Abstract l'Ipermestra
| Abstract |
Previous to the opera
King Danao is chased from his Libyan realm by the fifty sons of his brother Egyptus. It wasn’t Danao’s life, however, that his nephews were after: the goal of the expedition was to marry his fifty daughters, much to the king’s horror since an oracle once foretold him he would lose his life and kingdom to one of these suitors.
With his daughters, he arrived before the gates of Argos asking for protection, but the Greeks were indecisive whether they should provide shelter for the foreign royal family: the duty of hospitality struggled with the danger of a war. Finally, Danao and his family were welcomed, and their rivals repelled. Now, a period of calm and prosperity came and Danao was chosen king of Argos. He even allowed Linceo, one of his nephews in the city for a while, and during this visit Linceo fell in love with Ipermestra, the eldest daughter, and the feeling was proven mutual. Violence flared once again, and for the second time, a fleet with the fifty suitors set out to destroy Argos. Seemingly breaking under the pressure, Danao ceremoniously welcomed his belligerent relatives to marry them to his daughters. Everything is now set for the big feast.
Act 1 ●
At the beginning of the opera, Ipermestra and Linceo say goodbye before the wedding. When her father calls her, he orders Ipermestra to kill her husband during the wedding night, just like her forty-nine sisters will murder their spouses in the marital bed. But Ipermestra feels her love for Linceo is too strong and cannot stop herself to unveil the plot to her fiancé. She begs him to flee, and broken-hearted Linceo leaves Argos. The next morning, Danao discovers that every one of his daughters has followed his orders, except Ipermestra. He locks her away to await her punishment.
Photo: Marco Borggreve
Act 2
In her prison, inconsolable, Ipermestra learns that Linceo has gathered his army and is on his way to Argos. Berenice, her nurse, tries to ease her pain by revealing that the handsome general Arbante would be more than happy to marry her. In vain, Arbante tries to convince Ipermestra that Linceo’s only purpose is to kill her father, and that her love will turn to hatred. But Ipermestra refuses to give her heart to another man, and asks Arbante to leave.
Outside, we hear the trumpets announce Linceo’s arrival, and king Danao fears for his life. He asks Arbante to approach Linceo and offer him the kingdom. At the same time, Ipermestra hears the signals as well. Distraught, she asks her confidante to beg Linceo for her father’s life. Elisa leaves, but Berenice warns that Linceo might well fall in love with Elisa, a suggestion Ipermestra scornfully dismisses.
In the meantime, Linceo has set up camp under Argos’ walls, where he orders his general Delmiro to go and save his love Ipermestra from the clutches of her father. After Delmiro’s departure, Arbante appears and Linceo inquires after Ipermestra. Out of revenge for rejected love, Arbante tells a story about a marriage between Ipermestra and Gebete, prince of Corinth, and about an army at the ready to assist Danao. But instead of inspiring fear, the story animates Linceo’s rage. He sets out to destroy the city and kill Ipermestra.
Act 3
Standing on a tower, Ipermestra is by Delmiro, and she begs him to kill her. Delmiro takes pity on her and encourages her to escape, but it is all in vain. Now that Linceo assumes that Ipermestra is dead, he declares his love for Elisa who, shocked, reveals that Arbante’s story was nothing but lies. And while Ipermestra throws herself off the tower, a giant bird swoops by and rescues her. After this miraculous turn of events, Linceo and Ipermestra once again vow fidelity.
● Translation: Jonathan Reeder
Photo: Marco Borggreve