
Overview
Synopsis
On hearing a beautiful voice singing in the garden King Serse, naturally, falls in love. The fact that he is already engaged, and that the singer is actually in love with his brother, are completely irrelevant. He will simply banish his brother, and make the girl’s father an offer he could never refuse. With a plan as stable as his one for the bridge of boats across the Hellespont, Serse never imagines that he will fail.
What he does not expect to encounter is the strength of true love. His brother Arsamene and his beloved Romilda are destined to be together. Some misdirected messages, a couple of disguises, and an accidental marriage later, and King Serse is left fuming and with no friends. How will he redeem himself, and save himself from the vengeance of his betrayed fiance?
With one of Handel’s most well-known melodies as it’s opening aria, Serse is a delightfully silly romantic comedy much like the comic operas of Handel’s successors, Mozart and Rossini.
Show Information
- Music
- George Frederic Handel
- Libretto
- Niccolo Minato , Silvio Stampiglia
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1738
- Genres
- Comedy
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Persia, 470 BC, Iran
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Small
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Mostly Female Cast, Professional Opera, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
It seems incredible now that one of Handel’s most well-loved, and more frequently performed operas, Serse, was not staged for nearly 200 years after its first performance. Between 1738 and 1924 it fell completely out of the operatic canon. It was revived by a performance in Gottingen directed by Oscar Hagen, and has happily since enjoyed the success of Handel’s other works, second only to Giulio Cesare in popularity.
Serse does stand out amongst
to read the context for Serse and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
Standing in his garden, King Serse thanks and praises his beloved plane tree for the peace and rest he is able to take because of it (‘Ombra mai fu’. While Serse contemplates the beauty of his tree, Serse’s brother Arsamene and Elviro, his servant, arrive, unseen by Serse (‘Siam giunti, Elviro’). Arsamene is hoping to catch a glimpse of his beloved Romilda. Elviro is exhausted and leans against the famous plane tree for a moment, but Arsamene tells him
to read the plot for Serse and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
---|---|---|---|
Lead |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor |
|
Lead |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor |
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone, Bass, Bass-Baritone |
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Overture
Act One
Scene One
- No. 1a Recitativo Accompagnato ‘Frondi tenere’ - Serse
- No. 1b Arioso ‘Ombra mai fu’ - Serse
Scene Two
- Recitative ‘Siam giunti, Elviro’ - Arsamene, Elviro
- No. 2 Sinfonia and Recitative ‘Sento soave concento’ - Arsamene, Elviro
- No. 3 Arioso and recitative ‘O voi che penate’ - Romilda, Arsamenes, Elviro, Xerxes
Scene Three
- (No. 3 cont.) ‘Arsamene’ - Serse, Arsamene
- No. 4 Aria ‘Va godendo vezzoso e bello’ - Romilda
- Recitative ‘Quel canto a un bel amor’ - Serse, Arsamene
- No. 5 Double Aria ‘Io le dirò che l’amo’ and ‘Tu le dirai che l’ami’ - Serse, Arsamene
Scene Four
- Recitative ‘Arsamene!’ - Romilda, Arsamene, Atalanta
- No. 6 Aria ‘Si, si mio ben’ - Atalanta
- Recitative ‘Presto, Signor’ - Elviro, Arsamenes
Scene Five
- Recitative ‘Come, qui, Principessa’ - Serse, Romilda, Arsamene, Elviro
- No. 7 Aria ‘Meglio in voi col mio partire’ - Arsamene
Scene Six
- Recitative ‘Bellissima Romilda’ - Serse
- No. 8 Aria ‘Di tacere e di schernirmi’ - Serse
Scene Seven
- Recitative ‘Aspide sono’ - Romilda
- No. 9 Aria ‘Ne men con l’ombre’ - Romilda
Scene Eight
- No. 10 Aria ‘Se cangio spoglia, non cangio core’ - Amastre
Scene Nine
- Recitative ‘Pugnammo, amici’ - Ariodate, Amastre
- No. 11a Chorus ‘Già la tromba, che chiamo’ - Soldiers
Scene Ten
- Recitative ‘Ecco, Serse, o che volto’ - Amastre, Serse, Ariodate
- No. 12 Aria ‘Soggetto al mio volere’ - Ariodate
- No. 11b Chorus ‘Già la tromba, che chiamo’ - Soldiers
Scene Eleven
- Recitative ‘Queste vittorie, io credo’ - Serse, Amastris
- No. 13 Aria ‘Piu che penso alle fiamme’ - Serse
