In the Prologue, Sole (the Sun) and Amore (Eros) compete over Giasone (Jason), to settle which woman, Isifile (Hypsipyle) or Medea, he will love. In Colchis, Giasone forgets himself in Medea’s company. His friend Ercole (Hercules) reproaches him for his lack of heroic diligence. Indeed, the hero left his first wife, Isifile (queen of Lemnos), to find the Golden Fleece, and he declares his love to his new mistress. As for Medea, she dismisses Egeo (Aegeus), whose love bothers her. Oreste (Orestes) came to inquire about Giasone on behalf of Isifile; he meets the stammerer Demo, who challenges him to a duel and then begs to be his friend, while still imploring him to let himself be beaten because it would make Oreste happy. Medea plays with Giasone and makes him believe that she wants him to marry Delfa, then she declares her love to him, causing bitterness on the nurse Delfa’s part. While Isifile laments the loss of her husband, Medea wards off the spirits to ensure Giasone’s success in his quest for the Fleece. Oreste learns about Giasone’s love for Medea and goes to tell Isifile, whom he finds asleep, dreaming about her husband’s return: he takes advantage of the situation and steals a few kisses from her. When she wakes up, he tells her about Giasone’s betrayal. She orders him to have Giasone killed. Giasone struggles in the Labyrinth, as part of his quest for the Fleece; then he sails to Corinth, with Medea. A love affair develops between Oreste and Alinda, Isifile’s companion. Egeo learns of the lovers’ flight from Demo and decides to follow them. When their ship sinks, Demo believes that he is dead and in a whale’s stomach. Another love affair begins between Alinda and Besso. Oreste tells Giasone that Isifile is looking for him. Giasone tries to distance Medea, who wants to meet her rival, by explaining to her that she is a visionary. Isifile walks in on the romantic duo, interrupting them. To get rid of her, Giasone promises her his love, and he arranges for them to meet in an inn. He gives in to her request for a kiss, as a token of his honesty. Once again, a romantic duo is interrupted: it is Medea’s turn to walk in on Giasone and Isifile. To pacify her, Giasone asks her to meet him too, and promises that Besso will have Isifile killed. To Besso, Giasone demands that the first person to appear be thrown into the sea, no matter if they are man or woman. Egeo, dressed up as a seaman, meets Demo who, still convinced to be dead, mistakes him for a spirit. Suspicious, Medea appears before Besso: captured by Giasone’ soldiers, she believes that her lover has betrayed her. When Isifile arrives, Besso sends her away. Thrown into the water, Medea is rescued by Egeo; she entrusts him with her revenge. Giasone, convinced that Besso carried out his mission, tries to fall asleep, and he dreams of the ghosts of the two women. Egeo tries to kill him, but Isifile prevents him from doing so. She is wrongly accused of the attempted murder, and Egeo runs away. While Besso announces Medea’s death, the latter appears and reveals the whole plot. Then, Egeo’s testimony clears up the situation. Isifile wants to kill herself out of romantic disappointment, but the depth of her feelings wins Giasone back. Everyone, including Medea, can now rejoice.

"On foot and by rod" puppet

Marionette with counterweight

Not specified

Acciaiuoli Filippo (aka Gran Burattinajo)

Apolloni Giovanni Filippo

Italy

Rome

Printed

Greek mythology

Golden Fleece

Love

Jealousy

Shipwreck

Unfaithfulness

Magic

Heroic

Melodramatic

Fantasy

Comical

Il Novello Giasone, 1671 (front cover)

Italian

Jason

Hercules

Confident

Queen

Hypsipyle

Oreste

Lady

Medea

Nurse

King

Aegeus

Servant

Satyre

Spirit

Choir

Argonauts

Soldier

Sailor

Sung play

Love story

Play in verse

Prologue

Cross-dressing

Character mistaken as a member of the other sex

Sword fight

Comic stuttering

Prayer

Magic spell

Apparition of demons

Account of a dream

Monologue

Night scene

Interlude

Apparition of a god

Ballet

Flying machine

Stone throwing

Flying character

Equivocation

Off-stage scream

Off-stage noise

Il Novello Giasone

The New Jason

A Ramoneur (Chimney sweep) falls in the cauldron of the Cuisinière du Roi Noir (The Black King’s Cook), an imposter who murdered his brother the Roi d’Azur (Azure King) and locked up his niece the Princesse d’Azur (Azure Princess) in a cage. Doomed to be cooked in the oven, the Ramoneur is freed by the Corbeau du Roi (King’s Crow) who tells him that the key to the cage where the Princesse is locked up is hidden at the back of the oven. When the Roi Noir discovers that the Ramoneur is still alive, he throws him in the well. The Corbeau asks the Ramoneur to retrieve the Roi d’Azur’s sword at the bottom of the well and to kill the Roi Noir in order to free the Princesse: the Roi Noir threatens the Princesse to kill her if she does not marry him. The Corbeau warns the Roi Noir of the Ramoneur’s intentions, and says that he is invincible; the Roi tells the Corbeau where the royal treasure is hidden to bribe the Ramoneur. The Ramoneur refuses the money, cuts the Roi Noir’s head and frees the Princesse, who wants to marry him in return. The Corbeau lives a happy life with them.