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Overview
Synopsis
Queen Partenope, ruler of Naples, is looking for a husband. Many suitors have arrived hoping to win the hand of the queen, and she takes her time choosing the most eligible. Firstly, there’s Armindo, the Prince of Rhodes. He’s very sweet and patient, but does not quite match up to some of the others. Then there is Emilio, Prince of Cumae. He is far too bold, turning up with an army and threats of war if he is rejected. Prince Arsace of Corinth, however, has quite taken Partenope’s favor so far, that is until the young nobleman Eurimene arrived. There is just something unusual about him which is so enticing to the queen. But, this might be a problem; Eurimene is actually Rosmira in disguise. She has come to Naples in search of Arsace. The two had been engaged until Arsace fancied himself as a favorite of the queen, and Rosmira has to know whether he still loves her, without accidentally leading the queen on, or revealing her disguise.
Handel’s Partenope is one of Handel’s few comedies, although it would perhaps be better described as semi-seria. and an underappreciated masterpiece, with some really show-stopping arias.
Show Information
- Music
- George Frederic Handel
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1730
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy, Romance, Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Naples, Ancient times
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- Small
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Chamber Opera, College/University, Professional Opera, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Small Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
---|---|---|---|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
Lead |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor, Contralto |
|
Supporting |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor, Contralto |
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone, Bass, Bass-Baritone |
Songs
_Please note: although there are movements marked ‘Chorus’ in this opera, there is no actual specification for a chorus to be present, and these movements are sung by all solo characters present in the scene. _
Overture
**Act One **
Scene One
Recitative ‘Tu dell’eccelse mura’ - Partenope
Chorus ‘Viva, Partenope! Viva’ - Arsace, Rosmira, Armindo, Emilio, Ormonte
Recitative ‘Miei fidi, arride il Cielo’ - Partenope
Scene Two
Recitative ‘Arsace’ ‘Armindo’ - Arsace, Armindo, Partenope, Rosmira
Scene Three
Recitative ‘Regina, in folte schiere’ - Ormonte, Arsace, Partenope, Rosmira
Aria ‘L’amor ed il destin combatterà per me’ - Partenope
Aria ‘O Eurimene ha l'idea di Rosmira’ - Arsace
Scene Four
Recitative ‘Cavalier, se gli Dei’ - Rosmira, Armindo
Aria ‘Se non ti sai spiegar, lagnali sol di te’ - Rosmira
Recitative ‘Armindo, ardisci’ - Armindo
Aria ‘Voglio dire al mio tesoro, ch’io sospiro’ - Armindo
Scene Five
Recitative ‘Ah! Che un volto fatal’ - Arsace, Rosmira
Aria ‘Un altra volta ancor mi promettesti amor’ - Rosmira
Recitative ‘Rosmira, oh Dio’ - Arsace
Aria ‘Sento amor con novi dardi’ - Arsace
Scene Six
Recitative ‘Stan pronti i miei guerrir’ - Partenope, Ormonte
Aria ‘T’appresta forse amore sol gioje e sol piacer’ - Ormonte
Scene Seven
Recitative ‘Signora!’ ‘Armindo’ - Partenope, Armindo
Scene Eight
Recitative ‘E di che reo son io?’ - Arsace, Partenope
Duet ‘Ed io per te / Per te moro’ - Partenope, Arsace
Scene Nine
Recitative ‘E se giunge Eurimene?’ - Partenope, Arsace, Rosmira
Aria ‘Sei mia gioja, sei mio bene’ - Partenope
Recitative ‘I novelliamor tuoi’ - Rosmira, Arsace
Aria ‘Dimmi, pietoso Ciel, di queste belle mie’ - Arsace
Scene Ten
Recitative ‘Ecco Emilio!’ - Ormonte, Emilio, Partenope, Armindo, Rosmira, Partenope
Aria ‘Anch’io pugnar sapró, armato di valor’ - Emilio
Scene Eleven
Recitative ‘Arsace, tu sarai’ - Partenope, Armindo, Rosmira, Arsace
