Hercules

Human weakness. Divine destruction. The Royal Opera's Handel series continues with Barrie Kosky's new production. Laurence Cummings conducts Anthony Robin Schneider, Paula Murrihy, Mingjie Lei, Mary Bevan and Avery Amereau.

The story of Hercules

Hercules’ wife, Dejanira, has long awaited his return from battle. So when he arrives home in triumph, despite an ominous prophesy, all should be well. But life is rarely that simple. Consumed by sudden and terrible jealousy, Dejanira becomes convinced that Hercules has betrayed her with Iole, a prisoner of war, and embarks on a quest to win back her husband’s affections – with devastating consequences for all.

Read the full synopsis

Part I

Dejanira, wife of Hercules, King of Thrace, bemoans her husband’s long absence at war. Her son Hyllus reports the oracle’s sombre prophecy: Hercules will die. Dejanira fears she’ll only see her husband again in the land of the dead. Hyllus decides to look for his father.

Hercules’ sister Lichas announces her brother’s victory. He returns with a number of prisoners, including Princess Iole, daughter of King of the Oechalians, whom he killed. Hercules rules that Iole may move freely in Trachin, but she’s inconsolable, mourning the loss of her father and home. Hercules swears to lay down his weapons forever, looking forward to his wife’s love.

But Dejanira is consumed by jealousy: she thinks Hercules only attacked and destroyed Oechalia to win Iole. Iole adamantly refutes this assertion. Lichas tries in vain to rid Dejanira of her tormenting thoughts, but she remains convinced of her husband’s infidelity.

Part II

Hyllus has fallen in love with Iole, but she spurns the son of the man who killed her father and destroyed her homeland. Before Hercules leaves for the victory celebrations, Dejanira accuses him of being unfaithful. He denies her accusation and begs her to forget her groundless jealousy. In her desperation she remembers a garment the centaur Nessos gave her after Hercules fatally wounded him. Nessos promised that the shirt soaked in his blood would rekindle extinguished love. Dejanira has Lichas deliver the shirt to Hercules as a gift of reconciliation. Sure that her husband will be hers alone again, Dejanira asks Iole’s forgiveness.

Lichas tells how Hercules took the shirt from Dejanira during the sacrificial ceremony, and put it on: the heat from the fire on the altar made the poison in the robe melt and flow into his body. Hercules collapsed trying to tear the deadly material from his body. In infernal torment Hercules blamed his wife and asked Hyllus to take his body to the top of mount Oeta and burn it on a funeral pyre.

Horrified at having carried out Nessos’ revenge, Dejanira, delirious, sees her guilty soul hounded by Furies. Iole feels sorry for Hercules’ family, despite her own misfortunes. Jupiter’s priests proclaim that an eagle took Hercules’ body from the pyre and flew up to Heaven with it, where he now resides with the Gods. It is Jupiter’s wish that Hyllus marries Iole.