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Overview
Synopsis
The day appointed by the gods when Queen Semiramide must give up her throne and choose a successor to rule Assyria, and marry Princess Azema, has arrived. At the great festival of Baal, the queen will declare who is to rule, and there will be a wedding and a coronation. But, Queen Semiramide falters. She knows who she wants to be the next king. It is not the malevolent and deceitful Prince Assur, although he thinks that their history has earned him the right. It also is not the kind-hearted Idreno, despite his honest and sincere love for Azema. No, she wants to crown the man she loves, Arsace, the commander of her army, but only if she rules by his side.
The mysterious circumstances surrounding King Nino’s death, 15 years before, give the priest Oroe cause for concern. He knows that unless the dead are resting peacefully, they will not stay buried. Putting his faith in the gods, he knows that the truth identity of those who poisoned the king and kidnapped his son and heir, Ninia, will be revealed at the appropriate time, and the right man will be crowned King of Assyria.
Rossini’s tragic opera, based on the legends surrounding Queen Semiramis, as they are brought to life in Voltaire’s play, is one which demonstrates Rossini’s incredible skill. Being probably as popular today as it was at its first performance in 1823, Semiramide is an excellent example of virtuosic bel canto vocal writing with some simply stunning arias and duets for the principal characters.
Show Information
- Music
- Gioachino Rossini
- Libretto
- Gaetano Rossi
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- 'Semiramis' by Voltaire
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1823
- Genres
- Historical/Biographical, Tragedy
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Babilonia, Babylon, antiquity, 2000 years BC
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Elderly, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Semiramide was Rossini’s last opera before he moved to Paris, and although not his last opera written in Italian (which was Il viaggio a Reims), it is considered his last ‘Italian opera’ and marks the end of a vast period of his writing. Unlike his predecessor Mozart, Rossini was actually famous during his lifetime and advertising a new work with his name as composer would bring an audience. In part this was due to his return to the virtuosic vocal writing made famous in the Baroque era,
to read the context for Semiramide and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Fifteen years before the action of the opera starts, Nino, the King of Assyria and Semiramide’s husband, has been killed in a plot between Semiramide and Assur, her lover. On the same night, Ninia, the heir to the throne was kidnapped. Queen Semiramide has ruled alone since the king’s death, and their son has never been found. The appointed day has arrived when she must choose a successor to the throne, who will take Princess Azema’s hand.
Act One
It is the festival of Baal, and the
to read the plot for Semiramide and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Sinfonia
Act One
Scene One - A magnificent temple to Belo (Baal), adorned for a festival
Introduction ‘Si, gran Nume, t’intesi’ - Oroe
Scene Two
‘Belo si celebri, Belo s’onori’ - Chorus, Idreno, Assur
Scene Three
‘Ah! Ti vediamo ancor!’ - Chorus, Semiramide, Oroe, Assur, Idreno, Azema
‘O tu de’ Magi’ - Semiramide, Oroe, Idreno, Assur, Chorus
Scene Four
‘Gli Dei son giusti’ - Oroe
Scene Five
‘Eccomi alfine in Babilonia’ and ‘Ah! Quel giorno ognor rammento’ - Arsace
Scene Six
‘Io t’attendeva, Arsace’ - Oroe, Arsace,
Scene Seven
‘Quali accenti! … e che mai’ - Assur, Arsace
Duet ‘Bella immago degli Dei’ - Arsace, Assur
Scene Eight - In the atrium of the palace
‘O me felice! … Arsace’ - Azema, Idreno
Aria ‘Ah! Dov’e, dov’e il cimento’ - Idreno
Scene Nine - Hanging Gardens
‘Serena i vaghi rai’ - Chorus
Cavatina ‘Bel raggio lusinghier’ - Semiramide
Scene Ten
‘Da Menfi il secro messo’ - Mitrane, Semiramide
Scene Eleven
‘Al tuo comando’ - Arsace, Semiramide
Duet ‘Serbami ognor si fido il cor’ - Semiramide, Arsace
Scene Twelve - In the Atrium
‘Oroe dal tempio nella reggia?’ - Assur, Oroe
Scene Thirteen (Finale) - A Magnificent place in the palace, with views of Babylon
‘Ergi omai la fronte altera’ - Chorus
‘I vostri voti omai’ - Semiramide, Assur, Arsace, Azema, Idreno, Oroe, Chorus
Act Two
Scene One - In the Atrium
‘All reggia d’intorno’ - Mitrane, Arbate
Scene Two
‘Ebben, Mitrane! - Semiramide, Mitrane
Scene Three
‘Assur, i cenni miei’ - Semiramide, Assur,
Duet ‘Se la vita t’e cara’ - Semiramide, Assur
Scene Four - Inside the Sanctuary
‘In questo augusto’ - Chorus of Magi, Oroe
‘Ebben, compiasi omai’ - Arsace, Oroe
Aria: ‘In si barbara sciagura’ - Arsace, Oroe, Chorus
Scene Five
‘Calmati, principessa’ - Mitrane, Azema
Scene Six
‘Arsace! - Giusto ciel!’ - Idreno, Azema, Chorus
Aria ‘La speranza piu soave’ - Idreno, Chorus
Scene Seven
‘No: non ti lascio’ - Semiramide, Arsace
Duet ‘Ebbene… a te, ferisci’ - Semiramide, Arsace
Scene Eight - Remote part of the palace, in the antique mausoleum of Nino
‘Il di già cade’ - Assur, Chorus, Varj Satrapi
Scene Nine
‘Eccomi - Ebbene!’ - Assur, Chorus, Satrapi
Aria - ‘Deh! Ti ferma… ti placa’ - Assur, Chorus
Scene Ten
‘Oh nero eccesso!’ - Mitrane, Arbate
Final Scene - Underneath the mausoleum of Nino
‘Un traditor, con empio ardir’ - Chorus, Nino, Oroe, Assur,
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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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.