Aleko. The Miserly Knight. Francesca da Rimini

ALEKO

A band of gypsies has pitched its tents for the night. An old gypsy tells a story. Long ago, he loved Mariula who deserted him for another man, leaving behind Zemfira, their daughter. Zemfira is now grown up, has her own child, and lives with Aleko, a Russian who has abandoned civilisation for the gypsy life.
Aleko is outraged that Zemfira’s father took no revenge on Mariula. But Zemfira disagrees. For her, love is free, and she herself has already tired of Aleko and now loves a younger gypsy.
After dances, the gypsies settle down to sleep. Zemfira appears with her new lover, whom she kisses passionately before disappearing into her own tent to look after her child.
Aleko enters and Zemfira taunts him, singing about her wild lover. Aleko broods on the catastrophe of his relationship and the failure of his attempt to flee the ordinary world.
As dawn comes, Aleko surprises Zemfira and her lover together. In a torment of jealousy he kills them both.
All the gypsies gather, disturbed by the noise. Led by Zemfira’s father, they spare Aleko’s life but cast him out from them forever.

THE MISERLY KNIGHT

Albert is a young knight who is deeply in debt. His father, the wealthy Baron, refuses to support him. A Moneylender denies Albert a loan, but instead offers him poison to murder his father. Albert is appalled at such a suggestion and goes to the Duke to make his appeal.
The Baron descends to his cellars, exultant now because he has accumulated enough gold to fill his sixth and final storage chest, and gloats before them. However, he realizes that if he died soon, his son Albert could then claim the fortune and fritter it away on his sensual pleasures.
Albert has appealed to the Duke for help in obtaining money from his father. Albert hides. The Duke asks the Baron to support his son, but the Baron accuses Albert of wanting to steal from him. Albert then angrily reveals his presence and accuses his own father of lying. The Baron challenges Albert to a duel. The Duke rebukes the father, and banishes the son from his court. However, stressed by this confrontation, the Baron collapses fatally. As the Baron dies, his last request is not for his son, but the keys to his chests of gold.

FRANCESCA DA RIMINI

The ghost of Virgil leads Dante to the Inferno, where the wordless chorus of the damned souls of sinners is heard. Dante asks two such souls, Francesca and Paolo, to tell their story...
In the castle courtyard, Lanceotto Malatesta is about to go off to war. He knows that his wife, Francesca, does not love him. She had been tricked into marrying him by being led to think that she would marry Paolo, Lanceotto’s handsome younger brother. Lanceotto is suspicious of Francesca and envious of Paolo. He plans to set a trap to catch them in adultery. He tells Francesca that he will not return until after the end of battle and laughs when she leaves.
Paolo and Francesca are together, alone. Paolo tells the story of Sir Lancelot and declares his love for Francesca. She resists initially, trying to remain faithful to Lanceotto. They sing of their secret love, and embrace. Lanceotto sees the lovers together and fatally stabs them.
Paolo and Francesca recede into the whirlwind of the second circle. Dante is overcome with pity and terror, and he and Virgil remain with the thought: «There is no greater sadness in the world than to remember a time of joy in a time of grief».