ACT I: Morning
Scene 1 – The Labyrinth
In the ruins of the labyrinth, where the Athenian King Theseus has vanquished the Minotar, echoes resound and create the new story of Phaedra and Hippolyt.

Scene 2 – Edge of the Forest
Hippolyt leaves to go hunting.  His stepmother Phaedra wanders at dawn full of shame and desire – for she is in love with Hippolyt her stepson.  With self-loathing driving her to suicide, she takes a shard of glass and attempts to slit her wrists.  The goddess Aphrodite, who is also in love with Hippolyt, stops Phaedra from taking her own life.  Aphrodite is jealous of the Goddess Artemis, who is the sole object of Hippolyt’s desire, and vows revenge.

Scene 3 – Thicket
As they wander through the thicket, Phaedra and Aphrodite discover Hippolyt sleeping.  When he wakes, Phaedra confesses her love to him.  Artemis steps out of the woods.  Hippolyt is outraged with his stepmother and brutally pushes her away; he only has eyes for Artemis.  Phaedra’s love quickly turn to hate and she and Aphrodite unite in their rage.  Phaedra grabs Hippolyt’s knife and again tries to slit her wrists but Aphrodite is able to stop her once more.

Scene 4 – The Snare
In retaliation for her rejection, Phaedra writes a letter to her husband Theseus saying that his son Hippolyt has raped her.

Scene 5 – The Death of Hippolyt
Artemis reports that Theuses believed Phaedra’s letter and asked the sea god Poseidon to help him kill Hippolyt.  Poseidon bids the resurrected Minotaur to rise from the sea and frighten the horses pulling Hippolyt’s chariot, who shied and throw him to the rocks.  As Armetis sings, the fatally wounded Hippolyt stubbles toward her.  Then, with the sound of a trap door, Phaedra hangs herself as the Minotaur dances in the background.

ACT II: Evening
Scene 1 – Do you remember who you were?
Artemis brings Hippolyt’s body to a grove in Nemi.  She brings him back to life and locks him in a cage, giving him the new name Virbius (meaning man-twice).  Phaedra rises from the Underworld as a bird and mocks Hippolyt.

Scene 2 – When do the dead approach you, Hippolyt?
As a storm brews, Aphrodite appears and claims Hippolyt for the Underworld.  Phaedra and Aphrodite try to lure Hippolyt but Artemis catches him in a net and hides him in a cave.

Scene 3 – In the Mirror
Hippolyt crouches by a pool in the cave looking at his reflection and does not know who he is.  He dreams of a far away garden.  Phaedra tries once more to lure him into the Underworld.  Frightened, Hippolyt pushes Phaedra away and runs from the cave as an earthquake strikes.

Scene 4 – King of the Forest
Hippolyt is resurrected as the King of the Forest.  The past and the future are blurred in a dance.