FULL ERCOLE SU’L TERMDONTE (Vivaldi) Los Angeles 2023 Logan Webber, Janet Todd, Meagan Martin, Michael Skarke
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Ercole su'l Termodonte
- Composer: Vivaldi Antonio
- Libretto: Antonio Salvi Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: The Highland Park Ebell Club, Los Angeles, California
- Recorded: January 21, 2023
- Type: Staged Opera Live
- Singers: Logan Webber, Janet Todd, Meagan Martin, Michael Skarke, Kyle Tingzon, Manfred Anaya, Veronique Filloux, Audrey Yoder
- Conductor: KYLE NAIG
- Orchestra:
- Stage Director: JOSH SHAW
- Stage Designer: DAVID HANDLER
- Costume Designer: MAGGIE GREEN
Information about the Recording
- Published by: Pacific Opera Project
- Date Published: 2023
- Format: Streaming
- Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
- Subtitles: yessubs, ensubs
- Video Recording from: YouTube FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
PLOT SYNOPSIS
For Hercules’ Ninth Labor, King Euristeo asks him to sail down the
Thermodon River to a village called Themyscira. He orders Hercules
to capture the sword of Antiope, who is the daughter of Ares and The
Queen of the Amazons. The Amazons are a tribe of warrior women
who are stronger than men in combat and archery.
Hercules boards his ship with his heroes Teseo, Telamone, and
Alceste, and sails down the Thermodon River to find the Amazons.
They arrive in Themyscira, where Teseo encounters Ippolita,
Antiope’s sister, and the two secretly fall in love. Meanwhile,
Martesia, Antiope’s daughter, also takes a love interest in Alceste,
in secret. Hercules and his men attack the Amazons, capturing
Martesia and holding her hostage.
In revenge, with the aid of Orizia, The Amazons capture Teseo. Just
when Queen Antiope swears to sacrifice him, Ippolita confesses her
love for Teseo, and begs for Antiope to negotiate with Hercules.
Seeing how the two couples have fallen deeply in love, Hercules
makes peace with Antiope. She agrees, and graciously gives
Hercules her sword, and consents to the two marriages. They
declare peace.
BACKGROUND INFO
THE GREEK GODS
Hera: Queen of the Gods. Goddess of Marriage, Women, & Family. Zeus’ wife
Zeus: King of the Gods
Amore/Cupid: God of Love
Ares/Mars: God of War and Courage. Father of Antiope and Ippolita
Latona: Goddess of Music
Diana: Goddess of Wild Animals and the Hunt. Latona’s daughter
THE GREEK HEROS
Hercules: Demigod born from an affair between Zeus and a mortal woman
Euristeo: The King of Tiryns
Theseus: Hero of Athens
Telamone: Prince of Aegina
Alceste: A Greek prince
THE AMAZONIAN WARRIORS
Antiope: Queen of the Amazons
Ippolita: Antiope’s sister
Martesia: Antiope’s daughter
Orizia: Antiope’s sister
THE REGIONS
Tiryns: The peninsula in Greece where Hercules performed his 12 Labors
Termodonte: The Thermodon River in Turkey that flows into the Black Sea
Themiscyra: The Amazon’s village
HERCULES’ BACKSTORY
When Hera, the Queen of the Gods, learns that her husband Zeus has had
an affair with a mortal woman, she becomes revengeful, and grows a strong
hate towards their half-God son, Hercules. Hera makes several attempts to
torture and kill Hercules over his lifetime, but is finally successful in driving
him deliriously insane, and causing him to kill his wife Megara and their six
children.
Hercules awakens from his insanity and realizes that he has killed his family.
He feels deep regret and asks the Oracle of Delphi, a Priestess, for penance.
The Oracle orders Hercules to serve Euristeo, the King Tiryns, for twelve years,
and he agrees.
King Euristeo gives Hercules several “Labors” or impossible heroic tasks.
Hercules eventually completes each Labor, achieves immortality, and
becomes Greece’s greatest hero.