,,edition7999999 ,,the ,,standard ,,operas ,their ,plots1 ,their ,music1 and ,their ,composers ,a ,handbook by ,,george ,p4 ,,upton ,twelfth ,edition ,chicago3 ,a4 ,c4 ,mc,clurg and ,company #ahig ,,preface4 ,the object of the compiler of this ,handbook is to present to the reader a brief but comprehensive sketch of each of the operas contained in the modern repertory which are likely to be given during regular seasons4 ,to this end he has consulted the best authorities1 adding to the material thus collected his own observations1 and in each case presented a necessarily brief sketch of the composer1 the story of each opera1 the general character of the music1 its prominent scenes and numbers1--the latter in the text most familiar to opera-goers1--the date of first performances1 with a statement of the original cast wherever it has been possible to obtain it1 and such historical information concerning the opera and its composition as will be of interest to the reader4 ,the work has been prepared for the general public rather than for musicians2 and with this purpose in view1 technicalities have been avoided as far as possible1 the aim being to give musically uneducated lovers of opera a clear understanding of the works they are likely to hear1 and thus heighten their enjoyment4 ,in a word1 the operas are described rather than criticised1 and the work is presented with as much thoroughness as seemed possible considering the necessarily brief space allotted to each4 ,in the preparation of the ,handbook1 the compiler acknowledges his indebtedness to ,grove's excellent ,dictionary of ,music for dates and other statistical information2 and he has also made free use of standard musical works in his library for historical events connected with the performance and composition of the operas4 ,it only remains to submit this work to opera-goers with the hope that it may add to their enjoyment and prove a valuable addition to their libraries4--,g4,p4,u4 ,,chicago1 ,august1 #ahhe4 ,,contents4 ,,auber ,,fra ,,diavolo ,,masaniello ,,the ,,crown ,,diamonds ,,balfe ,,the ,,bohemian ,,girl ,,the ,,rose ,,of ,,castile ,,beethoven ,,fidelio ,,bellini ,,norma ,,la ,,sonnambula ,i ,,puritani ,,bizet ,,carmen ,,boieldieu ,,la ,,dame ,,blanche ,,boito ,,mephistopheles ,,delibes ,,lakme ,,donizetti ,,the ,,daughter ,,of ,,the ,,regiment ,,la ,,favorita ,,don ,,pasquale ,,lucia ,,di ,,lammermoor ,l',,elisir ,d',,amore ,,lucrezia ,,borgia ,,flotow ,,martha ,,stradella ,,gluck ,,orpheus ,,goetz ,,the ,,taming ,,of ,,the ,,shrew ,,goldmark ,,the ,,queen ,,of ,,sheba ,,merlin ,,gounod ,,faust ,,romeo ,,and ,,juliet ,,mireille ,,halevy ,,the ,,jewess ,,humperdinck ,,hansel ,,and ,,gretel ,,leoncavallo ,i ,,pagliacci ,,mascagni ,,cavalleria ,,rusticana ,,meyerbeer ,,the ,,huguenots ,,the ,,star ,,of ,,the ,,north ,,robert ,,the ,,devil ,,dinorah ,,the ,,prophet ,,the ,,african ,,mozart ,,the ,,marriage ,,of ,,figaro ,,don ,,giovanni ,,the ,,magic ,,flute ,,rossini ,,the ,,barber ,,of ,,seville ,,semiramide ,,william ,,tell ,,rubinstein ,,nero ,,thomas ,,mignon ,,verdi ,,ernani ,,rigoletto ,,la ,,traviata ,,il ,,trovatore ,,the ,,masked ,,ball ,,aida ,,othello ,,falstaff ,,wagner ,,rienzi ,,the ,,flying ,,dutchman ,,tannhaeuser ,,lohengrin ,,tristan ,,und ,,isolde ,,the ,,mastersingers ,,the ,,ring ,,of ,,the ,,nibelung ,,das ,,rheingold ,,die ,,walkuere ,,siegfried ,,die ,,goetterdaemmerung ,,parsifal ,,wallace ,,maritana ,,weber ,,der ,,freischuetz ,,oberon ,,euryanthe ,,appendix ,,index ,,auber4 ,daniel ,francois ,esprit ,auber1 one of the most prominent representatives of the opera comique1 was born at ,caen1 in ,normandy1 ,jan4 #bi1 #aghd4 ,he first attracted attention in the musical world by his songs and ballads1 written when a mere boy4 ,young as he was1 they were great favorites in ,french and ,english drawing-rooms1 and their success diverted him from his commercial intentions to that profession in which he was destined to achieve such popularity4 ,his debut was made as an instrumental composer in his twentieth year1 but before he had reached his thirtieth he was engrossed with operatic composition4 ,his first two works were unsuccessful2 but the third1 ,la ,bergere ,chatelaine1 proved the stepping-stone to a career of remarkable popularity1 during which he produced a large number of dramatic works1 which not only secured for him the enthusiastic admiration of the ,parisians1 with whom he was always a favorite1 but also carried his name and fame throughout the world1 and obtained for him marks of high distinction from royalty1 such as the office of ,director of the ,conservatoire from ,louis ,philippe1 and that of ,imperial ,maitre de ,chapelle from ,louis ,napoleon4 ,he died ,may #ac1 #ahga1 amid the fearful scenes of the ,paris ,commune4 ,his best-known operas are3 ,masaniello 7#ahbh72 ,fra ,diavolo 7#ahcj72 ,the ,bronze ,horse 7#ahce72 ,the ,black ,domino 7#ahcg72 ,the ,crown ,diamonds 7#ahda72 and ,zerline 7#ahea71--the last-named written for the great contralto1 ,mme4 ,alboni4 ,of these1 ,fra ,diavolo1 ,masaniello1 and ,the ,crown ,diamonds are as fresh as ever in their ,french and ,italian settings1 though their finest successes in this country have been made in their ,english dress4 ,,fra ,,diavolo4 ,fra ,diavolo1 opera comique1 in three acts1 words by ,scribe1 was first produced at the ,opera ,comique1 ,paris1 ,jan4 #bh1 #ahcj2 in ,english1 at ,drury ,lane1 ,london1 ,nov4 #c1 #ahca2 in ,italian1 at the ,lyceum1 ,london1 ,july #i1 #aheg1 for which occasion the spoken dialogue was converted into accompanied recitative4 ,the composer himself also1 in fitting it for the ,italian stage1 made some changes in the concerted music and added several morceaux4 ,the original ,italian cast was as follows3-- ,,zerlina ,mme4 ,,bosio4 ,,lady ,,allcash ,mlle4 ,,marai4 ,,fra ,,diavolo ,sig4 ,,gardini4 ,,lord ,,allcash ,sig4 ,,ronconi4 ,,beppo ,sig4 ,,tagliafico4 ,,giacomo ,sig4 ,,zelger4 ,the original of the story of ,fra ,diavolo is to be found in ,lesueur's opera1 ,la ,caverne1 afterwards arranged as a spectacular piece and produced in ,paris in #ahjh by ,cuvellier and ,franconi1 and again in ,vienna in #ahbb as a spectacle-pantomime1 under the title of ,the ,robber of the ,abruzzi4 ,in ,scribe's adaptation the bandit1 ,fra ,diavolo1 encounters an ,english nobleman and his pretty and susceptible wife1 ,lord and ,lady ,allcash1 at the inn of ,terracina1 kept by ,matteo1 whose daughter ,zerlina is loved by ,lorenzo1 a young soldier1 on the eve of starting to capture ,fra ,diavolo when the action of the opera begins4 ,in the first scene the ,english couple enter in great alarm1 having narrowly escaped the robbery of all their valuables by ,fra ,diavolo's band4 ,the bandit himself1 who has followed them on their journey in the disguise of a marquis1 and has been particularly attentive to the lady1 enters the inn just as ,lord ,allcash has been reproving his wife for her familiarity with a stranger4 ,a quarrel ensues in a duet of a very humorous character 7,i don't object74 ,upon the entrance of ,fra ,diavolo1 a quintet 7,oh1 ,rapture unbounded67 ensues1 which is one of the most effective and admirably harmonized ensembles ,auber has ever written4 ,fra ,diavolo learns the trick by