SUMMARY
Gabaston is based on the true story of Edward II and his lover, Piers Gaveston, or, to give him his French name, Pierre de Gabaston. The opera begins when Edward becomes King, and ends with Gabaston’s death. The starting point for the libretto is taken from Marlowe's letter scene where  Edward invites Gabaston home, but after that the opera is freely adapted from the historical record. The central premise of the opera is that of a King who cannot reconcile his own desires with the political needs of his country. Edward is deeply in love with Gabaston and will do anything to keep his lover by his side – and yet Gabaston is disliked by the barons for his arrogant manner and his disproportionate influence over the King. This tension between Edward and his barons leads to an armed rebellion against the King, during which Gabaston is seized, locked up and beheaded.