Aria ‘Io ti levo l’impero dell’armi’ - Partenope
Scene Twelve
Recitative ‘Lascia, deh!’ - Arsace, Rosmira, Armindo
Aria ‘È figlio il mio timore d’amor e di pietà’ - Arsace
Scene Thirteen
Recitative ‘Prence, di te mi lagno’ - Armindo, Rosmira
Aria ‘Io seguo sol fiero trà boschi le belve’ - Rosmira
Act Two
Scene One
Sinfonia
Recitative ‘Forti miei sciere’ - Emilio
March
Recitative ‘Ma le nemiche squadre’ - Emilio, Partenope
Chorus ‘Con valoroso mano / L’esercito Cumano’ - Emilio, Partenope, Arsace, Rosmira, Armindo, Ormonte
Recitative ‘Soccorso!’ - Partenope, Armindo
Sinfonia
Recitative ‘Renditi, o pure estinto’ - Emilio, Arsace, Rosmira, Partenope
Chorus ‘Vi circondi la gloria d’allori!’ - Partenope, Arsace, Armindo, Rosmira, Ormonte
Scene Two
Recitativo Accompagnato ‘Contro un pudico amor’ - Emilio
Aria ‘Barbaro fato, sì, la speme mi tradì’ - Emilio
Scene Three
Arioso ‘Care mura, in si bel giorno’ - Partenope
Recitative ‘Partenope, ti piaccia’ - Rosmira, Partenope, Arsace, Armindo
Aria ‘Voglio amare insin ch’io moro’ - Partenope
Scene Four
Recitative ‘Ti bramo amico’ - Arsace, Emilio, Armindo, Rosmira
Duet ‘E vuoi, con dure tempre di fiero sdegno / Infido, ingrato!’ - Arsace, Rosmira
Scene Five
Recitative ‘Non può darsi in un petto’ - Emilio, Armindo, Rosmira
Recitative ‘Che tumulto d’affetti’ - Rosmira
Aria ‘Furie son dell’alma mia gelosia’ - Rosmira
Scene Six
Recitative ‘A pro di chi t’offese’ - Partenope, Arsace
Aria ‘Poterti dir vorrei l’affanno del mio cor’ - Arsace
Scene Seven
Recitative ‘Regina!’ ‘Armindo’ - Armindo, Partenope
Aria ‘Non chiedo, oh luci vaghe, se il cor’ - Armindo
Recitative ‘Piu d’ogni altro’ - Partenope
Aria ‘Qual farfalletta gira a quel lume’ - Partenope
Scene Eight
Recitative ‘Quanto godo, Eurimene’ - Armindo, Rosmira
Scene Nine
Recitative ‘Rosmira mia, mio bene!’ - Arsace, Rosmira
Aria ‘Furibondo spira il vento’ - Arsace
Act Three
Scene One
_Sinfonia _
Recitative ‘Regina, ti compiace’ - Armindo, Partenope, Arsace, Emilio
Quartett ‘Non è incanto il mio consiglio’ - Partenope, Arsace, Armindo, Emilio
Scene Two
Recitative ‘Partenope, Eurimene’ - Rosmira, Partenope, Arsace, Armindo, Emilio
Arioso ‘Arsace, oh Dio così infido l’ingannò’ - Rosmira
Recitative ‘Che m’apre i lumi’ - Partenope, Emilio, Armindo
Aria ‘Spera e godi, oh mio tesoro’ - Partenope
Scene Three
Recitative ‘Prencipe, ardir!’ - Emilio, Armindo, Rosmira, Arsace
Aria ‘La speme ti consoli, ti rasserena il cor’ - Emilio
Scene Four
Recitative ‘Rosmira, ove ti guida’ - Arsace, Rosmira
Aria ‘Ch’io parta? Sì, crudele, parto, mà senza cor’ - Arsace
Recitative ‘Oh Dio! Perche dal petto’ - Rosmira
Aria ‘Quel volto mi piace, mà temo quel cor’ - Rosmira
Scene Five
Recitative ‘Ormonte, ti destino’ - Partenope, Ormonte, Armindo
Aria ‘Nobil core che ben ama fà più bella’ - Armindo
Scene Six
Recitative ‘Non chiedo, oh miei tormenti’ - Arsace
Arioso ‘Mà quai note di mesti lamenti’ - Arsace
Scene Seven
Recitativo Accompagnato ‘Cieli! Che mira? Abbandonato e solo’ - Rosmira
Scene Eight
Recitative ‘Ma Partenope vien’ - Rosmira, Partenope, Arsace
Trio ‘Un cor infedele si deve punir’ - Rosmira, Arsace, Partenope
Recitative ‘Passo di duolo’ - Arsace
Aria ‘Fatto è Amor un Dio d’inferno’ - Arsace
Scene Nine
Recitative ‘Di bel desire avvampo’ - Emilio
Aria ‘La gloria in nobil alma’ - Emilio
Final Scene Sinfonia
Recitative ‘Regina, in queste arene’ - Ormonto, Partenope, Emilio, Rosmira, Armindo, Arsace
Aria ‘Sì, scherza, sì, sempre Amor con doppia face’ - Partenope
Recitative ‘Armindo sia mio sposo’ - Parteope, Armindo, Rosmira, Arsace
Aria ‘Seguaci di Cupido, voi che cangiate ogn’or’ - Arsace
Recitative ‘Tu vanne in libertate’ - Partenope
Chorus ‘D’Imeneo le belle sede splendon fauste in questo dì’ - Partenope, Arsace, Rosmira, Armindo, Emilio, Ormonte
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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