Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

him. Adelia, on searching for the magic herb at midnight, is joined by Riccardo, who declares his
love for her; and here they are interrupted by Renato, who bids his master fly from the
conspirators, who are on his track. Adelia is closely veiled, and Renato takes her in charge,
unaware of her identity. They meet the conspirators, who taunt Renato; and Adelia, on coming to
his assistance, reveals the fact that she is his wife. Renato, furious at Riccardos betrayal of their
friendship, now joins the conspirators; and when they later on draw lots for the assassination of the
Governor, he draws the winning number. Adelia, though not admitted to her husbands confidence,
suspects danger, and sends a message to Riccardo, entreating him not to attend the masked ball at
the palace, at which he had intended to preside. Riccardo, however, has now determined to cut
himself off from all further temptation by giving Renato a high commission in England, whither
he may retire with his wife; and, in spite of Adelias warning, he decides to attend the ball, in order
to place the commission in his secretarys hands at once. Renato, learning fromn a page, Edgar, of
the disguise which Riccardo has adopted, tracks him to the spot where he has just met with Adelia,
who, anxious for his safety, is begging him to depart, whilst he is taking a last farewell of her; and,
full of jealous rage at the sight of the pair, he stabs his master in the back. As Riccardo falls dying,
he declares to Renato that Adelia is innocent, and that they were even then parting for ever; and,
having also handed him his new commission, he falls back, dead.
176. OTHELLO
Opera in Four Acts By Guiseppe Verdi
Libretto By, Arrigo Boito (Adapted from Shakespeare s Tragedy )
First Produced Milan, February, 1887
Chief Characters Desdemona, Emilia, Othello, Iago, Cassio, Roderigo
THE story follows very closely that of the great Shakespearean drama,. especially in the finale.
Act 1 opens in Cyprus, with the landing of Othello, the Moor of Venice, after his victory over the
Turks. Iago, his Ancient, or General, a cross-grained evil pessimist, refusing to believe in any
human goodness or fidelity, soon changes the happiness of his chief into woe. He begins by
leading Cassio, a young captain, into excesses which lead to his disgrace and loss of office; and
then he determines to undermine Othellos perfect joy and faith in his pure and beautiful wife,
Desdemona. He sends Cassio to the gentle lady, to beg her to plead for him with her husband; and
then he brings Othello to look on at their interview, and by cunning insinuations sows the first
seeds of jealousy in the Moors heart. When Desdemona, therefore, pleads for Cassio, he angrily
refuses her request; and upon her dropping a lace handkerchief, with which she had endeavoured
to cool her lords heated brow, Iago picks it up and makes use of it to further his evil designs by
telling Othello that he found it in the possession of Cassio, whom he also declares often murmurs
the name of " Desdemona " in his sleep. He fans the flame of Othellos jealousy still further by
causing him to overhear a conversation between Cassio and himself, in which the former speaks of
his own lady-love, Bianca, in affectionate terms; and by letting Othello believe that it is
Desdemona of whom they have been speaking his cruel object of wrecking the domestic happiness
of his general is accomplished. Othello is now madly jealous of his gentle wife, who is filled with
grief on seeing his - to her, unaccountable - change of manner. In the last act Desdemona, in her
chamber, talks of the matter sadly with her waitinglady, Emilia, the wife of Jago; but after a