Haydn’s Armida was written in 1783 and, in the composer’s own words, was considered his finest operatic work. Armida was also a favorite at the Eszterháza Court Theatre, where it premiered in 1784 and received an astounding fifty-four performances over six years. Set during the era of the Crusades, this opera seria focuses on the psychological conflict between love and duty in a time of war. Armida retells the story of Torquato Tasso’s Renaissance poem “Jerusalem Delivered.” Rinaldo, a knight of the Crusades, is lured into temptation by the powerful sorceress Armida who falls in love with him.