Faramondo

The story is loosely based upon the legend of Pharamond, a mythological King of the Franks, circa 420 AD, and the early history of France.

An enormous success, Rinaldo created a craze in London for Italian opera seria, a form focused overwhelmingly on solo arias for the star virtuoso singers.

[3] None of Handel's three new operas in the 1736-37 season repeated the success of his earlier works, and he suffered a breakdown in his health, as reported by his friend Lord Shaftesbury: "Great fatigue and disappointment, affected him so much, that he was this Spring struck with the Palsy, which took entirely away, the use of 4 fingers of his right hand; and totally disabled him from Playing: And when the heats of the Summer 1737 came on, the Disorder seemed at times to affect his Understanding.

"[4]Before composing new operas for the 1737-38 season, Handel went to "take the waters" at Aix-la Chapelle, where he made a complete recovery, so much so that it seemed to the nuns who operated the spa there to have been a miracle.

[9] The score calls for traverso flute, two oboes, two baroque horns, string section, basso continuo (cello, lute, harpsichord).

A room in the palace Immediately after, Gustavo's daughter Rosimonda finds her quarters invaded by Frankish soldiers, including Faramondo.

Even while she rails at him for killing her brother Sveno in battle, and for making an alliance with the Swabian king (Gernando) who is at enmity with the Cimbrians, Rosimonda too finds her heart captured by her erstwhile enemy, Faramondo.

The Cimbrian camp King Gustavo is not idle in the meantime, for he has arranged his men to capture Faramondo when he learns that his enemy is actually in his very palace.

A surprising meeting occurs – for Gernando, once the relentless enemy of the Cimbrians, suggests an alliance to King Gustavo, based on a mutual desire to bring down Faramondo.

Gustavo embraces his unknown rescuer (whose armour hides his face), and when he realises who had saved him and his daughter, bitterly regrets that his oath MUST be carried out...

Rosimonda, whose fate might have been dire but for her successful rescue by Faramondo's men, returns to her father's court, with news that the treacherous Gernando has been captured.