117046
REFERENCE USE ONLY
UNIVERSITY
MUSICA
ENCYCLQ
UNIVERSITY
MUSICAL
ENCYCLOPEDIA
CHIEF EDITOR
LOUIS C. ELSON
New England Conservatory of Music
In Ten
Vol. I. A History of Music: Primitive,
Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Euro-
pean
Vol. II. A History of Music: Music in
America; Special Articles
Vol. III. Great Composers
Vol. I V. Great Composers (Continued)
Vol. V. Religious Music of the World
Vol. VI* Vocal Music and Musicians: The
Vocal Art; Great Vocalists; Famous
Songs
VoL VI L The Opera; History and Guide.
Vol. VIII. The Theory of Music; Piano
Technique
VoL IX, University Dictionary of Music
and Musicians
VoU X, University Dictionary of Music
and Musicians (Continued)
The UNIVERsSlTY SOCIETY
PUBLISHERS
UNIVERSITY
MUSICAL
ENCYCLOPEDIA
THE OPERA:
HISTORY AND
GUIDE
Containing Detailed Plots of the
Principal Operas
Jty Marty Ertthtfnt Edit en* Experts* and Special
Contributors, including
LILLIAN NORDIC A,
GUSTAV KQBBK,
E. MARKHAM LEE,
CHARLES ANNESLEY, and
FRANZ CHARLEY
THE UNIVKRSITY SOCIETY
NEW YORK
Copyright, 1012
By THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY Inc
Copyright, 1910
By THE UNivfttisiTY SOCIKTY
CONTENTS
THE OPERA HISTORY AND GUIDE
PAGE
ORIGIN AXD DEVELOPMENT OF OPERA i
PHASES OF OPERATIC ..HISTORY, AND
MISCELLANY
ENGLISH OPERA FROM THE EIGHTEENTH TO THE
PRESENT CENTURY 17
SLAVONIC OPERA 22
OPERA TO-DAY IN ITALY, GERMANY, AND FRANCE 27
THE CHIEF OPKRA HOUSES OF THK WORLD 35
( >FFSHOOTS AND CURIOSITIKS OF OPERA 45
THE TASK OF THK PRIM A DONNA 66
By Lillian Nordica
WARNER'S PERSONALITY 72
I*y tiustav Kobbc
THE BUSINESS SIDB OF GRAND OPERA 86
tty Gustav Kobbc
STORIES OF THE OPERAS
UmON FROM THK SERAGLIO, TlIE 163
TAINK - 101
A'WA . *<H
,, tt , 106
V
CONTENTS
FRITZ
ARMIDE
BALLO IN MASCHERA, UN .....................
BALLO IN MASCUKRA, OR GUSTAVUS THE THIRD.
BARDER UF BAGDAD, Tin-; ......................
BARKER OF SEVILLE, TIIK .....................
HARDIER VON BAGDAD, L)EI< ....................
BARHIERE DI SEVHILIA, Ii ......................
BARTERED BRIDE, THE ........................
HAT, TIIK ..................................
BEIDI<:N SCHUTZ.EN, DTK .......................
BLACK. DOMINO, THE ........................
Bon KM E, 1 ,A ................................
BOHEMIAN GIRL, THE ........................
CARM EN ....................................
CAVALLEKIA RITSTU-ANA ......................
Cn>. LE ....................................
CONTKS n'liOKFMANX, I.KS .................. . .
C<>S1 KAN TUTTK ..............................
CRICKET ON THE 1 1 EARTH, THK ................
CXAR AXD C'ARrKXTKR ........................
CZAR CTND /IMMERMANN' ......... . ...........
DAME HLANC-HK, I -A ..........................
DAM NATION I>E FATST. LA ...................
DAUGHTER OF THE KK<;IMKNT, THK ............
DtNORAtr .................................. .
DOMINO NOIK, I-K ........... . , .............. .
DON C IIOVAN MX .............................
DON JTJAN ............................... . .
DON PASQUAT-K .............................
DRAOONS DK V'n.LARs, I-KS ....................
KLEKTRA ....... . ......... , . , . , ..... , ......
KNTFf'lIRrNG Al'S PEM SKRA1I DlE ............
ERN AN r .......................... . ..... ....
FALSTAKF .................................. 171
I *Al TST ............................. . ....... t 7^
C >r ............ * .......... . ......... i ?n
CONTENTS vii
_, PAGE
FlDELIO 178
FIGLIA DEL REGGIMENTO, LA 181
FIRE FAMINE, THE 176
FLEDERMAUS, DIE 183
FLIEGENDE HOLLANDER, DER 187
KLVING DUTCHMAN, THE 187
FUA DIAVOLO 190
FREISCIIUTZ, DER 192
FRIEND FRITZ 107
( TKNOVKVA 196
GoTTERDAMMERUNG 198
GUILLAUME TELL 202
Gl. T STAVl!8 THE TlTIRD 1 14
HANS UEILING 204
HANSEL ITND GRETEI 207
1 IKIMCHKN AM IfERi> t DAS 211
HKRMJT'S HELL, THE 157
I IOKKMANN'S TALKS 137
J 1 UGUENOTS, LKS 214
IPHIGKNIB KN AIJLIDK 217
I PHIGENTK KN TAURIDE 2Ip
JKWKSS, THE 223
JONGLKUR DM NoTRE-DAMK, I-K 221
JOSEPH 222
Ju(;<*,LER OK NOTRK-DAMK, THE 221
JTIVK, LA 223
KoNKiix VON SAHA, DIE 226
I-OHKNCJRIN 229
LOITISK 232
LIUMA ni LAM MKUMOOK 235
LrCRK&IA PxiRGIA 236
LusTir.KNT WKUIKR vox WINDSOR, DIE 238
M ACCAMKKS, THK 240
Tvl ADAMK IUTTTKRKLV ^43
MACK* Fume, THK 361
M ANON 248
MANKU 253
MARKIAOK OF I^IOARO, THM 270
MARTHA
viii CONTENTS
PAGE
MASANIELLO, OR LA MUETTE DE PORTICT ........ 258
MASKED BALL, A ............................ IT r
MEFLSTOFELE ............................... 2^0
MEISTERSINGER VON NURNBKR<I ? Due ........... 2(13
M ERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, TILE ............... -y<X
MIGNON .................................... 2( >< i
MUETTE DE PORTICI, LA ...................... 125^
NORM A .................................... 21 S
Nozzic DI FIGARO, LE ......................... 270
NUREMBERG DOLL, THE ....................... -273
NURNHERGER PlJPl'E, DlE ..................... -273
OBERON .................................... -2/ h
ORI< EO ED FAJRIPK'E
OTKLLO
PACSI-IACCI, I
PARSIFAL .............................
PAUL AND VIRGINIA .......................... j#)
PELLEAS ET Al ELISANDK ...... . ............... 2<>j
PHILEMON ET I>AUCIS ........................ <jg4
PIIK OF DESIRE, THE ......................... jtjo
POIA ....................................... j<>)
POSTILION ov LoNGjt:MKAi\ TIIK .............. 3<>r
PURITAN i, 1 ................................. 300
(JUEKN OK SllRlU, THE ....................... A&
RHKINOOLD, DAS ......... . * , , * .............. 307
Ri(H)LKTTO ....................... . ..... * . . . , 310
UoBKRT LK DlAULK ........................... $\
KOI I/A WIT, LK .................... . ......... ^15
ROMEO BT JULIKTTK .......................... $U)
SALOME ................... . ......... . ...... 3**o
SAMSON KT DALILA ....... . .................. ^j i
SJKWRIKD ......................... . ........
TANNH AUSKR ............................... *7
THAIS ..................................... ^jn
TTKFLAND .................. . ............. * , 3^4
TOSCA T LA ............................... f . , 330
TRAVIATA, LA ............................ , 341
CONTENTS ix
PAGE
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE 343
TROVATORE, IL 345
TWILIGHT OF THE GODS 198
Two GUARDSMEN, THE 121
VALKYRS, THE 353
VAMPIRE, THE 347
VERKAUFTE BRAUT, DIE 350
WALKURE, DIE 353
WKRTIIKR 356
WILLIAM TELL 202
ZAMPA 359
ZAUliEUFLOTE, DlE 361
INDEX OF COMPOSERS
ADAM, Anor-Pins CHARLES:
Die Ntirnbertfer Puppe ............................. 273
The Postilion of Longjumeau ...................... 301
ALUKKT, EUGEN p f :
'Holland ........................................... 334
AritKR, DANIKL I". E. :
Hallo in Maschcra, or Gustavus the Third ........... ,114
Le domino noir .................................... 150
Kra Diavolo ...................................... 190
Masanidlo, or La Mucttc do Portici ................ 258
HAI.I-'K, MICHAKL \VM-LIAM:
The Holu'mian (Jirl ................................. 128
c; VAN:
178
I Puritan! ......................................... 306
La Soufiambula . .................................. 3<*6
PJKRI.KI?:, HK<*TOR:
Lu I tamnatitm dc l**aust ............................ H7
PilXKT, ClH<)K<JKS:
i'arnu'ii ..................... . ..................... 130
M)iKtT, KRANCJOIS ADRIKN:
La dumc blandic .................................. *44
xii CONTENTS
RUBIJSTSTEIN, ANTON: FAC:R
The Maccabees .................................... J.|c;
SAINT-SAENS, CHARLKS CAMILLK :
Samson et Dalila .................................. ,Vi
SCHUMANN, ROBERT:
Genove\a ......................................... i<x
SMICTANA, FRIKDRICH:
Die Verkauftc Braut ............................... 351
STRAUSS, Jon ANN:
Die Kk'dcriiuuis ................................... ify
STRAUSS, RICHARD:
Klcktra ........................................... iM
Feuersnot ........................................ i;*'
Salome .................................. . ......... J|-!i!
TCHAIKOVSKY, PKTKR ILYITCH :
luigeu Onc&in ....................... * ............. i'>8
THOMAS, AMUROISK:
Migwm .............................. ....... . , . . J(rf (
THOMAS, ARTHUR OORIXC; :
Esmerahlu ........ . ---- . ....... * ............ , ..... 1^7
VKRDI, (JursKrpi-::
Aula ............................................. 104
Un Hallo in Masdu'ra.. ....................... .,,.. m
Krnani .............................. . . . ....... * . . I'M
FuistaiY ........................................... 171
La Traviata
II Trovatnre
WACJNKR, RICHAKO:
Ijcr FlicKvndc liotlantltT
(i(ittenlamiiuTung
Lohengrin v , . .' ....... ,
1 )ic McMStcrsinxer von
I *ar.si fal
Dan Rhoingold
Tannhihiscr . , *
Tristan ml Isolde
Die Walktire
WBBKR, KARL M. VON :
Dor
Oln-ron
CONTENTS xiii
ADDITIONAL OPERAS
PAGE
FAXCTULLA DHL WKST, LA 365
GlKL OF THK GoI.DKN WlSST, TlIE 365
KlNV.LY ClI ILDRKX 369
KoNir.SKINDKR 369
NATO MA 373
COMPOSERS
I FKRBKRT, VICTOR :
Natoma 373
IlrMPKKnrxcK, KNOKI-BKRT:
KoiiigskimU'r 369
PUCCINI, GIACOMO:
Fanciulla del West, La 365
THE OPERA
HISTORY AND GUIDE
THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF
OPERA
TTHE term "opera," derived, or rather abbreviated,
* from the words opera in musica (works in music
i.e., a musical work), is only a convenient title that
has found favor by its brevity and through lack of a
better. Translate it and read "works," and we see
that it is a meaningless term in all else than that it
is something created.
And what is this "something" that has been created,
that is in people's mouths so often, and that we desig-
nate by the word opera? The least cultured will be
able to answer that it is a work for the stage, in which
music plays a prominent part; that it is this, and some-
thing more, must be shown as we study its rise and
development.
Since ordinary feelings or emotions are by no
means naturally expressed by musical sounds, opera
must be adtnittecl to be a thing of artificiality. Some
will ask: Since the introduction of music into a dra-
matic work admits an unreal element into that which
a THE OPERA
might otherwise receive a natural interpretation, how
can its existence be justified? The answer is: What-
ever may be the feelings or actions to be expressed by
the stage characters, proper and suitable music will
express them with far greater intensity and far greater
power than will spoken words or mere gesture. Such
are the emotional qualities of the art of music that a
phrase of quite ordinary significance in words may be-
come, if wedded to expressive music, a thing of beauty
and life; an emotional feeling may be roused in the
auditor that the mere spoken word could never have
touched. In the case of words that may themselves
contain beautiful ideas, their loveliness can IK* greatly
enhanced by the addition of music, their meaning in-
tensified, their impressiveness doubled.
Artificial, then, as opera is, and must be, it can
justify its artificiality* A drama is put upon the stage*
and in order that its situations, its sentiments, and its
meaning may be more fully expounded, music i* called
in to elucidate, to express, and to beautify* Admitting
the possibility of this which no one who has the lea^t
feeling for music, or who is at all moved emotionally
by the art of sweet sounds, can deny \ve find that
opera justifies its existence, despite its unreality and
its unlikencss to life.
But not all opera is sung throughout- There arc
many musical works under this name having spoken
dialogue. Justification for these is more diiikult, for
it may be readily understood that one form of expres-
sion should be used throughout, and that this lUtHlifuHl
form of opera (known as singspid), being neither one
tiring nor the other, is a hybrid form* which rvaHy has
no right of admission to the title cf opera at all, The
HISTORY AND GUIDE 3
fact that it is often effective and highly popular hard-
ly excuses its violation of art-form. So many plays
of this kind with musical numbers were written at a
certain period of the history of the art, and classed as
operas, that their claims cannot be overlooked; but
modern taste in opera demands that one medium of
expression be made use of throughout, and thus a re-
turn has been made to the early and more artistic
form of opera in mitsica the true form, of which the
singspicl is only an offshoot.
An opera, then, is a play designed for the stage, with
scenery, costumes, and action used as accessories as
in all stage plays, but with the additional use of music
to intensify the meanings of the lines uttered by the
characters, to heighten the effect produced by the other
combined arts, and to add an emotional element that
might otherwise be lacking.
It is a curious and interesting fact that the birth of
opera should be due more or less to accident, and
should owe its origin to a group of amateurs; but so
it is, and to the blind gropings in the dark after a
something (they knew not what) of a small circle of
polished scholars we owe the form of opera as we
have it to-day.
It is impossible to trace back to the earliest times
the addition of music to a stage play; but from the
constant references to the use of the art made by the
Greek poets, we know that it was a handmaid to the
drama from very early days. Tn the Middle Ages, as
there is plenty of evidence to show, at certain stated
intervals in the antrse of the drama music was intro-
duced ; but such music was written in the Church style
of the period, and had no significance of its own.
4 THE OPERA
It was the annoying and incongruous presentation
of polyphonic music (written in strict contrapuntal
style, and in the Church manner) with the perform-
ance of dramas, in which such music was utterly out
of place, that led the group of amateurs to search for
a more suitable means of clothing the dramatic ideas
and stage situations.
This band of dilettanti is generally known by the
name of the "Palazzo Uardi" coterie, from the fact
that their chief representative was a certain C'ount
Bardi, and that their meetings were usually held at
his palace in Florence. This city, at the period of
which we write (the last part of the sixteenth cen-
tury), was highly interested in the masterpieces of
literary antiquity, more especially in the magnificent
dramas of the older Greek poets* Although the I'lor*
entities knew that these tragedies had some form of
musical accompaniment, they were quite in the dark as
to what that music was. They felt, however, that the
one prevalent kind of music of their day sacred music
was by no means adequate for the expression of tlu
ideas to be represented. The Bardi amateurs there-
fore turned the steps of their native musicians toward
other paths, and induced them to write ntu<ic of a kind
which they believer! to be dramatically lit ami suitable.
That this music was a failure does not matter in tin:
least, for although it was unable to give any genuine
idea of what these enthusiasts sought a reproduction
of Greek tragedy consistent with its original form- -it
invented a new medium and method of expression, of
which composers soon availed themselves in setting to
music the dramatic productions of the day.
The first of these curly composers to achieve sue-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 5
cess in this field was Peri, who produced in 1594 (or
1597) "Dafne/' and a few years later (1600) "Eurid-
ice." "Dafne" was semiprivately performed, but
"Euridice" was put before the world, and achieved
such success that its method and style of composition
were soon taken as models for stage music. Hence
the date 1600 is assigned as that of the birth of real
opera. The same year also witnessed the production
of the first real oratorio, as we now understand the
term.
Peri led the way ; others followed. Within a decade
Northern Italy produced a whole school of writers
who had grafted their ideas on those of the composer
of "Euridice," chief among them being Caccini, who
won great fame in the new style. But the chief merit
must be accorded to Peri, for it is to him that we
owe the invention of the dramatic recitative ; that is to
say, instead of coupling the dialogue to music that
might have been designed for the Church, as his pred-
ecessors had been content to do, he endeavored in his
operas to allow the singing voice to depict the ideas
expressed by inflections such as would be made by
the speaking voice under similar circumstances.
Thus was opera, in our modern meaning of the term,
begun, and this, too, on a proper, logical, esthetic basis.
It was in 1600 a new form, an untried and questionable
innovation; but it contained the elements of strength
ancl endurance, and by rapid steps grew and developed,
until within a few years all other methods of accom-
panying stage plays by music were obsolete, and the
new monodic style held unquestioned sway.
Opera in Italy, after its initial stages, as represented
by the works of Peri and Caccini, fell under the com-
6 THE OPERA
manding sway of Monteverde, of whom we shall
further speak.
Monteverde was followed by his pupil Cavalli, who
worked in Venice, and who improved the recitative ; in
his operas, male sopranos (castrati) were first em-
ployed on the stage a practice in vogue for many
years subsequently. Cavalli also foreshadowed the
aria, or set melody, soon to become so prominent a
feature of Italian opera. Among other prominent
composers of this period are Cesti and Logronxt, Cal-
dara and Vivaldi.
These men, however, stand completely overshadowed
by that colossus of early opera, Alessandro Scarlatti.
Naples was the scene of his activity, and here he wrote,
among countless other compositions, over one hundred
operas, most of which made their mark, In Scarlatti
we have the turning-point between antiquity and mo-
dernity in stage music. His great genius for melody
caused him to modify very considerably the ->tif'f.
though dramatically correct* recitative of earlier com-
posers, and to substitute beautiful., if sometimes in-
appropriate, airs in its place.
In this dangerous method of exalting th< 4 nuiMt* at
the expense of the other arts employed in muMi*' drama
he was followed by almost all composers for many
years until, in fact, the recognition Ivy (Ihu'k of tln
falseness of the situation. Opera writers then* ww
by the hundred, the names of most of whom art* now
forgotten. Rossi, Culdara, Lotti, Horioiu'ini, all had
their successes, and contributed in various dt'jjrtns to
the development of early Italian opera,
Jkit before this, opera had found it* way to Frawt*;
the world-renowned "Kuritlice" had been performed
HISTORY AND GUIDE 7
in Paris as early as 1647, and its influence was quickly
felt. Robert Cambert was the first French writer to
produce opera. He was ousted from his deservedly
high position as the founder of French opera by the
unscrupulous and brilliant Lulli.
Coming from Florence to Paris at an early age, Lulli
quickly saw his way to improving on the popular op-
eras of Cambert, and his inventive and fertile talent
soon put the older writer into the background. Lulli's
great gift lay less in aptitude for the conception of
melody, less even in his skill with the orchestra, than
in the powers he possessed of writing truly dramatic
and suitably expressive recitative. Moreover, he em-
ployed his chorus as an integral factor in the situation,
not as a mere collection of puppets encumbering the
stage; he is credited, too, with the invention of the
"French" overture, a form in which an introductory
slow movement is followed by another in quick fugal
style, with a third short dance movement to conclude.
His mark upon French opera exists till this day.
Germany at the same period can boast of no name of
like importance, but operatic development was also
taking place in that country. The chief agent in its
progress was Keiscr, who produced a great number
of operas in Hamburg. Although not the first to write
such works in Germany, he is important as being an
early factor in the popularization of opera during the
forty years in which he labored in this direction. He
had also many followers, among whom must be named
Handel, who wrote a few operas for Hamburg at an
early period of his career. German opera at this time,
however, gave but little promise of the grand future
before it: the operas of Keiser and Hasse contain
8 THE OPERA
but few indications of the glories of a school of com-
posers that includes Mozart, Ileethovcn, and \Yeher.
In Kngland Ik-nry Purcell was in part ucettpied by
the composition of operas. Many of tlu'-e are oprra-,
by courtesy only, for in (nly one of them, "l>id^ and
/Kncas," is the music continuous throughout. Thi-,
however, may claim for itself the liilr f the fn>t
English opera. The wholly sound and e-tlu'tieally trur
national influence of Purcell wnuld undoubtedly have
been large, and it is not too much to say that an early
school of genuine Knglish opera might luue tluri>hrd,
had it not been that Handel, within a few xvar* of
Purcell's death, was turning bin ant-mi- <n t tlu 1 pro
dudion of opera in London. I ; r alp'u^h Handel
produced operas in < lennany and !tal\ a- \vell a< in
England, it was in London that the great majority of
his pieces first saw the light, ami that he achieved the
greatest success. Hetween the date uf the nr^t per
formance f>f 44 KinaIdo" at the Haytnarkrt in 1711 and
that of his last opera, *"l)du!amia/* in 1741* HainU'I
composed no less than forty-two grand npcra^. With
indomitable energy, and in fare of very frequent ttrN<
fortune, he poured forth tluw works, many i,*f which
contain powerful music. Few now, h<nvrv,*r, wnuM
care to sit through a performance of any r<f HamM's
operas, or indeed of those by any ojf tin* eonipo-rrv
above mentioned.
The changes that have taken place in f4jwra <ltiring
the three hundred years which constitute the lif* nt
modern music are far more prominent aw! ifr*port;tni
than those that have been undergone by llic or!in:iry
dramatic work, Tlu* arts of rloriition, j^sftirt'* an* I
stage action arc very olrl, in(i have nern little radical
HISTORY AND GUIDE 9
change for many centuries. Great progress has been
made through the use of modern mechanical devices
and inventions in the mounting of stage pieces in the
scenery employed, the lighting, and stage effects gen-
erally. These all appeal to the eye; but the appeal to
the ear is not, in an ordinary dramatic work, more
powerfully made than it was in the clays of the Greek
dramatist. 13ut when music is added, then appeal to
the ear of a most powerful kind takes place, and dur-
ing its whole life improvements and growth in musical
technique and expression have been grafted upon opera
with continuously progressive power and effect. As
musical skill and knowledge grew, as additional instru-
ments were added to the orchestra, as knowledge of
forms developed, all these improvements found their
way into operatic music, with the result that the dif-
ference between, say, a seventeenth and an eighteenth
century opera is very wide, while a vaster difference
still may be seen between one of the eighteenth and one
of the twentieth century.
This difference is mainly due to men who were not
content to leave opera where they found it. They set
themselves to the construction of new works as ex-
amples of what could and should be done. First of
these reformers came Monte verdc. So many innova-
tions are connected with his name that he would ap-
pear to have been a reformer of music in general.
Certainly opera before Iris time was a very different
thing from subseqxtent >pera. lie applied the same
daring innovations to his operatic music which he had
employed in his Church music. These consisted main-
ly in an utter disregard for the principles of strict
counterpoint, and a free use of unprepared discords.
io THE OPERA
So great was Monteverde's success, so dramatic and
expressive his music, that all composers since his day
have followed in his footsteps, and have composed
operas on the model of free and unfettered writing
originated by him. A century and more later we find
a new reformer in Gluck. What hud happened in the
meantime? Opera had fallen under the great and
commanding influence of Alessandro Scarlatti, whose
methods, if not amounting to reform, had certainly
led to change, in some respects to abuse. Scarlatti
invented beautiful melodies and cast them into a regu-
lar mold, so that an audience knew that it only had to
wait while a second part was gone through to hear
again a first part that had perhaps given much pleas-
ure. This was his famous use of the <la~capo aria.
It was a kind of encore, granted without trouble or
uncertainty. We can imagine the melody-loving Itul*
ians of the day welcoming this beautiful and artistic
innovation. But the beauty ami charm of the idea
compassed its own ruin; fur, being but a forma! pro*
ccrlure, it did not equally suit every situation; indeed*
it may readily be understood that there mu>t havr been
many occasions when it was little short of ahMinl, for
stage purposes, to go twice through the same emotional
aspects ancl crises. Apart from its dramatic unfitwvss,
the real mischief of the da-capo aria lay in the fact
that it attracted too much attention from the plot* The
real origin of opera was lost sight of, dramatic con-
siderations were practically ignored, and the perform-
ance became of a lyrical, rather than of a dramatic,
nature.
Gluck had written many operas on thin plan before
it occurred to him to try to reform it, but bis artistic
HISTORY AND GUIDE n
nature at last revolted against the absurdities of works
of this type. He set himself the task of remodeling
the music, in a manner which can best be explained
by quoting his own words, written in the famous pref-
ace to the score of "Alccste" :
"When I undertook to set the opera of 'Alceste' to
music, I resolved to avoid all those abuses which had
crept into Italian opera through the mistaken vanity
of singers and the unwise compliance of composers,
and which had rendered it wearisome and ridiculous,
instead of being, as it once was, the grandest and most
imposing stage of modern times. I endeavored to
reduce music to its proper function, that of seconding
poetry, by enforcing the expression of the sentiment,
and the interest of the situations, without interrupting
the action, or weakening it by superfluous ornament."
Gluck had many battles to fight before he gained
public opinion to his side; but eventually he brought
the artistic world round to his point of view, with the
result that a complete change of method was again
adopted by composers.
Years passed away, and operas both good and bad
were written. Mozart, with his beautiful and deli-
cate pen ; Beethoven, with his imperishable picture of
the faithful wife ; Weber, the composer par excellence
of Romantic opera; Spohr, and others all left their
influences in the main thoroughly artistic and beau*
tiful upon music-drama. But to this chain of great
classics succeeded a group of lesser luminaries whose
tendencies were less truthfully artistic, whose leanings
were popular rather than esthetic, and whose influence
was to a great extent mischievous. Opera was again
straying from the right lines; again the singers, with
12 THE OPERA
their executive abilities, were distracting attention
from the equally important dramatic meaning of the
works performed. Again the aria and duet wore usurp-
ing the place of music that should have been defining
the stage situation, and conveying to the ear of the
auditor a tone-picture to match the scenic representa-
tion and help to carry on the action of the piece.
It needed a strong hand to stem the tide <>n this
occasion, and a strong hand was available in the per*n
of Richard Wagner, whose efforts have revolutioni/ed
opera to so great an extent that it is unlikely that any
great work for the stage will ever be conceived in the
future which will not show traces of his influence, Kor
he took no half-measures, but went to the rout of the
matter, and that in so thorough a way that he really
invented an utterly new phase of expression.
Wagner, whose great idea it was that in the render-
ing of opera the arts of music, action, poetry, and
scenery should stand on an equal footing was unable
to allow attention to be devoted to the inusir in the
very special way in which it was drawn when set forms
of song or air were admitted, lie gradually worked
his way to the construction of what was, until his time,
an absolutely unknown form of dramatic nceompani"
ment. The great and original innovation of Wagner
was his use of melody (a feature non-exigent in the
works of the monodic writers) ; not melody of the
stereotyped nature which we designate as tune, nnr
even the rhythmic, square-cut, ami often beautifully
appropriate melody of a Mozart or a Beethoven, Wag-
ner's melodies were so constructed that they had, gen-
erally speaking, definite signification. Kvcry subject
(or Leitmotiv, as it was called) was intended to sug-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 13
gest to the mind of the hearer some definite idea con-
nected with something occurring upon or suggested by
the stage. Since the stage action or words would very
often describe or suggest many ideas at the same
time, these themes would be often superimposed ; with
the result that the music of Wagner's operas at any
rate the later ones is not so much a stream of melody
as a flow of many combined melodies, working to-
gether in contrapuntal richness and fertility into a
harmonious whole, which can be listened to either
casually (in which case it may or may not please the
auditor) or after considerable study, when it will un-
doubtedly awake interest and admiration.
The lazy, pleasure-loving portion of mankind was
immediately up in arms against such startling methods
as these, and even to-day, although the Wagner cult
is a very considerable one, it is to be doubted whether
the real tastes of the majority of operatic listeners are
not rather for something demanding less careful and
close attention. Whether this be so or not, the point
remains that Wagner's innovations, when once under-
stood and grasped, were seen to be so dramatically
true ancl fitting that all composers of operas, since his
works became widely known, have come under his in-
fluence, ancl have in large measure framed their dra-
matic music on the lines laid down by him.
Here, then, was another revolution, and an import-
ant one. Formal melody still exists on the stage, but
the continuous interconnecting links of tnelos are de-
rived from Wagner, while the -wondrous harmonies
and chord combinations which he was the first to in-
troduce into opera have been so many additions to the
material the modern composer has for manipulation.
PHASES OF OPERATIC HISTORY
AND MISCELLANY
PHASES OF OPERATIC HIS-
TORY, AND MISCELLANY
I. ENGLISH OPERA FROM THE EIGHTEENTH
TO THE PRESENT CENTURY
"The Beggar's Opera" Arnc Bishop Balf e Wallace-
Thomas Sullivan Living Composers.
n^HERE is not much to boast of, so far as English
* operatic music is concerned, from the death of
Purcell to about the middle of the nineteenth century,
PurcelFs work, in its limited field, was excellent, but
Handel's powerful personality attracted so much at-
tention to the Italian methods of composition that no
other style found real favor for many years.
Opera, of course, existed in England, but it was of
the Italian order: indeed, there was so much said
against the unfortunate English language as a medium
of vocal expression that native talent had little or no
chance of distinguishing itself. The only work that
stands out during this period as being essentially Eng-
lish was a curious medley of songs and airs called
"The Beggar's Opera" produced in 1728, but even
this was arranged by Pepusch, a German. The old
i8 THE OPERA
genuine English tunes were, however, used in this,
and its one or two successors, but the music is not of
a serious type. The airs are simple and simply har-
monized, and make no comparison with the I Ian*lel
or Bononcini operas.
One of the first Englishmen to write opera on the
prevalent Italian model was Thomas Arne, whose chief
work was "Artaxerxes." I le also wrote many masques
or plays with incidental music. To-day he is best
known as the reputed author of "Rule Britannia," and
of the popular and tuneful setting of Shakespeare's
words "Where the Bee sucks/'
The English style of composition of this period,
which is in the main vigorous, manly, and holt!, was
not at all suited to the taste of the fashionable public,
who were led to believe that the llorid and effeminate
Italian airs were the only true method of operatic
composition; consequently we are not surprised that
native talent was overlooked and ignored, and that
England has nothing to show that will compare with
what was going on in Italy, Germany, and Kranet* at a
corresponding period.
Arnc's name is still rcmeml>ere<I and his tunes sung,
but the same can hardly be said of his follower* and
successors, Shield, Storace, Kelly, and others, Al-
though these men attempted dramatic composition in
the style of Arne, they had no very definite ntodel
upon which to work, and they were more successful
in the glee and madrigal than in stage work. Some of
their songs arc heard now and then, but their intiwnce
on national opera was very slight.
The eighteenth century is indeed a period of blank in
English operatic history, and in spite of the work of
HISTORY AND GUIDE ig
Henry Bishop, who wrote effective concerted num-
bers, the earlier part of the nineteenth century had but
little more to show. Bishop was content to leave the
English "ballad opera" where he found it, although he
had the ability to found a national school of opera had
he possessed the requisite energy and initiative.
The first English composer after Arne to produce
anything attaining to real popularity, and really de-
serving the name of opera, was Balfe, who, following
an example set by John Barnett in his opera "The
Mountain Sylph," produced in 1835 "The Siege of
Rochelle," and eight years later the well-known "Bo-
hemian Girl." That these operas are not of a particu-
larly exalted type must be admitted ; the airs are tune-
ful and mostly commonplace. There can be no com-
parison, for example, between "The Bohemian Girl"
and "Faust"; for although both make a ready and im-
mediate appeal, the artistic standard is much lower in
the English than in the French work. But still the
work of Balfe was an immense advance on the poorly
constructed ballad opera that had hitherto found ac-
ceptance, and it helped to pave the way to higher
ideals and better methods.
On about the same plane is Wallace, whose most
popular work is "Maritana" even more trying to listen
to (for the cultured hearer) than "The Bohemian
Girl." These works, although poor and of no interest
to the musician, yet play a part in the education of
the people. Those quite unenlightened in the forms
of opera can make a good start by at first listening to
works of this type ; and as their experience grows, so
their taste will undoubtedly improve, and ripen to an
appreciation of better things. .The admiration of the
20 THE OPERA
crowd for such works as these, although now less than
formerly, is not to be altogether condemned, seeing
that it may in some cases be the means of raising the
masses to an appreciation of something better and more
musically satisfactory.
As musical education in England gradually im-
proved, so we find the composers more artistic in their
outlook and more solid in their work. The operas <f
Benedict (1804-85) and Macfarren (1813-87). al-
though seldom performed now, are the output of tal-
ented and cultured musicians, who possessed, more-
over, gifts of melody and dramatic characterization
which must not be overlooked. Benedict's best opera
was "The Lily of Killarney," produced in iKCu.
Greater heights still were reached by Arthur (Joring
Thomas (1850-92), who wrote "Rsmcrahla" and
"Nadeshda," both works of merit, and from which
excerpts are frequently given in concert -ronms.
Last of deceased English opera-composers we
name Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan ( 1842 i<)ix>h who
wrote one serious opera, "Ivanhoe** ( 1891 ), and a host
of delightful works of slighter scope to which it is
hard to give a class-name. They are not quite of tin*
opera comique type, nor do they partake of the farcical
nature of opera bouffe. Perhaps a nondescript term
such as "light opera" answers as well as any other to
the charming, harmonious, graceful class of "Sin#
spiel" which found such favor not only in Kttgkuid
and America, but in the case of some works (such as
"The Mikado"), also on the European continent. Their
popularity, immense some twenty years ago* lately
appears to be somewhat on the wane; but they are still
models of refinement and of good sound musicianship*
HISTORY AND GUIDE 21
More serious attention has been paid to opera in
English by composers still living (1910) than by any
yet named here. With the exception of Sir C. Hubert
H. Parry, all the chief living composers of English
nationality have made a bid for fame in grand opera,
though with only partial success. Those whose efforts
appear to have led to the best results are Stanford and
Mackenzie. In England there is less opportunity for
operatic composers than in almost any other country:
works when written have little chance of being public-
ly staged. Occasionally the management of the Grand
Opera invites a work from an English musician, but
even then it is sometimes coupled with the condition
that it be performed in a foreign language. Opera is
not the delight of the man in the street, as it is in
many European countries, and the works that find
favor at Covent Garden seem to -be chosen according
to the wishes of the boxholders and members of the
syndicate.
Besides Stanford and Mackenzie, among the com-
posers making brave endeavors in face of such ad-
verse conditions are Bunning, Corder, Cowen, De
Lara, MacCunn, and others. But, notwithstanding
what these have accomplished or attempted, it is ac-
knowledged by native critics that, while English opera
suffers much from lack of opportunity, it suffers more
from want of individuality. Were English composers
able to graft on to their style some trace of natural
characteristics, as we find the Russians and Bohemians
of to-day have done, there is little doubt but that their
productions would command a greater interest and a
more enduring success.
II. SLAVONIC OPERA
Early Russian Composers (Jlinka D.irRoniijsky Hormlin
Cesar Cui Rimski-Korsakov Tchaikovsky- -Polish UJKTII
Bohemian Opera Smctana Dvorak ( HluT Kurojicuzi
Countries.
HP HE operas of the Russians, Polos, and 1'olu'inian.s
- in so far as they possess points of individual in-
terest, do so by virtue of their natural characteristics.
It is unnecessary, therefore, to trace hack the hi>lry
of opera in these countries to its foundation, a* we
should find that, in the main, it was a harrowed and
foreign art, employing only methods that had derived
their origin elsewhere, generally in Italy.
Although, therefore, we find that opera in Russia
was produced as early as 1/37 on the Italian uidrl,
and even in the vernacular with some attempt at na-
tional style in 1756, these early attempts M<W j*avf
way before the popular style of light Italian pivo*, and
the work of such composers as Volkov\ Titv. ami
Cavos may be passed over as unimportant in lint his-
tory of opera. Even the music of that much greater
musician, Anton Rubinstein, so far a* hi-* dnmuitit'
work goes, is a negligible quantity, in M* far a* it is
Teuton in style and without distinction or national
signification.
The acknowledged pioneer in this school wa* ( iliitka
(1804-57), who wrote but one work uf lasting worth,
"A Life for the Czar/* This opera, however, laid such
HISTORY AND GUIDE 23
hold upon the Russian peoples as to have become the
most popular opera in their repertoire, and we are told
that it is played invariably for the opening night of the
season both at Moscow and at St. Petersburg. It is
intensely national in subject, and although the music
shows many traces of Italian influence, which is not
surprising considering its date of production (1836),
there is still much that has its origin in national song
and folk theme. Glinka afterward wrote and produced
a still more national but less successful work entitled
"Russian and Ludmilla."
Glinka's one popular opera is not only important in
itself; it is still more worthy of notice as the stimu-
lating motive which enabled a large number of younger
Russians to write works of a similar nature. It must
be conceded that here the names of these men are
hardly anything but names ; yet in their own country
they mean much to the people. The extremely inti-
mate nature of the music of the operas written by such
men as Dargomijsky, Serov, Cesar Cui, Rimsky-Kor-
sakov, Borodin, Tchaikovsky, and Arensky, while
making for popularity in the country of their produc-
tion, is a factor against their performance in countries
where the folk songs and themes introduced would be
unknown and unappreciated.
Dargomijsky (1813-69), who has been claimed as
the founder of modern Russian opera, wrote two fairly
well-known works, 'The Water-Sprite" and "The
Stone Guest," the story of the latter being closely allied
to that of Mozart's "Don Giovanni." In his operas
Dargomijsky seems to have been more or less uncon-
sciously working on the lines of Wagner in the con-
struction of his intermediary recitative sections, and
24 THE OPERA
his whole method is one of greater advancement than
that of Glinka. His chief follower was Mussorgsky
(1839-81), a composer much influenced also by \Vag-
ner. He was also an able literary critic. His most
famous work was entitled "Judith."
Borodin (1834-87), a capable chemist as well as a
skilled musician, has a name for the composition of
clever examples of chamber music. To the operatic
repertoire he contributed " Prince Igor," a work fol-
lowing Italian methods to some extent, but still pos-
sessing much that stamps its Russian origin. It is
one of the few members of its class that arc cheerful
in tone, with an absence of that pessimism which is
the prevalent feature of so much Russian IMUMO,
Cesar Cui (born 1835) has composed "KntoIiffV
"Angclo," u Le Flilwstier/' and other works, the last
mentioned having been produced in Paris, ("ui is wtril
known for his able literary articles and contributions to
the Russian journals and magazines. Rim>ky-Knr*
sakov (1844-1908) wrote several works, among them
"Pskovitjanka" and "A May Xight/*
The name of Tchaikovsky ( 1840-93) is well enough
known in the concert-rooms of the world, ( if all
Russian composers his is the name to conjure with,
and although one cannot pass unrestrictedly fnvirailr
criticism upon all that he composed, we uwlouhU'tlly
owe to him a very great deal that in ftnr|a<ttingly rirh,
beautiful, and likely to endure. His genius, h'HVfver,
did not shine at its brightest in the theater, asirl al-
though, like the Ilohemian Dvorak, lie wa* attracted
again and again to the stage, bis work for it lias not
met with such universal success as that done in othtr
spheres,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 25
Besides his "Eugen Onegin," which we give, several
more fine works proceeded from his fertile pen, some
of them still very popular in their own country. The
chief are 'The Oprichnik," "Joan of Arc," "Mazeppa,"
and "The Enchantress." Tchaikovsky attempted many
styles, but his individuality was always apparent, some-
times with good results and sometimes not. When the
subject of the opera was in accordance with the gen-
eral trend of his thought, the result was felicitous, but
he holds a lower place as a writer of opera than as a
creator of symphony, song, and tone-poem.
The sister country of Poland has at present made
little claim to achievement in the opera house: the
national dances, the polonaise, valse, mazurka, etc.,
have been utilized by Glinka very effectively, but the
only record of Polish opera to hand is the work of the
great pianist Paderewski, whose "Manru" is included
in our selection. Its music is described as German
rather than Polish, and it is not likely to found a new
school of composition.
Of more interest is the national opera of Bohemia,
with its headquarters at Prague. Among its compos-
ers we find the names of Tomaschek (1774-1850),
Napravnik (born 1839), an( l Fibich (1850-1900).
More important than these is Smetana (1824-84),
who settled in Prague in 1866, at a time when national
freedom of thought and language was gaining position
in Bohemia. Smetana took advantage of the enthu-
siasm with which everything national was greeted, and
by his incorporation of the folk-songs of the people
into his operas, introduced to his country a new form
of opera which at once took root and flourished there.
The melodies he chose were dear to the hearts of the
24 THE OPERA
his whole method is one of greater advancement than
that of Glinka. His chief follower was Mussorgsky
(1839-81), a composer much influenced also by Wag-
ner. Lie was also an able literary critic. His most
famous work was entitled "Judith."
Borodin (1834-87), a capable chemist as well as a
skilled musician, has a name for the composition of
clever examples of chamber music. To the operatic
repertoire he contributed "Prince Igor/' a work fol-
lowing Italian methods to some extent, but still pos-
sessing much that stamps its Russian origin. It i<
one of the few members of its class that are cheerful
in tone, with an absence of that pessimism which is
the prevalent feature of so much Russian music.
Cesar Cui (born 1835) nas compiled "Rati'IiilY*
"Angclo," "Le Flibustier," and other works, the last
mentioned having been produced in Paris. I'ui i> well
known for his able literary articles and contribution.^ to
the Russian journals and magazines. Kimsky-Kor-
sakov (1844-1908) wrote several works, among them
"Pskovitjanka" and "A May Night."
The name of Tchaikovsky (i 840-93) is well enough
known in the concert-rooms of the world, Of all
Russian composers his is the name to conjure with,
and although one cannot pass unrest rietedly favorable
criticism upon all that he composed, we undoubtedly
owe to him a very great deal that is surpassingly rich,
beautiful, and likely to endure. Hi* genius, however,
did not shine at its brightest in the theater, ami al-
though, like the Bohemian Dvorak, he was attracted
again and again to the stage, his work for it lias mt
met with such universal success as that done in other
spheres.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 25
Besides his "Eugen Onegin," which we give, several
more fine works proceeded from his fertile pen, some
of them still very popular in their own country. The
chief are "The Oprichnik," "Joan of Arc/' "Mazeppa,"
and "The Enchantress." Tchaikovsky attempted many
styles, but his individuality was always apparent, some-
times with good results and sometimes not. When the
subject of the opera was in accordance with the gen-
eral trend of his thought, the result was felicitous, but
he holds a lower place as a writer of opera than as a
creator of symphony, song, and tone-poem.
The sister country of Poland has at present made
little claim to achievement in the opera house: the
national dances, the polonaise, valse, mazurka, etc.,
have been utilized by Glinka very effectively, but the
only record of Polish opera to hand is the work of the
great pianist Paderewski, whose "Manru" is included
in our selection. Its music is described as German
rather than Polish, and it is not likely to found a new
school of composition.
Of more interest is the national opera of Bohemia,
with its headquarters at Prague. Among its compos-
ers we find the names of Tomasclick (1774-1850),
Napravnik (born 1839), and Fibich (1850-1900).
More important than these is Smetana (1824-84),
who settled in Prague in 1866, at a time when national
freedom of thought and language was gaining position
in Bohemia. Smetana took advantage of the enthu-
siasm with which everything national was greeted, and
by his incorporation of the folk-songs of the people
into his operas, introduced to his country a new form
of opera which at once took root and flourished there.
The melodies he chose were dear to the hearts of the
26 THE OPERA
people; moreover, they were simply and yet effectively
treated, with due knowledge of and confederation rr
stage effect; consequently Smetana's operas are in
Bohemia looked upon as the realization of a national
ideal.
His pupil and follower, Dvorak (1841-1004), \vh>e
name as a composer of symphonies and chamber UIUMC
is an exalted one, also wrote much for the Ma^e; in-
deed, just before his death a new opera by him, ' 4 Ar-
mida," was produced in Prague. Hut his Miere-'s, al-
though so great and well deserved in other fields i> not
comparable with that of Smetana, nor has he ever in
the same way touched the hearts of the people. < *ther
works by him are "King and Collier," "\Vandu." M I>er
Bauer ein Schehn," "Demetrius/' and "Ru^alka,"
There is a promising young group of composers work-
ing at Prague, of whose doings we may some day hear
more than at present.
Here we may glance at the conditions that govern
opera in some of the other Kuropean countries, whirls
give evidence of a certain amount of activity; this ha%
in the main, confined itself up to the present within it-,
own borders. The Scandinavian composers, >m'h a>
Gade, Grieg, Sinding, etc., whose name* are world
known in other fields, have nothing to show us in re-
spect of opera. The opera houses of Oirisfiania awl
Copenhagen are active and busy, but they product?
little indigenous opera, nor does the faun* of that littlr
travel very far. The Spaniards and i'ortugm<s aUo
have no claim to distinction as composers of <jwra, tlu +
name of Arricta, we take it, being litth* knmvn, al-
though he is the most famous of Spanish
so far as dramatic writing is concerned
III. OPERA TO-DAY IN ITALY, GERMANY,
AND FRANCE
Boito His Interesting Personality Mascagni Leoncavallo
Puccini Cilea German Composers Goldmark and Hum-
perdinck Richard Strauss The French School Saint-
Saens Massenet Bruneau Debussy.
HPO-DAY the art of operatic composition appears to
** be returning for its best results to its much-loved
home, Italy; the young Italian composers, among all
its devotees of all nationalities, appear to be putting
forth the strongest work. Contemporary English,
French, and German operas, with a few notable excep-
tions, are rarely heard beyond the borders of the land
which gives them birth, but the works of Mascagni,
Puccini, and Leoncavallo find a home in every opera
house.
At the outset of our review of living Italian opera
composers we meet the strange figure of Arrigo Boito
(born 1842), more famous for one opera than are
many composers who have endowed the world with
dozens of such works. The charm of his personality
has aided its success, while the ill fortune which
dogged its birth and its intimate relationship to a great
home have also contributed to its world-wide fame.
Not that Boito's "Mcfistofele" is a work in the reper-
toire of every opera house; rather, its performances
seem to be limited in number, and yet all the world
knows of its composer as the capable litterateur and
27
28 THE OPERA
musician who, amidst intense excitement, brought his
"Mefistofele" before the Milanese public at La Senla
in 1868, and by the novelty of its form and musical
treatment so displeased a very largo number of his
would-be admirers that he fell from the height of
popularity to which expectation had elevated him al-
most to the depth of extinction so far as his inimical
efforts were concerned. i4 ]\IeiistniVlo" has been re-
written; it was a work in advance of its lime, and
honor must be given to Moito for the artistic beauty
of his conceptions, and for his courage and skill in the
wielding of them to the ultimate conviction of an un-
willing public. This fascinating but tantalizing com-
poser still stimulates interest by the fact that he keeps
two other and newer operas, "Kerone" and M (>rc>t5-
acle," in his desk, and refuses, at any rate for the pres-
ent, to bring them to the light.
We now come to a composer whose music, or part of
it, at any rate, must have been heard by everybody- -
Pictro Mascagni (born 1863), whose most famnus
opera, "Cavallcria Rusticana/' is one of the most pop-
ular modern works in the operatic repertoire, ft wa*
produced in 1890, and soon attained to faint*; this was
due, to some extent, to the introduction of a new de-
vice namely, the performance of an orchestral inter-
mezzo dividing the work into two parts, the curtain re-
maining up and disclosing an empty stage (a street
scene). Possibly the original intention in leaving the
curtain up was to prevent the buzz of conversation
which always accompanies its fall, and protlwks tlu*
possibility of careful attention to the music; Iwt in
this instance the music is so melodious, tuneful, nnl
cleverly scored that it assured the success of the opera,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 29
Succeeding works from the same pen "L'Amico
Fritz," "I Rantzau," "Guglielmo Ratcliff," "Iris," and
others have not yet found equal success.
Very frequently coupled upon the same playbill with
Mascagni's "Cavalleria" is the short modern Italian
opera "I Pagliacci" (The Strolling Players), the work
of Leoncavallo (born 1858), and written upon much
the same general lines as its forerunner. Its prologue,
for a solo barytone, is popular in concert-halls. In the
opera it occurs as part of the overture, the singer push-
ing his way through the curtain, and retiring again
after his performance, before the stage scene is actually
disclosed. Leoncavallo has written many other works,
but his chief distinction of later date has been that upon
him fell the choice of the German Emperor to write a
typically German opera on the subject of "Roland of
Berlin." The work was produced in Berlin in 1905,
but without giving full satisfaction, the general opinion
being that a German composer should have been
chosen to clothe so essentially national a subject with
music, and that Leoncavallo's attempt was uninspired,
grandiose, and lacking in the elements of beauty.
Other followers of Mascagni are Giordano (born
1867), composer of "Andrea Chcnier"; Spinelli
(born 1865), chiefly known by "A Basso Porto";
and Franchetti (born 1850). More famous than
these is Francesco Cilea, a young composer of
promise, whose "Adriana Lecouvreur" contains
music of great beauty and charm* The method of
Mascagni is closely followed, even to the introduction
of a tuneful and charmingly scored intermezzo, but
there is independence of melodic phrase and real grip
in the music. "Adriana" was originally produced at
30 THE OPERA
Milan in 1902, and was staged at Covcnt Garden,
London, during the autumn visit of the San Carlo
company, two years later.
Undoubtedly the greatest of the modern Italian
composers is Giacomo Puccini (horn 1858), who has
made himself famous not merely by one opera hut
by several. His earlier works, "Manon Leseaut," etc.,
hardly represent him at his host, although they con-
tain much fine music; but in M La I>oheme, M in "La
Tosca," and most of all in "Madame lutterily," this
clever musician has found himself and has risen to
great heights. He is most happy in the way in
which his music paints the situation to be depicted,
and he has a most wonderfully ready power of
melody. The continuous use of distinctive and
rhythmic melody and the absence of any definite
characterization by means of the Leitmotiv
tiatcs his work very largely from that of the
school it is altogether on a lighter basis* hut the
melody has an irresistible attractiveness, which ac-
counts largely for the favor which his operas are
finding at the present clay.
Puccini's latest work, *Thc Girl of the Golden
West/' deals with an American subject. It was pro-
duced at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York*
during the season of 191011.
Germany to-day can hardly be held to have pro-
duced such an array of familiar names, but that
of Humperdinck (born 1X54) has become famous
through his setting of the delight fu! fairy tale
"Hansel und Gretel." There is, however, still living
a senior to llumperdinek in the person of (!nklnturk
(born 1830), whose "Cricket on the Hearth is well
HISTORY AND GUIDE 31
known. Goldmark became famous by his opera
"The Queen of Sheba," produced in Vienna in 1875.
He has penned much music, and other operas, but the
two above named are his best-known contributions
to operatic literature.
More interesting, because his fairy opera has been
seen by almost every one, is Humperdinck, who has
skillfully applied Wagnerian methods to opera on a
comparatively light subject. The story of "Hansel
und Gretel," from Hans Andersen, is worked up into
a charming^ plot, and if some of the incidents seem,
upon the modern stage, somewhat trivial and childish,
the music is so perfect in form and matter that the
ear is delighted throughout. The use of folk-songs
and simple melodies which appeal to all is supple-
mented by a wonderfully capable and polyphonic use
of the orchestra, which shows the master hand in
every bar of the score.
"Hansel und Gretel" can be appreciated alike by
the smallest child and by the skilled musician, and
therein lies its great charm, for much study must
usually precede appreciation of work so elaborate
and complex. Humpcrclinck's succeeding works,
several in number, have not risen to the same level,
either of beauty or of popularity. His "Die Heirat
wider Willen" was produced with a fair measure of
success under Strauss at Berlin in April, 1905.
Richard Strauss, the well-known composer of or-
chestral tone-poems, has made several bids for fame
in opera: his early works, such as "Guntram" and
"Feuersnot," have not attracted so much attention as
have "Salome," produced at Dresden in 1906, and the
"Elektra" staged in 1909, Strauss, the most con-
32 THE OPERA
spicuous of recent musical innovators, writes very
boldly, often with a startling lack of blend between
orchestra and voice.
Other living composers of German opera are Max
Schillings (born 1868); Weingartner (born 18*13),
the great orchestral conductor; Siegfried Wagner
(born 1869), son of the great master; Xessler (horn
1841), composer of "Dor Trumpeter von Siikkingen"
(a wonderfully popular work, which, however, i,s not
of the first rank) ; and many others whose fame may
or may not be enduring. Modern German opera
since Wagner has hardly, with the exception of
"Hansel mid Gretel," the distinction, power, and
originality which we find in the followers of the
young Italian school.
More famous are the men of the I'Yench school,
the natural followers of Gounod, Ambruise Thomas,
and their fellows. Progress is noticeable from the
type of music which prevails in "Faust," in the works
of such composers as Saint-Sacn*. Massenet, and
Bruncau, and the influence of Wagner is *jtiiu ap-
parent Rut in French opera the traditions which
belonged to the Academic of old, and which have
descended to the more modern grand opera, ruin-
bine with a certain Gallic grace and charm to pre-
serve individuality to this school.
Foremost among French composers in every branch
is that versatile and gifted man Saint-Sacn* (horn
1835)* I-ike TCoito, he possesses an interesting per-
sonality, prominent among his characteristics being a
habit of suddenly disappearing for month* toother
from the eyes of a world of which he lias grown
temporarily weary. He will then come hack from
HISTORY AND GUIDE 33
some half -civilized or totally barbarous district of
Africa or elsewhere, bearing with him piles of
manuscript, which soon finds a ready publisher. The
music so composed often bears some impress of the
surroundings amid which it has been penned, which
adds in no small degree to its acceptance by the pub-
lic. Saint-Saens has written many operas both for
the grand and the comique stage without any very
marked success. The work best known here is
"Samson et Dalila," a dramatized version of the
Bible story. His "Henry VHP is perhaps the best
known of his other works, which include "Proser-
pine/' "Ascanio," "Phryne," "Les Barbares," and
"L'Ancetre."
Jules Massenet (born 1842) is the author of many
operas, of which mention may be made of "Don
Cesar de Bazan," "Le roi de Lahore," "Herodiade,"
"Manon," "Le Cid," "Esclarmonde," "Werther,"
"Thais," "La Navarraise," and "Le Jongleur de
Notre-Dame." "Herodiade" is really a dramatic ver-
sion of the Bible story of St. John and Salome. It
is perhaps the best of the Massenet operas, "Manon"
and "La Navarraise 1 ' approaching it nearest in popu-
lar esteem. Massenet has had much success with "Le
Jongleur de Notre-Dame," produced at Monte Carlo
in 1902.
A most earnest and serious-minded composer, who
more closely follows Gluck and Wagner in his desire
for operatic truth, is Alfred Bruncau (born 1857),
one of the finest of French musicians. From the first
his style has been revolutionary, and owing to crudi-
ties somewhat hard to accept; but while sometimes
musically deficient, . his dramatic grip and sincerity
34 THE OPERA
of purpose are so strong that there is doubtless a
future before his operas. "Le reve," "L'attaque tin
moulin," "Messidor," and "L'Ouragan" arc the titles
of his chief works, the third named of the.se being
perhaps the best. Bruneau was fortunate in secur-
ing the services of Zola as his librettist, several prose -
poems by the great novelist having been intrusted to
his care.
Andre Mcssager (born 1853) has chiefly dis-
tinguished himself by a charming light work, "La
Basochc," which has had much attention at Knglish
hands. Dubois, Paladihle, and others are still at
work in the field of French opera, but perhaps its
most prominent modern representative is (iustave
Charpenticr (born 1860), whose opera "Louise" ha**
made a great hit, and shows possession of great gifts
from which much more may be expected. Vinovnt
dTncly (born 1851), another of the younger school.
is the composer of a fairly successful work, "I'Yrvaal/*
Claude Debussy (born i80^K a composer who has
written an amount of successful music of a
kind, in that it employs mostly a scale of whok*
rather than one of tones and semitones, pmdmvd in
1902 "Pelleas ct Melisande," based on MaetVrlim'kV
drama of the same name. This original and distinc-
tive work has become widely popular,
IV. THE CHIEF OPERA HOUSES OF THE
WORLD
Covent Garden La Scala San Carlo Venice Rome Paris
and the Grand Opera Vienna Budapest Prague Ber-
lin Dresden Munich Bayrcuth JRussia Other Euro-
pean Countries Egypt America.
A RCHITECTURALLY speaking, Covent Garden
*** Theater, the leading English opera house, is
not one of the sights of London. Hidden away
somewhat ignominiously in a side street, it has little
appearance, in spite of its size, and by no means forms
so* conspicuous a feature in the way of public building
as do the majority of the houses in European capitals.
Covent Garden Theater is situated on Bow Street,
where the first building was opened in 1732. Sev-
eral structures on the site were destroyed by fire. The
present building was opened in 1858, Many musi-
cal productions, including operas, had been given
earlier at Covent Garden, but it was not till 1846 that
the theater was converted specially into an opera
house. Here Mario, Grisi, Alboni, Tamburini, and
many other renowned artists have sung. At Covent
Garden Adelina Patti made her first appearance be-
fore a European audience. English as well as
foreign opera has at times flourished at this famous
house. Under the management of the Royal Opera
Syndicate it still maintains its rank as one of the
35
3 6 THE OPERA
world's great musical houses this in spite of the fact
that it is "nothing but an ordinary theater/' and is nut,
like the opera houses of the Continent, practically
sacred to the performance of opera. At C'ovent
Garden, besides opera are given musical festivals,
promenade concerts, fancy dress balls, etc. ( )nly at
certain seasons of the year is the theater exchiMvely
devoted to opera. The Royal Opera Syndicate runs
a season of grand opera from the end of April to the
end of July, performances being given nightly.
Turning to the opera houses of the Kuropean con-
tinent, we at once think of the famous La Sealn
theater at Milan. This house has a seating capacity
for 3600 persons. Apart from its size, there i* the
musical and artistic interest which this house derives
from the production of many works here for the first
time. Since its opening date, August $ t 17/8, hun-
dreds of operas have been staged, awl the triumphs
of Rossini, Meyerbeer, Hellini, Donizetti, and Venli
have been witnessed It is .enough to state that <uch
works as Rossini's 4< La Gazza ladra," Hellim's
"Nor.na," Donizetti's "Lucrezia Borgia," Verdi's
"I Lombard!/ 1 Boito's "Mellstofele," and Pnnrhidli's
"La Gioconcla" first saw the light of day in I -a
Scala to establish for it a claim to notice *n the part
of opcragoers. Some time ago the municipal grant
toward the expenses of the establishment was close
upon $50,000, but since 1902 the annual subsidy has
been reduced
Even older than La Scala, as it dates originally
from 1737, is its Neapolitan rival San Carlo, Th'tr
new house, built after a fire in 1816* in of great si#e,
and at one time vied with La Scala in the importance
HISTORY AND GUIDE 37
of new works produced; but less financial support
has been forthcoming from Naples than is the case at
Milan, and although an annual grant of some $16,000
is given by the municipality, the San Carlo pro-
ductions, while of very high rank, are perhaps hardly
on a level with those at La Scala. But San Carlo has
had its triumphs, and has seen the first production
of Rossini's "Mose in Egitto," "Zelmira," and other
works, and of Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor,"
besides numbers of other operas of less fame.
Although Venice looms large in the history of
music, and its doings in opera have been very con-
siderable, there appears to be no theater solely de-
voted to this class of work, nor is there any regular
grant. The Fenice Theater has figured largely in
Venetian operatic history. It is interesting to
remember that Rossini 's "Semiramide" and "Tan-
credi" were both first performed at that house.
Rome in older days had pride of place among
opera houses, and Haclow speaks of it as being at one
time the highest school in which a musician could
graduate. Here was produced Rossini's "II Barbiere"
and many another famous work. To-day opera at
Rome, if indeed it is on an equal level, hardly seems
to be of higher importance than that in other Italian
cities. It has no subsidy at the present time, and has
to depend on its own resources for its maintenance.
The French opera house is one of the most impos-
ing sights of Paris ; well situated and finely conceived,
it is a worthy home for that art product for which it is
intended. The history of French opera from the
earliest recorded performances of the sixteenth cen-
tury is, of course, very extensive. As long ago as
3 8 THE OPERA
1672 the name of Lulli made Parisian opera famous,
and although for a time its home was transferred to
the Palais Royal, the site has borne testimony to many
a fine building, the present one, inscribed Academic
Nationale de Musique, dating from 1874 (commenced
in 1861). Although its seating capacity of 2156 is
much less than that of La Scala, it is the largest
house in the world, and covers almost three acres of
ground.
Besides Lulli, the names of Ramcau, Gluck,
Cherubini, Spontini, lierolcl, Atibor, Meyerbeer, and
Berlioz are all indissolubly connccle<l with the opera
of Paris. There is no house in all musical history
that can claim so great a measure of variety and in-
cident, nor make such interesting reading, as that
of the Academic de Musique. Its fortunes have
fluctuated, but it has done wonderful work, and a
mere recapitulation of names of fine operas which
had their original production here would be far loo
long for quotation* The glory of Parisian grand
opera has always held a spell over the nations, ami
has been a thing apart from all else in music, We
know something of the hold of the Academic upon
Wagner, and if there is to-day somewhat less of a
glamour cast by it than in the days when Lulli held
despotic sway, or Spontini or Meyerbeer dominated
all, there is still a charm and delight to be found
within its walls, which arc difficult to equal in hntiM's
where the traditional uses are less sacredly adhered
to.
The French are very jealous of its traditions, and
although modern times have not allowed the dirwtoM
to fall behind in their efforts tu keep pace with the
GRAND STAIRCASE AND FACADE OF THE PARIS
HISTORY AND GUIDE 39
strides operatic music has made under Wagner's in-
fluence, it is only quite recently that the works of
the composer have been welcomed in Paris. Popular
feeling, partly on patriotic grounds, for long kept
his operas in the background. Parisians would have
none of them. The result has been, perhaps, even
more rigidly to preserve those customs of grand
opera, such as the inclusion of a ballet, which are
among its most distinctive features.
Touching upon the question of finance, we find that
the French Government allows the very large subsidy
of $160,000 per annum toward the expenses of grand
opera; in return, however, opera is supposed to be
staged three or four times during the week. The
prices of admission are not high, ranging from 17
francs to 2 francs, France loves its opera, and does
not hesitate to lay out good round sums for its sup-
port; nor are its people behindhand in their attend-
ance ; a crowded house is the rule rather than the
exception, appreciation, while critical, being still
keen.
Comparing not unfavorably in dignity of concep-
tion and splendor of adornment with the French
house is the Imperial Opera of Vienna, an ornament
in that encircling ring of fine buildings which is so
distinctive a feature of the Austrian capital. Vienna
has been the home of so many of the giants of music
that it is not surprising that it should have witnessed
the first production of many a work now world-
famous: Cluck's "Orfeo," Mozart's "Figaro," "Cosi
fan ttttte," and "Zaubcrflote," Beethoven's "Fidelio."
These alone would suffice to cause Vienna to stand
high in musical fame. Not that the present opera
40 THE OPERA
house witnessed their production, for the building
which to-day stands as an abode of opera dates from
a more recent time; the cost of its erection was
more than $2,500,000. Belonging to the state, its
affairs are administered by the Lord Chamberlain's
department, any deficit being made good from the
Emperor's civil list.
The Royal Opera House at Budapest, Hungary,
receives from the state a large subsidy, a specific sum
for salaries, and a liberal grant from the Kmperor.
Reference must also be made to Prague, famous
for the production of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" in
1787. More recently Prague has boon the homo of
works of the Bohemian school, as exemplified by
Smctana, Dvorak, Fibiclu and others. Smetana's
"Bartered Bride" was staged at Prague in iSoft, and
from that elate to the time of the appearance of
Dvorak's "Armida," in ic>O4, the National Theater
has witnessed a constant succession of works of a
characteristically national tone which make an unfail-
ing appeal to the Czechs. The Czech theater has a
state grant.
The Berlin Opera House also has claims to notice,
for was not Weber's "Der Frcischiitz" mounter! here
for the first time? Moreover, Berlin being the
capital of Germany the house is the scene of many
fine state performances much patronized by royalty,
The building itself, although standing well in the line
"Linden" promenade, will not compare with Paris or
Vienna from an architectural point of view. The
Opera Mouse and Playhouse of Berlin together
receive annually $270,000 toward their working
expenses.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 41
Leipzig and Dresden have fine theaters. The
Dresden Court Theater, used as an opera house, is
specially famous for its associations with Weber and
Wagner. It is a fine building, magnificently situated
in an imposing position, and having considerable
architectural pretensions. The King of Saxony pays
about $155,000 for the opera, theater, and orchestra,
and also makes good any deficit that arises. At this
theater Richard Strauss has produced his "Salome"
and "Elektra."
Munich has of late come to the front in operatic
matters; the Court Theater, administered from the
civil list, has long devoted much attention to opera,
but interest is now centered somewhat on the new
Prince Regent Theater, where an attempt is being
made to outvie Bayreuth itself in the Wagner pro-
ductions. Nor have the performances been confined
to Wagner, for Mozart's operas have been inter-
spersed with his. It is as yet too early to say what
influence, if any, the new Munich house will have on
the fortunes of Bayreuth, but it seems probable that
a theater even better fitted up than Bayreuth itself
for Wagnerian performances, and in a locality so much
more central and easily reached, may in the near future
materially affect the fortunes of the older house.
Almost every German town of any size has its
opera house, and detailed description of all is mani-
festly impossible, notwithstanding that much interest
attaches to some of them. We must therefore con-
clude our account of the German theaters with a
short description of that built by Wagner at Bayreuth
according to his own ideas of what such a house
should be.
42 THE OPERA
There is little doubt that at the present time the
Bayreuth Opera House is the most famous in the
world. Worship of Wagner is still widespread, the
halo surrounding his name and his home casts a glow
upon the little town which he selected as the scene
of his final labors, and from all parts of the world,
when the Bayreuth theater opens its doors, pilgrim-
ages are made and devotees Hock with an intense
enthusiasm which has no parallel. To the true
Wagnerian, Uayrcuth is a sacred spot inspiring a
reverence quite distinct from that felt for any other.
It was in May, 187-2, that the foundation-stone was
laid, and the completion of the building, delayed by
lack of funds, took place in 1870, when 'The King"
was performed. Since then performances have taken
place on a grand scale at intervals of a year or two
years in the summer. A feature in the construction
was that an equally good view should be obtained
from every point of view. This was done by racing
every seat a little above the one immediately in front
of it, and by putting each spectator where be eouM
see between the heads of the two persons before him.
