Orlando finto pazzo is an opera (dramma per musica) in three acts composed by Antonio Vivaldi

Antonio Vivaldi

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed because of his red hair, was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe...

 to a libretto

Libretto

A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...

 by Grazio Braccioli. The plot is based on an episode in Matteo Boiardo

Matteo Maria Boiardo

Matteo Maria Boiardo was an Italian Renaissance poet.Boiardo was born at, or near, Scandiano ; the son of Giovanni di Feltrino and Lucia Strozzi, he was of noble lineage, ranking as Count of Scandiano, with seignorial power over Arceto, Casalgrande, Gesso, and Torricella...

's unfinished the epic poem Orlando Innamorato

Orlando Innamorato

Orlando Innamorato is an epic poem written by the Italian Renaissance author Matteo Maria Boiardo. The poem is a romance concerning the heroic knight Orlando .-Composition and publication:...

. The second of Vivaldi's known operas, Orlando finto pazzo premiered on November 14, 1714 at the Teatro Sant'Angelo in Venice.

Roles

• Orlando, a knight in the service of Charlemagne
  Charlemagne
  Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
  
  , created by Antonio Francesco Carli
• Brandimarte, Orlando's friend, created by Andrea Guerri
• Ersilla, queen and sorceress, created by Margherita Gualdi Campioli
• Argillano, Ersilla's champion and secretly in love with her, created by Andrea Pacini
• Tigrinda, a priestess, in love with Argillano, created by Elisabetta Denzio
• Grifone, secretly in love with Tigrinda, created by Francesco Natali
• Origille, in love with Grifone, created by Anna Maria Fabbri

Act 1

Ersilla dedicates a sword to the destruction of Orlando, and entrusts the sword and mission to Argillano, who secretly loves her. Ersilla’s enemies, Brandimarte, Grifone and Origille spy on the rituals. As the ceremony ends, Tigrinda, priestess of potions, tries unsuccessfully to tell Argillano she loves him. Grifone follows Tigrinda, who he in turn secretly loves. Argillano challenges Grifone, who is protected by Origille – she pretends that he is her young sister, “Leodilla.” Origille, who is pledged to Grifone, challenges his obvious love for Tigrinda, then vows her revenge. Orlando defeats but spares Argillano, leaving the magic sword on the ground as he severs the golden branch, thus opening the way for everyone into Ersilla’s garden. Ersilla notices the sword, and infers Argillano’s defeat. As her fairies bewitch Orlando with their songs, Ersilla becomes smitten with Brandimarte, who uses this to rescue Orlando.

Act 2

Grifone tries to capitalise on his reluctant disguise to get closer to Tigrinda by becoming her handmaiden. Origille, now disguised as a man, “Ordauro,” interrupts them. Ersilla ignores Tigrinda’s pleas for Argillano’s release (imprisoned because of his defeat,) but now smitten with “Ordauro,” releases him at “Ordauro’s” suggestion. Spurned by Ersilla, Argillano vows to betray her, and to gain an accomplice, falsely pledges his love to Tigrinda. On seeing Origille, Orlando blows his cover, but is neatly manoeuvred by Brandimarte into concealing his true identity by pretending to be mad, under the illusion that he is Orlando. Under cover of “madness,” Orlando tells the bizarre story of how Origille betrayed him last time they met. When Argillano disappears to warn Ersilla of his suspicions, Origille begs forgiveness, and Orlando acquiesces. Argillano tells Ersilla that “Leodilla” is Grifone, and she interrogates him. Grifone gives nothing away, and so is imprisoned.

Act 3

Origille has smashed through Grifone’s prison wall with a pickaxe, and confronts him with her ardent love. Grifone’s pledges of love are rejected by Tigrinda, who then plots with a reluctant Argillano to poison Ersilla with a magic potion. Ersilla’s darkest ceremony fails to reveal Orlando’s true identity, so she conjures up a counterfeit Angelica to provoke him. Brandimarte again rescues Orlando, this time by pretending himself to be the warrior. Ersilla captures the two men, but is mortified to believe she loves her enemy. Orlando vows to abandon such deception in favour of honourable confrontation. Argillano rejects Tigrinda, who then drinks her own potion. Grief-stricken, Grifone, too poisons himself. Origille, seeing the corpse of her beloved, vows revenge. Orlando smashes his fetters, releases Brandimarte, and by destroying Ersilla’s castle, breaks all her spells. Grifone, Tigrinda, and all her other victims reawaken and are cured, Tigrinda is united with Argillano, Origille with Grifone, and all ends happily.

Recording

• Orlando finto pazzo (RV 727): Antonio Abete, Gemma Bertagnolli, Marina Comparato, Sonia Prina
  Sonia Prina
  Sonia Prina is an Italian operatic contralto who has had an active career in concerts and operas since the mid 1990s. She is particularly known for her appearances in Baroque operas and for her performances of the Baroque concert repertoire...
  
  , Martin Oro, Marianna Pizzolato; Academia Montis Regalis, Alessandro De Marchi; Naïve OP30392

Sources

• Selfridge-Field, Eleanor (2007). A new chronology of Venetian opera and related genres, 1660-1760. Stanford University Press. ISBN 0804744378
• Strohm, Reinhard (2008). The Operas of Antonio Vivaldi, Issue 1. L.S. Olschki. ISBN 8822256824
• Bucciarelli, Melania; Dubowy, Norbert; and Strohm, Reinhard (2006). Italian Opera in Central Europe, Volume 1. BWV Verlag. ISBN 3830503814