Armida

Gioachino Rossini

Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) was the most celebrated Italian composer of his age, a master of both opera buffa and opera seria. Born in Pesaro, he penned nearly forty operas before the age of thirty-seven, including immortal works such as “Il barbiere di Siviglia,” “La Cenerentola,” and “Guillaume Tell.” “Adina, ovvero Il Califfo di Bagdad” (1818), though lesser-known, showcases all the melodic wit, rhythmic verve, and vocal brilliance that made Rossini the darling of Europe.

Rossini’s distinctive style, characterized by elegant melodies, rapid vocal passages, lively rhythms, and inventive orchestration, had a profound influence on nineteenth-century opera. His music combines theatrical energy with remarkable technical precision, allowing singers to display both virtuosity and expressive range. Even today, his operas remain staples of the international repertoire, admired for their wit, brilliance, and enduring freshness.

After retiring from the operatic stage at the height of his fame, he spent his later years in Paris as a revered cultural figure and gourmet.

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Armida is a musical drama in three acts by Gioachino Rossini, with a libretto by Giovanni Schmidt, inspired by Torquato Tasso’s Gerusalemme liberata and first performed in Naples in 1817. During the First Crusade, the sorceress Armida, niece of Idraote, King of Damascus, presents herself at the Crusaders’ camp, posing as an exiled princess to seek help against a usurper. In reality, her plan – devised with her uncle – is to weaken the Christian army by luring its finest warriors into her enchanted kingdom. Among the paladins captivated by her beauty is Rinaldo, the valiantest of them all, with whom Armida shares a long-standing love: the two meet, rekindle their passion and, after a duel in which Rinaldo kills his rival Gernando, flee together. In Armida’s enchanted kingdom, the sorceress transforms a forest into a palace of delights and the two lovers give themselves over completely to their love.

In the third act, Rinaldo’s companions, Ubaldo and Carlo, sent by Goffredo, reach the enchanted island and, with the help of a magical shield, reawaken the hero’s sense of duty and honour. Torn between his feelings, Rinaldo decides to leave Armida and return to the holy war. The sorceress, in despair, begs him in vain to stay or to take her with him; rejected, Armida’s grief turns to rage, she summons the forces of hell, destroys her enchanted palace and, on a chariot drawn by dragons, sets off in pursuit, swearing revenge against her unfaithful lover.

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