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			Anna Bolena
			The Barber of Seville
			The Bartered Bride
			La Cenerentola
			The Marriage of Figaro
			La bohème
			Otello




		Anna Bolena
			Gaetano Donizetti

		Characters


			Anna Bolena, Anne Boleyn, Queen of England, married to King Henry VIII; soprano Enrico VIII, Henry VIII, King of England; bass Giovanna Seymour, Jane Seymour, Lady in Waiting to Anne Boleyn; mezzo-soprano Lord Rochefort, Lord Rocheford, George Boleyn, Anne's brother; bass Lord Riccardo Percy, Lord Richard Percy, a former suitor of Anne's, tenor Smeton, a page and musician in Anne's household; mezzo-soprano Hervey, Harvey, an officer in the King's Service and his confidante; tenor

		Story


			Act I At the great staircase at Windsor Castle a crowd of courtiers discusses the King's growing love for Giovanna Seymour, who soon appears. Giovanna expresses her guilt for betraying the Queen, who is unwitting of Enrico's intentions to displace her. Anna enters to a solemn aria and her page, Smeton, attempts to lift her spirits. The Court withdraws. Giovanna voices her anxiety, but she is interrupted when the King enters and ardently expresses his love for her. Enrico then reveals his desire to expose his unfaithful wife and marry Giovanna. Enrico's plan to entrap Anna begins. The King, who hopes that Percy will provide evidence of Anna's treasonous infidelity, has recalled Anna's childhood love, from exile. Percy meets Anna's brother, Rochefort and professes that the love he felt for Anna is not dead. Meanwhile, outside of the Queen's apartments, Smeton sings of his love for Anna as he gazes at her miniature portrait. As Anna and Rochefort approach, Smeton hides. Rochefort pleads with the Queen to see Percy, and she finally agrees. They meet, but when Anna refuses him, Percy draws his sword to kill himself. The Queen faints. Rochefort rushes in to warn them of Enrico's approach, but the trio is caught in this apparently compromising situation. Smeton tries to convince the King of their innocence, but is betrayed by the portrait of Anna he possesses. The King condemns Anna, Rochefort, Percy, and Smeton to separate cells as Anna's cry "Ah, segnata la mia sorte" (My fate is sealed!) closes the scene. Act II The Queen is imprisoned in the Tower of London. Giovanna goes to Anna's cell and begs her to spare her own life by pleading guilty to an affair with Percy, but Anna refuses. In the course of the dramatic duet that follows, Giovanna confesses her affair with Enrico. Anna generously forgives her. The next scene opens in a vestibule outside the Council Chamber as Anna, the King, and courtiers await word of the Queen's sentence. Smeton, in an attempt to save Anna, falsely confesses that he is her lover. The King passes through and Anna proudly denies the accusations. Enrico is outraged and Percy openly declares his love for Anna as she laments that all hope of her pardon is gone. Giovanna comes to speak on Anna's behalf, but she arrives too late. Lord Hervey enters to announce the Council's unanimous sentence of death for Anna and her accomplices. The prisoners are taken back to the tower of London. Hervey arrives to convey the King's clemency to Percy and Rochefort. They refuse, and choose instead to die at the side of the innocent Queen. In her own chamber, Anna waits for her impending death. She has lost her senses and imagines it to be her happy wedding day instead of her execution. Anna and the conspirators are guided off and the Queen briefly regains her composure. Smeton arrives and admits his false accusation, again in hope of sparing Anna. She again slips into dementia. The firing of a cannon announcing Giovanna as the new queen brings Anna, once again, from her wanderings. As Anna passionately denounces the royal couple, the curtain falls.