which they saved the most of their valuables1 and1 enraged at the failure of his band1 lays his own plan to secure them4 ,in an interview with ,zerlina1 she1 mistaking him for the ,marquis1 tells him the story of ,fra ,diavolo in a romanza 7,on ,yonder ,rock reclining71 which is so fresh1 vigorous1 and full of color1 that it has become a favorite the world over4 ,to further his schemes1 ,fra ,diavolo makes love to ,lady ,allcash and sings an exquisitely graceful barcarole to her 7,the ,gondolier1 fond ,passion's ,slave71 accompanying himself on the mandolin4 ,lord ,allcash interrupts the song1 and the trio1 ,bravi1 ,bravi1 occurs1 which leads up to the finale of the act4 ,fra ,diavolo eludes the carbineers1 who have returned1 and they resume their search for him1 leaving him unmolested to perfect his plans for the robbery4 ,the second act introduces ,zerlina in her chamber about to retire4 ,she first lights ,lord and ,lady ,allcash to their room1 a running conversation occurring between them in a trio 7,let us1 ,i pray1 good ,wife1 to rest71 which by many good critics has been considered as the best number in the work4 ,before ,zerlina returns to her chamber1 ,fra ,diavolo and his companions1 ,beppo and ,giacomo1 conceal themselves in a closet1 and1 somewhat in violation of dramatic consistency1 ,fra ,diavolo sings the beautiful serenade1 ,young ,agnes1 which had been agreed upon as a signal to his comrades that the coast was clear4 ,zerlina enters1 and after a pretty cavatina 7',tis to-morrow7 and a prayer1 charming for its simplicity 7,oh1 ,holy ,virgin71 retires to rest4 ,the robbers in attempting to cross her room partially arouse her4 ,one of them rushes to the bed to stab her1 but falls back awe-stricken as she murmurs her prayer and sinks to rest again4 ,the trio which marks this scene1 sung pianissimo1 is quaint and simple and yet very dramatic4 ,the noise of the carbineers returning outside interrupts the plan of the robbers4 ,they conceal themselves in the closet again4 ,zerlina rises and dresses herself4 ,lord and ,lady ,allcash rush in en deshabille to find out the cause of the uproar4 ,lorenzo enters to greet ,zerlina1 when a sudden noise in the closet disturbs the company4 ,fra ,diavolo1 knowing he will be detected1 boldly steps out into the room and declares that he is there to keep an appointment with ,zerlina4 ,lorenzo challenges him1 and he promises to give him satisfaction in the morning1 and coolly effects his escape4 ,one of his comrades1 however1 is captured1 and to secure his own liberty agrees to betray his chief4 ,the third act introduces ,fra ,diavolo once more among his native mountains1 and there is the real breath and vigor of the mountain air in his opening song 7,proudly and wide my ,standard flies71 and rollicking freedom in the rondeau which follows it 7,then since ,life glides so fast away74 ,he exults in his liberty1 and gleefully looks forward to a meeting with ,lord and ,lady ,allcash1 which he anticipates will redound to his personal profit4 ,his exultation is interrupted by the entrance of the villagers arrayed in festival attire in honor of the approaching wedding ceremonies1 singing a bright pastoral chorus 7,oh1 ,holy ,virgin6 bright and fair74 ,the finale of the act is occupied with the development of the scheme between ,lorenzo1 ,beppo1 and ,giacomo1 to ensnare ,fra ,diavolo and compass his death2 and with the final tragedy1 in which ,fra ,diavolo meets his doom at the hands of the carbineers1 but not before he has declared ,zerlina's innocence4 ,this finale is strong and very dramatic1 and yet at the same time simple1 natural1 and unstudied4 ,the opera itself is a universal favorite1 not alone for its naturalness and quiet grace1 but for its bright and even boisterous humor1 which is sustained by the typical ,english tourist1 who was for the first time introduced in opera by ,scribe4 ,the text is full of spirit and gayety1 and these qualities are admirably reflected in the sparkling music of ,auber4 ,not one of the books which the versatile ,scribe has supplied for the opera is more replete with incident or brighter in humor4 ,how well it was adapted for musical treatment is shown by the fact that ,fra ,diavolo made ,auber's reputation at the ,opera ,comique4 ,,masaniello4 ,masaniello1 or ,la ,muette de ,portici1 a lyric opera in five acts1 words by ,scribe and ,delavigne1 was first produced in ,paris1 ,feb4 #bi1 #ahbh2 in ,english1 at ,london1 ,may #d1 #ahbi2 and in ,italian1 at ,london1 ,march #ae1 #ahdi4 ,the original cast included ,mme4 ,damoreau-,cinti as ,elvira1 ,mlle4 ,noblet as ,fenella1 and ,m4 ,massol as ,pietro4 ,in the ,italian version1 ,sig4 ,mario1 ,mme4 ,dorus-,gras1 and ,mlle4 ,leroux1 a famous mime and dancer1 took the principal parts2 while in its ,english dress1 ,braham created one of the greatest successes on record1 and established it as the favorite opera of ,auber among ,englishmen4 ,the scene of the opera is laid near ,naples4 ,the first act opens upon the festivities attending the nuptials of ,alphonso1 son of the ,duke of ,arcos1 and the ,princess ,elvira4 ,after a chorus of rejoicing1 the latter enters and sings a brilliant cavatina 7,o1 bel ,momento7 expressive of her happiness4 ,in the fourth scene the festivities are interrupted by the appearance of ,fenella1 the dumb girl1 who implores the princess to save her from ,selva1 one of the ,duke's officers1 who is seeking to return her to prison1 from which she has escaped1 and where she has been confined at the orders of some unknown cavalier who has been persecuting her4 ,the part of ,fenella is of course expressed by pantomime throughout4 ,the remainder of the act is intensely dramatic4 ,elvira promises to protect ,fenella1 and then1 after some spirited choruses by the soldiers1 enters the chapel with ,alphonso4 ,during the ceremony ,fenella discovers that he is her betrayer4 ,she attempts to go in1 but is prevented by the soldiers4 ,on the return of the newly wedded pair ,fenella meets ,elvira and denounces her husband1 and the scene ends with a genuine ,italian finale of excitement4 ,the second act opens on the sea-shore1 and shows the fishermen busy with their nets and boats4 ,masaniello1 brother of ,fenella1 enters1 brooding upon the wrongs of the people1 and is implored by the fishermen to cheer them with a song4 ,he replies with the barcarole1 ,piu bello sorse il giorno1--a lovely melody1 which has been the delight of all tenors4 ,his friend ,pietro enters and they join in a duet 7,sara il morir7 of a most vigorous and impassioned character1 expressive of ,masaniello's grief for his sister and their mutual resolution to strike a blow for freedom4 ,at the conclusion of the duet he beholds ,fenella about to throw herself into the sea4 ,he calls to her and she rushes into his arms and describes to him the story of her wrongs4 ,he vows revenge1 and in a magnificent1 martial finale1 which must have been inspired by the revolutionary feeling with which the whole atmosphere was charged at the time ,auber wrote 7#ahbh71 incites the fishermen and people to rise in revolt against their tyrannical oppressors4 ,in the third act1 after a passionate aria 7,il pianto rasciuga7 by ,elvira1 we are introduced to the market-place1 crowded