page_title: Silla (opera)
section_title: Act 3
hierarchical_section_title: Silla (opera) / Synopsis / Act 3
caption_attribution_description: Italiano: Musei Capitolini. Statua loricata, c.d. "Alessandro", età flavia-traianea. Inventario Sculture S 719.
context_page_description: Silla is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian-language libretto was by Giacomo Rossi. The story concerns the Roman dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla as recounted by Plutarch.
  The opera appears to have been a pièce d'occasion, which may have been performed only once. The music was recycled in Handel's later opera Amadigi di Gaula.
context_section_description: Lepido thanks Metella for rescuing him and announces his intention to assassinate Silla in order to restore Roman freedom. Metella refuses to have anything to do with such a plot against her husband. They receive word that Silla is leaving Rome. While Metella regrets that she has not been able to say good-bye to him, she seizes the opportunity to tell her servant Scabro to take Lepido to his wife Flavia in her prison cell and help her to escape.
  Silla regrets the necessity of leaving Rome without satisfying his desires towards either Celia or Flavia. He attempts to seduce Celia again, but she repulses him and he informs her that her beloved Claudio has been torn alive by wild beasts and leaves her. Celia laments her lover's death and hears an echo of her words - it is Claudio himself, who has been listening. At first she thinks it must be a ghost, but she is then overjoyed to be re-united with the living Claudio.
  More or less the same scenario then occurs in Flavia's prison cell where she awaits death. Silla appears with the bloodstained garment, telling her it is what her husband was wearing when he was shot by arrows, and threatens her with the same fate unless she will yield herself to his lust. She refuses, whereupon Silla storms out. Lepido appears to his wife and at first she too believes she is seeing a ghost, but he reassures her and they express their delight.
  At the port where Silla is embarking to leave Rome, his wife Metella appears to bid him farewell. He expresses his regret at his treatment of her and the couple hope one day they will again be able to be together. Metella watches from the shore as the ship Silla is on flounders in a storm and sinks. Silla escapes the wreck and swims to a nearby island, Metella gets into a little boat, rows out to him and rescues her husband.
  Lepido and Claudio are at the Capitol rallying their supporters for a revolt against Silla's monstrous tyranny when the god Mars appears on a cloud and announces Rome's salvation. Metella leads in her repentant husband, who extends apologies to all for his behaviour and announces his retirement to a small estate where he will live quietly with his wife. Claudio and Celia will now marry. All rejoice in the fortunate outcome of events.
caption: Mars, god of war.
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