Lyric Opera 2018-2019 Issue 11 Ariodante

L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O March 2 - 17, 2019 | 19 Ariodante – Synopsis ACT ONE Ginevra tells Dalinda that she is in love with Ariodante and that they have the blessing of her father, the King. Polinesso expresses his love for Ginevra, who rejects him. Dalinda tells Polinesso that Ariodante is his rival, but she also hints at her own feelings for Polinesso, who decides to use Dalinda to destroy Ariodante. Ariodante and Ginevra are overjoyed when the King gives the order for their wedding to be celebrated the next day. Polinesso leads Dalinda to believe he loves her. Lurcanio, Ariodante’s brother, confesses to Dalinda that he loves her, but he is rejected. Ariodante and Ginevra celebrate their wedding eve. ACT TWO Later that night, Polinesso tells Ariodante that he is already Ginevra’s lover and is surprised that Ariodante is marrying her. Ariodante conceals himself and Dalinda, disguised as Ginevra, invites Polinesso into her room. Ariodante is grief-stricken. Lurcanio, who has seen all of this, prevents Ariodante from killing himself, convincing him instead to seek revenge. News is brought to the King that Ariodante has plunged from a cliff into the sea and is presumed drowned. Ginevra collapses in grief. Lurcanio claims that Ariodante has killed himself because of Ginevra’s infidelity and he is willing to defend his story to anyone who will challenge him. ACT THREE Ariodante has survived but is in torment. He meets Dalinda, who now understands Polinesso's trickery and explains all to Ariodante. Polinesso challenges Lurcanio’s story. ey will duel, with Polinesso as Ginevra’s champion. She resists this but the King insists, despite Ginevra’s protests. During the duel, Lurcanio fatally injures Polinesso. A new challenger appears who reveals himself to be Ariodante. He promises to explain everything, as long as Dalinda is forgiven her innocent part in Polinesso’s deception. Polinesso dies, having confessed everything, and Dalinda is forgiven. e King and community proclaim the triumph of love and innocence; however, in this production, Ginevra cannot forgive her father for denouncing her, nor recover from Ariodante's mistrust. She leaves to begin a new life on her own. Approximate Timings ACT ONE 60 minutes Intermission 25 minutes ACT TWO 70 minutes Intermission 25 minutes ACT THREE 55 minutes Total timings: 3 hours, 55 minutes PASCAL VICTOR/FESTIVAL D’AIX-EN-PROVENCE Ginevra (Patricia Petibon) pleads with her father, the King of Scotland (Luca Tittoto), in Richard Jones’s 2014 Festival d’Aix-en- Provence production of Ariodante.