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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

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

Rosmira

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto

Partenope

Lead

Female

Soprano

Arsace

Lead

Either Gender

Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor, Contralto

Armindo

Supporting

Either Gender

Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor, Contralto

Emilio

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Ormonte

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.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

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Guide Written By:

Wendy Silvester

Wendy Silvester

Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.