Another feature was the submerged orchestra i.e.,
below the level of the lloor of the house. Kven the
conductor, although he has the stage in view, cannot
be seen by the audience, and part of the orchestra
(the brass) is actually under the stage- -an experi-
ment which seemed doubtful at first, but which ha*
on the whole proved successful The machinery and
scenery were as good us could possibly be obtained,
and the management still keeps up to date in thi>
respect* Although open to competition both from
New York and from Munich, Hayrcuth seems likely
HISTORY AND GUIDE 43
to hold its own for some years to come, whenever it
may choose to open its doors.
In Russia, and more especially at St. Petersburg
and Moscow, theatrical attendance is looked upon as
an educational matter, and therefore it is possible to
see opera for a very small sum. Of course this means
large imperial help. The two cities have fine houses,
with interest for us in that they have witnessed the
production of most of the operas of the young
Russian school The ballet is much beloved in
Russia, and forms one of the regular objects of
representation.
Space forbids us to go into detail as to the opera
houses of Sweden (Royal Theater of Stockholm),
Norway (National Theater, Christiania), Spain, Hol-
land, Belgium (Brussels, Theatre de la Monnaie),
Denmark (Copenhagen, Royal Theater), or Portugal.
San Carlos, at Lisbon, is, however, of special interest
in being one of the oldest houses of its kind, having
been erected in 1793.
Egypt has opera houses at Cairo and Alexandria.
That at Cairo saw the production of Verdi's "Aida"
in 1871.
In New York, the Metropolitan opera house wit-
nesses magnificent performances, and commands the
best and most expensive talent in the world. It was
opened October 22, 1883. Its stage is one of the
largest in the country and the house has a seating
capacity of 3700. That of the Manhattan, now given
up to lighter productions, is 3000. (For many
particulars relating to the opera houses in New York
and other cities of the United States the reader is
referred to "Music in America/' Chapter II.)
44 THE OPERA
A few words should be added here concerning the
Boston Opera House, in some respects the finest in
America. It was inaugurated under the brightest
auspices for art in the musical city which it adorns.
It was brilliantly opened on November 8, 10,09, with
a performance of Ponchicllfs "La Gioconda." The
house has a seating capacity of 2750, and all its
appointments arc admirably suited to their purposes.
The stage has been said by experts to have no equal
in this country. It is 90 feel high, 70 feel deep, and
150 feet wide. It is divided into numerous platforms
which can be raised or lowered by ingenious machin-
ery to suit the requirements of any performance.
V. OFFSHOOTS AND CURIOSITIES OF
OPERA
Operetta Musical Comedy Ballad Opera Masque Ballet-
Objections Thereto Curiosities of Construction Pastic-
cio Mixed Language Stereotyped Casts Curiosities of
Stage Requirements Wagner's Supernatural Require-
ments Curiosities of the Music Vocal Cadenzas.
HP HE chief offshoot of opera proper is opera co-
A mique, or Singspiel opera interspersed with
spoken dialogue, not necessarily of a humorous
nature. The mere fact, however, of the introduction
of such dialogue confers on the work the title of opera
comique in France and that of Singspiel in Germany.
When one remembers that such works as Beethoven's
"Fidelio" and Weber's "Der Freischutz" belong to
this type, it is evidently of great importance, and
a very large number of operas by a variety of com-
posers come under this heading.
Next, perhaps, in interest is the operetta, or short
opera, originally a one-act light opera frequently
employing spoken dialogue; the general style, more-
over, is lighter and of less imposing proportions than
serious opera. In later days, operettas are often
prolonged into two or more acts and have been made
very familiar by the long series of works by Gilbert
and Sullivan, which, properly speaking, belong to
this category.
45
4 6 THE OPERA
Of a somewhat lower grade is musical comedy, a
popular type of stage piece making considerable use
of music, but of only the less exalted forms of the
art. No serious pretensions to artistic beauty are
claimed by these works, the taste for which seems to
be, at the present time, somewhat on the wane.
A form of opera for which the English have always
had an affection is the ballad opera, really a string of
airs, often by different composers, thrown more or
less promiscuously into a story, with which they often
appear to have no very close connection. There is
practically no concerted music, and the whole boars
some resemblance to a ballad concert. The renowned
"Beggar's Opera/' which for years was a motlcl for
English entrepreneurs, belonged to this category, and
set an example for hosts of imitators to follow.
Indeed, Kngland is only now beginning to .shake her-
self free from the trammels of this class of work, in
which such operas as "The Bohemian (lirF* and
"Maritana" tend to approximate. The ballad OJKTU
also took root in America, where hundreds of such
works nourished for a time, and it is not unknown in
Germany, where it is called Liederspiel,
Of more artistic merit and interest is the masque*
which really preceded opera. Originally developing
in carnival processions through the street* of Italian
towns, it was adopted in Kngland during tlu* reigns
Of Henry VIII and some succeeding monarch** The
plan of such works was the presentation of some
allegorical idea upon a stage, with descriptive music,
both vocal and instrumental, and a large proportion
of dancing. Campion, Lock, Coperario, and many
others took part in the composition of th<*se
HISTORY AND GUIDE 47
ments, which were in great demand for such functions
as royal weddings. They were staged in the most
sumptuous manner, great attention being paid to
stage machinery, costume, etc. Much of the music
has been lost, but what remains shows it to have been
excellent of its class, and it is effective even in per-
formance to-day.
In early days of operatic history there was no
radical difference between the masque and the ballet.
An entertainment of vocal and instrumental music
in celebration of the marriage of the Duke of Joyeuse
in 1581 (costing three and a half million francs to
produce) was termed "Ballet comique de la Royne."
As an illustration of the dance alone, which is its
present signification, the ballet appears to date from
the foundation of the opera in France, with which
it has had a very close and lasting connection.
Indeed, until recently grand opera without a ballet
was unknown. Beginning with Lulli, and continuing
even up to the present clay, the ballet has maintained
a position of great importance; and although it has
never appealed to other peoples to the same extent
as it appears to have clone to Continental nations, it
has been transported with the works in which it was
introduced and has become a familiar feature to
operagoers everywhere.
The great disadvantage of the ballet is that it breaks
up the continuity of the story ; the development of the
interest of the opera is arrested, and so far as the
music is concerned a complete difference in style is
often necessary, the result being that the old train
of thought and idea is often only to be resumed with
difficulty. Hence it happens that, with a growing
48 THE OPERA
appreciation for artistic truth in opera, the ballet has
fallen into the background, and most operas seen to-
day do not include any performance of what is,
at best, a somewhat irrelevant interlude. A few
attempts, such as that by Wagner in "Tannhatiser,"
to introduce a ballet as an integral factor in the
denouement, have not been specially successful, nor
have they been widely imitated. As a separate form
of entertainment, apart from opera, the ballet has
had excellent music written for it by Adam, Sullivan,
Tchaikovsky, and others (in Russia it is a very
popular amusement) ; but in England its appearances
are now mainly confined to the music hall, where it
is wedded to music of a light and charming character.
In our own country the ballet, at its best, is generally
enjoyed along with other features of the opera in
which it occurs.
A few words as to curiosities of opera. These
may be grouped somewhat as follows: ( i) Curiosities
of construction and design; (2) curiosities of stage
requirements; (3) curiosities of the music.
The old manner of collecting a mass of heterogene-
ous materials in the way of airs atul songs* ami of
turning them into a kind of opera, is certainly curious.
The name pasticcio, or pie. is very applicable to this
hybrid growth, which, however, has at times attained
to great popularity. One of the most famous in-
stances of its kind is "Miuio Scevola/' produced in
1771. This work was in three acts: the first nun-
posed by Ariosti, the second by Hononemi, and the
third by Handel. The last-named great eomfwser,
with an easy manner of doing things which would
certainly not pass muster at the present flay, also
HISTORY AND GUIDE 49
brought out in 1738 an opera almost entirely made
up of favorite airs from his other works; an example
which Gluck followed a few years later. The day
for this kind of thing is fortunately past, and no com-
poser of serious operatic work would revert to a
procedure which is more suggestive of the construc-
tion of a pantomime.
The singing* by different performers in different
languages at the same time is another defunct custom.
So little regard was paid to the importance of the
libretto that it used to be quite a common occurrence
for each person on the stage to sing in whatever
language came easiest. On the Continent the airs
would perhaps be sung in Italian and the recitatives
in German, with an inconsistency that is almost in-
credible. When, however, agility in vocalization was
the chief attraction in operatic representation, it is to
be presumed that intelligibility of utterance was not
an important consideration.
To the same cause must be attributed the ex-
traordinary fact that the dramatis persons were the
same for nearly all operas during a certain period.
Whatever the story or plot to be unfolded, it was
essential that there "should be six principal characters
a high soprano, a mezzo, and a contralto, a male
soprano, a tenor, and a bass. Of course slight modi-
fications in the character of the voices was occasion-
ally allowed, but the main lines followed were as
above* And whether it suited the story or not, each
singer expected to have an important air to sing in
each act, and woe betide the unhappy composer who
wrote a more attractive piece for one of them than
was supplied to a rival singer ! From this stereotyped
50 THE OPERA
form of bondage, with all its artificiality, opera is now
free; and it is due to the observance of these con-
ventions that works of Handel and other composers,
who wrote really good music, are absolutely dead.
Apart from the construction in the form of the
opera, there have been from time to time interesting
experiments made with regard to the housing of that
integral portion of it the orchestra. Wagner's inno-
vation, the placing of the band out of sight and below
the stage, although it necessitated the increase of the,
string sections, has proved on the whole good. ( Hher
designs have been the entire covering in of the
orchestra with a thin transparent substance, which
has had the effect of subduing the sound, but which
has also proved disastrously hot for the poor players.
One idea emanated from the New York Metropolitan,
when Conried suggested the placing of the bra>s
players upon a movable platform, which could muve
up or down at will; if it is desired thai their in.stru-
ments shall sound prominently they will be raised into
the air; if, on the other hand, a subdued effect is
required, they will be lowered a few feet; a Inng
crescendo will presumably, be effected by a gradual
elevation of this movable floor! One has yet in wait
to see this invention adopted.
In days when enormous groups of performer* were
considered indispensable for grand effects in tpera,
one reads of many extravagances in the way of dis-
play. In modern scenic dramatic works, in the ballet,
and in pantomime, these effects are no dnubt legiti-
mate enough; but inasmuch as the cumbering of the
stage with voiceless supers hardly helps on the cause
of opera, it is a matter for congratulation that the^e
HISTORY AND GUIDE 51
exceptional stage demands are no longer made to any
great extent.
Here, for instance, is the modest -list of performers
that took part in Freschi's "Berenice" in 1680:
loo Virgins.
100 Soldiers.
loo Horsemen in iron armor.
40 Cornets on horseback.
6 Mounted trumpeters.
6 Drummers.
6 Ensigns.
6 Sackbuts.
6 Flutes.
12 Minstrels playing on Turkish instruments, etc.
6 Pages.
3 Sergeants.
6 Cymballers.
12 Huntsmen.
12 Grooms.
12 Charioteers.
2 Lions led by 2 Turks.
2 Elephants.
4 Horses with IJerenice's triumphal can
12 Horses drawing 6 cars.
6 Chariots.
A stable with 100 living horses.
A forest filled with wild boar, deer, and bears.
However magnificent and imposing in effect such a
spectacle may be, its proper sphere is not opera. With
Meyerbeer, Spontini, and other composers of grand
opera these ideas have found favor; but they are a
52 THE OPERA
bar to the production of their works to-day, not only
on the score of very considerable expense, but also
because the artistic sense that delights in beautiful
music wedded to appropriate drama will hardly find
pleasure in such merely sensuous effects of the eye.
The difficulties of modern stage management occur
chiefly in the presentation of the supernatural. 1 luge
crowds are easy enough to put upon the stage, but to
make a bird fly across naturally is a more involved
matter. In many of the Wagner operas these super-
natural features arc essential elements of the situa-
tion; the Rhine maidens must appear to be swimming
in real water, the bird must fly ahead of Siegfried to
show him the rock on which Hriinnhilde sleeps, and
round that rock living flames of fire must dart and
play. It is such points as these which are difficult
to stage convincingly. Has any one ever felt much
frightened at the dragon Fafner? The fire has a way
of coming out of his mouth at the wrong time, his
head and his tail seem to have little connect inn with
one another, and thtj impressive effect of his deeply
sonorous utterances is often marred by the very
visible megaphone through which they are uttered. In
these strange beasts, for which machinery is ineffec-
tive, there is still scope for improvement in modern
stage management.
Curiosities in the music occur now and then: such,
for instance, is the weird portion in the middle of
Weber's "Ruryanthe" overture, where the curtain rises
momentarily to display a gruesome tomb; such i* the
thrusting aside of the stage curtain in the midst of
Leoncavallo's "Pagliaeer* prelude for one of the
characters to sing a song; such is the cnrimi* vocal
HISTORY AND GUIDE 53
scherzo upon one reiterated note, for the chorus of
seraphim in Boito's "Mefistofele."
On a bigger scale is the curious experiment made
by Michael in the opera "Utal," in writing his work
without any violins in the orchestra. Of more fre-
quent occurrence than the omission of instruments is
the inclusion of various unusual effects, such as the
introduction of a mandolin for the serenade in
Mozart's "Don Giovanni/' of the Glockenspiel for
Papageno in "The Magic Flute/' of peal of bells in
many works, and so forth, whereas Handel sighed
for a cannon, and Tchaikovsky actually used one in
his "1812" overture. The maximum of stage noise
in this way was probably reached by Spontini, who
in his opera "Alcidor" had a number of anvils upon
the stage tuned to certain notes! An anvil accom-
paniment, not ineffectively used, may be heard in
Gounod's "Philemon et Baucis."
Among curiosities of the music must be mentioned
the vocal cadenzas, etc., written for exceptional
singers; and in the days when these singers used to
include male sopranos and contraltos (termed castrati)
the majority of singers appear to have been excep-
tional. For a man to develop a high soprano voice
seems not only unnatural but inartistic; and these
singers, some of them most famous, belong to an
order of things that obtains no longer, being contrary
both to modern ethics and to good taste. What the
male soprano could do can usually be done equally
well by a good woman singer, and of these there is
usually a sufficient supply.
For women singers with voices of exceptional
compass special music has often been written, as wit-
54 THE OPERA
ness the part of "Queen of the Night" in Mozart's
"Zauberflote," much of which lies abnormally high.
Even where not written, singers of Italian opera have
often introduced elaborate and wonderful cadenzas
for the purposes of display, and these, although not
tolerated in opera of the most exalted kind, may still
be frequently heard.
Nowadays little of this kind of music is written for
the voice, so far as opera is concerned. The work
required of the modern operatic singer is more
dramatic by nature, and makes demands upon
technique of a different order.
VI. POTPOURRI
Opera and Politics "Lohengrin" in Paris Opera Non-lucra-
tive to the Composer Jenny Lind's Contract Modern
Fees Royalties Librettists Metastasio and Scribe The
Prima Donna Stories of Singers and Composers.
TVTOW and again it happens that opera rubs shoulders
with politics, and acquires some importance in
the affairs of nations. Lulli's power at court in the
days of Louis XIV was notorious, and none too
generously exercised so far as his fellow-musicians
were concerned. But influence with monarchs, such as
that which he acquired, is rarer now, and less powerful
than in those earlier days. Lulli profited by the royal
favor bestowed on him, but some great composers
have been less fortunate.
Cherubini, for instance, was detested by the great
Napoleon, who lost no opportunity of inflicting slights
upon him. Cherubini's sympathies were clearly mani-
fested in his "Water Carrier" opera, as on the side of
revolution, but distinctly contrary to the excesses to
which it often led. So enraged were some ruffians
with him that he was in 1794 dragged out of his house,
marched through Paris, and finally compelled to pro-
vide music for the pleasure of his captors. Napoleon
frequently called him into his presence in order to
praise other composers, suggesting that he compared
unfavorably with them. When Cherubini replied
55
56 THE OPERA
with some little spirit, he was promptly punished by
being compelled to conduct various concerts and state
performances with no reward whatever.
Napoleon was sometimes given to indulging his
sardonic humor at the expense of those who waited
on his favors. It is related by one who knew him
well that once at a social function he indulged his
whim by pretending to humiliate the composer
Gretry. Coming face to face with him several times,
Napoleon repeatedly asked the musician, "And who
are you?" At last, tired of identifying himself, he
replied, "Sire, I am still Gretry."
Napoleon, for a time, could not do enough for
Spontini. He commanded the production of "La
Vestale," and rewarded him with a present of 10,000
francs, loading him, moreover, with praises and
honors. This did not, however, last for very long, for
the downfall of the great conqueror was at hand, and
anxieties and cares claimed his attention.
Political feeling has probably never run so high over
operatic matters as it did in Paris after the Franco-
German war. For years no German work was
tolerated, at any rate so far as new matter was con-
cerned, and the determination of the management to
produce Wagner's "Lohengrin" in 1891 was the
signal for a riotous uproar. Public feeling ran high ;
some of the leading singers, considering discretion
the better part of valor, caused frequent postpone-
ments of the performance by means of convenient
indispositions, and when the work actually came to
presentation cordons of police were called out to
guard the opera house, both inside and out. M.
Lamoureux, who conducted, did so with a pistol in
HISTORY AND GUIDE 57
his pocket. Opposition inside the theater made itself
felt by an objectionable device of setting floating in
the auditorium little balloons of foul gas ; while oppo-
sition in the street was met by cavalry charges and
frequent arrests. The whole occasion was made one
of political import, but fortunately common sense
prevailed, and no serious issues resulted. Happily
for opera, such scenes as these are infrequent and
unusual.
Opera is not a fortune-making business for the
majority of those who embark on such enterprises.
So far as the composition of opera is concerned,
financial result is usually very small. Nowadays an
opera cannot be lightly tossed off in a few days. It
is true that Handel composed "Rinaldo" in fourteen
days, Rossini "II Barbiere" in thirteen (a wonderful
performance), and Pacini his "Saffo" in four weeks;
but these are very exceptional instances, and may
fitly be contrasted with the labor of Wagner, who
had his "Meistersinger" and 'The Ring" on hand for
something like twenty years. Modern opera, with its
polyphonic orchestral background and amorphous
movements, demands years of work, and for the
majority of those who give so much of their lives to
it there is little to show in return from a pecuniary
point of view.
Operatic management, too, is very speculative;
Handel lost his whole fortune and became bankrupt
through his operatic ventures, and yet his works had
enormous success in their day. The example set by
him has been followed by many a subsequent manager,
and is perhaps yet in store for many another.
The chief item in expenditure is, of course, the
5 8 THE OPERA
enormous amount swallowed up in the fees paid to
the singers. Handel paid Senesino 1400 guineas for
the season in 1731, and even allowing for the greater
value of money in those days, that is a comparative!}
small amount. Here, for example, is the contract
made by Jenny Lind with Lumley, the London
manager, in 1846 (far less liberal, by the way, than
such a singer would receive to-day) :
"i. An honorarium of 120,000 francs (4800) for
the season (April I4th-August 2Oth, 1847).
"2. A furnished house, carriage, and pair of horses.
'.'3. A sum of 300 should she desire to have a
preliminary holiday in Italy.
"4. Liberty to cancel the engagement should she
feel dissatisfied after her first appearance.
"5. An agreement not to sing elsewhere for her
own emolument/'
(See Jenny Lind's vastly more remunerative deal-
ings with P. T. Barnum, as related in the section on
"Vocal Music and Musicians/' Chapter X.)
It generally happens that a singer commands higher
fees for private than for public singing, the advantage
of the latter being as a rule a guaranteed number of
appearances. Farinelli, for example, the chief singer
engaged by the noble faction that set up in opposition
to Handel in 1734, received only 1500 per annum,
but his private engagements made up his income to
5000 a year a large one at that date. This singer
afterward visited the court of Philip V of Spain ; that
monarch was suffering from mental depression, from
which nothing aroused him until the advent of Farincl-
It. The Queen was so delighted to see her royal spouse
HISTORY AND GUIDE 59
once more interested in anything that she engaged
Farinelli at a salary of 50,000 francs to remain in
Madrid. This he did, singing the same four songs to
the King every night for ten years ! Eventually Philip
V succumbed, but he must have been a patient mon-
arch.
It does not always happen that singers of equal merit
receive the same payments, some being more fortunate
than others. Catalani, for example, in 1807 received
in London 5000 for the season, and with her concerts
and provincial tours netted a profit for the year of
16,700. A more famous singer, Lablache, in 1828
could only command 1600 for four months ; while
Malibran in 1835 received 2755 for twenty-four ap-
pearances in London, and 45,000 francs for one hun-
dred and eighty-five performances a few years later at
La Scala.
But these fees are as nothing compared with those
commanded by the leading singers of to-day, more
especially in America, where money is "poured out like
water/* and where artists are sometimes retained at
high fees by one opera house, even if they do not sing
a single note during the whole season, so that a rival
house shall not secure their services. It is not very
unusual for a singer to receive $5000 per performance
in the twentieth century. Madame Patti has stated
that she received $6000 per night for two seasons of
sixty nights each. Caruso has been paid $100,000
for eighty performances, and about $40,000 per an-
num for singing into gramophones; his contract for
four years at $200,000 per annum with the New York
Metropolitan is probably a record in this direction.
Of course the amounts received by those who com-
60 THE OPERA
pose the music never approximate to such figures as
these. For "Don Giovanni" Mozart received only 500
dialers, and for "Figaro" 100 ducats. Weber's pay-
ment for "Der Freischutz" was 80 Friedrich d'ors, out
of which he had to pay the librettist ; after the treasury
had netted 30,000 thalers from this work Weber was
presented with 100! There are, however, a few exam-
ples of fair bargains made by musicians. Spontini, in
1814, was offered a salary, then liberal, equal to $3750
per annum for two operas each year in Berlin; in
1819 he accepted a ten years' engagement at the court
of Frederick William III, Berlin, at a salary of 4000
thalers, a benefit of 1050 thalers, a free concert, and a
pension. He was well treated, but did not himself
behave very well, allowing his servant to sell free ad-
missions to the theater, and grumbling because his
first-night presentations did not bring in as much as he
wished. He finally ended by a demand for compensa-
tion for 46,850 thalers, and that in face of the fact
that he was convicted of lese-majesty and sentenced to
nine months' imprisonment an indignity from which
his new monarch graciously released him.
Sometimes an agreement is made with the composer
by which he receives a royalty or lump sum for each
performance of his work. To the composer of an
opera that takes the public fancy this spells fortune,
and vast sums have now and again been made in this
way. Isouard, for example, received for the perform-
ances of his "Ccndrillon" in Paris alone over 100,000
francs in 1810, "while Rossini and others have by simi-
lar strokes of luck easily acquired wealth* So small,
however, is the proportion of new works to-day which
become popular that the chances of such good fortune
HISTORY AND GUIDE 61
arc very small; a "Cavalleria Rusticana" only makes
its appearance now and then, nor is the composer of
such a work often able to repeat his success.
Although rarely recognized, the work of the author
of the libretto is of vast importance. In the days when
the story meant little or nothing, provided so many
pegs were provided on which to hang the arias, the
share of the librettist was a less conspicuous one; to-
day no inconsiderable part of the failure of an opera
is due to a poor libretto. It therefore frequently hap-
pens that composers, finding it impossible to obtain a
poem to please them, write their own libretti, the chief
example of this dual work being Wagner, whose
dramas are often very fine considered from a literary
point of view alone.
Most famous of the librettists of early operas is
Metastasio (1698-1782), some of whose poems were
set by thirty and forty different composers: he wrote
dramas used by such composers as Handel, Hasse,
Jomelli, Porpora, Graun, Gluck, Meyerbeer, Caldara,
Haydn, Cimarosa, and Mozart. In later days mention
may be made of the dramatist Scribe (1791-1861), a
French poet who provided a vast number of works for
various composers, including Auber, Adam, Boieldieu,
Donizetti, Herold, Ilalevy, Meyerbeer, and Verdi.
Quite one hundred of his operas were staged and per-
formed, to say nothing of light dramatic and other
pieces.
Scattered here and there in literature that deals with
opera may be found endless stories of singers, com-
posers, and art-patrons. Most fruitful in providing
amusing tales are the prime donne, whose jealousies
and bickerings, although unpleasant enough for those
62 THE OPERA
who have to contend against them, make sufficiently
good reading. The prinia donna generally knows her
power, and is autocratic. There is not found every
day a Handel to take such a one forcibly by the scruff
of her neck and hang her suspended from a window in
mid-air until his will is obeyed. When such a fractious
lady has a husband in the same cast consequences may
be very bad indeed. The tenor Arsani, for example,
the teacher of the Garcias, had a wife who was a
prima donna; but instead of acting together, so jealous
were they of each other, that when one was receiving
the plaudits of the audience the other would go round
into the auditorium and hiss!
Rivalry is not always, however, so apparent, and
when fine singers are willing to cooperate, very great
results are sometimes obtained. The most notable en-
semble in this respect was probably that of the four
great singers Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini, and Lablache,
a combination of talent very seldom equaled, which
delighted auditors of the early Victorian era.
Nowadays, although a person of power, the great
singer has not the field so entirely to himself as to be
able to dictate regarding what he will or will not do.
A certain tenor, for example, at Marseilles early in
1905 withdrew his promise to sing at a certain con-
cert for the reason that a rival tenor had been engaged.
Great was his amazement to find that this refusal by no
means jeopardized the concert, as he had hoped, but
rather became an additional source of amusement ; for
the management, having advertised him, determined
that he should be seen upon the stage ; so a ridiculous
effigy of him was brought forward, and a trio from
"Faust" was sung by other singers grouped round it*
HISTORY AND GUIDE 63
This may not have been very dignified, or even witty,
but a few drastic measures of this kind might induce
singers to be a little more reasonable in their treat-
ment of the public.
Strange measures are sometimes taken to prevent
the success of an opera. A hired body of fellows to
hiss in opposition to the organized claque is by no
means a rare sight in a French house ; but sometimes
more militant measures are taken. Rousseau's "Le
devin clu village," for example, received its coup de
grace in 1828 from the fact that some person (sup-
posed to have been Berlioz) threw a huge powdered
wig on to the stage in the midst of the performance.
So threatening was the opposition to Jomelli's
"Armicla," produced in 1750, that its composer fled
the house for his life by a back door. The opposition
to "Lohengrin" in Paris has already been commented
upon, but that to "Tannhauscr," organized by the
Jockey Club in 1866, was even stronger. Noise
and disorder filled the theater; people in the pit
played flageolets, while the gallery sang riotous songs.
So prejudiced was public opinion that a fair hearing
was not accorded to the work. Under these con-
ditions it is not altogether incredible that Merimee
should have exclaimed that he could write similar
music after hearing his cat walk up and down the
pianoforte !
Of composers, there are perhaps more amusing
stories of Spontini than of any other single opera
writer. This very opinionated and high-handed
Italian thought much of himself, and little of all else,
with the result that his life is very amusing reading.
He would have what he wanted. If his cellos could
64 THE OPERA
not play loud enough, they were made to sing their
parts as well; if, after six hours' rehearsal, his prima
donna fainted, he suggested that some one with more
physique should be engaged. He did not, however,
always have his own way. When "La petite maison"
was produced in 1804, the audience dashed on the
stage and smashed everything, while <4 La Vestale"
was greeted with laughing, snoring, and the putting
on of nightcaps. His orchestra, although moderate in
volume in comparison with what often obtains to-day,
was considered very noisy, so much so that it is said
that a certain doctor who had a very deaf patient
thought he might be made to hear by attending a per-
formance of "La Vestale." After a specially noisy
passage the deaf man with delight turned to his
doctor: "I can hear/* said he. His remark met with
no response, for the reason that the doctor himself
had been deafened by the noise.
Spontini felt such opposition very keenly; others
are less affected by hostility. When Rossini's u ll
Barbiere" was produced at Rome in 1816, it was
hooted and hissed, much to the chagrin of several of
the composer's friends. Thinking to commiserate
with him on the failure of his work, they called at
his house, expecting to find him in the depths of
despair. Instead of that, the maestro was safely
tucked up in bed and fast asleep!
Stories of singer and composer might fill many
chapters of such a work as this, but there are books
such as Sutherland Kdwards's "History of the Opera 1 '
and Ella's "Musical Reminiscences" to which those
interested may readily turn and find them ; therefore
such anecdotes need not be multiplied here.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 65
A wealth of amusement may be derived from the
daily papers, and in our time impresarios, in one
country or another, often seem to be the most perse-
cuted persons in the world. Opera has its worries
and troubles, but to those who love it it is a constant
source of refreshment and of artistic joy.
VII. THE TASK OF THE PRIMA DONNA
BY LILLIAN NORDICA
Marring the Performance Success and Failure Stern Ne-
cessities Self-denials A Day's Work Stage and Dress-
ing-room The Prima Donna's Offering to Art
A BROKEN note ! It cannot be sung over again.
-^ The orchestra goes on. Another singer takes
up the cue. The performance continues. You take
up your role again at the proper moment. It is all
so relentless !
The broken note does not fall into a net like the
acrobat who has missed his footing and has another
trial. You cannot stop the performance and sing
the unfortunate phrase over again. No to that ex-
tent you have marred the performance, and however
well you may sing through the rest of the opera, that
broken note will break again in every newspaper the
next morning.
Fortunately there are singers to whom this never
has happened and never will happen so long as they
conscientiously consider themselves able to fulfill
their missions as artists. It is not only because they
have voice and method, but because they also possess
the will-power to impose upon themselves the rigid
regime which should govern the life of a singer.
There are hundreds of beautiful voices. JLJut why
does one see almost always the same names leading
66
HISTORY AND GUIDE 67
the list of prima donnas at the great opera houses?
It is not a fad. It is a necessity, because those singers
that handful are the only ones who can stand
the strain of a grand opera season in a house of large
dimensions and give satisfaction to the public.
Where are all the other lovely voices that promised
so much? They have failed. Why? Because their
owners were unwilling to adapt themselves to the
stern necessities that govern the life of a prima
donna. It is a grand triumph to feel a great audience
"rising" at you; but it is a triumph gained at the
sacrifice of almost all the pleasures of life. I have
questioned many of my distinguished colleagues.
Always it is the same story a story of continual
sacrifice, not from the moment of the first success,
nor even from the first step upon the stage, but from
further back, from girlhood, from the period when
the work of preparation began. The sacrifice of
everything that interferes with her art and her career
is what makes a "great" prima donna of the woman
with the requisite voice and method Even the
athlete can learn a lesson in training from the prima
donna, with this difference: the athlete can "break
training," but the prima donna never can.
I am naturally active. Yet in a season of fifteen
weeks I have set foot upon the street for a short
walk just once. The chief part of the time it was
driving from my residence to the opera house for
rehearsal or performance and back again to my
residence for study or rest.
Society? How fond I should be of it if I could
enjoy its entertainments with a free mind! But the
functions I feel I can attend during a season without
68 THE OPERA
fear that my so doing will interfere with my obliga-
tions as an artist, you can count on fewer fingers than
those of one hand. I had an opera box at my dis-
posal. I doubt if I occupied it more than three or
four times in fifteen weeks. If I had sung Tuesday
night in Philadelphia and was obliged to sing Kunclry
on Thursday, do you think, much as I longed to sec
a performance, that I would jeopardize my task and
run the risk of not doing my full duty toward my
public by attending the opera on Wednesday? No,
I would rest from the strain of Tuesday the better to
be ready to bear the strain of Thursday. It is one
thing to be one of a great public, another to sing for
that great public. Once I went to an afternoon con-
cert just to treat myself to some singing that I wasn't
doing myself. As I was leaving with the rest of the
audience, a woman, a total stranger, came up to me.
"Please go right home and go to bed/' she said.
" 'Gotterdammerung' to-morrow !"
And she was right. I felt she was. So I went
home and went to bed.
Take a day when rehearsal has been called for half-
past ten in the morning. I am up at eight. By nine
o'clock my accompanist is at the piano and I go over
some of the uncertain passages. An opera, and
especially a Wagner music-drama, is such a big
affair that even if you have sung it many times it still
is necessary to "get up" on it every time you sing it
and to rehearse it, no matter how long it has been in
the repertoire. At half-past ten I am at the opera
house and, if it is a music-drama that is in rehearsal,
I am not likely to get away till half-past four or five
in the afternoon. I have been standing and acting
HISTORY AND GUIDE 69
and singing most of the time, and usually without
stopping for anything to eat, for it is not well to
sing until some time after a meal. Yet when I get
home, hot and tired, the first thing is the bath, and
even then only something light to eat, for the system
is too exhausted from the strain to assimilate the
dinner that an ordinary person would eat after such
an arduous day and so long a fast.
But even then work is not over. Supposing that
you have been rehearsing "Tristan" that day, and
the following night you are to appear in "Gioconda."
These are works of totally different schools, and to
be "up" on them practically at the same time is a
great test of vocal method. I have to turn at once
from "Tristan" to the Italian work so as to become
permeated with it before I go on the stage the next
night. But I am too tired to stand at the piano and
sing. So I rest on the sofa and listen to my accom-
panist while he plays over the music of my role.
After that I take the score to bed with me literally
so that if, during a wakeful hour in the night or in
the early morning, I should think of some point (and
one often does at such times), I am able to turn to
the music and work it out. Thus practically the
whole time a singer's mind is on her task.
Some people think a prima donna has a chance to
rest in her dressing-room between the acts. -Let me
dispel that illusion. When I sing Valentine in "Les
Huguenots," I do not appear until the second act,
but in order to have time to dress and to "warm up"
my voice, I am at the opera house at seven o'clock.
As for rest between the acts the Valentine costumes
are elaborate, and all my time, when not on the
70 THE OPERA
stage, is occupied in dressing. For Donna Anna in
"Don Giovanni," I get to the opera house by half
past six, for I am obliged to be on the stage soon
after the raising of the curtain. As soon as my first
scene is over I hasten to my dressing-room and hurry
into the black costume which I wear later in the same
act. Even after that I have no leisure, for I am
obliged to change to another black costume.
After the first act of "Tristan und Isolde/' the
Isolde is happy if she still is alive, for the act is very
long and Isolde is constantly on the stage, and almost
constantly active. Yet she has no time to rest. She
knows that no matter how much she hurries, the stage
will be ready before she can change her costume,
and she fairly races so as not to keep the stage wait-
ing any longer than necessary.
You might think that during the long, long wait be-
tween the second act and Isolde's cue late in the third
act (for she does not go on until nearly the encl of
the third act) the prima donna would have an agree-
able relaxation from the great scenes of the first and
second acts. Yet that hour and twenty minutes in the
dressing-room is the severest strain of all. Do I
rest during this long interval? Oh, no, I keep
walking about my dressing-room and singing. Other-
wise the vocal organs would sink into a state of
lethargy and I should not be able to key them up for
Isolde's tremendous scene, the "Love Death," over
Tristan's prostrate form.
When I sing Selica in "UAfricaine," I begin dress-
ing at half-past five, for I have to "make up dark"
for the role stain my face and arms. There arc
hurried changes of costume in this opera too. One
HISTORY AND GUIDE 71
night, between the acts of "L'Africaine," one of the
directors of the opera house brought Lord Charles
Beresford and Sir Cavendish-Bentinck to call on me
behind the scenes. I was obliged to remain standing
during their call while various barbaric ornaments
were being fastened to my costume.
One Saturday afternoon, after the second act of
"Tristan/ 1 my little niece, thinking I would have a
long time for rest and relaxation, came back to pay
me a visit. After watching me a while from the
lounge, she exclaimed:
"Why, Aunt Lillian ! If I'd known you carried on
so, I wouldn't have come in. I thought this was your
time for rest."
Rest? The prima donna never rests. Every girl
who really is going to be a prima donna is at it when
she is young and keeps at it till she retires that is,
if she has the inborn love of it. Often I hear young
women who are starting out to become singers say:
"I will do anything, I will make every sacrifice for
my art!" But they won't.
The real prima donna says nothing. She makes
the sacrifices, and when she stands before the public
and finds herself in good voice and sees her audience
hanging on every note and thrilled by every sound
that issues from between her lips, she feels that all
her sacrifices have not been sacrifices at all, but a
joyous offering to her art.
VIII. WAGNER'S PERSONALITY
BY GUSTAV KOBBE
Home Life Wagner at , a Banquet Personal Appearance
After-dinner Speech Love of Animals Affection and
Generosity Activity and Determination Wagner's
Humor His Sincerity.
T N the fierce contest which for nearly fifty years
waged around Wagner his personality was not
spared. His enemies, not content with pouring
vituperation upon his music, assailed his private life
and character. Yet his widow and son worship his
memory; and the only one of his intimate friends
whose reminiscences of him have been published
Ferdinand Prager has much to say of his personal
worth, and draws a charming picture of the com-
poser's home life with his second wife, Cosima Liszt.
In spite of all his enemies may have said, or indeed
still say, the mutual devotion of Wagner and Cosima
and his love for his son Siegfried have become almost
historical. The visitor to Wahnfried, Wagner's
house at Bayreuth, may see, inscribed over the
entrance, the following lines:
Hier, Wo Mein Wahnen Frieden Fand,
"Wahnfried," Sei Dieses Haus Von Mir Genannt
Wahnen means longing, or rather the strenuous
striving, amounting almost to madness, of an artist
for the fulfillment of his aspirations and the triumph
72
HISTORY AND GUIDE 73
of his art. "Wahnfried" means rest from longing,
and the lines over the entrance to Wagner's house
signify that there at last he found the repose of soul
and the respite from the world for which he had
yearned. Fate, relenting toward the genius who had
been fighting his way for half a century, had sent him
the complement to his nature a wife who loved him
for himself and at the same time was in full sympathy
with his aspirations. Cosima comprehended the man
and the artist.
Prager speaks of the high spirits with which at
times Wagner seemed fairly to bubble over. During
a sojourn in Bayreuth in 1882, when "Parsifal" was
produced, I myself had the opportunity to observe
this exuberance; for I often saw and heard Wagner.
One does not forget the first sight of a great man,
and the occasion on which I first saw Wagner is in-
delibly impressed on my memory. He gave a banquet
to his artists, the evening after the final dress
rehearsal of "Parsifal/' at a restaurant high up on the
hill and near the Wagner Theater. At one end of
the large dining-hall the floor was slightly sunk below
the level of the rest. The long table for Wagner and
his guests was set on this lower portion. The public
was admitted to dinner in the other and larger part
of the hall, so that whoever cared to pay the com-
paratively small price of the dinner was privileged to
watch the proceedings below. This part of the hall
was simply crowded; not a seat at any of the tables
was unoccupied, and long after the tables were full
many other people vainly sought admission.
The artists had arrived and had been waiting for
some time when the door swung open and Wagner
74 THE OPERA
entered rapidly. On his arm was Cosima; and fol-
lowing them were his father-in-law, Franz Liszt, and
young Siegfried Wagner, who looked like a minia-
ture presentment of his father. Hardly had Wagner
entered when he dropped Cosima's arm, and with
short, quick steps hurried toward his artists; giving
each in turn, from the highest to the lowest, a warm
handshake, and smiling and laughing as he passed
from one to the other. The wait for him had been
tedious, but the moment he entered every one's spirits
went up. His own exuberance was contagious.
After he had greeted his artists he looked up to
where we were sitting, straining our necks to see
all that was going on. Exclaiming "Da ist ja auch
das Publicum!" (Hello, there is the public!) in a half
amused, half contemptuous tone of voice, he dashed
up the short flight of steps which led to where we
were, and in a moment was hurrying in and out
among us, stopping to shake hands here and there
with a friend. He was closely pursued by Judith
Gautier, a daughter of Theophile Gautier, who
seemed to want to obtain some favor from him which
he did not wish to grant, but which -he was too good-
natured to deny outright. Occasionally he would
half turn around and laughingly say something to
her, and then keep on his way while she persistently
followed. He finally reached the steps, dashed down
them, and was again in the holy of holies among his
artists, whither she did not dare follow him.
At last Wagner seated himself, and the banquet
began. On either side of him were Cosima and his
father-in-law, Liszt. Seeing them in such close
proximity it was easy to note the remarkable resem-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 75
blance between Liszt and his daughter. They had the
same strongly marked aquiline features. At the same
table was a protege of Liszt, the pianist D'Albert,
then a very youthful celebrity, but since become a
famous pianist.
But, of course, I was most interested in looking at
Wagner himself. I frankly confess that when he first
entered and came forward with quick, short, almost
mincing steps, I was greatly disappointed in his per-
sonal appearance. He was diminutive in stature, and
his attire was spick and span something which in a
genius seems to me unpardonable. Every genius
should be at least a little disheveled in order to come
up to the public's idea of what he ought to be. If I
remember rightly Wagner had on a black cutaway,
light gray trousers, and immaculate lavender kid
gloves. Over one arm was flung, a light overcoat, and
in his hand he carried a brown derby. He certainly
did not at that moment realize the portrait that I had
formed of him in rny mind's eye.
But when he was seated and I had an opportunity
to examine his features more closely, I could not
help being impressed with the marvelous brow, which
seemed fairly to protrude with intellect and the power
of applied energy. Then, as he talked, now with his
wife, now with Liszt, occasionally flinging remarks
across the table to Materna, Winckelmann, Gudehus,
Scaria, or some of the other artists, his eyes sparkled
with good humor, and his features were wonderfully
mobile. At times, as if too full of vitality to remain
long quiet, he would jump up from his chair and
make the round of the table, with some pleasant
verbal quip for each of his friends.
?6 THE OPERA
I had always supposed that after-dinner speaking
was a horror confined to the United States. But
after the cigars had been lighted one of the local
dignitaries of Bayreuth arose and began a long and
uninteresting speech full of lavish laudation of
Wagner. Another followed, and administered one of
the most effective sleeping-potions which it has ever
been my fate to partake of more effective even than
that which Sieglinde administers to Hunding. But
of a sudden every one was wide awake. Wagner
was on his feet and speaking. Then it was I men-
tally conceded that, after all, after-dinner speaking
was not such a bad habit.
Wagner's speech was as brief as the others had
been long. He patted papa-in-law Liszt on the
shoulder and spoke feelingly of him as one of the
first who had befriended him, and as the man who
had given to him his precious wife. I shall always
remember the flood of emotion that he poured into the
words "die teuere Gattin." He concluded with an
eloquent tribute to his singers. After thanking those
who had contributed to the fund for the "Parsifal*'
productions, he concluded: "But after all I am more
indebted to my devoted, self-sacrificing artists; for
art is not created by money, but is made -possible only
by artists." The singers who were gathered at
Bayreuth in 1882 were a noble band, and passionately
devoted to the great composer.
Indeed, Wagner's master mind seemed to control
everything and everybody at Bayreuth. I once wrote
that near the Wagner Theater was an insane asylum
with cells and strait- jackets for any anti-Wagncritcs
who were apprehended in Bayreuth, and a peni-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 77
tentiary with a special lockup for small boys who
were caught whistling anything but leading motives.
But this really conveys an idea of how completely
everything at Bayreuth was Wagnerized and how
thoioughly it was dominated by Wagner's genius.
During one of the "Parsifal" performances I chanced
to see Wagner's head protrude from behind a bit of
scenery. He was not trying to observe how closely
the audience was following his work, but had his
eyes on the stage. After the performance Materna
explained to me that at rehearsals Wagner had not
only indicated the positions on the stage which, he
wished the various characters to take, but had actually
made little chalk marks in order to be sure that his
directions were followed. He was so anxious that
they should be properly observed that at the moment
I saw him he had incautiously thrust his head too far
forward from the wings.
Combined with his restless energy Wagner had
many lovable traits, not the least of which was his
affection for animals. When he was a boy he wit-
nessed the killing of an ox by a butcher. He grew
so excited that he would have rushed upon the man
had not his companions forcibly led him from the
scene. For a long time afterward he was unable to
touch meat. To clogs he was devotedly attached.
Whoever visited Wahnfried in 1882 rarely failed to
notice the stately St. Bernard, Wotan, between whom
and its master such mutual affection existed that,
when in the following February Wagner's remains
were laid at rest in Bayreuth, the dog refused to be
comforted and could not be led away from the tomb,
it becoming necessary to even feed ft there.
78 THE OPERA
Wagner and the various dogs he owned were
almost inseparable companions. He delighted to en-
gage in long conversations with them, himself supply-
ing their answers, "infusing into these much of that
caustic wit which philosophers of all ages and
countries have so often and powerfully put into the
mouth of animals." Wagner was fond of quoting
Weber's remark to a disobedient dog: "If you go on
like that you will at last become as silly and as bad
as a human being." In Boulogne, where he arrived
in the late thirties, after a visit to London, a huge
Newfoundland dog appeared with him so constantly
in the streets that he became known as "le petit hommc
avec le grand chien."
When the composition of "Tannhauser" was near-
ing its completion, while the ill success of his works
outside of Dresden had made him morbid and
despondent, the love of a few friends and that of his
dog was almost his only solace. He often remarked
that his dog had helped him compose "Tannhauser."
When he was seated at the piano singing boisterously
while composing, the clog would leap from its place
at its master's feet on to the table, peer into his face,
and begin to howl. Then Wagner would shake the
animal's paw, exclaim, "What, it does not suit you?"
and add, quoting from Shakespeare, "Well, I will do
thy bidding gently."
While an exile in Zurich he would take his dog
Peps with him on his long walks. Sometimes he
would declaim violently against his persecutors. Then
Peps, the "human Peps," as Wagner called him, would
bark and snap as if aiding his master; returning after
each sally to be praised and petted. "Peps/* he once
HISTORY AND GUIDE 79
remarked, "has more sense than all your wooden
contrapuntists."
In 1855, when Wagner was conductor of the
London Philharmonic, he found that a large Nor-
wegian dog belonging to Prager was kept in a small
back yard. He expostulated against what he called
the cruelty of such close confinement, and made it a
point when he went out on his daily constitutional to
take the dog with him. This duty he continued to
perform during his stay in London, notwithstanding
the fact that he was often tugged hither and thither
by the spirited animal, which rejoiced at its semi-
freedom. Every day while in London Wagner bought
a supply o,f French rolls, and went to the small bridge
over the ornamental water in Regent's Park, to feed
the ducks as well as a regal swan, of which he used
to say that it was fit to draw the chariot of Lohen-
grin. "The childlike happiness, full to overflowing,
with which this innocent occupation filled Wagner,
was an impressive sight, never to be forgotten. It
was Wagner you saw before you, the natural man,
affectionate, gentle and mirthful."
In one of his first letters to Prager, when he had
returned to Zurich after this season in London, he
asked if Prager's cat still had its bad cold. Shortly
afterward his dear Peps died in its master's arms,
"passing away without a sound quietly and peace-
fully. I cried incessantly, and since then have felt
bitter pain and sorrow for the dear friend of the past
thirteen years, who ever worked and walked with
me."
Prager relates that Wagner almost came to blows in
the London streets with a grocer who had cruelly
8o THE OPERA
beaten his horse; and one of the latest literary efforts
of his life was an essay against vivisection. Certainly
a man who throughout his life showed in so many
ways his love for dumb animals must have been in-
nately affectionate and tender ; and if he ever showed
himself otherwise, it was because of the irritability
created by the fierce attacks of which he was con-
stantly a victim.
Though naturally affected with the colossal egotism
which seems to be part of the make-up of every in-
tense creative genius, he was not lacking in gratitude.
His letters to Liszt teem with expressions of the
most affectionate recognition of all that composer had
done for him; and I have already quoted his grateful
reference to Liszt at the Bayreuth banquet. He
fairly worshiped the memory of his stepfather Geycr;
and when late in Wagner's life one of Geyer's long-
forgotten little comedies was played for him at a
private performance, as a birthday surprise, his do-
light was almost childish. His mother, "lieb f Mutter-
clien," as he always called her, he adored; and he
poured his love for her into the exquisite music of
"Siegfried" whenever the young hero of that music-
drama alludes to his mother. All Wagner's refer-
ences to his mother were, according to Prager, "of
affection, amounting almost to idolatry."
Nor did Wagner's egotism warp his judgment of
the composers of the past. When he was a conductor
at the Royal Opera in Dresden, he successfully
revived interest in Cluck's and Mozart's operas. The
ultimate appreciation of Beethoven's Ninth symphony
was largely due to performances of that work under
Wagner's baton, and to the analysis of the symphony
HISTORY AND GUIDE 81
which he wrote. When he proposed to give it in
Dresden opposition was raised on account of the ex-
pense. Accordingly he went to all the trouble of
borrowing the orchestral parts from Leipzig, learning
the symphony by heart to avoid the outlay for an
orchestral score, and inducing choir-boys from neigh-
boring churches to assist in the performance.
Nor are there lacking instances of warm-hearted
sympathy on Wagner's part toward those who were
unfriendly to him. The attitude of Berlioz toward
Wagner was decidedly frigid. Yet when Wagner
was invited in London to meet a French musical
amateur in the confidence of the Emperor the idea
being that something might thus be accomplished
toward awakening the latter's interest in Wagner's
music what did Wagner do? He implored the
Frenchman to persuade the Emperor to espouse
Berlioz's cause.
Wagner was a man of great physical as well as
mental activity. I have spoken of the quick manner
in which he moved about among the guests at the
Bayreuth banquet. It was characteristic of the man.
When he was a schoolboy he threw a schoolmate's
cap high upon a steep roof. The lad began to cry.
This was more than Wagner could stand. At great
risk to his life he climbed the roof, threw down the
cap to the boy, and then, letting himself down through
the manhole into the garret, hid there to escape the
reprimands of his teachers, who appeared incensed
at his recklessness, though, probably, they secretly
admired it.
Prager, who went to visit him in Tribschen in the
summer of 1871, tells a capital anecdote of the com-
82 THE OPERA
poser's buoyant, active temperament, which years had
not lessened. They were sitting on an ottoman in the
drawing-room, when the composer of 'The Ring of
the Nibelung," 'Tristan," and the "Meistersinger"
suddenly rose and stood on his head upon the otto-
man. Just then the door opened and Madame Wag-
ner entered. Seeing her husband in this curious
position, she hastened forward exclaiming, "Aber!
lieber Richard! liebcr Richard!" Quickly resuming
his natural position Wagner explained to her that
he was not insane, but was merely proving to his
friend Ferdinand that he could stand on his head at
sixty.
Coupled with this activity was great determination.
When he was in London his crossing of crowded
thoroughfares was so intrepid as to border upon the
reckless. He would go straight across; leaving it to
the drivers of the various vehicles which were bear-
ing down upon him to take care that they did not run
over him. This recklessness is interesting as a physi-
cal manifestation of his mental attitude toward his
art. No man ever dared more in art than Wagner.
The energy with which he went to work to produce
the Ninth symphony in Dresden as already related,
was characteristic. He did everything thoroughly
and with the full conviction that he was bound to
succeed.
Ill success only seemed to inspire him to greater
energy. The return of his scores of "Rienzi," "The
Flying Dutchman/' and "Tannhauser/* unopened
by managers, resulted in his working with redoubled
zeal upon "Lohengrin." When he saw no immediate
prospect of securing the production of that opera,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 83
he began the composition of an art-work even more
advanced "The Ring of the Nibelung." It is a mat-
ter of history that nearly a quarter of a century went
by before that cycle saw the light of a theater.
Meanwhile he composed "Tristan" and "The Meister-
singer." There is no greater example of energy in the
history of art than Wagner. If some one could be
induced to count all the musical notes and words that
Wagner wrote during his life, the figures would be
found to be simply appalling.
Even when his cause had been espoused by the
King of Bavaria the spirit of independence, fostered
by his immense creative force, did not forsake him.
Once after an interview with the King in which they
disagreed, he remarked to a friend, who cautioned
him to be more diplomatic, "I have lived before with-
out the King, and I can do so again." He was thorough-
ly absorbed in his art. Everything seemed to him to
center around it. When preparations were under
way for the production of his "Ring of the Nibelung"
at Bayreuth, he wrote to Prager: "It appears to me
that the whole German Empire is created only to aid
me in attaining my object."
In view of the length of most of his works, it is
interesting to note that even as a boy he planned
things on a large scale. While at school his passion
for Shakespeare led him to write a drama which, he
himself says, was a jumble of "Lear" and "Hamlet,"
and was so long that, all the characters having died, he
was obliged, in the last act, to bring their ghosts on
the stage in order to keep the play going. Wagner's
unbounded admiration for Shakespeare continued
throughout his life. When he first entered West-
84 THE OPERA
minster Abbey he immediately sought out the Shake-
speare monument; and the first Christmas present he
made to Cosima, after she became his wife, was a
costly edition of Shakespeare's works, which he im-
ported from London.
When his energy was not expended in his art
work, it found vent in many humorous sallies. I
have already related how he stood on his head for
Prager. That was physical humor. But he was also
fond of joking. He once quoted his teacher's remark
that he would never learn to play the piano. "But,"
he added, "I play a great deal better than Berlioz."
The waggishness of this remark lies in the fact that
Berlioz could not play at all. During a rehearsal of
the "Rienzi" overture in Dresden the trombones
were too loud. Instead of rebuking them angrily, he
said, with a laugh: "Gentlemen, we are in Dresden,
not marching around the walls of Jericho/ 7 After
"Tannhauser" was brought out a German composer
of little note, named Chcllard, said that the "Song
to the Evening Star" was wrongly harmonized, and
suggested certain harmonies which should be sub-
stituted for those employed by Wagner. When Wag-
ner was among friends it was one of his favorite
diversions to seat himself at the piano and sing the
"Song to the Evening Star" a la Chellard.
Just as this buoyancy and fondness for amusement
were the result of his wonderful activity of mind, so
also this fundamental trait of his character made him
an enemy to all sham. The Duke of Coburg had
composed an opera which he asked Wagner to score
for him : offering him a sum equivalent to a thousand
dollars, besides two months' residence in his palace.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 85
The offer came to Wagner when he was in compara-
tively needy circumstances, but he promptly declined
it. He did not care to clothe another's work in his
orchestral garb. To a tailor who expressed surprise
that he wanted silk for the back of his waistcoat, be-
cause it was not seen, Wagner exclaimed : "Not seen !
Sham, sham in everything, is the tendency of the age.
Whatever is not seen may be shabby, provided the
exterior be richly gilded."
It is pleasant to know that, through many years of
strife, Wagner had his indomitable will-power, his
love for his friends, and his spirit of humor to fall
back upon. It is even more pleasant to reflect that
he lived to see the art work of his life triumphant,
and to know of a happy home. During those latter
years of his life a wonderful sense of peace seems to
have pervaded his being. "God make every one
happy. Amen !" is a sentence in one of his last letters
to Prager. What more fitting answer to the detractors
of his personal character?
IX. THE BUSINESS SIDE OF GRAND OPERA
BY GUSTAV KOBBE
Duties of a Manager Work and Diplomacy Earnings and
Expenditures A Manager's Trials Dealings with Sing-
ers Expenses at the Metropolitan Performances There
The Box Office Rules for Ticket-sellers Lost Articles.
TDROADLY speaking, the duties of an opera man-
^ ager are to keep an eye on everybody and every-
thing connected with his company, from the prin-
cipal prima donna, who receives $1700 a performance,
to the "practical 1 ' property monkey which opens its
jaws and shows its gums in one of the scenes in "The
Magic Flute." This statement will perhaps convey
some idea of the variety which enters into the life of
a manager of grand opera.
The most important representative of this active
species in this country is the "managing director" of
the company which sings at the Metropolitan Opera
House, New York.
While the leading members of this company appear
in perhaps six or eight performances a month, the
director may be said to give a continuous perform-
ance all the year round. For when the singers are
not in a scene "before the audience, they are apt to
be making a scene in the impresario's office. The
plot and situations of these private representations are
86
flight, Detroit Photographic Co.
THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE
New York
HISTORY AND GUIDE 87
generally based on the numerous intricacies always to
be found in opera singers' contracts.
To an ordinary mortal, a contract of this kind
appears like a labyrinth, without a kindly Ariadne to
furnish the thread enabling him to find his way out
of the maze of conditions. Considering that a grand
opera impresario has not one such contract, but a
whole stack of them, it is wonderful how he can
remember just what he can call upon each of his
singers to do. Some idea of the work and diplomacy
required to "sign" the leading members of an opera
company like that at the Metropolitan may be gath-
ered from a clause in the contract which the director
had with the subcompany by which he was employed
before the owners of the opera house themselves
financed the enterprise and placed the director on a
salary. It provided that should he be disabled or die
at any time after he had engaged his artists for the
ensuing season even before the season began, and in
fact before the artists engaged abroad sailed for this
country his heirs should nevertheless be entitled to
draw out his share of the profits during the entire
season. In other words, he was considered to have
earned his money before the curtain rose on the first
performance in fact, even before the company as-
sembled in this country* Not only had he to exercise
the shrewdness necessary to meet' the whims and
demands of the singers whom he wished to engage,
but a large amount of money passed through his hands
while he was still closing the contracts. For operatic
contracts call for advance payments, and an opera di-
rector, while engaging his company during the summer,
is obliged to pay out about $100,000 in advances.
88 THE OPERA
The public is apt to hear of large earnings on the
tours, and of enormous advance sales in New York,
but knows little about the expenses of an opera com-
pany and the worries of its manager. It sounds very
grandiose to say that, including the money taken in
on tour and the advance sales in New York, the cur-
tain at a first performance at the Metropolitan Opera
House last season rose on over a million dollars. But
when it is stated that one season one tenor, Jean de
Reszke, was paid in round figures $100,000, that dur-
ing another season one prima donna, Mine. Calve,
would have earned even more, had it not been for
her illness during the tour, and that she was only one
of a large number of high-priced artists in the com-
pany, it will be seen that the salary list of an im-
presario, quite aside from the rest of his expense
account, is enormous.
Melba receives $3000 a performance and Caruso
the same amount. These are the highest honoraria
paid on the stage. But in addition Caruso has a
guarantee of eighty performances a year, so that his
three years' contract will bring him in the sum of
$720,000. This contract was made by Heinrich
Conried, Maurice Grau's successor, and on Conricd's
death was taken over by the opera house itself.
Doubtless, however, the impresario would consider
the drawing of checks to meet such expenses a com-
paratively agreeable occupation, especially in the case
of a drawing card like Caruso, if it would insure him
against the personal trials which are the bane of his
life. The late Maurice Grau at one time issued a
prospectus of each season. He ceased doing so. The
artists nearly worried the life out of him because
HISTORY AND GUIDE 89
this one wanted to be first in the list of prima donnas,
tenors, barytones, or bassos; this one last with the
magic word "and" before his. name. That "and" was
a great invention. It made the first and last on the
list about coequal and enabled the manager to satisfy
at least two singers in each branch of his company.
But the relief was only temporary. There soon were
as many candidates for the "and" as there had been
for the head of the list. So Grau got out of the dif-
ficulty by abandoning the prospectus altogether. He
did, indeed, issue a prospectus for the tour, in which
he diplomatically, as he thought, printed the names
in their alphabetical order. But this raised a hubbub,
compared with which the storm in "Die Walkiire"
and the crash in the finale of "Gotterdammerung"
were as the whispering of spring breezes.
By abandoning the prospectus, a director of opera
rids himself of one worry. But there are others
which probably will never cease until opera singers'
natures undergo a complete change. To look upon
the splendid physical proportions of some of the
principal singers you would hardly suppose they were
such delicate creatures as they sometimes appear to
be. But whether it is "indisposition" or a mere whim
prompted, perhaps, by jealousy, there is no going be-
hind a physician's certificate, even if it is not sent to
the opera house earlier than an hour or two prior to
the performance in which the singer was to have
taken the leading role. Then perhaps the impresario
recalls the scene in his office a day or two before,
when the singer, suddenly "indisposed," wanted to
know why he let another prima donna sing Aida
when it was her role; or why he should have cast
90 THE OPERA
Mme. A. for Elisabeth in the first performance of
"Tannhauser" when it had always been her Mine.
B.'s privilege to sing that role in the first representa-
tion of the opera. Nor does it add a touch of pleasure
to his reflections as he contemplates the physician's
certificate, to recall the fact that it was he who made
that prirna donna's fortune.
To revert again to Grau, who was our most famous
opera director, he conducted several tours for Sarah
Bernhardt. She appeared about 1500 times under his
direction. During that entire period there were only
five performances in which she disappointed her
audiences. In physique she was almost a shadow
compared with some opera singers who disappointed
him as often as five times a month. Naturally, he
concluded that there is some constitutional difference
between actors and singers. One could hardly apply
the old quip, "An empty cab drove up and out stopped
Sarah Bernhardt," to a Brunnhilde. Yet it has hap-
pened that some Brxinnhildes are more apt to vanish
into thin air on the eve of a performance than the
great French actress, whose slender physique fur-
nished so much amusement to the paragraphcrs.
An opera director not infrequently works the
greater part of two days and far into the nights
arranging a week's repertoire. For the repertoire
must be made up with a view to many conditions. It
must be sufficiently varied, so that Mrs. C, who has
a certain box on "even nights and odd matinees/' is
not required to listen too often to the same opera;
while similar consideration must be paid to Mrs. D.,
who has the same box for "odd nights and even
matinees."
HISTORY AND GUIDE 91
But this is a trifling matter compared with the
guarantees of the singers which the impresario must
observe in making out the repertoire. A prima donna
will have, for instance, a guarantee that he will give
her forty performances in four months, or ten per-
formances a month, at a thousand dollars a perform-
ance. This means that he must arrange for her to
appear exactly ten times during each month. He
cannot crowd twelve or fifteen performances into
one month for her, and then let her sing a corre-
spondingly fewer number of times during the remain-
ing months. For every performance above the
guaranteed ten which she gives during a month she
receives an extra thousand dollars, with the privilege
of appearing the regular ten times during the next
month. If, however, the impresario should fail to
arrange for her to sing more than eight times during
a month, he would nevertheless still be obliged to pay
her for ten performances. For this reason, unless
her guarantees are carefully observed by the manager
when he is making out the repertoire, every mistake
he makes with regard to this particular prima donna
costs him a thousand dollars. There are singers at
the Metropolitan Opera House a mistake with whom
would cost the impresario from $1000 to $3000. It is
no wonder, therefore, that the director makes out a
week's repertoire with a sort of checker-board before
him divided into squares for each performance in
and out of town, and with slips of paper containing
the names of the singers for pawns, while before him,
for the rules of the game, he has an abstract of his
contracts showing what each singer has been guaran-
teed as regards roles and number of performances.
92 THE OPERA
Even after all this work has been gone through
with, there is still the question "Will this repertoire
stand ?" The director has such a dread of physicians'
certificates coming in at the last moment, that he does
not feel safe until, from his scat in the parquet, he
sees the curtain rise. It is bad enough to have to
change prima donnas at the last moment, although
that is a matter that can generally be arranged over
the telephone. But when several principal singers in
a cast have become indisposed, and it is found neces-
sary to change the opera, quick work is required. Half
a dozen messengers are sent scurrying in all directions.
The manager may have thought of putting on
"Lohengrin." He must be sure of an Elsa. There-
fore, a messenger is sent to each of the prima donnas
who have this role in their repertoire. Neither of
them may be able to sing, and so, although the hour
is late, another opera may have to be substituted for
"Lohengrin." As many as four changes in the opera
for the night may have been made in an afternoon,
and at times it has been only by a hair's breadth that
the house has not remained dark.
One season, in order to save a performance of
"Rheingold," the famous Lilli Lehmann, who had
never sung the role of Fricka, was obliged to learn it
in an afternoon. Fortunately, she was familiar with
the music from often having heard the opera. Her
sister, Marie Lehmann, who was with her, had sung
the role many times, but could not step into the breach
because, being a pensionairc of the Vienna Opera
House, she would forfeit her pension if she sang
on any other stage. She was, however, able to as-
sist Mme. Lehmann materially in "swallowing*' the
HISTORY AND GUIDE 93
role, and prompted and coached her from the wings.
Grau had a very large company, and was some-
times considered an extravagant manager because
he had so many prima donnas and so many tenors on
his list. He was greatly amused at this point of view,
for there were many occasions when he found that
instead of having too many singers he had too few.
The expenses of an opera company like that at
the Metropolitan average from $40,000 to $45,000 a
week, or about $1,000,000 a season. How greatly
the principal singers figure in the expense list may
be judged from the statement that their guarantees
amount to about one-half, or $500,000. If all of
Caruso's eighty guaranteed appearances occurred here
the figures would be much larger. Quoting the exact
figures from a season's balance-sheet, it is found that
the prima donnas received $216,800, and the princi-
pal men singers $316,000, a total of $532,800. Is it
policy to pay such high salaries? The question is
answered by the statement that the performances
which cost most pay best. The public knows when it
is getting a great cast, and is willing to put out
money to hear it. It may have cost over $10,000 to
raise the curtain on the "seven dollar" performance
of "Les Huguenots" with Melba, Nordica, "Jean,"
"Edouard," Lasalle and Maurel. But the public paid
nearly $14,000 to hear it. The record production is
"Parsifal." Costing in round figures $100,000 to pro-
duce, its ten performances during its first season at the
Metropolitan brought in $160,000.
Speaking of the boxes, it is an interesting fact that
ownership of a box at the Metropolitan Opera House
has proved itself a profitable investment. The par-
94 THE OPERA
terre boxes which are held by the stockholders repre-
sent $35,000 in stock. One of the boxes belonging to
an estate could recently have been sold for $75,000;
but the estate preferred to keep it. There have been
instances of the letting of stockholder boxes for $6000
for the season. This is certainly paying high for the
privilege of sitting within the charmed circle of the
"glittering horseshoe."
I have referred to the half a million dollars paid dur-
ing a season to the principal singers. The next largest
item is $90,000 for the orchestra, and next to that
comes $25,000 for transportation. In speaking of ex-
pensive performances, I have mentioned that of "Lea
Huguenots" when it cost over $10,000 to raise the cur-
tain. At that performance, however, scenery, cos-
tumes, and properties were not new. When an opera
is produced for the first time the cost of these must be
added to the salaries for the night.
To see that the production of the new work is prop-
erly prepared for is one of the chief duties of a grand
opera manager. Besides "Parsifal," one of the most
elaborately mounted series of performances at the
Metropolitan was the revival of Mozart's ** Magic
Flute." With, what care it was planned, and with how
much expense it was carried out, may be gathered from
the fact that the director traveled to Munich and took
several of the heads of his departments with him to
witness the revival of the work there. It was calcu-
lated that the production of the work here cost about
$35,000, exclusive of the running expenses of the even-
ing. Various improvements on the Munich production
were planned and the manager had to study and ap-
prove of these, as well as keep control of the general
HISTORY AND GUIDE 95
scheme of production. In the scenic department alone
fifteen new scenes and a double panorama over three
hundred feet long from "gridiron" to cellar, and rep-
resenting the passage of the hero and heroine through
earth, fire, and water, had to be provided. Here was
one instance in which the German production was
greatly improved upon. In Germany the panorama
moved across the stage ; here it worked downward, so
that the hero and heroine seemed to ascend. Here,
moreover, the panorama was double, the characters
standing behind a moving front gauze, adding greatly
to the effectiveness of the scene. Another improve-
ment was introduced almost at the outset of the per-
formance, with the quick change of scene at the en-
trance of the Queen of the Night. Here she descended
seated on a moon over a dome of stars. The dome
effect was admirably reproduced, and the back drop
was studded with no less than a thousand stars, all elec-
trically lighted. While such details are studied out by
the scene-painter and the electrician of the opera
house, they are submitted to the director and have
to be carefully considered by him before receiving his
final approval.
