ARMIDA, a grand heroic opera by Chris toph W. Gluck (1714-87); libretto by Philippe Quinault, a 17th century poet, who had written it for another composer, Lully. It is founded on an episode from Tasso's °Gerusalemme liberata,)) and was utilized by Gluck nearly 100 years after the libretto had been written. The music he composed to it is sublime in grandeur and is regarded as a classic of the highest type. Armida, the Queen and enchantress, dwells in a magnificent palace in Damascus; the period is the 11th century. The gallant knights crusaders fall under the charm of Armida; but not so Rinaldo, the famous hero in Godfrey de Bouillon's army. Unjustly accused of a misdemeanor, Rinaldo has been expelled from the army and wanders alone in the forest. He has been warned against the wiles of Armida, but he scoffs at the idea of any woman compelling his love. But the sorcery of Armida is at work; lan guorous music overcomes him and he falls asleep in a green valley. Enraged at his scornful indifference, Armida has decided to kill him, but love conquers hate and the dagger falls from her hand. Though she strives
against her tender passion, she succeeds in enthralling him with her display of devotion. Meanwhile de Bouillon has dispatched two knights to recall Rinaldo — a Danish warrior and the knight Ubalt. These two also fall vic tims to Armida's witchery. The Dane meets a demon who has assumed his bride's face and tenderly calls him, but Ubalt breaks the spell and both reach Armida and Rinaldo. The call of duty and honor awakens Rinaldo from his love dream and he resolves to return with his companions. Armida's passionate entreaties fail to shake his resolution ; he departs, and in despair she curses her love and him who pro voked it, and turns her palace and gardens into a wilderness. In the sequel Armida be comes a Christian. Aside from the ones al ready named, the story has been made the sub ject of operas by Cherubini (1784), Zingarelli (1786), and Rossini (1816). Consult Beloni, epigoni della Gerusalemme liberata> (Padova 1893).