Overview
Synopsis
When Diana finds out that one of her nymphs has broken her vow of chastity and has been meeting with a shepherd in the garden of the temple at night, she wants to punish everyone involved. She ties Aura to a tree, hoping that her lover will reveal himself and try to rescue her, but the goddess Venus intervenes in Diana’s plot, and transforms Aura into the wind. Aura’s lover, Erostrato vows to follow Aura, and get his vengeance against Diana for separating them.
Meanwhile, Céfalo has been wandering through the forest, looking for opportunities to demonstrate his heroism. He sees Aura tied to a tree and tries to help this distressed damsel, but he is quickly distracted by another beautiful nymph, and vows to steal her away from Diana’s service.
When Erostrato sets Diana’s temple on fire, he thinks he has finally got the vengeance he was longing for, but Diana has far more firepower in her arsenal. She summons the three furies, Megera, Alecto, and Tesífone, and charges them to wreak her vengeance against the three who have betrayed her.
Based on the myth of Cephalus and Procris, Hidalgo’s Celos aun del aire matan is widely considered to be the first Spanish language opera, and builds on the work of Hidalgo’s contemporaries, such as Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi.
Show Information
- Music
- Juan Hidalgo
- Libretto
- Pedro Calderón de la Barca
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Ovid's Metamorphoses Book VII
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1660
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy, Romance
- Settings
- Period, Fantasy/Imaginary, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Ancient Greece, Ancient Times, Temple of Diana
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Small
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Professional Opera, Mostly Female Cast, High School, Chamber Opera, All-Female Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Although widely considered to be the first Spanish language opera, Celos aun del aire matin was actually Juan Hidalgo’s second operatic composition; his first being a one-act work La púrpura de la rosa which premiered in 1660, for the wedding of King Louis XIV. Later in the same year, Celos aun del aire matin was composed. It was based on the newly developed genre of theatrical work, and was possibly influenced by the work of Monteverdi. The first staging, on December 5, 1660, seems to
to read the context for Celos aun del air matan and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Day One
Scene One: A garden in the temple of Diana
Aura, who has sworn a vow of chastity in service to Diana, has been found in the arms of the shepherd Erostratus. Her best friend, Pocris, has brought her before Diana to be punished for this crime (‘Esta, hermosa Diana’). Diana is furious as Aura’s betrayal has given Venus, the goddess of love and Diana’s sworn enemy, more power. As punishment, Diana ties her to a tree trunk so that her lover might try and rescue her, and they will
to read the plot for Celos aun del air matan and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor, Contralto |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor, Contralto |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor, Contralto |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Contralto, Countertenor |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
Songs
Day One
Scene 1
- ‘Esta, hermosa Diana’ - Pocris, Chorus, Aura, Nymphs
- ‘!Atadla! ?Que esperais?’ - Diana, Aura
- ‘Gemido es de mujer’ - Céfalo, Clarín
- ‘!Oh, tu, extranjero joven’ - Diana
- ‘En cuanto a que extranjero’ - Céfalo, Diana, Clarín, Aura, Nymphs
- ‘De tanto misterioso pasmo’ - Céfalo, Pocris
- ‘Bello prodigio aguarda’ - Céfalo, Clarín
Scene 2
- ‘Ya que dejó esparcida’ - Erostrato
- ‘Válgame el cielo’ - Rústico, Erostrato
- ‘Escucha: Persiguiendo fieras’ - Rústico
- ‘No prosigas, villano, calla.’ - Erostrato, Rústico
- ‘Desvanecida hermosura’ - Erostrato, Rústico
- ‘Furioso va, y no sé cierto’ - Rústico
- ‘Tú, Floreta, has de decirme’ - Diana, Rústico, Floreta
- ‘Ya que Diana se fue’ - Rústico, Floreta, Pocris
- ‘Sí, pues mi destino, a solo seguir’ - Céfalo, Clarín, Rústico, Pocris, Floreta
- ‘Ya que alada hija de Venus’ - Aura, Pocris, Céfalo
- ‘¿Y los dos en qué quedamos?’ - Clarín, Floreta
Day Two
Scene 1
- ‘Venid, moradores de Lidia, venid’ - Chorus, Erostratus
- ‘Sigue, Clarín, esa tropa’ - Céfalo, Clarín
- ‘Clarín, es un destino que induce’ - Céfalo
- ‘¿Si se habrán cansado ya’ - Rústico, Clarín,
Scene 2
- ‘Venid, moradores de Lidia, venid’ - Chorus, Diana, Erostrato
- ‘¿Quién, perturbando en tus aplausos’ - Aura
- ‘Traición en el templo hay’ - Diana, Erostrato, Céfalo, Clarín, Rústico
- ‘A todos miro, y en nadie’ - Diana, Erostrato, Clarín, Rústico, Chorus
- ‘Decís bien’ - Pocris, Céfalo, Aura
Scene 3
- ‘El templo cierran, y yo’ - Floreta, Clarín, Rústico
- ‘Clarín, ¿de qué das voces?’ - Céfalo, Clarín
- ‘Logrose mi atrevimiento’ - Erostato, Céfalo, Aura, Clarín
Scene 4
- ‘Moradores destos riscos’ - Chorus of Nymphs, Aura, Céfalo, Clarín, Pocris
Day Three
Scene 1
- ‘Ya que aqueste peñasco’ - Diana, Megera, Tesífone, Alecto
Scene 2
- ‘Mi bien, mi señor, mi esposo, mi dueño’ - Pocris, Céfalo, Clarín, Alecto, Chorus
Scene 3
- ‘Que si el aire diere celos’ - Eróstrato, Chorus
- ‘En efeto, no me atrevo a parecer’ - Rústico, Erostrato
- ‘Aquí, Clarín, queda’ - Céfalo, Clarín, Rústico, Aura
- ‘¿Pocris por quien muero, Aura por quien vivo?’ - Pocris
- ‘Dos zagalas venían’ - Clarín, Floreta, Rústico, Chorus
- ‘Pues por gozar tu favor’ - Céfalo, Pocris
- ‘¡Qué ansia!’ - Erostrato, Céfalo, Chorus, Aura, Tesífone
- ‘Deidad de nubes y estrellas…’ - Tesífone, Alecto, Megera, Diana, Rústico, Clarion, Aura, Pocris, Céfalo, Chorus
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
Key Terms
Sorry! We do not currently have terms for this guide.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Quote Analysis
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.