Rodelinda
Synopsis

Act I

Rodelinda is in the depths of despair. She has lost her husband, Bertarido, the king of Lombardy, who has been deposed and whom she believes to be dead, and is worried about her own future and that of her son Flavio. Grimoaldo, who has usurped Bertarido's throne, wants to marry Rodelinda, but she furiously rejects him.

Grimoaldo turns to Garibaldo for advice as to the best method of ridding himself of Eduige, Bertarido's sister to whom he is betrothed, in order to marry Rodelinda. Garibaldo advises him to treat both women more firmly.

Eduige accuses Grimoaldo of being both arrogant and fickle. Grimoaldo responds by reminding her that she once rejected his suit and that he has now decided to wed someone else. Angry at being thus despised, Eduige seeks support from Garibaldo, who sees his chance of gaining power through an alliance with Eduige.

Bertarido has returned secretly. The sight of his own tomb, erected to lend credence to the rumour that he is dead, fills him with bitterness and at the same time makes him long all the more for Rodelinda. He learns from his loyal follower Unulfo that Rodelinda also believes him to be dead. They both look on as she and Flavio come to the tomb to lay a wreath there. Unulfo prevents Bertarido from approaching Rodelinda. Garibaldo takes the mourners by surprise and seizes Flavio in order to put pressure on Rodelinda and force her to agree to marry Grimoaldo. Rodelinda threatens Garibaldo that she will demand that he be beheaded as a gift to mark her marriage. Garibaldo makes sure that Grimoaldo will protect him. Bertarido is distraught and horrified at what he considers to be Rodelinda's disloyalty. He plans to wait until her wedding day and then show her up by returning to court.

Act II

Eduige and Garibaldo each try to use the other in the interest of gaining power. Garibaldo urges her to marry him, but Eduige will not give her final consent as she cannot forget Grimoaldo. She sees in Rodelinda a rival and threatens to do all in her power to be revenged on Grimoaldo and bring about his downfall. Grimoaldo's happiness on learning that Rodelinda has agreed to marry him is soon marred when she demands that he should kill her son Flavio first, as she cannot be the mother of the rightful heir to the throne and the wife of the usurper at the same time. Were Grimoaldo to agree to this, he would be considered to be a brutal tyrant and lose standing in the eyes of the world. Unulfo warns him against agreeing, whereas Garibaldo tries to persuade him that he must demonstrate his power by remaining intransigent and severe. But Grimoaldo does not hear what they are saying, he is completely in the grip of his lovesickness.

Unulfo wants to assure Bertarido that Rodelinda is faithful. He and Eduige come across Bertarido, and Eduige immediately recognizes in him her brother. Eduige and Unulfo are able to convince Bertarido to make himself known to his wife and to rescue her and his son Flavio from Grimoaldo's power. Unulfo arranges the meeting, but the united couple are surprised by Grimoaldo, who accuses Rodelinda of having feigned grief and faithfulness in order to be able to take a new lover. Bertarido discloses his identity. Rodelinda tries to protect him by insisting that he is not her husband, but Grimoaldo has his rival taken prisoner and threatens to have him killed. Rodelinda and Bertarido believe that they will never see each other again and say their last farewells.

Act III

Bertarido's arrest has completely changed Eduige. She wants to rescue her brother and gives Unulfo the key to the dungeon in which he is being kept. Unulfo is to help his master escape.
Eduige realises that she has been blinded by hunger for power and hopes to be able to ease her conscience by rescuing Bertarido and his family.
Garibaldo urges Grimoaldo to have his rival killed as soon as possible. Grimoaldo, however, is so sick with love and jealousy that he is unable to think clearly.

Bertarido is in despair at the hopelessness of his situation. When a knife is secretly passed to him, he lashes out violently in his anger and accidently wounds Unulfo, who has come to help him to escape. In spite of being wounded, Unulfo manages to find enough strength to escape with his master. All that Rodelinda and Eduige find when they arrive on the scene are Bertarido's jacket and a trace of fresh blood. From this they assume that Bertarido has already been killed and Rodelinda breaks down in despair.

Grimoaldo is tortured by jealousy, hate and love and Garibaldo sees this as the opportunity to kill him. Bertarido prevents him from doing so and Garibaldo becomes the victim of his own schemeing. Grimoaldo realizes that his rival has saved his life and in gratitude renounces the throne and plans to return to Eduige. Bertarido, Rodelinda and Flavio are reunited.