''Armida'' is an

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8September 18411May 1904) was a Czech composer. He frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia, following the Romantic-era nationalist example of his predec ...

in four acts, set to a libretto by

Jaroslav Vrchlický Jaroslav Vrchlický (; 17 February 1853 – 9 September 1912) was a Czech people, Czech lyrical poet. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel prize in literature eight times. Life He was born Emilius Jakob Frida in Louny ...

that was originally based on

Torquato Tasso Torquato Tasso ( , also , ; 11 March 154425 April 1595) was an Italian poet of the 16th century, known for his 1591 poem ''Gerusalemme liberata'' (Jerusalem Delivered), in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between ...

's epic ''

La Gerusalemme liberata ''Jerusalem Delivered'', also known as ''The Liberation of Jerusalem'' ( ; ), is an epic poem by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso, first published in 1581, that tells a largely mythified version of the First Crusade in which Christian knights, l ...

''. Dvořák's opera was first performed at Prague's National Theatre on 25 March 1904; the score was published as

Opus Opus (: opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera ...

115 in 1941. While ''Armida'' represents the culmination of Dvořák's experimentation with a

Wagnerian Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most ...

style of opera composition, much of the music is in Dvořák's personal style. Vrchlický's libretto parallels the one that

Philippe Quinault Philippe Quinault (; 3 June 1635 – 26 November 1688) was a French dramatist and librettist. Biography Quinault was born in Paris. He was educated by the liberality of François Tristan l'Hermite, the author of ''Marianne''. Quinault's fi ...

wrote for

Jean-Baptiste Lully Jean-Baptiste Lully ( – 22 March 1687) was a French composer, dancer and instrumentalist of Italian birth, who is considered a master of the French Baroque music style. Best known for his operas, he spent most of his life working in the court o ...

in their opera of the same name.

Roles

Synopsis

In the royal gardens of Damascus, the call to prayer is heard. Ismen enters with news of the approaching Franks but tries to dissuade the king from an immediate confrontation. He advises sending the king's daughter Armida, who has rejected Ismen's marriage proposal, to sow dissention in the enemy camp. She at first refuses, but when Ismen uses his magic to show her the enemy camp she recognizes Rinald as the knight she has just dreamed of and agrees to undertake the mission. Armida arrives in the crusaders' camp and meets Rinald, who brings her into the council where she tells them that an uncle has blinded the king, usurped the throne, and chased her into the desert. Rinald urges the Franks to come to her aid at once and proposes he lead the effort. Bohumir, leader of the Franks, prays for guidance and decides they should support Armida, but he will arrange for lots to be drawn to select the expedition's commander. Rinald, too impatient to wait, leaves the camp with Armida. They are caught leaving the Frankish camp by the hermit Peter, but the lovers are aided in their escape by Ismen, who drives a chariot pulled by dragons. Rinald and Armida are entertained in her garden by sirens and fairies. Ismen disguised as an old man tries to destroy the palace. When he finds his powers no match for Armida's sorcery, he goes to Rinald's companions and claims to be a convert to their Christian faith. Glad to have his help, they accept from him the

Archangel Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second ...

's diamond shield, which they use to bring Rinald out of the palace. Armida gives way to grief and the palace collapses. Rinald asks forgiveness for abandoning his comrades and his mission. As the Crusaders advance on Damascus the battle passes through the camp and Rinald kills Ismen and is then confronted by a knight in black. As they battle one another and Rinald curses Armida's name, the knight drops his sword and is stabbed by Rinald, who only then recognizes his opponent is Armida. He baptises her as she dies in his arms.

Performance history

The opera premiered at Prague's National Theatre on 25 March 1904. It has been revived there several times, in 1928, 1941, 1946, 1948, and 1987. Other Czech performances include Plzen in 1925 and 1943, Brno in 1935 and 1994, Olomouc in 1936, Ostrava in 1941, 1991 and 2012, and Liberec in 1968. The first production outside of Czechoslovakia or the Czech Republic, in

Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (, ), is the capital of the States of Germany, German state of the Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (), a two-city-state consisting of the c ...

in 1961, included

Montserrat Caballé María de Montserrat Bibiana Concepción Caballé i Folch or Folc (12 April 1933 – 6 October 2018), also known as Montserrat Caballé (i Folch), was a Spanish operatic soprano from Catalonia. Widely considered to be one of the best sopranos ...

in the cast. In 2022, a production shared with Pilsen was presented at

Wexford Festival Opera Wexford Festival Opera () is an opera festival that takes place in the town of Wexford in south-eastern Ireland during the months of October and November. Festival origins, growth and development Tom Walsh, 1951 to 1966 Tom Walsh, an avid o ...

. The opera was revived in May 2023 at the Prague National Theater.

References

* *Vocal score prepared by Karel Šolc, introduction by Otakar Šourek, Orbis (Prague) 1941.

External links

Armida on a comprehensive Dvorak site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Armida (Dvorak) Operas by Antonín Dvořák 1904 operas Operas Operas set in the Levant Operas based on Jerusalem Delivered Czech-language operas