BORGO PRESS BOOKS BY PHILIPPE QUINAULT

      Alcestis

      Armida & Amadis & Roland: Three Opera Librettos

      Atys

      Cadmus and Hermione; &, Perseus: Two Plays

      Isis

      COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

      Copyright © 2003, 2013 by Frank J. Morlock

      The music (not included) for these operettas was by Jean-Baptiste Lully.

      Published by Wildside Press LLC

      www.wildsidebooks.com

      DEDICATION

      To Lucy and Chip,

       who really do love each other

      ARMIDA

      AN OPERETTA IN FIVE ACTS

      CHARACTERS

      GLORY

      TROUPE OF HEROES who follow Glory

      WISDOM

      TROUPE OF NYMPHS who follow Wisdom

      CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

      ARMIDA, a sorceress niece of Hidraot

      PHENICIA, her confidante

      SIDONIA, another confidante of Armida

      HIDRAOT, a sorcerer, king of Damas

      TROUPE OF PEOPLE of the Kingdom of Damas

      ARONTE, leader of the knights that Armida has put in chains

      RENAUD, the most renowned knight in Godfrey’s camp

      ARTEMIDORUS, one of Armida’s captive knights, saved by Renaud

      A DEMON transformed into a Naiad (Water Sprite)

      TROUPE OF DEMONS transformed into nymphs, shepherds and shepherdesses

      HATE

      SUITE OF HATE, FURIES, CRUELTY, VENGEANCE, RAGE

      UBALDE, knight in search of Renaud

      THE DANISH KNIGHT, who accompanies Ubalde to find Renaud

      A DEMON in the shape of Lucinda, dancing girl in love with the Danish knight

      TROUPE OF DEMONS transformed into rustic clothes of the island where Armida keeps Renaud enchanted

      A DEMON in the shape of Melissa, an Italian girl loved by Ubalde

      THE PLEASURES

      TROUPE OF DEMONS who take the shape of fortunate lovers that accompany Renaud in the enchanted palace

      TROUPE OF FLYING DEMONS who destroy the enchanted palace

      PROLOGUE

      The stage represents a palace.

      GLORY:

      Everybody in the universe

      Must yield to the splendid hero I love.

      The endeavors of enemies, the ices of winter,

      The rocks, the streams, the seas,

      Nothing can stop the ardor of his intense valor.

      WISDOM:

      Everybody in the universe must yield

      To the splendid hero that I love.

      He knows the art of keeping all monsters in chains.

      He is the absolute master of a hundred diverse nations,

      And even more master of himself.

      GLORY AND WISDOM:

      Everybody in the universe must yield

      To the splendid hero that I love.

      WISDOM AND HER SUITE:

      Let’s sing of the sweetness of his rule.

      GLORY AND HER SUITE:

      Let’s sing of his glorious exploits.

      GLORY AND WISDOM:

      With equal tenderness,

      We love the same conqueror.

      WISDOM:

      Proud Glory, it’s you.

      GLORY:

      Sweet Wisdom, it’s you.

      GLORY AND WISDOM:

      It’s you who share with me, his great heart.

      GLORY:

      I’ll take him away from you so long as the war lasts,

      But in peace you will take him from me.

      You rule in secret with this wise king,

      The destiny of the whole earth.

      WISDOM:

      Victory has followed this hero everywhere.

      But to demonstrate his love to Glory,

      He uses peace even better

      Than victory.

      In the midst of the rest that he assures to humans

      Under his powerful hands, he brings down

      A monster that was long thought to be invincible.

      One sees how sensitive he is in his works

      To your immortal beauty.

      He foresees your desires, he exceeds your hopes.

      The passion with which he loves you unceasingly increases

      And has never been so dazzling.

      Only a vain desire for preference,

      Unspoiled by intelligence,

      Would make this hero want to choose between us.

      Let us only dispute which of us knows how to love him better.

      (Glory repeats the last verse with Wisdom.)

      GLORY AND WISDOM:

      As soon as one sees him appear,

      Of what heart is he not the master?

      How sweet it is to follow in his steps.

      Can one know him

      And not love him?

      (The Chorus repeats the last five verses, and the suites of Glory and Wisdom express by their dances the joy they have in seeing these two divinities in perfect harmony.)

      WISDOM:

      Let’s love our hero; let nothing separate us.

      He is inviting us to games they’ve prepared for us.

      There we will see Renaud despite sensuality.

      Follow an honest and wise suggestion,

      We will see him leave an enchanted palace

      Where, from love of Armida he was held,

      And fly to where Glory calls for his courage

      The great king, who shares between us his desires,

      Loves to see us even in his pleasures.

      GLORY:

      May the dazzle of his fame extend to the ends of the world.

      Let’s join our voices.

      Let each answer to us.

      GLORY, WISDOM AND THE CHORUSES:

      Sing of the softness of his laws,

      Sing