page_title: William Tell (opera)
section_title: Act 2
hierarchical_section_title: William Tell (opera) / Synopsis / Act 2
caption_attribution_description: English: set design for Act Two Guillaume Tell, Rossini
context_page_description: William Tell is a French-language opera in four acts by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Victor-Joseph Étienne de Jouy and L. F. Bis, based on Friedrich Schiller's play William Tell, which, in turn, drew on the William Tell legend. The opera was Rossini's last, although he lived for nearly 40 more years. Fabio Luisi said that Rossini planned for William Tell to be his last opera even as he composed it. The often-performed overture in four sections features a depiction of a storm and a vivacious finale, the "March of the Swiss Soldiers".
  Paris Opéra archivist Charles Malherbe discovered the original orchestral score of the opera at a secondhand book seller's shop, resulting in its being acquired by the Paris Conservatoire.
context_section_description: A hunting party of ladies and gentlemen, accompanied by soldiers, hears the sound of the shepherds returning from the hills as night approaches.  Hearing the Governor's horns, they too take their leave.  Mathilde, however, lingers, believing she has glimpsed Arnold in the vicinity.  She is, like Arnold, anguished by the love she feels for her rescuer, and contemplates it as she sings (Sombre forêt, désert triste et sauvage – "Somber forest, sad and savage wilderness").  Arnold appears, and each confesses to the other their desire for this meeting.  In their duet (Oui, vous l'arrachez à mon âme – "Yes, you wring from my soul"), they recognise their mutual passion, but also the obstacles they face.  Urging him to "return to the fields of glory", Mathilde assures him of the eventual acceptability of his suit, and leaves at the approach of Tell and Walter.  They question Arnold as to why he loves Mathilde, a member of the oppressing Austrians.  Arnold, offended by their spying, declares his intention to continue fighting for the Austrians, and thus gain glory, rather than liberty.  However, when Walter tells him that Gesler has executed his father Melchthal, Arnold vows revenge (Qu'entends-je? ô crime! – "What do I hear? O crime!").
  As the three men affirm their dedication – "to independence or death" – they hear the sound of someone else approaching.  It is the men of the canton of Unterwalden coming to join the fight, and describing their journey in a rather gentle refrain (Nous avons su braver).  In quick succession, they are joined by the men of Schwyz (En ces temps de malheurs) and Uri (Guillaume, tu le vois).  The gathering is complete, and the tone and tempo of the finale rises as the men of the three cantons affirm their willingness to fight or die for the freedom of Switzerland (Jurons, jurons par nos dangers – "Let us swear, let us swear by our dangers").  Plans are made to arm the cantons and to rise up when "the beacons of vengeance burn".
caption: Set design for Act Two by Charles-Antoine Cambon
exif: {}