Sung in German with surtitles in English (and Welsh in theatres in Wales).

Running time approximately 2 hours 20 minutes.

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Prologue

The richest man in Vienna has commissioned two entertainments to be performed between a banquet and a firework display. The tragic opera Ariadne on Naxos is to be followed by a commedia dell’arte play, Faithless Zerbinetta and her lovers. The Music Master protests to the Major-Domo that his pupil the Composer’s work will be followed by a harlequinade, but the Major-Domo reminds him who is paying the bill, and adds that the fireworks will begin at 9 o’clock. The Composer wants to rehearse his opera, but the violins are playing at dinner, the Prima-Donna (singing Ariadne) is not available, and the Tenor (singing Bacchus) dislikes his wig. The Composer learns to his rage that Zerbinetta is to perform after his opera, then thinks of a new tune. The Major-Domo brings the news that the two works are to be performed simultaneously. The Dancing-Master tells the Composer to cut his opera to make room for the dances in the harlequinade. Zerbinetta asks for an explanation of the plot of Ariadne, as she has to work her troupe into the story. She ridicules the idea of longing for death, and recommends taking another lover as the cure for unrequited love. Zerbinetta and the Composer find common ground in the idea that ‘a moment is nothing – a glance is much’ and the Composer sings of music’s power, before flying into a rage again at the comedians.

Opera

Ariadne has been abandoned on the island of Naxos by Theseus, even though she helped him to kill the Minotaur and escape from Crete. She is asleep, and the three nymphs, Naiad, Dryad and Echo, watch over her and describe how she has been weeping. Ariadne wakes, and sings of her grief at Theseus’ betrayal and her longing for death. Zerbinetta and the comedians witness her lament, and Harlequin tries to cheer her up with a song about the pleasures of life. Ariadne ignores him, and sings of the purity of Death’s kingdom and how she longs for Hermes to take her there. Zerbinetta sends the clowns away and tries to persuade Ariadne that there are plenty of other men besides Theseus. Ariadne retreats to her cave, and Zerbinetta and the four clowns play their own masquerade.

The three nymphs announce the arrival of Bacchus, who has escaped from Circe’s island where men are turned to beasts. He mistakes Ariadne for Circe, and she mistakes him first for Theseus, then for Hermes. In their duet, Ariadne’s longing for death becomes a desire for love, and Bacchus learns of his own divine nature. Zerbinetta comments that it is always like this: another love will come along to replace the old one.