To see royal beauty Languish in sighs... EUSTAZIO, IDRAOTE and CHORUS (Oh cruelty!) GOFFREDO (Assist me, O heaven.) ARMIDA Cruel fate! CHORUS Lord, have pity. EUSTAZIO Brother, if you remove from the field A small band of us, It will not hinder The triumph of the Franks.

At the besieged walls Let the heroic leaders remain; We, soldiers of fortune, Can fight for her. IDRAOTE Pity, and duty call us To raise the oppressed. CHORUS Glory shows us the path That we must tread. GOFFREDO (after a brief pause) I yield to the common desire: Her wishes shall be fulfilled. ARMIDA And shall it be true? ARMIDA, EUSTAZIO and IDRAOTE (My heart, At last you may hope.)

ARMIDA Fate, now favorable to me, Relents in its severity. Ah! yes, this heart of mine Begins to breathe again. ALL, except GOFFREDO For you, fate is favorable, It relents in its severity. Armida, your fair heart Begins to breathe again. GOFFREDO (An unusual motion, A chilling fear, A foreboding of sorrow, I feel arise within my breast.) I have yielded, warriors, it is true; yet I wish That from among your ranks A successor to the fallen leader be chosen. Let him choose at his pleasure Among you ten champions. Let all know That this favor is granted to her By your consent, not by my counsel. (Goffredo exits with a retinue of warriors, and the ranks withdraw. Meanwhile, a number of paladins go with Eustazio aside and speak among themselves.)

SCENE FOUR

Eustazio, Armida, Idraote, paladins, etc., Gernando. EUSTAZIO (stepping forward) The choice is fitting: Let Rinaldo be successor to Dudon. GERNANDO (Rinaldo!... Do I hear aright?... Oh rage!) ARMIDA (Oh name! Dear name and fatal!) IDRAOTE (aside to Armida) This is the one On whom, before all others, today I would wish, From long-held desire, To vent my wrath. ARMIDA (This is my idol.) EUSTAZIO Royal maiden, the camp Shall for now serve you as refuge. Ready To obey you shall each man be. ARMIDA (I have triumphed.) (Accompanied by Eustazio, Armida enters one of the principal tents with Idraote, with the Damascene retinue and several paladins). EUSTAZIO Companions, with more festive cries Let Rinaldo be proclaimed. (He exits with the remaining paladins.)

SCENE FIVE

Gernando. GERNANDO Oh treacherous fate! What! shall this man succeed Dudon? The rank That could have brought me honor, shall it be his?... Rouse yourself at last, Gernando; Can you endure that an Italian youth So far surpass you?... Ah! never! I will not endure the insult, By this sword I swear it; A soul aflame with glory Knows not how to restrain its rage. And are these the laurels Due to my labors? Ah, what cruel reward Does adverse fate give me! VOICES IN THE DISTANCE Long live Rinaldo!...

GERNANDO Oh anguish! My fate is decided. VOICES AS ABOVE ...The hero who has no equal! GERNANDO Oh grief that has no equal! Fierce tyrannical fate! OTHER VOICES Long live Rinaldo, the strong, The glory of our age. GERNANDO Ah! all of you unite, My furies, within this soul, Which, deprived of hope, Has lost its calm. My furies, come: I long for you with me. (He exits.)

SCENE SIX

Idraote, Armida. IDRAOTE Fortune smiles upon us. Where the loyal band Lies hidden, hasten To direct your steps. The vengeance of Asia—why can I not Fully accomplish it! ARMIDA Into my snares, Not ten alone, but a hundred Shall set their feet. Each one, In defiance of Goffredo, Nurtures in his eager breast The desire to follow me. IDRAOTE But Rinaldo... ARMIDA Ah! IDRAOTE You sigh! why? ARMIDA Do you believe That soul easy to subdue? IDRAOTE Shall the finest prey Be denied to Idraote? ARMIDA There he is... (Oh how My heart leaps!) Go... (Where am I!) Hope... who knows?... IDRAOTE Beloved daughter, farewell. (He exits the field.)

SCENE SEVEN

Rinaldo, Armida. RINALDO Princess, is it you! In seeing you again What joy I feel... and what anguish together! I have heard of your misfortunes, and my heart grieves. Ah! why has Zion not yet fallen! Perhaps, to restore you to your throne, The honor would have been granted To this sword to clear your path. But you look at me with disdain and do not reply? ARMIDA In the state in which I am, Deeds, not empty words, are what I need. Oh how different This heart of mine is from yours! Barbarians, Your Europe calls us; But he is no barbarian who can give life To an unhappy woman—and does not. RINALDO Listen: by others’ favor I am made leader of a valiant band... See, It is not my fault if among your followers...

ARMIDA Be silent... do not continue; would you mock me? RINALDO Mock you? You are mistaken. From the day I first beheld you, I preserved respect and... (almost I would say love). (Ah, alas, I adore her!) ARMIDA Go, cruel man! RINALDO Of what do you accuse me? ARMIDA Do you pretend Not to understand my words? Or have you forgotten When, on a lonely path, A wandering knight—and at what moment?...

RINALDO All—do not doubt it—I remember all. Your magical power Snatched my life away From the fury of my enemies. This soul, grateful, Shall ever preserve A faithful memory of it. ARMIDA Yet into dark oblivion You cast my love. Yes, Armida’s love, Which revealed her weakness To you. And what fruit did I obtain?

Marked disdain, A cruel abandonment... RINALDO Cease, ah! cease To pierce me, Armida. If I turned away from you, the warlike trumpet Called me to the field, martial ardor, Desire for glory. ARMIDA And love has brought me here. RINALDO Love... (Powerful name! How it resounds, oh how Upon those gentle lips, Within my suffering heart.)

