Guillaume Tell ( William Tell ) (Rossini). Lib. by Étienne de Jouy and Hippolyte Louis‐Florent Bis; 4 acts; f.p. Paris 1829, cond. François‐Antoine Habeneck.
Switzerland, 13th cent.: Arnold, son of Melcthal, loves the Habsburg Princess Mathilde. William Tell wants to rid their country of Austrian domination. Leuthold flees from Austrian troops after killing a soldier who assaulted his daughter. He is rowed by Tell across the rapids. No one will reveal Tell's name to the Austrian authorities, who take Melcthal as hostage.
Their governor, Gessler, orders his death and Arnold swears revenge. Tell is recognized as the man who saved Leuthold. Gessler tells him he can save his life by shooting an arrow at an apple placed on the head of his own son, Jemmy Tell. He shoots the apple, but then drops the arrow with which he was going to kill Gessler.
He is imprisoned. As he is being transported by boat, a storm begins and he is freed to control the boat. As they arrive on the shore, Jemmy hands his father a bow which he uses to kill Gessler. Arnold and his soldiers capture the castle and ensure the freedom of their country.
How to cite this entry:
"Guillaume Tell" A Dictionary of Opera Characters. Joyce Bourne. Oxford University Press, 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. 30 August 2011
