Il Pirata - Vincenzo Bellini Opera Plot

Vincenzo Bellini's Italian, bel canto opera Il Pirata (The Pirates)


I Pirata composed: 1827
I Pirata's first performance: October 27, 1827; La Scala, Milan (Italy)
I Pirata's libretto: Felice Romani, based on Charles Robert Maturin's play: Bertram, or the Castle of Saint Aldobrand

I Pirata's setting: Sicily, Italy 13th century
Melodrama (opera seria) in 2 acts (dramatic, serious opera)

The Main Characters in I Pirata (the Pirates)

• Ernesto, Duke of Caldora (bass)
  
• Imogene, Ernesto's wife, Gualtiero's former lover (soprano)
  
• Gualtiero, Exiled Count of Montalto, now a pirate (tenor)
  
• Goffredo (Solitario), a hermit, Gualtiero's former tutor (bass)
  

The Story of Vincenzo Bellini's Italian, bel canto opera I Pirata (The Pirates)

Act I, I Pirata: (plot summary)

Gualtiero, the former Count of Montalto, has been living his life as a pirate after being banished. After his boat had wrecked, he comes ashore and is welcomed in by his former tutor, Goffredo. Gualtiero tells Goffredo that his love for Imogene was the only thing that has kept him alive all of these days. Imogene arrives, having learned that the pirates had been defeated. She comes to the shore to give the survivors food and water. She speaks of a dream that she had where her lover had died. Gualtiero sees her from a distance and recognizes her. The two are reunited outside of the castle. She tells him that she was forced to marry Ernesto, the Duke of Caldora and Gualtiero's bitter rival. Imogene insists that she married Ernesto as a way to save her father, whose safety was threatened by Ernesto. Gualtiero is jealous of Ernesto, but asks Imogene to meet him outside of the country. She pleads with him to leave her. She faints.

Act II, I Pirata: (plot summary)

As Imogene rests, Ernesto senses that she is upset. He insists that she still loves Gualtiero. Imogene tells Ernesto that she did not hide her love for Gualtiero when she and Ernesto were married. She also knows that she still loves him even though he is clearly dead now. Ernesto learns that Gualtiero is actually still alive and has landed in town. He gives orders for his arrest. Imogene sees Gualtiero and pleads with him to leave for his safety, but Ernesto finds the two lovers together. The two men fight a fierce duel, leaving Ernesto dead at the hands of Gualtiero. Gualtiero then surrenders to Ernesto's men. Imogene appears weeping, and unstable. The council condemns Gualtiero and sentences him to death. Imogene sees the image of the scaffold, goes mad, and dies.