Semele

Act I

Semele, the daughter of Cadmus, is about to marry Athamas but yearns for the god Jupiter, who has appeared to her in the guise of an eagle. She calls upon him to prevent the marriage.

There are loud peals of thunder and the wedding guests flee. Semele’s sister Ino is left alone with Athamas and confesses her own secret love for him. Cadmus returns with the news that Semele has been carried off by Jupiter in the form of a gigantic eagle.

Act II

Jupiter’s wife Juno is suspicious and has sent her messenger Iris to find out what is going on. Iris informs her that Jupiter has put Semele in a palace high up on a mountain, guarded by two dragons that never sleep.

In the meantime, Semele is having a blissful period of love with Jupiter, although she is also aware of their differences: she is mortal while he is an immortal god. When she shares her wish for immortality with him, Jupiter tries to distract Semele from these thoughts by arranging a visit from her sister Ino.

Act III

Juno wakes Somnus, the god of sleep, and asks him to help stupefy Jupiter’s dragons. This lets Juno carry out her plan: she takes on Ino’s appearance and convinces Semele to force Jupiter to reveal himself to her in his true form, that of the ‘Mighty Thunderer’, as the only way for Semele to become immortal.

Semele first makes Jupiter swear to fulfil her wish and then puts her request to him. He knows the consequences and tries in vain to change her mind. Overwhelmed by Jupiter’s true form, Semele realises her mistake too late and his apparition destroys her. Although the people are mourning Semele, the wedding festivities resume – this time for Ino and Athamas. The voice of the god Apollo announces the birth of the god Bacchus, son of Semele and Jupiter.