The same thing applies to the properties. For "The
Magic Flute" a complete menagerie was required. In
the property room upstairs, behind the scenes, this
operatic zoo was produced. It consisted of five snakes,
four lions, one giraffe, one tiger, one elephant, one
camel, two alligators, four monkeys, and about one
hundred birds. The director found himself, besides a
grand opera manager, a Barnum on a small scale, but
fortunately the animals in his menagerie did not re-
quire to be fed. Speaking of the camel reminds me of
96 THE OPERA
a contretemps at the opera house some years ago,
which shows how thoroughly a manager has to keep
his eyes open while a production is in preparation. An
opera was given which had a procession with several
camels in it. Each camel was worked by two men con-
cealed in the body and representing the front and hind
legs. Through an oversight, the men in these camels
kept step like soldiers on parade as they came on the
stage, and the result was absolutely ridiculous. The
opera was withdrawn after a few performances, but
the "pacing camels," as they were called, were long a
source of amusement. The stage manager was respon-
sible for the mistake, but the final consequence had to
be borne by the director.
Fortunately there is another side to the story of
operatic management besides worry and expense. The
window of the box office is a wee orifice compared
with the size of the house, but through it flows the
elixir of life the money of the public. The receipts of
a New York season amount to more than $1,200,000.
If the public could get more than just a peep at the
box office, it would learn a number of interesting
things. For each performance 3425 tickets arc required,
and it takes the box-office staff two days to separate
the single sale from the subscription tickets for each
week, so that the latter shall not be sold in duplicate.
All the tickets must be "racked" by Wednesday night,
because the sale for the next week begins on Thursday.
As a rule, a performance is not sold out until the night
itself. But the treasurer, who presides over the box of-
fice at the Metropolitan Opera House, remembers a
Patti performance when the box office opened at nine
o'clock in the morning and the house was sold out by
HISTORY AND GUIDE 97
one o'clock in the afternoon. The box-office window
at the Metropolitan Opera House drops with the cur-
tain at night. There are two sellers on duty during
the week, and three on Sunday night, because a Sunday
night concert audience is what is known as a "late
audience." It puts off buying tickets until the last
moment.
A former treasurer of the Metropolitan has con-
siderable reputation among the theater treasurers of
the country as the author of a set of rules for the guid-
ance of ticket-sellers, some of which are as follows:
"You must be a mind-reader."
"Never assert your rights."
"When a lady stands an hour or two, selecting a
seat, don't suggest to her to bring her sewing and spend
the afternoon, as she might be offended."
"When a man comes up to the window smoking a
bad cigar and blows the srnoke in your face, smile as
if you liked it, and ask him where you can buy the
same brand."
"When a person leaves a quarter, be sure to call
him back, for he will come back later and declare he
left a dollar."
Articles lost at the opera house are turned in at
the box office, where they are tagged and kept, ready
to be delivered to the one who can prove ownership.
They form a most heterogenous collection. One sea-
son, over one thousand keys were found, and in a
closet in the box office there is a stack of umbrellas
on one side and a heap of rubbers on the other. A
few seasons ago a bracelet of diamonds and emeralds,
certainly of over $10,000 in value, was found in one of
the boxes. The next morning it was sent up to the
98 THE OPERA
house of the boxholder and promptly recognized. The
most curious part of the incident was that the bracelet
had not been missed by the lady who had worn it. The
first she knew of its loss was its return. Among the
most remarkable finds have been a set of false teeth, a
morphine fiend's outfit, and two silk hats. Plow two
men could have deliberately walked out of the opera
house of a winter's night without realizing that they
were minus their hats is a mystery. Possibly the
charms of music had turned their heads.
Notwithstanding much able assistance, the director
himself is the final and responsible head of the opera
enterprise. Were it a failure, it would be he who
would have to drain the bitter cup to the dregs. He is
the nerve-center of the opera season, whether it is re-
garded from the artistic or the business standpoint.
The Metropolitan has been so liberal with the public,
and established such a high standard for opera in this
country, that it is pleasant to reflect that while an
opera company is an enormous hole into which to
shovel money, some of it is occasionally found at the
end of the season to have stuck to the shovcL
STORIES OF THE OPERAS
STORIES OF THE OPERAS
The preceding section presents a brief outline of the develop-
ment of opera from the earliest times to our own day. From
this general introduction we proceed to a description of the
principal operatic works produced during the modern period of
that development.
L'AFRICAINE
Opera in five acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer.
Text by Scribe.
HE first act is laid in Lisbon. Donna Ines, Ad-
rniral Diego's daughter, is to give her hand to
Don Pedro, a counselor of the King of Portugal. But
she has pledged her faith to Vasco da Gama, who has
been sent with Dias, the navigator, to double the Cape,
in order to seek for a new land, containing treasures
similar to those discovered by Columbus. Reports
have reached Lisbon that the whole fleet has been de-
stroyed, when suddenly Vasco da Gama appears before
the assembled council of state.
He eloquently describes the dangers of the unknown
seas near the Cape and gives an account of the ship-
wreck, from which he alone has escaped. He then
places his maps before the council, endeavoring to
prove that beyond Africa there is another country, yet
to be explored and conquered.
Vasco has on his way home picked up a man and a
101
102 THE OPERA
woman of an unknown race. Those slaves, however,
stubbornly refuse to betray the name of their country,
and a lively debate ensues between the Grand Inquisi-
tor and the younger, more enlightened members of the
council, as to the course which should be adopted with
Vasco. At last, owing to the irritation caused by his
violent reproaches, fanaticism is victorious, and instead
of being furnished with a ship to explore those un-
known lands, he is thrown into prison, on the plea of
his being a heretic, for having mantained the existence
of countries which were not mentioned in the Holy
Scriptures.
The second act takes place in a cell of the Inquisi-
tion, in which Vasco has been languishing for a month
past, in the company of the strange slaves Nelusco and
Selica. The latter has lost her heart to the proud Por-
tuguese, who saved her and her companion from a
slave-ship. But Vasco is only thinking of Incs, and
Nelusco, who honors in Selica not only his Queen, but
the woman of his love, tries to stab Vasco the Chris-
tian, whom he hates with a deadly hatred. Selica
hinders him and rouses the sleeping Vasco, who has
been dreaming of and planning his voyage to the un-
known country.
Selica now shows him on the map the way to her
native isle, and he vows her eternal gratitude. His
liberty is indeed near at hand, for hardly has he given
his vow than Ines steps in to announce that Vasco is
free. She has paid dearly for her lover's deliverance,
however, for she has given her hand to Vasco's rival
Don Pedro, who, having got all Vasco's plans ami
maps, is commissioned by government to set out on the
voyage of discovery.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 103
Ines has been told that Vasco has forgotten her for
Selica the slave. In order to prove his fidelity, our
ungrateful hero immediately presents her with the two
slaves, and Don Pedro resolves to make use of them
for his exploration.
In the third act we are on board of Don Pedro's
ship in the Indian seas. Donna Ines is with her hus-
band and Nelusco has been appointed pilot. Don Al-
var, a member of the council and Don Pedro's friend,
warns the latter that Nelusco is meditating treason, for
they have already lost two ships ; but Pedro disregards
the warning. A typhoon arises, and Nelusco turns the
ship again northward. But Vasco has found means to
follow them on a small sailing vessel; he overtakes
them and, knowing the spot well where Dias was ship-
wrecked, he entreats them to change their course, his
only thought being Donna Ines's safety. But Pedro,
delighted to have his rival in his power, orders him to
be bound and shot. Ines, hearing his voice, invokes
her husband's mercy. Just then the tempest breaks
out, the vessel strikes upon a rock and the cannibals
inhabiting the neighboring country leap on board to
liberate their Queen Selica and to massacre the whole
crew, in the fulfillment of which intention they are,
however, arrested by Selica.
In the following acts Selica resides as Queen on the
Isle of Madagascar. The people render her homage,
but her priests demand the strangers' lives as a sacri-
fice to their gods, while the women are condemned
to inhale the poisoned perfume of the Manzanillo-
tree. In order to save Vasco, Selica proclaims him
her husband and takes Nelusco as witness, swearing
to him that if Vasco is sacrificed she will die with him.
104 THE OPERA
Nelusco, whose love for his Queen is greater even than
his hatred for Vasco, vouches for their being man and
wife, and the people now proceed to celebrate the sol-
emn rites of marriage.
Vasco, at last recognizing Selica's great love, and
believing Ines dead, once more vows eternal fidelity to
her, but alas ! hearing the voice of Ines, who is about
to be led to death, he turns pale and Selica but too
truly divines the reason.
In the fifth act Selica is resolved to put her rival to
death. She sends for her, but perceiving Tnes's love,
her wrath vanishes, her magnanimity soars above her
hatred of the Christians, and she orders Nelusco to
bring Ines and Vasco on board of a ship about to sail
for Portugal.
Selica herself^ unable to endure life without her
beloved one, proceeds to the Cape, where the Manza-
nillo-tree spreads his poisonous shade. Her eyes
fastened on the vast ocean and on the white sail of the
retiring vessel, she inhales the sweet but deadly per-
fume of the blossoms, and the returning Nelusco finds
her dying, while an unseen chorus consoles her with
the thought that in Love's eternal domain all are equal
AIDA
Grand Romantic Opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi.
Text by Ghislanzoni.
HH HE scene of action is alternately Memphis and
-* Thebes, and the story belongs to the period when
the Pharaohs sat on the throne.
In the first act we see the King's palace at Memphis.
Ramphis, the high priest of Pharaoh, announces to the
HISTORY AND GUIDE 105
Egyptian general Radames that the Ethiopians are in
revolt and that the goddess Isis has decided who shall
be leader of the army sent out against them. Radames
secretly hopes to be the elected, in order to win the
Ethiopian slave A'ida, whom he loves, not knowing that
she is a king's daughter.
Enter Amneris, daughter of Pharaoh. She loves
Radames without his knowledge and so does A'ida.
Amneris, suspecting this, swears to avenge herself,
should her suspicion prove correct.
The King's messenger announces that Amonasro,
the Ethiopian king (A'ida's father), is marching to the
capital, and that Radames is chosen to conquer the foe.
Radames goes to the temple to invoke the benediction
of the goddess and to receive the sacred arms.
In the second act Amneris, in order to test Aida's
feelings, tells her that Radames fell in battle, and finds
her doubts confirmed by A'ida's terror. Amneris open-
ly threatens her rival, and both hasten to receive the
soldiers, who return victorious. In Radames's suite
walks King Amonasro, who has been taken prisoner,
disguised as a simple officer. Aida recognizes her
father, and Amonasro, telling his conqueror that the
Ethiopian king has fallen, implores his clemency. Ra-
dames, seeing Akla in tears, adds his entreaties to those
of the Ethiopian ; and Pharaoh decides to set the pris-
oners free, with the exception of A'ida's father, who is
to stay with his daughter. Pharaoh then gives Amneris
to Radames as a recompense for his services.
In the third act Amonasro has discovered the mutual
love of his daughter and Radames and resolves to make
use of it. While Amneris prays in the temple that
her bridegroom may give his whole heart to her,
io6 THE OPERA
Amonasro bids his daughter discover the secret of the
Egyptian war-plans from her lover. Amonasro hides
himself, and Aida has an interview with Radames, in
which he reveals all to her. She persuades him to fly
with her, when Amonasro shows himself, telling him
that he has heard all and confessing that he is the
Ethiopian king. While they are speaking, Amneris
overtakes and denounces them. Amonasro escapes
with his daughter, Radames remains in the hands of
Ramphis, the high priest.
In the fourth act Radames is visited in his cell by
Amneris, who promises to save him from the awful
death of being buried alive, if he renounces Aida.
But Radames refuses, though she tells him that Aida
has fled into her country, her father being slain on
their flight.
Amneris at length regrets her jealousy and repents,
but too late ! Nothing can save Radames, and she is
obliged to see him led into his living tomb. Amneris
curses the priests, who close the subterranean vaults
with a rock. Radames, preparing himself for death,
discovers Aida by his side. She has found means to
penetrate into his tomb, resolved to die with her lover.
While she sinks into his arms, Amneris prays outside
for Radames's peace and eternal happiness,
ALCESTE
Opera in three acts by Christoph Willibald Cluck.
Text by Calzabigi.
A DMETOS, King of Pherae, who is lying danger-
^ ously ill, causes an inquiry to be made of the
oracle of Apollo as to the issue of his illness, and is
told in reply that he will die unless some one can be
HISTORY AND GUIDE 107
found who would willingly lay down his life for him.
Although the whole country bewails the threatened
fate of its sovereign no one comes forward to save
him at this terrible price. At length Alceste, the de-
voted wife of the unhappy King, nobly offers to sacri-
fice herself for his sake. Admetos in consequence is
restored to health, but Alceste, on the evening of the
same day, is ordered by the high priest to descend into
the underworld. In vain the King implores his be-
loved wife to give up her resolve. As all his remon-
strances prove fruitless, he determines to die with
her. The spirits of the underworld have already got
possession of their victim and are carrying her off.
Admetos strives to gain admittance, but the entrance
is barred against him.
At this moment his friend Heracles appears, who is
justly celebrated far and near for his prodigious
strength, a proof of which he will now give, having
heard what has happened. He consoles the despairing
King and rushes after the vanishing Alceste. A hot
contest ensues, but finally Heracles seizes the god of
death in his strong arms and restores the wife to her
husband. Apollo, appearing in a cloud, praises the
courageous friend and the faithful pair, promising
them everlasting honor.
L'AMICO FRITZ
Lyric Comedy in three acts by Pietro Mascagni.
Text? after Erckmann-Chatrian's novel.
T7 RITZ KOBUS, a well-to-do landowner, receives
* the felicitations of his friends on his fortieth
birthday. At the same time his old friend Rabbi
David, as consummate a match-maker as Fritz is an
io8 THE OPERA
inveterate bachelor, receives from the latter a loan of
1200 francs, which is to enable a poor girl to marry her
lover. Friend Fritz gives it very graciously, congrat-
ulating himself that he is free from marriage bonds.
He treats his friends to a hearty dinner, in which
Susel, his tenant's daughter, who comes to present
her landlord with a nosegay of violets, joins. Fritz
makes her sit beside him, and for the first time re-
marks the growing loveliness of the young maiden.
While they are feasting, a gypsy, Seppel, plays a sere-
nade in honor of the birthday, which makes a deep
impression on fair Susel. When the latter has de-
parted, the joviality of the company increases. Hanczo
and Friedrich, two friends, laughingly prophesy to the
indignant Fritz that he will soon be married, and
David even makes a bet which, should he prove right,
will make him owner of one of his friend's vineyards.
At the end of the first act a procession of orphans hail
the landlord as their benefactor.
In the second act we find Friend Fritz as guest in
the house of his tenant. Susel is sedulously engaged
in selecting flowers and cherries for her landlord, who,
coming down into the garden, is presented by her with
flowers. Soon she mounts a ladder, and plucking
cherries, throws them to Fritz, who is uncertain which
are the sweeter, the maiden's red lips or the ripe
cherries which she offers him. In the midst of their
enjoyment the sound of bells and cracking of whips is
heard. Fritz's friends enter. He soon takes them
off for a walk; only old David stays behind with Susel,
pleading fatigue. Taking occasion of her presenting
him with a drink of fresh water, he makes her tell him
the old story of Isaac and Rebecca and is quite satisfied
HISTORY AND GUIDE 109
to guess at the state of her feelings by the manner in
which she relates the simple story. On Fritz's return
he archly communicates to him that he has found a
suitable husband for Susel, and that he has her father's
consent. The disgust and fright which Fritz experi-
ences at this news reveal to him something of his own
feelings for the charming maiden. He decides to re-
turn home at once, and does not even take farewell of
Susel, who weeps in bitter disappointment.
In the third act Fritz, at home again, can find no
peace anywhere. When David tells him that Susel's
marriage is a decided fact he breaks out, and in his
passion forbids the marriage. At this moment Susel
appears, bringing her landlord a basket of fruit. She
looks pale and sad, and when Fritz sarcastically asks
her whether she comes to invite him to her wedding,
she bursts into tears. Then the real state of her heart
is revealed to him, and with passionate avowal of his
own love, Fritz takes her to his heart. So David wins
his wager, which he settles on Susel as a dowry, prom-
ising at the same time to procure wives before long
for the two friends standing by.
ARMIDE
Grand Heroic Opera in five acts by Christoph Willibald Gluck.
Text by Quinault.
HP HE libretto is founded on an episode of Tasso's
* "J erusa l em Delivered." The scene is laid in Da-
mascus, where during the crusade of the year 1099, the
crusaders have arrived at the palace and gardens of
Armide, the Queen and enchantress. Rinaldo, the
greatest hero in Godfrey of Bouillon's army, is the only
one who not only does not stoop to adore the beautiful
no THE OPERA
Armide, but on the contrary pursues and hates her.
He has been banished from Bouillon's presence,
charged with the rash deed of another knight, who has
not dared to confess his guilt, and he now wanders
lonely in the forest.
Warned by a fellow-warrior, Artemidor, to avoid
Armide's enchanting presence, he scorns the warning,
saying that love for a woman is to him a thing un-
known. In reality, however, Armide is already en-
snaring him with her sorcery. He presently hears ex-
quisitely sweet and dreamy melodies, and, finding him-
self in a soft, green valley, he lies down and falls
asleep.
Armide's opportunity has come and she means to
stab him, but love conquers hatred and the dagger sinks
from her hand. She vainly invokes the furies of hate ;
none can change her passion for the hero, and at last,
ceasing to strive against her tender feelings, she sur-
renders herself entirely to him, and even succeeds by
her charms and her devotion in enthralling him. Mean-
while Bouillon has sent two of his knights, Ubalt and a
Danish warrior, to recall Rinaldo to his duty. They
are detained by Armide's witchery ; the Danish knight
meets a demon, who has taken his bride's face and ten-
derly calls him to her, but Ubalt destroys the charm
and both succeed in approaching Rinaldo, who, his
love-dream dissipated by the call of honor, resolves to
return to the army with his companions. In vaiti
Armide tries to change his resolution. In despair she
curses him and her love, but being unable to kill the
man she loves, she suffers him to go away and turns
her beautiful palace and gardens into a desert.
HISTORY AND GUIDE in
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA
Lyric Drama in five acts by Giuseppe Verdi.
Text by Piave.
HTHE libretto is almost identical with Auber's "Ballo
* in Maschera," which follows.
Count Richard, governor of Boston, is adored by
the people but hated by the noblemen, who resolve
upon his death. He loves Amelia, the wife of his
secretary and best friend Rene, who in vain tries to
warn him of the plots of his enemies, but who faithful-
ly watches over his safety.
An old sorceress of negro blood, Ulrica, is to be
banished by the decree of the high judge, but Richard's
page Oscar speaks in her favor, and the Count decides
to see her himself and test her tricks. He invites his
lords to accompany him to the sibyl's dwelling, and or-
ders Oscar to bring him a fisherman's disguise. His
enemies, Samuel and Tom, follow him.
The second act shows Ulrica in her cottage seated at
a table, conjuring Satan. A crowd of people are
around her, among them Richard in disguise. A sailor,
Sylvan, advances first to hear his fate, and while Ul-
rica is prophesying that better days await him, Richard
slips a roll of gold with a scroll into Sylvan's pocket
and so makes the witch's words true. Sylvan, search-
ing in his pockets, finds the gold and reads the inscrip-
tion on the scroll : "Richard to his dear officer Sylvan,"
and all break out into loud praises of the clever sibyl.
A short while after a servant announces Amelia, and
the sorceress, driving the crowd away, ushers her in,
while Richard conceals himself. He listens with de-
light to the confession of her sinful love for himself,
H2 THE OPERA
against which she asks for a draught, which might
enable her to banish it from her heart. Ulrica advises
her to pluck a magic herb at midnight, which grows in
the fields where the criminals are executed. Amelia
shudders but promises to do as she is bidden, while
Richard secretly vows to follow and protect her.
Amelia departs and the people flock in again. Richard
is the first to ask what is his fate. The sibyl reluc-
tantly tells him that his life is to be destroyed by the
first person who shall touch his hand on this very day.
Richard vainly offers his hand to the bystanders, they
all recoil from him, when suddenly his friend Rene
comes in, and heartily shakes Richard's outstretched
hand. This seems to break the spell, for everybody
knows Rene to be the Count's dearest friend, and now
believes the oracle to be false. Nevertheless Ulrica,
who only now recognizes the Count, warns him once
more against his enemies, but he laughs at her, and
shows the sorceress the verdict of her banishment,
which, however, he has canceled. Full of gratitude
Ulrica joins in the universal song of praise, sung by
the people to their faithful leader.
The third act opens on the ghostly field where Ame-
lia is to look for the magic herb. She is frozen with
horror, believing that she sees a ghost rise before her.
Richard now turns up, and breaks out into passionate
words, entreating her to acknowledge her love for
him. She does so, but implores him at the same time
not to approach her, and to remain true to his friend.
While they speak Rene surprises them, lie has fol-
lowed Richard to save him from his enemies, who are
waiting to kill him. Richard wraps himself in his
friend's cloak, after having taken Rene's promise to
HISTORY AND GUIDE "3
lead the veiled lady to the gates of the town without
trying to look at her. Rene swears, but fate wills it
otherwise, for hardly has Richard departed, when the
conspirators throng in, and enraged at finding only the
friend, try to tear the veil of! the lady's face. Rene
guards her with his sword, but Amelia springing be-
tween the assailants lets fall her veil, and reveals her
face to her husband and to the astonished men, thereby
bringing shame and bitter mockery on them both.
Rene, believing himself betrayed by wife and friend,
asks the conspirators to meet him in his own house on
the following morning, and swears to avenge the sup-
posed treachery.
In the fourth act in his own house Rene bids his
wife prepare herself for death. He disbelieves in her
protest of innocence, but at length, touched by her
misery, he allows her to take a last farewell of her son.
When she is gone, he resolves rather to kill the seducer
than his poor weak wife. When the conspirators enter
he astonishes them by his knowledge of their dark de-
signs, but they wonder still more when he offers to
join them in their evil purpose. As they do not agree
who it shall be that is to kill Richard, Rene makes his
wife draw the lot from a vase on the table. The
chosen one is her own husband. At this moment Os-
car enters with an invitation to a masked ball from the
court. Rene accepts, and the conspirators decide to
seize the opportunity to put their foe to death. They
are to wear blue dominos with red ribbons. Their pass-
word is "death."
The next scene shows a richly decorated ballroom.
Rene vainly tries to find out the Count's disguise, un-
til it is betrayed to him by the page, who believes that
ii 4 THE OPERA
Rene wants to have some fun with his master. Amelia,
waylaying Richard, implores him to fly, and when he
disbelieves her warnings, shows him her face. When
he recognizes her, he tenderly takes her hand, and
tells her that he too has resolved to conquer his passion,
and that he is sending her away to England with her
husband. They are taking a last farewell, but alas !
fate overtakes Richard in the shape of Rene, who runs
his dagger through him. The crowd tries to arrest
the murderer, but the dying Count waves them back,
and with his last breath tells his unhappy friend that
his wife is innocent. Drawing forth a document and
handing it to Rene, the unfortunate man reads the
Count's order to send them to their native fend. Rich-
ard pardons his misguided friend and dies with a
blessing on his beloved country.
BALLO IN MASCHERA, or GUSTAVUS THE THIRD
Grand Historic Opera in five acts by Daniel R E. Auber.
Text by Scribe.
r ~pHIS opera has had a curious fate, its historical
** background having excited resistance and given
rise to scruples. The murder of a king was not thought
a fit subject for an opera, and so the libretto was
altered and spoiled.
The Italians simply changed the names and the scene
of action; Verdi composed a new opera from the same
matter and succeeded admirably ; nevertheless Aubcr's
composition is preferred in Germany, Scribe's libretto
being by far the better, while the music is original and
vivacious, as well as full of pleasant harmony and fine
instrumentation.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 115
The scene is laid in Stockholm in the year 1792.
Gustavus III, King of Sweden, loves the wife of his
friend and counselor Ankarstrom, and is loved in re-
turn, both struggling vainly against this sinful passion.
Ankarstrom has detected a plot against the King's life,
and warning him, asks that the traitor be punished, but
Gustavus refuses to listen, trusting in his people and in
his friend's fidelity. His minister Kaulbart desires
him to condemn a sorceress named Arvedson, who is
said to be able at will by means of certain herbs and
potions to cause persons to love or hate each other.
The King refuses to banish the woman 'unheard and
decides to visit her. Ankarstrom tries to dissuade, but
the King insists, and accordingly goes to Arvedson in
disguise. During the witch's conjuration Malwina,
his lady-love, appears, who seeks help from the sor-
ceress against her forbidden passion. The concealed
King hears Arvedson tell her to go at midnight and
gather a herb, which grows on the graves of criminals,
and triumphant in his knowledge of Malwina's con-,
fessed love, Gustavus decides to follow her there.
When she has gone, he mockingly orders the witch to
tell him his fortune, and hears from her that he shall
be killed by the man who first tenders him his hand.
Just then Ankarstrom, who comes to protect the King
against his enemy, enters and they shake hands.
In the third act Malwina meets the King on the dis-
mal spot to which she had been directed ; but Ankar-
strom, whose watchful fidelity never suffers him to be
far from the King, and who is utterly ignorant of the
deception being practised upon him, saves the lovers
from further guilt. After a severe conflict with him-
self, Gustavus consents to fly in his friend's cloak,
u6 THE OPERA
Ankarstrom having pledged his honor not to ask the
veiled lady's secret, and to conduct her safely back to
the city. This plan is frustrated by the conspirators,
who rush in and are about to attack the King. Mal-
wina throws herself between him and the combatants,
and the husband then recognizes in the King's com-
panion his own wife. Full of indignation he turns
from her and joins the conspirators, promising to be
one of them. He swears to kill his unhappy wife, but
not until another has first fallen.
In the fourth act the conspirators have a meeting in
Ankarstrom's house, where they decide to murder the
King. The lots being cast, the duty to strike the
death-blow falls on Ankarstrom, and Malvvina her-
self draws the fatal paper. At this moment an invita-
tion to a masked ball is brought by the King's page
Oscar, and the conspirators resolve to take advan-
tage of this opportunity for executing their design.
In the last act the King, happy to know Malwina
safe from discovery, resolves to sacrifice his love to
honor and friendship. He is about to give Ankar-
strom the proof of his friendship, by naming him gov-
ernor of Finland, and the minister is to depart with
his wife on the morning after the ball. Meanwhile the
King is warned by a missive from an unknown hand
not to appear at the ball, but he disregards it- lie
meets Malwina at the ball. His page, thinking to do
the ^ King a service, has betrayed his mask to Ankar-
strom. Malwina warns the prince, but in vain, for
while he presents her with the paper which is to send
her and her husband to their own beloved country,
Ankarstrom shoots him through the heart. Gustavus
dies, pardoning his murderer.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 117
DER BARBIER VON BAGDAD
(The Barber of Bagdad)
Comic Opera in two acts by Peter Cornelius.
HP HE scene takes place in Bagdad, in the house of a
-* wealthy young Mussulman called Nureddin. He
is lying on a couch, surrounded by his servants, who
think him dying. But it is only the flame of love
which devours his strength and deprives him of all
energy. As soon a's Bostana, an old relative and com-
panion of his lady-love, appears, in order to tell him
that Margiana, his adored, is willing to receive him,
Nureddin forgets his illness and only longs for the
promised interview. The ensuing duet between him
and Bostana, wherein she gives instruction about time
and hour of the rendezvous, is delightfully fresh and
piquant.
As Nureddin has neglected his personal appearance
during his malady, his first wish is for a barber, who
is speedily sent to him by Bostana. This old worthy,
Abul Hassan AH Ebe Bekar, the barber, makes him
desperate by his vain prattle. Having solemnly saluted
to Nureddin, he warns him not to leave the house, as
his horoscope tells that his life is in danger. The
young man not heeding him, Abul Hassan begins to
enumerate all his talents as astrologer, philosopher, etc.
When Nureddin orders him to begin his shaving he re-
lates the fate of his six brothers, who all died before
him and always of love. At last Nureddin's patience
giving away, he calls his servants in to throw the old
dotard out of doors, but Abul drives them all back.
Nureddin tries to pacify him with flattery and finally
succeeds.
ii8 THE OPERA
Now Abul is curious, as all barbers are, and having
heard Nureddin's sighs, he determines to find out all
about the young man's love. This scene is most ludi-
crous, when Abul sings his air "Margiana," which
name he has heard from Nureddin's lips, and the latter
is in despair at being left with only one side of his
head shaved. This great work done at last, Abul
wants to accompany the young lover to the house of
the cadi Baba Mustapha, Margiana's father. Nured-
din again summons his servants, who begin to surround
Abul, pretending to doctor him. Nureddin escapes,
but Abul, after having shaken off the servants, runs
after him.
The second act takes place in the cadi's house. Mar-
giana is full of sweet anticipation, while her father,
who has already chosen a husband for his daughter in
the person of an old friend of his youth, shows her a
large trunk full of gifts from the old bridegroom.
Margiana admires them obediently. A musical scene
of surpassing beauty follows, where we hear the call of
the muezzin summoning the faithful to prayer. It is
also the sign for Nureddin to appear, The cadi hur-
ries to the mosque and Bostana introduces the lover.
Here ensues a charming love-duet, accompanied, orig-
inally enough, by a song from the old barber, who
watches before the house. Suddenly they arc inter-
rupted by cries of alarm, and with dismay they learn
from Bostana that the cadi has returned to punish a
slave, who has broken a precious vase.
Nureddin, unable to escape unobserved, is hidden in
the big trunk. Meanwhile Abul, having heard the
slave's cries and mistaking them for Nureddin's, sum-
mons the latter's servants and breaks into the cadi's
HISTORY AND GUIDE 119
house to avenge his young friend, whom he believes to
be murdered. Bostana angrily bids him carry away
the trunk, signifying to him whom she has hidden in
it, but the cadi intervenes, believing the servants to be
thieves who want to rob his daughter's treasure. The
rumor of the murder gradually penetrates the whole
town; its inhabitants gather before the house, and the
appointed wailing-women mingle their doleful lamen-
tations with the general uproar. At last the Calif
himself appears in order to settle the quarrel.
The cadi accuses the barber of theft, while Abul calls
the cadi a murderer. To throw light upon the matter,
the Calif orders the trunk to be opened, which is done
with great hesitation by Margiana. When the lid gives
way Nureddin is lying in it in a deep swoon. All are
terrified, believing him to be murdered ; but Abul, ca-
ressing him, declares that his heart still throbs. The
Calif bids the barber show his art, and Abul wakens
Nureddin by the love-song to Margiana. The young
man revives and the truth dawns upon the deceived
father's mind. The Calif, a very humane and clement
prince, feels great sympathy with the beautiful young
couple, and advises the cadi to let his daughter have
her treasure, for he had told them himself that it
was Margiana's treasure that was kept hidden in
the trunk.
The cadi consents, while the Calif bids the funny
barber come to his palace to entertain him with stories,
and invites all present to the wedding of the betrothed
pair, to the great satisfaction of the people. The bril-
liant finale is full of energy, and is especially note-
worthy on account of its melody.
120 THE OPERA
IL BARBIERE DI SEVIGLIA
Comic Opera in two acts by Gioachino Antonio Rossini.
Text by Sterbini.
COUNT ALMA VIVA is enamored of Rosina, the
ward of Doctor Bartolo. She is most jealously
guarded by the old man, who wishes to make her his
own wife. In vain the Count serenades her ; she does
not appear, and he must needs invent some other means
of obtaining his object. Making the acquaintance of
the light-hearted and cunning barber Figaro, the latter
advises him to get entrance into Bartolo's house in the
guise of a soldier possessing a billet of quartering for
his lodging. Rosina herself has not failed to hear the
sweet love-songs of the Count, known to her only
under the simple name of Lindoro; and with southern
passion, and the light-heartedness which characterizes
all the persons who figure in this opera, but which is
not to be mistaken for frivolity, Rosina loves her nice
lover and is willing to be his own. Figaro has told her
of Almaviva's love and in return she gives him a note,
which she has written in secret. But the old Doctor is
a sly fox, he has seen the inky little finger, and deter-
mines to keep his eyes open.
When the Count appears in the guise of a half-
drunken dragoon, the Doctor sends Rosina away, and
tries to put the soldier out of the house, pretending to
have a license against all billets. The Count resists,
and while Bartolo seeks for his license, makes love to
Rosina, but after the Doctor's return there arises such
an uproar that all the neighbors and finally the guards
appear, who counsel the Count to retire for once.
In the second act the Count gains entrance to liar-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 121
tolo's house as a singing-master, who is deputed to give
a lesson instead of the fever-stricken Basilio. Of
course the music-lesson is turned into a love-lesson.
When all seems to be going well, the real maestro,
Basilio, enters and all but frustrates their plans. With
gold and promises Figaro bribes him to retreat, and
the lovers agree to flee on the coming night.
Almost at the last moment the cunning of Bartolo
hinders the projected elopement. He shows a letter,
which Rosina has written, and makes Rosina believe
that her lover, whom she only knows as Lindoro, in
concert with Figaro is betraying her to the Count.
Great is her joy when she detects that Lindoro and
Count Almaviva are one and the same person, and
that he loves her as truly as ever. They bribe the old
notary, who has been sent for by Bartolo to arrange his
own (Bartolo j s) wedding with Rosina. Bartolo signs
the contract of marriage, with Figaro as witness, and
detects too late that he has been duped, and that he has
himself united the lovers. At last he submits with
pretty good grace to the inevitable, and contents him-
self with Rosina's dowry, which the Count generously
transfers to him.
DIE BEIDEN SCHUTZEN
(The Two Guardsmen)
Comic Opera in three acts by Gustav Albert Lortzing.
Text adapted from the French.
HT HE scene is in a little country town, where we
-* find Busch, a wealthy innkeeper, making prepara-
tions for the arrival of his only son. The young man
had entered a grenadier regiment at the age of sixteen,
ten years before, so the joyful event of his home-corn-
122 THE OPERA
ing is looked forward to with pleasure by his father
and sister Siischen, but with anxiety by a friend of
hers, Caroline, to whom young Busch had been af-
fianced before joining his regiment.
Enter two young grenadiers from the regiment on
leave, the younger of whom falls in love with Siis-
chen at first sight. However, as the elder grenadier,
Schwarzbart, dolefully remarks, they are both almost
penniless, and he reflects how he can possibly help
them in their need. His meditations are interrupted
by the arrival of the landlord, who, seeing the two
knapsacks and recognizing one of them as that of his
son, naturally supposes the owner to be his offspring,
in which belief he is confirmed by Schwarzbart, who is
induced to practise this deceit, partly by the desire of
getting a good dinner and the means of quenching his
insatiable thirst, partly by the hope of something turn-
ing up in favor of his companion in arms, Wilhclm.
As a matter of fact the knapsack does not belong to
Wilhelm at all. On leaving the inn at which the ban-
quet following the wedding of one of their comrades
had been held, the knapsacks had inadvertently been ex-
changed much to Wilhelm's dismay, his own contain-
ing a lottery ticket which, as he has just learned, had
won a great prize. The supposed son is of course re-
ceived with every demonstration of affection by his
fond parent ; but, though submitting with a very good
grace to the endearments of his supposed sister the
maiden with whom he has fallen in love so suddenly
he resolutely declines being hugged and made much of
by the old landlord, this double part being entirely dis-
tasteful to his straightforward nature. Nor does his
affianced bride, the daughter of the bailiff, fare any
HISTORY AND GUIDE 123
better, his affections being placed elsewhere, and their
bewilderment is only somewhat appeased by Schwarz-
bart's explanation that his comrade suffers occasional-
ly from weakness of the brain.
In the next act Peter, a youth of marvelous stupidity,
a cousin of the bailiff, presents himself in a woeful
plight, to which he has been reduced by some soldiers
at the same wedding festivities, and shortly after Gus-
tav, the real son, appears on the scene. He is a manly
fellow, full of tender thoughts for his home. Great is
his surprise at finding himself repulsed by his own
father, who, not recognizing him, believes him to be an
impostor. All the young man's protestations are of no
avail, for in his knapsack are found the papers of a
certain Wilhelm Stark for whom he is now mistaken.
When silly Peter perceives him he believes him to be
the grenadier who had so ill-treated him at the wed-
ding, though in reality it was Schwarzbart. Gustav
is shut up in a large garden-house of his father's ; the
small town lacking a prison.
In the third act the magistrate has found out that
Wilhelm's papers prove him to be the bailiff's son,
being the offspring of his first love. He had been with
a clergyman, and after the death of the bailiff's wife
was vainly sought for by his father. Of course this
changes everything for the prisoner, who is suddenly
accosted graciously by his gruff guardian Barsch, and
does not know what to make of his mysterious hints.
Meanwhile Caroline's heart has spoken for the
stranger who had addressed her so courteously and
chivalrously; she feels that, far from being an im-
postor, he is a loyal and true-hearted young fellow and
therefore decides to liberate him. At the same time
124 THE OPERA
enters Wilhelm with Schwarzbart, seeking Siischen;
Peter slips in for the same reason, seeking her, for
Siischen is to be his bride. Gustav (the prisoner),
hearing footsteps, blows out the candle in order to save
Caroline from being recognized, and so they all run
about in the dark, playing hide-and-seek in an infinitely
droll manner. At last the bailiff, having heard that
his son has been found, comes up with the innkeeper.
The whole mystery is cleared up, and both sons em-
brace their respective fathers and their brides.
LA BOHEME
Opera in four acts by Giacomp Puccini.
Text by Giacosa and lllica.
'"pHE first act opens in a garret in Paris, in about
-* 1830, and shows us Marcel the painter and Ru-
dolph the poet, from whose Bohemian mode of life the
opera derives its name, at work. Alas ! there is no fire
in the grate, and the cold is so intense that Marcel is
about to break up a chair for firewood.
Rudolph prevents him and kindles a fire with his
manuscript instead, crying: "My drama shall warm
us." The second act of the manuscript follows the
first one, by the blaze of which the artists joyfully
warm their half-frozen hands. The paper is quickly
burned to ashes, but before they have time to lament
this fact the door is opened by two boys bringing food,
fuel, wine, and even money. Schaunard, a musician,
brings up the rear, to whom neither Marcel nor Ru-
dolph pays the least attention.
It seems that an Englishman engaged Schaunard to
sing to his parrot till it dies, but after three days
HISTORY AND GUIDE 125
Schaunard becomes so heartily sick of his task that
he poisons the bird and runs away.
He suggests that they all go out for supper, it being
Christmas eve. They decide to drink some of the wine
first, but they are interrupted by the landlord, who de-
mands his quarter's rent. He soon imbibes so much
of the wine that he becomes intoxicated and corre-
spondingly jovial. After being joked about his love
adventures he finds himself standing outside the door
in pitch darkness. The -others meanwhile prepare to
go out to supper, with the exception of Rudolph, who
remains behind to finish a manuscript article.
A pretty young girl soon knocks, carrying a candle
and a key. He begs her to come in and be seated, and
she swoons while refusing. He revives her with some
wine, and she goes off with her relighted candlestick,
but forgets her key, which she has dropped in her
swoon, and for which she at once comes back. A draft
blows out the candle and Rudolph keeps the key,
while pretending to look for it. Suddenly he clasps
the girl's hand and he and she exchange confidences,
while confessing their love for each other.
When Rudolph's friends call him he invites Mimi,
who is a flower-girl, to accompany him.
The second act takes place before the well-known
Cafe Momus in the Quartier Latin, where Rudolph
and Mimi join Schaunard and Marcel.
Rudolph has bought her a pink bonnet and introduces
her to his friends, the fourth of whom is Colline the
philosopher.
The party eat and drink amid the noise and bustle
of the fair, when Marcel suddenly sees his old love
Musette, gorgeously arrayed and leaning upon the arm
126 THE OPERA
of an old man. Marcel turns pale, while his friends
make fun of the fantastic couple, much to Musette's
anger. She at once begins to make overtures to Mar-
cel, who feigns utter indifference. Musette's old ad-
mirer orders supper, in the hope of pacifying her, while
she addresses Marcel in fond whispers. The others
watch the scene with amusement, but Rudolph devotes
all his attentions to Mimi. Musette suddenly com-
plains that her shoes hurt her and sends her aged lover
off for another pair. Then she proceeds to make
friends with Marcel. When the waiter brings the bill,
Musette tells him that the old gentleman will settle for
everything after his return.
The party profit by the approach of the patrol, who
causes a turmoil, in the midst of which they all escape.
Alcindor, the old admirer, finds only two bills await-
ing him when he returns with the new shoes. Musette
has been carried away shoeless by her old friend.
The third act takes place on the outskirts of Paris
called "Barriere de 1'Enfer" (The Tollgate of Hell).
/To the left there is a tavern, over which hangs Marcel's
picture "The Crossing of the Red Sea," as a signboard.
The day is breaking, the customhouse officials are still
sleeping around the fire, but the scavengers coming
from Chantilly soon awake them.
The gate is opened to admit milk-women, carters,
peasants with baskets, and finally Mimi.
She looks wretched and is at once seized with a ter-
rible fit of coughing. As soon as she can speak, she
asks the name of the tavern, where she knows Marcel
is working. When he emerges from the inn she im-
plores his help, saying Rudolph is killing her by his
insane jealousy. Marcel promises to intervene, and
HISTORY AND GUIDE 127
when Rudolph comes out of the tavern Mimi hides
behind the trees.
She hears Rudolph say she is doomed to die, and
coughs and sobs so violently that her presence is re-
vealed,
Rudolph remorsefully takes the poor weak creature
in his arms, and they decide to make it up.
Their reconciliation is interrupted by Marcel, who is
upbraiding Musette. This flighty damsel has one lover
after another, although she really loves Marcel alone.
The fourth and last act takes us back to the gar-
ret, where Marcel and Rudolph are alone, Musette
and Mimi having left them. They each kiss mementos
of their lady-loves, when Schaunard appears with
bread and herring. Gaiety is soon restored and a regu-
lar frolic takes place. Musette enters in a state of
great agitation, to say that Mirni, who is in the last
stage of consumption, is there and wants to see Ru-
dolph once more. The latter carries her on the little
bed. As there is nothing in the house with which
to revive her, Musette decides to sell her earrings in
order to procure medicines, a doctor, and a muff, for
which Mimi longs.
Schaunard also goes out, so that the lovers are left
alone. A touching scene follows, when Rudolph
shows Mimi the pink bonnet he has cherished all the
time. Musette and Marcel soon return with medicines
and a muff, upon which Mimi sinks into the sleep that
knows no awakening, with a contented smile.
128 THE OPERA
THE BOHEMIAN GIRL
Opera in three acts by Michael William Balfe,
Text by Bunn.
HP HE opera opens with a scene on Count Arnheim's
A grounds near Presburg. Count Arnheim's re-
tainers are waiting to accompany him to the hunt. He
appears with his foppish nephew Florestein, who is
afraid of a gun. He bids farewell to his little daugh-
ter Arline, and she goes up a mountain path with Buda,
her nurse, and Florestein. Thaddeus, a Polish exile,
enters exhausted from pursuit. Gypsies appear, head-
ed by Devilshoof. They attempt to rob Thaddeus, but
after some parley he decides to join their band. Devils-
hoof takes everything he has except his commission,
but gives him a ragged gypsy dress in return. He
mingles with the gypsies just as a troop of soldiers
come to apprehend him. Huntsmen return in excite-
ment; Florestein appears, terrified. Arline has been
attacked by a wild animal. Thaddeus rescues her,
and the Count in gratitude invites him to a feast,
during which he refuses to drink to the Emperor. He
is repudiated by all, but Devilshoof comes to his aid.
As a reward for the rescue of Arline the Count offers
the exile a purse, which he proudly refuses. Thaddeus
and Devilshoof are imprisoned, but the latter escapes
and carries off Arline. He is seen by the Count and
his guests crossing a frail bridge between two rocks
with the child in his arms. He breaks down the bridge
and disappears.
The second act reveals a street in Presburg twelve
years later. We see the tent of the gypsy Queen. Ar-
line sleeps while Thaddeus keeps watch. Devilshoof
HISTORY AND GUIDE 129
and others enter with a new project to rob Florestein,
who is flushed with wine. They secure his valuables,
but the Queen makes them return everything. Flore-
stein is solicitous about a medallion which has disap-
peared and which is an heirloom of great value. Devils-
hoof has secreted it. Arline awakens and tells Thad-
deus her dream in the aria "I dreamt I dwelt in marble
halls." Thaddeus and Arline declare their love. The
Queen, through jealousy, is angry, but, ridiculed by
Devilshoof, joins their hands according to the gypsy
rite.
The scene shifts to another street where a fair is
being held. Count Arnheim and Florestein appear.
Florestein compliments Arline, which amuses her, un-
til he tries to kiss her, when she slaps him vigorously.
The Queen, recognizing him, gives Arline the stolen
medallion, so that she will be accused of robbing him.
This plan succeeds, but Thaddeus and the gypsies pro-
tect Arline. Nevertheless, she and Thaddeus are im-
prisoned.
The final scene of the act shows Count Arnheim's
apartments with a portrait of Arline in her childhood.
The Count enters sadly, and gazes at the portrait. He
sings "The heart bowed down." The captain of the
guard reports Arline's capture. She is brought in and
pleads her innocence, but in her humiliation is about
to stab herself. The Count, while stopping her, ob-
serves a scar by which he recognizes her as his daugh-
ter, and Thaddeus, who enters at that moment, as her
preserver.
The last act takes place in the Count's castle. Ar-
line, in rich attire, is sad and lonely. She looks with
longing at her gypsy dress. Devilshoof boldly enters
130 THE OPERA
the room and begs her to rejoin the tribe. Thaddeus
appears at the window. He sings "Then you'll re-
member me." The two men hide themselves as the
guests enter. The Queen of the gypsies suddenly ap-
pears and tells the Count that Thaddeus is concealed
in his daughter's room. The Count denounces his
daughter. Thaddeus comes from his hiding-place, and
declares Arline innocent. He proclaims his identity as
a Polish noble. The Count is reassured, but the Queen
tries to kill Thaddeus, and Devilshoof, while attempt-
ing to snatch the rifle from her hands, accidentally
shoots her. The joy of the lovers is too great to be
marred, and all ends happily.
CARMEN
Opera in four acts by Georges Bizet.
Text by Meilhac and Halevy, founded on the story of Prosper
Merimee.
/~* ARMEN, the heroine, is a Spanish gypsy, fickle
^ and wayward, endowed with all the wild graces
of her nation. She is adored by her people, and so it is
not to be wondered at that she has many of the strong-
er sex at her feet. She tries to charm Don Jose, a
brigadier of the Spanish army ; of course he is one out
of many; she soon grows tired of him, and awakens
his jealousy by a thousand caprices and cruelties.
Don Jose is betrothed to the sweet and lovely Mi-
caela, waiting for him at home, but she is forgotten as
soon as he sees the proud gypsy.
Micaela seeks him out, bringing to him the portrait
and the benediction of his mother, aye, even her kiss,
which she gives him with blushes. His tender-
ness is gone, however, so far as Micaela is concerned,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 131
as soon as he casts one look into the lustrous eyes
of Carmen. This passionate creature has involved her-
self in a quarrel and wounded one of her companions,
a laborer in a cigarette manufactory. She is to be
taken to prison, but Don Jose lets her off, promising to
meet her in the evening at an inn kept by a man named
Lillas Pastia, where they are to dance the segue-
dilla.
In the second act we find them there together, with
the whole band of gypsies. Don Jose, more and more
infatuated by Carmen's charms, is willing to join the
vagabonds, who are at the same time smugglers. He
accompanies them in a dangerous enterprise of this
kind, but no sooner has he submitted to sacrifice love
and honor for the gypsy than she begins to tire of his
attentions. Jose has pangs of conscience, he belongs
to another sphere of society and his feelings are of a
softer kind than those of nature's unruly child. She
transfers her affections to a bullfighter named Esca-
millo, another of her suitors, who returns her love more
passionately. A quarrel ensues between the two rivals.
Escamillo's knife breaks and he is about to be killed by
Don Jose, when Carmen intervenes, holding back his
arm. Don Jose, seeing that she has duped him, now
becomes her deadly foe, filled with sudden hatred
and longing for revenge.
Micaela, the tender-hearted maiden, who follows him
everywhere like a guardian angel, reminds him of his
lonely mother, everybody advises him to let the fickle
Carmen alone Carmen who never loved the same man
for more than six weeks. But in vain, till Micaela
tells him of the dying mother asking incessantly for
her son; then at last he consents to go with her, but
132 THE OPERA
not without wild imprecations on his rival and his
faithless love.
In the fourth act we find ourselves in Madrid. There
is to be a bullfight; Escamillo, its hero, has invited the
whole company to be present in the circus.
Don Jose appears there too, trying for the last time
to regain his bride. Carmen, though warned by a fel-
low-gypsy, Frasquita, knows no fear. She meets her
old lover outside the arena, where he tries hard to
touch her heart. He kneels at her feet, vowing never
to forsake her and to be one of her own people, but
Carmen, though wayward, is neither a coward nor a
liar, and boldly declares that her affections are given to
the bullfighter, whose triumphs are borne to their ears
on the shouts of the multitude. Almost beside himself
with love and rage, Jose seizes her hand and attempts
to drag her away, but she escapes from him, and throw-
ing the ring, Jose's gift, at his feet, rushes to the door
of the arena. He overtakes her, however, and just as
the trumpets announce Escamillo's victory, in a perfect
fury of despair he stabs her through the heart, and
the victorious bullfighter finds his beautiful bride a
corpse.
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA
(Rustic Chivalry)
Opera in one act by Pietro Mascagni.
Text by Targioni-Tozzetti and Menasci, after Verga's drama.
TTHE following are the very simple facts of the
* story, which takes place in a Sicilian village.
Turridu, a young peasant, has loved and wooed Lola
before entering military service. At his return he finds
the flighty damsel married to the wealthy carrier Alfio,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 133
who glories in his pretty wife and treats her very well.
Turridu tries to console himself with another young
peasant girl, Santuzza, who loves him ardently, and to
whom he has promised marriage.
The opera only begins at this point.
Lola, the coquette, cannot bear to know that her
former sweetheart should love another woman. She
flirts with him, and before the curtain has been raised
after the overture Turridu's love-song is heard for
Lola, who grants him a rendezvous in her own house.
This excites Santuzza's wildest jealousy. She com-
plains to Turridu's mother, who vainly tries to soothe
her. Then she has a last interview with Turridu, who
is just entering the church. She reproaches him first
with his treachery, then implores him not to forsake
her and leave her dishonored.
But Turridu remains deaf to all entreaty, and flings
her from him. At last, half mad through her lover's
stubbornness, Santuzza betrays him and Lola to Alfio,
warning the latter that his wife has proved false. After
church Alfio and Turridu meet in mother Lucia's tav-
ern. Alfio refusing to drink of Turridu's wine, the
latter divines that the husband knows all. The men
and women leave while the two adversaries after Sicil-
ian custom embrace each other, Alfio biting Turridu
in the ear, which indicates mortal challenge, Turridu,
deeply repenting his folly, as well as his falsehood
toward poor Santuzza, recommends her to his mother.
He hurries into the garden, where Alfio expects him.
A few minutes later his death is announced by the peas-
ants, and Santuzza falls back in a dead swoon; with
which the curtain closes over the tragedy.
134 THE OPERA
LE CID
Lyric Drama in three acts by Peter Cornelius.
TTHE scene is laid in Burgos in Castile in the year
* 1064. The first act opens with a large concourse
of people, assembled to celebrate the victory of Ruy
Diaz over the Moors.
In the midst of their rejoicings a funeral march
announces Chimene, Countess of Lozan, whose father
has been slain by Diaz. While she wildly invokes the
King's help against the hero the latter enters, enthusi-
astically greeted by the people, who adore in him their
deliverer from the sword of the infidels.
He justifies himself before King Fernando, relating
with quiet dignity how he killed Count Lozan in open
duel to avenge his old father, whose honor the Count
had grossly attacked. Nevertheless he is ready to de-
fend himself against anybody who is willing to fight
for Donna Chimene, and for this purpose he throws
down his glove, which is taken up by Alvar Farnez, his
friend and companion in arms, who is madly in love
with Chimene. While they are preparing for the duel
the Bishop Luyn Calvo, an uncle of Diaz, intervenes,
entreating his nephew to desist from further bloodshed
and to surrender his sword Tizona into the mediator's
hands. After a hard struggle with himself the hero, who
secretly loves Chimene, yields, and hands his sword to
Calvo, who at once offers it to Chimene, thereby giving
the defenseless hero into her hands.
Exultingly she swears to take vengeance on Diaz,
who stands motionless, looking down with mournful
dignity on the woman whom he loves and who seems to
hate him so bitterly.
Permission Almg Pupont.
SEVEN STARS OF MODERN OPERA
From Photographs in Character
HISTORY AND GUIDE 135
In the midst of this scene the war-cry is heard.
The enemy has again broken into the country and has
already taken and burned the fortress of Belforad.
All crowd around Diaz, beseeching him to save them.
While he stands mute and deprived of his invincible
sword, Chimene, mastering her own grief at the sight
of her country's distress, lays down Tizona at Fernan-
do's feet. Ruy Diaz now receives his sword back from
the hands of the King, and brandishing it high above
his head he leads the warriors forth to freedom or
death.
The second act takes place in Chimene's castle.
Her women try to beguile their mistress's sorrow by
songs, and when they see her soothed to quiet they
retire noiselessly. But hardly does she find herself
alone than pain and grief overcome her again. She
longs to avenge her father's death on Diaz, and yet
deep in her heart there is a feeling of great admiration
for him. In vain she wrestles with her feelings, in-
voking the Almighty's help to do what is right. In this
mood Alvar finds her. He once more assures her of
his devotion and repeats that he will fight with Diaz
as soon as the country is freed from the enemy. He
leaves her, and night comes on. In the darkness Diaz
steals in, for he cannot resist his heart's desire to see
Chimene once more before the battle. In the uncertain
rays of the moonlight she at first mistakes him for
her father's ghost, but when he pronounces her name
she recognizes him, and violently motions him away,
but he falls on his knee and pours out his hopeless love.
At last his passion overcomes all obstacles ; she forgives
him, and at his entreaty she calls him by his name,
saying: a Ruy Diaz, be victorious!" Full of joy he
I3 6 THE OPERA
blesses her and goes to join his men, who are heard
in the distance calling him to lead them against the
enemy.
The third act is played once more in Burgos.
Diaz has been victorious. The whole army of cap-
tives defiles before the throne, and a rejoicing assem-
blage of nobles and people does homage to the King.
Even the Moorish kings bend the knee voluntarily;
they have been unfortunate, but they have been con-
quered by the greatest hero of the world; they are
conquered by "the Cid" ! When the King asks them
what the name means, they tell him that its signification
is "Master"; full of enthusiasm, all around adopt this
name for their hero. The Cid will be his title hence-
forth, immortal as his glorious star !
The people loudly call for Diaz to appear, but are
told that immediately after the battle Alvar had sent
the hero a challenge. At the same time Alvar enters
unhurt, and Chimene, who stands near the King with
her women ready to greet the victor, grows white and
faint, believing that Diaz has been killed by Alvar.
She impetuously interrupts the latter, who begins to
relate the events, and unable to control her feelings any
longer she pours out her long pent-up love for Diaz, at
the same time bewailing the slain hero and swearing
faithfulness to his memory unto death. "He "lives,"
cries Alvar, and at this moment the Cid, as we must
now call him, appears, stormily hailed by great and
small.
Deeply moved he lays down his victorious sword at
the feet of his King, who embraces him, pronouncing
him Sire of Saldaja, Garden j a, and Belforad. Then he
leads him to his lady, who sinks into his arms supreme-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 137
ly happy. The Bishop blesses the noble pair, and all
join in his prayer that love may guide them through
life and death.
LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN
(Hoffmann's Tales)
Fantastic Opera in three acts by Jacques Offenbach.
Text by Barbier.
HP HE first scene, a prologue, is laid in Luther's
-* famous wine-cellar in Nuremberg.
The hero of the opera, Hoffmann himself, is there,
drinking with a number of gay young students, his
friends. He is in a despondent mood, and when urged
by his companions to tell them the reason of his de-
pression he declares himself ready to relate the story
of his three love adventures, while his friends sit
round a bowl of flaming strong punch.
Now the scene changes and the curtain rises on the
first act. We find Hoffmann in Spalanzani's house.
This man is a famous physiologist, and Hoffmann has
entered his house as his pupil in order to make the
acquaintance of the professor's beautiful daughter
Olympia, whom he has seen at a distance.
This daughter is nothing more than an automaton
that has been manufactured by Spalanzani and his
friend, the wizard Coppelius. This doll can sing,
dance, and speak like a human being. Spalanzani
hopes to become rich by means of this clever work of
art. As half of Olympia (this is the doll's name) be-
longs to Coppelius, Spalanzani buys her from him, pay-
ing him by a draft on the Jew Elias, though he knows
him to be bankrupt. Hoffmann has been persuaded
1 38 THE OPERA
by Coppelius to purchase a pair of spectacles, through
which he looks at Olympia, and taking her for a love-
ly, living maiden, falls violently in love with her.
Spalanzani now gives a grand entertainment at which
he presents his daughter Olympia (the automaton),
who surprises everybody by her loveliness and fine
singing. Hoffmann is completely bewitched, and as
soon as he finds himself alone with her he makes her
an ardent declaration of love and is not at all dis-
couraged by her sitting stock-still and only answering
from time to time a dry little "ja ja." At last he tries
to embrace her, but as soon as he touches her she
rises and trips away.
Hoffmann's friend Niklas finds him in the seventh
heaven of rapture and vainly tries to tell him the rea-
son of the beauty's stiffness and heartlessness.
When the dancing begins Hoffmann engages Olym-
pia, and they dance on, always faster and faster, until
Hoffmann sinks down in a swoon, his spectacles being
broken by the fall. Olympia spins on alone as fast
as ever and presently dances out of the room, Coche-
nille vainly trying to stop her. Coppelius now enters in
a fury, having found out that Spalanzani's draft on
Elias is worthless. He rushes to the room into which
Olympia has vanished, and when Hoffmann revives
he hears a frightful sound of breaking and smashing,
and Spalanzani bursts in with the news that Coppe-
lius has broken his valuable automaton. Thus Hoff-
mann learns that he has been in love with a senseless
doll. The guests, who now enter, shout with laughter
at his confusion, while Spalanzani and Coppelius load
each other with abuse.
The second act takes place in Giulietta's palace in
HISTORY AND GUIDE 139
Venice. Everything breathes joy and love. Both
Niklas and Hoffmann are courting the beautiful lady.
Niklas warns his friend against her, but Hoffmann
only laughs at the idea that he is likely to love a courte-
zan. The latter is entirely in the hand of the wizard
Dapertutto, who acts toward Hoffmann as an evil spirit
under three different names in each of his three love
affairs. Giulietta has already stolen for him the shad-
ow of her former lover Schlemihl; now Dapertutto
wounds her vanity by telling her that Hoffmann has
spoken disdainfully of her, and makes her promise to
win the young man's love and by that means to make
him give her his reflection from a looking-glass.
She succeeds easily, and there ensues a charming
love-duet during which they are surprised by the jeal-
ous Schlemihl. Giulietta tells Hoffmann that her form-
er lover has the key of her apartments in his pocket,
she then departs leaving the two lovers and Dapertutto
alone. When Hoffmann peremptorily demands the key
from Schlemihl the latter refuses to give it up. The
result is a duel, for which Dapertutto offers Hoffmann
his sword.
After a few passes Schlemihl is killed and Dapertutto
disappears. A few moments afterward Giulietta's
gondola passes before the balcony and Hoffmann sees
her leaning on Dapertutto's arm singing a mocking
farewell to the poor deserted lover.
The third act takes place in Rath Krespel's house.
His daughter Antonia has inherited her mother's gift
of a beautiful voice, but also her tendency to consump-
tion. The greatest joy of her life is singing, which,
however, her father has forbidden, knowing this ex-
ertion to be fatal- to his darling.
140 THE OPERA
She is engaged to be married to Hoffmann, but Kres-
pel is averse to the marriage, seeing in it another dan-
ger for his daughter's health, as Hoffmann is musical
and encourages Antonia to sing. Krespel has forbid-
den his servant Franz to let anybody see Antonia while
he goes out of the house, but Franz, who is very deaf,
misunderstands his master's orders and joyously wel-
comes his mistress's suitor. A delicate love-scene fol-
lows, during which Antonia shows her lover that her
voice is as fine as ever. When they hear Krespel re-
turning, Antonia retires to her own room, but Hoff-
mann hides himself in an alcove, determined to learn
why Antonia is so closely hidden from the world.
Immediately after the father's return Doctor Mirakel
enters. Krespel is mortally afraid of this mysterious
man, as he believes him to have killed his wife with
drugs, and that now he aims at his daughter's life.
This Mirakel is a demon who acts as in the two form-
er instances as Hoffmann's evil genius. From the con-
versation of the two men Hoffmann learns the secret
of his bride's dangerous inheritance, and when Mirakel
has at last been driven out of the room and Krespel
has left it too, the lovers both come back again. Hoff-
mann by earnest entreaty succeeds in gaining Anto
nia's promise never to sing any more. But when he has
left, Mirakel returns and by invoking the spirit of her
mother he goads her on to break her promise. She
begins to sing and he urges her on, until she sinks back
exhausted. It is thus that her father and her lover
find her, and after a few sweet words of farewell she
dies in their armSi
The epilogue takes us back to Luther's cellar, where
Hoffmann's companions are still sitting over their
HISTORY AND GUIDE 141
punch, the steam of which forms clouds over their
heads, while they thank their poor, heart-broken friend
for his three stories with ringing cheers.
COSI FAN TUTTE
Comic Opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Text by Da Ponte, newly arranged by Schneider and Devrient
"pvON FERNANDO and Don Alvar are betrothed
^ to two Andalusian ladies, Rosaura and Isabella.
They loudly praise their ladies' fidelity, when an old
bachelor, named Onofrio, pretends that their sweet-
hearts are not better than other women and accessible
to temptation. The lovers agree to make the trial and
promise to do everything which Onofrio dictates.
Thereupon they announce to the ladies that they are
ordered to Havana with their regiment, and after a
tender leave-taking, they depart to appear again in
another guise, as officers of a strange regiment. Ono-
frio has won the ladies' maid, Dolores, to aid in the
furtherance of his schemes, and the officers enter, be-
ginning at once to make love to Isabella and Rosaura,
but each, as was before agreed, to the other's affianced.
Of course the ladies reject them, and the lovers be-
gin to triumph, when Onofrio prompts them to try
another temptation. The strangers, mad with love,
pretend to drink poison in the young ladies' presence.
Of course these tender-hearted maidens are much ag-
grieved; they call Dolores, who bids her mistresses
hold the patients in their arms ; then coming disguised
as a physician, she gives them an antidote. By this
clumsy subterfuge they excite the ladies' pity and
are nearly successful in their foolish endeavors, when
142 THE OPERA
Dolores, pitying the cruelly tested women, reveals the
whole plot to them.
Isabella and Rosaura now resolve to enter into the
play. They accept the disguised suitors, and even con-
sent to a marriage. Dolores appears in the shape of a
notary, without being recognized by the men. The
marriage contract is signed, and the lovers disappear to
return in their true characters, full of righteous con-
tempt. Isabella and Rosaura make believe to be con-
science-stricken, and for a long while torment and de-
ceive their angry bridegrooms. But at last they grow
tired of teasing, present the disguised Dolores, and
put their lovers to shame by showing that all was a
farce. Of course the gentlemen humbly ask their
pardon, and old Onofrio is obliged to own himself
beaten.
CZAR UND ZIMMERMANN
(Czar and Carpenter)
Comic Opera in three acts by Gustav Albert Lortzing.
pETER THE GREAT of Russia has taken service
*- on the wharfs of Saardam as simple ship-carpen-
ter under the assumed name of Peter Michaelov.
Among his companions is another Peter, named Iva-
nov, a Russian renegade, who has fallen in love with
Marie, the niece of the burgomaster Van Bett.
The two Peters being countrymen and fearing dis-
covery, have become friendly, but Ivanov, instinctively
feeling his friend's superiority, is jealous of him, and
Marie, a little coquette, nourishes his passion.
Meanwhile the ambassadors of France and England,
each of whom wishes for a special connection with
HISTORY AND GUIDE 143
the Czar of Russia, have discovered where he must be,
and both bribe the conceited simpleton Van Bett, who
tries to find out the real Peter.
He assembles the people, but there are many Peters
among them, though only two strangers. He asks
them whence they come, then takes aside Peter Ivanov,
cross-questioning him in vain as to what he wishes to
know.
At last, being aware of Peter's love for Marie, he
gives him some hope of gaining her hand, and obtains
in exchange a promise from the young man to confess
his secret in presence of the foreign nobleman. The
cunning French ambassador, the Marquis de Chateau-
neuf, has easily found out the Czar and gained his
purpose, while the phlegmatic English lord, falsely
directed by the burgomaster, is still in transaction with
Ivanov. All this takes place during a rural festivity,
where the Marquis, notwithstanding the claims upon
his attention, finds time to court pretty Marie, exciting
Ivanov's hate and jealousy.
Ivanov with difficulty plays the role of Czar, which
personage he is supposed to be both by Lord Syndham
and Van Bett. He well knows that he deserves pun-
ishment if he is found out on either side. The burgo-
master, getting more and more confused, and fearing
himself surrounded by spies and cheats, examines one
of the strangers after the other, and is of course con-
founded to hear their highflown names ; at last he seizes
the two Peters, but is deterred from his purpose by
the two ambassadors. They are now joined by a third,
the Russian General Lefort, who comes to call back
bis sovereign to his own country. In the third act
Van Bett has prepared a . solemn demonstration of
144 THE OPERA
fealty for the supposed Czar whom he still mistakes
for the real one, while the real Czar has found means
to go on board of his ship with the Marquis and Lef ort.
Before taking farewell Czar Peter promises a pass-
port to Ivanov, who is very dubious as to what will be-
come of him. Meanwhile Van Bett approaches the
Czar with his procession to do homage, but during
his long and confused speech cannon-shots are heard
and an usher announces that Peter Michaelov is about
to sail away with a large crew. The background opens
and shows the port with the Czar's ship. Everybody
shouts "Long live the Czar!" and Ivanov, opening
the paper which his high-born friend left to him,
reads that the Czar grants him pardon for his deser-
tion and bestows upon him a considerable sum of
money.
LA DAME BLANCHE
Comic Opera in three acts by Francois Adrian Boieldieu.
Text by Scribe.
scene is laid in Scotland, the plot being taken
from two of Sir Walter Scott's novels, "The
Monastery" and "Guy Mannering."