ARMIDA Yes, love... If a proud soul Nature has given you, Then bring me death, And love shall be extinguished in me. RINALDO Armida... (Oh heaven!) ARMIDA What do you want? RINALDO Fate demands... ARMIDA What is it? RINALDO That I flee your fair eyes: Duty has commanded it.

ARMIDA Flee from me!... And yet heroes Have often been wounded by love. RINALDO (Those words make me waver, My resolve fails me. Wretched man! no longer Have I hope of freedom.) ARMIDA (At these words he wavers, His constancy fails. My sweet hope Is not yet lost.)

RINALDO Ah! I cannot resist... Yes, I will love you faithfully. ARMIDA Oh unexpected joy! Oh fortunate moment! ARMIDA and RINALDO Dear one, for you this soul Feels sweet tremblings That I cannot express. (They depart.)

SCENE EIGHT

Gernando, some paladins. GERNANDO (indicating Rinaldo as he departs with Armida) Behold the warrior, the leader, The foremost of heroes, That Rinaldo rightly chosen by you. Oh how many, how many laurels You shall reap for him! His invincible blade I already see hung in the temple of glory. Here is a clear sign of his deeds: Conqueror of maidens, a most worthy hero! CHORUS OF PALADINS Do not continue; respect, Lord, his virtue. GERNANDO Virtue! He is deceived Who hopes to find it in him. Virtue in Rinaldo!

SCENE NINE

Rinaldo. The preceding characters. RINALDO (stopping as he crosses the field) (My name!) GERNANDO This man— What can he boast of? Does he dare compare himself To one who boasts vast dominion and subject peoples? Oh! let the hero be respected, Who has nothing but the barren heritage Of ancestors and distant scepters. A fine, great choice You have made in him; he deserved the gift Of being your leader; indeed, I am pleased. RINALDO (Unworthy!)

GERNANDO And he accepted? Madman! ah, such boldness From a lord of unworthy rank, A lord born in servile Italy! RINALDO (I tremble with rage.) GERNANDO And did you not think That the shade of Dudon, While it turns its gaze upon this proud man, Trembles above in heaven with noble wrath?

CHORUS OF PALADINS Rinaldo is valiant. GERNANDO Foolish Rashness, fury— Not true martial valor— Who does not see this in him? RINALDO (advancing) Ah, liar! If your soul is as bold As your words, Then prepare, false man, To grasp that blade. (He draws his sword.) GERNANDO Shall I fear your wrath? Unworthy man, you deceive yourself. My hand and my steel Are ready to strike you down. (He does the same.)

SCENE TEN

Paladins and warriors of every rank appear from all sides. Armida. The preceding characters. GENERAL CHORUS Stop... RINALDO Stand aside... ARMIDA (Rinaldo in danger! ...) ARMIDA and CHORUS Ah! brave men, cease... RINALDO and GERNANDO I hear no counsel. In vain is my fury Attempted to be restrained. (The two paladins clash; Rinaldo drives Gernando behind the tents).

SCENE ELEVEN

The preceding characters, except Gernando. RINALDO (from within) Die... CHORUS What a blow! (All rush toward the place where the two combatants went). ARMIDA (rushing toward Rinaldo) What have you done! RINALDO (withdrawing) That wretch is already punished. Rinaldo was insulted, His honor has been avenged. CHORUS Oh misfortune! Cruel slaughter! What an example of terror! ARMIDA What a terrible moment! Ah! my grief overwhelms me! CHORUS Let the leader know the dreadful event. (All depart, except Rinaldo and Armida.)

SCENE TWELVE

Armida, Rinaldo. ARMIDA Ah! beware... RINALDO Here I await him. ARMIDA Go, hide yourself from his wrath. Ah! if I am dear to you, Do not expose so fair a life. RINALDO If I do not yield to your desire, Duty compels me to it. ARMIDA How, oh God, my heart trembles! RINALDO My idol, calm your heart!

SCENE THIRTEEN

Paladins friendly to Gernando, paladins friendly to Rinaldo surrounding Goffredo, warriors rushing from all sides. The preceding characters.

FIRST CHORUS Come, leader, punish the offense. ARMIDA (to Rinaldo) Ah! my beloved... GOFFREDO Just heaven, what have I heard! SECOND CHORUS Rinaldo’s honor was offended: FIRST CHORUS In fury, he seized the steel. SECOND CHORUS Provoked, he seized the steel.

GOFFREDO Where does this villain wander? RINALDO I am not such. Behold Rinaldo. GOFFREDO Impious man! tremble. RINALDO I have committed no crimes. ARMIDA (Do not betray me, deceitful hope.) CHORUS Discord, with its dreadful torch, Has brought a vast blaze into the camp.

GOFFREDO Yield to the bonds, as an example to the guilty, That furious and faithless hand. RINALDO This hand, to palms and trophies, Has never yet been accustomed to chains. ARMIDA (softly to Rinaldo) Go: go before Armida; Soon I shall know how to follow you.

ALL except ARMIDA and RINALDO A star of blood Appears from the sky; Every soul already languishes, Frozen by grief. A gloom all around Darkens the day, And threatens the camp With anguish and terror. RINALDO (Fate invites me, Let me seize its hair.

Mighty, divine Twists of love, In you alone My heart places its hope.) (He exits.) ARMIDA (Friendly fate Offers me its hair. Mighty, divine Twists of love, Armida entrusts to you The hope of her heart.)

libretto by Dmitrii Murashev