Scene Twelve
- Recitative ‘Eccoti il foglio, Elviro’’ - Arsamene, Elviro
- No. 14 Arietta ‘Signor, Signor, lasciate far a me’ - Elviro
- No. 15 Aria ‘Non so se sia la speme’ - Arsamene
Scene Thirteen
- Recitative ‘Tradir di reggia sposa’ - Amastre
- No. 16 Aria ‘Sapra delle mie offese’ - Amastre
Scene Fourteen
- Recitative ‘Al fin sarete sposa’ - Atalanta, Romilda
- No. 17 Aria ‘Se l’idol mio’ - Romilda
Scene Fifteen
- Recitative ‘Per rapir quel tesoro’ - Atalanta
- No. 18 Aria ‘Un cenno leggiadretto’ - Atalanta
Act Two
Scene One
- No. 19 Arioso ‘Speranze mie fermate’ - Amastre
- No. 20 Arioso ‘Ah! Chi voler fiora?’ - Elviro
- Recitative ‘E chi direbbe mai?’ - Elviro, Amastre
- No. 21 ‘Or che siete speranze tradite’ - Amastre
Scene Two
- Recitative ‘Quel curioso e partito’ - Elviro
- No. 22 Arioso and Recitative ‘A piangere ogn’ora Amor mi destina’ - Atalanta, Elviro
- No. 23 Arietta ‘Ah! Tigre infedele’ - Elviro
- Revitative ‘Parti; il Re s’avvicina’ - Atalanta, Elviro
Scene Three
- Recitative ‘Con questo foglio’ - Atalanta
- No. 24 Arioso ‘E tormento troppo fiero’ - Serse
- Recitative ‘Di quel foglio, Atalanta?’ Serse, Atalanta
- No. 25a Aria ‘Dira che amore per me’ - Atalanta
- Recitative ‘Voi quel foglio lasciate’ - Serse, Atalanta
- No. 25b Aria ‘Dira che non m’amo’ - Atalanta
Scene Four
- Recitative ‘Ingannata Romilda!’ - Serse, Romilda
- No. 26 Duet ‘L’amerete?’ - Serse, Romilda
- No. 27 Aria ‘Se bramate d’amar, chi vi sdegna’ - Serse
Scene Five
- No. 28a Recitativo accompagnato ‘L’amero?’ non fia vero’ - Romilda
- No. 28b Aria ‘E gelosia quella tiranna’ - Romilda
Scene Six
- Recitative ‘Già che il duol non m’uccide’ - Amastre
- No. 29 Aria ‘Anima infida, tradita io sono’ - Amastre
Scene Seven
- Recitative ‘E passo affe!’ - Elviro, Arsamene
- No. 30 Aria ‘Quella che tutta fe’ - Arsamene
Scene Eight
- No. 31a Chorus ‘La virtute sol potea’ - Sailors
- Recitative ‘Ariodate!’ - Serse, Ariodate
- No. 31b Chorus ‘La virtute sol potea’ - Sailors
Scene Nine
- No. 32 Arioso ‘Per dar fine alla mia pena’ - Arsamene
- Recitative ‘Arsamene, ove andate?’ - Serse, Arsamene
- No. 33 Aria ‘Si, la voglio’ - Arsamene
Scene Ten
- Recitative ‘V’inchino, eccelso Re’ - Atalanta, Serse
- No. 34 Aria ‘Voi me dite che non l’ami’ - Atalanta
- Recitative ‘Saria lieve ogni doglia’ - Serse
- No. 35 Aria ‘Il core spera e teme’ - Serse
Scene Eleven
- Recitative ‘Me infelice’ - Elviro
- No. 36 ‘Del mio caro baco amabile’ - Elviro
Scene Twelve
- No. 37 Duet ‘Gran pena e gelosia’ - Serse, Amastre
- Recitative ‘Aspra sorte!’ - Serse, Amastre
Scene Thirteen
- Recitative ‘Romilda; e sara ver’ - Serse
- No. 38 Arietta ‘Val piu contento core’ - Romilda
- Recitative ‘Vuo ch’abbian fine’ - Serse, Romilda, Amastre
Scene Fourteen
- Recitative ‘La fortuna, la vita’ - Amastre, Romilda
- No. 39 Aria ‘Chi cede al furore’ - Romilda
Act Three
No. 40 Sinfonia
Scene One
- Recitative ‘Sono vani i pretesti’ - Arsamene, Romilda, Elviro
Scene Two
- Recitative ‘Ahi! Scoperto e l’inganno!’ - Atalanta, Elviro, Arsamene, Romilda
- No. 41 Arietta ‘No, no, se tu mi sprezzi’ - Atalanta
Scene Three
- Recitative ‘Ecco in segno di fe’ - Romilda, Elviro, Arsamene, Serse
- No. 42 Aria ‘Per rendermi beato’ - Serse
Scene Four
- Recitative ‘Ubbidiro al mio Re’ - Arsamene, Romilda
- No. 43 Aria ‘Amor, tiranno Amor’ - Arsamene
Scene Five
- Recitative ‘Come già vi accennammo’ - Serse, Ariodate
- No. 44 ‘Del Ciel d’amore sorte si bella’ - Ariodate
Scene Six
- Recitative ‘Il suo serto rifiuto?’ - Romilda
Scene Seven
- Recitative ‘Fermatevi, mia sposa’ - Serse, Romilda
Scene Eight
- Recitative ‘Prode guerrier’ - Romilda, Amastre
- No. 45 Aria ‘Cagion son io del mio dolore’ - Amastre
Scene Nine
- Recitative ‘Romilda infida’ - Arsamene, Romilda
- No. 46 Duet ‘Troppo oltraggi la mia fede’ - Arsamene, Romilda
Scene Ten
- No. 47a Chorus ‘Cio che Giove’ - Ministers
- Recitative ‘Ecco lo sposo!’ - Ariodate, Arsamene, Romilda
- No. 47b Chorus ‘Chi infelice si trovo’ - Ministers
Scene Eleven
- Recitative ‘Sene viene Ariodate’ - Serse, Ariodate
- No. 48 Aria ‘Crude furie’ - Serse
Final Scene
- Recitative ‘Perfidi! E ancor osate’ - Serse, Ariodate, Arsamene, Romilda, Amastre, Elviro, Atalanta
- No. 49 Aria ‘Caro vio siete all’alma’ - Romilda
- No. 50 Finale ‘Ritorna a noi la calma’ - 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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