La Gioconda, an Italian melodramatic opera by Amilcare Ponchielli: opera plot synopsis, character description, and other Ponchielli opera information.

Amilclare Ponchielli's opera La Gioconda (The Merry One), a melodramatic lyric drama has been popular to this day especially the Act 3 ballet "Dance of the Hours." Given the right performers (soloists) and excellent producers, this typical opera's tale of love and murder, will command attracted audience. There are beautiful passionate arias in it such as the soprano's "Suicidio!" and the tenor's "Cielo e mar."

• Composer: Amilcare Ponchielli (1834-1886)
• Composed: 1876
• Libretto: Arrigo Boito, after a play by French Poet Victor Hugo
• Language: Italian.
• First performance: Milan, La Scala, first version. There were four more versions before 1880.
• Setting: Venice in the 17th century.
• Opera in Four Acts. Lyric drama.

The Main Characters in La Gioconda

• La Gioconda, a singer (soprano)
• Laura Adorno, a Genoese lady (mezzo-soprano)
• Alvise Badoero, a leader of the Venetian Inquisition, husband of Laura (Baritone)
• La Cieca, the blind woman, Gioconda's mother (alto)
• Enzo Grimaldi, a Genoese prince (tenor)
• Barnada, a street singer and an Inquisition spy (baritone)
• People of varied social classes, seamen, senators, ladies, gentlemen, masqueraders, monks, et al. (chorus).

Plot Summary (Synopsis) of La Gioconda

Act 1.

Courtyard of the Palace in Venice. People are preparing for the Regatta. Barnaba loves Gioconda. When she rejects his advances, he plots something by publicly accusing Gioconda's blind mother La Cieca, of being a witch. Laura, masked, rescues La Cieca and in turn she gives Laura her rosary. Barnaba pretends to be arranging elopement for Enzo and Laura, at the same time informing husband Alvise and Gioconda.

Act 2.

In the banks of an uninhabited island in the lagoon. Angered and in despair of Enzo's unfaithfulness to her, Gioconda wants to avenge on Laura, her rival, but recognizing Laura as her mother's rescuer on seeing the rosary, she changes her mind. Out of gratitude, Gioconda helps Laura, exchanging masks with her. Enzo blows up the ship of Alvise's henchman and escapes. Laura returns to Alvise, who has been informed of the events by Barnaba.

Act 3.

Scene 1. Alvise, deeply hurt, orders his wife Laura to take poison. Once again, the singer Gioconda intervenes to save Laura. She exchanges the poison for a draft that only induces deathlike sleep.

Scene 2. Masked Ball. The guests are enjoying watching the magnificent ballet "The Dance of the Hours." Meanwhile, Enzo arrives and is taken prisoner. Gioconda plans to reunite Enzo and Laura by helping them escape through the help of Barnaba. Barnaba's asking price is for Gioconda to give herself to him the same night in Giudecca island.

Act 4.

Laura, still unconscious from the sleeping draft, is brought to the Giudecca, where Gioconda awaits. Laura awakes from her deep trance and understands the sacrifices that Gioconda has made. Gioconda gives the lovers her blessing. Left alone, Barnaba surprises her and demands his reward. Gioconda stabs herself, while Barnaba whispers to her that he has killed her mother.

Operas by Amilcare Ponchielli

• I promessi sposi, 1856
• Bertranda del Barnia, 1858 (scheduled but not performed)
• La Savaiarda, 1861
• Roderico, re dei Goti, 1863
• I promessi sposi, 1872. (Success in a revised version)
• Il parlatore eterno, 1873
• I Lituani, 1874 (revised as Aldona)
• La Gioconda, 1876, (includes the "Dance of the Hours")
• Il figliuol prodigo, 1880
• Marion Delorme, 1885

Suggested Recordings

La Gioconda (Complete Opera) Maria Callas, et al. Orchestra and Chorus , La Scala, Milan

Sources Consulted

Opera, edited by Andras Bátta, Könemann (2000)