Overview
Synopsis
The legendary warrior, Giasone (Jason) has set out with his Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece, knowing that whoever captures the Fleece will receive the throne of Iolcus in Thessaly as a reward. On his journey, he first stopped at Lenno and fell in love with Queen Isifile (Hypsipyle) and promised to marry her. The appointed day grew nearer and Giasone left Isifile, pregnant and unwed.
On arriving into Colchis, where the Golden Fleece is, Giasone meets the enchanting Queen Medea, and falls deeply in love with her, forgetting about his promise to Isifile. Medea has grown quite bored of King Egeo, to whom she is engaged, and delights in the pleasures offered by this young hero. She supports Giasone’s quest by procuring a magic ring for him. Giasone faces the monsters protecting the Fleece, and returns victorious and unharmed.
He and Medea flee Colchis, intending to claim Giasone’s prize and be crowned King and Queen together. But fate has another plan for them. Giove and Amore ask Eolo, the keeper of the winds, to send a storm to drive Giasone back to Isifile. Amore will exert his power over them all, and the storm will continue until Isifile and Giasone are properly reunited. Meanwhile, King Egeo follows Medea and Giasone in a small boat, which is wrecked in the storm.
Forced to take shelter on the land, Giasone is now approached by Isifile. She reveals that he is the father of twin sons, and begs for him to return to her. Without him as her husband, Isifile has lost her throne and her home. Medea encourages Giasone to get rid of Isifile and he plots to have her killed, instructing Besso to throw her into the sea. Not knowing who he is supposed to kill, and simply carrying out his master’s instructions, Besso mistakenly throws Medea into the sea. King Egeo, who washed up on the same shore just hours before, sees everything and dives in to rescue Medea.
Giasone is wracked with guilt at the thought of murdering Isifile, and realizes he really loved her. When all is revealed, Giasone finally breaks down and begs Isifile for mercy. The couples are all reunited, as Amore intended, and Zeffiro showers them in petals blown on the warm west wind.
Cavalli’s Il Giasone is an excellent example of early baroque opera, combining both tragic and comic characters to retell the legendary story of Jason and the Golden Fleece.
Show Information
- Music
- Francesco Cavalli
- Libretto
- Giacinto Andrea Cicognini
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1649
- Genres
- Drama, Romance, Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Ibero, Colchis, Ancient Greece, Ancient Times
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor, Contralto |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Countertenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Countertenor, Contralto |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Countertenor |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Countertenor, Contralto |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
- Sinfonia
Prologue
- ‘Questi e il giorno prefisso’ - Sole
- ‘Affrena, pure affrena’ - Amore, Sole
- ‘Scriva ciò che gl’aggrada’ - Amore
- ‘Non puo ‘l Fato giammai’ - Sole, Amore
Act One
Scene 1
- ‘Dall’oriente porge l’Alba’ - Ercole
- ‘Sotto vario ascendente’ - Besso
- ‘Il saggio puote dominar le stelle’ - Ercole, Besso
- ‘Oh, come ben seconda’ - Ercole
Scene 2
- ‘Delizie contente, che l'alma beate’ - Giasone
- ‘E cosi ti prepari’ - Ercole, Giasone
- ‘Dolor, ahi non m’uccidere’ - Giasone
Scene 3
- ‘Uomini in su quest'ora’ - Rosmina
Scene 4
- ‘Se dardo pungente’ - Medea
