Overview
Synopsis
Artabanes has served under King Xerxes of Persia for too long, and dreams of having the power of that throne for himself. As the general of the army, if Xerxes and his sons were eradicated, he could stake a claim to the throne. Then Artabanes could bring his own son, Arbaces, back to the palace, and Arbaces would succeed him on the throne of Persia.
When Artabanes puts things into motion, and murders King Xerxes in his bed, he does not expect to run into his own son while still holding the bloody murder weapon. With his adrenaline still rushing, he switches swords with Arbaces, and tells him to escape the palace. He then finds Artaxerxes, the king’s youngest son, who suspects his older brother Darius was to blame, and orders Artabanes to take revenge against Darius. Seeing another part of his plan easily completed, Artabanes kills Darius on Artaxerxes orders. Now there is only Artaxerxes to deal with.
Unexpectedly, Arbaces is caught whilst trying to escape the palace, still in possession of the bloody sword. It is obvious to everyone that he must have murdered the king, but Arbaces constantly maintains his innocence. Artabanes is called to judge Arbaces’s trial, and with no other evidence available is forced to sentence his own son to death. Ultimately, Artabanes is unable to go through with Arbaces’s sentence, and confesses to his crimes to save his son’s life. Artaxerses is crowned King of Persia, and Artabanes is exiled from the kingdom.
As the first opera seria in the English language, Arne’s Artaxerxes was incredibly well received after its first performance, and continues to remain popular with audiences today.
Show Information
- Music
- Thomas Arne
- Libretto
- Thomas Arne , Pietro Metastasio
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1762
- Genres
- Drama, Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Multiple Settings, Period
- Time & Place
- Persia, 465 BC
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- Small
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Professional Opera, College/University, Includes Young Adult, Mature Adult, Adult Characters, Small Cast
Context
After its first performance at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in 1762, Arne’s Artaxerxes was an instant hit. It was the first opera in the style of an Italian opera seria that was written in English, and English audiences loved it. It received revivals almost every year until the 1830s, both in Covent Garden, and at Drury Lane Theatre, and St James’s. As early as 1767 the work received its first performance in the USA in New York.
The opera retained the historical storylines of many of
to read the context for Artaxerxes and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
On a moonlit night, in the garden of the Palace of the King of Persia, Mandane and Arbaces are saying their goodbyes (‘Still silence reigns around’). Mandane pleads with the dawn to hold back, so they might spend a few more moments in each other’s arms, but it is no use (‘Fair Aurora, pr’ythee stay’). Arbaces has been banished from the palace by Mandane’s father, King Xerxes, and has climbed over the wall to steal these few moments with Mandane. If Xerxes, or any of his guards,
to read the plot for Artaxerxes and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lead |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor, Contralto |
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Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
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Lead |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor |
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Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
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Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
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|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Silent, Non-singer |
Songs
Overture
Act One
Scene 1
- Recitative ‘Still silence reigns around’ - Mandane, Arbaces
- Duet ‘Fair Aurora, pr’ythee stay’ - Mandane, Arbaces
- Aria ‘Adieu, thou lovely Youth’ - Mandane
Scene 2
- Recitative ‘O cruel parting!’ - Arbace, Artabanes
- Aria ‘Amid a thousand racking woes’ - Arbace
Scene 3
- Recitative ‘Be firm my heart’ - Artabanes
- Recitative ‘Dear Artabanes, glad I meet thee here’ - Artaxerxes, Rimenes, Guards
- Aria ‘Behold! On Lethe’s dismal Strand’ - Artabanes
Scene 4
- Recitative ‘Stay, Artaxerxes, stay’ - Semira, Artaxerxes
- Aria ‘Fair Semira, lovely Maid’ - Artaxerses
Scene 5
- Recitative ‘I fear some dread disaster’ - Semira, Rimenes
- Aria ‘When real joy we miss’ - Rimenes
Scene 6
- Recitative ‘Ye Gods, protectors of the Persian Empire’ - Semira
- Aria ‘How hard is my fate’ - Semira
Scene 7
- Recitative ‘Where do I fly?’ - Mandane, Artaxerxes
Scene 8
- Recitative ‘My Friend!’ - Artaxerxes, Artabanes
Scene 9
- Recitative ‘O Artaxerxes!’ - Semira, Artaxerxes, Mandane, Artabanes.