George Brown, the hero of the opera, a young lieu-
tenant in the English service, visits Scotland. He is
hospitably received by a tenant of the late Count
Avenel, who has been dead for some years. When
he arrives the baptism of the tenant's youngest child
is just being celebrated, and seeing that they lack a
godfather, he good-naturedly consents to take the va-
cant place.
Seeing the old castle of the Avenels, he asks for its
history, and the young wife Jenny tells him that ac-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 145
cording to the traditions of the place it is haunted by
a ghost, as is the case in almost every old castle.
This apparition is called the White Lady, but unlike
other ghosts she is good, protecting her sex against
fickle men. All the people around believe firmly in her
and pretend to have seen her themselves. In the castle
is a statue which bears the name of this benevolent
genius, and in it the old lord has hidden treasures. His
steward Gaveston, a rogue, who has taken away the
only son of the Count in the child's earliest days,
brings the castle with all its acres to public sale, hoping
to gain it for himself.
He has a charming ward, named Anna. It is she
who sometimes plays the part of the White Lady. She
has summoned the young tenant Dickson, who is sin-
cerely devoted to her, into the castle, and the young
man, though full of fear, yet dares not disobey the
ghostly commands. George Brown, thirsting for a
good adventure, and disbelieving in the ghost story,
declares that he will go in Dickson's place.
In the second act George, who has found entrance
into the castle, calls for the White Lady, who appears
in the shape of Anna. She believes that Dickson is be-
fore her and she reveals her secret to him, imploring
his help against her false guardian Gaveston, who
means to rob the true and only heir of his property.
She knows that the missing son of the Avenels is living,
and she has given a promise to the dying Countess to
defend his rights against the rapacious Gaveston.
George gives his hand to the pretended ghost in token
of fidelity, and the warm and soft hand which clasps
his awakes tender feelings in him. On the following
morning Dickson and his wife, Jenny, are full of curi-
146 THE OPERA
osity about George's visit, but he does not breathe a
word of his secret.
The sale of the castle, as previously announced, is to
begin, and Dickson has been empowered beforehand
by all the neighboring farmers to bid the highest price,
in order not to let it fall into the hands of the hate-
ful Gaveston. They bid higher and higher, but at length
Dickson stops, unable to go further. Gaveston feels
assured of his triumph, when George Brown, recalling
his vow to the White Lady, advances boldly, bidding
one thousand pounds more. Anna is beside him, in the
shape of the specter, and George obediently bids on, till
the castle is his for the price of 300,000. Gaveston, in
a perfect fury, swears to avenge himself on the adven-
turer, who is to pay the sum in the afternoon. Should
he prove unable to do so, he shall be put into prison.
George, who firmly believes in the help of his genius,
is quietly confident, and meanwhile makes an inspection
of the castle. Wandering through the vast rooms, dim
recollections arise in him, and hearing the minstrel's
song of the Avenels, he all at once remembers and fin-
ishes the romance which he heard in his childhood.
The afternoon comes and with it Maclrton, the jus-
tice of peace. He wants the money, and George begs
to await the White Lady, who promised her help.
Anna appears, bringing the treasure of the Avenels
hidden in the statue, and with it some documents
which prove the just claims of Edwin, Count AveneL
This long-lost Count she recognizes in George Brown,
whose identity with the playmate of her youth she had
found out the night before. Gaveston approaches full
of wrath to tear aside the ghost's white veil, and see
his own ward, Anna.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 147
The happy owner of castle and country holds firm to
the promise which he gave the White Lady, and offers
hand and heart to the faithful Anna, who has loved
him from her childhood.
LA DAMNATION DE FAUST
(The Damnation of Faust)
Opera in four parts by Hector Berlioz.
T N the first part Faust, the learned philosopher, wan-
* ders in the fields, near a German village, at sunrise,
meditating upon nature. He observes a crowd of peas-
ants who dance and sing, jesting rudely. The Hunga-
rian troops approach to martial music. Great excite-
ment prevails among the peasants. Faust alone re-
mains cold and unmoved.
The second part opens with Faust in his study, de-
ploring his unhappy lot. Neither in nature, nor in
books, nor in old memories has he found solace. He
decides to take poison; but as he raises the cup to
drink, the strains of an Easter hymn turn his thoughts
toward good. Even then the fiend Mephisto is at his
elbow, tempting him with promises of earthly joys.
He succumbs and goes forth with the fiend in search
of pleasure. They enter a wine-cellar in which a num-
ber of boon companions are carousing. Mephisto joins
them, but Faust is disgusted by their uproarious rib-
aldry. Led by Mephisto to a garden on the banks of
the Elbe, he falls asleep amid the music of a chorus of
sylphs, and dreams of Marguerite, a fair unknown peas-
ant girl. As the sylphs dance about him he awakens,
still thinking of Marguerite and desiring to find her.
A troop of soldiers march by, returning from war and
148 THE OPERA
eager for pleasure. They are joined by a band of
students, who proclaim in song the joys of wine and
love.
Part third begins with distant drums and trumpets
sounding the retreat. Faust impatiently awaits Mar-
guerite in her dwelling. Mephisto warns him of her
coming, and he conceals himself in her room. Mar-
guerite enters, musing upon a strange dream of an un-
known lover. She braids her hair, singing dreamily
of the faithful King of Thule. Mephisto invokes the
powers of evil and begins a mocking serenade, while in
the garden without the will-o'-the-wisps dance. Faust
appears before Marguerite, who is startled, but in an
ardent love-scene they declare their mutual passion,
and Marguerite at last is persuaded to give herself to
her lover. The entrance of Mephisto, to tell them that
the villagers are coming to warn Marguerite's mother
of her danger, terrifies the bewildered girl. She and
Faust part reluctantly, while Mephisto exults over the
enslavement of his victim. The villagers approach
muttering threats, as Mephisto forces Faust to depart.
In part fourth Marguerite, heavy-hearted, sits alone,
thinking of her lover, who comes not. Soldiers march
by singing of the glories of war. Faust, alone in his
study, has found solace in nature, but Mephisto dis-
turbs him with the news that Marguerite is in prison,
condemned to death for the murder of her mother,
Marthe, to whom the fiend had given too powerful a
sleeping potion. Faust signs a paper which he believes
will free Marguerite, but which really gives over his
own soul to perdition. Faust and the fiend then set
forth on a wild ride through the darkness. As they
gallop along they hear women and children praying.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 149
Strange shapes close around them presaging death. The
horses tremble and snort with fear. Faust imagines
that it rains blood. Everywhere he sees horrible vis-
ions, and at last he is hurled into the abyss to which the
fiend has craftily led him, and is forever lost. The
Prince of Darkness appears attended by infernal
spirits, who exult over his downfall.
With a change of scene a celestial chorus is heard,
and the spirit of Marguerite, saved by faith and re-
pentance, is received into heaven. With her apotheo-
sis the drama ends. This opera is noteworthy as being
among those in which Berlioz introduced some of his-
most astonishing technical effects.
DINORAH
Comic Opera in three acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer.
Text by Barbier and Carre.
T^vINORAH, the heroine, is a poor peasant girl and
**-* the betrothed of a goatherd named Hoel. They
are about to be married in the church at Auray, when
a terrible thunderstorm suddenly interrupts the cere-
mony.
The cottage of Dinorah's father is destroyed, and
Hoel gives up all his property to enable him to rebuild
his house. Hoel is told by a sorcerer that he could
gain great wealth if he would only consent to hide him-
self for a year in the forest. He follows this advice,
and Dinorah, who thinks she is forsaken by her lover,
loses her reason. After the year has expired, Hoel is
informed that a vast treasure is buried in a certain
spot. His joy at this news turns into dismay when
he hears that the first person who moves the stone
150 THE OPERA
placed over the treasure will die within a year. He
therefore induces Corentin, an avaricious fellow, to do
this in his stead by promising him a share of the booty.
When Corentin is on the point of removing the stone,
a voice is heard, which reveals to him the legend of
the treasure, and the fatal conditions imposed upon the
finder.
Corentin, though enraged at the cunning trick Hoel
has played on him, still cannot forego all hope of gain-
ing the treasure. He discovers that the singer whose
voice had warned him is no other than the mad girl
Dinorah, and he resolves to make use of her, as former-
ly Hoel had made use of him, by persuading her to
move the fatal stone. This she is about to do when the
bell on her favorite goat diverts her attention, and
causes her to fly this accursed place. In her flight, she
is in danger of being carried away by an inundation,
but is saved from drowning by Hoel. The sound of
his beloved voice acts like a talisman, she recovers
her reason, and there is now no drawback to their
marriage. The union of the lovers closes the opera.
LE DOMINO NOIR
(The Black Domino)
Comic Opera in three acts by Daniel F. E. Auber.
Text by Scribe.
scene is laid in Madrid in the last century.
The Queen of Spain gives a masked ball, at which
our heroine, Angela, is present, accompanied by her
companion, Brigitta. There she is seen by Horatio di
Massarena, a young nobleman, who met her a year
before at one of these balls and fell in love with her,
without knowing her.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 151
This time he detains her, but is again unable to dis-
cover her real name, and confessing his love for her
he receives the answer that she can be no more than a
friend to him. Massarena detains her so long that the
clock strikes the midnight hour as Angela prepares
to seek her companion. Massarena confesses to hav-
ing removed Brigitta under some pretext, and Angela
in despair cries out that she is lost. She is in reality
a member of a convent, and destined to be lady abbess,
though she has not yet taken the vows. She is very
highly connected, and has secretly helped Massarena
to advance in his career as a diplomatist. Great is her
anxiety to return to her convent after midnight, but
she declines all escort, and walking alone through the
streets, she comes by chance into the house of Count
Juliano, a gentleman of somewhat uncertain character,
and Massarena's friend. Juliano is just giving a sup-
per to his gay friends, and Angela bribes his house-
keeper, Claudia, to keep her for the night. She ap-
pears before the guests disguised as an Aragonese
waiting-maid, and charms them all, and particularly
Massarena, with her grace and coquetry. But as the
young gentlemen begin to be insolent, she disappears,
feeling herself in danger of being recognized. Massa-
rena, discovering in her the charming black domino, is
very unhappy to see her in such company. Meanwhile
Angela succeeds in getting the keys of the convent
from Gil Perez, the porter, who had also left his post,
seduced by his love of gormandizing, and had come to
pay court to Claudia. Angela troubles his conscience,
frightens him with her black mask, and flees. When
she has gone the housekeeper confesses that her pre-
tended Aragonese was a stranger, by all appearance
152 THE OPERA
a noble lady, who sought refuge in Juliano's house.
In the third act Angela reaches the convent, but not
without more adventures. Thanks to Brigitta's clever-
ness, her absence has not been discovered. At length
the day has come when she is to be made lady abbess,
and she is arrayed in the attire suited to her future
high office, when Massarena is announced to her. He
comes to ask to be relieved from a marriage with
Ursula, Lord Elfort's daughter, who is destined for
him, and who is also an inmate of the convent, but
whom he cannot love. Notwithstanding her disguise
he recognizes his beloved domino, who, happily for
both, is released by the Queen from her high mission
and permitted to choose a husband. Of course it is no
other than the happy Massarena; while Ursula is
consoled by being made lady abbess, a position which
well suits her ambitious temper.
DON GIOVANNI
Opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Text by Da Ponte.
HP HE hero, spoiled by fortune, and blase, is ever
A growing more reckless. He even dares to attack
the virtue of Donna Anna, one of the first ladies of a
city in Spain, of which her father, an old Spanish
grandee, as noble and as strict in virtue as Don Gio-
vanni is satiated and frivolous, is governor. The old
father, coming forward to help his beloved daughter,
with drawn dagger attacks Don Giovanni, who, com-
pelled to defend himself, has the misfortune to stab
his assailant.
Donna Anna, a lady not only noble and virtuous,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 153
but proud and high-spirited, vows to avenge her fa-
ther's death. Though betrothed to a nobleman named
Octavio, she will never know any peace until her
father, of whose death she feels herself the innocent
cause, is avenged. Her only hope is death, and in that
she offers the liveliest contrast to her betrothed, who
shows himself a gentleman of good temper and quali-
ties, but of a mind too weak for his lady's high-flown
courage and truly tragic character. Though Octavio
wants to avenge Donna Anna's father, he would do it
only to please her. His one aim is marriage with her.
Her passionate feelings he does not understand.
Don Giovanni, pursued not only by Donna Anna, but
also by his own neglected bride, Donna Elvira, tries
to forget himself in debauches and extravagances.
His servant Leporello, in every manner the real coun-
terpart of his master, is his aider and abettor. A more
witty, a more amusing figure does not exist. His fine
sarcasm brings Don Giovanni's character into bold re-
lief ; they complement and explain each other.
But Don Giovanni, passing from one extravagance
to another, sinks deeper; everything he tries begins
to fail him, and his doom approaches. He begins to
amuse himself with Zerlina, the young bride of a peas-
ant named Masetto, but each time, when he seems all
but successful with the little coquette, his enemies, who
have united against him, interfere and present a new
foe in the person of the bridegroom, the plu,mp and
rustic Masetto. At last Don Giovanni is obliged to
take refuge from the hatred of his pursuers. His
flight brings him to the grave of the dead governor,
in whose memory a life-size statue has been erected in
his own park. Excited to the highest pitch and almost
154 THE OPERA
beside himself, Don Giovanni even mocks the dead ; he
invites him to a supper. The statue moves its head in
acceptance of the dreadful invitation of the murderer.
Toward evening Donna Elvira comes to see him,
willing to pardon everything if only her lover will re-
pent. She fears for him and for his fate. She does
not ask for his love, only for the repentance of his
follies ; but all is in vain. The half-drunken Don Gio-
vanni laughs at her, and so she leaves him alone. Then
the ghostly guest, the statue of the governor, enters.
He too tries to move his host's conscience. He fain
would save him in the last hour. Don Giovanni re-
mains deaf to those warnings of a better self, and so
he incurs his doom. The statue vanishes, the earth
opens, and the demons of hell devour Don Giovanni
and his splendid palace.
DON PASQUALE
Comic Opera in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti.
Text after "Ser Marcantonio " by Cammerano.
HP HE wealthy old bachelor Don Pasquale desires to
* marry his only nephew to a rich and noble lady ;
but finding a hindrance in Ernesto's love for another,
he decides to punish his headstrong nephew by entering
himself into marriage and thus disinheriting Ernesto.
His physician Malatesta, Ernesto's friend, pretends
to have discovered a suitable partner for him in the
person of his (Malatesta's) sister, an "ingenue," edu-
cated in a convent and utterly ignorant of the ways of
the world.
Don Pasquale maliciously communicates his inten-
tions to the young widow Norina, telling her to dis-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 135
trust Malatesta. The latter, however, has been before-
hand with him, and easily persuades Norina to play
the part of his (Malatesta's) sister, and to endeavor,
by the beauty of her person and the modesty of her
demeanor, to gain the old man's affections. Should
she succeed in doing so, Don Pasquale and Norina are
to go through a mock form of marriage a notary, in
the person of a cousin, named Carlo, has already been
gained for the purpose after which Norina, by her
obstinacy, extravagance, capriciousness, and coquetry,
is to make the old man repent of his infatuation and
ready to comply with their wishes.
Urged on by her love for Ernesto, Norina consents
to play the part assigned to her, and the charming sim-
plicity of her manners, her modesty and loveliness so
captivate the old man that he falls into the trap and
makes her an offer of his hand. The marriage takes
place, and one witness failing to appear, Ernesto, who
happens to be near, and who is aware of the plot, is
requested to take his place. Besides appointing Norina
heiress of half his wealth, Don Pasquale at once makes
her absolute mistress of his fortune. Having suc-
ceeded in attaining her aim, Norina throws aside her
mask, and by her self-will, prodigality, and wayward-
ness drives her would-be husband to despair. She
squanders his money, visits the theater on the very day
of their marriage, ignoring the presence of her husband
in such a manner that he wishes himself in his grave,
or rid of the termagant, who has destroyed the peace of
his life. The climax is reached on his discovery among
the accounts, all giving proof of his wife's reckless ex-
travagance, a billet-doux pleading for a clandestine
meeting in his own garden. Malatesta is summoned
156 THE OPERA
and cannot help feeling remorse on beholding the wan
and haggard appearance of his friend. He recom-
mends prudence, advises Don Pasquale to assist, him-
self unseen, at the proposed interview, and then to
drive the guilty wife from the house. The jealous
husband, though frankly confessing the folly he had
committed in taking so young a wife, at first refuses to
listen to Malatesta's counsel, and determines to sur-
prise the lovers and have them brought before the
judge. Finally, however, he suffers himself to be dis-
suaded and leaves the matter in Malatesta's hands.
In the last scene the lovers meet, but Ernesto escapes
on his uncle's approach, who is sorely disappointed at
having to listen to the bitter reproaches of his supposed
wife, instead of being able to turn her out of doors.
Meanwhile Malatesta arrives, summons Ernesto, and
in his uncle's name gives his (Don Pasquale's) consent
to Ernesto's marriage with Norina, promising her a
splendid dowry.
Don Pasquale's wife, true to the part she has under-
taken to play, of course opposes this arrangement ; and
Don Pasquale, too happy to be able to thwart his wife,
hastens to give his consent, telling Ernesto to bring
his bride. His dismay on discovering that his own
wife, whom he has only known under the name of
Sophronia, and his nephew's bride are one and the
same person, may be easily imagined. His rage and
disappointment are, however, somewhat diminished by
the reflection that he will no longer have to suffer
from the whims of the young wife who had inveigled
him into the ill-assorted marriage, and he at length
consents, giving the happy couple his blessing.
Considered as representative of the modern Italian
HISTORY AND GUIDE 157
opera, this work, one of Donizetti's latest compositions,
properly takes a high rank among those of its class.
It affords excellent opportunities for vocal artists, and
its bright music and witty text render it particularly
enjoyable when well performed.
LES DRAGONS DE VILLARS
(The Hermit's Bell)
Comic Opera in three acts by Louis Aime Maillart.
Text after the French by Ernst
scene is laid in a French mountain village near
-* the frontier of Savoy toward the close of the war
in the Cevennes in 1704.
In the first act peasant women in the service of
Thibaut, a rich country squire, are collecting fruit.
Georgette, Thibaut J s young wife, controls their work.
In compliance with a general request she treats them
to a favorite provengal song, in which a young girl,
forgetting her first vows, made to a young soldier,
gives her hand to another suitor. She is interrupted
by the sound of trumpets. Thibaut, hurrying up in
great distress, asks the women to hide themselves at
once, because soldiers are marching into the village. He
conceals his own wife in the pigeon-house. A detach-
ment of dragoons arrive, and Belamy, their corporal,
asks for food and wine at Thibaut's house. He learns
that there is nothing to be had and in particular that
all the women have fled, fearing the unprincipled sol-
diers of King Louis XIV, sent to persecute the poor
Huguenots or Camisards, who are hiding in the moun-
tains further that the "Dragons de Villars" are said
to be an especially wild and dissolute set.
Belamy is greatly disgusted, and after having had his
158 THE OPERA
dinner and a sleep in Thibaut's own bed, decides to
march on. The squire gladly offers to accompany the
soldiers to St. Gratien's grotto near the hermitage,
where they have orders to search for the Huguenot
refugees.
While Belamy is sleeping, Thibaut calls his servant
Silvain and scolds him because, though best of servants,
he has now repeatedly been absent overlong on his er-
rands ; finally he orders him to saddle the mules.
Stammering, Silvain owns that they have gone astray
in the mountains, but that he is sure of their being
found in due time. While Thibaut expresses his fear
that they may be stolen by the fugitives, Rose Friquet,
an orphan girl, brings the mules, riding on the back of
one of them. Thibaut loads her with reproaches, but
Silvain thanks her warmly, and though she mockingly
repudiates his thanks, he discovers that she has taken
the mules in order not to let the provost into Silvain's
secret. The fact is that Silvain carries food every day
to the refugees, and Rose Friquet, the poor goat-
keeper; who is despised and supposed to be wicked and
malicious, protects him in her poor way, because he
once intercepted a stone which was meant for her
head.
While the soldiers are dining, Belamy, who has found
Georgette's bonnet, demands an explanation.
Thibaut, confused, finds a pretext for going out, but
Rose betrays to Belamy first the wine-cellar and then
Georgette's hiding-place. The young wife cries for
help and Rose runs in to bring Thibaut. Belamy is de-
lighted with the pretty Georgette, but she tells him
rather anxiously that all the wives of the village must
needs remain entirely true to their husbands, for the
HISTORY AND GUIDE 159
hermit of St. Gratien, though dead for two hundred
years, is keeping rigid watch, and betrays every case
of infidelity by ringing a little bell, which is heard far
and wide.
Belamy is somewhat desirous to try the experiment
with Georgette, and asks her to accompany him to the
hermitage instead of her husband.
After having found the other women in the village,
the soldiers, to Thibaut's great vexation, decide to
stay and amuse themselves. Silvain rejoices, and after
a secret sign from Rose resolves to warn the refugees
in the evening.
In the second act Rose and Silvain meet near St.
Gratien. Rose, after telling him that all the paths are
occupied by sentries, promises to show him a way for
the refugees which she and her goat alone know. Sil-
vain, thanking her warmly, endeavors to induce her to
care more for her outward appearance, praising her
pretty features. Rose is delighted to hear for the first
time that she is pretty, and the duet ensuing is one of
the most charming things in the opera. Silvain prom-
ises to be her friend henceforth, and then leaves in
order to seek the Camisards. After this Thibaut ap-
pears seeking his wife, whom he has seen going away
with Belamy. Finding Rose he imagines he has mis-
taken her for his wife, but she laughingly corrects him,
and he proceeds to search for Georgette. Belamy now
comes and courts Thibaut's wife. But Rose, seeing
them, resolves to free the path for the others. No
sooner has Belamy tried to snatch a kiss from his com-
panion than Rose draws the rope of the hermit's bell,
and she repeats the proceeding until Georgette takes
flight, while Thibaut rushes up at the sound of the bell.
160 THE OPERA
Belamy reassures him, intimating that the bell may
have rung for Rose (though it never rings for girls),
and accompanies him to the village. But he soon re-
turns to look for the supposed hermit who has played
him this trick and finds Rose instead, who does not
perceive him. To his great surprise, Silvain comes up
with the whole troop of refugees, leading the aged
clergyman, who had been a father to him in his child-
hood. Silvain presents Rose to them as their deliverer
and vows to make her his wife. Rose leads them to
the secret path, while Silvain returns to the village,
leaving Belamy triumphant at his discovery.
In the third act we find the people on the following
morning speaking of nothing but Silvain's wedding
with Rose and of the hermit's bell. Nobody knows
who has been the culprit, but Thibaut slyly calculates
that the hermit has rung beforehand when Rose the
bride kissed the dragoon. Having learned that the sol-
diers had been commanded to saddle their horses in the
midst of the dancing the night before, and that Belamy,
sure of his prey, has come back, he believes that Rose
has betrayed the poor Camisards in order to win the;
price set on their heads, and this opinion he now com-
municates to Silvain.
To keep Belamy away from Georgette, the sly squire
has conducted him to the wine-cellar, and the officer,
now half-drunk, admits having had a rendezvous with
Rose. When Thibaut has retired, Belamy again kisses
Georgette, and lo, the bell does not ring this time !
Meanwhile Rose comes down the hill, neatly clad and
glowing with joy and pride, and Georgette, disregard-
ing Thibaut's reproofs, offers her the wedding garland.
The whole village is assembled to see the wedding, but
HISTORY AND GUIDE 161
Silvain appears with dark brow, and when Rose radi-
antly greets him he pushes her back fiercely, believing
that she betrayed the refugees, who are, as he has
heard, caught. Rose is too proud to defend herself,
but when Georgette tries to console her she silently
draws from her bosom a paper containing the informa-
tion that the refugees have safely crossed the frontier.
Great is Silvain's shame and heartfelt his repentance.
Suddenly Belamy enters, beside himself with rage, for
his prey has escaped and he has lost his patent as lieu-
tenant, together with the remuneration of two hundred
pistoles, and he at once orders Silvain to be shot. But
Rose bravely defends her lover, threatening to reveal
the dragoon's neglect of duty. When, therefore, Bel-
amy's superior appears to hear the important news of
which the messenger told him, his corporal is only able
to stammer out that nothing in particular has happened;
and so, after all, Georgette is saved from discovery
and Rose becomes Silvain's happy bride,
ELEKTRA
Opera in one act by Richard Strauss.
Text by Hofmannsthal.
T IKE nearly all the works of this composer in
" larger form, "Elektra" gave rise to a merry war
among the critics. It was roundly abused and ardently
praised, but both friendly and adverse reviews have
merely served to extend its fame, and although the first
performance only took place in the Royal Dresden
Opera House on January 25, 1909, it was billed for
production within a year in both Americas, as well as
in the principal music centers of Europe.
162 THE OPERA
^Eschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides all based trage-
dies on the story of Elektra, but it may be conceded
that while the characters in the old Greek plays are
merely puppets in the hands of the Olympian gods,
Hofmannsthal preferred to base his book on the primi-
tive passions of humanity.
Klytemnestra, with the aid of her lover JEgisthus,
murders her royal husband, Agamemnon. Then, be-
lieving that if allowed to grow to manhood, Orestes
will in turn slay her to avenge his father's death, she
plans the destruction of her own son. A pilgrim
steals him away from the palace, however, and re-
moves him to a place of safety. Elektra, one of the
daughters of Agamemnon and Klytemnestra, cherishes
hope that this brother may survive as an instrument
of destruction, but failing this, determines to be the
avenger herself. Chrysosthemis, her sister, accepts
conditions as they are, and becomes the favorite in the
wretched household, where Elektra is the drudge. Tor-
tured by an evil dream, Klytemnestra asks Elektra to
interpret it for her. She replies that "the dreams will
only cease when the blood of a certain person has
been shed," meaning her mother.
Wishing to know Elektra's precise feelings toward
her, Klytemnestra causes the girl to be informed that
Orestes is dead killed by a fall from his horse.
Klytemnestra and ^Egisthus are convinced from
Elektra's attitude under this great grief that she too
is dangerous, but before they can destroy her, their
plot is revealed by Chrysosthemis. Thus Elektra, al-
ready bent on murder, must either slay or be slain.
Orestes, now grown into manhood, returns to carry
out the vengeance which has been the one object of
HISTORY AND GUIDE 163
his life. Elektra does not know him, but when he
has convinced her, by means of a ring, that he is in-
deed her brother, she is overjoyed. She digs up the
hatchet with which their father was slain, gives it to
Orestes, and almost forces him into the castle where
the guilty mother and her paramour are asleep. The
death of Klytemnestra is announced a moment later
by a frightful shriek. Then ^Egisthus runs forth,
closely followed by Orestes, who strikes him down.
Elektra, drunk with blood, dances in mad exultation
until she falls dead.
DIE ENTFUHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL
(The Abduction from the Seraglio)
Opera in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Text after Bretzner by Stephanie.
/CONSTANZE, the betrothed bride of Belmonte,
^-' with her maid Blondchen and Pedrillo, Belmonte's
servant, is captured by pirates. All three are sold as
slaves to Selim Pasha, who keeps the ladies in his
harem, taking Constanze for himself, and giving Blond-
chen to his overseer Osmin. Pedrillo has found
means to inform his master of their misfortune, and
Belmonte comes seeking entrance to the Pasha's villa,
in the guise of an artist. Osmin, who is much in love
with Blondchen, though she treats him haughtily, dis-
trusts the artist and tries to interfere. But Pedrillo,
who is gardener in the Pasha's service, frustrates Os-
min's purpose and Belmonte is engaged. The worthy
Pasha is quite infatuated with Constanze and tries hard
to gain her affections. But Constanze has sworn to be
faithful till death to Belmonte, and great is her rap-
1 64 THE OPERA
ture when Blondchen brings the news that her lover
is near.
With the help of Pedrillo, who manages to intoxicate
Osmin, they try to escape, but Osmin overtakes them
and brings them back to the Pasha, who at once orders
that they be brought before him. Constanze advan-
cing with noble courage, explains that the pretended art-
ist is her lover, and that she will rather die with him
than leave him. Selim Pasha, overwhelmed by this
discovery, retires to think about what he shall do, and
his prisoners prepare for death, Belmonte and Con-
stanze with renewed tender protestations of love, Pe-
drillo and Blondchen without either fear or trembling.
Great is their happiness and Osmin's wrath when
the noble Pasha, touched by their constancy, sets them
free, and asks for their friendship, bidding them re-
member him kindly after their return into their own
country.
ERNANI
Opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi.
Text adapted from Victor Hugo's "Hernani" by Piave.
T7 RNANI, an Italian rebel of obscure parentage, is
* ' the accepted lover of Donna Elvira, the high-born
niece of Don Ruy Gomez de Silva, grandee of Spain.
Donna Elvira is also coveted by Don Carlos, King
of Spain, and by her old uncle Silva, who is about to
wed her, much against her will.
Ernani comes to Silva's castle in the garb of a pil-
grim and finds the King in Donna Elvira's room try-
ing to lure her away. Here they are surprised by
Silva, who, failing to recognize his sovereign, chal-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 165
lenges both men to mortal combat. When he recog-
nizes the King in one of his foes he is in despair and
humbly craves his pardon, which is granted to him.
At the same time Don Carlos sends Ernani away on
a distant errand, hoping to rid himself of him once
for all; but, Donna Elvira vows to kill herself rather
than belong either to the King or to her uncle, and
promises unwavering constancy to her lover Ernani.
Nevertheless, the second act shows Elvira on the
eve of her wedding with her uncle Silva.
Ernani, once more proclaimed an outlaw, seeks ref-
uge in Silva' s castle, again disguised as a pilgrim. But
when Ernani hears of Donna Elvira's approaching
marriage with Silva, he reveals his identity and offers
his head to the old man, telling him that his life is
forfeited and that a reward is offered for his capture.
Silva is too generous to betray his rival ; he orders the
gates of the castle to be barred at once. While this is
being done Ernani violently reproaches Elvira for
having played him false. She answers that she has
been led to believe him dead. Dissolved in tears, they
embrace tenderly. Thus they are surprised by Silva,
who, though for the time being bound by the laws of
hospitality, swears to destroy Ernani wherever he
may find him.
For the moment, however, he conceals his foe so
well that Don Carlos's followers cannot find him.
Though the King threatens to take the old man's life,
the nobleman remains true to his word, and even makes
the greatest sacrifice by delivering Elvira as a hostage
into the King's hands.
Left alone, he opens Ernani's hiding-place and chal-
lenges him to fight, but when the latter proves to him
166 THE OPERA
that Don Carlos is his rival and wants to seduce El-
vira, Silva' s wrath turns against the King.
He accepts Ernani's offer to help him in frustrating
the King's designs, but at the same time he reminds
him that his life is forfeited. Ernani declares himself
satisfied and gives Silva a bugle, the sound of which
is to proclaim that the hour of reckoning between the
two foes has come.
The third act takes place at Aix-la-Chapelle.
The King has heard of the conspiracy against his
life. While the conspirators assemble in the imperial
vaults he is concealed behind the monument of Charle-
magne, and frustrates their designs by advancing from
his hiding-place and proclaiming himself emperor.
At the same moment the people rush in and do hom-
age to Charles V. Ernani surrenders to his foes,
but Elvira implores the Emperor's pardon, which is
granted ; and Charles crowns his gracious act by unit-
ing the lovers and creating Ernani Duke of Segorbia.
Both Elvira and Ernani go to Seville to celebrate
their nuptials. But in the midst of their bliss Ernani
hears the sound of his bugle, and Silva appears and
claims his rival's life. In vain the lovers implore his
mercy; Silva is inexorable, and relentlessly gives Er-
nani the choice between a poisoned draught and a
dagger. Seizing the latter, Ernani stabs himself, while
Donna Elvira sinks senseless beside his corpse, leaving
the aged Silva to enjoy his revenge alone. So ends
this very dramatic work of Verdi's, which has been
more appreciated lately than when first produced.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 167
ESMERALDA
Opera in four acts by Ambroise Thomas.
first act takes place in the Court of Miracles in
Paris, where the beggars are assembled and dis-
cuss the edict condemning the poet Gringoire to death
unless some girl will accept him as her husband. Only
Esmeralda, a gypsy, is willing to rescue Gringoire at
such a sacrifice. When she has saved the poet, how-
ever, guards seize her, at the instigation of Archdea-
con Frollo, who is madly in love with her. Esmeralda
escapes.
The second act takes place in the home of
Fleur de Lys, a room opening into a garden. Seeing
a girl dancing in the court, the ladies demand that she
be brought before them, and when she enters they are
astonished at her beauty. Fleur de Lys recognizes
in Esmeralda the dancing girl who has presumed to
become her rival in the affections of Captain Phoebus,
and finds her in possession of a scarf which she had
herself embroidered and presented to the gallant cap-
tain. She then denounces Phoebus for his infidelity,
and threatens Esmeralda, who throws herself on the
protection of Phoebus and compels the acknowledg-
ment of their love.
In the third act Esmeralda's garret is shown.
Gringoire finds that though Esmeralda has saved
his life, she intends to be his wife in name
only, so he philosophically goes to bed, leaving her
tete-&-tete with Captain Phoebus. While the lovers
are thus occupied, Frollo and Quasimodo enter through
a window. Frollo pledges himself not to injure the
girl, and thereupon Quasimodo retires, as Frollo hides
i68 THE OPERA
behind a curtain. Phoebus and Esmeralda sing an
impassioned duet, which is abruptly ended by Frollo.
The unfortunate priest is overcome by insane jealousy,
and stabs Phoebus, then escapes through the window.
The guards arrive, and Esmeralda is arrested for at-
tempting the murder of Phoebus.
In the fourth act Esmeralda, who has been
condemned to death, is visited by Frollo. He assures
her of his great love, and promises to save her life if
she will return his affection. At this juncture Grin-
goire arrives, followed by Captain Phoebus. Enraged
at the sight of Phoebus, Frollo again tries to kill him,
but Quasimodo throws himself between them, and
receives the fatal blow intended for the captain. Frol-
lo is imprisoned as a murderer, and Phoebus and Es-
meralda are united.
EUGEN ONEGIN
Opera in three acts by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky.
Text adapted from Pushkin's tale.
HP HE first act shows a garden, in which Frau Lari-
* na, owner of a country estate, is preserving fruit
and listening to the song of her daughters. It has been
familiar to her since youth, when she loved a careless
officer, but was compelled to marry an unloved hus-
band. She has gradually accustomed herself to her
fate, however, and has found happiness in the love of
a good man. The peasants bring in the harvest
wreath. Larina's daughter Tatjana grows pensive with
the music, while her lively sister, Olga, prefers to
dance. All are astonished at the pallor of Tatjana,
and believe she is affected by the contents of a book
HISTORY AND GUIDE 169
she is reading. Lenski arrives in a wagon, accompa-
nied by his neighbor Onegin. It soon appears that
Tat j ana loves Onegin, while Lenski is attracted to
Olga. The latter soon comes to an agreement, while
Onegin remains stiffly polite to Tat j ana.
The scene changes to Tat j ana's room. She is about
to retire, and begs the nurse Filipjewna to tell her
stories. While listening she tries to conceal her emo-
tion. At last she confesses to the old nurse that she
is in love, and sends her away. Instead of sleeping,
she writes letters, but tears them up when written.
At last she finishes one and seals it. She remains at
the window the rest of the night, and when Filipjewna
arrives in the morning, she sends the latter secretly
to Onegin.
Again we are taken to the garden. A number of
maids gather berries and sing. Tatjana arrives, run-
ning in excitement, and throws herself on the sward,
followed by Onegin, who has received her letter. He
explains to her coldly that he honors the candor of her
confession, but cannot fulfill her hopes, as he is a profli-
gate and not suited to the marriage state. A maiden's
love is only fantasy, and she must overcome it. Deep-
ly hurt, Tatjana departs.
The second act begins in a room in Larina's house,
filled with a merry crowd. Lenski dances with Olga,
Onegin with 1 Tatjana. They are compelled to endure
the tattling of the older dames. Notwithstanding the
protest of Lenski, Onegin asks Olga to dance. Lenski
is angry with Olga because she is flirting with Onegin,
and becomes so jealous that the girl, to punish him,
says that she will dance the quadrille with Onegin.
Before it begins, the Frenchman Triquet sings a song
i?o THE OPERA
of doubtful character to the praise of Tatjana, which
is received with applause. Onegin dances with Olga,
a captain with Tatjana, and Lenski stands moodily
apart. When Onegin asks him what is wrong, he an-
swers angrily ; a quarrel ensues, and the dance is inter-
rupted. Amid general consternation Lenski asks his
friend to fight a duel.
Now follows a change of scene to a mill. It is
early in the morning. Lenski and his second, Saretzki,
are impatiently awaiting their opponents. At last One-
gin arrives, accompanied only by his servant, who is
to act as second. While he arranges with Saretzki, the
erstwhile friends regret that they are now enemies.
Lenski falls dead, struck by the bullet of Onegin, and
Onegin, overwhelmed with grief, falls upon the body of
his friend.
The third act, six years later, discloses a hall in the
palace of Prince Gremin, where company is gathered.
The hostess is Princess Gremina (Tatjana). Onegin
is among her guests. He has found no peace, and is
constantly troubled with pangs of conscience. He
learns that the Princess is Tatjana, and she is pro-
foundly agitated when she meets him. The Prince
tells Onegin that he loves his wife passionately, and
introduces him to her. She addresses a few indiffer-
ent words to him, and is led away by her husband.
Onegin gazes after her. He feels that he loves her,
laments his former conduct, and resolves to gain her
affection.
The closing scene takes place in the reception-room
in the palace of the Prince. Tatjana has received a
message from Onegin that he will visit her. She still
loves him, but she wishes to retain her peace of mind,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 171
and when he appears she reminds him with deep emo-
tion of the conversation in the garden. She has
pardoned him and acknowledges that he had acted
rightly, but declares it to be his duty to leave and never
return. Notwithstanding his outbreak of passion, she
remains firm and leaves him. Completely cast down,
he stands silent, and then rushes away in despair.
FALSTAFF
Lyric Comedy in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi
Text by Boito.
first scene is laid in the Garter Inn at Wind-
sor, England. After a quarrel with the French
physician Dr. Caius, who has been robbed while drunk
by FalstafFs servants Bardolph and Pistol, the ser-
vants are ordered off by Falstaff with two love-letters
for Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page. The knaves refusing
indignantly to take the parts of go-betweens, Falstaff
sends them to the devil and gives the letters to his page
Robin.
In the second act the two ladies having shown each
other the love-letters, decide to avenge themselves on
the old fat fool. Meanwhile Falstaff *s servants betray
their master's intentions toward Mrs. Ford to her hus-
band, who swears to guard his wife, and to keep a
sharp eye on Sir John. Then ensues a love-scene be-
tween Fenton and Mrs. Ford's daughter Anne, who is
destined by her father to marry the rich Dr. Caius, but
who by far prefers her poor suitor Fenton.
After a while the Merry Wives assemble again, in
order to entice Falstaff into a trap. Mrs. Quickly
brings him an invitation to Mrs. Ford's house in the
i?2 THE OPERA
absence of the lady's husband, which Sir John accepts
triumphantly.
Sir John is visited by Ford, who assumes the name
of Brook, and Falstaff is nothing loath to drink the
old Cyprus wine which the other has brought with
him. Brook also produces a purse filled with sover-
eigns, and entreats Falstaff to use it in order to get
admittance to a certain Mrs. Ford, whose favor Brook
vainly sought. Falstaff gleefully reveals the rendez-
vous which he is to have with the lady, and thereby
leaves poor disguised Ford a prey to violent jealousy.
The next scene contains Falstaff's interview with
mischievous Alice Ford, which is interrupted by Mrs.
Page's announcement of the husband.
Falstaff is packed into a clothes-basket, while hus-
band and neighbors search for him in vain. This scene,
in which Falstaff, half suffocated, alternately sighs and
begs to be let out, while the women tranquilly sit on
the basket and enjoy their trick, is extremely comic.
The basket, with Falstaff, soiled clothes and all, is
turned over into a canal, while the fat knight hears
the women's laughter.
In the third act Mrs. Quickly succeeds once more in
enticing the old fool. She orders him to another ren-
dezvous in the park at midnight, and advises him to
come in the disguise of Herne the Black Huntsman.
The others hear of the joke, and all decide to punish
him thoroughly for his fatuity. Ford, who has prom-
ised Dr. Caius to unite Anne to him that very night,
tells him to wear a monk's garb, and also reveals to
him that Anne is to wear a white dress with roses.
But his wife, overhearing this, frustrates his designs.
She gives a black monk's garb to Fenton, while Anne
HISTORY AND GUIDE 173
chooses the costume of a fairy queen. When Falstaff
appears in his disguise he is attacked on all sides by
fairies, wasps, flies, and mosquitos, and they torment
him until he cries for mercy. Meanwhile Caius, in a
gray monk's garb, looks for his bride everywhere until
a tall veiled female in flowing white robes (Bardolph)
falls into his arms; on the other side Anne appears
with Fenton. Both couples are wedded, and only when
they unveil is the mistake discovered. With bitter-
shame the men see how they have all been duped by
merry and clever women, but they have to make the
best of a bad case, and so Ford grants his benediction
to the happy lovers, and embraces his wife, only too
glad to find her true and faithful.
FAUST
Opera in five acts by Charles Francois Gounod.
Text by Barbier and Carre, founded on Goethe's drama.
AUST, a celebrated old doctor, is consumed by an
insatiable thirst for knowledge; but having al-
ready lived through a long life devoted to the acquire-
ment of learning and to hard work as a scholar, with-
out having his soul-hunger appreciably relieved, he is
dissatisfied, and in his disappointment wishes to be re-
leased from this life, which has grown to be a burden
to him. At this moment Mephisto, the fiend, appears
and persuades him to try life in a new shape. The
old and learned doctor has only known it in theory,
.Mephisto will now show it to him in practice and in
all the splendor of youth and freshness. Faust agrees
and Mephisto endows him with youth and beauty. In
this guise he sees earth anew. It is Easter-time, when
all is budding and aglow with freshness and young
174 THE OPERA
life, and on such a bright spring day he first sees
Marguerite and at once offers her his arm.
But this lovely maiden, pure and innocent, and well
guarded by a jealous brother named Valentin, refuses
his company somewhat sharply. Nevertheless she
cannot help seeing the grace and good bearing of the
fine cavalier, and the simple village maiden is inwardly
pleased with his flattery. A bad fate wills it that her
brother Valentin, who is a soldier, has to leave on ac-
tive service, and after giving many good advices and
warnings for his beautiful sister's welfare, he goes,
and so Mephisto is able to introduce Faust to the un-
protected girl by means of a message which he is
supposed to have received for Martha, an old aunt of
Marguerite's. This old gossip, hearing from Mephisto
that her husband has been killed in battle, lends a will-
ing ear to the flatteries of the cunning fiend; and
Marguerite is left to Faust, who wins her by his love
and easy manners. She is only a simple maiden,
knowing nothing of the world's ways and wiles, and
she accepts her lover's precious gifts with childish de-
light.
By and by her brother Valentin returns victorious
from the war, but too late! He challenges his sister's
seducer; Mephisto, however, directs Faust's sword, and
the faithful brother, much against Faust's own will,
is slain, cursing his sister with his last breath.
Now Marguerite awakes to the awful reality of her
situation and she shrinks from her brother's murderer.
Everybody shuns her, and she finds herself alone and
forsaken. In despair she seeks refuge in church, but
her own conscience is not silenced ; it accuses her more
loudly than all the pious songs and prayers. Perse-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 175
cuted by evil spirits, forsaken and forlorn, Margue-
rite's reason gives way and she drowns her new-born
child.
Meanwhile Mephisto has done everything to stifle in
Faust the pangs of conscience. Faust never wills the
evil, he loves Marguerite sincerely, but the bad spirit
urges him onward. He shows him all the joys and
splendors of earth, and antiquity in its most perfect
form in the person of Helena, but in the midst of all
his orgies Faust sees Marguerite. He beholds her,
pale, unlike her former self, in the white dress of the
condemned, with a blood-red circle round the neck.
Then he knows no rest, he feels that she is in danger
and he bids Mephisto save her.
Marguerite has actually been thrown into prison for
her deed of madness, and now the executioner's axe
awaits her. She sits on the damp straw, rocking a
bundle which she takes for her baby, and across her
poor, wrecked brain there flit once more pictures of
all the scenes of her short-lived happiness. Then
Faust enters with Mephisto and tries to persuade her
to escape with them. But she instinctively shrinks
from her lover, loudly imploring God's and the saints'
pardon. God has mercy on her, for, just as the bells
are tolling for her execution, she expires, and her soul
is carried to heaven by angels, there to pray for her
erring lover. Mephisto disappears into the earth.
i;6 THE OPERA
FEUERSNOT
(The Fire Famine)
Lyric Poem in one act by Richard Strauss.
Text by Wolzogen.
TT is proof of the versatility of Richard Strauss, if
proof were needed, that the man whose choice of
material in "Salome" and "Elektra" in itself sufficed
to provoke controversy of the most acrimonious kind,
should have attained no less success in his musical set-
ting of "Feuersnot."
Here is a folk-tale, modernized as to poetic and
musical treatment, and made serve as the legends of
the meistersingers of Nuremberg served Wagner, to
confound the enemies and critics of the composer.
In the hero of this opera Strauss is portraying him-
self. Perhaps for this reason it caused less of a sen-
sation in the world than his other works, but it con-
tinues to make its way in the permanent repertoire of
the world's great opera houses, in which alone it can
be rightly performed. In Germany it has always been
well received since the original production in Dres-
den, November 21, 1901.
The action takes place in Munich in a "fabulous no-
time." Children are gathering wood for the bonfires
which are to make part of the celebration that night^
The burgomaster has given a liberal donation, and
they now clamor at the Wizard's house, disturbing the
meditations of Kunrad, the student who dwells there.
Once aroused, however, Kunrad gleefully joins the
children in their labors, and helps them to tear off the
shutters of his old house to add to their stock of fuel.
In the throng is Diemut, the burgomaster's daughter,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 177
with whom the student instantly falls in love. Kun-
rad takes her in his arms and kisses her passionately.
Naturally the girl is mortified and indignant, and her
friends are about to avenge what they can only in-
terpret as an insult, when Diemut begs to be allowed
to punish the youth in her own way. That evening,
when the burgomaster invites his daughter to join him
in a stroll about the town, she refuses. A moment
later Diemut is seen combing her long hair in her
balcony. Kunrad renews his protestations of affec-
tion, and begs the maiden to grant an interview. To
this she finally consents, and Kunrad steps into a bas-
ket in which wood had been lowered to the children,
Diemut promising to draw him up. Three of her
girl friends, who have been watching Diemut's efforts
to ensnare her too ardent lover, voice their delight in
song, for when the basket is halfway between the
balcony and the ground, Diemut pretends that her
strength has failed, and when Kunrad tries to seize
her long hair, she draws away with a little scream,
leaving Kunrad hanging in mid-air.
The townspeople gather about to deride Kunrad, and
congratulate Diemut on the success of her plan, but
their triumph is brief. Invoking the aid of the Wiz-
ard, who is at once his friend and master, Kunrad
plunges the entire city into darkness. The women
and children are weeping with fright, and the burghers
are threatening vengeance, when the moon shines forth
clear and full, and Kunrad, now standing on the bal-
cony, addresses the people. First he upbraids them
for having driven "from his home the great master,
Richard Wagner. Then he adds that, as Wagner's
successor, he is determined to carry on his chosen
178 THE OPERA
work, despite all opposition. Even Diemut, whom he
has chosen as his helpmate, has failed to understand,
and so he has put out their lights and fires to show
them how cold and dark the world can be without love.
Diemut now opens her door, admitting Kunrad.
The citizens have been convinced by his eloquence,
and sound his praises. And Diemut too has been con-
vinced, for again the windows glow with lights, the
bonfires give forth a cheerful glare sure token of the
happiness of the lovers within.
FIDELIO
Opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven.
Text from the French of Bouilly by Sonnleithner.
T^LORESTAN, a Spanish nobleman, has dared to
*- blame Don Pizarro, the governor of the state
prison, a man as cruel as he is powerful. Pizarro, thus
become Florestan's deadly foe, has seized him secretly
and thrown him into a dungeon, reporting his death to
the minister, Don Fernando.
But this poor prisoner has a wife, Leonore, who is
as courageous as she is faithful. She never believes
in the false reports, but disguising herself in male at-
tire, resolves not to rest until she has found her hus-
band.
In this disguise, calling herself Fidelio, she has
contrived to get entrance into the fortress where she
supposes her husband imprisoned, and by her gentle
and courteous behavior and readiness for service of
all kinds has won not only the heart of Rocco, the
jailer, but that of his daughter Marcelline, who falls
in love with the gentle youth and neglects her former
HISTORY AND GUIDE 179
lover Jaquino. Fidelio persuades Rocco to let her
help him in his office with the prisoners. Quivering
with mingled hope and fear, she opens the prison gates
to let the state prisoners out into the court, where they
may for once have air and sunshine.
But seek as she may she cannot find her husband,
and in silent despair she deems herself baffled.
Meanwhile Pizarro has received a letter from Se-
villa announcing the minister's forthcoming visit to
the fortress. Pizarro, frightened at the consequences
of such a call, resolves to silence Florestan forever.
He orders the jailer to kill him, but the old man will
not burden his soul with a murder, and refuses firmly.
Then Pizarro himself determines to kill Florestan,
and summons Rocco to dig a grave in the dungeon in
order to hide all traces of the crime.
Rocco, already looking upon the gentle and diligent
Fidelio as his future son-in-law, confides to him his
dreadful secret, and with fearful forebodings she en-
treats him to accept her help in the heavy work. Pi-
zarro gives his permission, Rocco being too old and
feeble to do the work quickly enough if alone. Pizarro
has been rendered furious by the indulgence granted to
the prisoners at Fidelio's entreaty, but a feeling of
triumph overcomes every other when he sees Rocco
depart for the dungeon with his assistant.
Here we find poor Florestan chained to a stone. He
is wasted to a skeleton, as his food has been reduced
in quantity week by week by the cruel orders of his
tormentor. He is gradually losing his reason ; he has
visions and in each one beholds his beloved wife.
When Leonore recognizes him she well-nigh faints,
but with a superhuman effort she rallies and begins
i8o THE OPERA
her work. She has a piece of bread with her which she
gives to the prisoner, and with it the remainder of
Rocco's wine. Rocco, mild at heart, pities his victim
sincerely, but he dares not act against the orders of his
superior, fearing to lose his position, or even his life.
While Leonore refreshes the sick man, Rocco gives
a sign to Pizarro that the work is done, and bids
Fidelio leave: but she only hides herself behind a stone
pillar, waiting with deadly fear for the coming event,
and decides to save her husband or to die with him.
Pizarro enters, secretly resolved to kill not only his
foe but also both witnesses of his crime. He will not
kill Florestan, however, without letting him know who
his assailant is. So he loudly shouts his own much-
feared name; but while he raises his dagger Leonore
throws herself between him and Florestan, shielding
the latter with her breast. Pizarro, stupefied like
Florestan, loses his presence of mind. Leonore profits
by it and presents a pistol at him, with which she
threatens his life should he attempt another attack. At
this critical moment the trumpets sound, announcing
the arrival of the minister, and Pizarro, in impotent
wrath, is compelled to retreat. They are all summoned
before the minister, who is shocked at seeing his old
friend Florestan in this sad state, but not the less de-
lighted with the noble courage of Leonore.
Pizarro is conducted away in chains ; and the faith-
ful wife with her own hands removes the fetters which
still bind the husband for whom she has just won
freedom and happiness.
Marcelline, feeling inclined to be ashamed of her
mistake, returns to her faithful lover Jaquino.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 181
LA FIGLIA DEL REGGIMENTO
(The Daughter of the Regiment)
Comic Opera in two .acts by Gaetano Donizetti.
Text by St. George and Bayard.
HP HE scene in the first act is laid near Bologna in
* the year 1815 ; the second act in the castle of the
Marchesa di Maggiorivoglio.
Mary, a vivandiere, has been found and educated by
a French sergeant, named Sulpice, and therefore be-
longs in a sense to his regiment, which is on a cam-
paign in Italy. She is called the "daughter" of the
regiment, which has adopted her, and she has grown
up a bright and merry girl, full of pluck and spirit, the
pet and delight of the whole regiment.
Tonio, a young Swiss, who has fallen in love with
Mary, is believed by the grenadiers to be a spy, and
is about to be hanged. But Mary, knowing that he has
only come to see her, tells them that he lately saved
her life when she was in danger of falling over a prec-
ipice.
This changes everything, and on his expressing a
desire to become one of them the grenadiers suffer the
Swiss to enlist into their company. After the soldiers'
departure he confesses his love to Mary, who returns
it heartily. The soldiers agree to give their consent,
when the Marchesa di Maggiorivoglio appears, and by
a letter once affixed to the foundling Mary, addressed
to a marchesa of the same name and carefully kept by
Sulpice, it is proved that Mary is the Marchesa's niece.
Of course this noble lady refuses her consent to a mar-
riage with the low-born Swiss and claims Mary from
her guardian. With tears and laments Mary takes
1 82 THE OPERA
leave of her regiment and her lover, who at once de-
cides to follow her. But he has enlisted as a soldier
and is forbidden to leave the ranks. Sulpice and his
whole regiment curse the Marchesa, who thus carries
away their joy.
In the second act Mary is in her aunt's castle. She
has masters of every kind for her education, in order
that she may become an accomplished lady; but she
cannot forget her freedom and her dear soldiers, and
instead of singing solfeggios and cavatinas, she is
caught warbling her ''rataplan/' to the Marchesa's
grief and sorrow. Nor can she cease to think of
Tonio, and only after a great struggle has she been in-
duced to promise her hand to a nobleman, when
she suddenly hears the well-beloved sound of drums
and trumpets. It is her own regiment, with Tonio as
their leader, for he has been made an officer on ac-
count of his brave behavior. Hoping that his altered
position may turn the Marchesa's heart in his favor,
he again asks for Mary, but his suit is once more re-
jected. Then he proposes flight, but the Marchesa,
detecting his plan, reveals to Mary that she is not her
niece, but her own daughter, born in early wedlock
with an officer far beneath her in rank, who soon after
died in battle. This fact she has concealed from her
family, but as it is now evident- that she has closer
ties with Mary, the poor girl dares not disobey her,
and, though broken-hearted, consents to renounce
Tonio.
The Marchesa invites a large company of guests to
celebrate her daughter's betrothal to the son of a
neighboring duchess. But Mary's faithful grenadiers
suddenly appear to rescue her from those hateful ties,
1
HISTORY AND GUIDE 183
and astonish the whole company by their recital of
Mary's early history. The obedient maiden, however,
submissive to her fate, is about to sign the marriage
contract, when at last the Marchesa, touched by her
obedience and her sufferings, conquers her own pride
and consents to the union of her daughter with Tonio.
Sulpice and his soldiers burst out into loud shouts of
approbation, and the high-born guests retire silently
and in disgust.
DIE FLEDERMAUS
(The Bat)
Comic Operetta in three acts by Johann Strauss.
Text by Haffner and Genee.
A SERENADE, which is listened to by Adele,
** Rosalind Eisenstein's maid, but is intended for
her mistress, begins the first act. Adele has just re-
ceived an invitation from her sister Ida to a grand en-
tertainment to be given by a Russian prince, Orlovsky
by name. She is longing to accept it, and attempts to
get leave of absence for the evening from her mistress,
when the latter enters, by telling her that an aunt of
hers is ill, and wishes to see her. Rosalind, however,
refuses to let Adele go out, and the maid disappears,
pouting. While Rosalind is alone, her former singing-
master and admirer Alfred suddenly turns up. He it
was who had been serenading her, and Rosalind, suc-
cumbing to her old weakness for tenors, promises to
let Alfred return later, when her husband is not at
home. Herr Eisenstein, a banker, has just been sen-
tenced to five days' imprisonment, a misfortune which
his hot temper has brought upon him. The sentence
1 84 THE OPERA
has been prolonged to eight days through the stupidity
of his lawyer, Dr. Blind, who follows Eisenstein on to
the stage. The banker finally turns Dr. Blind out of
the house, after upbraiding him violently, Rosalind
tries to console Eisenstein, and finally decides to see
what a good supper will do toward soothing his ruf-
fled spirits. While she is thus occupied Eisenstem's
friend Dr. Falck appears, bringing his unlucky friend
an invitation to an elegant soiree which Prince Orlov-
sky is about to give. Eisenstein is quite ready to en-
joy himself before going to prison, and when Rosalind
reenters she finds her husband in excellent spirits. He
does not, however, partake of the delicious supper she
sets before him with any great zest. But he takes a
tender, although almost joyful, leave of his wife, after
donning his best dress-suit. Rosalind then gives
Adele leave to go out, much to the maid's surprise.
After Adele has gone, Alfred again puts in an appear-
ance. Rosalind only wishes to hear him sing again,
and is both shocked and frightened when Alfred goes
into Herr Eisenstein's dressing-room, and returns clad
in the banker's dressing-gown and cap. The tenor
then proceeds to partake of what is left of the supper,
and makes himself altogether at home. But a sudden
ring at the door announces the arrival of Franck, the
governor of the prison, who has come with a cab to
fetch Eisenstein. Rosalind is so terrified at being found
tete-a-tete with Alfred that she introduces him as her
husband. After a tender farewell Alfred good-na-
turedly follows the governor to prison.
The second act opens in the garden of a cafe, where
the guests of Prince Orlovsky are assembled. Adele
enters, dressed in her mistress's best gown and look-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 185
ing very smart. Eisenstein, who is also present, at
once recognizes her, as well as his wife's finery. But
Adele and the whole party pretend to be very indignant
at his mistaking a fine lady for a maid. Prince Or-
lovsky proceeds to make Eisenstein most uncomfor-
table, by telling him that Dr. Falck has promised to
afford him great amusement, by playing some practi-
cal joke at Eisenstein's expense. The last guest who
enters is Rosalind, whom nobody recognizes, because
she is masked. Dr. Falck introduces her as a Hun-
garian countess, who has consented to be present at
the soiree only on condition that her incognito be
respected. She catches just a glimpse of Eisenstein,
who is flirting violently with Adele instead of being in
prison, and determines to punish him. Noticing the
magnificent attire and fine form of the supposed coun-
tess, Eisenstein at once devotes himself to the new-
comer. He even counts her heart-beats with the aid
of a watch which he keeps for that purpose, without,
however, giving it away as he always promises to do.
But Rosalind suddenly takes possession of the watch,
and slips away with it. The whole party finally as-
sembles at supper, where Eisenstein becomes very
jovial, and tells how he once attended a masquerade
ball with his friend Falck, who was disguised as a bat.
Eisenstein, it appears, induced his friend to drink so
heavily that he fell asleep in the street, where Eisen-
stein left him. Falck did not wake up till morning,
when he had to go home amid the jeers of a street
crowd, by whom he was nicknamed "Dr, Fledermaus."
Eisenstein's story creates much amusement, but Dr.
Falck only smiles, saying that he who laughs last,
laughs best.
i86 THE OPERA
After a champagne supper and some dancing, Eisen-
stein remembers, when the clock strikes six, that he
ought to be in prison. Both he and Dr. Falck take a
merry leave of the boisterous party.
The third act begins with Franck' s return to his own
room, where he is received by the jailer. Frosch has
taken advantage of his master's absence to get drunk,
while Franck himself has likewise become somewhat
intoxicated. He grows drowsy while recalling the in-
cidents of Prince Orlovsky's fete, and finally falls fast
asleep.
Adele and her sister Ida interrupt his slumbers, in
order to ask the supposed marquis to use his influence
in the former's behalf. Adele confesses that she is in
reality a lady's maid, but tries to convince Franck, the
supposed marquis, and her sister (who is a ballet
dancer) , of her talents by showing them what she can
do in that line. A loud ring soon puts an end to the
performance. While the jailer conducts Adele and
Ida to No. 13, Eisenstein arrives and gives himself up.
Franck and he are much surprised to find themselves
face to face with each other in prison, after each had
been led to suppose the other a marquis, at the fete.
They are naturally much amused to learn each other's
identity. Meanwhile Dr. Blind enters, to undertake
the defense of the impostor Eisenstein. He proves to
be the genuine Eisenstein, who again turns Blind out
of doors, and possesses himself of his cap and gown
and of his spectacles, in which he interviews his double.
Alfred has been brought in from his cell, when Rosa-
lind also enters, carrying her husband's watch, and
prepared for revenge. Both Alfred and she alternately
state their grievances to the supposed lawyer, who
HISTORY AND GUIDE 187
v
quite loses his temper when he learns of Alfred's tete-a-
tete with his wife, and how completely she has fooled
him. Throwing off his disguise, he reveals his iden-
tity, only to be reviled by his wife for his treachery. He
in turn vows to revenge himself on Rosalind and on her
admirer, but the entrance of Dr. Falck, followed by
all the guests who were at Prince Orlovsky's fete,
clears up matters for all concerned. While making
fun of the discomfited Eisenstein, he explains that
the whole thing is a huge practical joke of his invention
which he has played on Eisenstein in return for the
trick Eisenstein played on him years ago, which he
related at the fete. All the guests had been bidden to
the fete by Dr. Falck with the consent of the prince in
order to deceive Eisenstein. The latter, when con-
vinced of his wife's innocence, embraces her. All
toast one another in champagne, which they declare to
be the king of wines.
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLANDER
(The Flying Dutchman)
Romantic Opera in three acts by Richard Wagner.
HTHE Flying Dutchman is a sort of Wandering Jew,
* condemned to sail forever on the seas until he
has found a woman whose love to him is faithful unto
death.
In the first act we find ourselves by the high seas.
Daland, a Norwegian skipper, has met with several
misfortunes on his way home, and is compelled to an-
chor on a deserted shore. There he finds the Flying
Dutchman, who vainly roves from sea to sea to find
death and with it peace. His only hope is doomsday.
1 88 THE OPERA
He has never found a maiden faithful to him, and he
knows not how often and how long he has vainly tried
to be released from his doom. Once in every seven
years he is allowed to go on shore and seek a wife.
This time has now come again, and hearing from Da-
land that he has a daughter, sweet and pure, he begins
to hope once more, and offers all his wealth to the
father for a shelter under the Norwegian's roof and
for the hand of his daughter Senta. Daland is only
too glad to accept for his child what to him seems an
immense fortune, and so they sail home together.
In the second act we find Senta in the spinning-room.
The servants of the house are together spinning and
singing. Senta is among them, but her wheel does
not turn ; she is dreamily regarding an old picture. It
is that of the Flying Dutchman, whose legend so deep-
ly touches her that she has grown to love its hero
without having in reality seen him.
Senta has a wooer already in the person of Erik the
hunter, but she does not care much for him. With deep
feeling she sings to the spinning maidens the ballad of
the doomed man as she has heard it from Mary, her
nurse :
An old captain wanted to sail round the Cape of
Good Hope, and as the wind was against him, he swore
a terrible oath that he never would leave off trying.
The devil heard him and doomed him to sail on to
eternity, but God's angel had pity on him, and showed
him how he could find deliverance through a wife
faithful unto the grave.
All the maidens pray to God to let the maiden be
found at last, when Senta ecstatically exclaims, "I will
be his wife !" At this moment her father's ship is an-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 189
nounced. Senta is about to run away to welcome him,
but is detained by Erik, who tries to win her for him-
self. She answers evasively; then Daland enters and
with him a dark and gloomy stranger. Senta stands
spellbound : she recognizes the hero of her picture. The
Dutchman is not less impressed, seeing in her the an-
gel of his dreams and as it were his deliverer ; and so,
meeting by the guidance of a superior power, they
seem created for each other, and Senta, accepting the
offer of his hand, swears to him eternal fidelity.
In the third act we see the Flying Dutchman's ship ;
everybody recognizes it by its black mast and its blood-
red sail. The Norwegian sailors call loudly to the mari-
ners of the strange ship, but nothing stirs, everything
seems dead and haunted. At last the unearthly inhabi-
tants of the Dutch ship awake ; they are old and gray
and wrinkled, all doomed to the fate of their captain.
They begin a wild and gloomy song, which sends a
chill into the hearts of the stout Norwegians.
Meanwhile Erik, beholding in Senta the betrothed of
the Dutchman, is in despair. Imploring her to turn
back, he calls up old memories and at last charges her
with infidelity to him.
As soon as the Dutchman hears this accusation he
turns from Senta, feeling that he is again lost. But
Senta will not break her faith. Seeing the Dutchman
fly from her, ready to sail away, she swiftly runs after
him and throws herself from the cliff into the waves.
By this sacrifice the spell is broken, the ghostly ship
sinks forever into the ocean, and an angel bears the
poor wanderer to eternal rest, where he is reunited to
the bride who has proved faithful unto death.
igo THE OPERA
FRA DIAVOLO
(Brother Devil)
Comic Opera in three acts by Daniel F. E. Auber.
Text by Scribe.
scene is laid at Terracina in Italy. Fra Dia-
volo is a celebrated and much-feared chief of
brigands. The Roman court of justice has set a price
of 10,000 piasters on his head. In the first act we meet
with the Roman soldiers, who undertake to win the
money. Their captain Lorenzo has a double aim in
trying to catch the brigand. He is Zerline's lover, but
having no money, Zerline's father Matteo, the owner
of a hotel, threatens to give her to a rich farmer's son.
Meanwhile Fra Diavolo has forced his society on a
rich English lord, Cockburn by name, who is on his
wedding tour with his fair young wife Pamela. Lord
Cockburn looks jealously at Fra Diavolo, though he
does not recognize in him a brigand. The English are
robbed by Diavolo's band. Disgusted with the inse-
curity of "la bella Italia," they reach the inn at Terra-
cina, where the dragoons, hearing the account of this
new robbery, believe that it was Fra Diavolo with his
band, and at once decide to pursue him.
Shortly afterward Fra Diavolo arrives at the inn
disguised as the Marquis of San Marco, under which
name the English lord has already made his acquaint-
ance. He is not enchanted by the arrival of this mar-
quis; he fears a new flirtation with his own fair wife.
Pamela wears most valuable diamonds, and these strike
the eye of Fra Diavolo.
He sees that the English have been clever enough to
conceal the greater part of their wealth and resolves to
put himself speedily into possession of it.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 191
He is flirting desperately with Pamela, and looking
tenderly at the pretty Zerline, when the soldiers return,
having captured twenty of the brigands and retaken the
greater part of Lord Cockburn's money and jewels.
Lorenzo, the captain of the dragoons, is rewarded by
the magnanimous lord with 10,000 lire, and may now
hope to win Zerline's hand. But Fra Diavolo vows to
avenge the death of his comrades on Lorenzo.
In the second act he conceals himself behind the cur-
tains in Zerline's sleeping-room, and during the night
he admits his two companions Beppo and Giacomo.
Zerline enters and is about to retire to rest after pray-
ing to the Holy Virgin for protection. During her
sleep Giacomo is to stab her, while the two others are
to rob the English lord.