with market-girls and fishermen disposing of their fruits and fish4 ,after a lively chorus1 a fascinating and genuine ,neapolitan tarantelle is danced4 ,the merry scene speedily changes to one of turmoil and distress4 ,selva attempts to arrest ,fenella1 but the fishermen rescue her and ,masaniello gives the signal for the general uprising4 ,before the combat begins1 all kneel and sing the celebrated prayer1 ,nume del ciel1 taken from one of ,auber's early masses1 and one of his most inspired efforts4 ,the fourth act opens in ,masaniello's cottage4 ,he deplores the coming horrors of the day in a grand aria 7,dio6 di me disponesti7 which is very dramatic in its quality4 ,fenella enters1 and after describing the tumult in the city sinks exhausted with fatigue4 ,as she falls asleep he sings a slumber song 7,scendi1 o sonno dal ciel71 a most exquisite melody1 universally known as ,l',air du ,sommeil4 ,it is sung by the best artists mezzo voce throughout1 and when treated in this manner never fails to impress the hearer with its tenderness and beauty4 ,at its close ,pietro enters and once more rouses ,masaniello to revenge by informing him that ,alphonso has escaped4 ,after they leave the cottage1 the latter and ,elvira enter and implore protection4 ,fenella is moved to mercy1 and a concerted number follows in which ,masaniello promises safety and is denounced by ,pietro for his weakness4 ,in the finale1 the magistrates and citizens enter1 bearing the keys of the town and the royal insignia1 and declare ,masaniello king in a chorus of a very inspiriting and brilliant character4 ,the last act is very powerful1 both dramatically and musically4 ,it opens in the grounds of the ,viceroy's palace1 and ,vesuvius is seen in the distance1 its smoke portending an eruption4 ,pietro and companions enter with wine-cups in their hands1 as from a banquet1 and the former sings a barcarole 7,ve' come il vento irato74 ,at its close other fishermen enter and excitedly announce that troops are moving against the people1 that ,vesuvius is about to burst into flame1 and that ,masaniello1 their leader1 has lost his reason4 ,this is confirmed by the appearance of the hero in disordered attire1 singing music through which are filtered fragments of the fishermen's songs as they rise in his disturbed brain4 ,this scene1 the third in the act1 is one not only of great power but of exquisite grace and tenderness1 and requires an artist of the highest rank for its proper presentation4 ,fenella rouses him from his dejection1 and he once more turns and plunges into the fight1 only to be killed by his own comrades4 ,on learning of her brother's death she unites the hands of ,alphonso and ,elvira1 and then in despair throws herself into the burning lava of ,vesuvius4 ,masaniello made ,auber's fame at the ,grand ,opera1 as ,fra ,diavolo made it at the ,opera ,comique4 ,it has no points in common with that or any other of his works4 ,it is serious throughout1 and full of power1 impetuosity1 and broad dramatic treatment4 ,even ,richard ,wagner has conceded its vigor1 bold effects1 and original harmonies4 ,its melodies are spontaneous1 its instrumentation full of color1 and its stirring incidents are always vigorously handled4 ,in comparison with his other works it seems like an inspiration4 ,it is full of the revolutionary spirit1 and its performance in ,brussels in #ahcj was the cause of the riots that drove the ,dutch out of ,belgium4 ,,the ,,crown ,,diamonds4 ,the ,crown ,diamonds 7,les ,diamans de la ,couronne71 opera comique1 in three acts1 words by ,scribe and ,st4 ,george1 one of the most charming of ,auber's light operas1 was first produced in ,paris in #ahda1 but its reputation has been made on the ,english stage4 ,it was first performed in ,london1 at the ,princess ,theatre1 ,may #b1 #ahdd1 with ,mme4 ,anna ,thillon1 a charming singer and most fascinating woman1 as ,catarina2 but its success was made at ,drury ,lane in #ahed by ,louisa ,pyne and ,harrison1 who took the parts of ,catarina and ,don ,henrique4 ,the other roles1 ,count de ,campo ,mayor1 ,don ,sebastian1 ,rebolledo1 and ,diana1 were filled by ,mr4 ,horncastle1 ,mr4 ,reeves1 ,mr4 ,borrani1 and ,miss ,pyne1 sister of the preceding1 and with this cast the opera ran a hundred nights4 ,the story of the opera is laid in ,portugal1 time1 #aggg4 ,the opening scene discloses the ruins of a castle in the mountains1 near the monastery of ,st4 ,huberto1 where ,don ,henrique1 nephew of the ,count de ,campo ,mayor1 ,minister of ,police at ,coimbra1 overtaken by a storm1 seeks shelter4 ,at the time of his misfortune he is on his way to take part in the approaching coronation1 and also to sign a marriage contract with his cousin ,diana1 daughter of the ,minister of ,police4 ,he solaces himself with a song 7,roll on1 ,roll on71 during which he hears the blows of hammers in a distant cavern1 and on looking round discovers ,rebolledo1 the chief of the coiners1 and two of his comrades1 with his trunk in their possession1 the contents of which they proceed to examine4 ,don ,henrique conceals himself while ,rebolledo is singing a rollicking muleteer's song 7,o'er ,mountain steep1 through ,valley roaming74 ,at its conclusion ,rebolledo1 about to summon the other coiners to their secret work1 discovers ,don ,henrique1 and thinking him a spy rushes upon him4 ,he is saved by the sudden entrance of ,catarina1 the leader of the gang1 who tells the story of her life in a concerted number that reminds one very strikingly of the bandit song in ,fra ,diavolo4 ,after examining ,don ,henrique1 and1 to his surprise1 showing an intimate acquaintance with his projects1 she returns him his property1 and allows him to depart on condition that he shall not speak of what he has seen for a year4 ,he consents2 and then follows another of the concerted numbers in which this opera abounds1 and in which occurs a charming rondo 7,the ,young ,pedrillo71 accompanied by a weird1 clanging chorus4 ,before he can effect his departure the gang find that they are surrounded by troops led by ,don ,sebastian1 a friend of ,don ,henrique4 ,the coiners1 in company with the latter1 however1 make their escape in the disguise of monks on their way to the neighboring monastery1 singing a lugubrious chorus 7,unto the ,hermit of the ,chapel71 while ,catarina and ,rebolledo elude the soldiers by taking a subterranean passage1 carrying with them a casket containing some mysterious jewels4 ,the second act opens in the ,chateau de ,coimbra1 and discovers the ,count1 ,don ,henrique1 ,don ,sebastian1 and ,diana4 ,the first scene reveals to us that ,don ,henrique is in love with the mysterious ,catarina1 and that ,diana is in love with ,don ,sebastian4 ,in a sportive mood ,diana requests ,don ,henrique to sing with her1 and chooses a nocturne called ,the ,brigand1 which closes in gay bolero time 7,in the ,deep ,ravine of the ,forest74 ,as they are singing it1 ,don ,sebastian announces that a carriage has been overturned and its occupants desire shelter4 ,as the duet proceeds1 ,catarina and ,rebolledo enter1 and a very flurried quintet 7,oh1 ,surprise unexpected67 occurs1 leading up to an ensemble full of humor1 with a repetition of the brigand song1 this time by ,catarina and ,diana1 and closing