"Issipile" Libretto- Atto 3
Drama for Music by Antonio Bioni, exhibited in Breslau in 1732. Libretto: Pietro Metastasio
The Ars-Augusta e.V. in collaboration with the Stettin Theater, it will stage for the first time in modern times an opera by Antonio Bioni, and in particular an opera written for the Wroclaw Theater in 1732. And the opera "Issipile" . The manuscript is in the Archive of the Friends of Music Society in Vienna and will be edited by our Association in the coming months. The following booklet is used for the study of the work.
English translation: Enrique Gómez-Cabrero Fernández.
ACT III
SCENA I
Remote place with monuments
Toante and Learco with pirates.
Learco:
All our hope was for nothing, my friends.
Fortune is oposing this most beautifull enterprise.
Go, and make sure everyone is ready to leave. Pirates leave
But I see... Or am I mistaken?
Yes, Toante is coming. And he is alone in this remote place.
Let's try one last thing. Friends, listen.
(The pirates return and he talks to them whispering)
Toante:
I should be waiting in the Thessalian camp:
But you don't allow it, oh impatient emotions.
Learco:
(Did you understand? Go!) To the pirates, who leave.
Toante:
I rush while full of doubts. I pant, I have no peace,
every moment I fear I will listen some terrible news.
I will go through this lonely beach. Begins to leave.
Learco:
(Learco perform your art)
My lord, your most guilty vassal is suffering at your feet.
Toante:
You are alive! Oh Gods? Are you Learco or not?
Learco:
I am.
Toante:
What do you want from me?
Learco:
Death or forgiveness.
Toante:
Traitor, don't ever show yourself to me again Begins to leave
Learco:
Hear me, and then dismiss me if you wish.
Toante:
Don't you know, wicked man, what pain you caused this kingdom?
Learco:
My lord, I deserved death when I tried to kidnap Issipile.
But if my king doesn't find mercy for a youthful mistake, led by love,
and that is being tormented by remorse, at least let me die in my fatherland.
Five whole years I have been wandering in foreign lands,
mocked by my guilty fate. I live hated by the heavens and the earth.
And what is worse, I live hated by my king.
It is too heavy already the tiredness and boredom of suffering.
Of all my diseases, my gravest one is life,
and whoever will split my body and my soul will be merciful
as he grants me my death.
Toante:
(This desperate whining diminishes the guilt of his past mistakes)
Learco:
(When will my comrades finally come!) Looks across the scene
Toante:
Through your dissasters, you must learn to respect the throne's magesty.
Console yourself and live. I forgive you. Begins to leave.
Learco:
My lord, you will leave me full of doubts,
unless you give me proof of your mercy.
Toante:
After I my forgiveness, what else can I give you?
Learco:
Your royal right hand.
Toante:
Take it, and leave.
Learco:
Oh merciful Gods. Always looking if his comrades come back
Most pious king. This moment redeems all the troubles I went through.
(Still not coming)
And insecure, and trembling, I lay at your feet... in a humble act...
(As he kneels down and takes his hand, the pirates arrive and surround Toante)
Toante: Who are all these people?
Learco:
It is done. He stands up and drops his hand
Give me your sword.
Toante:
Who are you talking to?
Learco:
I am talking to you.
Toante:
You plot against me? Oh Gods! How...
Learco:
No more. You are my prisioner.
Toante:
What dark decepcion?
Learco:
Finally you fell in my arms. I will be judge of your life. Suffer it in silence.
The world changes its fortunes, and after a happy event
a tragedy always follows.
Now it is your turn to ask for mercy.
Toante:
Cruel!
Learco:
Toante, change your speech.
You had a great example of prudence.
Until now I behaved suplicant and humble.
Adapting to the times is a necessary virtue.
All this weapons are awaiting my sign. I could...
Toante:
What could you ever do to me?
You could take the continuation of a decaying life,
all its years and all its problems are just but an annoyance.
Learco:
I used to think like you. But I never really belived it.
Toante:
But there is a great difference between your heart and mine.
Learco:
That's just nonsense. Every living animal wants to save itself.
It is just art that fools only the vulgar commoners to bravery,
and that affects heroes in extreme cases.