Scene 10
- Recitative ‘Who in this Royal presence’ - Rimenes, Artabanes, Artaxerxes, Semira, Mandane, Arbaces
- Aria ‘Thy Father! Away’ - Artabanes
Scene 11
- ‘Recitative ‘Ye cruel Gods’ - Arbaces
- Aria ‘Acquit thee of this foul Offence’ - Semira
Scene 12
- Recitative ‘Appearance, I must own’ - Arbaces, Artaxerxes, Rimenes
Scene 13
- Recitative ‘Beauteous Mandane’ - Arbaces, Mandane
- Aria ‘O too lovely, too unkind’ - Arbaces
Scene 14
- Accompanied recitative ‘Dear and beloved shade’ - Mandane
- Aria ‘Fly, soft ideas, fly’ - Mandane
Act Two
Scene 1
- Recitative ‘Guards, speed ye to the Tower’ - Artaxerxes, Artabanes
- Aria ‘In infancy, our hopes and fears’ - Artaxerxes
Scene 2
- Recitative ‘So far my great resolve succeeds’ - Artabanes, Arbaces, Guards
- Aria ‘Disdainful you fly me’ - Arbaces
Scene 3
- Recitative ‘Why, my dear friend’ - Rimenes, Artabanes
Scene 4
- Recitative ‘Come hither, daughter’ - Artabanes, Semira
Scene 5 * Recitative ‘I tremble - hear me, Sir’ - Semira, Rimenes * Aria ‘To sigh and complain’ - Rimenes
Scene 6
- Recitative ‘How many links to dire misfortune’s chain’ - Semira, Mandane
- Aria ‘If o’er the cruel tyrant love’ - Mandane
Scene 7
- Recitative ‘Which fatal evil shall I first oppose?’ - Semira
- Aria ‘If the river’s swelling waves’ - Semira
Scene 8
- Recitative ‘Ye solid pillars of the Persian Empire’ - Artaxerxes, Mandane, Artabanes, Rimenes, Semira, Guards, Nobles
Scene 9
- Recitative ‘Am I so much the hatred of all Persia’ - Arbaces, Artaxerxes, Artabanes, Mandane, Semira
- Aria ‘By that belov’d Embrace’ - Arbaces
Scene 10
- Recitative ‘Ah me! At poor Arbace’s parting’ - Mandane, Artabanes
- Aria ‘Monster, away!’ - Mandane
Scene 11
- Recitative ‘See, lov’d Semira!’ - Artaxerxes, Semira
Scene 12
- Recitative ‘O Artabanes?’ - Artaxerxes, Artabanes
Scene 13
- Accompanied Recitative ‘At length my soul has room’ - Artabanes
- Aria ‘Thou, like the glorious sun’ - Artabanes
Act Three
Scene 1
- Arietta ‘Why is death for ever late’ - Arbaces
- Recitative ‘Arbaces! Gracious Heav’n’ - Artaxerxes, Arbaces
- Aria ‘Water parted from the sea’ - Arbaces
Scene 2
- Recitative ‘That front, secure in conscious innocence’ - Artaxerxes
- Aria ‘Tho’ oft a cloud, with envious shade’ - Artaxerxes
Scene 3
- Recitative ‘My son, Arbaces’ - Artabanes, Rimenes, Conspirators
- Aria ‘O let the danger of a son’ - Rimenes
Scene 4
- Accompanied Recitative ‘Ye adverse gods!’ - Artabanes
- Aria ‘O, much lov’d son, if death’ - Artabanes
Scene 5
- Recitative ‘Perhaps the king releas’d Arbaces’ - Mandane, Semira
- Aria ‘Let not rage the boson firing’ - Mandane
Scene 6
- Recitative ‘What have I done!’ - Semira
- Aria ‘Tis not true, that in our grief’ - Semira
Scene 7
- Recitative ‘Nor here my searching eyes’ - Arbaces, Mandane
- Duet ‘For thee I love, my dearest’ - Arbaces, Mandane
Scene 8
- Recitative ‘To you, my people’ - Artaxerxes, Artabanes, Nobles
- Accompanied recitative ‘Resplendent God!’ - Artaxerxes
Scene 9
- Recitative ‘Fly quick, my liege’ - Semira, Artaxerxes, Artabanes
Scene 10
- Recitative ‘Hold, brother, the rebellious crew are fled’ - Mandane, Artaxerxes, Semira
- Aria ‘The soldier, tir’d of war’s alarms’ - Mandane
Final Scene
- Recitative ‘Behold my king, Arbaces at thy feet’ - Arbaces, Artaxerxes, Mandane, Artabanes
- Accompanied Recitative ‘Resplendent god’ - Arbaces, Artabanes, Artaxerxes, Mandane
- Duet and Chorus ‘Live to us, to Empire live’ - Tutti
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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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.