with a bravura aria sung by ,catarina 7,love6 at once ,i break thy ,fetters74 ,catarina and ,rebolledo accept the proffered hospitality1 but the latter quietly makes his exit when ,diana begins to read an account of a robbery which contains a description of himself and his companion4 ,catarina remains1 however1 in spite of ,don ,henrique's warning that she is in the house of the ,minister of ,police4 ,in a moment of passion he declares his love for her and begs her to fly with him4 ,she declines his proffer1 but gives him a ring as a souvenir4 ,a pretty little duet 7,if ,i could but ,courage feel7 ensues between ,diana and ,don ,henrique1 in which she gently taunts him with his inattention to her and his sudden interest in the handsome stranger4 ,at this juncture the ,count enters in wild excitement over the announcement that the crown jewels have been stolen4 ,don ,henrique's ring is recognized as one of them1 and in the excitement which ensues1 ,catarina finds herself in danger of discovery1 from which she is rescued by ,diana1 who promises ,don ,henrique she will send her away in the ,count's carriage if he will agree to refuse to sign the marriage contract4 ,he consents1 and she departs upon her errand4 ,at this point in the scene ,don ,henrique sings the beautiful ballad1 ,oh1 whisper what thou feelest6 originally written for ,mr4 ,harrison4 ,this song leads up to a stirring finale1 in which ,don ,henrique refuses to sign the contract and ,catarina makes her escape4 ,the last act opens in the anteroom of the royal palace at ,lisbon1 where ,diana is waiting for an audience with the ,queen4 ,she sings another interpolated air1 originally written for ,louisa ,pyne 7,when ,doubt the tortured ,frame is rending71 and at its close the ,count1 ,don ,henrique1 and ,don ,sebastian enter4 ,while they are conversing1 ,rebolledo appears1 announced as the ,count ,fuentes1 and a quintet occurs1 very slightly constructed1 but full of humor4 ,an usher interrupts it by announcing the ,queen will have a private audience with the ,count ,fuentes4 ,while awaiting her1 the latter1 in a monologue1 lets us into the secret that the real crown jewels have been pledged for the national debt1 and that he has been employed to make duplicates of them to be worn on state occasions until the real ones can be redeemed4 ,the ,queen enters1 and expresses her satisfaction with the work1 and promotes him to the position of ,minister of ,secret ,police4 ,on his departure she sings a charming cavatina 7,love1 dwell with me71 and at its close ,count de ,campo ,mayor enters with the decision of the ,council that she shall wed the ,prince of ,spain4 ,she returns answer that she shall make her own choice4 ,the ,count seeks to argue with her1 when she threatens to confiscate his estate for allowing the crown jewels to be stolen1 and commands him to arrest his daughter and nephew for harboring the thieves4 ,diana suddenly enters1 and an amusing trio ensues1 the ,queen standing with her back to ,diana lest she may be discovered4 ,the latter fails to recognize her as ,catarina1 and implores pardon for assisting in her escape4 ,the situation is still further complicated by the appearance of ,don ,henrique1 who has no difficulty in recognizing ,catarina4 ,bewildered at her presence in the ,queen's apartments1 he declares to ,diana that he will seize her and fly to some distant land4 ,his rash resolution1 however1 is thwarted by his arrest1 on the authority of the ,queen1 for treason4 ,a martial finale introduces us to the ,queen in state4 ,don ,henrique rushes forward to implore mercy for ,catarina4 ,the ,queen reveals herself at last1 and announces to her people that she has chosen ,don ,henrique1 who has loved her for herself1 for her husband and their king4 ,and thus closes one of the most sparkling1 melodious1 and humorous of ,auber's works4 ,what the concerted numbers lack in solidity of construction is compensated for by their grace and sweetness4 ,,balfe4 ,michael ,william ,balfe was born at ,dublin1 ,ireland1 ,may #ae1 #ahjh4 ,of all the ,english opera-composers1 his career was the most versatile1 as his success1 for a time at least1 was the most remarkable4 ,at seven years of age he scored a polacca of his own for a band4 ,in his eighth year he appeared as a violinist1 and in his tenth was composing ballads4 ,at sixteen he was playing in the ,drury ,lane orchestra1 and about this time began taking lessons in composition4 ,in #ahbe1 aided by the generosity of a patron1 he went to ,italy1 where for three years he studied singing and counterpoint4 ,in his twentieth year he met ,rossini1 who offered him an engagement as first barytone at the ,italian ,opera in ,paris4 ,he made his debut with success in #ahbh1 and at the close of his engagement returned to ,italy1 where he appeared again on the stage4 ,about this time 7#ahbi-ahcj7 he began writing ,italian operas1 and before he left ,italy had produced three which met with considerable success4 ,in #ahce he returned to ,england2 and it was in this year that his first ,english opera1 the ,siege of ,rochelle1 was produced4 ,it was played continuously at ,drury ,lane for over three months4 ,in #ahcf appeared his ,maid of ,artois2 in #ahcg1 ,catharine ,grey and ,joan of ,arc2 and in #ahch1 ,falstaff4 ,during these years he was still singing in concerts and opera1 and in #ahdj appeared as manager of the ,lyceum4 ,his finest works were produced after this date1--,the ,bohemian ,girl in #ahdc2 ,the ,enchantress in #ahdd2 ,the ,rose of ,castile1 ,la ,zingara1 and ,satanella in #aheh1 and ,the ,puritan's ,daughter in #ahfa4 ,his last opera was ,the ,knight of the ,leopard1 known in ,italian as ,il ,talismano1 which has also been produced in ,english as ,the ,talisman4 ,he married ,mlle4 ,rosen1 a ,german singer1 whom he met in ,italy in #ahce2 and his daughter ,victoire1 who subsequently married ,sir ,john ,crampton1 and afterwards the ,duc de ,frias1 also appeared as a singer in #ahef4 ,balfe died ,oct4 #bj1 #ahgj1 upon his own estate in ,hertfordshire4 ,the analysis of his three operas which are best known--,the ,bohemian ,girl1 ,rose of ,castile1 and ,puritan's ,daughter--will contain sufficient reference to his ability as a composer4 ,,the ,,bohemian ,,girl4 ,the ,bohemian ,girl1 grand opera in three acts1 words by ,bunn1 adapted from ,st4 ,george's ballet of ,the ,gypsy1 which appeared at the ,paris ,grand ,opera in #ahci1--;itself taken from a romance by ,cervantes1--was first produced in ,london1 ,nov4 #bg1 #ahdc1 at ,drury ,lane1 with the following cast3-- ,,arline ,miss ,,romer4 ,,thaddeus ,mr4 ,,harrison4 ,,gypsy ,,queen ,miss ,,betts4 ,,devilshoof ,mr4 ,,stretton4 ,,count ,,arnheim ,mr4 ,,borrani4 ,,florestein ,mr4 ,,durnset4 ,the fame of ,the ,bohemian ,girl was not confined to ,england4 ,it was translated into various ,european languages1 and was one of the few ,english operas which secured a favorable hearing even in critical ,germany4 ,in its ,italian form it was produced at ,drury ,lane as ,la ,zingara1 ,feb4 #f1 #aheh1 with ,mlle4 ,piccolomini as ,arline2 and also had the honor of being selected for the state performance connected with the marriage of the ,princess ,royal4 ,the ,french version1 under the name of ,la ,bohemienne1 