Goyescas synopsis

The opera is set in Goya’s Madrid in 1800. The curtain rises on a fine day in the Campo del Florida. A group of majas (young women of Madrid) are amusing themselves by tossing a pelele (a straw figure) in a blanket, as depicted in Goya’s El Pelele. They are admired by a corresponding group of majos (young men of Madrid), prominent among them the toreador Paquiro, who offers the girls elaborate compliments. Unheard and unseen at this point, Fernando, a Captain in the Guardias Reales and socially a cut above the others, is waiting for his beloved Rosario.

The second scene begins with the arrival not of Rosario but of Paquiro’s girlfriend Pepa who, as in Goya’s La Calesa, enters in a dog cart. The majos greet her with enthusiasm and, flattered by their attentions, she seems not to notice that Paquiro is rather less enthusiastic than the others. His declining passion is confirmed by his reaction when he catches sight of Rosario approaching, as befits her superior station, in a sedan chair.

The ensuing conversation between Rosario, Fernando and Paquiro is not as civilised as Goyas’s Los Requiebros, the source of this third scene, might suggest. Paquiro reminds Rosario that they were once at a lantern-lit ball together and promptly invites her to another this very day. His familiar attitude ignites the jealousy of Fernando, who declares that she will indeed go to that humble ball but with him and not Paquiro. Attempting to calm her lover’s anger, Rosario is uncomfortably aware of what the consequences of a confrontation between Fernando and Paquiro might well be. Rosario and Fernando leave the scene and the majas and majos go back to their games with the pelele.

The second tableau takes place at the lantern-lit ball (Goya’s El baile del candil). Inevitably, while the orchestra is busy with a fandango, Fernando’s arrogance and Paquiro’s intransigence, mischievously encouraged by Pepa, inflame the situation to such an extent that the crowd eventually has to separate them. Rosario faints and in the confusion the two men agree to meet later to settle matters. As Rosario leaves supported by Fernando, the others resume their fandango.

Set in the moonlit garden of Rosario’s palace, the last tableau is concerned only with Rosario and Fernando. In the first scene (corresponding to Goya’s La maja y el ruiseñor) Rosario finds herself in solitary communion with the nightingale whose amorous but melancholy song so eloquently reflects her own state of mind. She goes inside and waits by a window for Fernando. He enters the garden and, recovering from his jealousy, joins her in a passionate duet by way of the window grille (Goya’s Dúo de amor en la reja). Reminded by Paquiro’s passing figure of their meeting, however, Fernando tears himself away from Rosario to follow him. She runs after them in alarm. Her worst fears are confirmed in the final scene (Goya’s El amor y la muerte) where she returns with the mortally wounded Fernando and he dies in her arms.