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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
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

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Artaxerxes

Lead

Either Gender

Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor, Contralto

Artabanes

Lead

Male

Tenor

Arbaces

Lead

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor

Mandane

Supporting

Female

Soprano

Semira

Supporting

Female

Soprano

Rimenes

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Guards, Soldiers, Servants, Nobles

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

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

Act Three

Scene 1

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

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.

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Scenes

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Guide Written By:

Wendy Silvester

Wendy Silvester

Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.