But I read your soul, and I see you trembling.
Toante:
I would be affraid if I would be like you. I would be terrified
upon the vision of a thousand hits. And I would believe to hear
Jupiter's thunders around me, punishing the evil.
Learco:
At this point heaven's wrath doesn't scare me
Toante:
That is nonsense. You cannot be calm.
I know that loving the virtue is born naturally with us.
When that's not enough to avoid guilt, it is enough to punish it.
It is a gift from heaven, that becomes punishment for whoever abuses it.
The most cruel torment for evil people, is to keep in their hearts,
despite their wishes, the idea of right and honesty.
I read your soul, and I see you trembling.
Learco:
Comrades, bring this wise expert in the human nature to the ship as a prisioner. And you, drop that useless sword.
Toante:
You take it, traitor.
Waves his sword
Learco:
You should put this royal pride to oblivion. Toante is defeated.
I am the victor.
ARIA DI TOANTE
Look me in the eyes first
you vile soul, and then
judge which one of us
really is the victor
You are free, and unchained
and you are pale :
I am defeated, in chains
but I feel pity for you.
(Da capo)
SCENA II
Learco, afterwards Rodope
Learco:
That royal pose, that generous speach...
Deh don't think about it. The pleasure of a conquest
shall make me happy
Rodope:
Oh God, Learco
Scared
Learco:
Rodope, what's the reason for your fear?
Rodope:
Not far from here there is a crowd of foreigners
bringing Toante in chains. Alas, if there is any rest of virtue,
and courage in your heart, this is the moment to prove it.
You can redeem every past crime if you want.
You can write your name in history.
Learco:
Dear fortune! How?
Rodope:
Go, fight: Try to free Toante. Offer your life for your king's.
Find victory or death.
A great deed redeems every past mistake:
And takes away my shame about having loved you.
Learco:
Generous advise. And it deserves to be straighten out.
The arrest of Toante was my order. Go bring the news to
the superb Issipile if you want. Thell her to get used
to not disrepect so much her weakened enemies.
Very little is needed to harm other who have humble luck,
but even when oppressed, every enemy is strong.
ARIA DI LEARCO
Tell her that you fear
a desperate love in me:
Ask her if she remembers
how much she despised me.
And if for these offenses
she calls me traitor,
tell her thats he made me do it,
when she made me fall in love.
(Da capo)
SCENA III
Issipile, and Rodope
Rodope:
So much evil is found among us? Miserable daughter!
Unfortunate princess! What will become of you with my news!
Issipile:
All our problems, my friend are over. Heavens are tired of tormenting me.
My faithful husband is defeating the fierce women of Lenno.
My inocence is evident to him. My father is safe.
We won, every disagreement has been silenced.
Everything is love, faith and peace.
Rodope:
But Toante...
Issipile:
Toante is waiting for Giasone's return in the Thessalian camp.
Rodope:
If only that would be true
Issipile:
Why? Speak.
Rodope:
Toante has been captured
Issipile:
By whom?
Rodope:
By Learco
Issipile:
How do you know?
Rodope:
I saw him, defeated, surrounded by Learco's thugs.
Issipile:
But who are Learco's thugs?
Rodope:
People similar to him.
Issipile:
Gods, what other tragedy will you serve me? What is this day?
SCENA IV
Jasone with his soldiers, and the afforementioned.
Jasone:
Issipile, my treasure, what new grief is dimming your light?
Issipile:
Adored husband, your arrival is most opportune.
Only you can console me. Run... Deffend...
Have mercy of me.
Jasone:
Explain yourself. I cannot understand you.
Issipile:
Toante... My father... Learco... Ah I am so confused.
Rodope:
Learco the traitor is bringing the king in chains to the see.
Jasone:
Is he the same Learco...
Issipile:
Yes, the one that tried to kill you in your sleep. But when I stopped him
he tried to ruin our peace with suspicions.
Jasone:
Criminal soul!
Issipile:
Generous prince, this is a mission worthy of you. You can save my father.
You will lose your wife if you don't.
Toante's life and my own are tied together by a single threat.