But Zerline's prayer and her innocence touch even
the robbers. The deed is delayed, and this delay brings
Lorenzo upon them. Fra Diavolo's two companions
hide themselves, and the false marquis alone is found in
Zerline's room. He assures Lorenzo that he had a ren-
dezvous with his bride, and at the same time whispers
into the lord's ear that he came by appointment with
his lady, showing her portrait, of which he had robbed
her the day before, as proof. The consequence of these
lies is a challenge from Lorenzo, and a meeting with
Diavolo is fixed. The latter is full of triumphant glee ;
he has arranged a deep-laid plan with the surviving
members of his band and hopes to ensnare not only
Lorenzo but his whole company. Ordinarily Diavolo
is a noble brigand; he never troubles women, and he
loads poor people with gifts, taking the gold out of
rich men's purses only; but now he is full of ire and
his one thought is of vengeance.
i 9 2 THE OPERA
Finally he is betrayed by the carelessness of his own
helpmates. Beppo and Giacomo, seeing Zerline, recog-
nize in her their fair prey of the evening before and
betray themselves by repeating some of the words
which she had given utterance to. Zerline, hearing
them, is now able to comprehend the wicked plot
which was woven to destroy her happiness. The two
banditti are captured and compelled to lure their cap-
tain into a trap. Diavolo appears, not in his disguise
as a marquis, but in his own well-known dress with the
red plume waving from his bonnet, and being assured
by Beppo that all is secure, is easily captured. Now
all the false imputations are cleared up. Milord is
reconciled to his wife and Lorenzo obtains the hand
of the lovely Zerline.
Scribe's text, which is full of life and witty passages,
largely shares in the qualities that make this opera the
most popular of Auber's works.
DER FREISCHUTZ
(The Free Shot)
Romantic Opera in three acts by Karl M. von Weber,
Text by Kind.
A YOUNG huntsman, Max, is in love with Agathe,
**-* daughter of Kuno, the chief ranger of Prince Ot-
tokar of Bohemia. Max woos her; but their union
depends on a master-shot which he is to deliver on the
following morning.
During the village festival he has all day been un-
lucky in shooting, and we see him, full of anger and
sorrow, being mocked at by peasants more lucky than
he.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 193
His comrade, Caspar, one of the ranger's older
huntsmen, is his evil genius. He has sold himself to the
devil, is a gloomy, mysterious fellow, and hopes to save
his soul by delivering some other victim to the demon.
He wants to tempt Max to try enchanted bullets, to be
obtained at the cross-roads during the midnight hour
by drawing a magic circle with a bloody sword and
invoking the name of the mysterious huntsman. Father
Kuno, hearing him, drives him away, begging Max to
think of his bride and to pray to God for success.
But Max cannot forget the railleries of the peasants ;
he broods over his misfortunes, and when he is well-
nigh despairing, Caspar, who meanwhile calls Samiel
(the devil in person) to help, encourages him to take
refuge in stimulants. He tries to intoxicate the un-
happy lover by pouring drops from a vial into his wine.
When Max has grown more and more excited, Caspar
begins to tell him of nature's secret powers, which
might help him. Max first struggles against the evil
influence, but when Caspar, handing him his gun, lets
him shoot an eagle soaring high in the air, his hunts-
man's heart is elated and he wishes to become possessed
of such a bullet. Caspar tells him that they are en-
chanted and persuades him to a meeting in the Wolf's
Glen at midnight, where the bullets may be molded.
In the second act Agathe is with her cousin Aenn-
chen. Agathe is the true German maiden, serious and
thoughtful almost to melancholy. She presents a
marked contrast to her light-hearted cousin, who tries
to brighten Agathe with fun and frolic. They adorn
themselves with roses which Agathe received from a
holy hermit, who blessed her but warned her of im-
pending evil. So Agathe is full of dread forebodings,
194 THE OPERA
and after Aennchen's departure she fervently prays to
Heaven for her beloved. When she sees him come to
her through the forest with flowers on his hat, her
fears vanish and she greets him joyously. But Max
only answers hurriedly that, having killed a stag in the
Wolfs Glen, he is obliged to return there. Agathe,
filled with terror at the mention of this ill-famed name,
wants to keep him back, but ere she can detain him he
has fled. With hurried steps Max approaches the
Wolf's Glen, where Caspar is already occupied in
forming circles of black stones, in the midst of which
he places a skull, an eagle's wing, a crucible, and a
bullet-mold. Caspar then calls on Samiel, invoking
him to allow him a few more years on earth. To-
morrow is the day appointed for Satan to take his
soul, but Caspar promises to surrender Max in ex-
change. Samiel, who appears through the cleft of a
rock, agrees to let him have six of the fatal balls, re-
serving only the seventh for himself.
Caspar then proceeds to make the bullets, Max only
looking on, stunned and remorseful at what he sees.
His mother's spirit appears to him, but he is already
under the influence of the charm; he cannot move.
The proceeding goes forward amid hellish noise. A
hurricane arises, flames and devilish forms flicker
about, wild and horrible creatures rush by and others
follow in hot pursuit. The noise grows worse, the
earth seems to quake, until at length, after Caspar's
reiterated invocations, Samiel shows himself at the
word "seven/' Max and Caspar both make the sign
of the cross, and fall on their knees more dead than
alive.
In the third act we find 'Agathe waiting for her
HISTORY AND GUIDE 195
bridesmaids. She is perturbed and sad, having had
frightful dreams and not knowing what has become
of Max. Aennchen consoles her, diverting her with a
merry song, until the bridesmaids enter, bringing flow-
ers and gifts. They prepare to crown her with the
bridal wreath, when, instead of the myrtle there lies in
the box a wreath of white roses, the ornament of the
dead.
Meanwhile everybody is assembled on the lawn near
Prince Ottokar's tent to be present at the firing of the
master-shot. The Prince points out to Max a white
dove as an object at which to aim. At this critical
moment Agathe appears, crying out : "Don't shoot,
Max, I am the white dove !*' But it was too late ; Max
has fired, and Agathe sinks down at the same time as
Caspar, who has been waiting behind a tree and who
now falls heavily to the ground, while the dove flies
away unhurt. Everybody believes that Max has shot
his bride, but she is only in a swoon; the bullet has
really killed the villain Caspar. It was the seventh,
the direction of which Samiel reserved for himself,
and Satan, having no power over the pious maiden,
directed it on Caspar, already forfeited to him. Max
confesses his sin with deep remorse. The Prince
scornfully bids him leave his dominions forever. But
Agathe prays for him, and at last the Prince follows
the hermit's advice, giving the unhappy youth a year
of probation, during which to prove his repentance
and grow worthy of his virtuous bride.
196 THE OPERA
GENOVEVA
Opera in four acts by Robert Schumann.
Text after Hebbel and Tieck.
OIEGFRIED, Count of the Palatinate, is ordered
^ by Charles Mart el to join him in the war with the
infidels, who broke out of Spain under Abdurrahman.
The noble Count recommends his wife Genoveva and
all he possesses to the protection of his friend Golo,
who is, however, secretly in love with his master's
wife. After Siegfried has said farewell she falls into
a swoon, which Golo takes advantage of to kiss her,
thereby still further exciting his flaming passion. Geno-
veva finally awakes and goes away to mourn in silence
for her husband.
Golo being alone, an old hag, Margarethe, whom he
takes for his nurse, comes to console him. She is in
reality his mother and has great schemes for her son's
future happiness. She insinuates to him that Geno-
veva, being alone, needs consolation and will easily be
led on to accept more tender attentions, and she prom-
ises him her assistance. The second act shows Geno-
veva's room. She longs sadly for her husband and
sees with pain and disgust the insolent behavior of the
servants, whose wild songs penetrate into her silent
chamber.
Golo enters to bring her the news of a great victory
over Abdurrahman, which fills her heart with joy. She
bids Golo sing, and sweetly accompanies his song,
which so fires his passion that he falls upon his knees
and frightens her by glowing words. Vainly she bids
him leave her; he only grows more excited, till she
repulses him with the word "bastard." Now his love
HISTORY AND GUIDE 197
turns into hatred, and when Drago, the faithful stew-
ard, comes to announce that the servants begin to be
more and more insolent, daring even to insult the good
name of the Countess, Golo asserts that they speak the
truth about her. He persuades the incredulous Drago
to hide himself in Genoveva's room, the latter having
retired for the night's rest.
Margarethe, listening at the door, hears everything.
She tells Golo that Count Siegfried lies wounded at
Strasburg; she has intercepted his letter to the Coun-
tess and prepares to leave for that town, in order to
nurse the Count and kill him slowly by some deadly
poison. Then Golo calls quickly for the servants, who
all assemble to penetrate into their mistress's room.
Full of wounded pride, she repulses them, but at last
she yields, and herself taking the candle to light the
room, proceeds to search, when Drago is found be-
hind the curtains and at once silenced by Golo, who
runs his dagger through his heart. Genoveva is led
into the prison of the castle.
The third act takes place at Strasburg, where Sieg-
fried is being nursed by Margarethe. His strength de-
fies her perfidy, and he is full of impatience to return
to his loving wife, when Golo enters bringing him the
news of her faithlessness.
Siegfried, in despair, bids Golo kill her with his own
sword. He decides to fly into the wilderness, but be-
fore fulfilling his design, he goes once more to Mar-
garethe, who has promised to show him all that passed
at home during his absence. He sees Genoveva in a
magic looking-glass, exchanging kindly words with
Drago, but there is no appearance of guilt in their
intercourse. The third image shows Genoveva sleep-
ig8 THE OPERA
ing on her couch, and Drago approaching her. With
an imprecation Siegfried starts up, bidding Golo avenge
him, but at the same instant the glass flies in pieces
with a terrible crash, and Drago's ghost stands before
Margarethe, commanding her to tell Siegfried the
truth.
In the fourth act Genoveva is being led into the wil-
derness by two ruffians, who have orders to murder her.
Before this is done, Golo approaches her once more,
showing her Siegfried's ring and sword, with which
he has been told to kill her. He tries hard to win her,
but she turns from him with scorn and loathing, pre-
ferring death to dishonor. At length, relinquishing
his attempts, he beckons to the murderers to do their
work and hands them Count Siegfried's weapon. Geno-
veva in her extreme need seizes the cross of the Sa-
viour, praying fervently, and detains the ruffians till, at
the last moment, Siegfried appears, led by the re-
pentant Margarethe. There ensues a touching scene
of forgiveness, while Golo rushes away to meet his
fate by falling over a precipice.
GOTTERDAMMERUNG
(Twilight of the Gods)
Third Day of the Nibelungen Ring by Richard Wagner.
HE third day in Wagner's great tetralogy opens
with a prelude showing the three Norns weaving
the world's fate. When the cord breaks, they fly;
the dawn of another world is upon them.
In the first act Siegfried bids Briinnhilde farewell.
His active soul thirsts for deeds, and Brunnhilde, hav-
ing taught him all she knows, does not detain him.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 199
He gives her the fatal ring in token of remembrance,
confiding her to the care of Loge, Then we are trans-
ported to the Gibichungs' hall on the Rhine. Gunther
and his sister Gutrune sit there together with their
gloomy half-brother Hagen. The latter advises his
brother to marry, telling him of the beautiful woman
guarded by the flames. When he has sufficiently ex-
cited Gunther's longing, he suggests that, as Siegfried
is the only one able to gain Briinnhilde, Gunther should
attach him to his person by giving him Gutrune as
wife. This is to be achieved by a draught which has
the power of causing oblivion. Whoever drinks it
forgets that ever a woman has existed besides the
one who has tendered the potion. Hagen well knows of
Siegfried's union with Briinnhilde, but Gunther and
Gutrune are both ignorant of it.
Siegfried arrives and is heartily welcomed. All
turns out as Hagen has foretold. By the fatal potion
Siegfried falls passionately in love with Gutrune so
that he completely forgets Briinnhilde. He swears
blood-brothership to Gunther, and promises to win
Briinnhilde for him. Then the two depart on their
errand.
Meanwhile the Valkyr Waltraute comes to Briinn-
hilde and beseeches her to render Siegfried's ring to
the Rhine-daughters in order to save the gods from
destruction. Briinnhilde refuses to part with the token
of her husband's love; and hardly has Waltraute de-
parted than fate overtakes her in the person of Sieg-
fried, who ventures through the flames in Gunther's
shape. She vainly struggles against him, he snatches
the ring from her, and so she is conquered. Siegfried
holds vigil through the night, his sword separating
200 THE OPERA
him and the woman he wooed ; and in the early dawn
he leads her away to her bridegroom, who takes Sieg-
fried's place unawares.
In the second act Alberich appears to Hagen. He
tells his son of the story of the ring and bids him kill
Siegfried and recover the stolen treasure for its owner.
Siegfried appears announcing Gunther's and Briinn-
hilde's arrival. The bridal pair are received by all
their men, but the joy is soon damped by Brunnhilde
recognizing in the bridegroom of Gutrune her own
husband. Siegfried does not know her, but she dis-
covers her ring on his hand, and as she asserts that
Gunther won it from her, this hero is obliged to ac-
knowledge the shameful role he played. Though Sieg-
fried swears that his sword Nothung guarded him from
any contact with Gunther's bride, Brunnhilde responds
in a most startling manner, and both swear on Hagen's
spear that it may pierce them should their words prove
false. All this makes a dreadful impression on the
weak mind of Gunther.
When Siegfried has withdrawn in high spirits with
his bride Gutrune, Hagen, hoping to gain the ring,
offers to avenge Brunnhilde on the faithless Siegfried.
Brunnhilde, in her deadly wrath, betrays to him the
only vulnerable spot beneath Siegfried's shoulder.
Gunther consents reluctantly to their schemes.
The third act opens with a scene on the Rhine. The
Rhine-daughters try to persuade Siegfried to render
them the ring. He is about to throw it into the water
when they warn him of the evil which will befall
him should he refuse their request. This awakens his
pride. Laughing, he turns from them, he, the fearless
hero. His fellow-hunters overtake him, and while he
HISTORY AND GUIDE 201
relates to them the story of his life Hagen mixes an
herb with his wine, which enables him to remember all
he has forgotten. Hagen then treacherously drives his
spear into Siegfried's back, killing him. He dies with
Briinnhilde's praise on his lips. The funeral march,
which here follows, is one of the most beautiful ever
written. When the dead hero is brought to the Gibi-
chungs' hall, Gutrune bewails him loudly. A dispute
arises between Hagen and Gunther about the ring,
which ends by Hagen slaying Gunther. But when
Hagen tries to strip the ring off the dead hand the fin-
gers close themselves and the hand raises itself, bear-
ing testimony against the murderer. Briinnhilde ap-
pears to mourn for the dead ; she drives away Gutrune,
who sees too late that under the influence of the fatal
draught Siegfried forgot his lawful wife, whom she
now recognizes in Briinnhilde. The latter, taking a long
farewell of her dead husband, orders a funeral pile to
be erected. As soon as Siegfried's body is placed on it,
she lights it with a firebrand, and when it is in full
blaze she mounts her faithful steed, leaping with it
into the flames.
When the fire sinks the Rhine-daughters are seen to
snatch the ring, which is now purified from its curse
by Briinnhilde's death.
Hagen, trying to wrench it from them, is drawn into
the waves and so dies.
A dusky light, like that of a new dawn, spreads over
heaven, and through a mist Valhalla, with all the gods
passing away, may be perceived, in flames.
202 THE OPERA
GUILLAUME TELL
Grand Opera in three acts by Gioachino Antonio Rossini.
Text by Bis and Jouoy.
HPHE text is founded on the well-known story of
** William Tell, who, according to tradition, de-
livered his fatherland from one of its most cruel
despots, the Austrian governor Gessler.
The first act opens with a charming introductory
chorus by peasants, who are celebrating a nuptial fete.
Tell joins in their pleasures, though he cannot help
giving utterance to the pain which the Austrian tyran-
ny causes him. Arnold von Melchthal, son of an old
Swiss, has conceived an unhappy passion for Mathilda,
Princess of Hapsburg, whose life he once saved; but
he is Swiss and resolves to be true to his country. He
promises Tell to join in his efforts to liberate it. Mean-
while, Leuthold, a Swiss peasant, comes up. He is a
fugitive, having killed an Austrian soldier to revenge
an intended abduction of his daughter. His only safety
lies in crossing the lake, but no fisherman dares to row
out in the face of the coming storm. Tell steps forth,
and seizing the oars brings Leuthold safely to the op-
posite shore. When Rudolf von Harras appears with
his soldiers, his prey has escaped, and nobody being
willing to betray the deliverer, old father Melchthal is
imprisoned.
In the second act we find the Princess Mathilda re-
turning from a hunt. She meets Arnold and they
betray their mutual passion. Arnold does not yet
know his father's fate, but presently Tell enters with
Walther Fiirst, who informs Arnold that his father has
fallen a victim to the Austrian tyranny. Arnold, cruel-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 203
ly roused from his love-dream, awakes to duty, and
the three men vow bloody vengeance. This is the
famous oath taken on the Riitli. The deputies of the
three cantons arrive, one after the other, and Tell
makes them swear solemnly to establish Switzerland's
independence. Excited by Arnold's dreadful account
of his father's murder, they all unite in the fierce cry
"To arms I" which is to be their signal of combat.
In the third act Gessler arrives at the market-place
of Altdorf, where he has placed his hat on a pole to
be greeted instead of himself by the Swiss who pass
by.
They grumble at this new proof of arrogance, but
dare not disobey the order, till Tell, passing by with
his son, disregards it. Refusing to salute the hat, he
is instantly taken and commanded by Gessler to shoot
an apple off his little boy's head. After a dreadful in-
ward struggle, Tell submits. Fervently praying to
God and embracing his fearless son, he shoots with
steady hand, hitting the apple right in the center. But
Gessler has seen a second arrow, which Tell has hidden
in his breast, and he asks its purpose. Tell freely
confesses that he would have shot the tyrant had he
missed his aim. Tell is fettered, Mathilda vainly ap-
pealing for mercy. But Gessler's time has come. The
Swiss begin to revolt. Mathilda herself begs to be ad-
mitted into their alliance of free citizens, and offers
her hand to Arnold. The fortresses of the oppressors
fall; Tell enters free and victorious, having himself
killed Gessler; and in a chorus at once majestic and
grand the Swiss celebrate the day of their liberation.
204 THE OPERA
HANS HEILING
Romantic Opera in three acts, with a prelude, by Heinrich
Marschner. Text by Devrient
TTANS HEILING, King of the gnomes, has fallen
-* in love with a daughter of the earth, the charm-
ing Anna. This maiden, a poor country girl in the
first freshness of youth, has been induced by her
mother to consent to a betrothal with the rich stranger,
whom Anna esteems, but nothing more, her heart not
yet having been touched by love.
In the prelude we are introduced into the depths of
earth, where the gnomes work and toil incessantly
carrying glittering stones, gold and silver, and accumu-
lating all the treasures on which men's hearts are set.
Their King announces to them that he will no
longer be one of theirs; he loves, and therefore he re-
signs his crown. All the passionate entreatings of his
mother and of the gnomes are of no avail. At the
Queen's bidding he takes with him a magic book, with-
out which he would lose his power over the gnomes.
After giving him a set of luminous diamonds, the
mother parts with her son Heiling rejoicing in his
heart, the Queen in tears and sorrow.
In the first act Heiling arises from the earth, for-
ever closing the entrance to the gnomes. Anna greets
him joyously and Gertrud, her mother, heartily sec-
onds the welcome. Heiling gives his bride a golden
chain, and Anna, adorning herself, thinks with pleas-
ure how much she will be looked at and envied by her
companions. She fain would show herself at once,
and begs Heiling to visit a public festival with her. But
Heiling, by nature serious and almost taciturn, refuses
HISTORY AND GUIDE 205
tier request. Anna pouts, but she forgets her grief
when she sees the curious signs of erudition in her
lover's room. As she looks over the magic book, the
[eaves turn by themselves, quicker and quicker; the
strange signs seem to grow, to threaten her, until,
stricken with horrible fear, she cries out, and Heiling,
turning to her, sees too late what she has done. Angry
it her curiosity, he pushes her away, but she clings to
him with fervent entreaties to destroy the dreadful
book. His love conquers his reason, and he throws the
last link which connects him with his past into the fire.
A. deep thunder-peal is heard. Anna thanks him heart-
ily, but from this hour the seed of fear and distrust
jrows in her heart.
Heiling, seeing her still uneasy, agrees to visit the
festival with her upon condition that she refrains from
dancing. She gladly promises, but as soon as they
:ome to the festival Anna is surrounded by the village
lads, who entreat her to dance. They dislike the
stranger, who has won the fairest maiden of the vil-
lage, and Conrad the hunter, who has long loved Anna,
s particularly hard on his rival. He mocks him, feei-
ng that Heiling is not what he seems, and tries to lure
A.nna away from his side. At last Heiling grows an-
jry, forbidding Anna once more to dance. She is
wounded by his words and, telling him abruptly that
she is not married yet, and that she never will be his
slave, she leaves him- In despair Heiling sees her
jo away with Conrad, dancing and frolicking.
In the second act we find Anna in the forest. She is
n a deep reverie ; her heart has spoken, but alas ! not
Eor her bridegroom, whom she now fears ; it beats only
206 THE OPERA
comes on, and the gnomes appear with their Queen,
who reveals to the frightened girl the origin of her
bridegroom and entreats her to give back the son to
his poor bereft mother. When the gnomes have dis-
appeared, Conrad overtakes Anna, and she tells him
all, asking his help against her mysterious bridegroom.
Conrad, seeing that she returns his love, is happy. He
has just obtained a good situation and will now be
able to wed her.
He accompanies her home, where Gertrud welcomes
them joyously, having feared that Anna had met with
an accident in the forest.
While the lovers are together, Heiling enters, bring-
ing the bridal jewels. Mother Gertrud is dazzled, but
Anna shrinks from her bridegroom. When he asks
for an explanation, she tells him that she knows of his
origin. Then all his hopes die within him; but, de-
termined that his rival shall not be happy at his cost, he
hurls his dagger at Conrad and takes flight.
In the last act Heiling is alone in a ravine in the
mountains. He has sacrificed everything and gained
nothing. Sadly he decides to return to the gnomes.
They appear at his bidding, but they make him feel
that he no longer has any power over them, and by way
of adding still further to his sorrows they tell him
that his rival lives and is about to wed Anna. Then
indeed all seems lost to the poor dethroned King. In
despair and repentance he casts himself to the earth.
But the gnomes, seeing that he really has abandoned
all earthly hopes, swear fealty to him once more and
return with him to their Queen, by whom he is received
with open arms.
Meanwhile Conrad., who only received a slight
HISTORY AND GUIDE 207
wound from Heiling's dagger and has speedily re-
covered, has fixed his wedding day and we see Anna,
the happy bride, in the midst of her companions, pre-
pared to go to church with her lover. But when she
looks about her, Heiling is at her side, come to take
revenge. Conrad would fain aid her, but his sword
breaks before it touches Heiling, who invokes the help
of his gnomes. They appear, but at the same mo-
ment the Queen is seen, exhorting her son to pardon
and to forget. He willingly follows her away into his
kingdom of night and darkness, never to see earth's
surface again. The anxious peasants once more
breathe freely and join in common thanks to God.
HANSEL UND GRETEL
Fairy Opera in three acts by Engelbert Humperdinck.
Text by Wette.
first act represents the miserable little hut of
a broom-maker. Hansel is occupied in binding
brooms, Gretel is knitting and singing old nursery-
songs, such as "Susy, dear Susy, what rattles in the
straw?" Both children are very hungry, and wait
impatiently for the arrival of their parents. Hansel is
particularly bad-tempered, but the merry and practical
Gretel, finding some milk in a pot, soon soothes his
ruffled feelings by the promise of a nice rice-pap in
the evening. Forgetting work and hunger, they begin
to dance and frolic until they roll on the ground to-
gether. At this moment their mother enters, and see-
ing the children idle, her wrath is kindled and she
rushes at them with the intention of giving them a
sound whipping. Alas ! instead of Hansel, she strikes
2o8 THE OPERA
the pot and upsets the milk. The mother's vexation
cools and only sorrow remains, but she quickly puts a
little basket into Gretel's hands and drives the children
away, bidding them look for strawberries in the woods.
Then, sinking on a chair utterly exhausted, she falls
asleep.
She is awakened by her husband, who comes in sing-
ing and very gay. She sees that he has had a drop
too much, and is about to reproach him, but the words
die on her lips when she sees him unfold his treasure,
consisting of eggs, sausages, coffee, etc. He tells
her that he has been very fortunate at the church-ale
(kermess), and bids her prepare supper at once. Alas !
the pot is broken, and the mother relates that, finding
the children idle, anger got the better of her and the
pot was smashed to pieces. He good-naturedly laughs
at her discomfiture, but his merriment is changed to
grief when he hears that their children are still in the
forest, perhaps even near the Ilsenstein, where the
wicked fairy lives who entices children in order to
bake and devour them. This thought so alarms the
parents that they rush off to seek the children in the
forest.
The second act is laid near the ill-famed Ilsenstein.
Hansel has filled his basket with strawberries and
Gretel is winding a garland of red hips, with which
Hansel crowns her. He presents her also with a
bunch of wild flowers and playfully does homage to
this queen of the woods. Gretel, enjoying the play,
pops one berry after another into her brother's mouth ;
then they both eat while listening to the cuckoo. Be-
fore they are aware of it they have eaten the whole
contents of the basket and observe with terror that it
HISTORY AND GUIDE 209
has grown too dark either to look for a fresh supply
or to find their way home. Gretel begins to weep and
to call for her parents, but Hansel, rallying his courage,
takes her in his arms and soothes her until they both
grow sleepy. The sandman comes, throwing his sand
into their eyes, but before their lids close they say their
evening prayer ; then they fall asleep and the fourteen
guardian angels, whose protection they invoked, are
seen stepping down the heavenly ladder to guard their
slumber.
In the third act the morning dawns. Crystal drops
are showered on the children by the angel of the dew;
Gretel opens her eyes first and wakes her brother with
a song. They are still entranced by the beautiful an-
gel-dream they have had, when suddenly their atten-
tion is aroused by the sight of a little house made en-
tirely of cake and sugar. Approaching it on tiptoe
they begin to break off little bits, but a voice within
calls out, "Tip, tap, tip, tap, who raps at my house?"
"The wind, the wind, the heavenly child," they answer,
continuing to eat and to laugh, nothing daunted. But
the door opens softly and out glides the witch, who
quickly throws a rope around Hansel's throat. Urging
the children to enter her house she tells her name,
Rosina Sweet-tooth. The frightened children try to
escape, but the fairy raises her staff and by a magic
charm keeps them spellbound. She imprisons Hansel
in a small stable with a lattice door and gives him
almonds and currants to eat, then turning to Gretel,
who has stood rooted to the spot, she breaks the charm
with a juniper-bough and compels her to enter the
house and make herself useful.
Believing Hansel to be asleep, she turns to the oven
210 THE OPERA
and kindles the fire ; then, breaking into wild glee, she
seizes a broom and rides on it round the house singing,
Gretel all the while observing her keenly. Tired with
her exertions the witch awakes Hansel and bids him
show his finger, at which command Hansel stretches
out a small piece of wood. Seeing him so thin, the
witch calls for more food, and while she turns her
back Gretel quickly takes up the juniper-bough and,
speaking the formula, disenchants her brother. Mean-
while the witch, turning to the oven, tells Gretel to
creep into it in order to see if the honey-cakes are
ready, but the little girl, affecting stupidity, begs her
to show how she is to get in. The witch impatiently
bends forward, and at the same moment Gretel, as-
sisted by Hansel, who has escaped from his prison,
pushes her into the hot oven and slams the iron door.
The wicked witch burns to ashes, while the oven
cracks and roars and finally falls to pieces. With
astonishment the brother and sister see a long row of
children, from whom the honey-crust has fallen off,
standing stiff and stark. Gretel tenderly caresses one
of them, who opens his eyes and smiles. She now
touches them all, and Hansel, seizing the juniper-
bough, works the charm and recalls them to new life.
The cake-children thank them warmly, and they all
proceed to inspect the treasures of the house, when
Hansel hears their parents calling them. Great is the
joy of father and mother at finding their beloved ones
safe and in the possession of a sweet little house. The
old sorceress is drawn out of the ruins of the oven in
the form of an immense honey-cake, whereupon they
all thank Heaven for having so visibly heloed and pro-
tected them.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 211
DAS HEIMCHEN AM HERD
(The Cricket on the Hearth)
Opera in three acts by Karl Goldmark.
Text after Dickens's tale by Willner.
HP HE scene is laid in an English village. The crick-
* et, a little fairy, lives with a postilion, John, and
his wife Dot. They are a happy couple, the only thing
wanting to their complete happiness being children,
and even this ardent wish Dot knows will be fulfilled
before long.
A young doll-maker, May, visits Dot to unburden
her heavy heart. The young girl is to marry her old
and rich employer Tackleton, in order to save her fos-
ter-father from want, but she cannot forget her old
sweetheart, a sailor named Edward, who left her years
ago, never to come back. Dot tries to console her, and
gives her food for her old father. When May has
taken leave, Dot's husband John enters, bringing a
strange guest with him.
It is Edward, who has, however, so disguised him-
self that nobody recognizes him. Dot receives him
hospitably, and while he follows her in another room,
a very lively scene ensues, all the village people flock-
ing in to receive their letters and parcels at John's
hands.
In the second act John rests from his labor in his
garden, while Dot, who finds her husband, who is con-
siderably older than herself, somewhat too self-confi-
dent and phlegmatic, tries to make him appreciate her
more by arousing his jealousy. While they thus talk
and jest May enters, followed by her old suitor, who
has already chosen the wedding ring for her. Edward
212 THE OPERA
listens to his wooing with ill-concealed anxiety, and
Tackleton, not pleased to find a stranger in his friend's
house, gruffly asks his name. The strange sailor tells
him that he left his father and his sweetheart to seek
his fortune elsewhere, and that he has come back rich
and independent, only to find his father dead and his
sweetheart lost to him. His voice moves May strange-
ly, but Tackleton wants to see his riches. Edward
shows them some fine jewels, which so delight Dot
that she begins to adorn herself with them and to
dance about the room. Edward presents her with a
beautiful cross, and seizes the opportunity to reveal
to her his identity, entreating her not to betray him.
Then he turns to May, begging her to choose one of the
trinkets, but Tackleton interferes, saying that his prom-
ised bride does not need any jewels from strange peo-
ple. Dot is greatly embarrassed, and Tackleton, mis-
taking her agitation, believes that she has fallen in love
with the sailor, and insinuates as much to her hus-
band, whom he invites to have a glass of beer with
him.
This unusual generosity on the part of the avaricious
old man excites the clever little wife's suspicion. May
having withdrawn, she greets the friend of her youth
with great ostentation (knowing herself secretly
watched by John and Tackleton), and promises to help
him to regain his sweetheart. John and his friend,
who suddenly return, see them together, and poor old
John gets wildly jealous. But when he is alone, he
falls asleep and the faithful cricket prophetically shows
him his wife fast asleep in a dream, while a little boy
in miniature postilion's dress plays merrily in the back-
ground.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 213
In the third act Dot adorns May with the bridal
wreath, but the girl is in a very sad mood. All at once
she hears the sailor sing. Dot steals away, and May,
vividly reminded of her old love by the song, decides
to refuse old Tackleton at the last moment, and to re-
main true to Edward till the end of her life. The sailor,
hearing her resolve, rushes in tearing oil his false gray
beard, and catches May, who at last recognizes him, in
his arms. Meanwhile Tackleton arrives gorgeously at-
tired. He brings a necklace of false pearls and in-
vites May to drive with him to the wedding ceremony
in the church at once. A whole chorus of people in-
terrupt this scene; they greet him, saying they are his
wedding guests, exciting the miser's wrath. At last
May, who had retired to put on her bridal attire, re-
appears, but instead of taking Tackleton's arm she
walks up to Edward, who courteously thanks the old
lover for the carriage standing at the door, and sud-
denly disappears with May. The chorus detains the
furious old Tackleton until the lovers are well out of
the way.
Meanwhile Dot has explained her behavior to John,
and whispering her sweet secret into his ear, makes
him the happiest man on earth. The cricket, the good
fairy of the house, chirps sweetly, and the last scene
shows once more a picture of faithfulness and love.
214 THE OPERA
LES HUGUENOTS
Opera in five acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer.
Text by Scribe.
HE scene is laid in France at the time of the bloody
persecutions of the Protestants or Huguenots
by the Catholics. The Duke of Guise has apparently
made peace with Admiral Coligny, the greatest and
most famous of the Huguenots, and we are introduced
into the castle of Count Nevers, where the Catholic
noblemen receive Raoul de Nangis, a Protestant, who
has lately been promoted to the rank of captain. Dur-
ing their meal they speak of love and its pleasures and
everybody is called on to give the name of his sweet-
heart. Raoul begins by telling them that once when
taking a walk he surprised a band of students molesting
a lady in a litter. He rescued her, and as she gracious-
ly thanked him for his gallant service he thought her
more beautiful than any maiden he had ever before
seen. His heart burned with love for her, though he
did not know her name. While Raoul drinks with the
noblemen, Marcel, his old servant, warns him of the
danger of doing so.
Marcel, who is a strict old Protestant, sings a ballad
of the Huguenots to the young people, a song wild and
fanatic. They laugh at his impotent wrath, when a
lady is announced to Count Nevers. In her Raoul
recognizes the lady of his dreams. '
Of course he believes her false and bad, while as a
matter of fact she only comes to beseech Nevers, her
destined bridegroom, to set her free. Nevers does so,
though not without pain. When he returns to his
companions he conceals the result of the interview and
HISTORY AND GUIDE 215
presently Urbain, a page, enters with a little note for
Raoul de Nangis in which he is ordered to attend a
lady, unknown to him. The others recognize the seal
of Queen Marguerite of Valois, and finding him so
worthy at once seek to gain his friendship.
In the second act we find Raoul with the beautiful
Queen, who is trying to reconcile the Catholics with the
Protestants. To this end the Queen has resolved to
unite Raoul with Valentine, her lady of honor and
daughter of the Count of St. Bris, a staunch Catholic.
Valentine tells her heart's secret to her mistress, for
to her it was that Raoul brought assistance, and she
loves him. The noble Raoul, seeing Marguerite's
beauty and kindness, vows himself her knight, when
suddenly the whole court enters to render her hom-
age. Recognizing her at last to be the Queen, Raoul
is all the more willing to fulfill her wishes and offers
his hand in reconciliation to the proud St. Bris, prom-
ising to wed his daughter. But when he perceives in
her the unknown lady whom he believes to be so un-
worthy he takes back his word. All are surprised,
and the offended father vows bloody vengeance.
In the third act Marcel brings a challenge to St.
Bris, which the latter accepts, but Maurevert, a fa-
natical Catholic nobleman, tells him of other ways in
which to annihilate his foe. Valentine, though deadly
offended with her lover, resolves to save him. Seeing
Marcel, she bids him tell his master not to meet his
enemy alone. Meanwhile Raoul is already on the spot,
and so is St. Bris with four witnesses. While they fight,
a quarrel arises between the Catholic and the Prot-
estant citizens, which is stopped by Queen Marguerite.
The enemies accuse each other, and when the Queen is
216 THE OPERA
in doubt as to whom she shall believe, Valentine ap-
pears to bear witness. Then Raoul hears that her in-
terview with Nevers had been but a farewell, sought
for but to loosen forever the ties which her father had
formed for her against her will; but the knowledge
of his error comes too late, for St. Bris has once more
promised his daughter to Nevers, who at this moment
arrives with many guests, invited for the wedding.
The presence of the Queen preserves peace between the
different parties, but Raoul leaves the spot with death
in his heart.
In the fourth act the dreadful night of St. Bartholo-
mew is already beginning.
We find Valentine in her room despairing. Raoul
comes to take a last farewell, but almost immediately
St. Bris enters with a party of Catholics and Raoul is
obliged to hide in the adjoining room. There he hears
the whole conspiracy for the destruction of the Prot-
estants, beginning with their leader, Admiral Coligny.
The Catholics all assent to this diabolical plot ; Nevers
alone refuses to soil his honor and swears only to fight
in open battle. The others, fearing treason, decide to
bind him and keep him prisoner until the next morn-
ing. Raoul prepares to save his brethren or die with
them. Vain are Valentine's entreaties ; though she con-
fesses to her love for him, he yet leaves her, though
with a great effort, to follow the path of duty.
In the last act Raoul rushes pale and bloody into
the hall where Queen Marguerite sits with her husband
Henry, surrounded by the court. He tells them of the
terrific events which are going on outside and beseeches
their help. It is too late; Coligny has already fallen
and with him most of the Huguenots.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 217
Raoul meets Valentine once more; she promises to
save him if he will go over to her faith. But Marcel
reminds him of his oath, and Valentine, seeing that
nothing can move her lover's fortitude and firmness,
decides to remain with him. She accepts his creed
and so they meet death together, Valentine falling by
the side of her deadly wounded lover, both praising
God with their last breath.
IPHIG^NIE EN AULIDE
(Iphigenia in Aulis)
Grand Opera in three acts by Christoph Willibald Gluck.
Text of the original rearranged by Wagner.
HpHIS opera may be called the first part of the trag-
edy, and "Iphigenie en Tauride" very beautifully
completes it. The music is sure to be highly relished
by a cultivated hearer, characterized as it is by a sim-
plicity which often rises into grandeur and nobility of
utterance.
The first scene represents Agamemnon rent by a
conflict between his duty and his fatherly love; the
former of which demands the sacrifice of his daughter,
for only then will a favorable wind conduct the Greeks
safely to Ilion. Kalchas, the high priest of Artemis,
appears to announce her dreadful sentence. Alone
with the King, Kalchas vainly tries to induce the un-
happy father to consent to the sacrifice.
Meanwhile Iphigenia, who has not received Aga-
memnon's message which ought to have prevented her
undertaking the fatal journey, arrives with her mother
Klytemnestra. They are received with joy by the peo-
ple. Agamemnon secretly informs his spouse that
2i 8 THE OPERA
Achilles, Iphigenia's betrothed, has proved unworthy
of her and that she is to return to Argos at once.
Iphigenia gives way to her feelings. Achilles appears,
the lovers are soon reconciled and prepare to celebrate
their nuptials.
In the second act Iphigenia is adorned for her wed-
ding and Achilles comes to lead her to the altar, when
Arkas, Agamemnon's messenger, informs them that
death awaits Iphigenia.
Klytemnestra in despair appeals to Achilles and the
bridegroom swears to protect Iphigenia. She alone is
resigned in the belief that it is her father's will that she
should face this dreadful duty. Achilles reproaches
Agamemnon wildly and leaves the unhappy father a
prey to mental torture. At last he decides to send
Arkas at once to Mykene with mother and daughter
and to hide them there until the wrath of the goddess
be appeased. But it is too late.
In the third act the people assemble before the royal
tent and with much shouting and noise demand the
sacrifice. Achilles in vain implores Iphigenia to follow
him. She is ready to be sacrificed, while he determines
to kill any one who dares touch his bride. Klytem-
nestr?. then tries everything in her power to save her.
She offers herself in her daughter's stead, and finding
it of no avail, at last sinks down in a swoon. The
daughter, having bade her an eternal farewell, with
quiet dignity allows herself to be led to the altar. When
her mother awakes she rages in impotent fury; then
she hears the people's hymn to the goddess, and rushes
out to die with her child. The scene changes. The
high priest at the altar of Artemis is ready to pierce
the innocent victim. A great tumult arises. Achilles,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 219
with his native Thessalians, makes his way through the
crowd in order to save Iphigenia, who loudly invokes
the help of the goddess. But at this moment a loud
thunder peal arrests the contending parties, and when
the mist, which has blinded all, has passed, Artemis
herself is seen in a cloud with Iphigenia kneeling be-
fore her.
The goddess announces that it is Iphigenia's high
mind which she demands and not her blood ; she wishes
to take her into a foreign land, where she may be her
priestess and atone for the sins of the blood of Atreus.
A wind favorable to the fleet has risen, and the peo-
ple, filled with gratitude and admiration, behold the
vanishing cloud and praise the goddess.
IPHIGENIE EN TAURIDE
(Iphigenia in Tauris)
Opera in four acts by Christoph Willibald Gluck.
Text by Guillard.
HP HE libretto follows pretty exactly the Greek origi-
* nal. Iphigenia, King Agamemnon's daughter,
who has been saved by the goddess Diana (or Artemis)
from death at the altar of Aulis, has been carried in
a cloud to Tauris, where she is compelled to be high
priestess in the temple of the barbarous Scythians.
There we find her after having performed her cruel
service for fifteen years. Human sacrifices are re-
quired, but more than once she has saved a poor
stranger from this awful lot.
Iphigenia is much troubled by a dream, in which she
saw her father deadly wounded by her mother, and
herself about to kill her brother Orestes. She bewails
220 THE OPERA
her fate in having at the behest of Thoas, King of the
Scythians, to sacrifice two strangers who have been
thrown on his shores. Orestes and his friend Pylades,
for these are the strangers, are led to death loaded
with chains.
Iphigenia, hearing that they are her countrymen, re-
solves to save at least one of them in order to send
him home to her sister Elektra. She does not know
her brother Orestes, who, having slain his mother, has
fled, pursued by the Furies, but an inner voice makes
her choose him as a messenger to Greece. A lively
dispute arises between the two friends ; at last Orestes
prevails upon Iphigenia to spare his friend by threaten-
ing to destroy himself with his own hands, his life
being a burden to him. Iphigenia reluctantly complies
with his request, giving the message for her sister to
Pylades.
In the third act Iphigenia vainly tries to steel her
heart against her victim. At last she seizes the knife,
but Orestes cries, "So you also were pierced by the
sacrificial steel, O my sister Iphigenia !" and the knife
falls from her hands. A touching scene of recognition
ensues.
Meanwhile Thoas, who has heard that one of the
strangers was about to depart, enters the temple with
his bodyguard, and, though Iphigenia tells him that
Orestes is her brother and entreats him to spare Aga-
memnon's son, Thoas determines to sacrifice him and
his sister Iphigenia as well. But his evil designs are
frustrated by Pylades, who, returning with several of
his countrymen, stabs the King of Tauris. The god-
dess Diana herself appears and, helping the Greeks in
their fight, gains for them the victory. Diana declares
HISTORY AND GUIDE 221
herself appeased by the repentance of Orestes and al-
lows him to return to his country with his sister, his
friend, and all his followers.
LE JONGLEUR DE NOTRE-DAME
(The Juggler of Notre-Dame)
Opera in three acts by Jules Massenet
Text by Lena.
TN Cluny, on a market-day (the first of May), the
juggler Jean wanders hungry and miserable through
the countryside, but rejoices in his freedom. It does
not satisfy his wants, however, and he is unsuccess-
ful in gaining the attention of the people, who deride
his performance. They care nothing for his globes,
his hoops, his old songs and dances. They do applaud
a ribald song, "Alleluia to wine," and although in his
heart Jean is a good Christian, his stomach remains
egotistical, and he sings a parody on the mass. The
prior appears, and the crowd disperses, leaving Jean
to his fate. The juggler is about to be excommuni-
cated for his blasphemy, when he confesses his guilt,
and is received among the monks. Hunger overcomes
him, and he relinquishes his freedom, sorely tempted
by the rich food of the abbey.
In the second act, in the study at the abbey, musi-
cians, poets, painters, and sculptors labor for the feast
of the Holy Mother, but Jean takes no part he knows
no Latin. Brother Boniface, the cook, consoles him,
and Jean resolves to serve the Holy Mother in his own
way.
The last act takes place in the chapel of the abbey,
in which stands the image of the Blessed Virgin. Jean
222 THE OPERA
slowly approaches. He puts off his monastic garb,
and appears in his juggler's dress. He offers to Mary
the only gift he possesses, his songs and dances. In
his ecstasy, he fails to notice the entrance of the monks,
and dances on unheeding. The prior in horror is about
to throw himself upon Jean, when the Holy Mother
interferes ; a miracle takes place, for the image raises
its hands, and places them in benediction upon the head
of the juggler. The monks now acclaim him a saint,
and as they sing, led by Boniface, "Sancta Maria, ora
pro nobis," Jean declares in softly childish tones, "Oh,
dear, I understand Latin now!" Overcome with joy
at the favor of the Holy Mother, the juggler sinks to
the ground and dies.
JOSEPH
Opera in three acts by fitienne Nicolas Mehul.
Text after Duval.
JOSEPH, the son of Jacob, who was sold by his
J brothers, has by his wisdom saved Egypt from
threatening famine; he resides as governor in Mem-
phis under the name of Cleophas. But though much
honored by the King and all the people, he never ceases
to long for his old father, whose favorite child he was.
Driven from Palestine by famine, Jacob's sons are
sent to Egypt to ask for food and hospitality. They
are tormented by pangs of conscience, which Simeon
is hardly able to conceal, when they are received by
the governor, who at once recognizes them. Seeing
their sorrow and repentance, he pities them, and prom-
ises to treat them with all hospitality. He does not re-
veal himself, but goes to meet his youngest brother,
Benjamin, and his blind father, whose mourning for
HISTORY AND GUIDE 223
his lost son has not been diminished by the long years.
Joseph induces his father and brother to partake of
the honors which the people render to him. The
whole family is received in the governor's palace,
where Simeon, consumed by grief and conscience-
stricken, at last confesses to his father the selling of
Joseph. Full of horror, Jacob curses and disowns his
ten sons. But Joseph intervenes. Making himself
known, he grants full pardon and entreats his father to
do the same. The old man yields, and together they
praise God's providence and omnipotence.
LA JUIVE
(The Jewess)
Opera in five acts by Jacques Halevy.
Text by Scribe.
HPHE scene of action is laid in Constance, in the
* year 1414, during the Council.
In the first act the opening of the Council is cele-
brated with great pomp. The Catholics having gained
a victory over the Hussites, Huss is to be burned,
and the Jews, equally disliked, are oppressed and put
down still more than before. All the shops are closed,
only Eleazar, a rich Jewish jeweler, has kept his open
and is, therefore, about to be imprisoned and put to
death when Cardinal de Brogni intervenes and saves
the Jew and his daughter Recha from the people's fury.
The Cardinal has a secret liking for Eleazar, though
he once banished him from Rome. He hopes to gain
news from him of his daughter, who was lost in early
childhood. But Eleazar hates the Cardinal bitterly.
When the mob is dispersed Prince Leopold, the imperi-
224- THE OPERA
al commander-in-chief, approaches Recha. Under the
assumed name of Samuel he has gained her affections,
and she begs him to be present at a religious feast
which is to take place that evening at her father's
house. The act closes with a splendid procession of
the Emperor and all his dignitaries. Ruggiero, the
chief judge in Constance, seeing the hated Jew and
his daughter among the spectators, is about to seize
them once more, when Prince Leopold steps between 1
and delivers them, to Recha's great astonishment.
In the second act we are introduced to a great as-
sembly of Jews, men and women, assisting at a relig-
ious ceremony. Samuel is there with them. The holy
act is, however, interrupted by the Emperor's niece
Princess Eudora, who comes to purchase a golden
chain which once belonged to the Emperor Constan-
tine, which she destines for her bridegroom Prince
Leopold. Eleazar is to bring it himself on the follow-
ing day. Samuel, overhearing this, is full of trouble.
When the assembly is broken up and all have gone he
returns once more to Recha and, finding her alone,
confesses that he is a Christian. Love prevails over
Recha's filial devotion and she consents to fly with her
lover, but they are surprised by Eleazar. Hearing of
Samuel's falseness, be first swears vengeance, but,
mollified by his daughter's entreaties, he only bids him
marry Recha. Samuel refuses and has to leave, the
father cursing him, Recha bewailing her lover's false-
ness.
In the third act we assist at the imperial banquet.
Eleazar brings the chain and is accompanied by Recha,
who at once recognizes in Eudora's bridegroom her
lover Samuel. She denounces the traitor, accusing
HISTORY AND GUIDE 225
him of living in unlawful wedlock with a Jewess, a
crime punishable by death.
Leopold (alias Samuel) is outlawed, the Cardinal
pronounces the anathema upon all three, and they are
put in prison.
In the fourth act Eudora visits Recha in prison and
by her prayers not only overcomes Recha's hate but
persuades her to save Leopold by declaring him inno-
cent. Recha, in her noble-mindedness, pardons Leo-
pold and Eudora and resolves to die alone.
Meanwhile the Cardinal has an interview with Elea-
zar, who tells him that he knows the Jew who once
saved the Cardinal's little daughter from the flames.
Brogni vainly entreats him to reveal the name. He
promises to save Recha should Eleazar be willing to ab-
jure his faith, but the latter remains firm, fully pre-
pared to die.
In the fifth act we hear the clamors of the people,
who furiously demand the Jew's death.
Ruggiero announce3 to father and daughter the ver-
dict of death by fire. Leopold is set free through
Recha's testimony. When in view of the funeral pile
Eleazar asks Recha if she would prefer to live in joy
and splendor and to accept the Christian faith, but she
firmly answers in the negative. Then she is led on
to death, and she is just plunged into the glowing
furnace when Eleazar, pointing to her, informs the
Cardinal that the poor victim is his long-lost daughter ;
then Eleazar follows Recha into the flames, while
Brogni falls back senseless.
226 THE OPERA
DIE KONIGIN VON SABA
(The Queen of Sheba)
Grand Opera in four acts by Karl Goldmark.
Text by Mosenthal.
A MAGNIFICENT wedding is to be celebrated
** in King Solomon's palace at Jerusalem. The
high priest's daughter, Sulamith, is to marry Assad,
King Solomon's favorite. But the lover, who in a for-
eign country has seen a most beautiful and haughty
woman bathing in a forest pool, is now in love with the
stranger and has forgotten his destined bride.
Returning home, Assad confesses his error to the
wise King, and Solomon bids him wed Sulamith and
forget the heathen. Assad gives his promise, praying
to God to restore peace to his breast.
Then enters the Queen of Sheba in all her glory, fol-
lowed by a procession of slaves and suitors. Next to
her litter walks her principal slave, Astaroth.
The Queen comes to offer her homage to the great
Solomon with all the gifts of her rich kingdom. She
is veiled, and nobody has seen her yet, as only before
the King will she unveil herself.
When she draws back the veil, shining in all her per-
fect beauty, Assad starts forward ; he recognizes her ;
she is his nymph of the forest. But the proud Queen
seems to know him not, she ignores him altogether.
Solomon and Sulamith try to reassure themselves, to
console Assad, and the Queen hears Solomon's words :
"To-morrow shall find you united to your bride !" She
starts and casts a passionate look on the unfortunate
Assad.
The Queen is full of raging jealousy of the young
HISTORY AND GUIDE 227
bride. But though she claims Assad's love for herself,
she is yet too proud to resign her crown, and so, hesi-
tating between love and pride, she swears vengeance
on her rival. Under the shade of night Astaroth al-
lures Assad to the fountain, where he finds the Queen,
who employs all her arts again to captivate him, suc-
ceeding only too well.
Morning dawns, and with it the day of Assad's mar-
riage with Sulamith. Solomon and the high priest
conduct the youth to the altar, but just as he is taking
the ring, offered to him by the bride's father, the Queen
of Sheba appears, bringing as wedding gift a golden
cup filled with pearls.
Assad, again overcome by the Queen's dazzling
beauty, throws the ring away and precipitates himself
at her feet. The Levites detain him, but Solomon,
guessing at the truth, implores the Queen to speak.
Assad invokes all the sweet memories of their past, the
Queen hesitates, but her pride conquers. For the sec-
ond time she disowns him. Now everybody believes
Assad possessed by an evil spirit, and the priests at
once begin to exorcise it ; it is all but done, when one
word of the Queen's, who sweetly calls him "Assad,"
spoils everything. He is in her bands : falling on his
knees before her he prays to her as to his goddess.
Wrathful at this blasphemy in the temple, the priests
demand his death.
Assad asks no better, Sulamith despairs, and the
Queen repents having gone so far. In the great tu-
mult Solomon alone is unmoved. He detains the
priests with dignity, for he alone will judge Assad.
Now follows a charming ballet, given in honor of
the Queen of Sheba. At the end of the meal the Queen
228 THE OPERA
demands Assad's pardon from Solomon. He refuses
her request. She now tries to ensnare the King with
her charms as she did Assad, but in vain. Solomon
sees her in her true light and treats her with cold polite-
ness. Almost beside herself with rage, the Queen
threatens to take vengeance on the King and to free
Assad at any risk.
Solomon, well understanding the vile tricks of the
Queen, has changed the verdict of death into that of
exile. Sulamith, faithful and gentle, entreats for her
lover, and has only one wish : to sweeten life to her
Assad, or to die with him.
We find Assad in the desert. He is broken down
and deeply repents his folly, when the Queen appears
once more, hoping to lure him with soft words and
tears. But this time her beauty is lost upon him: he
has at last recognized her false soul; with noble pride
he scorns her, preferring to expiate his follies by dying
in the desert. He curses her, praying to God to save
him from the temptress. Henceforth he thinks only
of Sulamith and invokes Heaven's benediction on her.
He is dying in the dreadful heat of the desert, when
Sulamith appears, the faithful one who without rest-
ing has sought her bridegroom till now. But in vain
she kneels beside him couching his head on her bosom ;
his life is fast ebbing away. Heaven has granted his
last wish ; he sees Sulamith before his death, and with
the sigh, "Liberation !" he sinks back and expires.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 229
LOHENGRIN
Romantic Opera in three acts by Richard Wagner.
HE scene is laid near Antwerp where "Heinrich
* der Vogler," King of Germany, is just levying
troops among his vassals of Brabant to repulse the
Hungarian invaders. The King finds the people in a
state of great commotion, for Count Frederick Telra-
mund accuses Elsa of Brabant of having killed her
young brother Godfrey, heir to the Duke of Brabant,
who died a short time before, leaving his children to
the care of Telramund. Elsa was to be Telramund's
wife, but he wedded Ortrud of Friesland and now
claims the deserted duchy of Brabant.
As Elsa declares her innocence, not knowing what
has become of her brother, who was taken from her
during her sleep, the King resolves to decide by a tour-
ney in which the whole matter shall be left to the judg-
ment of God. Telramund, sure of his rights, is willing
to fight with any champion who may defend Elsa. All
the noblemen of Brabant refuse to do so and even the
King, though struck by Elsa's innocent appearance,
does not want to oppose his valiant and trustworthy
warrior.
Elsa alone is calm ; she trusts in the help of the heav-
enly knight who has appeared to her in a dream, and
publicly declares her intention of offering to her de-
fender the crown and her hand. While she prays a
knight arrives in silver armor; a swan draws his boat.
He lands, Elsa recognizes the knight of her dream, and
he at once offers to fight for the accused maiden on two
conditions: first, that she shall become his wife; and
230 THE OPERA
second, that she never will ask for his name and his
descent.
Elsa solemnly promises and the combat begins. The
strange knight is victorious, and Telramund, whose
life the stranger spares, is with his wife Ortrud out-
lawed.
The latter is a sorceress; she has deceived her hus-
band, who really believes in the murder of Godfrey,
while as a matter of fact she has abducted the child.
In the second act we see her at the door of the ducal
palace, where preparations for the wedding are already
being made. She plans vengeance. Her husband, full
of remorse and feeling that his wife has led him on to
a shameful deed, curses her as the cause of his dis-
honor. She derides him and rouses his pride by calling
him a coward. Then she pacifies him with the assur-
ance that she will induce Elsa to break her promise and
ask for the name of her husband, being sure that then
all the power of this mysterious champion will vanish.
When Elsa steps on the balcony to confide her happi-
ness to the stars, she hears her name spoken in accents
so sad that her tender heart is moved. Ortrud bewails
her lot, invoking Elsa's pity. The Princess opens her
door, urging the false woman to share her palace and
her fortune. Ortrud at once tries to sow distrust in
Elsa's innocent heart.
As the morning dawns a* rich procession of men and
women throng to the church where Elsa is to be united
to her protector. Telramund tries vainly to accuse the
stranger ; he is pushed back and silenced. As Elsa is
about to enter the church Ortrud steps forward claim-
ing the right of precedence. Elsa, frightened, repents
too late having protected her. Ortrud upbraids her
HISTORY AND GUIDE 231
with not even having asked her husband's name and de-
scent. All are taken aback, but Elsa defends her hus-
band, winning everybody by her quiet dignity.
She turns to Lohengrin for protection, but the venom
rankles in her heart.
When they again turn to enter the church Telra-
mund once more steps forth, accusing Lohengrin and
demanding from the King to know the stranger's name.
Lohengrin declares that his name may not be told un-
less his wife asks it. Elsa is in great trouble, but once
more her love conquers and she does not put the fatal
question.
But in the third act, when the two lovers are alone,
she knows no rest. Although her husband asks her to
trust him, she fears that he may leave her as myste-
riously as he came, and at last she cannot refrain from
asking the luckless question. From this moment all
happiness is lost to her. Telramund enters to slay his
enemy, but Lohengrin, taking his sword, kills him with
one stroke. Then he leads Elsa before the King and
loudly announces his secret. He tells the astounded
hearers that he is the keeper of the Holy Grail. Sacred
and invulnerable to the villain, a defender of right and
virtue, he may stay with mankind as long as his name
is unknown. But now he is obliged to reveal it. He
is Lohengrin, son of Parsifal, King of the Grail, and
is now compelled to leave his wife and return to his
home. The swan appears, from whose neck Lohengrin
takes a golden ring, giving it to Elsa, together with
his sword and golden horn.
Just as Lohengrin is about to depart Ortrud appears
triumphantly declaring that it was she who changed
young Godfrey into a swan and that Lohengrin would
232 THE OPERA
have freed him too had Elsa not mistrusted her hus-
band. Lohengrin, hearing this, sends a fervent prayer
to Heaven, and loosens the swan's golden chain. The
animal dips under water and in his stead rises Godfrey,
the lawful heir of Brabant. A white dove descends
to draw the boat in which Lohengrin glides away, and
Elsa falls senseless in her brother's arms.
LOUISE
Opera in four acts by Gustave Charpentier.
/^HARPENTIER has taken for his subject the
^- x romance of the everyday working-girl, just such
a tale as one may find in the popular story-papers, or
in the so-called melodrama of the cheaper theaters.
But to this commonplace text he has wedded a truly
Wagnerian musical setting, elaborate in orchestration,
full of the "recitative which is aria, and the aria which
is recitative," and with an ever-recurring Leitmotiv
typical of the joy of Paris. First performed February
2, 1900, at the Opera Comique in Paris, "Louise'*
rapidly passed into the repertoire of the world's prin-
cipal lyric theaters.
The first act opens in a working-man's home in
Paris. The attic is scantily furnished, but clean, and
Louise, at the open window, is listening to the ardent
pleadings of Julien, her lover. The girl's mother en-
ters in time to hear Julien tell Louise that, since her
parents will not permit them to wed, they must elope.
The mother pulls her daughter from the window, dis-
misses the lover, then lectures the girl on the bad char-
acter of her suitor. The father enters, and greets his
family affectionately. He has received a letter from
HISTORY AND GUIDE 233
Julien, who begs to be accepted as a son-in-law. But
while the father is rather favorably impressed by the
young man's letter, his wife is not, and with the an-
tipathy of her class for artists, she repeats all the gos-
sip she has heard to Julien's discredit. The father
then exacts a promise from Louise that she will see
Julien no more.
An allegory portraying Paris introduces the second
act. A night-walker, a ragpicker, and the rabble of a
great city in the early dawn are shown. Julien enters
with a party of friends, to whom he describes his plans
for the abduction of Louise. He hides as the working-
girls come by on their way to the shops. Louise enters
with her mother, and the moment they part, Julien
approaches the girl, and again begs her to elope with
him. She refuses and he turns sadly away. The scene
now shifts to the interior of a dressmaking shop, where
Louise is at work with her companions. The girls chat-
ter as they work, and the noises of the street are heard
through open windows in the back. Presently Julien
is heard singing to the accompaniment of his guitar.
The girls flock to the windows. Julien, not seeing
Louise, sings in sadder vein, and the girls lose interest
all but Louise. Unable longer to resist her lover's
pleadings, she pretends to be ill, and dons her coat and
hat as though going home. A moment later the girls
at the window cry out in excitement. Louise has gone
off with the singer.
The third act takes place in the garden of a house
on Montmartre overlooking Paris. Louise tells Julien
that she regrets nothing, that she is happy. Julien
speaks of her parents as Mother Routine and Father
Prejudice, and tells her that the selfishness of her par-
234 THE OPERA
ents must be met with selfishness. The city lights up,
and the lovers sing the praise of Paris, of life, of love.
When night has fallen, a crowd of Julien's Bohemian
associates come to celebrate the happy union. They
crown Louise "Queen of Montmartre," but the festivi-
ties are interrupted by the arrival of Louise's mother.
The father has fallen ill, and she begs Louise to go
home with her. Julien consents, on the promise of
Louise that she will return.
In the last act we return to the humble home in
Paris, where the father, broken in health, is declaim-
ing against the ingratitude of children. Louise makes
no reply, but looks longingly out into the night. Called
to help her mother in the kitchen, Louise is treated to
another tirade against her lover. The girl recalls the
promise that she should be free. The mother refuses
to let her go. The father draws her to his knee, and
sings her a lullaby, promising that the child shall have
whatever she wants if she will be good. Louise an-
swers that she can be happy only by returning to her
lover. Then the songs in the streets excite her to the
verge of hysteria. Finally, in a fit of rage, the father
drives her from home. He immediately repents and
calls her back, but it is too late. She has gone to re-
join Julien. "Oh, Paris !" cries the father, shaking his
fist in impotent anger at the city.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 235
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
(The Bride of Lammermoor)
Tragic Opera in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti.
Text from Scott's romance by Cammerano.
TT ENRY ASHTON, lord of Lammermoor, has dis-
-* -* covered that his sister Lucia loves his mortal
enemy Sir Edgar of Ravenswood. He confides to
Lucia's tutor Raymond that he is lost if Lucia does not
marry another suitor of his (her brother's) choice.
Lucia and Edgar meet in the park. Edgar tells her
that he is about to leave Scotland for France in the
service of his country. He wishes to be reconciled to
his enemy Lord Ashton, for, though the latter has done
him all kinds of evil, though he has slain his father
and burned his castle, Edgar is willing to sacrifice his
oath of vengeance to his love for Lucia. But the lady,
full of evil forebodings, entreats him to wait and
swears eternal fidelity to him. After having bound
himself by a solemn oath, he leaves her half-distracted
with grief.
In the second act Lord Ashton shows a forged letter
to his sister, which goes to prove that her lover is false.
Her brother now presses her more and more to wed his
friend Arthur, Lord Bucklaw, declaring that he and
his party are lost and that Arthur alone can save him
from the executioner's axe. At last, when even her
tutor Raymond beseeches her to forget Edgar, and,
like the others, believes him to be faithless, Lucia con-
sents to the sacrifice. The wedding takes place in
great haste, but just as Lucia has finished signing the
marriage contract, Edgar enters to claim her as his
own.
236 THE OPERA
With grief and unbounded passion he now sees in
his bride a traitress, and tearing his ring of betrothal
from her finger, he throws it at her feet.
Henry, Arthur, and Raymond order the raving lover
to leave the castle, and the act closes in the midst of
confusion and despair.
The third act opens with Raymond's announcement
that Lucia has lost her reason and has killed her
husband in the bridal room. Lucia herself enters to
confirm his awful news ; she is still in bridal attire, and
in her demented condition believes that Arthur will
presently appear for the nuptial ceremony. Every-
body is full of pity for her, and her brother repents
his harshness too late Lucia is fast dying, and Eliza
leads her away amid the lamentations of all present.
Edgar, hearing of these things while wandering
amid the tombs of his ancestors, resolves to see Lucia
once more. When dying she asks for him, but he comes
too late. The funeral bells toll, and he stabs himself,
praying to be united to his bride in heaven.
LUCREZIA BORGIA
Tragic Opera in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti.
Text by Romani after Victor Hugo's drama.
HP HE heroine, whose part is by far the best and
-* most interesting, is the celebrated poisoner and
murderess, Lucrezia Borgia. At the same time she
gives evidence, in her dealings with her son Gennaro,
of possessing a very tender and motherly heart, and
the songs in which she pours out her love for him are
really fine as well as touching.
Lucrezia, wife of Don Alfonso, Duke of Ferrara,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 237
goes to Venice in disguise to see the son of her first
marriage, Gennaro. In his earliest youth he was given
to a fisherman, who brought him up as his own son.
Gennaro feels himself attracted toward the strange and
beautiful woman who visits him, but hearing from his
companions, who recognize her and charge her with
all sorts of crimes, that she is Lucrezia Borgia, he ab-
hors her. Don Alfonso, not knowing the existence of
this son of an early marriage, is jealous, and when
Gennaro comes to Ferrara and in order to prove his
hatred of the Borgias tears off Lucrezia's name and
scutcheon from the palace-gates, Rustighello, the
Duke's confidant, is ordered to imprison him. Lu-
crezia, hearing from her servant Gubella of the out-
rage to her name and honor, complains to the Duke,
who promises immediate punishment of the malefac-
tor.
Gennaro enters, and Lucrezia, terror-stricken, recog-
nizes her son. Vainly does she implore the Duke to
spare the youth. With exquisite cruelty he forces her
to hand the poisoned golden cup to the culprit herself,
and, departing, bids her accompany her prisoner to
the door. This order gives her an opportunity to ad-
minister an antidote by which she saves Gennaro's
life, and she implores him to fly. But Gennaro does
not immediately follow her advice, being induced by
his friend Orsini to assist at a grand festival at Prince
Negroni's.
Unhappily all those young men who formerly re-
proached and offended Lucrezia so mortally in pres-
ence of her son are assembled there by Lucrezia's or-
ders. She has mixed their wine with poison, and her-
self appears to announce their death. Horror-stricken,
238 THE OPERA
she sees Gennaro, who was not invited, among them.
He has partaken of the wine like the others, but on her
offering him an antidote he refuses to take it; its
quantity is insufficient for his friends, and he threatens
to kill the murderess. Then she reveals the secret of
his birth to him, but he only turns from this mother,
for whom he had vainly longed his whole life, and dies.
The Duke, coming up to witness his wife's horrible
victory, finds all either dead or dying, and Lucrezia
herself expires, stricken down by deadly remorse and
pain.
DIE LUSTIGEN WEIBER VON WINDSOR
(The Merry Wives of Windsor)
Comic Opera in three acts by Otto Nicolai.
Text by Mosenthal.
HTHIS admirable opera is, it need hardly be said,
* taken from Shakespeare's famous comedy. Fal-
staff has written love-letters to the wives of two citi-
zens of Windsor, Mrs. Fluth and Mrs. Reich. They
discover his duplicity and decide to punish the infatu-
ated old fool.
Meanwhile Mr. Fenton, a nice but poor young man,
asks for the hand of Anna Reich. But her father has
already chosen a richer suitor for his daughter in the
person of the silly young squire Sparlich.
In the following scene Sir John Falstaff is amiably
received by Mrs. Fluth, when suddenly Mrs. Reich
arrives, telling them that Mr. Fluth will be with them
at once, having received notice of his wife's doings.
