大象传媒

The English civil war in the 1640s has divided the land between the supporters of Parliament under Oliver Cromwell (the Roundheads) and the Royalists faithful to the Stuart monarchy (the Cavaliers). King Charles has been beheaded and Queen Enrichetta (Henrietta) has escaped in disguise.

ACT I.聽Scene 1.聽Plymouth, a Puritan stronghold, is threatened by siege from the Royalist troops. Distant voices herald the wedding day of Elvira, daughter of Gualtiero (Lord Walton), the fortress鈥檚 commander. Riccardo (Sir Richard Forth) enters lamenting that his promised bride, Elvira, loves another man鈥攁 Stuart partisan (鈥淎h, per sempre, io ti perdei鈥�). Her father will not force her to marry against her will, it seems, so Riccardo鈥檚 friend Sir Bruno urges him to devote his life to leading the Parliamentary forces.

Scene 2.聽Elvira tells her uncle, Giorgio (Sir George Walton), that she would rather die than marry Riccardo (鈥淪ai come arde鈥�). Her uncle reassures her that he has persuaded her father to let her marry her lover, Arturo (Lord Arthur Talbot). Although Arturo is a Royalist, he is heralded as he approaches the castle (鈥淎 quel suono鈥�).

Scene 3.聽Everyone gathers for the wedding celebration and Arturo greets his bride (鈥淎 te, o cara鈥�). He learns that King Charles鈥檚 widow, Queen Enrichetta, is a prisoner in the castle and soon to be taken to trial in London. Alone with the queen, Arturo offers to save her even if it means his death. Elvira returns with the bridal veil (鈥淪on vergin vezzosa鈥�); she capriciously places the veil over Enrichetta鈥檚 head. When he is alone again with the queen, Arturo explains that the veil will provide the perfect disguise for escape from the castle. As they are about to leave, Riccardo stops them, determined to kill his rival. Enrichetta separates them and reveals her identity. Riccardo lets them flee, knowing this will ruin Arturo. The others return for the wedding, and Riccardo tells of Arturo鈥檚 escape with Enrichetta. Soldiers rush off in pursuit. Elvira, believing herself betrayed, is beset by madness.

ACT II.聽The townsfolk mourn Elvira鈥檚 mental breakdown. Her uncle, Giorgio, explains that she continues to long for Arturo. Riccardo arrives to announce that Arturo has been condemned to death by Parliament. The Puritans depart.

Elvira wanders in, reliving her happy past (鈥淨ui la voce鈥�). In her madness, she mistakes Riccardo for Arturo and dreams of her wedding (鈥淰ien, diletto鈥�). When she leaves, Giorgio tries to convince Riccardo to save Arturo. At first indignant, Riccardo is finally moved to help Elvira, and the two men unite in patriotism: if Arturo returns as a friend, he shall live鈥攊f as an armed enemy, he shall die (鈥淪uoni la tromba鈥�).

ACT III.聽In Elvira鈥檚 garden, Arturo reveals that love for her has brought him back to Plymouth. He overhears her sing their old love song (鈥淎 una fonte afflitto鈥�) and is torn between his love and his loyalty to the Stuarts. Elvira herself appears and Arturo reassures her that she is his only love (鈥淰ieni fra questa braccia鈥�). Soldiers rush in to arrest Arturo. Just then, a diplomat arrives with the news of the Royalists鈥� final defeat and a general amnesty for all the offenders. The shock of this news restores Elvira鈥檚 senses (鈥淪ento, o mio bell鈥檃ngelo鈥�), and all rejoice in the peace as Elvira and Arturo embrace in their new happiness.