L'Ormindo Synopsis  Please visit our new mircosite for L'Ormindo. All
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Synopsis: L'Ormindo is not one of those opera that provide insights
into the human condition. It is a melodrama with broad brushstrokes of
comedy. Perhaps a bit like some of
Shakespeare's comedies – All's Well that Ends Well or Much Ado – or Mozart's
Cosi Fan Tutti. The plot is complicated which allows for intrigue, mistaken
identity and lots of fun, but you will need to pay attention. The story is set in Fez, North Africa. Ormindo and Amida are
soldiers and friends back from fighting for King Ariadeno in a war. Both are in
love – as it turns out with Erisbe, the young wife of the King. They decide to
go to her and ask her to choose. Nerilla, Amida's page, meets a group of
gypsies who pretend to tell his fortune. This is, in fact Princess Sicle, who
fancies Amido, and Erice, her old nurse. Sicle finds out that Amida is in love
with Erisbe. In her garden with her friend Mirinda, Erisbe complains
about her unsatisfying marriage to the aging and impotent Ariadeno. Ormindo and
Amida approach and agree to talk to Erisbe separately, the other listening in
hiding. Erisbe greets both very affectionately and when confronted by them
together she explains that being married to an old man she has plenty of love
left for two more, so they must not be jealous. Ariadeno enters and asks Erisbe
to be kind to the loyal young soldiers. She agrees. Mirinda (who, with some of the other minor characters
provides comment to what is happening) explains to the audience Erisbe's
predicament and begs understanding. Princess Sicle, who is very interested in Armida and who is
in disguise as a gypsy, convinces
Erisbe that Amida has been unfaithful to another Princess. So Erisbe is
convinced that only Ormindo truly loves her. Ormindo has to leave for his own country (not identified in
the libretto) and as he is about to sail away Erisbe impulsively rushes to join
him. (At this point in the Glyndebourne production, there was a 70 minute
dinner interval.) In one of those scenes involving magic and Sicle pretending
to be the spirit of a young woman betrayed by Amida, Amida is made to feel
guilty enough to fall into Sicle.s arms, which is exactly what she wanted.
Ariadeno is, as you would expect, very unhappy about his beautiful young Queen
sailing away with Ormindo and sends ships in chase. The lovers' ship runs
aground and Erisbe and Ormindo are taken prisoner. Ariadeno orders his captain of the guard Osmano to take a
poison cup to the two lovers and make them drink it. On the way, Osmano meets
Mirinda, Eribe's confidant, who promises herself to him if he will save Erisbe
and Ormindo. Erisbe and Ormindo, in their jail cell drink the cup and
apparently die. Ariadeno, who had received a letter from Ormindo disclosing that
Ormindo is really the king's son,
comes and is filled with remorse at the sight of the two bodies. Osmano
confesses that he had switched the poison for a sleeping draught and the lovers
are revived. Ariadeno relinquishes his Queen and his crown to Ormindo. The
other characters pair off and all are happy.
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