Falstaff is packed into a clothes-basket and carried
away from under Mr. Fluth's nose by two men, who
are bidden to put the contents in a canal near the
HISTORY AND GUIDE 239
Thames, and the jealous husband, finding nobody, re-
ceives sundry lectures from his offended wife.
In the second act Mr. Fluth, mistrusting his wife,
makes FalstafFs acquaintance, under the assumed name
of Bach, and is obliged to hear an account of the
worthy fat knight's gallant adventure with his wife
and its disagreeable issue. Fluth persuades Falstaff to
give him a rendezvous, swearing inwardly to punish the
old coxcomb for his impudence.
In the evening Anna meets her lover Fenton in the
garden, and ridiculing her two suitors, Sparlich and
Dr. Caius, a Frenchman, she promises to remain faith-
ful to her love. The two others, who are hidden be-
hind trees, must perforce listen to their own dispraise.
When the time has come for FalstafFs next visit to
Mrs. Fluth, who of course knows of her husband's re-
newed suspicion, Mr. Fluth surprises his wife and re-
proaches her violently with her conduct. During this
controversy Falstaff is disguised as an old woman, and
when the neighbors come to help the husband in his
search, they find only an old deaf cousin of Mrs.
Fluth's who has come from the country to visit her.
Nevertheless the hag gets a good thrashing from the
duped and angry husband.
In the last act everybody is in the forest, preparing
for the festival of Herne the hunter. All are masked,
and Sir John Falstaff, being led on by the two merry
wives, is surprised by Herne (Fluth), who sends the
whole chorus of wasps, flies, and mosquitos on to his
broad back. They torment and punish him, till he
loudly cries for mercy. Fenton, in the mask of
Oberon, has found his Anna in Queen Titania, while
Dr. Caius and Sparlieh, mistaking their masks for
240 THE OPERA
Anna's, sink into each other's arms, much to their
mutual discomfiture.
Mr. Fluth and Mr. Reich, seeing that their wives
are innocent and that they only made fun of Falstaff,
are quite happy, and the whole scene ends with a gen-
eral pardon.
THE MACCABEES
Opera in three acts by Anton Rubinstein.
Text by Mosenthal, taken from Otto Ludwig's drama.
hero is the famous warrior of the Old Testa-
-* ment. The scene takes place one hundred and
sixty years before Christ, partly at Modin, a city in
the mountains of Judah, and partly in Jerusalem and
its environs.
The first act shows Leah with three of her sons,
Eleazar, Joarim, and Benjamin. Eleazar is envious of
Judah, the eldest son, whose courage and strength are
on everybody's lips, but his mother consoles him by a
prophecy that Eleazar shall one day be high priest and
king of the Jews.
The fete of the sheep-shearing is being celebrated,
and Noemi, Judah's wife, approaches Leah with gar-
lands of flowers asking for her benediction. But she
is repulsed by her mother-in-law, who is too proud to
recognize the low-born maid as her equal and slights
her son Judah for his love. She tries to incite him into
rebellion against the Syrians, when Jojakim, a priest,
appears. He announces the death of Osias, high
priest of Zion, and calls one of Leah's sons to the im-
portant office. As Judah feels no vocation for such a
burden, Eleazar, his mother's favorite, is chosen, and
HISTORY AND GUIDE 241
so Leah sees her dream already fulfilled. They are
about to depart when the approaching army of the
Syrians is announced. Terror seizes the people as
Gorgias, the leader of the enemy, marches up with his
soldiers and loudly proclaims that the Jews - are to
erect an altar to Pallas Athene, to whom they must
pray henceforth. Leah seeks to inflame Eleazar's
spirit, but his courage fails him. The altar is soon
erected, and as Gorgias sternly orders that sacrifices
are to be offered to the goddess, Boas, Noemi's father,
is found willing to bow to the enemy's commands. But
the measure is full, Judah steps forth, and striking
Boas, the traitor to their faith, dead, loudly praises
Jehovah. He calls his people to arms and repulses the
Syrians, and Leah, recognizing her son's greatness,
gives him her benediction.
The second act represents a deep ravine near Em-
maus; the enemy is beaten and Judah is resolved to
drive him from Zion's walls, but Jojakim warns him
not to profane the coming Sabbath.
Judah tries to overrule the priests and to excite the
people, but he is not heard and the enemy is able to
kill the psalm-singing soldiers like lambs.
The next scene shows us Eleazar with Cleopatra,
daughter of King Antiochus of Syria.
They love each other, and Eleazar consents to for-
sake his religion for her, while she promises to make
him king of Jerusalem.
In the next scene Leah in the city of Modin is
greeted with acclamations of joy, when Simei, a rela-
tive of the slain Boas, appears to bewail Judah's
defeat. Other fugitives coming up confirm his narra-
tive of the massacre. Leah hears that Judah fled and
242 THE OPERA
that Antiochus approaches conducted by her son Elea-
zar. She curses the apostate. She has still two
younger sons, but the Israelites take them from her to
give as hostages to King Antiochus. Leah is bound to
a cypress-tree by her own people, who attribute their
misfortunes to her and to her sons. Only Noemi, the
despised daughter-in-law, remains to liberate the mis-
erable mother, and together they resolve to ask the
tyrant's pardon for the sons.
In the third act we find Judah, alone and unrecog-
nized, in the deserted streets of Jerusalem. Hearing
the prayers of the people that Judah may be sent to
them, he steps forth and tells them who he is, and all
sink at his feet swearing to fight with him to the death.
While Judah prays to God for a sign of grace, Noemi
comes with the dreadful news of the events at Modin,
which still further rouses the anger and courage of
the Israelites. Meanwhile Leah has succeeded in pene-
trating into Antiochus's presence to beg the lives of her
children from him. Eleazar, Gorgias, and Cleopatra
join their prayers to those of the poor mother, and at
last Antiochus consents, and the two boys are led into
the room.
But the King only grants their liberty on condition
that they renounce their faith. They are to be burned
alive should they abide by their heresy. The mother's
heart is full of agony, but the children's noble courage
prevails. They are prepared to die for their God, but
the unhappy mother is not even allowed to share their
death. When Eleazar sees his brothers' firmness his
conscience awakens, and notwithstanding Cleopatra's
entreaties he joins them on their way to death. The
hymns of the youthful martyrs are heard, but with
HISTORY AND GUIDE 243
the sound of their voices suddenly mingles that of a
growing tumult. Antiochus falls, shot through the
heart, and the Israelites rush in, headed by Judah, put-
ting the Syrians to flight. Leah sees her people's vic-
tory, but the trial has been too great ; she sinks back
lifeless. Judah is proclaimed King of Zion, but he
humbly bends his head, giving all glory to the Almighty
God.
MADAME BUTTERFLY
Japanese Lyric Tragedy in three acts by Giacomo Puccini.
Founded on the book of John Luther Long and the drama by
David Belasco. Text by Illica and Giacosa.
scene is laid in Nagasaki in our own time.
The first act takes place on a hill, from which
there is a grand view of the ocean and of the town
below.
Goro, a marriage broker, shows his new Japanese
house to an American naval lieutenant, Pinkerton, who
has purchased it in Japanese fashion for 999 years,
with the right of giving monthly notice. He is waiting
for his bride Cho-Cho-San, called Butterfly, whom he
is about to wed under the same queer conditions for
one hundred yens (a yen about one dollar).
Butterfly's maid Suzuki and his two servants are
presented to him, but he is impatient to embrace his
sweetheart, with whom he is very much in love.
Sharpless, the United States consul, who tells him
much good of the little bride, warns him not to bruise
the wings of the delicate butterfly, but Pinkerton only
laughs at his remonstrances.
At last Butterfly appears with her companions. At
her bidding, they all shut their umbrellas and kneel to
244 THE OPERA
their friend's future husband, of whom the girl is very
proud. Questioned by the consul about her family, she
tells him that they are of good origin, but that, hei;
father having died, as a geisha (dancing-girl) she has
to support herself and her mother. She is but fifteen
and very sweet and tender-hearted.
When in procession her relations come up, they all
do obeisance to Pinkerton. They are all jealous of
Butterfly's good luck and prophesy an evil end, but the
girl perfectly trusts and believes in her lover and even
confides to him that she has left her own gods, to pray
henceforth to the God of her husband.
When Pinkerton begins to show her their house, she
produces from her sleeve her few precious belongings.
These are some silken scarfs, a little brooch, a looking-
glass, and a fan ; also a long knife, which she at once
hides in a corner of the house. Goro tells Pinkerton
that it is the weapon with which her father performed
hara-kiri (killed himself). The last things she shows
her lover are some little figures representing the souls
of her ancestors.
When the whole assembly is ready, they are married
by the commissary. Pinkerton treats his relations to
champagne, but soon the festival is interrupted by the
dismal howls of Butterfly's uncle, the bonze (Buddhist
monk) , who climbs the hill and tells the relations that
the wretched bride has denied her faith, and has been to
the mission-house, to adopt her husband's religion. All
turn from her with horror and curse her. But Pinker-
ton consoles his weeping wife, and the act closes with a
charming love-duet.
The second act shows Butterfly alone. Pinkerton has
left her, and she sits dreamily with her faithful maid
HISTORY AND GUIDE 245
Suzuki, who vainly implores her gods to bring back
the faithless husband. The young wife, who has been
waiting three long years for his return, still firmly be-
lieves his promise to come back when the robin should
build its nest. She refuses a proposal of marriage
from Prince Yamadori, who has loved her for years,
and now tries again to win the forsaken wife. She
answers him with quiet dignity, that, though by Japa-
nese law a wife is considered free as soon as her hus-
band has left her, she considers herself bound by the
laws of her husband's country, and Yamadori leaves
her.
Sharpless now enters with a letter he has received
from Pinkerton. Not daring to let her know its con-
tents at once, he warns her that her husband will never
return, and advises her to accept Prince Yamadori's
offer. Butterfly is at first startled and alarmed, but
soon she recovers herself, and beckoning to Suzuki, she
shows Sharpless her little fair-haired, blue-eyed boy,
begging the consul to write and tell her husband that
his child is awaiting him.
Sharpless, deeply touched, takes leave of her, with-
out having shown the letter, when Suzuki enters
screaming and accusing Goro, who has goaded her to
fury, by spreading a report in the town that the child s
father is not known.
"You lie, you coward!" cries Butterfly, seizing a
knife to kill the wretch. But suppressing her wrath
she throws away the weapon and kicks him from her
in disgust. Suddenly a cannon-shot is heard. Run-
ning on to the terrace, Butterfly perceives a war-ship in
the harbor, bearing the name "Abraham Lincoln." It
is Pinkerton's ship.
246 THE OPERA
All her troubles are forgotten; she bids her maid
gather all the flowers in the garden; these she scatters
around in profusion. Then she brings her boy, and
bids Suzuki comb her hair, while she herself rouges her
pale cheeks and those of her child. Then they sit
down behind a partition, in which they have made
holes, through which they may watch the ship and
await Pinkerton's arrival.
The third act finds them in the same position. Suzu-
ki and the child have fallen asleep, while Butterfly,
sleepless, watches for Pinkerton. Suzuki waking sees
that it is morning and begs her mistress to take some
rest. Butterfly, taking her child in her arms, retires
into the inner room.
A loud knock is heard, and Suzuki finds herself in
the presence of Sharpless and Pinkerton. The latter
signs to her not to waken Butterfly. Suzuki is show-
ing him the room adorned with flowers for his arrival,
when she suddenly perceives a lady walking in the
garden and hears that she is Pinkerton's lawful Amer-
ican wife.
Sharpless, taking the maid aside, begs her to pre-
pare her mistress for the coming blow and tells her
that the foreign lady desires to adopt her husband's
little boy. Pinkerton himself is deeply touched by the
signs of Butterfly's undying love. Full of remorse, he
entreats Sharpless to comfort her as best he can, and
weeping, leaves the scene of his first love-dream.
His wife Kate returning to the foot of the terrace,
sweetly repeats her wish to adopt the little boy, when
Butterfly, emerging from the inner room, comes to look
for her long-lost husband, whose presence she feels
with the divination of love. Seeing Sharpless standing
HISTORY AND GUIDE 247
by a foreign lady, and Suzuki in tears, the truth sud-
denly bursts upon her. "Is he alive?" she asks, and
when Suzuki answers "y es >" S ^ Q knows that he has
forsaken her.
Turned to stone, she listens to Kate's humble apolo-
gies and to her offer to take the child. By a supreme
effort she controls herself. "I will give up my child
to him only; let him come and take him; I shall be
ready in half an hour/' she answers brokenly.
When Sharpless and Kate have left her, Butterfly
sends Suzuki into another room with the child. Then,
seizing her father's long knife, she takes her white
veil, throwing it over the folding screen. Kissing the
blade, she reads its inscription, "Honorably he dies who
no longer lives in honor," and raises it to her throat.
At this moment the door opens, and her child runs up
to his mother with outstretched arms. Snatching him
to her bosom, she devours him with kisses, then sends
him into the garden. Seizing the knife once more,
Butterfly disappears behind the screen, and shortly af-
terward the knife is heard to fall.
When Pinkerton's call, "Butterfly," is heard, she
emerges once more from the background and drags
herself to the door; but there her strength fails her
and she sinks dead to the ground.
THE OPERA
MANON
Opera in four acts by Jules Massenet.
Text by Meilhac and Gille.
HP HE subject of this opera is based on Prevost's
* famous novel "Manon Lescaut." The scene is
laid in France in 1721.
The first act takes place in the courtyard of a large
inn at Amiens. Several young cavaliers are amusing
themselves by paying attentions to three pretty ladies.
They impatiently call upon their host to bring dinner,
and at last it is brought to them in great state.
While they are dining in the large saloon above, the
stage-coach arrives with a large number of travelers ;
among them is young Manon, a country girl of sixteen;
this is her first journey, and is to end in a convent, an
arrangement made by her parents, who think her taste
for worldly pleasures is greater than it should be. She
is expected by her cousin Lescaut, of the Royal Guard,
and while he is looking for her luggage, the young
beauty is accosted by Guillot Marfontaine, an old roue
and rich farmer, who annoys her with his equivocal
speeches and offers her a seat in his carriage. He is
quickly driven away by Lescaut on his return; the
young man is, however, enticed away by his comrades
to play a game of cards, for which purpose he leaves
his cousin a second time. Before long another cavalier
approaches Manon; this time it is the Chevalier des
Grieux, a young nobleman, whose good looks and
charming manners please the young girl much better.
They quickly fall in love with each other, and when
Des Grieux offers to take her to Paris, Manon gladly
HISTORY AND GUIDE 249
consents, thankful to escape the convent. Remembering
Guillot's offer, she proposes to make use of the farm-
er's carriage, and they drive gaily off just before Les-
caut returns to look for his cousin. When this worthy
soldier hears that the fugitives have gone off in Guil-
lot's carriage, he abuses the farmer with great fury and
swears that he will not rest until he shall have found
his little cousin.
The second act takes place in a poorly-furnisried
apartment in Paris. Des Grieux is about to write to
his father, whom he hopes to reconcile to his purpose
of marrying Manon by telling him of the girl's beauty,
of her youth and innocence. They are interrupted by
the entrance of Lescaut, who, accompanied by De
Bretigny, another victim of Manon's charms, comes to
avenge the honor of the family. While Des Grieux
takes Lescaut aside and pacifies him by showing him
the letter he has just written, De Bretigny tells Manon
that her lover will be kidnapped this very evening by
his father's orders. Manon protests warmly against
this act of tyranny, but De Bretigny warns her that
her interference would only bring greater harm to both
of them, while riches, honors, and liberty will be hers
if she lets things take their course.
Manon, who on the one hand sincerely loves Des
Grieux, while on the other hand she has a longing
for all the good things of this world, is very unhappy,
but allows herself to be tempted. When Des Grieux
leaves Her to post his letter she takes a most tender
farewell of the little table at which they have so often
sat, of the one glass from which they both drank, and
of all the objects around. Des Grieux, finding her in
tears, tries to console her by picturing the future of
25 o THE OPERA
his dreams, a little cottage in the wood where they are
to live forever happy and contented. A loud knock
interrupts them; Manon, knowing what will happen,
tries to detain him, but he tears himself from her
and, opening the door, is at once seized and carried oil.
The third act opens on the promenade Cour-la-Reine
in Paris, a scene of merry-making where all the buying,
selling, and amusements of a great fair are going on.
The pretty ladies of the first act, Yavotte, Poussette,
and Rosette, are being entertained by new lovers, while
rich old Guillot looks in vain for a sweetheart.
Manon, who appears on De Bretigny's arm, is the
queen of the festival. She has stifled the pangs of con-
science which had troubled her when she left Des
Grieux, and her passion for jewels and riches is as
insatiable as ever. Guillot, who hears that De Bre-
tigny has refused to comply with her last wish, which
is to order the ballet of the grand opera to dance in
the open market-place for her own amusement, rushes
off to pay for this whim himself, hoping thereby to
gain the young lady's favor.
Manon slowly wanders about in search of new and
pretty things to buy, while De Bretigny suddenly finds
himself face to face with the old Count des Grieux.
When he asks for news of his son the Count tells him
that the young man has renounced the world and be-
come an abbe and is a famous preacher at St-Sulpice.
He cuts De Bretigny's expressions of astonishment
short by telling him that this turn of things is due to
De Bretigny's own conduct, meaning that the latter had
done a bad turn to his friend by crossing his path in
relation to a certain pretty young lady. De Bretigny,
indicating his lady-love by a gesture, says, "That is
HISTORY AND GUIDE 251
Manon," and the Count, perceiving her beauty, quite
understands his son's infatuation.
But Manon's quick ears have also caught bits of the
conversation, and beckoning to her lover she sends him
away to buy a golden bracelet for her. She then ap-
proaches the Count and asks if his son has quite over-
com.e his passion for the lady who, she says, was a
friend of hers. The old man acknowledges that his
son had had a hard struggle with his love and grief, but
adds, "One must try and forget/' and Manon repeats
the words and falls into a fit of sad musing.
Meanwhile Guillot has succeeded in bringing the
ballet-dancers, who perform a beautiful gavotte and
other dances. When these are ended he turns to
Manon in hope of a word of praise, but the willful
beauty only turns from him to order her carriage,
which is to take her to St.-Sulpice, saying lightly to
Guillot that she has not cared to look at the ballet
after all.
The next scene takes place in the parlor of the semi-
nary in St.-Sulpice. A crowd of ladies has assembled
to praise the new abbe's fine preaching. They at last
disperse when the young abbe enters with downcast
eyes. He is warmly greeted by his father, who has
followed him. The father at first tries to persuade him
to give up his newly chosen vocation before he finally
takes the vows, but, seeing him determined, the Count
hands him over his mother's inheritance of 30,000
livres and then bids him good-by. The young man re-
tires to find strength and forgetfulness in prayer.
When he returns to the parlor he finds Manon. She
has also prayed fervently that God would pardon her
and help her to win back her lover's heart. A passion-
252 THE OPERA
ate scene ensues in which Manon implores his forgive-
ness and is at last successful. Des Grieux opens his
arms to her and abandons his vocation.
The fourth act opens in the luxurious drawing-rooms
of a great Paris hotel. Games of hazard and lively
conversation are going on everywhere. Manon, ar-
riving with Des Grieux, is joyously greeted by her. old
friends. She coaxes her lover to try his luck at play
and is seconded by her cousin Lescaut, himself an in-
veterate gambler, who intimates that fortune always
favors a beginner. Guillot offers to play with Des
Grieux, and truly fortune favors him. After a few
turns, in which Guillot loses heavily, the latter rises,
accusing his partner of false play.
The Chevalier, full of wrath, is about to strike him,
but the others hold him back and Guillot escapes,
vowing vengeance. He soon returns with the police
headed by the old Count des Grieux, to whom he de-
nounces young Des Grieux as a gambler and a cheat
and points out Manon as his accomplice. Old Count
des Grieux allows his son to be arrested, telling him
he will soon be released. Poor Manon is seized by
the guards, though all the spectators, touched by her
youth and beauty, beg for her release. The old Count
says she only gets her deserts.
The last scene takes place on the high road leading
to Havre. Cousin Lescaut meets Des Grieux, whom
he promised that he would try to save Manon from
penal servitude by effecting her escape. Unfortunately
the soldiers he employed had meanly deserted him, on
hearing which Des Grieux violently upbraids him.
Lescaut pacifies the desperate nobleman by saying that
he has thought of other means of rescuing Manon.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 253
Soon the wagons conveying the convicts to their des-
tination are heard approaching. One of these wagons
stops. Lescaut, accosting one of the soldiers in charge,
hears that Manon is inside, dying. He begs that he
may be allowed to take a last farewell of his little
cousin, and bribing the man with money, he succeeds
in getting Manon out of the wagon, promising to
bring her to the nearest village in due time.
Manon, sadly changed, totters forward and finds
herself clasped in her lover's arms. For a little while
the two forget all their woes in the joy of being to-
gether; Manon deeply repents of her sins and follies
and humbly craves his pardon, while he covers her
wan face with kisses. Then he tries to raise her, im-
ploring her to fly with him, but alas ! release has come
too late; she sinks back and expires in her lover's
embrace.
MANRU
Opera in three acts by Ignace Jan PaderewskL
Text by Nossig.
scene is laid in the Hungarian Tatra mountain
district.
Manru, a wandering gypsy, has fallen in love with
a peasant girl, Ulana, and has married her against her
mother's wishes.
In the first act mother Hedwig laments her daugh-
ter's loss. While the village lasses are dancing and
frolicking, Ulana returns to her mother to ask her for-
giveness; she is encouraged by a hunchback, Urok,
who is devoted to her, and who persuades the mother
to forgive her child, on condition that she shall leave
254 THE OPERA
her husband. As Ulana refuses, though she is in dire
need of bread, Hedwig sternly shuts her door upon
her daughter. Ulana turns to Urok, who does his best
to persuade her to leave her husband.
Urok is a philosopher; he warns the poor woman
that gypsy blood is never faithful, and that the time
will come when Manru will leave wife and child. Ula-
na is frightened. Finally she obtains from Urok a
love-potion, by which she hopes to secure her hus-
band's constancy.
When she tries to turn back into the mountains, she
is surrounded by the returning villagers, who tease and
torment her and the hunchback until Manru comes to
their rescue. But his arrival only awakes the villagers'
wrath. They fall upon him, and are about to kill him,
when mother Hedwig comes out and warns them not
to touch the outlaws on whom her curse has fallen.
The second act takes place in Manru's hiding-place
in the mountains. The gypsy is tired of the idyl. He
longs for freedom, and quarrels with his wife, whose
sweetness bores him. She patiently rocks her child's
cradle and sings him to rest. Suddenly Manru hears
the tones of a gypsy fiddle in the distance. He follows
the sound, and soon returns with an old gypsy, 'who
does his best to lure him back to his tribe. But once
more love and duty prevail ; and when Ulana sweetly
presents him the love-potion he drains it at one draught.
Immediately feeling the fire of the potent drug, he be-
comes cheerful, and receives his wife, who has adorned
herself with a wreath of flowers, with open arms.
In the third act Manru rushes out of the small close
hut. His intoxication is gone; he gasps for air and
freedom. Wearily he stretches himself on the ground
HISTORY AND GUIDE 255
and falls asleep. The full moon shines on him and
throws him into a trance, during which he rises to fol-
low the gypsy tribe, whose songs he hears. In this
state he is found by Asa, the gypsy Queen, who loves
him and at once claims him as her own.
But the tribe refuse to receive the apostate, and Oros,
their chief, pronounces a terrible anathema against
him. However, Asa prevails with her tribe to pardon
Manru. Oros in anger flings down his staff of office
and departs, and Manru is elected chief in his place.
Once more he hesitates, but Asa's beauty triumphs ; he
follows her and his own people.
At this moment Ulana appears. Seeing that her hus-
band has forsaken her, she implores Urok, who has
been present during the whole scene, to bring Manru
back to her. Alas! it is in vain. When Ulana sees
Manru climbing the mountain path arm in arm with
Asa, she drowns herself in the lake.
But Manru does not enjoy his treachery. Oros, hid-
den behind the rocks, is on the watch for him, and tear-
ing Asa from him, he precipitates his rival from the
rocks into the lake.
In this opera Paderewski has shown great skill in his
treatment of the story, which conveys the spirit of his
people as expressed in their songs and dances, and re-
veals the weird nature of the wandering tribes whose
music he likewise adapts with telling effect. In his
choice of the subject, no less than in the handling of it,
he displays a true talent for dramatic work.
256 THE OPERA
MARTHA
Comic Opera in four acts by Friedrich von Flotow.
Text by St. George and Friedrich.
T ADY HARRIET DURHAM, tired of the pleas-
^ ures and splendors of court, determines to seek
elsewhere for pastime, and hoping to find it in a sphere
different from her own, disguises herself and her con-
fidante Nancy as peasant girls, in which garb they
visit the fair at Richmond, accompanied by Lord Tris-
tan, who is hopelessly enamored of Lady Harriet and
unwillingly complies with her wish to escort them to
the adventure in the attire of a peasant. They join the
servant girls who are there to seek employment and
are hired by a tenant, Plunkett, and his foster-brother
Lionel, a youth of somewhat extraordinary behavior,
his air being noble and melancholy and much too re-
fined for a country squire, while the other, though
somewhat rough, is frank and jolly in his manner.
The disguised ladies take the handsel from them
without knowing that they are bound by it, until the
sheriff arrives to confirm the bargain. Now the joke
becomes reality and they hear that they are actually
hired as servants for a whole year.
Notwithstanding Lord Tristan's protestations, the
ladies are carried off by their masters, who know them
under the names of Martha and Julia.
In the second act we find the ladies in the company
of the tenants, who set them instantly to work. Of
course they are totally ignorant of household work,
and as their wheels will not go round, Plunkett shows
them how to spin. In his rough but kind way he
always commands and turns to Nancy, with whom he
HISTORY AND GUIDE 257
falls in love, but Lionel only asks softly when he wishes
anything done. He has lost his heart to Lady Harriet
and declares his love to her. Though she is pleased
by his gentle behavior, she is by no means willing to
accept a country squire and wounds him by mockery.
Meanwhile Plunkett has sought Nancy for the same
purpose, but she hides herself, and at last the girls are
sent to bed very anxious and perplexed at the turn
their adventure has taken. But Lord Tristan comes to
their rescue in a coach and they take flight, vainly pur-
sued by the tenants. Plunkett swears to catch and
punish them, but Lionel sinks into deep melancholy
from which nothing can arouse him.
In the third act we meet them at a court hunt, where
they recognize their hired servants in two of the lady
hunters. They assert their right, but the ladies dis-
own them haughtily, and when Lionel, whose reason
almost gives way under the burden of grief and shame
which overwhelms him at thinking himself deceived by
Martha, tells the whole story to the astonished court,
the ladies pronounce him insane and Lord Tristan
sends him to prison for his insolence, notwithstanding
Lady Harriet and Nancy's prayer for his pardon.
Lionel gives a ring to Plunkett, asking him to show
it to the Queen, his dying father having told him that
it would protect him from every danger.
In the fourth act Lady Harriet feels remorse for
the sad consequences of her haughtiness. She visits
the prisoner to crave his pardon. She tells him that
she has herself carried his ring to the Queen and that
he has been recognized by it as Lord Derby's son, once
banished from court, but whose innocence is now
proved.
258 THE OPERA
Then the proud lady offers hand and heart to Lionel,
but he rejects her, believing himself duped. Lady
Harriet, however, who loves Lionel, resolves to win
him against his will. She disappears, and dressing her-
self and Nancy in the former peasant's attire she goes
once more to the fair at Richmond, where Lionel is also
brought by his friend Plunkett He sees his beloved
Martha advance toward him, promising to renounce
all splendors and live only for him ; then his melancholy
vanishes, and he weds her, his name and possessions
being restored to him, while Plunkett obtains the hand
of pretty Nancy, alias Julia.
MASANIELLO, or LA MUETTE DE PORTICI
(The Dumb Girl of Portici)
Opera in five acts by Daniel F. E. Auber.
Text by Scribe.
T N the first act we witness the wedding of Alfonso,
* son of the viceroy of Naples, with the Spanish
princess Elvira. Alfonso, who has wronged Fenella,
the Neapolitan Masaniello's dumb sister, and aban-
doned her, is tormented by doubts and remorse, fear-
ing that she has committed suicide. During the festi-
val Fenella rushes in to seek protection from the vice-
roy, who has kept her a prisoner for the past month.
She has escaped from her prison and narrates the
story of her undoing by gestures, showing a scarf
which her lover gave her. Elvira promises to protect
her and proceeds to the altar, Fenella vainly trying to
follow. In the chapel Fenella recognizes her betrayer
in the bridegroom of Elvira. When the newly married
couple come out of the church, Elvira presents Fenella
HISTORY AND GUIDE 259
to her husband and discovers from the dumb girl's
gestures that he was her faithless lover. Fenella flees,
leaving Alfonso and Elvira in sorrow and despair.
'In the -second act the fishermen, who have been
brooding in silence over the tyranny of their foes, be-
gin to assemble. Pietro, Masaniello's friend, has
sought for Fenella in vain, but at length she appears of
her own accord and confesses her wrongs. Masaniello
is infuriated and swears to have revenge, but Fenella,
who still loves Alfonso, does not mention his name.
Then Masaniello calls the fishermen to arms and they
swear perdition to the enemy of their country.
In the third act we find ourselves in the market-place
in Naples where the people go to and fro, selling and
buying, all the while concealing their purpose under a
show of merriment and carelessness. Selva, the officer
of the viceroy's bodyguard, from whom Fenella has
escaped, discovers her, and the attempt to rearrest her
is the sign for a general revolt, in which the people are
victorious.
In the fourth act Fenella comes to her brother's
dwelling and describes the horrors which are taking
place in the town. The relation fills his noble soul
with sorrow and disgust. When Fenella has retired to
rest, Pietro enters with comrades and tries to excite
Masaniello to further deeds, but he only wants liberty
and shrinks from murder and cruelties.
They tell him that Alfonso has escaped and that they
are resolved to overtake and kill him. Fenella, who
hears all, decides to save her lover. At this moment
Alfonso begs at her door for a hiding-place. He en-
ters with Elvira, and Fenella, though at first disposed
to avenge herself on her rival, pardons her for Alfon-
260 THE OPERA
so's sake. Masaniello, reentering, assures the stran-
gers of his protection, and even when Pietro denounces
Alfonso as the viceroy's son he holds his promise
sacred. Pietro, with his fellow-conspirators, leaves
him full of rage and hatred. Meanwhile the magis-
trate of the city presents Masaniello with the royal
crown and he is proclaimed King of Naples.
In the fifth act we find Pietro with the other fisher-
men before the viceroy's palace. He confides to More-
no that he has administered poison to Masaniello in
order to punish him for his treason and that the King
of one day will soon die. While he speaks Borella
rushes in to tell of a fresh troop of soldiers marching
against the people with Alfonso at their head. Know-
ing that Masaniello alone can save them, the fishermen
entreat him to take the command of them once more,
and Masaniello, though deadly ill and half bereft of his
reason, complies with their request. The combat takes
place while an eruption of Vesuvius is going on.
Masaniello falls in the act of saving Elvira's life. On
hearing these terrible tidings Fenella rushes to the ter-
race, from, which she leaps into the abyss beneath,
while the fugitive noblemen again take possession of
the city.
MEPISTOFELE
Opera in four acts, with prologue and epilogue, by Arrigo
Boito.
TN the prologue Mefistofele is commanded to visit
" the earth, where he is to tempt the doctor and
philosopher Faust, who is self-satisfied in his own wis-
dom. The cherubim prostrate themselves before the
Most High, and the voices of repentant sinners are
HISTORY AND GUIDE 261
heard in prayer. Angelic voices swell the chorus,
which is full of beauty and strength.
The first act takes us to Frankfort on a festival day.
Bells are ringing in merry chorus. Soldiers, students,
and peasants mingle in the crowd, cheering as the elec-
tor appears. The peasants take partners for the dance,
and Faust enters with Wagner, a student. In the
crowd they observe a friar, clad in a gray robe, and
strangely sinister in appearance. Wherever they go
they find him at Faust's elbow. Finally Faust declares
that it must be the devil. To escape the man, Faust
returns to his study, but Mefistofele for the friar is
none other stands in a dark corner awaiting him,
Faust apostrophizes Nature, and, soothed by pastoral
musings, opens his Bible. The fiend, with a loud
scream, shows himself, but recovering, answers Faust's
questions as to his identity and his business there, by
proclaiming himself as the Evil One. His gray robe
falls from him, and he appears richly dressed. He is
ready to do Faust's bidding in exchange for his soul.
On his magic cloak Mefistofele carries the philosopher
away.
In the second act we see Faust and Marguerite walk-
ing arm in arm in a garden, while Mefistofele makes
violent love to Martha, Marguerite's mother, who is
greatly flattered. The lovers wander off under the
trees, and forget time and space, until Mefistofele re-
minds Faust that they must leave. The scene changes
to the Brocken. It is the Witches' Sabbath. The
witches dance and sing in weird revelry; they make in-
cantations, bringing before Faust a realistic picture of
Marguerite's sorrowful fate. Mefistofele receives
from them a crystal ball, which he balances on his hand,
262 THE OPERA
saying, "Behold the earth." To the sound of diabolic
music the witches disappear.
Act third shows Marguerite in prison. She has been
convicted of killing her child, and is about to be execu-
ted. She becomes insane, calling upon God for pardon.
Faust appears to take her away, but she scarcely under-
stands his words. The day breaks, and Mefistofele
summons Faust to depart, just as Marguerite falls back
dead. Angelic voices chant of pardon and peace.
In the fourth act we are taken to the banks of a river
in Greece. Here Faust and Mefistofele meet Pantalis
and Helen of Troy, to whom Faust makes ardent love.
Helen dramatically describes the fall of Troy, and the
tragic events to which it gave rise. A change of scene
introduces the epilogue. Faust is in his study consid-
ering his past life, which he regrets bitterly. Mefisto-
fele, appearing once more, offers to transport him on
his cloak anywhere he desires to go. Faust refuses to
accompany him, and angel voices are heard as in the
prologue and in the third act. Baffled, the fiend sur-
rounds Faust with voluptuous women, who tempt him
with every art in their power. Once more the philos-
opher opens his Bible, and therein reads that the vilest
sinner if repentant can be saved. He prays fervently
for protection from evil, and dies. Roses cover his
body in token of Heaven's forgiveness. Mefistofele
vanishes, utterly discomfited. In a magnificent finale
angelic voices proclaim that the powers of evil are van-
quished, and Faust receives his pardon.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 263
DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NURNBERG
(The Mastersingers of Nuremberg)
Opera in three acts by Richard Wagner.
TN the first act we see St. Catherine's Church in
A Nuremberg, where divine service is being cele-
brated in preparation for St. John's day. Eva, the
lovely daughter of Master Pogner the jeweler, sees the
young knight Walther von Stoking, who has fallen in
love with Eva and who has sold his castle in Franconia
to become a citizen of Nuremberg. She tells him that
her hand is promised to the winner of the prize in the
mastersingers' contest, to be held the next morning.
We are now called to witness one of those ancient
customs still sometimes practised in old German
towns. The mastersingers appear and the apprentices
prepare everything needful for them. Walther asks
one of them, called David, an apprentice of Hans
Sachs, what he will have to do in order to compete for
the prize. He has not learned poetry as a profession
like those worthy workmen, and David vainly tries to
initiate him into their old-fashioned rhyming. Walther
leaves him, determined to win the prize after his own
fashion.
Pogner appears with Beckmesser the clerk, who has
the wish to be his son-in-law. Beckmesser is so in-
fatuated that he does not doubt of his success. Mean-
while Walther comes up to them, entreating them to
admit him into their corporation as a mastersinger.
Pogner consents, but Beckmesser grumbles, not at
all liking to have a nobleman among them. When all
are assembled, Pogner declares his intention of giving
264 THE OPERA
his daughter to the winner of the contest on the day
of St. John's festival, and all applaud his resolution,
Eva herself may refuse him, but never is she to wed
another than a crowned mastersinger. Sachs, who
loves Eva as his own child, seeks to change her father's
resolution, at the same time proposing to let the people
choose in the matter of the prize, but he is silenced by
his colleagues. They now want to know where Wai-
ther has learned- the art of poetry and song, and as he
designates the book of Walther von der Vogelweide,
they shrug their shoulders.
He begins at once to give a proof of his art, prais-
ing Spring in a song thrilling with melody. Beckmes-
ser interrupts him; he has marked the rhymes on the
black tablet, but they are new and unintelligible to this
dry verse-maker, and he will not let them pass. The
others share his opinion ; only Sachs differs with them,
remarking that Walther' s song, though not after the
old rules of Nuremberg, is justified all the same, and
so Walther is allowed to finish it, which he does with a
bold mockery of the vain poets, comparing them to
crows oversounding a singing-bird. Sachs alone feels
that Walther is a true poet.
In the second act David the apprentice tells Magda-
lene, Eva's nurse, that the new singer did not succeed,
at which she is honestly grieved, preferring the gal-
lant younker for her mistress to the old and ridiculous
clerk. The old maid loves David; she provides him
with food and sweets, and many are the railleries which
he has to suffer from his companions in consequence.
Evening coming on, we see Sachs in his open work-
shop ; Eva, his darling, is in confidential talk with him.
She is anxious about to-morrow, and rather than wed
HISTORY AND GUIDE 265
Beckmesser she would marry Sachs, whom she loves
and honors as a father. Sachs is a widower, but he
rightly sees through her schemes and resolves to help
the lovers.
It has now grown quite dark and Walther comes to
see Eva, but they have not sat long together when the
sounds of a lute are heard.
It is Beckmesser trying to serenade Eva, but Sachs
interrupts him by singing himself, and thus excites
Beckmesser's wrath and despair. At last r window
opens and Beckmesser, taking Magdalene for Eva,
addresses her in louder and louder tones, Sachs all the
time beating the measure on a shoe. The neighboring
windows open, there is a general alarm, and David,
seeing Magdalene at the window apparently listening
to Beckmesser, steals behind this unfortunate minstre^
and begins to slap him. In the uproar which now
follows, Walther vainly tries to escape from his refuge
under the lime-tree, but Sachs comes to his rescue and
takes him into his own workshop, while he pushes Eva
unseen into her father's house, the door of which has
just been opened by Pogner.
In the third act we find Sachs in his room. Walther
enters, thanking him heartily for the night's shelter.
Sachs kindly shows him the rules of poetry, encourag-
ing him to try his luck once more. Walther begins
and quite charms Sachs with his love-song. After they
have left the room, Beckmesser enters and, reading the
poetry which Sachs wrote down, violently charges the
shoemaker with wooing Eva himself. Sachs denies it
and allows Beckmesser to keep the paper. The latter,
who has vainly ransacked his brains for a new song, is
full of joy, hoping to win the prize with it.
266 THE OPERA
When he is gone Eva slips in to get her shoes, and
she sees Walther stepping out of his dormitory in
brilliant array. He has found a third stanza to his
song, which he at once produces. They all proceed to
the place where the festival is to be held, and Beck-
messer is the first to try his fortunes, which he does by
singing the stolen song. He sadly muddles both mel-
ody and words, and being laughed at, he charges Sachs
with treachery, but Sachs quietly denies the authorship,
pushing forward Walther, who now sings his stanzas
inspired by love and poetry. It is needless to say that
he wins the hearers' hearts as he has won those of
Eva and Sachs, and that Pogner does not deny him his
beloved daughter's hand.
MIGNON
Opera in three acts by Ambroise Thomas.
Text by Barbier and Carre, based on Goethe's "Wilhelm
Meister,"
first two acts take place in Germany. Lo-
thario, a half-demented old man, poorly clad as a
wandering minstrel, seeks his lost daughter Sperata.
Mignon comes with a band of gypsies, who abuse her
because she refuses to dance. Lothario advances to
protect her, but Jarno, the chief of the troop, only
scorns him, until a student, Wilhelm Meister, steps
forth and rescues her, a young actress named Philine
compensating the gypsy for his loss by giving him all
her loose cash. Mignon, grateful for the rescue, falls
in love with Wilhelm and wants to follow and serve
him, but the young man, though delighted with her
loveliness and humility, is not aware of her love.
Nevertheless he takes her with him. He is of good
HISTORY AND GUIDE 267
family, but by a whim just now stays with a troop of
comedians, to whom he takes his protegee.
The coquette Philine loves Wilhelm and has com-
pletely enthralled him by her arts and graces. She
awakes bitter jealousy in Mignon, who tries to drown
herself but is hindered by the sweet strains of Lo-
thario's harp, which appeal to the noble feelings of her
nature. The latter always keeps near her, watching
over the lovely child. He instinctively feels himself
attracted toward her; she recalls his lost daughter to
him and he sees her as abandoned and lonely as him-
self. Mignon, hearing how celebrated Philine is,
wishes that the palace, within which Philine plays,
might be struck by lightning, and Lothario at once sets
the house on fire.
While the guests rush into the garden, Philine orders
Mignon to bring her nosegay, the same flowers which
the thoughtless youth offered to his mistress Philine.
Mignon, reproaching herself for her sinful wish, at
once flies into the burning house, and only afterward
does her friend Laertes perceive that the theater has
caught fire too. Everybody thinks Mignon lost, but
Wilhelm, rushing into the flames, is happy enough to
rescue her.
The third act carries us to Italy, where the sick Mi-
gnon has been brought. Wilhelm, having discovered
her love, which she reveals in her delirium, vows to
live only for her. Lothario, no longer a minstrel, re-
ceives them as the owner of the palace, from which
he had been absent since the loss of his daughter.
While he shows Mignon the relics of the past, a scarf
and a bracelet of corals are suddenly recognized by
her. She begins to remember her infantine prayers,
268 THE OPERA
she recognizes the hall with the marble statues and her
mother's picture on the wall. With rapture Lothario
embraces his long-lost Sperata. But Mignon's jealous
love has found out that Philine followed her, and she
knows no peace until Wilhelm has proved to her
satisfaction that he loves her best.
At last Philine graciously renounces Wilhelm and
turns to Friedrich, one of her many adorers, whom to
his own great surprise she designates as her future
husband. Mignon at last openly avows her passion
for Wilhelm. The people, hearing of the arrival of
their master, the Marquis of Cipriani, alias Lothario,
come to greet him with loud acclamations of joy, which
grow still louder when he presents to them his daughter
Sperata and Wilhelm, her chosen husband.
NORMA
Tragic Opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini.
Text by Romani.
XT ORMA, daughter of Orovist, chief of the druids
^ ^ and high priestess herself, has broken her vows
and secretly married Pollio, the Roman proconsul.
They have two children. But Pollio's love has van-
ished. In the first act he confides to his companion Fla-
vius that he is enamored of Adalgisa, a young priestess
in the temple of Irminsul, the druids' god.
Norma, whose secret nobody knows but her friend
Clotilde, is worshiped by the people, being the only one
able to interpret the oracles of their god. She prophe-
sies Rome's fall, which she declares will be brought
about not by the prowess of Gallic warriors but by its
own weakness. She sends away the people to invoke
alone the benediction of the god. When she also is
HISTORY AND GUIDE 269
gone, Adalgisa appears, and is persuaded by Pollio to
flee with him to Rome. But remorse and fear induce
her to confess her sinful love to Norma, whom she, like
the others, adores. Norma, however, seeing the resem-
blance to her own fate, promises to release her from
her vows and give her back to the world and to happi-
ness, but hearing from Adalgisa the name of her lover,
who just then approaches, she of course reviles the
traitor, telling the poor young maiden that Pollio is her
own spouse. The latter defies her, but she bids him
leave. Though as he goes he begs Adalgisa to follow
him, the young priestess turns from the faithless lover
and craves Norma's pardon for the offense she has un-
wittingly been guilty of.
In the second act Norma, full of despair at Pollio's
treason, resolves to kill her sleeping boys. But they
awake and the mother's heart shudders as she thinks
of her purpose ; then she calls for Clotilde and bids her
bring Adalgisa.
When she appears Norma entreats her to be a mother
to her children and to take them to their father Pollio,
because she has determined to free herself from shame
and sorrow by a voluntary death. But the noble-
hearted Adalgisa will not hear of this sacrifice. She
promises to bring Pollio back to his first love. After a
touching duet, in which they swear eternal friendship
to each other, Norma takes courage again. Her hopes
are vain, however, for Clotilde enters to tell her that
Adalgisa's prayers were of no avail. Norma, distrust-
ing her rival, calls her people to arms against the
Romans and gives orders to prepare the funeral pile
for the sacrifice. The victim is to be Pollio, who was
captured in the act of carrying Adalgisa off by force.
270 THE OPERA
Norma orders her father and the Gauls away that she
may speak alone with Pollio, to whom she promises
safety if he will renounce Adalgisa and return to her
and to her children. But Pollio, whose only thought is
of Adalgisa, pleads for her and for his own death.
Norma, denying it to him, calls the priests of the tem-
ple to denounce as victim a priestess, who, forgetting
her sacred vows, has entertained a sinful passion in
her bosom and betrayed the gods. Then she firmly tells
them that she herself is this faithless creature, but to
her father alone does she reveal the existence of her
children.
Pollio, recognizing the greatness of her character,
which impels her to sacrifice her own life in order to
save him and her rival, feels his love for Norma re-
vive, and stepping forth from the crowd of spectators,
he takes his place beside her on the funeral pile. Both
commend their children to Norma's father Orovist,
who finally pardons the poor victims.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO
(The Marriage of Figaro)
Comic Opera in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Text by Da Ponte.
ALMA VIVA, though married to Rosina
-" and loving her ardently, cannot bring himself to
cease playing the role of a gallant cavalier; he likes
pretty women wherever he finds them, and notwith-
standing his high moral principles, is carrying on a flir-
tation with Rosina's maid, the charming Susanna. This
does not hinder him from being jealous of his wife, who
is here represented as a character both sweet and pas-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 271
sive. He suspects her of being overfond of her page,
Cherubino. From the bystanders, Doctor Bartolo and
Marcellina, we hear that their old hearts have not yet
ceased to glow at the touch of youth and love ; Bartolo
would fain give his affections to Susanna, while Mar-
cellina pretends to have claims on Figaro. These are
the materials which are so dexterously woven into the
complicated plot and furnish so many funny passages.
In the second act we find Cherubino in the rooms of
the Countess, who, innocent and pure herself, sees in
him only a child ; but this youth has a passionate heart
and he loves his mistress ardently. Mistress and maid
have amused themselves with Cherubino, putting him
into women's dresses. The Count, rendered suspicious
by a letter, given to him by Basilio, bids his wife open
her door. The women, afraid of his jealousy, detain
him a while, and only open the door when Cherubino
has got safely through the window and away over the
flower-beds. The Count, entering full of wrath, finds
only Susanna with his wife. Ashamed of his suspi-
cions, he asks her pardon and swears never to be
jealous again. All blame in the matter of the letter is
put on Figaro's shoulders, but this cunning fellow lies
boldly, and the Count cannot get the clue to the mys-
tery. Figaro and Susanna, profiting by the occasion,
entreat the Count at last to consent to their wedding,
which he has always put off. At this moment the gar-
dener Antonio enters, complaining of the spoiled
flower-beds. Figaro, taking all upon himself, owns
that he sprang out of the window, having had an inter-
view with Susanna and fearing the Count's anger. All
deem themselves saved, when Antonio presents a docu-
ment which the fugitive has lost. The Count, not quite
272 THE OPERA
convinced, asks Figaro to tell him the contents; but
the latter, never at a loss, and discovering that it is the
page's patent, says that the document was given to him
by the page, the seal having been forgotten. The Count
is about to let him off, when Bartolo appears with
Marcellina, who claims a matrimonial engagement with
Figaro. Her claim is favored by the Count, who wishes
to see Susanna unmarried. Out of this strait, how-
ever, they are delivered by finding that Figaro is the
son of the old couple, the child of their early love; and
all again promises well. But the Countess and Susanna
have prepared a little punishment for the jealous hus-
band as well as for the flighty lover.
They have both written letters in which they ask the
men to an interview in the garden. Susanna's letter
goes to the Count, Rosina's to Figaro. Under cover
of night each of the two women meets her own lover,
but Susanna wears the Countess's dress, while Rosina
has arrayed herself in Susanna's clothes.
The Countess, not usually given to such tricks, is
very anxious. While she awaits her husband, Cheru-
bino approaches, and taking her for Susanna he, like
a little Don Juan as he is, makes love to her. Hearing
the Count's steps, he disappears. Almaviva caresses
the seeming Susanna, telling her nice things and giving
her a ring, which she accepts. They are observed by
the other couple, and the sly Figaro, who has recog-
nized Susanna notwithstanding her disguise, denounces
the Count to her, vows eternal love, and generally
makes his bride burn with wrath. In her anger she
boxes his ears, upon which he confesses to having
known her from the first, and at once restores her good
humor.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 273
Seeing the Count approach, they continue to play
their former roles, and the false Countess makes love
to Figaro, till the Count accosts her as "traitress." For
a while she lets him suffer all the tortures of jealousy,
then the lights appear and the Count stands ashamed
before his lovely wife, recognizing his mistake. The
gentle Countess forgives him, and the repenting hus-
band swears eternal fidelity. He speedily unites the
lovers Figaro and Susanna, and forgives even the little
page Cherubino.
DIE NURNBERGER PUPPE
(The Nuremberg Doll)
Comic Opera in one act by Adolphe Charles Adam.
Text by Leuven and Beauplan.
T^HE scene takes place in a toy-shop at Nuremberg.
Cornelius, the owner, has an only son, Benjamin,
whom he dearly loves notwithstanding his stupidity;
while he is most unjust to his orphan nephew, Hem-
rich, whom he keeps like a servant after having mis-
appropriated the latter's inheritance.
The old miser wants to procure a wife for his dar-
ling, a wife endowed with beauty and every virtue; and
as he is persuaded that such a paragon does not exist
in life, he has constructed a splendid doll which he
hopes to endow with life by the help of Doctor Faust's
magic-book.
He only awaits a stormy night for executing his de-
sign. Meanwhile he enjoys life, and when presented
to us is just going with Benjamin to a masked ball,
after Sending at the same time his nephew supperless
to bed. When they have left, Heinrich reappears in
274 THE OPERA
the garb of Mephistopheles. He claps his hands and
his fiancee Bertha, a poor seamstress, soon enters.
Sadly she tells her lover that she is unable to go to
the ball, having given all her money, which she had
meant to spend on a dress, to a poor starving beggar-
woman in the street.
Heinrich, touched by his love's tender heart, good-
humoredly determines to lay aside his mask, in order
to stay at home with Bertha, when suddenly a bright
idea strikes him. Remembering the doll, which his
uncle hides so carefully in his closet, which has, how-
ever, long been spied out by Heinrich, he shows it to
Bertha, who delightedly slips into the doll's beautiful
clothes, which fit her admirably.
Unfortunately Cornelius and his son are heard re-
turning while Bertha is still absent dressing. The night
has grown stormy, and the old man deems it favorable
for his design ; so he at once proceeds to open Faust's
book and to begin the charm.
Heinrich, who has hardly had time to hide himself
in the chimney, is driven out by his cousin's attempts
to light a fire. He leaps down into the room and the
terrified couple take him for no other than the devil in
person, Heinrich wearing his mask and being besides
blackened by soot from the chimney. Perceiving his
uncle's terror, he profits by it, and at once beginning a
conjuration he summons the doll, that is to say, Bertha
in the doll's dress. Father and son are delighted by
her performances, but when she opens her mouth and
reveals a very willful and wayward character, Corne-
lius is less charmed. The doll peremptorily asks for
food, and Mephistopheles indicates that it is to be
found in the kitchen. While the worthy pair go to
HISTORY AND GUIDE 275
bring it, Mephistopheles, hastily exchanging words
with his lady-love, vanishes into his sleeping-room.
The doll now begins to lead a dance which makes the
toymaker's hair stand on end. She first throws the
whole supper out of the window, following it with
plate, crockery, toys, etc. Then, taking a drum, she
begins to drill them, slapping their ears, mouths, and
cheeks as soon as they try to approach her.
At last, when they are quite worn out, she flies into
the closet. But now the father's spirit is roused, he
resolves to destroy his and the devil's work ; however,
he is hindered by Heinrich, who now makes his ap-
pearance and seems greatly astonished at the uproar
and disorder he finds in the middle of the night. He
only wants to gain time for Bertha to undress and then
escape.
Resolutely the old man walks into the closet to slay
the doll. But he returns pale and trembling, having
destroyed her while asleep and believing to have seen
her spirit escape through the window with fiendish
laughter. Yet, awed by his deed, he sees Heinrich re-
turning, who confesses to his uncle that he has found
out his secret about the doll, and that, having acciden-
tally broken it, he has substituted a young girl. Cor-
nelius, half dead with fright, sees himself already ac-
cused of murder; his only salvation seems to lie in his
nephew's silence and instant flight. Heinrich is will-
ing to leave the country provided his uncle give him
back his heritage, which consists of 10,000 thalers.
After some vain remonstrances the old man gives him
the gold. Heinrich, having gained his ends, now intro-
duces Bertha, and the wicked old fool and his son see
that they have been the dupes of the clever nephew.
276 THE OPERA
OBERON
Romantic Opera in three acts by Karl Maria von Weber.
English text by Planch e.
TN the first act we find Oberon, the elf-king, in
^ deep melancholy, which no gaiety of his subjects,
however charming, avails to remove. He has quarreled
with his wife Titania, and both have vowed never to be
reconciled until they find a pair of lovers faithful to
each other in all kinds of adversity. Both long for the
reunion, but the constant lovers are not to be found.
Oberon's most devoted servant is little Puck, who
has vainly roved over the world to find what his master
needs. He has, however, heard of a valiant knight in
Burgundy, Huon, who has killed Carloman, the son of
Charlemagne, in a duel, having been insulted by him.
Charlemagne, not willing to take his life for a deed of
defense, orders him to go to Bagdad, to slay the favor-
ite, sitting to the left of the Calif, and to wed the
Calif's daughter Rezia. Puck resolves to make this
pair suit his ends. He tells Oberon the above-men-
tioned story, and by means of his lily-scepter shows
Huon and Rezia to him. At the same time these two
behold each other in a vision, so that when they awake
both are deeply in love.
Oberon wakes Huon and his faithful shield-bearer
Scherasmin, and promises, his help in every time of
need. He presents Huon with a magic horn, which will
summon him at any time ; Scherasmin receives a cup,
which fills with wine of itself. Then he immediately
transports them to Bagdad.
There we find Rezia with her Arabian maid Fatima.
The Calif's daughter is to wed Babekan, a Persian
HISTORY AND GUIDE 277
prince, but she has hated him ever since she saw Huon
in her vision. Fatima has discovered the arrival of
Huon. It is high time, for in the beginning of the
second act we see the Calif with Babekan, who wants
to celebrate the nuptials at once. Rezia enters, but at
the same time Huon advances, recognizing in Rezia the
fair one of his dream. He fights and stabs Babekan.
The Turks attack him, but Scherasmin blows his magic
horn and compels them to dance and laugh, until the
fugitives have escaped.
In the forest they are overtaken, but Huon and
Schef asmin, who has come after his master with Fati-
ma, put the pursuers to flight.
Oberon now appears to the lovers, and makes them
promise upon oath that they will remain faithful to
each other under every temptation. He immediately
after transports them to the port of Ascalon, from
which they are to sail homeward. Oberon now puts
their constancy to the proof. Puck conjures up the
nymphs and the spirits of the air, who raise an awful
tempest. Huon's ship sinks; the lovers are ship-
wrecked. While Huon seeks for help, Rezia is cap-
tured by the pirates, and Huon, returning to save her,
is wounded and left senseless on the beach. Oberon
now causes him to fall into a magic sleep, which is to
last seven days.
In the third act we find Scherasmin and his bride,
Fatima, in Tunis dressed as poor gardeners. A cor-
sair has saved the shipwrecked and sold them as slaves
to the Emir of Tunis. Though poor and in captivity,
they do not lose courage and are happy that they are
permitted to bear their hard lot together.
Meanwhile the seven days of Huon's sleep have
278 THE OPERA
passed. Awaking, he finds himself, to his astonish-
ment, in Tunis, in the Emir's garden, with his servant
beside him, who is not less astonished at finding his
master.
Fatima, coming back, relates that she has discovered
Rezia in the Emir's harem. Huon, who finds a nose-
gay with a message which bids him come to the myrtle-
bower during the night, believes that it comes from
Rezia and is full of joy at the idea of meeting his
bride. Great is his terror when the lady puts aside her
veil and he sees Roschana, the Emir's wife. She has
fallen in love with the noble knight, whom she saw in
the garden, but all her desires are in vain ; he loathes
her and is about to escape, wtien Emir enters, captures
him, and sentences him to be consumed by fire. Ros-
chana is to be drowned. Rezia, hearing of her lover's
fate, implores the Emir to pardon him. But she has
already offended him by her unwillingness to listen to
his protestations of love, and when he hears that Huon
is her husband, he condemns them to be burned to-
gether. Their trials, however, are nearing their end.
Scherasmin has regained his long-lost horn, by means
of which he casts a spell on everybody, until, blowing it
with all his might, he calls Oberon to their aid. The
elf-king appears accompanied by Queen Titania,
who is now happily reconciled to him, and thanking the
lovers for their constancy, he brings them safely back
to Paris, where Charlemagne holds his court. The
Emperor's wrath is now gone and he warmly welcomes
Sir Huon with his lovely bride, promising them honor
and glory for their future days.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 279
ORFEO ED EURIDICE
Opera in three acts by Christoph Willibald Gluck.
Text by Calzabigi.
(Orpheus), the Greek legendary musician
and singer, has lost his wife Euridice. His mourn-
ful songs fill the groves where he laments, and with
them he touches the hearts not only of his friends but
of the gods. On his wife's grave Amor appears to
him and bids him descend into Hades, where he is to
move the Furies and the Elysian shadows with his
sweet melodies, and win back from them his lost wife.
He is to recover her on a condition, which is, that he
never casts a look on her on their return to earth;
for if he fails in this, Euridice will be forever lost
to him.
Taking his lyre and casque Orfeo promises obedi-
ence, and with new hope sallies forth on his mission.
The second act represents the gates of Erebus, from
which flames arise. Orfeo is surrounded by furies
and demons, who try to frighten him ; but he, nothing
daunted, mollifies them by his sweet strains and they
set free the passage to Elysium, where Orfeo has to
win the happy shadows. He beholds Euridice among
them, veiled ; the happy shadows readily surrender her
to him, escorting the pair to the gates of their happy
vale.
The third act beholds the spouses on their way back
to earth. Orfeo holds Euridice by the hand, drawing
the reluctant wife on, but without raising his eyes to
her face ; on and on through the winding and obscure
paths which lead out of the infernal regions. Not-
his protestations of love and his urgent
280 THE OPERA
demands to her to follow him, Euridice never ceases
to implore him to cast a single look on her, threatening
him with her death should he not fulfill her wish. Or-
feo, forbidden to tell her the reason of his strange be-
havior, long remains deaf to her cruel complaints, but
at last he yields and looks back, only to see her expire
under his gaze. Overwhelmed by grief and despair
Orfeo draws his sword to destroy himself, when Amor
appears and stays the fatal stroke.
In pity for Orfeo's love and constancy he reanimates
Euridice (contrary, however, to the letter of the Greek
tragedy), and the act closes with a beautiful chorus
sung in Amor's praise.
OTELLO
Opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi.
Text by Boito.
HP HE first scene represents the people following ex-
* citedly the course of the ship that bears Otello
(Othello), which battles with the waves. After he has
landed and informed the assembly of his victory over
the Turks, shouts of joy and exultation rend the air.
Then follows a convivial chat between Cassio, Rod-
rigo, and lago, in the course of which the latter makes
Cassio drunk. lago's demoniacal nature is masterful-
ly depicted here, where he soon succeeds in ruining
Cassio, who loses his rank as captain.
In the third scene we see Desdemona with her hus-
band, both rejoicing in the felicity of their mutual love.
In the second act lago proceeds to carry out his evil
intents, by sending Cassio to Desdemona, who is to
intercede for him with Otello. lago then calls Otello's
HISTORY AND GUIDE 281
attention to the retiring Cassio, and by making vile in-
sinuations inflames his deadly jealousy. Desdemona
appears, surrounded by women and children, who offer
her flowers and presents. She comes forward to plead
for Cassio, and Otello suspiciously refuses. She takes
out her handkerchief to cool her husband's aching fore-
head with it, but he throws it down and Emilia, lago's
wife, picks it up. lago wrenches it from her and hides
it.
In the next scene lago's villainous insinuations work
upon Otello, who becomes wildly suspicious. lago re-
lates a dream of Cassio's, in which he reveals his love
for Desdemona, then he hints that he has seen Otello's
first love-token, her lace handkerchief, in Cassio's
hands, and both swear to avenge Desdemona's infi-
delity.
In the third act Otello, pretending to have a head-
ache, asks for Desdemona's lace handkerchief. She
has lost it, she tells him, but he is incredulous and
charges her with infidelity. All her protests are use-
less, and at length he forces her to retire. Mean-
while lago has brought Cassio and urges Otello to hide
himself. Cassio has a lady-love named Bianca, and
of her they speak, but lago dexterously turns the dia-
logue so as to make Otello believe that they are speak-
ing of his wife. His jealousy reaches its climax when
Cassio draws forth Desdemona's handkerchief, which
lago has deposited in Cassio's house. All his doubts
now seem to be confirmed. A cannon-shot announcing
the arrival of a galley interrupts the conversation and
Cassio quickly leaves.
In the following scene lago advises Otello to strangle
his wife. Otello consents, and gives lago a captaincy.
282 THE OPERA
Lodovico, an ambassador of Venice, arrives, with
other nobles, to greet their liberator Otello. Desde-
mona once more asks pardon for Cassio, but is rough-
ly rebuked by her husband. Otello reads the order
which has been brought to him, and tells Cassio that
he is to be general in his stead by will of the Doge
of Venice; but while Cassio is confounded by this
sudden change of fortune, lago secretly vows his
death, instigating his rival Rodrigo to kill him. At last
Otello faints, overcome by conflicting emotions.
In the fourth act Desdemona, filled with sad forebod-
ings, takes a touching farewell of Emilia. When she
has ended her fervent prayer (one of the most beauti-
ful things in the opera), she falls into a peaceful slum-
ber. Otello wakes her with a kiss, and tells her im-
mediately thereafter that she must die. She protests
her innocence, but in vain, for Otello, telling her that
Cassio can speak no more, smothers her. Hardly has
he completed his ghastly work than Emilia comes up,
announcing that Rodrigo has been killed by Cassio.
Desdemona with her dying breath once more asserts
her innocence, while Emilia loudly screams for help.
When the others appear, Emilia discovers her hus-
hand's villainy. lago flees, and Otello stabs himself at
the feet of his innocent spouse.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 283
I PAGLIACCI
(The Players)
Musical Drama in two acts, with a prologue, by Ruggiero
Leoncavallo.
T N the prologue, a wonderful piece of music, Tonio,
-* the clown, announces to the public the deep tragic
sense which often is hidden behind a farce, and pre-
pares them for the sad end of the lovers in this comedy.
The introduction, with its wonderful largo, is like a
mournful lamentation ; then the curtain opens, show-
ing the entry of a troop of wandering actors, so com-
mon in Southern Italy. They are received with high
glee by the peasants, and Canio, the owner of the troop,
invites them all to the evening's play. Canio looks
somewhat gloomy, and he very much resents the taunts
of the peasants, who court his beautiful wife Nedda
and make remarks about the clown's attentions to her.
Nevertheless Canio gives way to his friends' invitation
for a glass of wine, and he takes leave of his wife with
a kiss, which, however, does not quite restore her
peace of mind, Nedda's conscience being somewhat
disturbed. But soon she casts aside all evil forebodings
and vies with the birds in warbling pretty songs, which,
though reminding the hearer of Wagner's Siegfried,
are of surpassing harmony and sweetness. Tonio spy-
ing the moment to find Nedda alone, approaches her
with a declaration of love, but she haughtily turns from
him, and as he only grows more obtrusive and even
tries to embrace her, she seizes a whip and slaps him
in the face. Provoked to fury, he swears to avenge
himself. Hardly has he turned away when the peasant
Silvio appears on the wall. He is Nedda's lover, and,
284 THE OPERA
having seen Canio sitting in the tavern, he entreats
Nedda to separate herself from the husband she never
loved and take flight with him. Nedda hesitates be-
tween duty and passion, and at last the latter prevails
and she sinks into his arms. This love-duet is wonder-
ful in style and harmony. Tonio unfortunately has
spied out the lovers and returns with Canio. But, on
perceiving the latter's approach, Silvio has leaped over
the wall, his sweetheart's body covering his own person
so that Canio is unable to recognize his rival ; he once
more reminds Nedda to be ready that night, and then
takes flight. With an inarticulate cry Canio rushes
after him, and Nedda falls on her knees to pray for
her lover's escape, while Tonio triumphs over her
misery. The husband, however, returns defeated;
panting, he claims the lover's name, and Nedda's lips
remaining sealed he is about to stab his wife when
Beppo (Harlequin) intervenes. Wrenching the dag-
ger from his unfortunate master's hands, he intimates
that it is time to prepare for the play. While Nedda
retires Canio breaks out into a bitter wail over his
hard lot, which compels him to take part in the farce,
which for him is bitter reality. With this air the tragic
height of the opera is reached.
In the second act the spectators throng before the
small stage, each of them eager to get the best seat.
Nedda appears dressed as Columbine, and while she is
collecting the money she finds time to warn Silvio
of her husband's wrath. The curtain opens and Ned-
da is seen alone on the stage listening to the sentimen-
tal songs of Harlequin, her lover in the play. Before
she has given him the sign to enter, Tonio, in the
play called Taddeo, the fool, enters, bringing the food
HISTORY AND GUIDE 285
which his mistress has ordered for herself and Harle-
quin. Just as it really happened in the morning, the
poor fool now makes love to her in play ; but when
scornfully repulsed he humbly retires, swearing to
the goodness and pureness of his lady-love. Harle-
quin entering through the window, the two begin
to dine merrily, but Taddeo reenters, in mocking
fright, to announce the arrival of the husband. Canio,
however, is in terrible earnest, and when he hoarsely
exacts the lover's name the lookers-on, who hitherto
have heartily applauded every scene, begin to feel the
awful tragedy hidden behind the comedy.
Nedda remains outwardly calm, and mockingly she
names innocent Harlequin as the one who had dined
with her. Then Canio begins by reminding her how
he found her in the street a poor waif and stray, whom
he nursed, petted, and loved, and Nedda remaining
cold, his wrath rises to fury and he wildly curses her,
shrieking, "The name, I will know his name 1" But
Nedda, though false, is no traitress. "Should it cost
my life I will never betray him !" she cries, at the same
time trying to save her life by hurrying from the stage
among the spectators. Too late, alas ! Canio already
has reached and stabbed her, and Silvio, who rushes
forward, also receives his death-stroke from the hands
of the deceived husband, who has heard his name slip
from the dying lips of his wife. All around stand
petrified; nobody dares to touch the avenger of his
honor, who stands by his wife's corpse limp and
broken-hearted. "Go," says he, "go, the farce is
ended."
