TO BE READ BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE by John Neumeier

Synopsis
by John Neumeier

PART I
Diana's Sacred Wood

The god of Love descends into the wood and takes on the appearance of Thyrsis a mere shepherd.

Aminta, a real shepherd, enters the sacred wood secretly hoping to find Sylvia, Diana's nymph.

Diana and the nymph-huntresses appear in the wood to take a rest from hunting and to bathe. Sylvia and Aminta meet. Diana and the huntresses discover the tender exchanges between the shepherd and the nymph.

Taken by surprise, Sylvia betrays Aminta.

Left alone, Diana remembers handsome Endymion, doomed to eternal sleep.

At daybreak, the shepherds, their curiosity fired, enter the sacred wood and find Endymion asleep. Love/Thyrsis is with them.

Aminta's heart is broken. He is obsessed by the vision of Sylvia.

Love feels sorry for Aminta. But he takes on the form of handsome Orion in order to seduce Sylvia. She lets herself be led on by him.

PART II
Love/Orion's Party

Sylvia becomes aware of her femininity. She discovers pleasure.

Her sensuality aflame, Sylvia is overwhelmed by the memory of Diana and Aminta.

PART III
Winter

Many years later, Aminta returns to the sacred wood. Sylvia too returns to the sacred wood. They meet. Their love seems to live again for an instant.

Diana observes them. She is tempted to separate them but Love disarms her.

In the end it is life itself that steals Sylvia away from Aminta.

As for Diana, she remains alone, the eternal huntress.