Jasone:
Leave it to me, my love, to punish that criminal.
But dry this painful tears. It is too big of a threat for my courage
to see your gaze drowning with them.
ARIA JASONE
Hold a little bit longer, my dear
your beautiful crying
trust me in the meantime
that I will give peace to your suffering
I will fulfill your fate
paying for it with death:
I will either save your father
or die tryinng.
(Da Capo)
SCENA V
Rodope, and Issipile
Rodope:
Why are you giving yourself to your pain, oh princess?
Fate will never be unkind to you.
Trust Giasone's courage, and wait
ARIA DI ISSIPILE
You say I should wait? But how?
I was born from pain
and I never saw
even a shadow of goodness
All the time I find in my heart
duplicated grief
there is the one that I suffer
there is the one I expect:
And at the same time
I feel the pain and the fear
SCENA VI
Rodope and Eurinome.
Rodope:
I am getting lost with all this missfortunes.
Eurinome:
Rodope, where did my son go?
Rodope:
Think, you monster, think by yourself.
Hide from the victor if you value your life.
Eurinome:
I don't care about my life if I cannot find Learco.
Rodope:
A forsaken name, hated by the world. A shame for you and me.
Eurinome:
Why so much hate? You saved him...
Rodope:
And I regret it.
Eurinome:
I hope this rage is simulated. There was another time that you said
you wanted him to be captured too: But you loved him.
Rodope:
But now I hate him.
ARIA RODOPE
The sigh you are hearing
coming from my lips
is a sigh of regret
not of joy
I will say that I loved him
only for my own shame,
and only the memory of it
makes me in pain.
(Da Capo)
SCENE VII
Eurinome alone
Eurinome:
Ah I am looking for my son but I will end up losing myself.
But what joy will I have in this life without him?
I know that Learco is guilty, but I love him.
And his crimes take away my sleep, but not my love.
The more other people hate him, the more I feel all my blood
freeze in my veins for him.
Fair Gods, is being a mother a gift or a curse?
ARIA DI EURINOME
It is the biggest
of all pains
that emotion that makes me insane,
can only be understood by a mother.
The danger
of a wretched son
is so strongly imprinted in my soul
that it makes me forget about myself.
SCENA VIII
Beach with ships and a bridge.
Giasone with his followers, Issipile, Rodope, and afterwards Learco, and Toante on the ship.
Jasone:
Issipile breath: We will catch the traitor.
Comerades, follow me over this insideous ships. I ask you,
Fury and cruelti. Let the sails burn, the ships sink.
Lets make a horrible massacre,
so that nobody can tell appart the sea and the wicked's blood.
Learco:
Yes, but it will be the blood of Toante.
(Learco appears in the stern of the boat, with Toante, threatening him with a sword)
Issipile:
Stop.
Rodope:
Wretched.
Jasone:
What anger is moving you?
Issipile:
Father... Husband... Learco... Oh Gods... I am dead
Learco:
Why do you get so upset, Issipile? You are the judge of his life.
Come on board of this ship and marry Learco.
If the daughter rewards my constant love the father will not die.
Issipile:
What do I hear, oh husband!
Jasone:
You even dare to propose that deal, you criminal?
Ah, I can't even hold my righteous fury.
(Starts draw his sword, but Issipile stops him)
Issipile: Giasone, have mercy. The wretched is going to kill my father,
if you try to assault him.
Jasone:
Ah I feel all the fury in my heart
Learco:
Do you see, Toante, how fast your daughter is coming to save you?
You will pay her desdain with your blood. I have been patient enough.
Starts to hurt him
Issipile:
Here I come, don't hurt him
Toante:
Daughter, what are you doing?
Can you forget about yourself just like that?
Ah I didn't think Issipile would make me blush of shame.
I educated you for a royal hall, not for the wretched bed of a pirate.
And you want to become the mother of criminals, instead of heroes.
Issipile:
So can anybody tell me a better way of saving you?
Toante:
I can. Keep intact the honor of my bloodline.
Don't think that you have to die for your father.
Don't let that thought keep you prisioner.
Live and rule in my lace together with your loyal husband.
If I can lengthen your life by giving mine:
I lived enough and I ruled enough.
