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Opera Music Plot Synopsis
Richard Wagner: Rienzi
Grand Tragic Opera in Five Acts
after the novel
Cola di Rienzi
by Edward Bulwer-Lytton.
Rome in the fourteenth century.
Act I
Scene 1:
A street at night, with the Lateran Church in the background.
Paolo Orsini is
trying to abduct Irene, Rienzi's sister. She screams for help,
and Adriano, who
is in love with her, defends her. Adriano is the son of Steffano
Colonna, the
head of another very influential family of Rome. A crowd assembles,
and a brawl
ensues, with the people choosing sides for either Colonna
or Orsini. Rienzi
enters imperiously, squelching the uprising by his very appearance,
and declares
his intent to unite Rome and lead it to grandeur.
Scene 2:
Rienzi embraces Irene, and expresses to Adriano his amazement
that a member of
the Colonna family has saved his sister, asking Adriano where
his loyalties
really lie. Adriano wants to atone for his family, one of
whom murdered Rienzi's
brother. His feelings, though, are mixed, and he is troubled
by Rienzi's plans.
Rienzi insists that under his leadership the Romans can become
truly noble and
free, but Adriano fears he is leading the Roman people to
ruin. Though he too
wishes to uphold the law, Adriano warns Rienzi that his plans
are too bold and
will end in bloodshed. However, despite his reservations,
he pledges his further
support. Rienzi entrusts Irene to his protection, and leaves.
Scene 3:
Alone together, Adriano and Irene prophetically declare that
their love will
remain steadfast, even if the world around them should crumble
disastrously.
Adriano expresses his trepidations, and predicts Rienzi's
downfall, foretelling
that the people will betray him, and the nobles will punish
him for being too
bold. The scene ends with the sound of offstage trumpets.
Scene 4:
A herald enters. Dawn has arrived. An organ sounds inside
the church, and the
public rushes onstage. Rienzi appears in full armor before
the people, who fall
to their knees. He is accompanied by Raimondo, the papal legate.
The portals of
the Lateran Church open, and the people greet him with wild
enthusiasm. Rienzi
proclaims that as protector of Rome he will uphold freedom
and law. The populace
greets Rienzi joyously as their hero. The people hail him
as the new tribune who
will liberate them, and swear that they will remain loyal
to him.
Act II
Scene 1:
A hall in the Capitol. Rienzi enters, magnificently clad,
followed by the
senators, among them Baroncelli and Cecco. Messengers bring
Rienzi news of their
travels, and they report that the Roman lands are peaceful
and free. Colonna,
Orsini, the senators, and the nobles pay homage to their new
tribune. Rienzi
insists that he is not concerned with his own glory, but rather,
that he will
free Rome and uphold the law. He leaves with the senators.
Scene 2:
Orsini and Colonna are outraged at Rienzi's arrogance, and
as they talk, the
nobles start listening in. The people idolize Rienzi, whom
he has captivated. He
is a demagogue, they say, who holds the people in his charismatic
spell. Though
Rienzi is a mere plebeian, he has grasped enormous power,
and Orsini and Colonna
refuse to tolerate this. They find his climb to fame somehow
insulting, and also
potentially dangerous, as the masses are now armed. The nobles,
headed by Orsini
and Colonna, therefore plot against Rienzi, and devise a murderous
scheme for
the imminent feast. Adriano enters and demands to know their
intentions. They
tell Adriano their plans to assassinate Rienzi that day. Though
in confusion
over his divided loyalties, Adriano vows to stand by Rienzi
in defiance of his
own family.
Scene 3:
Ceremonial pomp. A banquet has been prepared. Rienzi greets
nobles and diplomats
from all parts of Italy. Adriano softly warns Rienzi that
he is about to be
betrayed. A performance begins, a play, pantomime, and ballet:
Brutus avenges
the death of Lucretia and frees Rome from the tyranny of Tarquinius.
Meanwhile,
Orsini, who has stolen closer to Rienzi during the performance,
tries to stab
him, but Rienzi reveals that he is protected by armor. Tumult
ensues. Rienzi
pardons him, despite the warnings of his nobles, who lament
the blindness of his
mercy.
Act III
Scene 1:
A square in Rome. The scene depicts ruins, decrepit columns.
