Utilisateur:Acélan/brouillon

Synopsis

Lieu: Prusa

Année: 1402

Acte 1

L'empereur ottoman Bajazet, vaincu, est amené, enchaîné, à la cour de Tamerlan. Tamerlan a ordonné à Andronico qu'on lui ôte ses chaînes, mais Bajazet se méfie. Il déclare que la seule raison qui l'empêche de se suicider est l'amour qu'il porte à sa fille, Astéria. Tamerlan ordonne à Andronico d'essayer d'obtenir le consentement de Bajazet et Asteria à un mariage de Tamerlan avec Asteria. Andronico sera récompensé par le trône de Grèce, épousera Irène, fiancée à Tamerlan, et Bajazet sera libéré. Andronico, amoureux d'Asteria, est troublé. Tamerlan fait part à Asteria de ses intentions et de la proposition qu'il a fait à Andronico, ce qui provoque sa colère envers l'apparente traîtrise d'Andronico.

Bajazet refuse la proposition de Tamerlan, et s'irrite de l'apparente soumission de sa fille à la demande de Tamerlan. Mais, une fois seule, Asteria déclare que malgré l'apparente trahison d'Andronico, ses sentiments pour lui sont inchangés. Irène apprend qu'il n'est plus question qu'elle épouse Tamerlan, mais Andronico. Bajazet declines Tamerlano's offer, and furthermore is angry at his daughter's seeming meekness at Tamerlano's demands. However, once alone, Asteria says that despite Andronico's apparent treachery, her feelings for him have not changed. Irene arrives to learn that she is no longer to marry Tamerlano, but instead Andronico. Andronico tells her that she can still change the outcome if she pretends to be a confidante of Irene's and to take issue with Tamerlano. She agrees to do this plan while he bemoans his current situation.

Acte 2

Tamerlano tells Andronico of Asteria's acceptance of his marriage proposal, and that the two planned weddings, of Tamerlano to Asteria and of Andronico to Irene, will happen soon. Tamerlano and Asteria sing contrasting arias at the situation. Asteria pretends to tell Andronico that she is about to marry Tamerlano, but through a misunderstanding, Andronico is left dejected at the thought. Meanwhile, Leone brings the disguised Irene to Tamerlano, where she pleads Irene's case. Tamerlano hears her with composure. When Irene and Asteria are alone, Asteria shows sympathy towards Irene and speaks of her own feelings. Irene finds hope in this revelation, while Leone 'comments only on love's irresistible power for good or evil.'

Bajazet is outraged at his daughter's impending marriage to Tamerlano and swears to stop this, while Andronico is furious and resolves to have his vengeance on Tamerlano before he kills himself. Asteria is secretly preparing to kill Tamerlano in the meantime. However, Bajazet manages to stall the wedding, and also avoids being humiliated by Tamerlano when he is stopped. Asteria makes a move to the dais, only for her father to stop her. She then pulls out a dagger, saying that it would have been her present to Tamerlano. After a trio between Tamerlano, Bajazet, and Asteria, Tamerlano orders the death of Bajazet and Asteria. However, Asteria protests that she has never been unfaithful and gets agreement from Bajazet, Andronico, and Irene, which gives her some feeling of happiness. She also feels sad that her plans for assassination failed and that she has lost her chance for happiness.

Acte 3

Asteria et Bajazet décident de se donner la mort avec le poison qu'ils ont dissimulé. Seule, Asteria envisage sa mort prochaine. Tamerlan fait une nouvelle tentative pour gagner les faveurs d'Asteria, et promet le pardon à son père. Pourtant, Asteria et Andronico se déclarent leur amour mutuel, ce qui met Tamerlan en fureur et le décide à se venger. Bajazet tries to gain inspiration from their action, while the couple can only find happiness in facing together whatever may come of declaring their mutual love.

Meanwhile, Irene pledges her love to Tamerlano if he returns his own love to her, while Leone hopes that ultimately love will win the day over revenge. Tamerlano prepares to humiliate his enemies, and begins by bringing Bajazet and then Asteria before him. Andronico pleads for mercy from Tamerlano. Tamerlano will not listen, and orders Asteria to become his servant, and that she must first serve him wine. Asteria puts the poison from her father into the cup. Irene then reveals her true identity to Tamerlano and the situation of the poisoned cup. Tamerlano then orders Asteria to decide who first to give the cup to, her father or Andronico, before she may bring it to him. Asteria is about to drink from the cup herself when Andronico hits it out of her hand, which further enrages Tamerlano. He orders Asteria's arrest and confinement in the common seraglio, and that Bajazet will have to see her being shamed. Bajazet, angry at this situation, declares that his spirit will haunt Tamerlano when he has died.

Irene and Tamerlano sing of the happy life that awaits them, after Tamerlano has had his revenge. Leone then reports the arrival of Asteria and Bajazet. Bajazet is surprisingly serene now, but finally reveals that this is because he has taken poison. As he becomes more incoherent, he says goodbye to his daughter and berates Tamerlano, until Andronico and Asteria carry him out of the room. Asteria then returns to ask for death, since Tamerlano can never get what he wants from her. Both Irene and Andronico send after Asteria to try and stop her suicide, while Tamerlano is finally changed by the events he has witnessed as well as by Irene's pleas. He finally pardons Asteria, Andronico, and Bajazet. The opera concludes with a love duet between Tamerlano and Irene, and the chorus sings of love's ability to save light from the dark.