for which ,balfe added several numbers1 besides enlarging it to five acts1 was produced at the ,theatre ,lyrique1 ,paris1 in ,december1 #ahfi1 and gained for him the ,cross of the ,legion of ,honor4 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,austria1 and the first act introduces us to the chateau and grounds of ,count ,arnheim1 ,governor of ,presburg1 whose retainers are preparing for the chase4 ,after a short chorus the ,count enters with his little daughter ,arline and his nephew ,florestein4 ,the ,count sings a short solo 7,a ,soldier's ,life71 and as the choral response by his retainers and hunters dies away and they leave the scene1 ,thaddeus1 a ,polish exile and fugitive1 rushes in excitedly1 seeking to escape the ,austrian soldiers4 ,his opening number is a very pathetic song 7',tis sad to leave your ,fatherland74 ,at the end of the song a troop of gypsies enter1 headed by ,devilshoof1 singing a blithe chorus 7,in the ,gypsy's ,life you may read74 ,he hears ,thaddeus's story and induces him to join them4 ,before the animated strains fairly cease1 ,florestein and some of the hunters dash across the grounds in quest of ,arline1 who has been attacked by a stag4 ,thaddeus1 seizing a rifle1 joins them1 and rescues the child by killing the animal4 ,the ,count overwhelms him with gratitude1 and urges him to join in the coming festivities4 ,he consents1 and at the banquet produces a commotion by refusing to drink the health of the ,emperor4 ,the soldiers are about to rush upon him1 when ,devilshoof interferes4 ,the gypsy is arrested for his temerity1 and taken into the castle4 ,thaddeus departs and the festivities are resumed1 but are speedily interrupted again by the escape of ,devilshoof1 who takes ,arline with him4 ,the finale of the act is very stirring1 and contains one number1 a prayer 7,thou who in ,might supreme71 which is extremely effective4 ,twelve years elapse between the first and second acts1 and during this time ,count ,arnheim has received no tidings of ,arline1 and has given her up as lost forever4 ,the act opens in the gypsy camp in the suburbs of ,presburg4 ,arline is seen asleep in the tent of the ,queen1 with ,thaddeus watching her4 ,after a quaint little chorus 7,silence1 silence1 the ,lady ,moon7 sung by the gypsies1 they depart in quest of plunder1 headed by ,devilshoof1 and soon find their victim in the person of the foppish and half-drunken ,florestein1 who is returning from a revel4 ,he is speedily relieved of his jewelry1 among which is a medallion1 which is carried off by ,devilshoof4 ,as the gypsies disappear1 ,arline wakes and relates her dream to ,thaddeus in a joyous song 7,i dreamed ,i dwelt in ,marble ,halls71 which has become one of the world's favorites4 ,at the close of the ballad ,thaddeus tells her the meaning of the scar upon her arm1 and reveals himself as her rescuer1 but does not disclose to her the mystery of her birth4 ,the musical dialogue1 with its ensemble1 ,the ,secret of her ,birth1 will never lose its charm4 ,thaddeus declares his love for her just as the ,queen1 who is also in love with ,thaddeus1 enters4 ,arline also confesses her love for ,thaddeus1 and1 according to the customs of the tribe1 the ,queen unites them1 at the same time vowing vengeance against the pair4 ,the scene now changes to a street in the city4 ,a great fair is in progress1 and the gypsies1 as usual1 resort to it4 ,arline enters at their head1 joyously singing1 to the accompaniment of the rattling castanets1 ,come with the ,gypsy ,bride2 her companions1 blithely tripping along1 responding with the chorus1 ,in the ,gypsy's ,life you may read4 ,they disappear down the street and reappear in the public plaza4 ,arline1 the ,queen1 ,devilshoof1 and ,thaddeus sing an unaccompanied quartet 7,from the ,valleys and ,hills71 a number which for grace and flowing harmony deserves a place in any opera4 ,as they mingle among the people an altercation occurs between ,arline and ,florestein1 who has attempted to insult her4 ,the ,queen recognizes ,florestein as the owner of the medallion1 and for her courage in resenting the insult maliciously presents ,arline with it4 ,shortly afterwards he observes the medallion on ,arline's neck1 and has her arrested for theft4 ,the next scene opens in the hall of justice4 ,count ,arnheim enters with a sad countenance1 and as he observes ,arline's portrait1 gives vent to his sorrow in that well-known melancholy reverie1 ,the ,heart bowed down1 which has become famous the world over4 ,arline is brought before him for trial4 ,as it progresses he observes the scar upon her arm and asks its cause4 ,she tells the story which ,thaddeus had told her1 and this solves the mystery4 ,the ,count recognizes his daughter1 and the act closes with a beautiful ensemble 7,praised be the ,will of ,heaven74 ,the last act opens in the salon of ,count ,arnheim4 ,arline is restored to her old position1 but her love for ,thaddeus remains4 ,he finds an opportunity to have a meeting with her1 through the cunning of ,devilshoof1 who accompanies him4 ,he once more tells his love in that tender and impassioned song1 ,when other ,lips and other ,hearts1 and she promises to be faithful to him4 ,as the sound of approaching steps is heard1 ,thaddeus and his companion conceal themselves4 ,a large company enter1 and ,arline is presented to them4 ,during the ceremony a closely veiled woman appears1 and when questioned discovers herself as the ,gypsy ,queen4 ,she reveals the hiding-place of her companions1 and ,thaddeus is dragged forth and ordered to leave the house4 ,arline declares her love for him1 and her intention to go with him4 ,she implores her father to relent4 ,thaddeus avows his noble descent1 and boasts his ancestry and deeds in battle in that stirring martial song1 ,when the ,fair ,land of ,poland4 ,the ,count finally yields and gives his daughter to ,thaddeus4 ,the ,queen1 filled with rage and despair1 induces one of the tribe to fire at him as he is embracing ,arline2 but by a timely movement of ,devilshoof the bullet intended for ,thaddeus pierces the breast of the ,queen4 ,as the curtain falls1 the old song of the gypsies is heard again as they disappear in the distance with ,devilshoof at their head4 ,many of the operas of ,balfe1 like other ballad operas1 have become unfashionable2 but it is doubtful whether ,the ,bohemian ,girl will ever lose its attraction for those who delight in song-melody1 charming orchestration1 and sparkling1 animated choruses4 ,it leaped into popularity at a bound1 and its pretty melodies are still as fresh as when they were first sung4 ,,the ,,rose ,,of ,,castile4 ,the ,rose of ,castile1 comic opera in three acts1 words by ,harris and ,falconer1 adapted from ,adolphe ,adam's ,muletier de ,tolede1 was first produced at the ,lyceum ,theatre1 ,london1 ,oct4 #bi1 #aheg1 with the following cast3-- ,,elvira ,miss ,,louisa ,,pyne4 ,,manuel ,w4,h4 ,,harrison4 ,,carmen ,miss ,,susan ,,pyne4 ,,don ,,pedro ,mr4 ,,weiss4 ,,don ,,sallust ,mr4 ,,st4 ,,albyn4 ,,don ,,florio ,mr4 ,,honey4 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,spain4 ,elvira1 the ,rose of ,castile1 ,queen of ,leon1 has just ascended the throne1 and her hand has been demanded by the ,king of ,castile for his brother1 ,don ,sebastian the ,infant4 ,having learned that the latter is about to enter her dominions disguised as a muleteer1 the better to satisfy his curiosity about her1 she adopts the same expedient1 and sets out to intercept him1 disguised as a peasant girl1 taking with her one of her attendants4 ,the first act opens upon a rural scene in front of a posada1 where the peasants are dancing and singing a lively chorus 7,list to the gay ,castanet74 ,elvira and ,carmen1 her attendant1 enter upon the scene1 and are asked to join in the dance1 but instead1 ,elvira delights them with a song1 a vocal scherzo 7,yes1 ,i'll obey you74 ,the innkeeper is rude to them1 but they are protected from his coarseness by ,manuel1 the muleteer1 who suddenly appears and sings a rollicking song 7,i am a simple ,muleteer7 to the accompaniment of a tambourine and the snappings of his whip4 ,a dialogue duet follows1 in which she accepts his protection and escort4 ,she has already recognized the ,infant1 and he has fulfilled the motive of the story by falling in love with her4 ,at this point the three conspirators1 ,don ,pedro1 ,don ,sallust1 and ,don ,florio1 enter1 the first of whom has designs on the throne4 ,they indulge in a buffo trio1 which develops into a spirited bacchanal 7,wine1 ,wine1 the ,magician thou art674 ,observing ,elvira's likeness to the ,queen1 they persuade her to personate her ,majesty4 ,she consents with feigned reluctance1 and after accepting their escort in place of ,manuel's1 being sure that he will follow1 she sings a quaint rondo 7,oh1 were ,i the ,queen of ,spain671 and the act closes with a concerted number accompanying their departure4 ,the second act opens in the throne-room of the palace1 and is introduced by a very expressive conspirators' chorus 7,the ,queen in the ,palace72 after which ,don ,pedro enters and gives expression to the uncertainty of his schemes in a ballad 7,though ,fortune darkly o'er me frowns7 which reminds one very forcibly of ,the ,heart bowed down1 in ,the ,bohemian ,girl4 ,the ,queen1 who has eluded the surveillance of the conspirators1 makes her appearance1 surrounded by her attendants1 and sings that exquisite ballad1 ,the ,convent ,cell 7,of ,girlhood's happy ,days ,i dream71 one of the most beautiful songs ever written by any composer1 and certainly ,balfe's most popular inspiration4 ,at the close of the ballad ,manuel appears1 and is granted an audience1 in which he informs her of the meeting with the peasant girl and boy1 and declares his belief that they were the ,queen and ,carmen4 ,she ridicules the statement1 and a very funny trio buffo ensues 7,i'm not the ,queen1 ha1 ha674 ,he then informs her of the conspirators' plot to imprison her1 but she thwarts it by inducing a silly and pompous old ,duchess to assume the role of ,queen for the day1 and ride to the palace closely veiled in the royal carriage4 ,the plot succeeds1 and the ,duchess is seized and conveyed to a convent4 ,in the next scene there is another spirited buffo number1 in which ,don ,pedro and ,don ,florio are mourning over the loss of their peasant girl1 when1 greatly to their relief1 she enters again1 singing a very quaint and characteristic scena 7,i'm but a simple ,peasant ,maid71 which rouses the suspicions of the conspirators4 ,they are all the more perplexed when the ,queen announces herself1 and declares her intention of marrying the muleteer4 ,the last act opens with a song by ,carmen 7,though ,love's the greatest ,plague in ,life71 which falls far below the excellence of the other songs in the work4 ,it is followed by a buffo duet between ,carmen and ,florio1 who agree to marry4 ,the ,queen and ladies enter1 and the former sings a bravura air 7,oh1 joyous1 happy ,day671 which was intended by the composer to show ,miss ,pyne's vocal ability4 ,at this point a message is brought her from ,don ,sebastian1 announcing his marriage4 ,enraged at the discovery that the muleteer is not ,don ,sebastian1 she severely upbraids him1 and he replies in another exquisite ballad 7',twas ,rank and ,fame that tempted thee74 ,at its close she once more declares she will be true to the muleteer4 ,don ,pedro is delighted at the apparent success of his scheme1 as he believes he can force her to abdicate if she marries a muleteer1 and gives vent to his joy in a martial song 7,hark6 hark6 methinks ,i hear74 ,the last scene is in the throne-room1 where ,manuel announces he is king of ,castile1 and mounts the throne singing a stirring song closely resembling1 in its style1 the ,fair ,land of ,poland1 in ,the ,bohemian ,girl4 ,elvira expresses her delight in a bravura air 7,oh1 no6 by ,fortune blessed71 and the curtain falls4 ,the story of the opera is very complicated1 and sometimes tiresome2 but the music is well sustained throughout1 especially the buffo numbers1 while some of the ballads are among the best ever written by an ,english composer4 ,,beethoven4 ,ludwig ,von ,beethoven1 the greatest of composers1 was born ,dec4 #ag1 #aggj1 at ,bonn1 ,germany1 his father being a court singer in the chapel of the ,elector of ,cologne4 ,he studied in ,vienna with ,haydn1 with whom he did not always agree1 however1 and afterwards with ,albrechtsberger4 ,his first symphony appeared in #ahja1 his earlier symphonies1 in what is called his first period1 being written in the ,mozart style4 ,his only opera1 ,fidelio1 for which he wrote four overtures1 was first brought out in ,vienna in #ahje2 his oratorio1 ,christ on the ,mount of ,olives1 in #ahab2 and his colossal ,ninth ,symphony1 with its choral setting of ,schiller's ,ode to ,joy1 in #ahbd4 ,in addition to his symphonies1 his opera1 oratorios1 and masses1 and the immortal group of sonatas for the piano1 which were almost revelations in music1 he developed chamber music to an extent far beyond that reached by his predecessors1 ,haydn and ,mozart4 ,his symphonies exhibit surprising power1 and a marvellous comprehension of the deeper feelings in life and the influences of nature1 both human and physical4 ,he wrote with the deepest earnestness1 alike in the passion and the calm of his music1 and he invested it also with a genial humor as well as with the highest expression of pathos4 ,his works are epic in character4 ,he was the great tone-poet of music4 ,his subjects were always lofty and dignified1 and to their treatment he brought not only a profound knowledge of musical technicality1 but intense sympathy with the innermost feelings of human nature1 for he was a humanitarian in the broadest sense4 ,by the common consent of the musical world he stands at the head of all composers1 and has always been their guide and inspiration4 ,he died ,march #bf1 #ahbg1 in the midst of a raging thunder storm1 one of his latest utterances being a recognition of the divine spark in ,schubert's music4 ,,fidelio4 ,fidelio1 oder die eheliche ,liebe 7,fidelio1 or ,conjugal ,love71 grand opera in two acts1 words by ,sonnleithner1 translated freely from ,bouilly's ,leonore1 ou l',amour ,conjugal1 was first produced at the ,theatre ,an der ,wien1 ,vienna1 ,nov4 #bj1 #ahje1 the work at that time being in three acts4 ,a translation of the original programme of that performance1 with the exception of the usual price of admissions1 is appended3-- ,imperial