Rodope:
Oh fate!
Jasone:
How generous!
Issipile:
Learco, does such a big virtue not move you?
Learco:
It actually annoyes me.
Issipile:
So?
Learco:
So come or I will kill him
Issipile:
Alas may my tears make you have mercy.
You already avenged my refusal too much.
It's enough, Learco, it's enough.
Are you not happy already?
Do you want to see me as a misserable thing at your feet?
Here I am at your feet
She kneels down
Learco:
Come or I will kill him.
Issipile:
Yes. I will come, traitor. I will come.
But everything that is horrible in hell will come with me.
Our hated wedding with have Megera as best woman,
and Aletto as patron.
I will be the worst one of all the furies.
I will come: but only to take away your unfaithful heart from your chest,
oh you cruel monster. I will come fast...
Learco: Come or I will kill him.
Starting to hurt him
ARIA OF ISSIPILE
Here I am don't hurt him (To Learco)
(Gods, don't you have mercy?)
Remember me (To Giasone)
I feel I am dying
Crying she goes towards the ship, looking tenderly to Giasone
Jasone: Wife. Do you thus leave me? Wretched. I want to... I shudder...
I don't know what to do... Barbaric Gods
(Clamoring)
SCENE IX
Eurinome and the afforementioned.
Eurinome:
I finally find you, my son
Learco:
Save yourself, Mother
Jasone:
Ah wicked woman, you arrived in the right moment
(He grabs Eurinome)
Issipile, wait. Look at me traitor. Free Toante right now
Or I will kill your mother.
(while he threatens with killing her with his sword)
Learco:
How!
Eurinome:
What is happening?
Rodope:
What a change!
Learco:
Don't punish my mistakes on her. I am your enemy, Giasone.
Jasone:
My fury doesn't leave room for advises.
And everyone who doesn't hate you is my enemy.
And they deserve to be stroke a thousand times.
And even if she would be inocent of every other sin
I wouldn't be ashamed of killing her.
Being Learco's mother is a great crime.
Rodope:
The wicked is confused
Issipile:
Eternal Gods, give us your help now.
Jasone:
Barbarian, you cannot decide?
Learco:
I decided. Kill her. But first come Issipile, and fulfill your part of the deal.
Rodope:
Monster!
Issiple:
Animal!
Jasone:
I offer thou, Gods of hell, this horrfying sacrifice.
Learco: (I tremble)
Jasone:
I leave it to you that you will avenge the son's sins on her mother
(Begins hurting her)
Learco:
Ah don't hurt her. You won.
Rodope:
Finally he softens down.
Eurinome:
Dear Learco, I owe you my life.
Learco:
Eurinome, you don't know your son.
This admired mercy is nothing but weakness, not virtue.
I wish I could follow your example.
But I am not brave enough.
Despite my effords I shake, I tremble, and I feel
all my blood freezing in my veins.
Ah vile heart, you are not fair.
Your doubts are bringing me my ruin.
Let it start my reveng on you.
(He hurts himself)
Eurinome:
Stop, what are you doing?
Learco:
I don't expect nor I desire forgiveness.
Let my death be as my life was.
(He throws himself to the sea)
Eurinome:
I faint. Oh Gods
(Faints and she is brought offscene)
Rodope:
Oh fair Heavens
Iasone:
Run, friends, free the king.
(soldiers go and free Toante)
Issipile:
Husband, I cannot believe it yet
Rodope:
How many events happent in a single day!
Toante:
Prince, daughter
Issipile:
Father
Jasone:
My lord.
Issipile:
Finally I can kiss this fatherly hand again.
Toante:
And I can embrace you both finally.
(Hugs them)
Rodope:
All the suffered torments are worth it for the happiness of a wedding.
Toante:
But first let's go to the temple. Let's thank the Gods.
For every human enterprise is too dangerous and pointless
if it is not being started from them.
CORO
It is a craziness of a wrong soul
to have hope within the guilt.
Even if one time is lucky
it is still not at peace.
In the most serene fate
Vice is a punishment in itself:
As virtue is a gift in itself,
even when it is opressed.
END OF THE DRAMMA