Bells sound. Wild,
unruly crowds fill the scene. They seek Rienzi. The nobles
have fled the city.
Rienzi appears and promises to guard the freedom of Rome,
thereby rousing the
people to war. The crowds appeal to Rienzi and with cries
of homage and
subservience, express their trust in him and their intent
to follow him.
Scene 2:
Adriano enters; he is dejected, horrified, and in despair
over his divided
loyalties. He hears, sounds of war, and chaos intrudes into
his solitude. The
people enter armed, and Adriano rushes to bring about a reconciliation
between
his family and that of Rienzi.
Scene 3:
Hymns of war resound, Rienzi goes to battle, surrounded by
monks and the
populace, and urges the people on to protect freedom and the
law. Adriano
implores Rienzi to desist, but Rienzi refuses to heed him.
Adriano is left with
Irene; they lament their imminent parting. Adriano tells Irene
that Rienzi is
murdering his people. Warriors enter, and Rienzi embraces
Irene in farewell. To
the horror of all, the body of Steffano Colonna is brought
into view, and then
other corpses as well. Adriano curses Rienzi and the fate
that will forever part
him and Irene. Despite the tumult, Rienzi departs triumphantly.
Act IV:
Scene 1:
In a street before the Lateran church, at night, in a secret
meeting Baroncelli
informs other citizens, all in disguise, that the German diplomats
have left
Rome forever. Rienzi is at odds with the princes of Germany
over the choice of
the Roman Emperor. The Cardinal, Baroncelli informs them,
has also departed, and
therefore Colonna had turned to the Pope and promised to use
his power to defend
the Church. Baroncelli feels that Rienzi pardoned Colonna
for the sole purpose
of gaining the support of the nobles, and thus considers Rienzi
a traitor of the
people. Adriano enters and identifies himself. He declares
Rienzi unworthy of
the power that he has amassed, and vows to have vengeance.
A feast is being
prepared by Rienzi, to celebrate his victory. Rienzi approaches
in full glory.
Scene 2:
A ceremony is beginning. The procession nears, Rienzi with
Irene. The nobles
feign obeisance. As Rienzi ascends the steps to the church,
he is stopped by the
conspirators, who bar his entrance to the church. Raimondo
curses him and all
who are true to him. The chanting of monks can be heard from
within the church.
Rienzi shames them by appeals to their patriotism, and urges
them to trust in
him. Feigning sincerity, they hypocritically hail him as their
tribune. Rienzi
is taken aback when he hears the TeDeum from the church, and
all shudder.
Raimondo appears and bars Rienzi's entrance to the church.
The doors of the
church slam shut with a crash, and on them a papal bull is
nailed banning
Rienzi. Adriano tells Irene that Rienzi and all who follow
him are cursed.
Adriano urges Irene to run away with him, but she remains
with Rienzi; Adriano
flees quickly. Rienzi, however, remains engrossed in his plans
to lead Rome to
grandeur.
Act V:
Scene 1:
In a hall of the Capitol, Rienzi prays to God to grant him
the strength to unite
Rome and finish his grandiose plan.
Scene 2:
Irene enters, embraces Rienzi, who tells of his dreams for
Rome, his bride.
Though she loves Adriano, whom Rienzi demands she renounce,
Irene vows to stand
by her brother. Rienzi departs.
Scene 3:
Adriano sneaks in, disguised. Adriano reminds her of his love,
and tells of his
intent to betray Rienzi. He warns her that Rienzi is mad,
and if she follows
him, then she is, too.
Scene 4:
A square before the Capitol. Crowds storm in violently bearing
torches and
screaming,to honor the dictum of the Church. The populace
is revolting against
Rienzi, who appears on the balcony in full armor and orders
peace. The people
cry out that he should be stoned. They refuse to recognize
his former glory,
even though he appeals to his past leadership of Rome to freedom
and grandeur.
Baroncelli cautions the crowd not to be mesmerized by Rienzi
any longer. The
crowd sets the Capitol on fire. As Rienzi exclaims that the
Romans are
disgraceful and unworthy of their heritage, the flames engulf
the Capitol.
Embracing each other, Rienzi and Irene perish in the conflagration.
The Capitol
collapses, also burying Adriano in the rubble.
synopsis © 2001 by Mary Cicora
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