Il Farnace

Il Farnace
Music by Antonio Vivaldi

Drama for music in three acts
Libretto by Antonio Maria Lucchini
First performance, Teatro Sant’Angelo in Venice, on February 10, 1727
Critical edition by Bernardo Ticci

Farnace Raffaele Pe
Gilade Francesca Lombardi Mazzulli
Tamiri Chiara Brunello
Berenice Elena Biscuola
Pompeo Leonardo Cortellazzi
Selinda Silvia Alice Gianolla
Aquilio Mauro Borgioni
mimes Elisabetta Galli, Davide Craglietto

Conductor Federico Maria Sardelli
Director Marco Bellussi
Sets Matteo Paoletti Franzato
Costumes Carlos Tieppo
Lighting Marco Cazzola
Video Creativite
Assistant Director Elisabetta Galli

ORCHESTRA ACCADEMIA DELLO SPIRITO SANTO

CHOIR ACCADEMIA DELLO SPIRITO SANTO
Director Francesco Pinamonti

Production by Fondazione Teatro Comunale di Ferrara
Co-production by Teatro Municipale di Piacenza

Act One

Farnace, who succeeded his father Mithridates as king of Pontus, has been defeated by the Roman army led by Pompeo. Farnace orders his wife Tamiri to sacrifice their son and then commit suicide to avoid the humiliation of captivity. Tamiri’s mother, Berenice, queen of Cappadocia, harbors an implacable hatred for Farnace and joins forces with Pompeo to complete his elimination. Meanwhile, Selinda, Farnace’s sister, is taken prisoner. She still hopes that her brother can be restored to the throne of Pontus and simultaneously seduces both the Roman prefect Aquilio and Berenice’s captain Gilade, hoping that the romantic rivalry between the two men will benefit her cause.

Tamiri decides to take her own life but to save that of her son; she hides him in the mausoleum that houses the tomb of the kings of Pontus. She is about to stab herself with the dagger given to her by Farnace when Berenice arrives and stops her. After a heated exchange between mother and daughter, Berenice asks Pompeo to imprison Tamiri, but Pompeo, impressed by the woman’s courage, lets her go.

Act Two

Gilade and Aquilio court Selinda, but she seems to reject their advances. Her strategy is beginning to bear fruit, as Gilade now for the first time takes a stand against Berenice, who is still relentlessly hunting Farnace and his son. Berenice mocks Gilade and his ridiculous love for an enemy. Farnace has decided to commit suicide in the mausoleum of the kings of Pontus, but Tamiri’s arrival prevents him. Questioned by Farnace, Tamiri lies and admits to having killed their son: Farnace is devastated by this news and at the same time reproaches his wife for still being alive. At this point, Berenice arrives: Farnace hides and listens to her order her men to destroy the mausoleum; he is then astonished when he sees his son appear from the tomb. Tamiri begs her mother to show compassion, but Berenice is unmoved, rejects her daughter, and keeps her grandson under arrest. Farnace reappears and repudiates his wife: Tamiri, left alone, is devastated by grief. Selinda tirelessly continues her scheming: she implores Gilade to support her nephew’s cause. Gilade and Aquilio plead with Berenice to spare the child, whom Pompeo entrusts to Aquilio’s custody. Selinda promises Aquilio her love if he agrees to undertake a dangerous mission on her behalf.

Act Three

As Berenice’s troops and the Roman legions gather on the plain of Heraclea, Berenice asks Pompeo to kill Farnace’s son, telling him that in return he will receive half of her kingdom. Tamiri offers Pompeo a similar incentive to spare her son. Pompeo, moved by Tamiri, returns the child to her. Farnace returns and is happy to be able to embrace his son again; after once again reproaching his wife, he leaves the child to go fight against Rome. Meanwhile, Selinda makes Gilade promise to kill Berenice and extracts a similar promise from Aquilio regarding Pompeo. But just as Aquilio is about to fulfill his promise, Farnace, mistaken for one of Berenice’s soldiers, approaches Pompeo with the intention of killing him himself. Both fail in the attempted murder. Berenice appears, recognizes her son-in-law in the disguised soldier, and has Farnace arrested. Tamiri arrives, pleading for his life, in vain. But Gilade and Selinda burst in with an armed retinue and free Farnace. He is about to kill Berenice when the queen and Pompeo take Tamiri and the child hostage: Farnace then offers his life in exchange for their safety. Berenice, moved by Farnace’s behavior, forgives him. The king of Pontus regains his throne, to general rejoicing.