Elvida

by Gaetano Donizetti (1797 - 1848).
Opera seria in 1 act First Performed in Naples at the Teatro San Carlo, on 6 July 1826
Librettist: Giovanni Schmidt
Source: Undetermined

Scene 1

In a fortified city in the kingdom of Granada, Elvida, a noble Castilian maiden, has for two months been the prisoner of Amur, the head of a tribe of Moors. But the Spaniards, led by her fiancé Alfonso, are advancing upon the city, determined to secure her release. Zeidar, Amur's son, has fallen in love with the captive, much to his father's disgust. For, exasperated by Elvida's haughtiness, Amur would gladly put her to death and be rid of her. Zeidar urges him to surrender her to the Spanish and so save their city - their last remaining stronghold. But his assertion that he will himself then die of grief prompts Amur to make one last attempt to bend Elvida to his will and marry her to his son. Elvida proudly rejects the proposal and scorns his threats, declaring that Amur slew her father, Gonzalvo, and that her father's death still remains unavenged.

Amur is called away to rally his followers, terror-stricken at the Spanish advance, and in his absence Zeidar pleads with Elvida to be more conciliatory - for her own sake if not for his. Although he succeeds in evoking her sympathy, she remains as adamant as ever, and is led away by guards to an underground prison.

Amur hastily returns convinced that further open resistance is useless. He urges Zeidar to accompany him out of the city by a secret passage, since he hopes that one of his allies, Azor, will have sent him a relief force, and that he will find it waiting for him in a nearby wood.

Scene 2

A square in the city, which has just fallen to Alfonso and the Spanish. Alfonso's joy at the victory he has won is tempered by concern for Elvida's safety, and he wavers between hope and fear.

His officer Ramiro reports that Amur and Zeidar have slipped through their net, but Zulma, one of Amur's slaves, offers to show them the passage by which the fugitives have escaped, and which will also lead them to Elvida's prison.

Scene 3

The underground cavern where Elvida is held captive. Overwhelmed by her misfortunes, she is rapidly giving way to despair, but the arrival of Amur and Zeidar, the former determined to take her out of the city with them and use her as a hostage to guarantee their safety, once more summons up her spirit of defiance.

They are about to pursue their way down the secret passage when Alfonso and his soldiers burst upon the scene. Amur draws a dagger to slay Elvida, but Zeidar seizes his arm and prevents the blow. Amur is overpowered by the Spanish, but this does not stop him from reviling and rejecting his son for what he regards as his pusillanimous betrayal. Ramiro brings word that a clash has taken place between Azor's relief force and the Spanish, and that the Moors have been put to flight. Alfonso has Amur removed elsewhere, but in gratitude grants Zeidar his liberty and agrees to spare his father. There is general rejoicing as Alfonso and Elvida are reunited and look forward to their marriage the following morning.