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Music: Georg Friedrich Händel. Lyrics: G Braccioli after Ariostos Orlando furioso.
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First performance: London, Kings Theatre 27 januari 1733.
| Role | Voicetype |
|---|---|
| Angelica | soprano |
| Dorinda | soprano |
| Medoro | alto |
| Orlando | alto |
| Zoroastro | bass |
The magician Zoroastro predicts that the warrior Orlando will return to a life of action and glory. Orlando enters and Zoroatro exhorts him to abandon love, but Orlando is infatuated with Angelica, queen of Cathay. In a wood the shepherdess Dorinda think she is in love; Orlando passes by having just rescued a princess. In the same wood Angelica and Medoro, an African prince, confess their love for each other. Dorinda re-enters, relizing that it is Medoro whom she loves. Medoro expresses affection for her but Dorinda doesn´t believe him.. Zoroastro warns Angelica of Orlandos potential anger. Orlando appears and declares his love for Angelica who feigns jealousy of the princess he rescued and tells him to renounce her. When Dorinda observes Angelica and Medoro embracing, she is inconsolable.
Dorinda is bemoaning her situation when Orlando enters and accuses her of linking his name with the rescued princess. Dorinda protest that she knows he loves Angelica. When orlando hears that Angelica has left with Medoro he is outraged and swears revenge. Meanwhile, Zoroastro is persuaded the lovers to get away, but before they do Medoro carves both their names on a tree. Orlando pursues them and eventually spots Angelica, but before he can reach her she is enveloped in a cloud and lifted into the air. Orlando begins to lose his mind, believing himself in the underworld, he imagines Medoro in the arms of Proserpina. Zoroastro appears in his chariot and carries Orlando off through the air.
Separated from Angelica, Medoro goes to the home of Dorinda. Orlando declares his love for Dorinda, but it becomes clear that he is demented when he mistakes her for Angelica´s murdered brother. Angelica arrives and Dorinda tells her of Orlando´s madness; she expresses pity and Dorinda expounds on the terrible effects of love. Zoroastro appears and changes the scene to a cave. Dorinda enters weeping and tells how Orlando has destroyed her home causing the death of Medoro. Orlando attacks Angelica throwing her violently into the cave which at that moment is transformed into a temple of Mars. When Orlando is overcome by sleep, Zoroastro appears and sprinkles a magic liquid over the face of Orlando, who is restored to his senses. Dorinda tells Orlando that he has killed Angelica and medoro. Orlando is about to kill himself when the lovers appear. Zoroastro calls for mercy. A statue of Mars appears in the temple, and Orlando declares a victory over himself and love,before commending Angelica to Medoro. Amid rejoicing, Dorinda invites everyone back to her home to celebrate.
Adress:http://www.mogensoperasidor.se/orlandoenglish.htm