About the work
Armide is a tragédie en musique by Christoph Willibald Gluck to a libretto by Philippe Quinault, originally written in 1686 for Jean-Baptiste Lully. Gluck set the text almost unchanged to new music; the opera premiered on 23 September 1777 at the Paris Opéra. It is based on the Armida episode of Torquato Tasso's epic poem 'Jerusalem Delivered' (1581).
Plot
The sorceress Armide falls in love against her will with the crusader knight Renaud, the only man immune to her magic. She eventually keeps him captive in her enchanted palace, but his companions free him. When Renaud leaves her despite her pleading, Armide is left in despair and destroys her palace in fury.
Cultural significance
Gluck himself considered Armide his finest opera, valuing how it gave each character a distinct musical voice. Its premiere fuelled the Parisian rivalry between Gluck's and Niccolò Piccinni's supporters, yet it proved a major success with audiences.