Overture Behold! auspicious flashes rise Lucky omens bless our rites Daughter, obey, hear and obey Ah me! What refuge now is left me?/ O Jove! in pity teach me which to choose The morning lark to mine accords his note See, she blushing turns her eyes Hymen, haste, thy torch prepare Alas! she yields, and has undone me Why dost thou thus untimely grieve Avert these omens, all ye pow'rs! Again auspicious flashes rise Thy aid, pronubial Juno, Athamas implores! Cease, cease your vows, 'tis impious to proceed O Athamas, what torture hast thou borne! Turn, hopeless lover, turn thy eyes She weeps! Your tuneful voice my tale would tell Too well I see, thou wilt not understand me You've undone me/ With my life I would atone Ah, wretched prince, doom'd to disastrous love!/ Wing'd with our fears and pious haste/ O prodigy, to me of dire portent!/ See, see, Jove's Priests and holy Augurs come Hail, Cadmus, hail! Endless pleasure, endless love Sinfonia Iris, impatient of thy stay There from mortal cares retiring No more- I'll hear no more!/ Awake Saturnia from thy lethargy Hence, Iris, hence away O sleep, why dost thou leave me? Let me not another moment bear the pangs of absence Lay your doubts and fears aside You are mortal and require time to rest With fond desiring How engaging, how endearing Ah me/ Why sighs my Semele? I must with speed amuse her Now Love that everlasting boy invites By my command Where'er you walk Dear sister, how was your passage hither? But hark! the heav'nly sphere turns round Prepare then, ye immortal choir Bless the glad earth with heav'nly lays Larghetto e piano per tutto Somnus, awakem raise thy reclining head! Leave me, loathsome light Dull God, canst thou attend the water's fall More sweet is that name My will obey, she shall be thine Obey my will/ All I must grant My racking thoughts by no kind slumbers freed Thus shap'd like Ino Behold in this mirror O ecstasy of happiness Myself I shall adore Be wise, as you are beautiful Conjure him by his oath Thus let my thanks be paid Rich odours fill the fragrant air Come to my arms, my lovely fair O Semele! Why art thou thus insensible?/ I ever am granting, you always complain Speak, speak your desire By that tremendous flood, I swear You'll grant what I require?/ Then cast off this human shape Ah, take heed what you press No, no! I'll take no less Ah! wither is she gone! Above measure is the pleasure, which my revenge supplies Ah me! too late now I repent Of my ill-boding dream Oh, terror and astonishment! How I was hence remov'd Despair no more shall wound me See from above the bellying clouds descend Sinfonia Apollo comes, to relieve your care Happy, happy we shall be