Scene 5
- ‘Ferma, Medea, deh ferma’ - Egeo, Medea
- ‘Ch’io d’amor ti tenti’ - Egeo
- ‘Vuoi ch’io ti uccida?’ - Medea, Egeo
- ‘Si parte, mi deride?’ - Egeo
Scene 6
- ‘Fiero amor l’alma tormenta’ - Oreste
Scene 7
- ‘Son qui, che, che, che chiedi?’ - Demo, Oreste
- ‘Linguaggio curioso’ - Oreste, Demo
Scene 8
- ‘Voli il tempo, se sa’ - Delfa
Scene 9
- ‘O dio, Giason arriva e a me s'invia:’ - Medea, Delfa
Scene 10
- ‘Regina, in questo giorno’ - Giasone, Medea
- ‘Del mio reale ospizio’ - Medea
- ‘Medea’ - Giasone, Medea
Scene 11
- ‘I miei secreti amori’ - Giasone
Scene 12
- ‘Giasone, è qui la sposa’ - Medea, Giasone, Delfa
- Duet ‘O mio core’ - Medea, Giasone
Scene 13
- ‘Godi, bella coppie’ - Delfa
Scene 14
- ‘Ferma, ferma, crudele’ - Isifile
Scene 15
- ‘Dell’antro magico’ - Medea
- ‘Dall’abbruciate glebe’ - Medea
- ‘Le mura si squarcino’ - Volano, Medea, Chorus
- Ballo di Spiriti
Act Two
Scene 1
- ‘Oreste ancor non giunge’ - Isifile
- ‘Per prova so’ - Alinda
- ‘Vado di volo al porto’ - Alinda, Isifile
Scene 2
- ‘Io pur ti tocco, o lido’ - Oreste
- ‘Crudel, tu parti, o dio?’ - Isifile, Oreste
- ‘E che sperar poss’io’ - Isifile
Scene 3
- ‘Ecco il fatal castello’ - Medea, Giasone
Scene 4
- 'Per qual nuovo vigore’ - Giasone
Scene 5
- ‘Giasone, o dio, Giasone’ - Medea, Delfa
Scene 6
- ‘Sei ferito, mio ben?’ - Medea, Giasone, Ercole
Scene 7
- ‘Alla nave’ - Demo
- ‘Oh, oh, sto ben cosi’ - Demo, Egeo
Scene 8
- ‘O dell'eolie foci’ - Giove, Eolo
- ‘Arditi e fieri’ - Chorus, Amore, Eolo, Giove
Scene 9
- ‘Per ritrovar suo onore’ - Oreste, Alinda
Scene 10
- ‘Soccorso, aiuto, e là’ - Demo, Oreste
Scene 11
- ‘Scendi, o bella’ - Giasone, Medea
- ‘Giason, di tue vittorie’ - Ercole, Giasone, Medea
Scene 12
- ‘Chi non ha’ - Besso
- ‘Quanti soldati, o quanti’ - Alinda
- ‘Per fare in terra un picciol paradiso’ - Besso, Alinda
Scene 13
- ‘Isifile, signor, quella che in Lenno’ - Oreste, Giasone, Medea
Scene 14
- ‘O dio, ecco Giasone’ - Isifile, Medea, Giasone Ballo de Marinai
Act Three
Scene 1
- ‘Nel boschetto ove odor spirano’ - Oreste, Delfa
Scene 2
- ‘Sotto il tremulo ciel di queste frondi’ - Medea, Giasone
Scene 3
- ‘Adoriamoci in sogno, anima mia?’ - Oreste
Scene 4
- ‘Il porto, il lido, il pian, la valle, il monte’ - Isifile, Giasone, Medea
- ‘Ma tu cosi pensoso?’ - Isifile, Giasone
Scene 5
- ‘Giason.’ ‘Besso’ - Besso, Giasone
Scene 6
- ‘Perch'io torni a penar’ - Egeo
- ‘Impietosito Oreste’ - Demo, Egeo
Scene 7
- ‘Gioite, gioite’ - Isifile
Scene 8
- ‘Fra i notturni perigli’ - Oreste, Isifile
Scene 9
- ‘L'armi apprestatemi’ - Medea
Scene 10
- ‘Perché sospiri’ - Delfa
Scene 11
- ‘Di guerriero drappello’ - Medea, Besso
Scene 12
- ‘Besso, Besso.’ - Isifile, Besso
Scene 13
- ‘Qual incognita forza’ - Egeo, Medea
Scene 14
- ‘Tormento, ove mi guidi?’ - Besso, Giasone
Scene 15
- ‘Non m'affligger così’ - Medea, Egeo
Scene 16
- ‘Ovunque il piè rivolgo - Giasone
Scene 17
- ‘Giason qui parla’ - Egeo
Scene 18
- ‘Tu morrai, scelerato! - Isifile, Giasone, Egeo
Scene 19
- ‘Ferma quest'assassin’ - Giasone, Besso, Isifile
Scene 20
- ‘Tu menti, traditor!’ - Medea, Giasone, Besso, Isifile
Scene 21
- ‘Io fui che con quel ferro’ - Egeo, Giasone, Medea
- ‘Infelice, che ascolto?’ - Isifile
- ‘Non ho più core in petto’ - Giasone
- ‘Mio smarrito tesoro’ - Isifile, Alinda, Oreste, Delfa, Demo, Giasone, Medea, Egeo
Scene 21
- ‘Hai vinto, Amor, hai vinto’ - Giove
- ‘Questa face arde e piace’ - Amore
- ‘Vago cigno, che benigno’ - Zeffiro
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
Scenes
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Videos
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.