Audio Credit: Semele, George Frideric Handel / Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists / Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner / Semele: Norma Burrowes / Iris: Patrizia Kwella / Juno: Della Jones / Athamas: Timothy Penrose / Jupiter: Anthony Rolfe-Johnson / Recorded in Germany, 1983. Semele is used by permission from Warner Classics. To browse the entire Warner Classics catalogue, visit www.erato.com.

Music by George Frideric Handel; libretto by William Congreve based on Ovid.
Premiered: In February 1744 at Covent Garden in London.
Setting: Mythic times

ACT 1

In the temple of Juno, Cadmus, King of Thebes, prepares for the marriage of his daughter Semele to Athamas, Prince of Boeotia. Semele is secretly in love with Jupiter. She calls to him to help her. Semele's sister Ino is also in distress as she, herself, is in love with Athamas. Jupiter honors Semele's cries for help and sends thunderbolts to indicate his displeasure with the impending marriage. Terrified, everyone leaves the temple. Ino reveals her love to Athamas as she tries to comfort him. In the midst of this confusion, Cadmus enters to describe the scene that has just occurred: As they fled the temple, an eagle swooped down and carried off Semele. Good news arrives as Cadmus's courtiers inform the group that Jupiter, in fact, abducted Semele. As the act ends, Semele is seen enjoying her new role as Jupiter's mistress.

ACT 2

When Iris tells Juno of Semele's new, well-guarded palace, she becomes enraged and decides to enlist the help of Somnus, the god of sleep, to help her defeat her rival. As Semele awakes in the castle she quietly waits for her lover to return. Jupiter enters and tells her of his love. Semele tells Jupiter that she feels uneasy about her mortality in comparison to his godliness. Jupiter, not wanting to address the fact that she will never gain immortality, diverts her attention. He invites her sister, Ino, to come from earth. Semele's fears are calmed for the moment. When Ino arrives, they join to sing praise to the music of the spheres.

ACT 3

Juno and Iris attempt to wake Somnus in his cave. Only the mention of Pasithia causes him to stir. Somnus agrees to help Juno in exchange for the nymph. He even lends Juno a wand to enable her to pass by the dragons that guard Semele's palace. Juno presents herself to Semele disguised as Ino. She gives her a magic mirror which, when she looks into it, makes Semele fall in love with her own reflection. Juno tells her that the only way she can gain the immortality she wants is to make love to Jupiter in all of his godly splendor instead of his mortal disguise. Semele believes Juno and thanks her profusely. Jupiter returns enflamed with passion for Semele. Semele spurns his advances until he agrees to give her whatever she wants. Remembering Juno's words, she asks for him to appear in all of his godly splendor. Jupiter is aghast at her request and desperately warns her of the danger she will face if she insists on this. Semele refuses to accept anything but the request she has made. Sorrowfully, the god grants the request. Semele dies as she is burned by the flames of Jupiter's power. As the people mourn, Ino describes a dream in which Jupiter reveals his wish for her to marry Athamas. Jupiter then appears to announce that his union with Semele will result in the birth of a new god, Bacchus, the god of wine. The people celebrate the unexpected good news.