and ,royal ,theatre ,an der ,wien4 ,new ,opera4 ,to-day1 ,wednesday1 #bj ,november1 #ahje1 at the ,imperial and ,royal ,theatre ,an der ,wien1 will be given for the first time4 ,,fidelio2 ,or1 ,conjugal ,love4 ,opera in three acts1 translated freely from the ,french text by ,,joseph ,,sonnleithner4 ,the music is by ,,ludwig ,,von ,,beethoven4 ,dramatis ,personae4 ,don ,fernando1 ,minister ,herr ,weinkoff4 ,don ,pizarro1 ,governor of a ,state ,prison ,herr ,meier4 ,florestan1 prisoner ,herr ,demmer4 ,leonora1 his wife1 under the name of ,fidelio ,fraeulein ,milder4 ,rocco1 chief jailer ,herr ,rothe4 ,marcellina1 his daughter ,fraeulein ,mueller4 ,jaquino1 turnkey ,herr ,cache4 ,captain of the ,guard ,herr ,meister4 ,prisoners1 ,guards1 ,people4 ,the action passes in a ,state prison in ,spain1 a few leagues from ,seville4 ,the piece can be procured at the box-office for fifteen kreutzers4 ,during this first season the opera was performed three times and then withdrawn4 ,breuning reduced it to two acts1 and two or three of the musical numbers were sacrificed1 and in this form it was played twice at the ,imperial ,private ,theatre and again withdrawn4 ,on these occasions it had been given under ,beethoven's favorite title1 ,leonore4 ,in #ahad ,treitschke revised it1 and it was produced at the ,kaernthnerthor ,theatre1 ,vienna1 ,may #bc1 of that year1 as ,fidelio1 which title it has ever since retained4 ,its first performance in ,paris was at the ,theatre ,lyrique1 ,may #e1 #ahfj2 in ,london1 at the ,king's ,theatre1 ,may #ah1 #ahcb2 and in ,english at ,covent ,garden1 ,june #ab1 #ahce1 with ,malibran in the title-role4 ,beethoven wrote four overtures for this great work4 ,the first was composed in #ahje1 the second in #ahjf1 the third in #ahjg1 and the fourth in #ahad4 ,it is curious that there has always been a confusion in their numbering1 and the error remains to this day4 ,what is called ,no4 #a is in reality ,no4 #c1 and was composed for a performance of the opera at ,prague1 the previous overture having been too difficult for the strings4 ,the splendid ,leonora1 ,no4 #c1 is in reality ,no4 #b1 and the ,no4 #b is ,no4 #a4 ,the fourth1 or the ,fidelio overture1 contains a new set of themes1 but the ,leonora is the grandest of them all4 ,the entire action of the opera transpires in a ,spanish prison1 of which ,don ,pizarro is governor and ,rocco the jailer4 ,the porter of the prison is ,jacquino1 who is in love with ,marcellina1 daughter of ,rocco1 and she in turn is in love with ,fidelio1 ,rocco's assistant1 who has assumed male disguise the better to assist her in her plans for the rescue of her husband1 ,florestan1 a ,spanish nobleman4 ,the latter1 who is the victim of ,don ,pizarro's hatred because he had thwarted some of his evil designs1 has been imprisoned by him unknown to the world1 and is slowly starving to death4 ,leonora1 his wife1 who in some way has discovered that her husband is in the prison1 has obtained employment of ,rocco1 disguised as the young man ,fidelio4 ,the opera opens with a charming1 playful love-scene between ,jacquino and ,marcellina1 whom the former is teasing to marry him4 ,she puts him off1 and as he sorrowfully departs1 sings the ,hope aria1 ,die ,hoffnung1 a fresh1 smoothly flowing melody1 in which she pictures the delight of a life with ,fidelio4 ,at its close ,rocco enters with the despondent ,jacquino1 shortly followed by ,fidelio1 who is very much fatigued4 ,the love-episode is brought out in the famous canon quartet1 ,mir ist so wunderbar1 one of the most beautiful and restful numbers in the opera4 ,rocco promises ,marcellina's hand to ,fidelio as the reward of her fidelity1 but in the characteristic and sonorous ,gold song1 ,hat man nicht auch ,geld daneben1 reminds them that money as well as love is necessary to housekeeping4 ,in the next scene1 while ,don ,pizarro is giving instructions to ,rocco1 a packet of letters is delivered to him1 one of which informs him that ,don ,fernando is coming the next day to inspect the prison1 as he has been informed that it contains several victims of arbitrary power4 ,he at once determines that ,florestan shall die1 and gives vent to his wrath in a furious dramatic aria 7,ha6 welch ein ,augenblick674 ,he attempts to bribe ,rocco to aid him4 ,the jailer at first refuses1 but subsequently1 after a stormy duet1 consents to dig the grave4 ,fidelio has overheard the scheme1 and1 as they disappear1 rushes forward and sings the great aria1 ,abscheulicher6 one of the grandest and most impassioned illustrations of dramatic intensity in the whole realm of music4 ,the recitative expresses intense horror at the intended murder1 then subsides into piteous sorrow1 and at last breaks out into the glorious adagio1 ,komm ,hoffnung1 in which she sings of the immortal power of love4 ,the last scene of the act introduces the strong chorus of the prisoners as they come out in the yard for air and sunlight1 after which ,rocco relates to ,fidelio his interview with ,don ,pizarro4 ,the latter orders the jailer to return the prisoners to their dungeons and go on with the digging of the grave1 and the act closes4 ,the second act opens in ,florestan's dungeon4 ,the prisoner sings an intensely mournful aria 7,in des ,lebens ,fruehlingstagen71 which has a rapturous finale 7,und spuer' ,ich nicht linde71 as he sees his wife in a vision4 ,rocco and ,fidelio enter and begin digging the grave1 to the accompaniment of sepulchral music4 ,she discovers that ,florestan has sunk back exhausted1 and as she restores him recognizes her husband4 ,don ,pizarro enters1 and after ordering ,fidelio away1 who meanwhile conceals herself1 attempts to stab ,florestan4 ,fidelio1 who has been closely watching him1 springs forward with a shriek1 and interposes herself between him and her husband4 ,he once more advances to carry out his purpose1 when ,fidelio draws a pistol and defies him4 ,as she does so1 the sound of a trumpet is heard outside announcing the arrival of ,don ,fernando4 ,don ,pizarro rushes out in despair1 and ,florestan and ,leonora1 no longer ,fidelio1 join in a duet 7,o ,namenlose ,freude7 which is the very ecstasy of happiness4 ,in the last scene ,don ,fernando sets the prisoners free in the name of the king1 and among them ,florestan4 ,pizarro is revealed in his true character1 and is led away to punishment4 ,the happy pair are reunited1 and ,marcellina1 to ,jacquino's delight1 consents to marry him4 ,the act closes with a general song of jubilee4 ,as a drama and as an opera ,fidelio stands almost alone in its perfect purity1 in the moral grandeur of its subject1 and in the resplendent ideality of its music4 ,,bellini4 ,vincenzo ,bellini was born ,nov4 #c1 #ahjb1 at ,catania1 ,sicily1 and came of musical parentage4 ,by the generosity of a patron he was sent to ,naples1 and studied at the ,conservatory under ,zingarelli4 ,his first opera was ,adelson e ,salvino1 and its remarkable merit secured him a commission from the manager1 ,barbaja1 for an opera for ,san ,carlo4 ,the result was his first important work1 ,bianca e ,fernando1 written in #ahbf4 ,its success was moderate2 but he was so encouraged that he at once went to ,milan and wrote ,il ,pirata1 the tenor part for ,rubini4 ,its success was