286 THE OPERA
PARSIFAL
Consecrational Stage Festival Drama by Richard Wagner.
last, and in the opinion of the composer and
*- his family, the greatest of Wagner's compositions,
was intended exclusively for the Festspielhaus in Bay-
reuth, where the stage equipment was especially de-
signed to permit of complete fidelity to the master's
directions as to its performance. For years "Parsi-
fal" continued to draw pilgrims from every part of
Europe and America to the little Bavarian town, and
had the terms of Wagner's will been obeyed, it would
have remained unknown, save to these pilgrims, until
1913. But American enterprise had not been reckoned
with. Heinrich Conried, in 1903, found this work an
excellent medium for drawing the attention of the
whole musical world to the Metropolitan Opera House
in New York. There followed litigation, protests from
the Wagner family, and attacks from the pulpit, and
when Conried had sold out his house with the stalls
at $10, seats were sold at a premium as high as $85 ;
Then Henry W. Savage gave an excellent production
in English, and in two years' time America knew its
"Parsifal" as well as its "Mikado."
The first scene is laid in a forest on the grounds of
the keepers of the Grail near Castle Monsalvat Old
Gurnemanz awakes two young squires for their morn-
ing prayer, and bids two knights prepare a bath for the
sick King Amfortas, who suffers cruelly from a
wound, dealt him by the sorcerer Klingsor, the deadly
foe of the Holy Grail. The Grail is a sacred cup,
from which Christ drank at the last Passover, and
which also received his blood. Titurel, Amfortas's
HISTORY AND GUIDE 287
father, has built the castle to shield it, and appointed
holy men for its service. While Gurnemanz speaks
with the knights about their poor master's sufferings,
in rushes Kundry, a sorceress in Klingsor's service,
condemned to laugh eternally as a punishment for
having derided Christ while he was suffering on the
cross. She it was who with her beauty seduced Am-
fortas and deprived him of his holy strength, so that
Klingsor was enabled to wrest from the King his holy
spear Longinus, with which he afterward wounded
him. Kundry is in the garb of a servant of the Grail ;
she brings balm for the King, who is carried on to the
stage in a litter, but it avails him not : "a guileless fool"
with a child's pure heart, who will bring back the holy
spear and touch him with it, can alone heal his wound.
Suddenly a dying swan sinks to the ground, and
Parsifal, a young knight, appears. Gurnemanz re-
proaches him severely for having shot the bird, but he
appears to be quite ignorant of the fact that it was
wrong, and, when questioned, proves to know nothing
about his own origin. He only knows his mother's
name "Herzeleid" (heart-break), and Kundry, who
recognizes him, relates that his father Gamuret per-
ished in battle, and that his mother reared him, a
guileless fool, in the desert. When Kundry mentions
that his mother is dead and has sent her last blessing
to her son, Parsifal is almost stunned by this, his
first grief. Gurnemanz conducts him to the castle,
where the Knights of the Grail are assembled in a
lofty hall. Amfortas is laid on a raised couch, and
from behind Titurel's voice is heard imploring his son
to efface his guilt in godly works. Amfortas, writhing
with pain, is comforted by the prophecy :
288 THE OPERA
By pity lightened, the guileless fool-
Wait for him my chosen tool.
The Grail is uncovered, the blessing given, and the
repast of love begins. Amfortas's hope revives, but
toward the end his wound bursts out afresh. Parsifal,
on hearing Amfortas's cry of agony, clutches at his
heart, without, however, understanding his own feel-
ings.
The second act reveals Klingsor's magic castle.
Kundry, not as a demon now, but as a woman of im-
perious beauty, is awakened by Klingsor to seduce
Parsifal. She yearns for pardon, for sleep and death,
but she struggles in vain against the fiendish Klingsor.
The tower gradually sinks; a beautiful garden rises,
into which Parsifal gazes with rapture and astonish-
ment. Lovely maidens rush toward him, accusing him
of having destroyed their lovers. Parsifal, surprised,
answers that he slew them because they checked his
approach to their charms. But when their tenderness
waxes hotter he gently repulses the damsels and at last
tries to escape. He is. detained, however, by Kundry,
who tells him again of his beloved mother, and when
Parsifal is sorrow-stricken at having forgotten her
in his thoughtless rambles, she consoles him, pressing
his lips with a fervent kiss. This rouses the dreamy
youth, he awakes to his duty, he feels the King's spear-
wound burning; the unconscious fool is a fool no
longer, but conscious of his mission and distinguishing
right from wrong. He calls to the Saviour to save him
from a guilty passion, and at last he starts up, spurn-
ing Kundry. She tells him of her own crime, of Am-
fortas's fall, and curses all paths and ways which would
lead him from her. Klingsor, appearing at her cry,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 289
flings the holy spear at Parsifal, but it remains floating
over His head, and the youth, grasping it, destroys the
magic by the sign of the cross.
In the third act Gurnemanz awakes Kundry from
a deathlike sleep, and is astonished to find her changed.
She is penitent and serves the Grail. Parsifal enters
from the woods. Gurnemanz recognizes and greets
him, after his wanderings in search of the Grail, which
have extended over long years. Kundry washes his
feet and dries them with her own hair. Parsifal, see-
ing her so humble, baptizes her with water from the
spring, and the dreadful laugh is taken from her;
then she weeps bitterly. Parsifal, conducted to the
King, touches his side with the holy spear, and the
wound is closed. Old Titurel, brought on the stage in
his coffin, revives once more a moment, raising his
hands in benediction. The Grail is revealed, pouring
a halo of glory over all. Kundry, with her eyes fixed
on Parsifal, sinks dead to the ground, while Amfortas
and Gurnemanz render homage to their new King.
PAUL AND VIRGINIA
Romantic Opera in three acts by Victor (Felix Marie) Masse.
Text by Barbier and Carre.
HP HE opera begins with a scene in the cottage of
-* Marguerite, Paul's mother. She and Mme. de la
Tour, mother of Virginia, are discussing their chil-
dren, who have always been like brother and sister, but
are now unconsciously drifting into a deeper feeling.
Marguerite talks of sending Paul to India for a time.
Domingues, a trusted slave, starts up, protesting.
Laughter and shouts are heard, when a ship from
290 THE OPERA
France is sighted ; Mme. de la Tour hurries off , think-
ing it may bear riews of the forgiveness of a wealthy
aunt. Domingues talks of Paul and Virginia, won-
dering what changes the money will cause, and, as a
storm arises, goes to seek the young people, who pres-
ently enter, laughing, shielded from the storm by a
great banana-leaf, held above their heads. Virginia
seats herself; Paul throws himself on a rug at her
feet. As they innocently sing of their love and in-
nocent pleasures, Meala, another slave, enters, foot-
sore and weary. She is wounded by the lash of a
whip, Virginia gives her food. They cannot keep an
escaped slave, so Virginia offers to intercede for her
with her master.
The scene changes to the plantation of St. Croix.
St. Croix appears, followed by two huge negroes with
whips. He kicks and cuffs the slaves, and orders
bloodhounds set on Meala's track. She enters with
Paul and Virginia. Virginia, kneeling at his feet,
sweetly asks his forgiveness for the slave. St. Croix,
moved by her girlish beauty, grants what she asks, with
a mental reservation. They turn to depart. St. Croix
asks them to stay and rest after their long walk. The
negroes sing, dance, and play for their amusement.
Meala now sings alone, and in her song warns Paul
that Virginia will be in danger if she stays, as St.
Croix is drinking heavily. They hurry away. St.
Croix, in a rage, turns on Meala and orders her to be
lashed while she can stand. He drinks himself into a
stupor. Meala screams wildly, and St. Croix, rousing
himself, orders the slaves to sing louder to drown her
voice. Then follows an entr'acte in the forest.
The second act brings us to the house of Mme. de la
HISTORY AND GUIDE 291
Tour. Virginia is arrayed in festival attire and decked
with jewels. Domingues sits on the floor, weaving a
mat. Virginia's mother hands her a mirror. Domin-
gues, shaking his head, declares that the gold will bring
sorrow. Virginia is to go to France, and she is over-
come with grief because she now realizes her love for
Paul. Domingues advises her in a song not to go.
Paul is at the door. He enters, but does not recog-
nize the grand young lady before him as Virginia. She
remains silent as he reproaches her, then hurries away.
Marguerite, calling Paul, tells him that there is a stain
upon his birth. They decide to depart forever. Meala
warns them of the coming of St. Croix, who now ap-
pears. Virginia, entering, buys Meala from him with
some of the gold. Meala warns Paul to keep watch,
or St. Croix will carry Virginia off. A change of
scene shows a fountain beneath the trees; sea in the
distance. Virginia enters, singing a joyous song, then
falls asleep, while Meala hums a lullaby. Virginia sees
in a vision the planter's house in flames. The governor
brings an order from the king for Virginia's deporta-
tion. They waken her, and she is swiftly carried to the
ship.
The third act opens on the seashore. Paul, now mel-
ancholy, stands looking out to sea. He is half-crazed
by grief. His mother is in despair. Paul receives
a letter, in which Virginia tells of her loneliness and
love for him. He sees in a vision a ballroom, with
Virginia dancing a minuet, amid splendid surround-
ings. Her harp is brought in ; she sings and her voice
is wafted to her lover. He sings in unison with her,
begging her to sing once more. Their voices seem to
mingle regardless of intervening space. St. Croix ap-
292 THE OPERA
pears in the room beside her; she repulses him, and
refuses his hand. Paul is entranced, and tells Domin-
gues what he has seen. A ship is seen on the horizon
approaching the island, A storm arises, causing it to be
wrecked. Paul hears Virginia calling him, and at last
her body is washed up on the shore at his feet.
PELLtfAS ET M&LISANDE
Opera in five acts by Claude Debussy.
Text adapted from Maeterlinck's play.
OLAUD, a grandson of King Arkel, meets Meli-
sande while wandering in the woods. A coronet
she has worn has dropped into a well, but though she
cries bitterly, she will not let Golaud fish it out; nor
will she tell her name or country, although dressed like
a princess, if somewhat in tatters, Golaud takes the
maiden to the castle where he lives with Arkel, the
old Queen Genevieve, and Yniold, his son by a wife
some time deceased. Six months later Golaud, con-
trary to a family compact, makes Melisande his wife,
and takes her away, then writes to Pelleas, his half-
brother, begging him to intercede with the old King,
and effect a reconciliation. Genevieve reads this let-
ter to Arkel, and they agree to welcome home the elop-
ing lovers. Pelleas and Melisande meet for the first
time in the castle garden when the latter returns as
Golaud's bride.
In the second act Pelleas and Melisande are disclosed
chatting together near a well, into which Melisande
drops her wedding ring. Instead of telling her hus-
band the truth when he misses the ring, Melisande tells
Golaud that she has lost it in a cavern by the sea. Go-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 293
laud sends her to look for the ring, with Pelleas to
guard her from danger. But the moon shines brightly
as they wander together on the sands, and the two are
taken in a pitfall of which the trusting husband had
not dreamed.
In the third act Golaud surprises Pelleas, who is
passionately kissing Melisande's hair, which is of lux-
uriant growth, and streams down to him from the bal-
cony where she stands. By way of warning, he takes
Pelleas through dungeons of the castle, suggestive of
death and suffering, then commands him to avoid
Melisande in future.
The next scene is at night. Golaud learns from
Yniold that Pelleas and Melisande still meet. Raising
the child in his arms so that lie can look into- Meli-
sande's room, Golaud ascertains that even then Pelleas
and Melisande are together.
In the fourth act Pelleas, at last realizing that he
loves his brother's wife, tells Melisande that he is going
away on a long journey. Then, as Arkel is expressing
his sympathy to Melisande, and deploring the dullness
of her surroundings, Golaud enters, bitterly reproaches
Melisande for her misconduct, and swings her about
by her long hair. The next scene is devoted to a child-
ish soliloquy by Yniold, but the action is soon re-
sumed. Pelleas and Melisande again meet, and again
he avows his determination to go away. A mutual con-
fession of love follows, and as Golaud enters they are
locked in each other's arms. Drawing his sword, Go-
laud strikes down Pelleas, then starts in pursuit of
Melisande, who has fled.
The fifth act takes place in Melisande's apartment
in the castle. Melisande has been lying in a stupor,
294 THE OPERA
following a delirium in which she has given birth to a
child. Golaud knows that she is dying, and reproaches
himself for his violence. When Melisande regains
consciousness, he begs her forgiveness, which she
readily grants. Then he implores her to tell him if her
relations with Pelleas were innocent, and if she really
loved the dead man. To this she replies that she loved
him, but that they were innocent. Still Golaud is tor-
mented by doubt, which can never be resolved ; for a
moment later, when Melisande's child is brought to
her, she is dead.
PHILEMON ET BAUCIS
Opera in two acts by Charles Francois Gounod.
Text by Barbier and Carre.
T N the first act Jupiter comes to Philemon's hut, ac-
** companied by Vulcan, to seek refuge from a storm,
which the god himself has caused. He has come to
earth to verify Mercury's tale of the people's badness,
and finding the news only too true, besides being un-
courteously received by the people around, he is glad to
meet with a kindly welcome at Philemon's door.
This worthy old man lives in poverty, but in perfect
content with his wife Baucis, to whom he has been
united in bonds of love for sixty years. Jupiter, see-
ing at once that the old couple form an exception to the
evil rule, resolves to spare them, and to punish only the
bad folks. The gods partake of the kind people's sim-
ple meal, and Jupiter, changing the milk into wine, is
recognized by Baucis, who is much awed by the dis-
covery. But Jupiter reassures her and promises to
grant her only wish, which is, to be young again with
_Copy light, by Umlerwood A Underwoo.l. N. "Y.
THE COURT THEATER, DRESDEN
HISTORY AND GUIDE 295
her husband and to live the same life. The god sends
them to sleep, and then begins the intermezzo.
Phrygians are seen reposing after a festival, bac-
chants rush in and the wild orgies begin afresh. The
divine is mocked and pleasure praised as the only
god. Vulcan comes, sent by Jupiter to warn them,
but as they only laugh at him, mocking Olympus and
the gods, Jupiter himself appears to punish the sinners.
An awful tempest arises, sending everything to wrack
and ruin.
In the second act Philemon's hut is changed into a
palace ; he awakes to find himself and his wife young
again. Jupiter, seeing Baucis's beauty, orders Vul-
can to keep Philemon apart, while he courts her. Bau-
cis, though determined to remain faithful to her Phile-
mon, feels, nevertheless, flattered at the god's conde-
scension, and dares not refuse him a kiss. Philemon,
appearing on the threshold, sees it, and violently re-
proaches her and his guest, and, though Baucis sug-
gests who the latter is, the husband does not feel in
the least inclined to share his wife's love even with a
god. The first quarrel takes place between the couple,
and Vulcan, hearing it, consoles himself with the re-
flection that he is not the only one to whom a fickle
wife causes sorrow. Philemon bitterly curses Jupiter's
gift; he wishes his wrinkles back, and with them his
peace of mind. Throwing down Jupiter's statue, he
leaves his wife to the god. Baucis, replacing the im-
age, which happily is made of bronze, sorely repents
her behavior toward her beloved husband. Jupiter
finds her weeping, and praying that the gods may turn
their wrath upon herself alone. The god promises to
pardon both if she is willing to listen to his love. She
296 THE OPERA
agrees to the bargain, on condition that Jupiter shall
grant her a favor. He consents, and she entreats him
to make her old again. Philemon, listening behind the
door, rushes forward to embrace the true wife and
joins his entreaties to hers. Jupiter, seeing himself
caught, would fain be angry, but their love conquers
his wrath. He does not recall his gift, but giving them
his benediction he promises never more to cross their
happiness.
THE PIPE OF DESIRE
Romantic Opera in one act by Frederick S. Converse.
Text by Barton.
"~pHIS opera, the first work of an American com-
* poser to be accepted for performance during the
regular season of the Metropolitan Opera House, was
produced there in 1910. Its first actual performance,
with full stage accessories, took place January 31, 1906,
in Boston. The book is highly poetic, the music ad-
mirably descriptive.
In a mountain glade, closed in by forest and rocks,
through which one catches a glimpse of the valley
below, the elves sing a joyous hymn, for it is spring,
and the flowers are budding. lolan, a peasant much
beloved by the elves, is seen approaching, and they de-
termine that he shall witness their festivities. It is
madness, the Old One, their king, tells them, but on the
first day of spring their wishes are supreme.
lolan thinks he must be dreaming as the fairy folk
surround him, but he returns their expressions of good
will, and shows them a purse containing the gold with
which he means to buy a farm. Then he will wed
Naoia, and he invites them all to the feast. The Old
HISTORY AND GUIDE 297
One alone is gloomy, and when the elves tell lolan that
this is the mightiest of them all, he cannot understand.
"Ten thousand years of life my crown," says the Old
One, in explanation, "the earth my purse of gold, this
Pipe, which hangs about my neck, the scepter of the
world."
In accordance with their annual custom, the elves
demand that the Old One pipe for them, that they may
dance. He protests, but is obliged to grant their re-
quest, and the elves dance merrily. But lolan is not
in the least awed by the Pipe. Any other would have
served as well, he thinks, and he declares that no power
on earth or in heaven can make him dance, save with
his promised bride. The elves compel the Old One to
play the Pipe again, and lolan is forced to dance. The
elves jeer at him for doubting the potency of the
charm, but in revenge he wrests the Pipe from the
Old One, and the mirth of the elves instantly changes
to terror. They offer him wealth and power if he
will return this sacred instrument, for, says the Old
One, "it is the Pipe God gave to Lilith and she played
to man in Eden, but its charm was rent by woman."
Still lolan will not heed the warning. The Old One
pronounces accursed the mortal that dares to sound the
Pipe, but lolan replies by blowing a harsh note, at
which the elves, screaming with fear, retire into hid-
ing.
Again lolan sounds the Pipe, and as he does so, sees
the vision of his utmost wish a farm lying in a peace-
ful valley, and wife and children waiting to wel-
come him. "Naoia," he cries, "leave all! leave all
and come to me."
Regaining possession of the Pipe, the Old One says,
2 9 8 THE OPERA
"The Pipe but played the note of your desire," and
disappears. Now lolan sees his beloved arise from
bed, and, obeying his command, race toward him, dash-
ing through streams, scaling the rocks, sometimes fall-
ing, but always coming on, on, until at last she joins her
lover, trembling and exhausted. The curse is soon
fulfilled, for Naoia's journey has been too much for
human endurance. She dies. Maddened at this great
loss, lolan scatters the gold with which he had meant
to buy a home for his bride, and cries aloud, "There is
no God, and I am all alone 1"
"There is a God," the Old One says, "whose laws
unchanging no man may hope to disobey. Upon his
Pipe you blew your one desire, forced your own will
upon the ordained way. Man has his will, man pays
the penalty." lolan is about to strike the Old One
with his staff, but stays his arm as the Old One says,
"Strike, if you think her soul demands revenge."
The elves, who have ruined the mortal they wished
to befriend, are grief-stricken. The Old One, at their
petition, now plays the Song of Autumn. The season
changes. The leaves are falling from the trees, and
lolan breathes his last in peace beside the body of his
beloved. As the curtain falls, the elves are chanting
"Nothing is wasted, nothing is wasted."
HISTORY AND GUIDE 299
POIA
Opera in three acts by Arthur Finley Nevin.
Text by Hartley.
THIS opera will go down in history as the first
American work of its kind to be produced in a
foreign opera house. It was given at the Royal Opera
House, Berlin, in 1910. It was first performed in con-
cert form in Pittsburg, January 16, 1907.
The book is based on legends of Indian origin, and
the action takes place among the Blackfeet Indians at
a time prior to the coming of the white race.
Poia, whose name means scar-face, is so called be-
cause of the birthmark which disfigures him. He loves
the daughter of a chief, Natoya, but she scorns his
ugliness, preferring Sumatsi, a warrior who is bold
and handsome and wicked. To banish the unwelcome
wooer, she tells Poia that unless he can free himself
from his disfigurement she can never wed him. Nena-
hu, the medicine woman, tells Poia that only the Sun
God can remove this blemish, and then warns Sumatsi'
that only evil can result from a union with Natoya.
But Natoya gladly accepts the gifts of Sumatsi, and
neither heeds the warning. Poia goes forth to seek
the Sun God.
When the curtain rises on the second act, Poia, in
the midst of a forest, prays to the Sun God, but
Natosi scorns him, even as the maiden had. Just then
Poia rescues the morning star, Episua, who has been
attacked by eagles, and this heroic deed avails him
where prayer has failed. Poia sinks into a profound
sleep, and Mola, Nepu, Moku, and Stuyi, the four
seasons, dance about him at the god's behest, giving
300 THE OPERA
him manly beauty in place of ugliness. Natosi invites
the young warrior to dwell with him among the gods,
but Poia thinks of Natoya, and refuses. Then is the
god enraged ; but again he softens when Poia has told
his story, and in the end he sends Poia back to his
people with a rich robe for Natoya. And Episua is
his guiding star, while Wolf Trail (the Milky
Way) teaches him a song which shall command the
love of woman, and presents to him a magic whistle.
In the last act we return with Poia to the camp of
the Blackfeet. Poia, whose scar symbolized his mys-
tic attributes as the scapegoat of his people, finds that
troubles have come upon them in his absence, and that
the people blame Natoya for driving him away. The
infatuation of the maiden for Sumatsi has, indeed,
grown deeper in Poia's absence, but though an impas-
sioned love-scene is revealed between the two, the
moment Natoya hears Poia's magic song in the dis-
tance, she loves the singer and hates Sumatsi. The
young warrior is welcomed as the savior of his tribe.
Natoya alone seems jcold. She fears him because of
the present he had brought from the Sun God, for
the robe can be worn only by a pure woman, and
Natoya is no longer pure. Sumatsi, mad with jeal-
ousy, tries to kill Poia, but Natoya intervenes, and
receives the fatal blow. A ray from the Sun God
slays the wicked Sumatsi, then Poia, raising the dying
maiden in his arms, declares that her sacrifice has made
her pure. He invests her with the sacred robe, and
together they are wafted to the realms of the Sun
God,
HISTORY AND' GUIDE 301
THE POSTILION OF LONGJUMEAU
Comic Opera in three acts by Adolphe Charles Adam.
Text by Leuven and Brunswick.
/"^HAPELOU, stage-driver at Longjumeau, is about
^-" to celebrate his marriage with the young hostess
of the post-house, Madeleine. The wedding has taken
place and the young bride is led away by her friends,
according to an old custom, while her bridegroom is
held back by his comrades, who compel him to sing.
He begins the romance of a young postilion, who had
the luck to be carried away by a princess, having
touched her heart by his beautiful playing on the cor-
net. Chapelou has such a fine voice that the superin-
tendent of the Grand Opera at Paris, the Marquis de
Courcy, who hears him, is enchanted, and being in
search of a good tenor, - succeeds in winning over
Chapelou, who consents to leave his young wife in
order to follow the Marquis's call to glory and fortune.
He begs his friend Bijou, a wheelwright, to console
Madeleine by telling her that he will soon return to
her. While Madeleine calls for him in tenderest ac-
cents, he drives away with his protectors, and Bijou
delivers his message, determined to try his fortune in
a similar way. The desperate Madeleine resolves to fly
from the unhappy spot, where everything recalls to her
her faithless husband.
In the second act we find Madeleine under the as-
sumed name of Mme. de Latour. She has inherited a
fortune from an old aunt, and makes her appearance in
Paris, as a rich and noble lady, with the intention of
punishing her husband, whom she, however, still
loves. During these six: years that have passed since
302 THE OPERA
their wedding day, Chapelou has won his laurels under
the name of St. Phar, and is now the first tenor of
the Grand Opera and everybody's spoiled favorite.
Bijou is with him as leader of the chorus, and is called
Alcindor. We presently witness a comical rehearsal in
which the principal singers are determined to do as
badly as possible. They all seem hoarse and, instead
of singing, produce the most lamentable sounds. The
Marquis de Courcy is desperate, having promised this
representation to Mme. de Latour, at whose country-
seat near Fontainebleau he is at present staying. As
soon as St. Phar hears the name of this lady his hoarse-
ness is gone and all sing their best. We gather from
this scene that Mme. de Latour has succeeded in en-
thralling St. Phar; he has an interview with her, and
won by his protestations of love, she consents to marry
him.
St. Phar, not wishing to commit bigamy, begs his
friend Bijou to perform the marriage ceremony in a
priest's garb, but Mme. de Latour locks him in her
room along with Bourdon, the second leader of the
chorus, while a real priest unites the pair for the sec-
ond time.
St. Phar enters the room in high spirits, when his
companions, beside themselves with fear, tell him
that he has committed bigamy. While they are in
mortal terror of being hanged, Mme. de Latour enters
in her former shape as Madeleine, blows out the can-
dle, and torments St. Phar, assuming now the voice of
Mme. de Latour, now that of Madeleine. After she
has sent her fickle husband into an abyss of unhappi-
ness and fear, the Marquis de Courcy, who had him-
self hoped to wed the charming widow, appears with
HISTORY AND GUIDE 303
the police to imprison the luckless St. Phar, who al-
ready considers himself as good as hanged, and in
imagination sees his first wife Madeleine rejoicing
over his punishment. But he has been made to suffer
enough, and at the last moment Madeleine explains
everything, and Chapelou obtains her pardon.
. Both in text and- music this opera, which is decidedly
French in all respects, deserves to be ranked among the
best works of its class thus far produced.
LE PROPHfeTE
(The Prophet)
Opera in five acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer.
Text by Scribe.
HP HE scene is laid in Holland at the time of the
* wars with the Anabaptists. Fides, mother of the
hero, John of Leyden, keeps an inn near Dordrecht.
She has just betrothed a young peasant girl to her son,
but Bertha is a vassal of the Count of Oberthal and
dares not marry without his permission.
As they set about getting his consent to the marriage,
three Anabaptists, Jonas, Mathisen, and Zacharias,
appear, exciting the people with their speeches and
false promises. While they are preaching, Oberthal
enters, but smitten with Bertha's charms he refuses
his consent to her marriage and carries her off, with
Fides as companion.
In the second act we find John waiting for his
bride. As she delays, the Anabaptists try to win him
for their cause, they prophesy him a crown, but as
yet he is not ambitious, and life with Bertha looks
304 THE OPERA
sweeter to him than the greatest honors. As the night
comes on, Bertha rushes in to seek refuge from her
pursuer, from whom she has fled. Hardly has she
hidden herself when Oberthal enters to claim her.
John refuses his assistance, but when Oberthal threat-
ens to kill his mother he gives up Bertha to the Count,
while his mother, whose life he has saved at such a
price, asks God's benediction on his head. Then she
retires for the night, and the Anabaptists appear once
more, again trying to win John over. This time they
succeed. Without a farewell to his sleeping mother,
John follows the Anabaptists, to be henceforth their
leader, their Prophet-King.
In the third act we see the Anabaptists' camp ; their
soldiers have captured a party of noblemen, who are
to pay ransom. They all make merry and the famous
ballet on the ice forms part of the amusements. In
the background we see Minister, now in the hands of
Count Oberthal's father, who refuses to surrender it
to the enemy. They resolve to storm it, a resolution
which is heard by young Oberthal, who has come dis-
guised to the Anabaptists' camp in order to save his
father and the town.
But as a light is struck he is recognized and is about
to be killed, when John hears from him that Bertha
has escaped. She sprang out of the window to save
her honor, and falling into the stream, was saved.
When John learns this, he bids the soldiers spare Ober-
thal's life that he may be judged by Bertha herself.
John has already endured great pangs of conscience
at seeing his party so wild and bloodthirsty. He re-
fuses to go farther, but, hearing that an army of sol-
diers has broken out of Minister to destroy the Ana-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 305
baptists, he rallies. Praying fervently to God for help
and victory, inspiration comes over him and is com-
municated to all his adherents, so that they resolve to
storm Munster. They succeed, and in the fourth act
we are in the midst of this town, where we find Fides,
who, knowing that her son has turned Anabaptist,
though not aware of his being their Prophet, is receiv-
ing alms to save his soul by masses. She meets Bertha,
disguised in a pilgrim's garb. Both vehemently curse
the Prophet, when this latter appears to be crowned
in state.
His mother recognizes him, but he disowns her, de-
claring her mad, and by strength of will he compels
the poor mother to renounce him. Fides, in order to
save his life, avows that she was mistaken and she
is led to prison.
In the last act we find the three Anabaptists, Jonas,
Mathisen, and Zacharias, together. The Emperor is
near the gates of Miinster, and they resolve to deliver
their Prophet into his hands in order to save their lives.
Fides has been brought into a dungeon, where John
visits her to ask her pardon and to save her. She
curses him, but his repentance moves her so that she
pardons him when he promises to leave his party. At
this moment Bertha enters. She has sworn to kill the
false Prophet, and she comes to the dungeon to set fire
to the gunpowder hidden beneath it. Fides detains
her, but when she recognizes that her bridegroom and
the Prophet are one and the same person, she wildly de-
nounces him for his bloody deeds and stabs herself in
his presence. Then John decides to die also, and after
the soldiers have led his mother away, he himself sets
fire to the vault.
306 THE OPERA
Then he appears at the coronation banquet, where he
knows that he is to be taken prisoner. When Oberthal,
the bishop, and all his treacherous friends are assem-
bled, he bids two of his faithful soldiers close the gates
and flee. This done, the castle is blown into the air
with all its inhabitants. At the last moment Fides
rushes in to share her son's fate, and all are thus buried
under the ruins.
I PURITANI
(The Puritans)
Opera m three acts by Vincenzo Bellini.
Text by PepolL
HTHE action takes place in England during the Great
** Rebellion, Lord Walton, who has promised the
hand of his daughter Elvira to Ricardo, is in command
of Plymouth for the Puritans. But the girl loves
Arturo, a young noble who has adhered to the house
of Stuart. Giorgio, brother of Lord Walton, brings
his niece the news that her father has agreed that she
shall marry Arturo, who is now admitted to the for-
tress. Within the walls is Henrietta Maria, widow of
Charles I, who is under sentence of death. Arturo
assists the august prisoner to escape, disguised as El-
vira. Believing that she has been deserted by her
lover, Elvira becomes insane. Meantime Arturo, pro-
scribed by Parliament, is in grave danger. Giorgio
then appeals to the generosity of Ricardo, who agrees
that he will induce the Parliamentary leaders to par-
don Arturo, provided he is taken unarmed. Arturo
returns to the fortress to explain his disappearance
to Elvira, and is captured. The news of his pardon
HISTORY AND GUIDE 307
arrives in time, however, and the young people are
restored to happiness.
The music of this opera is considered by good judges
of this form of composition to belong with Bellini's
best achievements. It is rich in varied melodies, and
the chorus of Puritans, with which the first act con-
cludes, is full of strength and animation.
DAS RHEINGOLD
(The Rhinegold)
First Division of the Music-Drama "Der Ring des Nibel-
ungen" (The Ring of the Nibelungs) by Richard Wagner.
A S first conceived, Wagner's great "festival play in
^"^ three days" was a trilogy based on the mythology
of the Norse and German peoples. As was usual with
him, Wagner took a poet's liberties with the old leg-
ends. "Das Rheingold," written as the result of an
afterthought, to serve as a "fore-evening," made of
the group a tetralogy "Das Rheingold," "Die Wal-
kiire," "Siegfried/' and "Gotterdammerung" which
stands as the most perfect embodiment of Wagner's
art-theories, and, with the exception of "Parsifal," his
last work.
The first scene is laid in the very depths of the Rhine,
where we see three nymphs frolicking in the water.
They are the guardians of the Rhinegold, which glim-
mers on a rock.
Alberich, a Nibelung, highly charmed by their grace
and beauty, tries to make love to each one of them
alternately. As he is an ugly dwarf, they at first allure
and then deride him, gliding away as soon as he comes
near, and laughing at him. Discovering their mockery
3 o8 THE OPERA
at last, he swears vengeance. He sees the Rhinegold
shining brightly, and asks the nymphs what it means,
They tell him of its wonderful qualities, which would
render the owner all-powerful if he should form it into
a ring and forswear love.
Alberich, listening attentively, all at once climbs the
rock, and before the frightened nymphs can cry for
help, has grasped the treasure and disappeared. Dark-
ness comes on ; the scene changes into an open district
on mountain heights. In the background we see a
grand castle, which the rising sun illumines. Wotan,
the father of the gods, and Fricka, his wife, are slum-
bering on the ground. Awakening, their eyes fall on
the castle for the first time. It is Valhalla, the palace
which the giants have built for them at Wotan's bid-
ding. As a reward for their services they are to ob-
tain Freya, the goddess of youth; but already Wotan
repents of his promise and forms plans with his wife to
save her lovely sister. The giants Fafner and Fasolt
enter to claim their reward. While they negotiate,
Loge, the god of fire, comes up, relates the history of
Alberich's theft of the Rhinegold, and tells Wotan of
the gold's power. Wotan decides to rob the dwarf,
promising the treasure to the giants, who consent to
accept it in Freya's stead. But they distrust the gods
and take Freya with them as a pledge. As soon as she
disappears the beautiful gods seem old and gray and
wrinkled, for the golden apples to which Freya attends
and of which the gods partake daily to be forever
youthful, wither as soon as she is gone. Then Wotan,
without any further delay, starts for Nibelheim with
Loge, justifying his intention by saying that the gold
is stolen property. They disappear in a cleft and we
HISTORY AND GUIDE 3 oq
find ourselves in a subterranean cavern, the abode of
the Nibelungs.
Alberich has forced his brother Mime to forge a
Tarnhelm for him, which renders its wearer invisible.
Mime vainly tries to keep it for himself ; Alberich, the
possessor of the all-powerful ring which he himself
formed, takes it by force and making himself invisible
strikes Mime with a whip until the latter is half dead.
Wotan and Loge, hearing his complaints, promise to
help him. Alberich, coming forth again, is greatly
flattered by Wotan and dexterously led on to show his
might. He first changes himself into an enormous
snake and then into a toad. Wotan quickly puts his
foot on it, while Loge seizes the Tarnhelm. Alberich,
becoming suddenly visible in his real shape, is bound
and led away captive. The gods return to the moun-
tain heights of the second scene, where Alberich is
compelled to part with all his treasures, which are
brought by the dwarfs. He is even obliged to leave
the ring, which Wotan intends to keep for himself.
With a dreadful curse upon the possessor of the ring
Alberich flees.
When the giants reappear with Freya, the treasures
are heaped before her ; they are to cover her entirely,
so it is decided, and not before will she be free. When
all the gold has been piled up, and even the Tarnhelm
thrown on the hoard, Fasolt still sees Freya's eye shine
through it, and at last Wotan, who is most unwilling to
part with the ring, is induced to do so by Erda, god-
dess of the earth, who appears to him and warns him.
Now the pledge is kept and Freya is released. The
giants quarrel over the possession of the ring and Faf-
ner kills Fasolt, thereby fulfilling Alberich's curse.
310 THE OPERA
With lightened hearts the gods cross the rainbow
bridge and enter Valhalla, while the songs and wail-
ings of the Rhine nymphs are heard, imploring the
restitution of their lost treasure.
RIGOLETTO
Opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi.
Text by Piave from Victor Hugo's drama "Le roi s'amuse."
r "pHE Duke of Mantua, a wild and debauched youth,
^ covets every girl or woman he sees, and is as-
sisted in his vile purposes by his jester, Rigoletto, an
ugly, humpbacked man. We meet him first helping
the Duke to seduce the wife of Count Ceprano, and
afterward the wife of Count Monterone. Both hus-
bands curse the vile Rigoletto and swear to be avenged.
Monterone especially, appearing like a ghost in 'the
midst of a festival, hurls such a fearful curse at them
that Rigoletto shudders.
This bad man has one tender point, it is his blind
love for his beautiful daughter Gilda, whom he brings
up carefully, keeping her hidden from the world and
shielding her from all wickedness. But the cunning
Duke discovers her and gains her love under the as-
sumed name of a student named Gualtier Malde.
Gilda is finally carried oil by Ceprano and two other
courtiers, aided by her own father, who holds the lad-
der believing that Count Ceprano's wife is to be the
victim. A mask blinds Rigoletto and he discovers,
too late, by Gilda J s cries that he has been duped. Gilda
is brought to the Duke's palace. Rigoletto appears in
the midst of the courtiers to claim Gilda, and then they
hear that she, whom they believed to be his mistress, is
HISTORY AND GUIDE 311
his daughter, for whose honor he is willing to sacrifice
everything. Gilda enters and, though she sees that she
has been deceived, she implores her father to pardon
the Duke, whom she still loves. But Rigoletto vows
vengeance, and engages Sparafucile to stab the Duke.
Sparafucile decoys him into his inn, where his sister
Maddalena awaits him. She too is enamored of the
Duke, who makes love to her as to all young females,
and she entreats her brother to have mercy on him.
Sparafucile declares that he will wait until midnight,
and will spare him if another victim should turn up
before then. Meanwhile Rigoletto persuades his
daughter to fly from the Duke's pursuit, but before he
takes her away he wants to show her lover's fickleness
in order to cure her of her love.
She comes to the inn in masculine attire, and, hear-
ing the discourse between Sparafucile and his sister,
resolves to save her lover. She enters the inn and is
instantly put to death, placed in a sack, and given to
Rigoletto, who proceeds to the river to dispose of the
corpse. At this instant he hears the voice of the
Duke, who passes by, singing a frivolous tune. Terri-
fied, Rigoletto opens the sack and recognizes his daugh-
ter, who is yet able to tell him that she gave her life
for that of her seducer, and then expires. With an aw-
ful cry the unhappy father sinks upon the corpse.
Count Monterone's curse has been fulfilled.
3 i2 THE OPERA
ROBERT LE DIABLE
(Robert the Devil)
Opera in five acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer.
Text by Scribe and Delavigne.
"D OBERT, Duke of Normandy, has a friend of
^^ gloomy exterior named Bertram, with whom he
travels but to whose evil influence he owes much trou-
ble and sorrow. Without knowing it himself, Robert
is the son of this erring knight, who is an inhabitant
of hell. During his wanderings on earth he seduced
Bertha, daughter of the Duke of Normandy, whose off-
spring Robert is. This youth is very wild and has,
therefore, been banished from his country. Arriving
in Sicily, Isabella, the King's daughter, and he fall
mutually in love.
In the first act we find Robert in Palermo surround-
ed by other knights, to whom a young countryman of
his, Raimbaut, tells the story of "Robert de Diable"
and his fiendish father; warning everybody against
them. Robert, giving his name, is about to deliver the
unhappy Raimbaut to the hangman, when the peasant
is saved by his bride Alice, Robert's foster-sister. She
has come to Palermo by order of Robert's deceased
mother, who sends her last will to her son in case he
should change his bad habits and prove himself worthy.
Robert, feeling that he is not likely to do this, begs
Alice to keep it for him. He confides in the innocent
maiden, and she promises to reason with Isabella,
whom Robert has irritated by his jealousy, and who
has banished him from her presence.
As a recompense for her service Alice asks Robert's
permission to marry Raimbaut. Seeing Robert's friend,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 313
Bertram, she recognizes the latter's likeness to Satan,
whom she saw in a picture, and instinctively shrinks
from him. When she leaves her master, Bertram in-
duces his friend to try his fortune with the dice and he
loses all.
In the second act we are introduced into the palace
of Isabella, who laments Robert's inconstancy. Alice
enters, bringing Robert's letter, and he instantly fol-
lows to crave his mistress's pardon. She presents him
with a new suit of armor, and he consents to meet the
Prince of Granada in mortal combat. But -Bertram
lures him away by deceiving him with a phantom.
Robert vainly seeks the Prince in the forest, and the
Prince of Granada is in his absence victorious in the
tournament and obtains Isabella's hand.
The third act opens with a view of the rocks of St.
Irene, where Alice hopes to be united with Raimbaut.
The peasant expects his bride, but meets Bertram in-
stead, who makes him forget Alice by giving him gold
and dangerous advice. Raimbaut goes away to spend
the money, while Bertram descends to the evil spirits
in the deep. When Alice comes Raimbaut is gone, and
she hears the demons calling for Bertram. Bertram
extracts a promise from her not to betray the dread-
ful secret of the cavern. She clings to the Saviour's
cross for protection, and is about to be destroyed by
Bertram, when Robert approaches, to whom she de-
cides to reveal all. But Bertram's renewed threats at
last oblige her to leave them.
Bertram now profits by Robert's rage and despair at
the loss of his bride, his wealth, and his honor to draw
him on to entire destruction. He tells Robert that his
rival used magic arts, and suggests that he should try
3 1 4 THE OPERA
the same expedient. Then he leads him to a ruined
cloister, where he resuscitates the guilty nuns. They
try to seduce Robert first by drink, then by gambling,
and last of all by love. In the last Helena, the most
beautiful of the nuns, succeeds and makes him remove
the cypress-branch, a talisman, by which in the fourth
act he enters Isabella's apartment unseen. He awakes
his bride out of her magic sleep to carry her off, but
overcome by her fears and her appeal to his honor, he
breaks the talisman and is seized by the now awak-
ened soldiers; but Bertram appears and takes him
under his protection.
The fifth act opens with a chorus sung by monks,
which is followed by a prayer for mercy. Robert, con-
cealed in the vestibule of the cathedral, hears it full of
contrition. But Bertram is with him, and, his term on
earth being short, he confides to Robert the secret of
his birth and appeals to him as his father.
He almost succeeds, when Alice comes up, bring-
ing the news that the Prince of Granada renounces
Isabella's hand, being unable to pass the threshold of
the church. Bertram urges Robert all the more ve-
hemently to become one with him, suggesting that Isa-
bella is likewise lost to him, who has transgressed the
laws of the Church, when in the last extremity Alice
produces his mother's will, in which she warns him
against Bertram, entreating him to save his soul. Then
at last his good angel is victorious, his demon father
vanishes into the earth, and Robert, united by prayer
to the others, is restored to a life of peace and good-
ness.
Although in "Robert le Diable" Meyerbeer worked
with a text in many ways defective, he made it serve
HISTORY AND GUIDE 315
his purpose by means of his musical effects. The music
itself, though often strong and brilliant, is felt to lack
depth and earnestness; but, notwithstanding this, the
opera is recognized as having a distinct place in the
history of musical development, where it marks a stage
of progress from the bondage of conventionality.
LE ROI L'A DIT
(The King Has Said It)
Comic Opera in three acts by Clement P. L. Delibes.
Text by Gondinet.
Marquis de Moncontour has long wished to be
presented to the King Louis XIV, and as he has
been fortunate enough to catch the escaped paroquet
of Mme. de Maintenon, he is at last to have his wish
accomplished. By way of preparation for his audience
he tries to learn the latest mode of bowing, his own
being somewhat antiquated, and the Marquise and her
four lovely daughters and even Javotte, the nice little
ladies' maid, assist him. After many failures the old
gentleman succeeds in making his bow to his own
satisfaction, and he is put into a litter and borne off,
followed by his people's benedictions. When they are
gone Benoit, a young peasant, comes to see Javotte,
who is his sweetheart. He wishes to enter the Mar-
quis's service. Javotte thinks him too awkward, but
she promises to intercede in his favor with Miton, a
dancing-master, who enters just as Benoit disappears.
He has instructed the graceful Javotte in all the arts
and graces of the noble world, and when he rehearses
the steps and all the nice little tricks of his art with
her, he is so delighted with his pupil that he pronounces
316 THE OPERA
her manners worthy of a princess ; but when Javottc
tells him that she loves a peasant he is filled with dis-
gust and orders her away.
Miton's real pupils, the four lovely daughters of the
Marquis, now enter, and while the lesson goes on
Miton hands a billet-doux from some lover to each
of them. The two elder, Agathe and Chimene, are just
in the act of reading theirs when they hear a serenade
outside, and shortly afterward the two lovers are
standing in the room, having taken their way through
the window. The Marquis Flarembel and his friend,
the Marquis de la Bluette, are just making a most ar-
dent declaration of love when Mme. la Marquise en-
ters to present to her elder daughters the two bride-
grooms she has chosen for them. The young men
hide behind the ample dresses of the young ladies, and
all begin to sing with great zeal, Miton beating the
measure, so that some time elapses before the Marquise
is able to state her errand. Of course her words excite
great terror, the girls flying to the other side of the
room with their lovers and receiving the two elderly
suitors, Baron de Merlussac and Gautru, a rich old
financier, with great coolness and a refusal of their
costly gifts. When the suitors are gone the two young
strangers are detected, and the angry mother decides at
once to send her daughters to a convent, from which
they shall only issue on their wedding day.
When they have departed in a most crestfallen con-
dition, the old Marquis returns from his audience with
the King and relates its astounding results. His Maj-
esty had been so peremptory in his questioning about
the Marquis's son and heir that the Marquis, losing his
presence of mind, promised to present his son at court
HISTORY AND GUIDE 317
on the King's demand. The only question now is
where to find a son to adopt, as the Marquis has only
four daughters. Miton, the ever useful, at once pre-
sents Benoit to the parents, engaging himself to drill
the peasant into a nice cavalier in ten lessons. Benoit
takes readily to his new position; he is fitted out at
once, and when the merchants come, offering their best
in cloth and finery, he treats them with an insolence
worthy of the proudest seigneur. He even turns from
his sweetheart Javotte.
In the second act Benoit, dressed like the finest cava-
lier, gives a masked ball in his father's gardens. Half
Versailles is invited, but he has made the mistake of
inviting many people who have long been dead. Those
who do appear seem to him to be very insipid, and
wanting some friends with whom he can enjoy himself,
the useful Miton presents the Marquises de la Bluette
and de Flarembel, who are delighted to make the ac-
quaintance of their sweethearts' brother.
Benoit hears from them that he has four charming
sisters who have been sent to a convent, and he at once
promises to assist his new friends. Meanwhile Javotte
appears in the mask of an Oriental queen and Benoit
makes love to her, but he is very much stupefied when
she takes off her mask and he recognizes Javotte. She
laughingly turns away from him, when the good-for-
nothing youth's new parents appear to reproach him
with his levity. But Benoit, nothing daunted, rushes
away, telling the Marquis that he intends to visit his
sisters in the convent. Miton tries in vain to recall
him. Then the two old suitors of Agathe and Chimene
appear to' complain that their deceased wife and grand-
mother were invited, and while the Marquis explains
3i8 THE OPERA
his son's mistake the four daughters rush in, having
been liberated by their lovers and their unknown
brother, whom they greet with a fondness very shock-
ing to the old Marchioness. The elderly suitors with-
draw, swearing to take vengeance on the inopportune
brother.
In the last act Benoit appears in his father's house
in a somewhat dilapidated state. He has spent the
night among gay companions and met Gautru and
Merlussac successively, who have both fought him
and believe they have killed him, Benoit having feigned
to be dead.
When the old Marquis enters he is very much
astonished at receiving two letters of condolence from
his daughters' suitors. Miton appears in mourning,
explaining that Mme. de Maintenon's visit being ex-
pected they must all wear dark colors, as she prefers
these. Meanwhile Benoit has had an interview with
Javotte, in which he declares his love to be undimin-
ished, and he at once asks his father to give him
Javotte as his wife, threatening to reveal the Mar-
quis's deceit to the King if his request is not granted.
In the dilemma help comes in the persons of the two
young Marquises, who present their King's condo-
lences to old Moncontour. This gentleman hears to his
great relief that his son is supposed to have fallen in
a duel and he is disposed of. Nobody is happier than
Javotte, who now claims Benoit for her own, while the
Marquis, who receives a duke's title from the King in
compensation for his loss, gladly gives his two elder
daughters to their young and noble lovers.
The girls, well aware that they owe their happiness
to their adopted brother, are glad to provide him with
HISTORY AND GUIDE 319
ample means for his marriage with Javotte, and the
affair ends to everybody's satisfaction. The opera
throughout is replete with musical delights that have
called forth the highest praise.
ROMEO ET JULIETTE
Opera in five acts by Charles Frangois Gounod.
Text by Barbiej and Carre.
HP* HE first act takes place in the palace of the Capu-
-* lets, where a masked ball is being held. Romeo, a
Montague, meets the daughter of his unwilling host,
and they love each other at sight. Tybalt, Capulet's
nephew, recognizes in Romeo the enemy of his race,
and drags Juliette away, but is prevented from at-
tacking Romeo by Capulet himself. In the second
act we have the familiar garden scene, the lovers
breathing their sighs in sweetest music. In the third
act the lovers are united by Friar Laurent, but Romeo,
involved in combat with Tybalt, kills his adversary.
The fourth act reveals the parting of the lovers, for
Romeo has been banished from the city. Juliette's
father insists on her marriage to the Count of Paris,
and the good friar contrives to aid her to escape. In
the last act, seeing Juliette apparently dead, Romeo
takes poison. When Juliette, whose death has only
been simulated, awakes to find her beloved dying, she
resolves to join him, and with her death the opera
ends.
320 THE OPERA
SALOME
Opera in one act by Richard Strauss.
CTRAUSS'S text of this opera is adapted from
^ the drama with the same title by Oscar Wilde.
Though the principal characters are Biblical, the story
is not, for Salome is represented as loving John the
Baptist, and as demanding his "head on a charger"
only after the prophet has scorned her wiles and se-
ductions. Its one great spectacular feature is the
"Dance of the Seven Veils/' by means of which Sa-
lome obtains from Herod his promise to grant what-
ever request she may prefer. Following this, Salome
receives the bloody head from the hands of the execu-
tioner, and rapturously kisses the dead lips. Even
Herod is unable to support this spectacle, and by his
orders the soldiers crush the woman to death with
their shields.
"Salome" was first performed in Dresden, December
5, 1905. Two years later it was produced by Hein-
rich Conried for his own benefit at the Metropolitan
Opera House, New York. It was gorgeously mount-
ed, but the impression created was so unfavorable that
the owners of the opera house gave orders to Con-
ried that it should not be repeated. In 1908-09 it was
presented at the Manhattan Opera House, New York.
The impresario was not, however, permitted to give
the work in Boston.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 321
SAMSON ET DALILA
(Samson and Delilah)
Opera in three acts by Charles Camille Saint-Saens.
Text by Lemaire.
* HE libretto is Biblical ; the scene is laid in Gaza, in
* Palestine, 1 150 years before Christ. In the first act
the Israelites, groaning under the yoke of the Philis-
tines, pray to God for deliverance. They are derided
and insulted by Abi Melech, satrap of Gaza. Samson,
unable longer to endure the blasphemy hurled by the
heathen against the God of Israel, rises up in mighty
wrath, and so inspires his brethren that they suddenly
take up arms, and precipitating themselves on their
unsuspecting oppressors, first slay Abi Melech and then
rout the whole army of the Philistines.
The high priest of the heathen god Dagon, finding
his friend slain, vows to be avenged upon the Israelites,
but he is deserted by all his companions, who flee
before Samson's wrath.
In the next scene the Israelites return victorious and
are greeted with triumphant songs and offerings of
flowers. Even the Philistine Delilah, the rose of Shar-
on, receives them with her maidens, and pays .homage
to the hero Samson. Delilah had enthralled him once
before, and again her beauty causes him very nearly to
forget his people and his duty; but an aged Israelite
implores him not to listen any more to the arts and
wiles of the enchantress.
In the second act Delilah has an interview with the
high priest, whom she promises to avenge her people
by winning Samson's love once more. She proudly
refuses the reward which the high priest offers her,
322 THE OPERA
for it is her bitter hatred against the hero, who once
loved and then forsook her, which prompts her to ruin
him and to force from him by every means in her
power the secret of his strength.
When the high priest has left her, Samson comes
down the steep mountain path, drawn to Delilah's
house against his will. She receives him with the
greatest tenderness, and once more her beauty and her
tears assert their power over him, so that he sinks at
her feet and falters out his love for her. In vain she
tries to lure his secret from him. At last she leaves
with words of contempt and enters the house. This
proves his undoing. Goaded beyond earthly power, he
rushes after her and seals his fate. After a while
the Philistines surround the house and Delilah herself
delivers her unfortunate lover, whom she has deprived
of his strength by cutting off his locks, to his foes.
In the third act we find Samson in prison. Bereft of
his eyesight, he has to turn the heavy mill. From the
outside the wailings and reproaches of his Israelite
brethren are heard, who have again been subjugated by
their foes. Bitterly repentant, Samson implores God
to take his life as the price of his people's deliverance.
In the last scene he is led away to Dagon's temple,
there to be present at the festival of the Philistines,
celebrated with great pomp in honor of their victory.
On the conclusion, after an exquisite ballet, Delilah
presents a golden cup to the blind hero, and jeers at
him for having been fool enough to believe in her love
for him, the enemy of her country. Samson maintains
silence, but when they order him to sacrifice at Dagon's
shrine he whispers to the child who is guiding him to
lead him to the pillars of the temple.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 323
This being done, he loudly invokes the God of Is-
rael, seizes the pillars, and tears them down with a
mighty crash, burying the Philistines under the ruins of
the temple.
"Samson et Dalila," in which Samt-Saens is seen at
his best, has oftener been given in concert than in opera
form. It was first heard in this country in oratorio
form. For many years the work was unsuccessful,
but has finally taken its place among standard operas.
SIEGFRIED
Second day of the Nibelungen Ring by Richard Wagner.
Musical Drama in three acts.
HP HE first act represents a part of the forest where
* Fafner guards the Rhinegold and where Sieglinde
has found refuge. We find her son Siegfried to
whom, when she was dying, she gave birth in the
rocky cave of Mime the Nibelung (brother of Alber-
ich) , who has brought up the child as his own, know-
ing that he is destined to slay Fafner and to gain the
ring, which he covets for himself. Siegfried, the brave
and innocent boy, instinctively shrinks from this
father, who is so ugly, so mean and vulgar, while he
has a deep longing for his dead mother, whom he never
knew. He gives vent to these feelings in impatient
questions about her. The dwarf answers unwillingly
and gives him the broken pieces of the old sword
Nothung (needful), which his mother left as the only
precious remembrance of Siegfried's father. Sieg-
fried asks Mime to forge the fragments afresh, while
he rushes away into the woods.
During his absence Wotan comes to Mime in the
324 THE OPERA
guise of a wanderer. Mime, though he knows him not,
fears him and would fain drive him away. Finally he
puts three questions to his guest. The first is the name
of the race which lives in earth's deepest depths, the
second the name of those who live on earth's back,
and the third that of those who live above the clouds.
Of course Wotan answers them all, redeeming his head
and shelter thereby ; but now it is his turn to put three
questions. He first asks what race it is that Wotan
loves most, though he dealt hardly with them, and
Mime answers rightly that they are the Walsungs,
whose son Siegfried is; then Wotan asks after the
sword which is to make Siegfried victorious. Mime
joyously names "Nothung," but when Wotan asks
him who is to unite the pieces he is in great embarrass-
ment, for he remembers his task and perceives too late
what question he ought to have asked. Wotan leaves
him, telling him that only that man can forge it who
never knew fear. Siegfried, finding the sword still in
fragments when he returns, melts these in fire, and
easily forges them together to Mime's great awe, for
he sees now that this boy is the one whom the stranger
has meant.
In the second act we see the opening of Fafner's
cavern, where Alberich keeps watch for the dragon's
slayer, so long predicted. Wotan, approaching, warns
him that Alberich's brother Mime has brought up the
boy who is to slay Fafner in the hope of gaining Al-
berich's ring, the wondrous qualities of which are
unknown to Siegfried. Wotan awakes Fafner, the
dragon, telling him that his slayer is coming.
Mime, who has led Siegfried to this part of the for-
est under the pretext of teaching him fear, approaches
HISTORY AND GUIDE 325
now, and Siegfried, eager for combat, kills the dread-
ful worm* Accidentally tasting the blood, he all at
once understands the language of the birds. They
tell him to seek for the Tarnhelm and for the ring,
which he finds in the cavern. Meanwhile, the brothers,
Alberich and Mime, quarrel over the treasure which
they hope to gain. When Siegfried returns with ring
and helmet, he is again warned by the voice of a wood-
bird not to trust in Mime. Having tasted the dragon's
blood, Siegfried is enabled to probe Mime's inner-
most thoughts, and so he learns that Mime means to
poison him in order to obtain the treasure. He then
kills the traitor with a single stroke. Stretching him-
self under the linden-tree to repose after that day's
hard work, he again hears the voice of the wood-bird,
which tells him of a glorious bride sleeping on a rock
surrounded by fire; and flying before him, the bird
shows Siegfried the way to the spot.
In the third act we find Wotan once more awaken-
ing Erda, to seek her counsel as to how best to avert
the doom which he sees coming, but she is less wise
than he, and so he decides to let fate have its course.
When he sees Siegfried coming he, for the last time,
tries to oppose him by barring the way to Briinnhilde,
but the sword Nothung splits the god's spear. Seeing
that his power avails him nothing, he retires to Val-
halla, there to await the "Twilight of the Gods."
Siegfried plunges through the fire, awakes the Val-
kyr, and after a long resistance wins the proud virgin.
326 THE OPERA
LA SONNAMBULA
(The Sleep- Walker)
Opera in two acts by Vmcenzo Bellini.
Text by Romani.
nnHE scene of action is a village in Switzerland,
* where the rich farmer Elvino has married a poor
orphan, Amina. The ceremony has taken place at the
magistrate's, and Elvino is about to obtain the sanction
of the Church to his union, when the owner of the
castle, Count Rodolfo, who fled from home in his boy-
hood, returns most unexpectedly and, at once making
love to Amina, excites the bridegroom's jealousy. Lisa,
the young owner of a little inn, who wants Elvino for
herself and disdains the devotion of Alessio, a simple
peasant, tries to avenge herself on her happy rival.
Lisa is a coquette and flirts with the Count, whom the
judge recognizes. While she yet prates with him, the
door opens and Amina enters, walking in her sleep
and calling for Elvino. Lisa conceals herself, but for-
gets her handkerchief. The Count, seeing Amina's
condition and awed by her purity, quits the room,
where Amina lies down, always in deep sleep. Just
then the people, having heard of the Count's arrival,
come to greet him and find Amina instead. At the
same moment Elvino, summoned by Lisa, rushes in,
and finding his bride in the Count's room, turns away
from her in disdain, snatching his wedding ring from
her finger in his wrath, and utterly disbelieving Ami-
na's protestations of innocence and the Count's assur-
ances. Lisa succeeds in attracting Elvino's notice and
he promises to marry her.
The Count once more tries to persuade the angry
HISTORY AND GUIDE 327
bridegroom of his bride's innocence, but without result,
when Teresa, Amina's foster-mother, shows Lisa's
handkerchief, which was found in the Count's room.
Lisa reddens, and Elvino knows not whom he shall
believe, when all of a sudden Amina is seen emerging
from a window of the mill, walking in a trance and
calling for her bridegroom in most touching accents.
All are convinced of her innocence, when they see
her in this state of somnambulism, in which she crosses
a very narrow bridge without falling.
Elvino himself replaces the wedding ring on her
finger, and she awakes from her trance in his arms.
Everybody is happy at the turn which things have
taken; Elvino asks Amina's forgiveness and leaves
Lisa to her own bitter reflections.
TANNHAUSER
Romantic Opera in three acts by Richard Wagner.
T 1 7AGNER took his subject from an old legend,
* * which tells of a minstrel called Tannhauser
(probably identical with Heinrich von Ofterdingen),
who won all prizes by his beautiful songs and all hearts
by his noble bearing. So the palm is allotted to him at
the yearly "Tournament of Minstrels" on the Wart-
burg, and his reward is to be the hand of Elisabeth,
niece of the Landgrave of Thuringia, whom he loves.
But instead of behaving sensibly, this erring knight
suddenly disappears nobody knows where, leaving his
bride in sorrow and anguish. He falls into the hands
of Venus, who holds court in the Horselberg near
Eisenach, and Tannhauser, at the opening of the first
scene, has already passed a whole year with her.
328 THE OPERA
At length Tannhauser has grown tired of sensual
love and pleasure, and, notwithstanding Venus's al-
lurements, he leaves her, vowing never to return to the
goddess, but to expiate his sins by a holy life. He
returns to the charming vale behind the Wartburg,
where he hears again the singing of the birds, the
shepherds playing on the flute, and the pious songs of
the pilgrims on their way to Rome. Full of repent-
ance, he kneels down and prays, when suddenly the
Landgrave appears with some minstrels, among them
Wolfram von Eschenbach, Tannhauser's best friend.
They greet their long-lost companion, who, however,
cannot tell where he has been all the time, and as Wol-
fram reminds him of Elisabeth, Tannhauser returns
with the party to the Wartburg.
It is just the anniversary of the Tournament of
Minstrels, and in the second act we find Elisabeth with
Tannhauser, who craves her pardon and is warmly
welcomed by her. The high prize for the best song
is again to be Elisabeth's hand, and Tannhauser re-
solves to win her once more. The Landgrave chooses
"love" as the subject whose nature is to be explained
by the minstrels. Every one is called by name, and
Wolfram von Eschenbach begins, praising love as a
well, deep and pure, a source of the highest and most
sacred feeling. Others follow : Walter von der Vogel-
weide praises the virtue of love, every minstrel cele-
brates spiritual love alone.
But Tannhauser, who has been in Venus's fetters,
sings of another love, warmer and more passionate,
but sensual. And when the others remonstrate, he
loudly praises Venus, the goddess of heathen love. All
stand aghast; they recognize now where he has been
HISTORY AND GUIDE 329
so long; he is about to be put to death, when Elisabeth
prays for him. She loves him dearly and hopes to
save his soul from eternal perdition. Tannhauser is
to join a party of pilgrims on their way to Rome, there
to crave for the Pope's pardon.
In the third act we see the pilgrims return from their
journey. Elisabeth anxiously expects her lover, but
he is not among them. Fervently she prays to the
Holy Virgin ; but not that a faithful lover may be given
back to her rather that he may be pardoned and his
immortal soul saved. Wolfram is beside her; he loves
the maiden, but he has no thought for himself; he only
feels for her whose life he sees ebbing swiftly away,
and for his unhappy friend.
Presently, when Elisabeth is gone, Tannhauser comes
up in pilgrim's garb. He has passed a hard journey,
full of sacrifices and castigation, and all in vain, for the
Pope has rejected him. He has been told in hard
words that he is forever damned and will as little get
deliverance from his grievous sin as the stick in his
hand will ever bear green leaves afresh.
Full of despair, Tannhauser is returning to seek
Venus, whose siren songs already fall alluringly on
his ear. Wolfram entreats him to fly, and when Tann-
hauser fails to listen he utters Elisabeth's name. At
this moment a procession descends from the Wartburg
chanting a funeral song over an open bier. Elisabeth
lies on it dead, and Tannhauser sinks on his knee be-
side her, crying, "Holy Elisabeth, pray for me." Then
Venus disappears and all at once the withered stick
begins to bud and blossom, and Tannhauser, pardoned,
expires at the side of his beloved.
"Tannhauser" was represented at the Dresden Thea-
330 THE OPERA
ter, in June, 1890, according to Wagner's changes of ar-
rangement, done by him in Paris, 1861, for the Grand
Opera, by order of Napoleon III. This arrangement
the composer acknowledged as the only correct one.
These alterations were limited to the first scene in
the mysterious abode of Venus, and Wagner's motives
for the changes become clearly apparent when it is re-
membered that the simple form of "Tannhauser" was
composed in the years 1843 an d ^45, ' m an d near
Dresden, at a time when there were neither means nor
taste in Germany for such high-flown scenes as those
which excited Wagner's brain. Afterward success
rendered Wagner bolder, and he endowed the person
of Venus with more dramatic power and thereby threw
a vivid light on the great attraction she exercises on
Tannhauser. The decorations are by far richer, and
a ballet of sirens and fauns was added, a concession
which Wagner had to make to the Parisian taste.
Venus's part, now sung by the first prima donnas, has
considerably gained by the alterations, and the first
scene is far more interesting than before, but it is to be
regretted that the Tournament of Minstrels has been
shortened and particularly the fine song of Walter
von der Vogelweide omitted by Wagner, All else is
as of old, as indeed Elisabeth's part needed nothing to
add to her purity and loveliness, which stand out now
in even bolder relief against the beautiful but sensual
part of Venus.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 331
THAIS
Opera in four acts by Jules Massenet.
Text by Gallet
TDERHAPS the most popular of all Massenet's lyric
dramas, certainly the best known outside of
France itself, is this, which has the advantage of an
excellent libretto, founded upon a novel of great ap-
peal. The scene is laid in Egypt in the stormy period
when Christianity was battling for supremacy with
paganism. Athanael and other monks, presided over
by Falemon, have retired to the desert for a life of
meditation and prayer, and the rising curtain reveals
tliese holy men at their evening meal all but Athanael,
who has been in Alexandria for the brethren. Pale-
mon has seen Athanael in a vision, and as he tells the
monks that their brother is returning, the weary
traveler enters. After an exchange of greetings, he
tells the monks that Alexandria is given over to sin,
and ruled by Thais, an infamous priestess of Venus,
whom he had known before his conversion. Palemon
sagely advises the brothers to forget the world in
seeking out their own salvation.
Night falls, and in a dream Athanael sees Thais
enacting the role of Aphrodite in the theater at Alex-
andria. The mob applauds the lovely priestess, who
redoubles her efforts to charrn. With the coming of
the dawn the vision fades and Athanael wakes. Im-
pressed by what he has seen, he declares that he will
return to Alexandria and make of Thais a Christian
convert. Vainly do Palemon and the monks seek to
dissuade him. In the next scene we find Athanael in
Alexandria, a guest in the palace of his old friend
330 THE OPERA
ter, in June, 1890, according to Wagner's changes of ar-
rangement, done by him in Paris, 1861, for the Grand
Opera, by order of Napoleon III. This arrangement
the composer acknowledged as the only correct one.
. These alterations were limited to the first scene in
the mysterious abode of Venus, and Wagner's motives
'for the changes become clearly apparent when it is re-
membered that the simple form of "Tannhauser'* was
composed in the years 1843 anc ^ I ^4S' * n ^nd near
Dresden, at a time when there were neither means nor
taste in Germany for such high-flown scenes as those
which excited Wagner's brain. Afterward succcsrii
rendered Wagner bolder, and he endowed the pcfson
of Venus with more dramatic power and thereby threw
a vivid light on the great attraction she exercises on
Tannhauser. The decorations are by far richer, and
a ballet of sirens and fauns was added, a concession
which Wagner had to make to the Parisian taste.
Venus's part, now sung by the first prima donnas, has
considerably gained by the alterations, and the first
scene is far more interesting than before, but it is to be
regretted that the Tournament of Minstrels has been
shortened and particularly the fine song of Walter
von der Vogelweide omitted by Wagner. All else is
as of old, as indeed Elisabeth's part needed nothing to
add to her purity and loveliness, which stand out now
in even bolder relief against the beautiful but sensual
part of Venus.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 331
THAIS
Opera in four acts by Jules Massenet.
Text by Gullet.
