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Opera Music Plot Synopsis
Massenet: Cleopatre
ACT I
In his camp in Tarsus, Marcus Antonius accepts the praise
and tribute of
representatives from all of Asia. A slave, Spakos, announces
the arrival of
Cleopatre, whom Antonius mockingly describes as a `courtesan
with a crown.' When
she arrives, however, he is captivated. He orders the crowd
to leave the two of
them alone, and the two embrace. They are interrupted by Ennius,
bearing a
message from the Senate: Antonius has been called back to
Rome, where he will be
wed to Octavia, the sister of his fellow triumvir Octavian.
Instead, he agrees
to return to Egypt with Cleopatra; as the act ends, the two
of them sail off
together in her barge.
ACT II
Antonius has returned to Rome for his marrieage with Octavia.
At Antonius'
house, Ennius discusses the triumvir's six-month liason with
Cleopatra to the
other servants. The wedding procession arrives, and Antonius
sends Octavia to
her chamber. On learning that Ennius has been stationed in
Egypt, he asks about
Cleopatra and is enraged to learn that she seems to have forgotten
him. Ignoring
Octavia's pleadings, he resolves to return to Egypt.
In Amnhes' tavern in Egypt, a disguised Cleopatra and Spakos,
her new lover,
watch the performance of a young dancer, Adamos. Consumed
by jealousy, Spakos
tries to strangle Adamos. The other customers are about to
attack the two
strangers when Cleopatra reveals herself. Her maid, Charmion,
then enters,
telling her Marcus-Antonius has returned. Spakos tries to
stop her, but she goes
to meet the Roman anyway.
ACT III
At Cleopatra's palace, the lovers are entertained by dancers
from various
regions of the ancient world. Cleopatra poisons a goblet of
wine and offers a
kiss to any slave who will drink it; only Marcus-Antonius
stops a slave from
drinking the cup. Octavia enters and pleads for Marcus-Antonius
to return to
Rome, but even the pleadings of Cleopatra herself cannot convince
him to leave.
Instead, he goes out to rally his armies against Rome. Spakos
leads Octavia away
as Cleopatra and her women review Antonius' armies.
ACT IV
Cleopatra, in her tomb, has spread the word that she is dead,
but has sent
messengers to Marcus-Antonius, whose armies have been defeated
by Octavian, to
come to her. To Spakos' questioning she replies that she does
love
Marcus-Antonius; spitefully, he tells her he instructed her
messenger to confirm
her death to the Roman so that he will not return to her.
Cleopatra stabs Spakos
with her dagger; as he collapses, a slave announces that Marcus-Antonius
has
come. He is carried in by his soldiers, covered with blood;
he tells her that he
stabbed himself rather than outlive her. He dies, and Cleopatra
allows the asp
she had sent for to bite her. Octavius and his soldiers enter
as the curtain
falls.
contributed by Chris Hapka; © 1998
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