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L'Arianna (Ariadne) was the second opera by Claudio Monteverdi, composed in 1607–08; all the music is lost apart from the extended recitative known as "Lamento d'Arianna", or "Ariadne's Lament" (pictured). One of the earliest operas, it was first performed on 28 May 1608, as part of the musical festivities for a royal wedding at the court of Duke Vincenzo Gonzaga in Mantua. The libretto was written in eight scenes by Ottavio Rinuccini, who used Ovid's Heroides and other classical sources to relate the story of Ariadne's abandonment by Theseus on the island of Naxos and her subsequent elevation as bride to the god Bacchus.The composer later said that the effort of creating the opera almost killed him. The first performance, produced with lavish and innovative special effects, was highly praised, and the work was equally well received in Venice when it was revived under the composer's direction in 1640 as the inaugural work for the Teatro San Moisè. Expressive laments became an integral feature of Italian opera for much of the 17th century. In recent years the "Lamento" has become popular as a concert and recital piece and has been frequently recorded. (Full article...)

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In the news

A heat wave in Pakistan kills more than 700 people.
In golf, Jordan Spieth (pictured) wins the U.S. Open.
Around 22 crewmen are released from a Malaysian tanker after being hijacked nine days earlier.
Pope Francis releases the encyclical Laudato si', in which he calls for action on environmental degradation and climate change.
Nine people, including a state senator, are killed in a mass shooting at a church in Charleston, South Carolina.
In basketball, the Golden State Warriors defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the NBA Finals.
In ice hockey, the Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning to win the Stanley Cup.

Ongoing events:
- FIFA Women's World Cup
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On this day...

June 24: Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Christianity); National Holiday/Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day in Quebec, Canada

1340 – Hundred Years' War: The English fleet commanded by Edward III almost totally destroyed the French fleet at the Battle of Sluys.
1622 – Dutch–Portuguese War: An outnumbered Portuguese force repelled a Dutch attack in the Battle of Macau, the only major military engagement that was fought between two European powers on the Chinese mainland.
1812 – Napoleonic Wars: The French Grande Armée under Napoleon crossed the Neman River, marking the start of their invasion of Russia.
1981 – The Humber Bridge opened, connecting the East Riding of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire in England, at the time the longest single-span suspension bridge.
2010 – Julia Gillard (pictured) assumed office as the first female Prime Minister of Australia.

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Today's featured picture

Moshe Ya'alon (b. 1950) is an Israeli politician and current Defense Minister. The son of a war veteran and a Holocaust survivor, Ya'alon was called up as a reserve during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. After the war, he rejoined the army as an officer and rose through the ranks, leading the Sayeret Matkal commando unit, the Paratroopers Brigade, and Military Intelligence. In 2002 he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, resigning in 2005. Since 2013 he has served as the country's Defense Minister.

Photograph: Reuven Kapuscinski

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