Prologue

A terrace of the Grimani Palace in Venice. Gennaro, a young soldier of fortune, comes out to take the night air, accompanied by his friends, Orsini, Gazella, Petrucci, Vitellozzo and Liverotto, and by a mysterious figure whom they believe a Spanish nobleman, but who is really Gubetta, an agent of Lucrezia Borgia. On the morrow they are all to join an embassy to Ferrara, to the court of Lucrezia and her husband, Alfonso d'Este.

The mere mention of her name causes a shudder among them, for each has some cause to fear her. Orsini relates how, when Gennaro had saved his life in battle, they swore eternal friendship, but had no sooner done so than an old man appeared, prophesying that they would live and die together, and warning them to shun the Borgia. The friends return to the festivities. Gennaro, who had gone to sleep rather than listen to Orsini's tale, is left alone. A gondola approaches, and a masked woman - Lucrezia Borgia - steps on to the terrace.

Gubetta warns her that she is in foreign territory, where she will have no protection from insults should her identity be discovered. But she bids him leave her, and is soon so preoccupied with the sleeping Gennaro that she does not notice two masked figures - her husband, Alfonso, and his henchman, Rustighello - lurking in the background. Alfonso suspects her of being in love with Gennaro, and learns with satisfaction that the young man is about to visit Ferrara.

Gennaro awakes, and is overwhelmed by the beauty of the woman before him. He declares there is only one woman he loves more: his mother, whom he has never seen. He tells how he grew up in the belief that he was the son of a Neapolitan fisherman, until one day a stranger equipped him with horse and weapons, and gave him a letter from his mother, warning him that for her safety and his, he must never seek to know her identity.

Pages now appear with torches, and before Lucrezia can withdraw or replace her mask, she is recognised by Orsini. He and his friends surround her, each declaring how she has been responsible for the death of a near relative. To Gennaro's increasingly distraught enquiries as to her identity, they eventually reply: 'It is the Borgia!' He recoils in horror.

Act One

Scene 1

A piazza in Ferrara. Rustighello tells the Duke that Gennaro has taken up lodgings opposite the ducal palace. Alfonso anticipates his approaching revenge.

Gennaro's companions rally him on his loss of spirits since his encounter with Lucrezia, but the reaction they provoke is more violent than they intended. Seeing the name 'Borgia' on her escutcheon on the facade of the palace, he draws a dagger and hacks away the first letter, leaving the word 'orgia'. Dismayed at the possible outcome of such an unwise jest. The friends disperse. Two cloaked figures appear. They are Astolfo and Rustighello, each in search of Gennaro, one sent by Lucrezia, the other by Alfonso. Rustighello, summoning his followers, through superiority of numbers forces Astolfo to vacate the field. He breaks open the door of Gennaro's lodgings.

Scene 2

A room in the palace. When Alfonso hears that Gennaro has been apprehended, he orders Rustighello to fetch two decanters of wine, one of silver and the other of gold, and to hold them in readiness in the adjoining room. He warns him not to try the gold decanter, since it contains the poisoned wine of the Borgias. Lucrezia enters in fury, demanding that Alfonso apprehend and put to death whoever has dared to deface her crest. Calmly Alfonso replies that her wishes are already half anticipated, and he gives his word that the culprit will be killed.

Lucrezia is aghast, as the prisoner is led in, to recognise Gennaro, and even more distressed when he confesses his guilt. She asks Alfonso for a few words in private, and pleads for mercy. When he accuses her of loving Gennaro, she vehemently protests her innocence, and switches from pleas to threats. But Alfonso remains adamant, merely allowing her to choose whether Gennaro shall die by the sword or by poison. In desperation, she chooses poison. Gennaro is brought back and Alfonso suavely tells him that he has yielded to Lucrezia's pleas to set him free. Surprised and encouraged by such clemency, Gennaro reveals that he had once saved the life of Alfonso's father in battle. Alfonso feigns gratitude, and offers him monetary reward and an appointment in the forces of Ferrara. Gennaro refuses both, since he has given his allegiance to Venice. Alfonso then suggests that they share a parting glass of wine, and, summoning Rustighello with the two decanters, he forces Lucrezia to pour-from the silver decanter for himself, and from the gold for Gennaro.

No sooner is Lucrezia left alone with Gennaro than she tells him he is poisoned, and, producing a small phial of antidote, bids him drink. Although uncertain whether or not this is further treachery, Gennaro does as he is told, and Lucrezia just has time to thrust him through a secret door before Alfonso returns, summoned by Rustighello.

Act Two

Scene 1

A courtyard leading to Gennaro's lodgings. Despite his recent feelings of revulsion for Lucrezia, Gennaro's initial sentiments are gaining the upper hand once more, and he admits that he can no longer conceal from himself the love he feels for her. Rustighello and his followers come to arrest him again, but before they can do so, they overhear a conversation in which Orsini dissuades him from leaving Ferrara immediately by promising to bear him company the following morning, after they have attended a banquet which is to be given that evening by the Princess Negroni. As they depart together, Rustighello restrains his followers, telling them that they have now no need to detain Gennaro. Lucrezia, in the belief that the young man has left Ferrara, has organised this banquet at the Princess Negroni's in order to be revenged on his companions. By attending it, Gennaro is going to his death, and the Duke will thus have gained his objective.

Scene 2

The Princess Negroni's banquet. The festivities are at their height when Gubetta creates a diversion by mocking Orsini, who is about to sing a drinking-song he has composed. Daggers are drawn, and the banquet breaks up in confusion.

As soon as the ladies have left, Gubetta allows himself to be placated, and suggests that they all drink to renewed friendship. A cup-bearer brings fresh glasses, Gennaro remarks to Orsini that Gubetta has tossed the contents of his glass over his shoulder, but Orsini is too intent on his drinking-song to pay attention. As all join in the chorus of each verse of Orsini's song they are interrupted by an off-stage chorus, chanting from the service for the dead. The lights go out, and all the doors are found to be locked.

Panic gives way to cold horror as Lucrezia Borgia appears. They have all been poisoned, she tells them, and five coffins await them. But Gennaro steps forward and declares that she has miscalculated: a sixth will be needed. In consternation, Lucrezia has her armed followers lead the other five victims away, and again tries to force the antidote upon Gennaro. But when he learns that there is only enough left for one, he insists that they must all die together - and Lucrezia first of all. He takes a dagger and is about to stab her when, in desperation, she declares that he, too, is a Borgia. She reveals that she is his mother-the unknown mother he had so worshipped - and pleads with him to save himself. But he prefers to die, his resolution reinforced by the sounds of the death-agonies of his friends.

Alfonso, believing himself the master-mind who has outwitted even the treacherous Borgia, comes to gloat over his revenge. But Lucrezia rounds on him, declaring that Gennaro was her son. At the height of her anguish she collapses and falls dead upon Gennaro's body.