Ariadne auf Naxos

The Prologue

During the eighteenth century, in the home of the richest man in Vienna, performers prepare to entertain guests with a new opera based on the Ariadne legend. But the artists are running into trouble. The Major Domo tells the Music Master that a comedy is to be performed right after his protégé's serious opera. When the Music Master tells his student this, the young Composer is quite upset. The Composer has other problems as well: he wants a rehearsal, but a Lackey informs him that the musicians are busy. He wants to rehearse with the Prima Donna, but cannot find her. An inspiration brings him a new melody, but the Tenor is too busy arguing with the Wigmaker to listen. Meanwhile, the Composer meets the leading comedienne, Zerbinetta, and finds himself attracted to her. The Major Domo comes back with really terrible news: the master does not want the comedy to follow the opera; he wants them played simultaneously! The Dancing Master extracts musical cuts from the despairing Composer, while the comedians are given a briefing on the opera's plot. Zerbinetta decides her troupe will portray a band of travelers trapped with the goddess Ariadne on the island of Naxos. She entrances the Composer with her charm. Infatuated with her, the Composer agrees to the combination of works. The Music Master calls everyone together; the Composer greets his teacher with a happy hymn to music, but at the last minute catches sight of the vulgar comics and runs out in horror.

The Opera

Ariadne, Princess of Crete, has been abandoned by her lover, Theseus, on the island of Naxos. She is watched over by three nymphs—Naiad, Dryad, and Echo—who marvel over her beauty as she sleeps. Ariadne wakes, and prays for Death. Fearing she has lost her mind from grief, Zerbinetta and her friends, Harlequin, Scaramuccio, Truffaldino, and Brighella, try to cheer Ariadne with dance and song. Zerbinetta tries to teach Ariadne her philosophy of life, which is always to be in love with and faithful to one man, while at the same time welcoming the next. It has been this way with a whole list of men, she says, and sometimes she has carried on with two of them at once. Uninterested, Ariadne retires to her cave.

Ariadne's three nymphs return, announcing the approach of a beautiful god. It is Bacchus, who has just escaped from the clutches of the enchantress, Circe. Ariadne is drawn out of her cave at the sound of his voice and, not seeing him, believes he is the messenger of Death. But when Bacchus appears before her, she believes for an instant that he is Theseus. She quickly realizes her mistake, but the two fall in love at once. Ariadne is transformed by Bacchus' love, and embraces life instead of death. But just before Bacchus and Ariadne disappear, Zerbinetta returns to muse that whenever a new man comes along, the ladies are sure to find him beautiful.