Transcript Handel*s Opera *Rinaldo

“Rinaldo” Background
 Composed by Handel in 1711, a year after he first
arrived in London.
 Performed entirely in Italian to English-speaking
audiences. It was the first Italian language opera
written specifically for the London stage.
 Handel hired famous Italian opera singers to come to
London and perform the opera.
 “Rinaldo” was very popular with the public; It was
Handel’s most performed opera in his lifetime.
“Rinaldo” Plot
 The opera takes place in the late 11th century Jerusalem
during the first crusade. The Christian crusaders have
surrounded Saracen king Argante and his troops
within the walls of Jerusalem.
 One of the Christian Knights, Rinaldo, is in love with
his commander’s daughter Almirena. King Argante
asks the sorceress Queen Armide to abduct Almirena
to distract Rinaldo from the battle so the Saracens can
win.
 Over the rest of the opera, Rinaldo tries to rescue
Almirena and the Crusaders conquer Jerusalem.
“Lascia ch’io pianga”
 This recitative and aria takes
place right after the sorceress
Armide abducts Almirena.
 Almirena is a captive in
Armide’s palace garden, never
to see her love Rinaldo again.
 Upon seeing Almirena’s
beauty and sadness, King
Argante falls in love with her
and promises to free her.
 Almirena weeps for her cruel
fate and wishes for freedom.
“Affects” in Baroque Music
 Most songs in the
Baroque period had only
one central emotion or
“affect” being portrayed.
 Examples: love, hate,
joy, sadness, desire,
jealousy.
 The focus on one
emotion clarified the
beauty and expression
of the music.
“Lascia ch’io pianga” Analysis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clqM5ZjvD0M
 Write a one-sentence summary about what is going on
in the recitative.
Almirena, King Argante, Sorceress Armide, Knight Rinaldo
 What “affect” does Handel portray in the aria “Lascia
ch’io pianga”?