Oedipus

"Oedipus"
Lyrical tragedy in four acts by George Enescu
Libretto by Edmond Fleg

Synopsis

Act I

In the palace of Thebes, the birth of the son of King Laios and Queen Jocasta is celebrated. At the moment when the High Priest asks the parents of the newborn what name they want to give the child, the old blind prophet Tiresias interrupts them, reproaching them for disregarding the god Apollo, who had forbidden them to have offspring. Learning the punishment prepared by the gods (Oedipus will be the murderer of his father and the husband of his mother), Laios calls a shepherd, ordering him to throw the child into the abyss of the Kithairon mountains.

Act II

Table 1
After 20 years, in Corinth, in the palace of King Polybus and Queen Meropa, the young Oedipus is tormented by what he found out from the oracle in Delphi about his fate: that of being the murderer of his father and taking in marriage to his mother. Merope sends Phorbas to find out the reasons for her son Oedipus' trouble. With difficulty, Oedipe confesses to the queen his fear of having been a foundling. Merope protests, not even knowing that her son had died at birth and had been replaced by Oedipus. Left alone, Oedipus decides to leave his parents, far from Corinth, and fight against the fulfillment of the gloomy prophecy.

Table 2
At a crossroads, Oedipus hesitates to choose a particular path. Laios appears on one of them, who asks him to step aside, insulting him and hitting him with his scepter. Defending himself, Oedipus kills him, under the terrified eyes of the Shepherd.

Table 3
A great misfortune befell the Theban city. A fearsome Sphinx sat at the gates of the city, touching the path of passers-by and forcing them to answer a question. But since no one finds the right answer, people are torn apart by its relentless claws. The guard of the city informs Oedipus that the one who frees Thebes from the Sphinx will also acquire the crown and the beautiful Jocasta, the queen widow of Laios. Oedipus decides to face the monster. To his question, "who is stronger than fate", he answers without hesitation: "Man, man is stronger than fate". The fortress is saved, and the city celebrates its liberator.

Act III

After another 20 years, Thebes is struck by the plague. Creon, Jocasta's brother, announces the verdict of the gods: the plague will stop only after the unmasking and punishment of the murderer of Laios. Oedipus vows to exile the criminal if he surrenders willingly. Jocasta reveals to him the circumstance in which Laios was killed, at a crossroads, thus sneaking into her husband's soul, without her consent, the first suspicion that Oedipus himself is guilty of this murder. The shepherd, called by Creon, reinforces Jocasta's words. When suspicions are even directed at Oedipus and Tiresias points to the king as the murderer, he banishes him from the city, as well as Creon. Telling him about her lost son, Iocasta reinforces his suspicions. When he receives the visit of Phorbas, representative of Corinth, he realizes that Polybos and Meropa were only his adoptive parents. Realizing that Oedipus is his son and the murderer of Laios, Jocasta commits suicide. Oedipus, shocked, gouges out his eyes. Sentenced to exile, he leaves, accompanied by his daughter, Antigone.

Act IV

Near Athens, where the wise king Theseus rules, Oedipus stops, accompanied by Antigone. Creon appears, who, with pretense, offers to return to Thebes, threatened by foreign armies, but Oedipus refuses. Creon tries to kidnap Antigone to get her to follow them. Antigone's cries for help are heard by Theseus, who arrives accompanied by the Athenians. Creon makes one last attempt to discredit Oedipus in the eyes of Theseus. Oedipus protests, accusing the gods who pushed him to commit crimes against his will. Feeling that the moment of his death is approaching, Oedipus proclaims, with full awareness of his innocence, the victory over destiny: "I am innocent! My will was never in my crimes! I beat fate! I defeated the gods!".