Fedora Synopsis - The Story of Umberto Giordano"s Opera, Fedora
Composer: Umberto Giordano
Premiered: November 17, 1898 - Teatro Lirico Internazionale, Milan
Other Popular Opera Synopses:
Mozart's The Magic Flute, Mozart's Don Giovanni, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Verdi's Rigoletto, & Puccini's Madama Butterfly
Setting of Fedora:
Giordano’s Fedora takes place in late 19th century St. Petersburg, Paris, and Switzerland.
The Story of Fedora
Fedora, Act 1
Princess Fedora arrives in the evening at the palace of Count Vladimir Andrejevich, whom she is to marry the following day, in St.
Petersburg. Filled with happiness, she sings about their love. Little does she know that the Count has been unfaithful in his commitment to her. As the snow falls, sleigh bells grow louder and louder as they approach the palace. Immediately, the Count is rushed inside after being mortally wounded. As doctors and the priest are called into the room, the servants who carried in the Count are questioned about his injury. After giving their statements, it is believed that an assassin, likely Count Loris Ipanov, was the cause of the tragedy due to his possible association with the Nihilists. Dipolomat, De Siriex, and police inspector, Grech, plan and prepare on investigation into Count Andrejevich’s death. Fedora, filled with rage, takes it upon herself to avenge her fiancé’s death and swears on the exquisitely jeweled Byzantine cross adorning her necklace.
Fedora, Act 2
Fedora has followed Count Ipanov all the way to Paris. After arriving in her Parisian home, a reception is held in her honor and an accomplished pianist plays for their guests.
As the party progresses into the evening, Count Ipanov shows up and confesses his love to Fedora. She immediately retorts that she’ll be returning to Russia the next day, knowing that Ipanov has been exiled from the country and will be unable to follow her home. He confesses that he killed Count Andrejevich. Fedora, unable to hear him over the noises of the party, tells him to return after all the guests have departed so he can tell her the entire story. After he departs, she goes to her study to write a letter to the chief of police telling him that Count Ipanov confessed to murdering her fiancé. Later that evening, Count Ipanov returns. He tells her that on the night of Andrejevich’s death, he found Andrejevich having an affair with his wife. When Andrejevich saw that he was caught, he grabbed his gun and shot at Ipanov. Ipanov returned fire in self-defense and mortally wounded Andrejevich. Knowing what truly happened, Fedora falls in love with Count Ipanov. She hugs him and asks him to spend the night with her. Count Ipanov happily obliges.
Fedora, Act 3
Fedora and Count Ipanov have moved in together in her villa in Switzerland, along with her friend, Countess Olga Sukarev. Diplomat Siriex arrives to invite Countess Olga on a bicycle ride. While Olga prepares for the outing, Siriex pulls Fedora aside and tells her that because of the letter she sent to the chief of police, Count Ipanov’s brother, Valeriano, was arrested for his involvement in the plot to murder Andrejevich. He was kept prisoner in a fortress along the Neva River, but when the river flooded one night, Valeriano drowned. When his mother found out, she was so upset, she died. Fedora’s heart sinks into her stomach. Meanwhile, Count Ipanov reads a letter informing him of the death of his mother and brother. It also states that the reason both of his family members died was because the chief of police received a letter from a woman in Paris accusing him of Andrejevich’s murder. Fedora runs to Count Ipanov and immediately confesses to writing the letter and begs for his forgiveness. Instead of showing mercy and compassion, Count Ipanov curses her. He is so angry, he acts irrationally. Fedora is distraught. She takes the cross from around her neck and quickly opens its hidden cap. Inside it is a small portion of poison, which she swallows in its entirety. After falling to the floor, Count Ipanov picks her up and rushes her to a doctor. After begging the doctor to save her, the doctor tells him that it is too late - the poison has already taken its toll. Count Ipanov holds her in his arms as she breathes her final breath.
Premiered: November 17, 1898 - Teatro Lirico Internazionale, Milan
Other Popular Opera Synopses:
Mozart's The Magic Flute, Mozart's Don Giovanni, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Verdi's Rigoletto, & Puccini's Madama Butterfly
Setting of Fedora:
Giordano’s Fedora takes place in late 19th century St. Petersburg, Paris, and Switzerland.
The Story of Fedora
Fedora, Act 1
Princess Fedora arrives in the evening at the palace of Count Vladimir Andrejevich, whom she is to marry the following day, in St.
Petersburg. Filled with happiness, she sings about their love. Little does she know that the Count has been unfaithful in his commitment to her. As the snow falls, sleigh bells grow louder and louder as they approach the palace. Immediately, the Count is rushed inside after being mortally wounded. As doctors and the priest are called into the room, the servants who carried in the Count are questioned about his injury. After giving their statements, it is believed that an assassin, likely Count Loris Ipanov, was the cause of the tragedy due to his possible association with the Nihilists. Dipolomat, De Siriex, and police inspector, Grech, plan and prepare on investigation into Count Andrejevich’s death. Fedora, filled with rage, takes it upon herself to avenge her fiancé’s death and swears on the exquisitely jeweled Byzantine cross adorning her necklace.
Fedora, Act 2
Fedora has followed Count Ipanov all the way to Paris. After arriving in her Parisian home, a reception is held in her honor and an accomplished pianist plays for their guests.
As the party progresses into the evening, Count Ipanov shows up and confesses his love to Fedora. She immediately retorts that she’ll be returning to Russia the next day, knowing that Ipanov has been exiled from the country and will be unable to follow her home. He confesses that he killed Count Andrejevich. Fedora, unable to hear him over the noises of the party, tells him to return after all the guests have departed so he can tell her the entire story. After he departs, she goes to her study to write a letter to the chief of police telling him that Count Ipanov confessed to murdering her fiancé. Later that evening, Count Ipanov returns. He tells her that on the night of Andrejevich’s death, he found Andrejevich having an affair with his wife. When Andrejevich saw that he was caught, he grabbed his gun and shot at Ipanov. Ipanov returned fire in self-defense and mortally wounded Andrejevich. Knowing what truly happened, Fedora falls in love with Count Ipanov. She hugs him and asks him to spend the night with her. Count Ipanov happily obliges.
Fedora, Act 3
Fedora and Count Ipanov have moved in together in her villa in Switzerland, along with her friend, Countess Olga Sukarev. Diplomat Siriex arrives to invite Countess Olga on a bicycle ride. While Olga prepares for the outing, Siriex pulls Fedora aside and tells her that because of the letter she sent to the chief of police, Count Ipanov’s brother, Valeriano, was arrested for his involvement in the plot to murder Andrejevich. He was kept prisoner in a fortress along the Neva River, but when the river flooded one night, Valeriano drowned. When his mother found out, she was so upset, she died. Fedora’s heart sinks into her stomach. Meanwhile, Count Ipanov reads a letter informing him of the death of his mother and brother. It also states that the reason both of his family members died was because the chief of police received a letter from a woman in Paris accusing him of Andrejevich’s murder. Fedora runs to Count Ipanov and immediately confesses to writing the letter and begs for his forgiveness. Instead of showing mercy and compassion, Count Ipanov curses her. He is so angry, he acts irrationally. Fedora is distraught. She takes the cross from around her neck and quickly opens its hidden cap. Inside it is a small portion of poison, which she swallows in its entirety. After falling to the floor, Count Ipanov picks her up and rushes her to a doctor. After begging the doctor to save her, the doctor tells him that it is too late - the poison has already taken its toll. Count Ipanov holds her in his arms as she breathes her final breath.