Attila Attila is an opera in a prologue and three acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera, based on the 1809 play “Attila, King of the Huns” performed in 1809 by Zacharias Werner. The opera received its first performance in Venice, on March 17th, 1846. Synopsis PROLOGUE Scene 1. The main square in Aquileia. Attila and his victorious horde celebrate the victory and the conquest of the city. The leader of the imprisoned women-fighters, Odabella, impresses Attila. She is the daughter of the master of Aquileia, killed by Attila. The Roman general and envoy approach Attila with a proposal for him to rile the rest of the Roman Empire, and to leave Italy in peace. Attila rejects the proposal convinced in his power. Scene 2. Adriatic bays, where the refugees from Aquileia hide, after the military defeat. The refugees’ leader is Foresto, who impatiently looks for opportunity to free his loved one Odabella from the captivity of Attila. I ACT Scene 1. Wood, outside Rome, near Attila’s camp, night time. Odabella prepares a plan to allegedly join Attila’s army in order to use the opportunity to revenge her father and her lover Foresto, believing the latter to be dead. After receiving information that Foresto is alive, they secretly meet, and Foresto accuses her of betrayal. However, she succeeds to convince him that her purpose was to follow the example of the biblical heroes – the Jews and to save her people, by killing Attila herself. Scene 2. Attila’s tent. Attila dreams of an old man, whom he does not recognize, who warns him to stop the waging war and the plan to conquer Rome. Scene 3. Attila’s camp. Attila, confident in his power, disregards the old man's advice from the dream and gathers his army to attack. Before the start of the march, at the moment when the army approaches its target – Rome – they encounter a procession led by the pope Leo whom he recognizes as the old man of his dream. At the same time, two ghosts with fire swords appear in the sky which put intense and upsetting impression on Attila. He is petrified. II ACT Scene 1. Ezio’s camp near Rome. The emperor Valentine wishes a truce with Attila and calls for his general Ezio for counselling and asks him to conduct negotiations. Ezio does not respond to the call, refers to Rome's past glory and joins forces with Foresto in order to create resistance and kill Attila. Scene 2. Attila’s camp. The king of the Huns is holding a banquet in honour of the truce. Foresto with his people secretly organizes the murder of Attila, but Odabella stops him for she wishes to kill Attila herself. She warns Attila that in the goblet full of wine there is a strong poison and asks to punish Foresto herself. Actually, thus she wants to save her love and to save him from Attila's wrath. Grateful, Attila declares that Odabella shall be his wife. III ACT Forest, near Attila’s camp. Foresto and Ezio prepare to attack Attila. Thinking that Odabella has betrayed him, Foresto is furious. Odabella flees Attila’s camp and joins Foresto and Ezio and convinces her love that she is innocent. Bitter, Attila starts looking for Odabella, but falls into the skilfully set ambush. There is a ferocious fight where Foresto personally attacks Attila, but Odabella stabs Attila first, with her sword, freeing her people as the biblical heroine Judith.
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