"pERHAPS the most popular of all Massenet's lyric
* dramas, certainly the best known outside of
France itself, is this, \vlrich has the advantage of an
excellent libretto, founded upon a novel of great ap-
peal. The scene is laid in Kgypt in the stormy period
when Christianity was battling for supremacy with
pag'inism. Athanael and other monks, presided over
by Pulemon, have retired to the desert for a life of
meditation and prayer, and the rising curtain reveals
tfiesc holy men at their evening meal all but Athanael,
who has been in Alexandria for the brethren. Pale-
mon has seen Athanael in a vision, and as he tells the
monks that their brother is returning, the weary
traveler enters. After an exchange of greetings, he
tolls the monks that Alexandria is given over to sin,
and ruled by Thai's, an infamous priestess of Venus,
whom he had known before his conversion. Palemon
sagely advises the brothers to forgot the world in
seeking out their own salvation.
Night fulls, and in a dream Athanael sees Thais
enacting the role of Aphrodite in the theater at Alex-
andria. The mob applauds the lovely priestess, who
redoubles her efforts to charm. With the coming of
the dawn the vision fades and Athanael wakes. Im-
pressed by what ho has seen, he declares that he will
return to Alexandria and make of Thais a Christian
convert. Vainly An Palemon and the monks seek to
dissuade him. In the next scene we find Athanael in
Alexandria, a guest in the palace of his old friend
332 THE OPERA
Nicias, who causes him to be newly robed and per-
fumed, but laughs at his idea of converting Thai's.
Then comes the priestess herself, surrounded by her
admirers, and when she asks who Athanael is, and
learns his mission, she too is amused, and is preparing
to enact for Athanael's edification the scene which he
had beheld in his dreams. Filled with loathing, Atha-
nael rushes from the palace.
In the second act Thais, worn with pleasure and
unhappy, kneels before the shrine of Venus, beseech-
ing the goddess to grant her eternal beauty. Athanael
conies to preach the faith of the Redeemer; but though
Thaiis listens with interest, and denies herself to
Nicias, the latest of her lovers, she is unconvinced.
Athanael tells her that he will await her coming with
the rising of the sun, and retires, meaning to spend
the night in prayer before her door. Then, after an
interlude by the orchestra, the scene shifts, and Atha-
nael is shown reclining on the portico of Thais's house*
He is aroused by Thais herself, who tells him that she
has prayed, has wept, and having seen the nothingness
of pleasure, has come in obedience to his commands.
Athanael takes from Thai's a statuette of Cupid, the
one memento she has brought with her, dashes it to
the ground, and bids her follow him to a convent
presided over by Albino, a daughter of the Caesars,
who has embraced the religious life. Before they can
depart, Nicias, who has just won a fortune at the gam-
ing-table, brings in a party of friends to celebrate the
occasion, and all are incensed at the thought of los-
ing their favorite priestess, They attack Athanad,
but their attention is distracted by flames issuing from
the palace of Thais, who had fired it before leaving,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 333
and then Nicias adds to the confusion by flinging
hand fuls of gold into the street. In the scramble for
money which follows, Athanacl and his convert escape.
In the third act we are shown an oasis in the desert,
the abode of the Christian sisterhood of whom Albine
is the head. Almost at her journey's end, Thai's faints
from fatigue. Athanael kisses her feet, wounded as
they are, then brings her water and fruit. The nuns
enter, chanting their prayers, and when they have wel-
comed Thais she bids farewell to Athanael, whom she
hopes to meet again in heaven. Then the stage picture
changes, again showing the monastery in the Thebaid.
Athanael has touched neither food nor drink for twen-
ty days. As Palemon expresses it, "The triumph he
has won over hell has broken him, body and soul."
Athanael confesses to Palemon that he is haunted per-
petually by thoughts of Thais, to which Palemon can
only reply that he had warned Athanael not to med-
dle with the affairs of the world
Again the vision of Thai's appears to Athanael, but
this time she seems to be dying, surrounded by the
mournful sisterhood of the oasis. Then Athanael
rushes into the night, crying as he goes that a single
caress from Thais is more than all the delights of
heaven.
In the fourth act Athanacl, arriving at Albine's con-
vent, is welcomed by the nuns, who assume that he is
there to give the final benediction to Thais, and they
describe her as a saint. The former priestess of
Venus in her last moments feels the beatitudes of the
Christian heaven, and is oblivious to the passionate
appeal of Athanael. She dies, and with a terrible out-
burst of grief Athanael falls to his knees beside her.
334 THE OPERA
TIEFLAND
Opera in three acts, with a prologue, by Eugen d'Albert
Text by Lothar.
T T NTIL this opera was produced in New York, the
^ composer was known in America only as a
pianist. Earlier works for the stage, while not un-
successful, had their vogue chiefly in Germany, but
"Tiefland," first performed in Berlin in 1908, was
immediately claimed lor the world at large. The book
is based on the Catalonian play by Angel Guimera
known as "Terra Baixa,"
In the prologue Pedro is tending his sheep in the
highlands of the Pyrenees, and when Sebastiano, his
master, promises him wealth and a pretty bride in the
person of Marta, a damsel from the plains, he is de-
lighted.
In the first act the scene shifts to the lowlands,
where preparations have been made for the wedding.
Pedro, dazed by the change in his fortunes, and deeply
in love with Marta, fails to note the jeering attitude
of the villagers, and not until after the ceremony has
taken place does he learn the truth, Marta, who has
felt for him only contempt, experiences a complete
revulsion of feeling at his profound depression when
she has told her story. Daughter of a strolling player >
she has aroused the admiration of Sebastiano, who
bought her from her father by giving him a mill which
would afford an easy living. This relationship, a com-
mon scandal in the village, had continued until Sebas-
tiano found an opportunity of marrying a wealthy
heiress. Then, as a means of freeing himself f Sehas-
tiano had determined to provide a husband for Marta,
HISTORY AND GUIDE 335
and Pedro had been the unsuspecting victim. En-
raged against his wife, Pedro becomes calmer as he
realizes that she too has been the victim of Sebas-
tiano, and he determines to revenge her as well as him-
self.
Sebastiano, who has never meant to relinquish his
claims on Maria, comes to her home as boldly as ever,
and though Marta repulses him, and calls on Pedro to
protect her, the peasants who have accompanied Se-
bastiano eject the husband from the house, then
leave JMarta and Sebastiano together. Marta faints
away, but recovers herself a moment later as Tom-
maso enters to say to Sebasliano that he has already
denounced him to the family of his prospective bride.
In Ihc third act Sebastiano, again alone with Maria,
continues to force his unwelcome attentions on her,
when Pedro returns. "Man to man!" cries Pedro,
in whose hand a knife is gleaming. U I have no
weapon/' shouts Sebasliano in reply, as he seeks to
escape from the house. "Then I need none, 1 ' is Pe-
dro's rejoinder, and flinging away his knife, he closes
in on his former master, and after a desperate struggle
succeeds in strangling him.
Meantime the noise of combat has again brought
the villagers about the cottage, and they are clamoring
for admittance. I faying satisfied himself that Sebas-
tiano is beyond earthly help, Pedro throws open the
door, boldly proclaims his deed, then clasping his wife
in his arms, leads her through the group of awestruck
peasants. The lowlands shall know them no more, for
in the pure surroundings of their mountain home they
are to begin life anew*
336 THE OPERA
LA TOSCA
Opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini.
Text by lllica and Giacosa, after Sardou's drama.
scene is laid in Rome. The first act takes
* place in the church of Sanf Andrea alia Valle.
Cesare Angelotti, a state prisoner, has escaped from
jail and is hiding in a private chapel, of which his
sister, the Lady Attavanti, has secretly sent him the
key. When he has disappeared from view the painter
Mario Cavaradossi enters the church. He is engaged
in painting a picture to represent Mary Magdalen. The
canvas stands on a high easel, and the sacristan, who is
prowling about, recognizes with scandalized amaze-
ment and indignation that the sacred picture resem-
bles a beautiful lady who comes to pray daily in the
church. The old man, after having left a basket with
food for the painter, retires grumbling at this sacrilege.
When he is gone, Angelotti comes forward, and the
painter, recognizing in the prisoner the consul of the
late Roman Republic who is at the same time an inti-
mate friend of his own, puts himself at his disposal;
but, hearing the voice of his fiancee Tosca, who de-
mands entrance, he begs the prisoner, a victim of the
vile Scarpia, to retire into the chapel, giving him the
refreshments which the sacristan has left.
At last he opens the church door, ami Tosca, a fa-
mous singer, enters looking suspiciously around her, for
she is of a jealous disposition. She begs her lover to
wait for her at the stage door in the evening. I Ie as-
sents and tries to get rid of her, when her suspicions
are reawakened by the sight of the picture, which she
sees is a portrait of the Lady Attavanti. With diffi-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 337
culty he succeeds in persuading her of his undying
love, and at last induces her to depart; he then enters
the chapel and urges Angelotti to fly while the way is
clear. The chapel opens into a deserted garden from
whence a foot-path leads to the painter's villa, in which
there is a well now nearly dry. Into this well the
painter advises Angelotti to descend if there is any
danger of pursuit, as halfway down there is an opening
leading to a secret cave, where his friend will be in
perfect safety.
The Lady Attavanti had left a woman's clothes for
her brother to wear as a disguise. He takes them up
and turns to go when the report of a cannon tells him
that his flight from the fortress is discovered. With
sudden resolution Cavanulossi decides to accompany
the fugitive to help him to escape from his terrible
enemy*
In the next scene acolytes, scholars, and singers en-
ter the church tumultuously. ( They have heard that
Napoleon has been defeated, and all are shouting and
laughing when Scarpia, the chief of the police, enters
in search of the fugitive. Turning to the sacristan he
demands to be shown the chapel of the Attavanti, which
to the amazement of the sacristan is found open. It
is empty, but Scarpia finds a fan, on which he per-
ceives the arms of the Attavanti, then he sees the pic-
ture and hears that Tosca's lover Cavaradossi has
painted it. The basket with food is also found empty.
During the discussion that ensues Tosca enters, much
astonished to find Scarpia here instead of her lover.
The chief of the police awakens her jealousy by show-
ing her the fan, which he pretends to have found on the
scaffolding. Tosca, recognizing the arms of the At-
338 THE OPERA
tavanti, is goaded almost to madness by the wily
Scarpia. When she departs three spies are ordered to
follow her.
The second act takes place in Scarpia's luxurious
apartments in an upper story of the Farnese palace.
Scarpia is expecting Tosca, who is to sing this evening
at the Queen's festival. He has decided to take her
for his mistress and to put her lover to death, as well
as Angelotti, as soon as he has got hold of both. Spo-
letta, a police agent, informs his chief that he followed
Tosca to a solitary villa, which she left again, alone,
very soon after she had entered it.
Forcing his way into the villa, ho had found only
the painter Cavaraclossi, whom he had at once arrested
and brought to the palace. Cavaradossi, who is now
brought in, denies resolutely any knowledge of the
escaped prisoner. When Tosca enters he embraces
her, whispering into her ear not to betray anything
she has witnessed in his villa.
Meanwhile, Scarpia has called for Roberto, the exe-
cutioner, and Mario is led into the torture-chamber that
adjoins Scarpia's apartment Scarpia vainly questions
Tosca about her visit to the villa. She assures him
that she found her lover alone. Then she hears her
lover's groans, which arc growing more fearful, the
torture under Scarpia's directions being applied with
more and more violence. In the intervals Mario, how-
ever, entreats Tosca to be silent, but at last she can
bear no more and gasps, "In the well in the garden."
Scarpia at once gives a signal to stop the torture and
Mario is carried in fainting and covered with blood
When he comes to himself he hears Scarpia say to
Spoletta, "In the well in the garden," and thereby
HISTORY AND GUIDE 339
finds out that Tosca has betrayed the unfortunate
prisoner. While he turns from her in bitter grief and
indignation, Sciarrone, a gendarme, enters and an-
nounces, in the greatest consternation, that the news of
victory has proved false, Napoleon having beaten the
Italian army at Marcngo. Mario exults in the defeat
of his enemy, but the latter turns to him with an evil
smile and orders the gendarmes to take him away to
his death. Tosca tries to follow him, but Scarpia de-
tains her. Remaining alone with him she offers him
all her treasures and at last kneels to him imploring
him to save her lover. But the villain only shows her
the scaffold which is being erected on the square below,
swearing that he will save her lover only on condition
that she will be his. Tosca turns shuddering 1 from
him. Spolcttu now enters to announce that Angclotti,
being found and taken, has killed himself, and that
Mario is ready for death.
Xow at last Tosca yields, Scarpia promising to liber-
ate her lover at the price of her honor, lie suggests,
however, that Mario must be supposed dead, and that
a farce must be acted, in which the prisoner is to pre-
tend to fall dead while only blank cartridges will be
used for firing. Tosca begs to be allow.ed to warn him
herself, and Scarpia consents, and orders Spoletta to
accompany her to the prison at four o'clock in the
morning, after having given the spy private instruc-
tion to have Mario really shot after all. Spoletta re-
tires, and Scarpia approaches Tosca to claim his re-
ward. Ihit she stops him, asking for a safe conduct
for herself and her lover. While Scarpia is writing
it Tosca seizes a knife from the table, while leaning
against it, and hides the weapon behind her back.
340 THE OPERA
Scarpia seals the passport ; then, opening his arms, he
says: "Now, Tosca, mine at last." But he staggers
back with an awful scream, Tosca has suddenly
plunged the knife deep into his breast. Before he
can call for help, death overtakes him, and Tosca, after
having taken the passport from the clenched fist of the
dead man, turns to fly.
The third act takes place on the platform of the
castle Sant' Angelo. The jailer informs Mario Cavara-
dossi that he may ask for a last favor, having only one
hour to live, and the captive begs to be allowed to send
a last letter of farewell to his fiancee. The jailer as-
sents, and Mario sits down to write, but soon the
sweet recollections of the past overcome him. Tosca
finds him in bitter tears, which soon give way to joy
when she shows him her passport, granting a free pass
to Tosca and to the chevalier who will accompany her.
When she tells him of the deadly deed she has done
to procure it, he kisses the hands that were stained
with blood for his sake. Then she informs him of the
farce which is to be acted, and begs him to fall quite
naturally after the first shot, and to remain motionless
until she shall call him. After a while the jailer re-
minds them that the hour is over. The soldiers march
up, and Tosca places herself to the left of the guard's
room in order to face her lover. The latter refuses to
have his eyes bandaged, and bravely stands erect before
the soldiers. The officer lowers his sword, a report
follows, and Tosca, seeing her lover fall, sends him a
kiss. When one of the sergeants is about to give the
cmp de grace to the fallen man, Spolctta prevents him,
and covers Mario with a cloak. Tosca remains (jttiet
until the last soldier has descended the steps of the
HISTORY AND GUIDE 341
staircase, then she runs to her lover, calling him to rise.
As he does not move, she bends down to him and tears
the cloak off, but, with a terrible cry, she staggers back.
Her lover is dead! She bewails him in the wildest
grief, when suddenly she hears the voice of Sciarrone,
and knows that Scarpia's murder has been discovered !
A crowd rushes up the stairs with Spoletta at their
head. He is about to precipitate himself upon Tosca,
but she runs to the parapet and throws herself into
space, with the cry: "Scarpia, may God judge between
us!"
LA TRAVIATA
(The Wandering One)
Opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi.
Text taken from the French by Piave.
TTHE original of the libretto is the celebrated novel
* u La dame aux camelias" by the younger Dumas.
The scene is laid 'in and near Paris. Alfred Gennont
is passionately in love with Violetta Valery, one of
the most frivolous beauties in Paris. She is pleased
with his sincere passion, anything like which she has
never hitherto known, and openly telling him who she
is, she warns him herself ; but he loves her all the more,
and as she returns his passion, she abandons her gay
life and follows him into the country, where they live
very happily for some months.
Annina, Violctta's maid, dropping a hint to Alfred
that her mistress is about to sell her house and carriage
in town in order to avoid expenses, he departs for the
capital to prevent this*
During his absence Violetta receives a visit from
Alfred's father, who tries to show her that she has
342 THE OPERA
destroyed not only his family's but his son's happiness
by suffering Alfred to unite himself to one so dis-
honored. He succeeds in convincing her, and, broken-'
hearted, she determines to sacrifice herself and leave
Alfred secretly. Ignoring the possible reason for this
inexplicable action, Alfred is full of wrath and resolves
to take vengeance. He finds Violetta in the house of
a former friend, Flora Bervoix, who is in a position
similar to that of Violetta. The latter, having no other
resources, and feeling herself at death's door (a state
of health suggested in the first act by an attack of suf-
focation), has returned to her former life. Alfred
insults her publicly. The result is a duel between her
present adorer, Baron Dauphal, and Alfred.
From this time on Violetta declines rapidly, and in
the last act, which takes place in her sleeping-room, we
find her dying. Hearing that Alfred has been victo-
rious in the duel and receiving a letter from his father,
who is now willing to pardon and to accept her as his
daughter-in-law, she revives to some extent; and Al-
fred, who at last hears of her sacrifice, returns to her,
but only to afford a last glimpse of happiness to the
unfortunate woman, who expires, a modern Magdalen,
full of repentance and striving tenderly to console her
lover and his now equally desolate father.
This opera, which at first fared poorly at the hands
of the public, is now classed among the works that
have most contributed to Verdi's reputation. Little
can be said for the text of "La Traviata," but its faults
are redeemed by the work of the master, whose music
abounds in the finest melody and in special features of
admirable quality.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 343
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE
Lyric Drama in three acts by Richard Wagner.
HTHE first act represents the deck of a ship, where
we find the two principal persons, Tristan and
Isolde, together. Tristan, a Cornish hero, has gone
over to Ireland to woo the Princess for his old uncle,
King Marke. Isolde, however, loves Tristan and has
loved him from the time when he was cast sick and
dying on the coast of Ireland and was rescued and
nursed by her, though he was her enemy. But Tris-
tan, having sworn faith to his uncle, never looks at
her ; and she, full of wrath that he should woo her for
another instead of for himself, attempts to poison her-
self and him. But Brangane, her faithful attendant,
secretly changes the poisoned draught for a love-po-
tion, so that they are inevitably joined in passionate
love. Only when the ship gets ashore, its deck already
covered with knights and sailors who come to greet
their King's bride, does Brangane confess her fraud;
and Isolde, hearing that she is to live, faints in her at-
tendant's arms.
In the second act Isolde has been wedded to Marke,
but the love-potion has worked well, and she has secret
interviews at night with Tristan, whose sense of honor
is deadened by the fatal draught. Brangane keeps
watch for the lovers, but King Marke's jealous friend
Melot betrays them, and they are found out by the good
old King, who returns earlier than he had intended
from a hunt.
Tristan is profoundly touched by the grief of the
King, whose sadness at losing faith in his most noble
344 THE OPERA
warrior is greater than his wrath against the betrayer
of honor. Tristan, unable to defend himself, turns to
Isolde, asking her to follow him into the desert, but
Melot opposes him, and they fight, Tristan falling back
deadly wounded into his faithful servant Kurvenal's
arms.
The third act represents Tristan's home in Brittany,
whither Kurvenal has carried his wounded master in
order to nurse him. Isolde, skilled in the art of heal-
ing wounds, has been sent for, but they look in vain
for the ship which is to bring her.
When at last it comes in sight, Tristan, who awakes
from a long swoon, sends Kurvenal away, to receive
his mistress, and as they both delay their coming, his
impatient longing gets the better of him. Forgetting
his wound, he rises from his couch, tearing away the
bandages, and so Isolde is only just in time to catch
him in her arms, where he expires with her name on
his lips. While she bewails her loss, another ship is
announced by the shepherd's horn. King Marke ar-
rives, prepared to pardon all and to unite the lovers.
Kurvenal, seeing Melot advance, mistakes them for
foes and, running his sword through Melot's breast,
sinks, himself deadly wounded, at his master's feet.
King Marke, to whom Brangane has confessed her part
in the whole matter, vainly laments his friend Tristan,
while Isolde, waking from her swoon and seeing her
lover dead, pours forth rapturous words of devotion
and, broken-hearted, sinks down dead at his side*
In "Tristan und Isolde" Wagner first fully embodied
his theories regarding the drama and the orchestra in
their artistic relations.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 345
IL TROVATORE
(The Troubadour)
Opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi.
Text by Cammerano.
HP WO men of entirely different station and character
* woo Leonora, Countess of Sergaste. The one is
Count Luna, the other a minstrel named Manrico, who
is believed to be the son of Azucena, a gypsy.
Azucena has, in accordance with gypsy law, vowed
bloody revenge on Count Luna, because his father, be-
lieving her mother to be a sorceress and to have be-
witched one of his children, had the old woman burned.
To punish the father for this cruelty Azucena took
away his other child, which was vainly sought for.
This story is told in the first scene, where we find the
Count's servants waiting for him, while he stands sigh-
ing beneath his sweetheart's window. But Leonora's
heart is already captivated by Manrico's sweet songs
and his valor in tournament. She suddenly hears his
voice, and in the darkness mistakes the Count for her
lover, who, however, conies up just in time to claim
her. The Count is full of rage, and there follows a
duel in which Manrico is wounded, but, though it is in
his power to kill his enemy, he spares his life, without,
however, being able to account for the impulse.
In the second act Azucena, nursing Manrico, tells
him of her mother's dreadful fate and her last cry for
revenge, and confesses to having stolen the old Count's
son, with the intention of burning him. But in her
despair and confusion, she says, she threw her own
child into the flames, and the Count's son lived. Man-
rico is terrified, but Azucena retracts her words and
346 THE OPERA
regains his confidence, so that he believes her tale to
have been but an outburst of remorse and folly.
Meanwhile he hears that Leonora, to whom he was
reported as dead, is about to take the veil, and he rushes
away to save her. Count Luna arrives before the con-
vent with the same purpose. But just as he seizes his
prey, Manrico comes up and liberates her with the aid
of his companions, while the Count curses them.
Leonora becomes Manrico 's wife, but her happiness
is shortlived.
In the third act the Count's soldiers succeed in cap-
turing Azucena, in whom they recognize the burned
gypsy's daughter. She denies all knowledge of the
Count's lost brother, and as the Count hears that his
successful rival is her son, she is sentenced to be
burned. Ruiz, Manrico's friend, brings the news to
him. Manrico tries to rescue her, but is seized too, and
condemned to die by the axe.
In the fourth act Leonora offers herself to the Count
as the price of freedom for the captives, but, deter-
mined to be true to her lover, she takes poison. She
hastens to him, announcing his deliverance. Too late
he sees how dearly she has paid for it, when, after
sweet assurance of love and fidelity, she sinks dead
at his feet.
The Count, coming up and seeing himself deceived,
orders Manrico to be put to death instantly. He is led
away, and only after the execution does Azucena in-
form the Count that his murdered rival was Luna's
own long-sought brother.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 347
THE VAMPIRE
Romantic Opera in two acts by Heinrich Marschner.
Text by Wohlbriick.
/ T > HE subject is taken from Lord Byron's tale of the
-* same name. The scene is laid in Scotland in the
seventeenth century and illustrates the old Scottish
legend of the vampire, a phantom monster which can
only exist by sucking the heart-blood of sleeping
mortals.
Lord Ruthven is such a vampire. He victimizes
young maidens in particular. His soul is sold to Satan,
but the demons have granted him a respite of a year,
on condition of his bringing them three brides young
and pure. His first victim is lanthe, daughter of Sir
John Berkley. She loves the monster and together
they disappear into a cavern. Her father assembles
followers and goes in search of her. They hear dread-
ful wailings, followed by mocking laughter proceeding
from the ill-fated vampire, and entering they find
lanthe lifeless. The despairing father stabs Ruthven,
who wounded to death knows that he cannot survive
but by drawing life from the rays of the moon, which
shines on the mountains. Unable to move, he is saved
by Edgar Aubrey, a relative of the Laird of Davenant,
who accidentally comes to the spot.
Lord Ruthven, after having received a promise of
secrecy from Aubrey, tells him who he is and implores
him to carry him to the hills as the last favor to a dying
man.
Aubrey complies with the vampire's request and then
hastily flies from the spot. Ruthven revives and fol-
348 THE OPERA
lows him, in order to win the love of Malvina, daughter
of the Laird of Davenant and Aubrey's betrothed.
His respite now waxing short, he tries at the same
time to gain the affections of Emma, daughter of John
Perth, the steward.
Malvina meanwhile greets her beloved Aubrey, who
has returned after a long absence. Both are full of
joy, when Malvina's father enters to announce to his
daughter her future husband, whom he has chosen in
the person of the Earl of Marsden. Great is Malvi-
na's sorrow, and she now for the first time dares to
tell her father that her heart has already spoken, and
to present Aubrey to him. The laird's pride, however,
does not allow him to retract his word, and when the
Earl of Marsden arrives, he presents him to his daugh-
ter. In the supposed earl Aubrey at once recognizes
Lord Ruthven, but the villain stoutly denies his iden-
tity, giving Lord Ruthven out as a brother, who has
been traveling for a long time. Aubrey, however, rec-
ognizes the vampire by a scar on his hand, but he is
bound to secrecy by his oath, and so Ruthven triumphs,
having the Laird of Davenant's promise that he will
be betrothed before midnight to Malvina, as he de-
clares that he is bound to depart for Madrid the fol-
lowing morning as ambassador.
In the second act all are drinking and frolicking on
the green, where the bridal is to take place.
Emma awaits her lover George Dibclin, who is in
Davenant's service. While she sings the ghastly ro-
mance of the vampire, Lord Ruthven approaches, and
by his sweet flattery and promise to help the lovers, he
easily causes the simple maiden to grant him a kiss
in token of her gratitude. In giving this kiss she is
HISTORY AND GUIDE 349
forfeited to the Evil One. George, who has seen all,
is very jealous, though Emma tells him that the future
son-in-law of the Laird of Davenant will make him his
steward.
Meanwhile Aubrey vainly tries to make Ruthven
renounce Malvina. Ruthven threatens that Aubrey
himself will be condemned to be a vampire if he
breaks his oath, and depicts in glowing colors the tor-
ments of a spirit so cursed. While Aubrey hesitates
as to what he shall do, Ruthven once more approaches
Emma and succeeds in winning her consent to follow
him to his den, where he murders her.
In the last scene Malvina, unable any longer to resist
her father's will, has consented to the hateful mar-
riage. Ruthven has kept away rather long and comes
very late to his wedding. Aubrey implores them to
wait for the coming day, but in vain. Then he forgets
his own danger and only sees that of his beloved, and
when Ruthven is leading the bride to the altar, he loud-
ly proclaims Ruthven to be a vampire. At this moment
a thunder-peal is heard and a flash of lightning de-
stroys Ruthven, whose time of respite has ended at
midnight. The old laird, witnessing Heaven's pun-
ishment, repents his error and gladly gives Malvina to
her lover, while all praise the Almighty, who has turned
evil into good.
350 THE OPERA
DIE VERKAUFTE BRAUT
(The Bartered Bride)
Comic Opera, in three acts by Frieclrich Smetana.
Text by Sabina.
HP HE scene is laid in a village in Bohemia. It is
* spring kirmess, and everybody is gay. Only
Mary, the daughter of the rich peasant Kruschina,
carries a heavy heart within her ; for the day has come
on which the unknown bridegroom, chosen by her
parents, will claim her hand. She loves Hans, known
to her as a poor servant, who has come to her village
lately, and who is in reality her bridegroom's half-
brother. He consoles her, beseeching her to cheer up
and be faithful to him, and then tells her that he comes
of wealthy people. He lost his mother early, and his
father wedded a second wife, who so estranged his
heart from the poor boy that he had to gain his daily
bread abroad. She deeply sympathizes with him,
without guessing his real name.
Meanwhile Mary's parents approach with the match-
maker Kezul, a personage common in Bohemia, who
has already won Kruschina's consent to his daughter's
marriage with Wenzel, son of the rich farmer Micha
by a second marriage. Mary's mother insisting that
her child's will is to be consulted before all, the father
consents to let her see the bridegroom before she de-
cides. Kezul, though angry at this unlooked-for ob-
stacle, excuses the bridegroom's absence volubly, and
sings his praise loudly, at the same time touching upon
the elder son's absence, and hinting that he may prob-
ably be dead. When Mary steps in, Kezul woos her
HISTORY AND GUIDE 35 1
in due form, but is at once repulsed by her. The
young girl owns to having given her heart to the hum-
ble servant Hans, in whom nobody has yet recognized
Micha's son. Father Kruschina angrily asserts his
promise to Kezul, cursing Wenzel's timidity, which
hindered him from making his proposal in person.
Kezul, however, resolves to talk Hans over to reason.
We find him, in the second act, singing and highly
praising the god of love. Afterward the would-be
bridegroom Wenzel finds himself face to face with
Alary, whom he does not know. When he tells her of
his purpose, timidly and stammeringly, she asks him
if he is not ashamed to woo a girl who loves another
man, and who does not love him in the least. She at
last so frightens the lad that he promises to look out
for another bride, if his mother permits it, Mary flirts
with him, until he swears never to claim Kruschina's
daughter.
Meanwhile Kezul does his best to convert Hans.
He promises to provide for him another bride, much
richer than Mary, but Hans refuses. He offers him
money, first one hundred, then two hundred, then
three hundred florins. Hans, looking incredulous,
asks, "For whom are you wooing my bride?" "For
Micha's son," the matchmaker replies. "Well/' says
Hans, "if you promise me that Micha's son, and no
other, shall have her, I will sign the contract; and I
further stipulate that Micha himself shall have no
right to reclaim the money later ; he is the one to bear
the whole cost of the bargain." Kezul gladly con-
sents and departs to bring the witnesses, before whom
Hans once more renounces his bride in favor of
Micha's son. He coolly takes the money, at which they
352 THE OPERA
turn from him in disgust, and signs his name Hans
Ehrentraut at the foot of the document.
The third act opens with a performance by tight-
rope dancers. Wenzel, who has been quite despondent
about his promised bride, is enraptured by their skill.
He especially admires the Spanish dancer Esmeralda,
who bewitches him so entirely that he woos her. The
director of the band, being in want of a dancing-bear,
is not loath to take advantage of the lad's foolishness.
He engages him as a dancer, and easily overcomes
Wenzel's scruples by promising him Esmeralda's hand.
Just when they are putting him in bear's skin his par-
ents appear on the scene with the marriage contract. To
their great dismay, he refuses to sign it, and when
pressed he runs away.
Meanwhile Mary has heard of her lover's fickleness,
which she would fain disbelieve ; but alas ! Kezul shows
her the document by which Hans renounces her.
Nevertheless she refuses to wed any other man than
the one her heart has chosen. Wenzel, approaching
again, and recognizing in Mary the bride he had re-
nounced, is now quite sorry to give her up, and very
willing to take her if she will only yield. Mary, pray-
ing to be left alone for a little while, abandons her-
self to her grief, and is thus found by Hans, whom
she bitterly reproaches for his faithlessness* But he
only smiles, and recalls the whole chorus, coolly saying
that it is his wish that Mary should wed Micha's son.
That is too much for poor Mary's feelings. She de-
clares that she is ready to do as they wish ; but before
she signs the contract, Hans steps forth in full view of
his parents, who at last recognize in him their long-
lost eldest son. Though his stepmother Agnes is in a
HISTORY AND GUIDE 353
rage about his trick, he claims his rights as son and
heir, and the bride of course is not loath to choose be-
tween the two brothers.
Kezul the matchmaker retires shamefaced, and when
Wenzel shows himself in the last scene as a dancing-
bear, and stammeringly assures the laughing public
that they need not be afraid of him, as he is "not a
bear but only Wenzel/' the final blow is dealt whereby
he loses all favor in the eyes of Kruschina, who is
now quite reconciled to give his daughter to Micha's
eldest son.
DIE WALKURE
(The Valkyrs)
First day of the Nibelungen Ring by Richard Wagner.
T N the first scene we are introduced into the dwelling
* of a mighty warrior, Hunding, in whose house
Siegmund, a son of Wotan and of a mortal woman,
has sought refuge, without knowing that it is the abode
of an enemy. Sieglinde, Hunding's wife, who, stand-
ing alone and abandoned in the world, was forced into
this union against her will, attracts the guest's interest
and wins his love.
When Hunding comes home from the fight, he
learns, to his disgust, that his guest is the same warrior
who killed his kinsmen and whom they vainly pursued.
The laws of hospitality forbid him to attack Sieg-
mund under his own roof, but he warns him that he
will only await the morrow to fight him.
Sieglinde, having fallen in love with her guest, mixes
a powder with her husband's potion, which sends Win
into profound sleep. Then she returns to Siegmund,
354 THE OPERA
to whom she shows the hilt of the sword, thrust deep
into the mighty ash-tree's stem, which fills the middle
space of the hut. It has been put there by an unknown
one-eyed wanderer (Wotan, who once sacrificed one
of his eyes to Erda, wishing to gain more knowledge
for the sake of mankind). No hero has succeeded
until now in loosening the wondrous steel. Siegmund
reveals to Sieglinde that he is a son of the Walsung,
and they recognize that they are twin brother and sis-
ter. Then Sieglinde knows that the sword is destined
for Siegmund by his father, and Siegmund with one
mighty effort draws it out of the ash-tree. He names
the sword Northung (needful). Sieglinde elopes with
him and the early morning finds them in a rocky pass,
evading Hunding's wrath.
In the second scene we see Wotan giving directions
to the Valkyr Briinnhilde, who is to shield Siegmund
in his battle with Hunding. Briinnhilde is Wotan's
and Erda's child and her father's favorite. But Fricka
conies up, remonstrating violently against this breach
of all moral and matrimonial laws ; she is the protec-
tor of marriages and most jealous of her somewhat
fickle husband, and she forces Wotan to withdraw his
protection from Siegmund and to remove the power of
Siegmund's sword.
Wotan recalls Briinnhilde, changing his orders with
heavy heart and sending her forth to tell Siegmund
his doom. She obeys, but Siegmund scorns all her
fine promises of Valhalla. Though he is to find his
father there, and everything besides that he could wish,
he prefers foregoing all this happiness when he hears
that Sieglinde, who has been rendered inanimate by
grief and terror, cannot follow him, but must go
HISTORY AND GUIDE 355
to Hel after her death, where the shadows lead a sad
and gloomy existence. He wins Briinnhilde by his
love and noble courage, and she for the first time re-
solves to disobey Wotan's orders, given so unwillingly,
and to help Siegmund against his foe.
Now ensues the combat with Hunding, Briinnhilde
standing on Siegmund's side. But Wotan interferes,
breaking Siegmund's sword ; he falls, and Wotan kills
Hunding too by one wrathful glance.
Then he turns his anger against the Valkyr who
dared to disobey his commands and Briinnhilde flies
before him, taking Sieglinde on her swift horse Grane,
which bears both through the clouds.
In the third scene we find the Valkyrs arriving
through the clouds on horseback one after the other.
Every one has a hero lying before her in the saddle. It
is their office to carry these into Valhalla, while the
faint-hearted, or those of mankind not happy enough
to fall in battle, are doomed to go to Hel after their
death.
There are eight Valkyrs without Brunnhilde, who
comes last with Sieglinde in her saddle, instead of a
hero. She implores her sisters to assist her -and the
unhappy woman. But they refuse, fearing Wotan's
wrath. Then she resolves to save Sieglinde and to
brave the results of her rash deed alone. She first
summons back to the despairing woman courage and
desire to live, by telling her that she bears the token
of Siegmund's love; then sends her eastward to the
great forest with Grane, where Fafner the giant,
changed into a dragon, guards the Rhinegold and the
ill-fated ring, a spot which Wotan avoids.
She gives to Sieglinde the broken pieces of Sieg-
356 THE OPERA
mund's sword, telling her to keep them for her son,
whom she is to call Siegfried, and who will be the
greatest hero in the world.
Wotan arrives in thunder and lightning. Great is
his wrath, and in spite of the intercession of the other
Valkyrs he deprives Briinnhilde of her immortality,
changing her into a common mortal. He dooms her to
a long magic sleep, out of which any man who hap-
pens to pass that way may awaken her and claim her
as his property.
Briinnhilde's entreaties, her beauty and noble bear-
ing at last prevail upon him, so that he encircles her
with a fiery wall, through which none but a hero may
penetrate.
After a touching farewell the god, leading her to a
rocky bed, closes her eyes with a kiss, and covers her
with shield, spear, and helmet. Then he calls up Loge,
who at once surrounds the rock on which Brxinnhilde
sleeps with glowing flames.
WERTHER
Lyric Drama in three acts by Jules Massenet.
Text from Goethe by Blau, Milliet, and Hartmann.
scene is laid in Wetzlar, Prussia, in the year
1772. The first act takes place in the house of
Lotte's father, who is a bailiff in his native city. He has
assembled his younger children to teach them a new
Christmas song. While they are practising, two friends
of the bailiff enter and invite him to sup with them at
the neighboring inn. He declines, and sits down in
his armchair, while the smaller children, climbing on
his knees, resume their interrupted song. During this
HISTORY AND GUIDE 357
pretty scene Werther approaches. He sees Lotte com-
ing out of the house, becomingly attired for a country
ball. She is duly admired by her father and the chil-
dren. Then she acquits herself most charmingly of
her household duties, distributing bread to the children.
Werther meanwhile is cordially welcomed by her
father. Other visitors come in, and Lotte goes to at-
tend the ball, escorted by Werther.
Sophia, the second daughter, persuades her father
to join his friends at the inn and promises to look
after the children. As soon as he is gone Albert,
Lotte's affianced husband, who has been on a journey,
returns. On hearing that Lotte is not at home, he
leaves the house again. When night comes on, Lotte
returns with Werther. He is deeply in love with her,
and she listens to his sweet words like one in a dream,
but when her father informs her that Albert has re-
turned she comes to her senses. In answer to Wer-
ther's questions she tells him that she promised her
dying mother to wed Albert a confession that leaves
Werther a prey to gloom and despair.
The second act takes place in the autumn of the
same year. Lotte is married to Albert. She has con-
quered her sentimental fancy for Werther and is sit-
ting quietly with her husband, enjoying a peaceful
Sabbath and the celebration of the village clergyman's
golden wedding, Werther is a jealous witness of her
happiness ; but when Albert welcomes him as a friend
he cannot but accept his overtures.
Sophia enters with a large bouquet for the clergy-
man. She is in love with Werther, but the unhappy
young man has eyes for her sister only, who receives
him coldly and bids him leave the village.
358 THE OPERA
On seeing Werther so cast down, Lotte repents of
her harshness and invites him to celebrate Christmas
with her and her husband. But Werther refuses to be
consoled and hurries away, notwithstanding Sophia's
entreaties, vowing never to return.
The third act takes us to Lotte's drawing-room. She
is sitting alone in deep thought. Werther's frequent
and passionate letters havre reawakened her dormant
love for him. Her sister, coming in laden with Christ-
mas parcels, finds her in tears. Unable to console
Lotte, Sophia takes her leave after inviting her to
spend Christmas eve at her old home.
Hardly has she gone when Werther appears. Un-
able to keep away from Lotte any longer, he reminds
her of her invitation for Christmas; and seeing his
letters spread out on the table, he guesses that Lotte
returns his love. An impassioned love-scene follows.
Half unconscious, Lotte sinks into his arms, but the
first kiss of her lover brings her to herself. Tearing
herself from his embrace, she flees into her room and
bolts the door. After vain remonstrances, Werther
rushes out half-crazed.
Albert, returning home, finds no one in. He calls
Lotte. She appears, pale and distressed, and her
husband perceives that something is wrong. Before
she can reply to his questions a servant brings in a
note from Werther, asking Albert for his pistol. The
husband forces his unhappy wife to hand the weapon
to the servant herself. As soon as Albert has gone
Lotte seizes her hat and cloak and hastens out to pre-
vent the impending calamity. Alas! she comes too
late.
The last scene shows Werther's room, dimly lighted
Copyright, Photographische Gesellschaft. Permission Beilin Photographic Co., N, Y.
WOTAN'S FAREWELL TO BRUNNHILDE
("DieWalkQre")
From the Pointing by Konrad Dielita
HISTORY AND GUIDE 359
by the moon. The Christmas bells toll. Lotte enters,
calling her lover by name. She discovers him lying on
the floor mortally wounded. Now that he is lost to
her forever, she pours out all her love and for a brief
space calls him back to life and sweetens his last mo-
ments by a first kiss. He expires in her arms, while
from the opposite house the children's voices are
heard singing their Christmas song.
ZAMPA
Opera in three acts by Louis J. F. Herold.
Text by Mcllcsville,
TN the first act Camilla, daughter of Count Lugano,
* expects her bridegroom Alfonso di Monza, a Sicil-
ian officer, for the wedding ceremony. Dandolo, her
servant, who was to bring the priest, comes back in a
fright, and with him the notorious pirate captain, Zam-
pa, who has taken her father and her bridegroom cap-
tive. He tells Camilla who he is, and forces her to
renounce Alfonso and consent to a marriage with him-
self, threatening to kill the prisoners if she refuses
compliance.
Then the pirates hold a drinking-bout in the Count's
house, and Zampa goes so far in his insolence as to put
his bridal ring on the finger of a marble statue stand-
ing in the room. It represents Alice, formerly 2am-
pa's bride, whose heart was broken by her lover's
faithlessness ; then the fingers of the statue close over
the ring, while the left hand is upraised threateningly.
Nevertheless Zampa is resolved to wed Camilla, though
Alice appears once more, and even Alfonso, who in-
terferes by revealing Zampa's real name and by im-
3 6o THE OPERA
ploring his bride to return to him, cannot change the
brigand's plans. Zampa and his comrades have re-
ceived the viceroy's pardon, purposing to fight against
the Turks, and so Camilla dares not provoke the pi-
rate's wrath by retracting her promise. Vainly she
implores Zampa to give her father his freedom and
to let her enter a convent. Zampa, hoping that she only
fears the pirate in him, tells her that he is Count of
Monza, and Alfonso, who had already drawn his
sword, throws it away, terrified to recognize in the
dreaded pirate his own brother, who has by his extrav-
agances once already impoverished him.
Zampa sends Alfonso to prison and orders the
statue to be thrown into the sea. Camilla once more
begs for mercy, but seeing that it is likely to avail her
nothing, she flies to the Madonna's altar, charging
Zampa loudly with Alice's death. With scorn and
laughter he seizes Camilla, to tear her from the altar,
but instead of the living hand of Camilla, he feels the
icy hand of Alice, who draws him with her into the
waves.
Camilla is saved and united to Alfonso, while her
delivered father arrives in a boat, and the statue rises
again from the waves, to bless the union.
"Zampa" is generally regarded as the most impor-
tant work of Herold, and while less popular than form-
erly, it still keeps a place of its own.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 361
DIE ZAUBERFLOTE
(The Magic Flute)
Opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Text by Schikaneder.
TAMING, a youth as valiant as he is
noble and virtuous, is implored by the Queen of
Night to save her daughter, whom the old and sage
high priest Sarastro has taken from her by force. The
bereaved mother pours forth her woe in heart-melting
sounds and promises everything to the rescuer of her
child. Tamino is filled with ardent desire to serve hen
On his way he meets the gay Papageno, who at once
agrees to share the Prince's adventures. Papageno is
the gay element in the opera; always cheerful and in
high spirits, his ever-ready tongue plays him many a
funny trick. So we see him once with a lock on his
mouth by way of punishment for his idle prating. As he
promises never to tell a lie any more, the lock is taken
away by the three ladies of the Queen of Night. They
present Tamino with a golden flute, giving at the same
time an instrument made with little silver bells to Papa-
geno, both of which are to help them in times of clan-
ger. The Queen of Night even sends with them three
boy angels. These are to point out to them the ways
and means by which they may attain their purpose.
Now the young and beautiful Princess Pamina is
pursued by declarations of love from a negro servant
of Sarastro. Papageno comes to her rescue, frighten-
ing the negro Monostatos with his feathery dress.
Papageno, on the other hand, fears the negro on ac-
count of his blackness, believing him to be the devil in
362 THE OPERA
person. Papageno escapes with Pamina, but the negro
overtakes him with his servants. Then Papageno
shakes his bells, and all, forgetting their wrath, forth-
with begin to dance.
Meanwhile Tamino reaches Sarastro's castle and at
once asks for the high priest, poor Pamina's bitter
enemy. The under priests do not allow him to enter,
but explain that their master Sarastro is as good as
he is sage, and that he always acts for the best. They
assure Tamino that the Princess lives and is in no
danger. Full of thanks the Prince begins to play on
his flute ; and just then he hears Papageno's bells. At
this juncture Sarastro appears, the wise master before
whom they all bow. He punishes the wicked negro;
but Tamino and his Pamina arc not to be united with-
out first having given ample proof of their love and
constancy. Tamino determines to undergo whatever
trials may await him, but the Queen of Night, knowing
all, sends her three ladies to deter Tamino and his
comrade from their purpose. But all temptation is
gallantly set aside ; they have given a promise to Sa-
rastro which they will keep.
Even the Queen of Night herself is unable to weaken
their strength of purpose; temptations of every kind
overtake them, but Tamino remains firm. Tie is
finally initiated into the mysteries of the goddess Isis.
In the interval Pamina deems Tamino faithless. She
would fain die, but the three celestial youths console
her by assuring her that Tamino's love is true and that
he passes through the most severe trials solely on her
behalf.
On hearing this, Pamina at once asks to share in the
trials, and so they walk together through fire and
HISTORY AND GUIDE 363
water, protected by the golden flute as well as by their
courage and constancy. They come out purified and
happy.
Papageno, having lost his companion, has grown
quite melancholy and longs for the little wife that
was promised to him and shown to him only for a
few moments. ITc resolves at last to end his life by
hanging himself, when the celestial youths appear, re-
minding him of his bells. He begins to shake them,
and Papagena appears in feathery dress, the very coun-
terpart of himself. All might now be well were it not
that the Queen of Night, a somewhat unreasonable
lady, broods vengeance. She accepts the negro Monos-
tatos as her avenger and promises to give him her
daughter. But already Sarastro has done his work,
Tamino is united to his Pamina, and before the sunny
light of truth everything else vanishes and sinks back
into night.
ADDITIONAL OPERAS
LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST
(The Girl of the Golden West)
Opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini.
Text by Zangarinj and Civinini.
HPHIS opera is noteworthy in that, although by an
* Italian composer, it deals with an American sub-
ject and is based on an American drama; and further
for the fact that it was the first opera composed by a
foreigner to have its premiere in the United States.
The scene is a California mining camp in the foothills
of the Cloudy Mountains ; the time, 1849-50.
Minnie, the "Girl," keeps the "Polka" saloon, and is
a universal favorite among the miners. Over these
rough but kindly souls she wields a restraining influ-
ence.
The first act opens at sundown in the interior of the
"Polka." From without come cries and strains of
song. Nick, the caretaker, lights the lamps, and the
"Polka" begins to stir with life. Miners sit down to
faro. Jake Wallace, the camp minstrel, sings to his
banjo a melancholy refrain of his distant home. The
miners join in the music and a desperate homesickness
overcomes them all. One of them, Larkens, begs to
be sent back, and a purse is quickly made up for him.
Faro is resumed. Sid is detected in cheating and the
crowd is for hanging, but Jack Ranee, the sheriff,
decrees that he shall wear the offending card pinned
365
366 THE OPERA
above his heart and never again be allowed to join in
the game. Ashby, agent of the Wells-Fargo express,
appears and announces that after a three-months'
search he is close upon Ramerrez, a notorious u greaser"
highwayman whose depredations have long annoyed
the community. Ranee, a cool, laconic gambler, be-
lieves he has won Minnie's particular favor, and comes
to blows with Sonora, who assures him that the Girl
is fooling him. Minnie intervenes. The miners crowd
about, making her little gifts of handkerchiefs and
ribbons. She assembles them for their periodic Bible
lesson, in which they are far from proficient. The
mail arrives and the men fall to reading letters and
papers. Ranee presses his suit but is repulsed. A
stranger who proclaims himself one Johnson of Sacra-
mento enters. He and Minnie have once met on the
Monterey road and immediately recognize each other.
Ranee professes to find offense in Johnson's behavior,
calls upon the miners, but is discomfited by Minnie,
who vouches for Johnson. Though she declares she
has never danced, the Girl is persuaded by Johnson to
try a step in the dance-room. Ashby, who has gone
out', reappears with others, dragging Jose Castro, mem-
ber of Ramerrez's band. Castro sees Johnson's saddle,
recognizes it as his leader's for Johnson is none other
than Ramerrez and, under pretext of personal re-
venge, offers to conduct the posse to the outlaw's re-
treat. Left with Minnie, Johnson makes a declaration
to which Minnie responds, though she thinks herself
too humble and ignorant for his regard. A signal
from without summons Johnson, and he departs after
accepting Minnie's invitation to call at her cabin, up
the mountain.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 367
The second act opens one hour later in Minnie's
dwelling, with an Indian lullaby sung to her child by
Wowkle, Minnie's squaw attendant. Minnie enters
and begins preparations for Johnson's reception, don-
ning her white slippers and other treasured finery.
Johnson appears and quickly puts himself at his ease.
Minnie describes the joys of her life and her delight
in the mountains. Coffee and cakes are brought, and
the talk grows more intimate. Wowkle departs. John-
son, having received permission to linger, at last makes
frank avowal of his love, which is returned by the
Girl. Snow has been falling, and now a great gust
drives open the door, revealing the violence of the
storm. Johnson, in excitement, cries that he must
be gone, but Minnie urges that he cann-ot make his way
through the drifts and should remain until the morrow.
Three pistol-shots are heard. Shouts from without
warn Minnie of Ranee's approach. Johnson is hidden
behind the bed-curtains, and Minnie opens the door for
Ranee, Nick, Ashby, and Sonora. Ranee tells her that
Johnson is Ramerrez; that his identity has been re-
vealed to them by an inamorata, one Nina Micheltore-
na ; that he had come to rob the "Polka" and had been
seen taking the trail to Minnie's cabin. Minnie assures
the men of her safety and they depart. Steeling her-
self, she dismisses Johnson with contempt. He admits
his identity, tells her how she had led him to wish for
a better life, and goes out. A shot is heard, followed
by the thud of a body against the door. Johnson is
wounded. Minnie drags him in and helps him- ascend
the ladder to the loft. Ranee reenters, demanding
Johnson, but Minnie mocks him. Blood, dropping
from the ceiling, betrays Johnson, who conies slowly
368 THE OPERA
down and sinks in a faint. Minnie proposes that she
and Ranee play a game of poker for Johnson's life ;
Ranee, if he wins, to take Johnson and herself. She
substitutes prepared cards and wins the game, and
Ranee coldly withdraws.
Act three takes place on the edge of a redwood
forest, where the miners have a rude camp. Ranee,
Ashby, and Nick await news from the pursuit of John-
son. Shouts sound more and more distinctly and
stragglers announce success. Ranee voices his mali-
cious joy at Minnie's grief. The pursuit passes back
and forth, but Johnson is at last overtaken and is
formally delivered to Ranee by Ashby. Ranee receives
Johnson with studied insult. The miners accuse the
captive of various crimes and lastly of the theft of
Minnie's eyes and smiles. Johnson is brought for-
ward to the tree, where stands Billy with the noose.
Permission is given to him to speak, and he begs that
Minnie shall never be told the manner of his death.
Suddenly Minnie herself dashes in on horseback, close-
ly followed by Nick, who has summoned her* She
throws herself before Johnson and levels a pistol at
the crowd. Ranee urges on the men, who threatening-
ly advance. Minnie declares she will kill herself and
Johnson. Sonora takes her part, and Ranee grimly
retires to a seat by the fire. Minnie reminds her hear-
ers of old days, tells them of Johnson's reformation,
and asks his release. Sonora, in the name of all, un-
binds Johnson, who vows they will never regret their
mercy. Amid subdued sobs, Minnie bids farewell to
her friends, her California, and her beloved Sierras;
then, supported by Johnson, passes out on her way to
her new life.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 369
KONIGSKINDER
(Kingly Children)
Fairy Opera in three acts by Engelbert Humperdinck.
Text by Rosmer.
T IKE "The Girl of the Golden West," this opera,
-^ although by a foreign composer, had its first pres-
entation at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York.
The text is an adaptation of a more or less familiar
German story, a dramatic version of which had already
been given in this country.
The first act takes place in a small sunlit glade in
the Hella Mountains near the town of Hellabrunn.
Here stands the hut of the Witch, and all about stretch
the woods. With the Witch lives the Goose-Girl, who,
when the scene opens, is discovered lying beneath a
linden-tree tending her flock. The Witch appears,
scolds the Girl, and orders her to assist in preparing
a magic pasty that will kill whoever may eat of it. The
Goose-Girl rebels against her lot and requests the
Witch to allow her to go down into the world below,
where she might be happy. The Witch refuses and
tells her that all mankind is hateful. From the hill-
side comes a youth clad in a shabby hunting costume.
On a stick he carries a bundle. He is, in reality, the
King's Son ; and in the bundle he bears a royal crown.
The King's Son tells the Goose-Girl of his wanderings
through the hills and says that he was once in the
service of a great king. When the Goose-Girl asks
what a king may be, he replies by telling her that he
is a ruler who guards his subjects in much the same
way that she tends her geese. He describes the joys
of woodland life and begs her to go a-maying with
370 THE OPERA
him, takes her in his arms, and kisses her. As he does
so, a gust of wind blows away a wreath of wood-flow-
ers which the Girl has been wearing. The King's Son
recovers the wreath, hides it near his heart, and in
exchange for it offers the Goose-Girl his crown. The
two are about to flee together, when the Girl finds
herself fastened to the spot by some magic spell.
Thinking that she is afraid to roam with him and re-
buking her with her unworthiness to be his companion,
the King's Son leaves her, vowing that she never shall
see him again until a star has fallen into a lily which is
blooming near by. The Witch reappears, berates the
Girl for having wasted her time upon a mortal man,
and drives her into the house. Now enter a fiddler,
a woodcutter, and a broommaker. The King has just
died and they have been sent by the town of Hellabrunn
to ask of the Witch where the King's Son may be
found. The woodcutter and the broommaker are in
terror of the old hag, but the fiddler scorns her and
her powers. To their queries the Witch replies that
the first person who enters the town-gate at noon the
following day should wear the crown. The woodcut-
ter and the broommaker return to Hellabrunn, but the
fiddler lingers. The Goose-Girl reappears and confides
her sorrows to the fiddler, who assures her that she
will wed the King's Son. The Witch sneers at this
and assures the fiddler that the Goose-Girl is the child
of a hangman's daughter. The Goose-Girl, however,
does not lose courage, for she feels that her soul is
royal. As she kneels in prayer for help, a star falls
from the heavens upon the lily, and the Girl, followed
by her geese, rushes into the wood to join her lover.
The second act opens in front of an inn near the
HISTORY AND GUIDE 371
town-gate of Hellabrunn. The King's Son enters,
clad, as before, in his worn garments. The innkeeper's
daughter gives him food and drink, and is angry be-
cause he does not respond to her advances. Towns-
people enter, the tables and benches are occupied, and
there is music and dancing. The King's Son offers
himself to the innkeeper as an apprentice, but is told
that there is no work for him unless he is willing to
become a swineherd. The counselors and well-to-do
burghers appear and seat themselves in a tribune erect-
ed for them. The senior counselor requests the wood-
cutter to relate his adventures in the wood. He tells
of many (purely imaginary) dangers encountered by
him in the journey with the broommaker, and the
King's Son is amazed at his narrative. The woodcut-
ter asserts that on the stroke of twelve the King's Son
will enter the gate in glittering raiment and drawn in
a car of gold. The King's Son steps into the circle and
asks if the expected monarch might not come clad in
rags, but is met with ridicule from the crowd. At the
twelfth stroke of the clock the gate is thrown wide
open, and the Goose-Girl enters attended by her flock
of geese. A few steps behind her comes the fiddler.
She greets the King's Son and tells him that she has
come to join him on the throne ; but the crowd bursts
into loud laughter and at last, despite the protests of
the fiddler, drives the two forth with sticks and stones.
The little daughter of the broommaker is the only one
who believes that they are the true king and queen.
In the third act we return to the glade in the woods,
It is now winter. The Witch has been burned at the
stake for her supposed betrayal of the people, to whom
she promised a new ruler. The fiddler has been
372 THE OPERA
maimed and imprisoned for his defense of the two
outcasts, and upon his release has come to live in the
Witch's hut. He is feeding doves left behind by the
Goose-Girl, when he is interrupted by the arrival of
the woodcutter and the broommaker, accompanied by a
band of children. They entreat him to return to Plella-
brunn, but he refuses. At last one of the children begs
liim to lead them in search for the lost king and queen,
and he agrees to do so. The woodcutter and the
broommaker enter the hut, where, in rummaging about,
they discover in a box the poisoned pasty which the
Witch had baked. The fiddler has entered the wood in
the background with the children, and now his song
is heard in the distance. As it dies away, the snow
begins to fall heavily and it grows darker. The King's
Son and the Goose-Girl reappear, hungry and worn
with wandering. They pause to rest and the King's
Son knocks at the door of the hut to beg food and
shelter. The woodcutter brutally refuses to give them
anything. The Goose-Girl draws the King's Son away
from the hut and leads him to the hillside. To com-
fort him, she pretends she is none the worse for her
long travels, and, throwing off her cloak, attempts to
dance and sing. She soon grows faint and falls. The
King's Son then returns to the hut and barters his
crown for the poisoned pasty. The outcasts eat it and
soon fall asleep, believing themselves in a land of
roses. The fiddler reappears with his troop of chil-
dren, and, too late t they discover those "whom they seek.
They place the two upon a bier made of pine-branches,
and as they move away sing a lament for the Kingly
Children.
HISTORY AND GUIDE 373
NATOMA
Opera in three acts by Victor Herbert
Text (in English) by Redding.
HP HE locale of the opera is California and the time
* is the early nineteenth century, when the Span-
iards still held sway. Natoma, whose name means the
"girl from the mountains/ 7 is an Indian girl of pure
blood.
The first act is laid on the island of Santa Cruz, one
of the Santa Barbara Channel islands. Here live Don
Francisco Guerra, a noble Spaniard of the old school,
and his daughter Barbara. She is just coming of age,
and to-day returns home from her convent studies on
the mainland. Don Francisco is seated upon the porch
of his hacienda and muses on the flight of time. Soon
arrives Alvarado, accompanied by his chums, Castro,
Pico, and Kagama, to hunt the wild boar found in the
mountains of the island. Alvarado, a fiery young
Spaniard, is a cousin of Barbara and a suitor for her
hand. Castro is a half-breed, part Indian and part
Spaniard, and hates Spaniard and American alike.
The party is received with Spanish formalities and then
departs for the hunt, while Don Francisco retires for
his siesta. Natoma, the playmate and handmaid of
Barbara, appears at the back of the stage with Lieu-
tenant Merrill, an American naval officer, who has
several times visited the island. About her neck Na-
toma wears as an amulet a small abalone-shell hung
upon a bead necklace. Merrill bids her tell him the
meaning of this amulet, and she recites the legend of
her people. He salutes her as queen of this fair do-
main, but she responds sadly that her father's people
374 THE OPERA
have vanished and a stranger has now come to rule.
Replying to his questions, she describes Barbara in
glowing terms, and then, falling at his feet, begs to be
allowed to become his slave. Barbara arrives, ac-
companied by Father Peralta. Castro upbraids Natoma
for spending her time with the white people and bids
her come with him, but she spurns him as a half-breed.
The hunting party returns. Alvarado serenades Bar-
bara and presses his suit. He taunts her with having
fallen under the glances of the Americano, and she
abruptly leaves him. Castro explains to Alvarado how
upon the morrow, when on the great fiesta day the
country is assembled to do honor to Barbara at her
coming of age, swift horses may be ready and the girl
may be spirited away to the mountains. Don Fran-
cisco and Barbara are left on the porch in the moon-
light. At last the old man retires. Lieutenant Merrill
returns hurriedly and makes declaration of his love.
A light appears in the hacienda and Merrill leaves until
the morrow. Barbara disappears in the hacienda, and
Natoma is seen at the window with a lighted candle in
her hands. She seats herself at a table in the window
and looks silently out into the moonlight as the cur-
tain falls.
The second act takes place on the mainland in the
Plaza of Santa Barbara, with the towers of the mission
church in the background. It is just before dawn.
Alvarado and his cronies appear and discuss their
plans. In an elaborate ensemble the soldiers cheer
the flag of Spain carried by the friars on the steps of
the church. The plaza begins to stir with life. Don
Francisco and Barbara enter on horseback, Natoma
walking at Barbara's side. Having dismounted, they
HISTORY AND GUIDE 375
ascend the grand stand, where a formal ceremony takes
place. Alvarado claims the honor of a dance with Bar-
bara, and they tread the measure of a minuet. Lieu-
tenant Merrill and other officers enter with American
sailors. After formal presentations have been made,
Alvarado comes forward and demands that the dance
be continued. By preconcerted arrangement ten or
twelve couples now take part. The music breaks into the
paiiuelo or the dance of the proposal, at the climax of
which each gallant places his hat upon the head of his
lady. Barbara tosses Alvarado's hat to one side and re-
joins her father. Castro in ugly mood breaks through
the crowd and, thrusting his dagger into the ground, de-
mands who will dare to dance with him the dagger-
dance of primitive California. Natoma responds to
this challenge. Castro at first refuses to dance with
her, but at last yields to her authority. As they dance,
the leather thongs supporting the railing of the grand
stand are quietly unfastened, and Alvarado, smother-
ing Barbara in his serape, attempts to make off with
her. Natoma passes Castro in the dance and plunges
her dagger into Alvarado. Castro is held down by
some of the officers. Natoma stands motionless, dag-
ger in hand, while the crowd, quickly apprehending
the tragedy, would fall upon her and tear her to pieces.
Lieutenant Merrill draws his sword and, with his men,
holds the mob at bay. The great doors of the church
now open and Father Peralta appears. The people
fall upon their knees. Natoma, letting fall her weapon,
staggers toward the steps of the church and sinks at
the feet of the priest, who exclaims : " 'Vengeance is
mine/ saith the Lord."
At the opening of the third act, Natoma is found
376 THE OPERA
alone in the mission church, where she is huddled
upon the altar crooning an Indian song. She then de-
picts the injustice done her race by the white man and
invokes the Great Spirit to destroy the strangers. Fa-
ther Peralta appears and quiets her, as in simple lan-
guage he recalls to her her childhood clays with Bar-
bara. She realizes that by accepting the protection of
the church, although her own dream of happiness is
ended, she will bring happiness to her idolized mistress.
The doors of the church are thrown open and Natoma
stands upon the steps of the altar. Father Feralta
explains from the pulpit that a crime has been commit-
ted and punishment must follow. From the convent
garden the nuns enter and kneel in the hall. Slowly
Natoma descends the altar-steps and walks to where
Barbara and Paul are seated. Barbara and Paul come
from their pews and kneel in the hall before her, while
she gently places the amulet around Barbara's neck.
She passes down between the kneeling nuns and stands
in the doorway. The nuns rise and disappear into the
garden. Father Peralta lifts his hands in benediction,
and the orchestra sounds the chords of Natoma's
Indian theme of Fate as the doors are closed upon her.
MONA
Opera in three acts by Horatio W. Parker.
Text by Hooker.
A PRIZE of $10,000, offered by the directors of the
** Metropolitan Opera Company, New York, for
the best grand opera to be composed by an American to
a libretto in English, was unanimously awarded to
"Mona," the music of which is the work o one of our
contributors. The scene of the opera is southwestern
HISTORY AND GUIDE 377
Britain; the time, the close of the first century, A. r>.
The story is, however, wholly fictitious.
Act first passes in the hut of Arth, a British tribes-
man. Burned in the lintel above the doorway is the
sign of the Unspeakable Name, indicating that here
dwells a druid Gloom, Arth ? s son. The other mem-
bers of this household are Enya, Arth's wife; Nial, a
changeling, who looks in amaze at the strange commo-
tions of human life and is wise in the lore of bird and
beast; and the foster-daughter, Mona, last of the blood
of Queen Boadicea. Mona is to wed Gwynn, whose
true name is Quintus, his mother having been a British
captive and his father being Roman governor of
Britain. Gwynn dwells among his mother's people,,
who are unaware of his real origin. He hopes to
reconcile the British to Roman rule, and has influ-
enced the governor toward a more humane and lib-
eral policy. But Gloom and Caradoc, a bard, have
long been chief conspirators against Rome, and Mona
has been chosen, because of birthright and old
signs, to lead the revolt. She, devoutly believ-
ing in her mission and eager for usefulness, dreams
of great deeds. Of all this Gwynn has suspected
nothing. Mona now reveals to him that she has
been sealed for a great adventure. Arth strides in
and flings at her feet an unsheathed Roman sword,
taken from a soldier whom he has slain in violation of
the peace. Mona recognizes the sword as one she
wielded in a strange dream, the meaning of which none
can tell her. She is inspired to a prophetic frenzy,
which is augmented by the arrival of Gloom and Cara-
doc. Caradoc, Arth, and Gloom formally declare the
peace broken; and Gwynn is led to swear fellowship
378 THE OPERA
in their conspiracy. Mona dons clruidic robes. Gwynn
seeks to sway her from her purpose; but, urged by
Gloom and Caradoc, she repels and dismisses him.
Arth, Gloom, and Caradoc do reverence to Mona as
Queen. She half turns to follow Gwynn, lets fall the
sword, and stands sobbing as the curtain falls.
Act second takes place in a cromlech, or open-air
clruidic temple. Nial is discovered, at evening, dancing
with his shadow and talking to the birds. The gov-
ernor enters with a few soldiers, whom he orders to
seize and torture Nial in order to obtain information.
Gwynn suddenly appears, orders Nial's release, and
explains to the governor his hope that Mona and he
will yet be able to hold back rebellion. To his plan the
governor at last agrees. When, with falling dusk, the
Romans have departed, Mona and Gloom enter and
make tally of the British forces, Gwynn, returning,
conquers her decision regarding himself; but when
he would unfold his cherished designs for peace, she,
at once changed and scarcely comprehending his asser-
tion of Roman birth, cries out "Treason I" and calls in
the Britons. She cannot, however, deliver him to
death, but, declaring that he is a barcl, orders that he
be bound and led away unhurt. The Britons rally, and
to the music of a war-chant rush forth against the
Roman town.
Act third is accomplished on a small plateau at the
forest's edge, facing the Roman town, winch stands
upon a corresponding rise at the other side of the val-
ley. The attack has been successfully met, and the
defeated Britons straggle back to cover. Arth has
fallen; Gloom, his right arm broken, stumbles in, half
carrying Mona. Mona, in dull grief, bewails the out-
HISTORY AND GUIDE 379
come. Gwynn, who in the turmoil has made his
escape, finds them, reveals his origin, and seeks Mona's
aid. Gloom jeers him; and Mona, deeming he lies,
and blaming him for British disaster and herself for
having once spared his life, now slays him with the
Roman sword that she has carried. The governor
arrives with legionaries and archers, discovers Gwynn's
body, in a fierce outburst denounces the Britons, and
thus makes known to Mona, before she is led away,
how Gwynn, whom she has slain, was the Britons' best
friend and might have averted their fall.
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