extraordinary1 and the managers of ,la ,scala commissioned him for another work4 ,in #ahbh ,la ,straniera appeared1 quickly followed by ,zaira 7#ahbi71 which failed at ,parma1 and ,i ,capuletti ed i ,montecchi1 a version of ,romeo and ,juliet1 which made a great success at ,venice in #ahcj4 ,a year later he composed ,la ,sonnambula1 unquestionably his best work1 for ,la ,scala1 and it speedily made the tour of ,europe1 and gained for him an extended reputation4 ,a year after its appearance he astonished the musical world with ,norma1 written1 like ,sonnambula1 for ,mme4 ,pasta4 ,these are his greatest works4 ,norma was followed by ,beatrice di ,tenda1 and this by ,i ,puritani1 his last opera1 written in ,paris for the four great artists1 ,grisi1 ,rubini1 ,tamburini1 and ,lablache4 ,bellini died ,sept4 #bc1 #ahce1 in the twenty-ninth year of his age1 preserving his musical enthusiasm to the very last4 ,he was a close follower of ,rossini1 and studied his music diligently1 and though without a very profound knowledge of harmony or orchestration1 succeeded in producing at least three works1 ,norma1 ,sonnambula1 and ,i ,puritani1 which were the delight of the opera-goers of his day1 and still freshly hold the stage4 ,,norma4 ,norma1 a serious opera in two acts1 words by ,romani1 was first produced during the season of ,lent1 #ahcb1 at ,milan1 with the principal parts cast as follows3-- ,,norma ,mme4 ,,pasta4 ,,adalgisa ,mme4 ,,grisi4 ,,pollione ,sig4 ,,donzelli4 ,it was first heard in ,london in #ahcc1 and in ,paris in #ahee1 and ,planche's ,english version of it was produced at ,drury ,lane in #ahcg4 ,the scene of the opera is laid among the ,druids1 in ,gaul1 after its occupation by the ,roman legions4 ,in the first scene the ,druids enter with ,oroveso1 their priest1 to the impressive strains of a religious march which is almost as familiar as a household word4 ,the priest announces that ,norma1 the high priestess1 will come and cut the sacred branch and give the signal for the expulsion of the ,romans4 ,the next scene introduces ,pollione1 the ,roman proconsul1 to whom ,norma1 in defiance of her faith and traditions1 has bound herself in secret marriage1 and by whom she has had two children4 ,in a charmingly melodious scena 7,meco all' altar di ,venere7 he reveals his faithlessness and guilty love for ,adalgisa1 a young virgin of the temple1 who has consented to abandon her religion and fly with him to ,rome4 ,in the fourth scene ,norma enters attended by her priestesses1 and denounces the ,druids for their warlike disposition1 declaring that the time has not yet come for shaking off the yoke of ,rome1 and that when it does she will give the signal from the altar of the ,druids4 ,after cutting the sacred mistletoe1 she comes forward and invokes peace from the moon in that exquisite prayer1 ,casta ,diva1 which electrified the world with its beauty and tenderness1 and still holds its place in popular favor1 not alone by the grace of its embellishments1 but by the pathos of its melody4 ,it is followed by another cavatina of almost equal beauty and tenderness 7,ah6 bello a me ritorna74 ,in the next scene ,adalgisa1 retiring from the sacred rites1 sings of her love for ,pollione1 and as she closes is met by the proconsul1 who once more urges her to fly to ,rome with him4 ,the duet between them is one of great power and beauty1 and contains a strikingly passionate number for the tenor 7,va1 crudele74 ,oppressed by her conscience1 she reveals her fatal promise to ,norma1 and implores absolution from her vows4 ,norma yields to her entreaties1 but when she inquires the name and country of her lover1 and ,adalgisa points to ,pollione as he enters ,norma's sanctuary1 all the priestess's love turns to wrath4 ,in this scene the duet1 ,perdoni e ti compiango1 is one of exceeding loveliness and peculiarly melodious tenderness4 ,the act closes with a terzetto of great power 7,o6 di qual sei tu71 in which both the priestess and ,adalgisa furiously denounce the faithless ,pollione4 ,in the midst of their imprecations the sound of the sacred shield is heard calling ,norma to the rites4 ,the second act opens in ,norma's dwelling1 and discovers her children asleep on a couch4 ,norma enters with the purpose of killing them1 but the maternal instinct overcomes her vengeful thought that they are ,pollione's children4 ,adalgisa appears1 and ,norma announces her intention to place her children in the ,virgin's hands1 and send her and them to ,pollione while she expiates her offence on the funeral pyre4 ,adalgisa pleads with her not to abandon ,pollione1 who will return to her repentant2 and the most effective number in the opera ensues1--the grand duet containing two of ,bellini's most beautiful inspirations1 the ,deh6 con te li prendi1 and the familiar ,mira1 ,o ,norma1 whose strains have gone round the world and awakened universal delight4 ,pollione1 maddened by his passion for ,adalgisa1 impiously attempts to tear her from the altar in the temple of ,irminsul1 whereupon ,norma enters the temple and strikes the sacred shield1 summoning the ,druids4 ,they meet1 and she declares the meaning of the signal is war1 slaughter1 and destruction4 ,she chants a magnificent hymn 7,guerra1 guerra71 which is full of the very fury of battle4 ,pollione1 who has been intercepted in the temple1 is brought before her4 ,love is still stronger than resentment with her4 ,in a very dramatic scena 7,in mia mano alfin tu sei7 she informs him he is in her power1 but she will let him escape if he will renounce ,adalgisa and leave the country4 ,he declares death would be preferable2 whereupon she threatens to denounce ,adalgisa4 ,pity overcomes anger1 however4 ,she snatches the sacred wreath from her brow and declares herself the guilty one4 ,too late ,pollione discovers the worth of the woman he has abandoned1 and a beautiful duet 7,qual cor tradisti7 forms the closing number4 ,she ascends the funeral pyre with ,pollione1 and in its flames they are purged of earthly crime4 ,it is a memorable fact in the history of this opera1 that on its first performance it was coldly received1 and the ,italian critics declared it had no vitality2 though no opera was ever written in which such intense dramatic effect has been produced with simple melodic force1 and no ,italian opera score to-day is more living or more likely to last than that of ,norma4 ,,la ,,sonnambula4 ,la ,sonnambula1 an opera in two acts1 words by ,romani1 was first produced in ,milan1 ,march #f1 #ahca1 with the following cast3-- ,,amina ,mme4 ,,pasta4 ,,elvino ,sig4 ,,rubini4 ,,rodolfo ,sig4 ,,mariano4 ,,lisa ,mme4 ,,toccani4 ,it was brought out in the same year in ,paris and ,london1 and two years after in ,english1 with ,malibran as ,amina4 ,the subject of the story was taken from a vaudeville and ballet by ,scribe4 ,the scene is laid in ,switzerland4 ,amina1 an orphan1 the ward of ,teresa1 the miller's wife1 is about to marry ,elvino1 a well-to-do landholder of the village4 ,lisa1 mistress of the inn1 is also in love with ,elvino1 and jealous of her rival4 ,alessio1 a peasant lad1 is also in love with the landlady4 ,such is the state of affairs on the day before the wedding4 ,rodolfo1 the young lord of the village1 next appears upon the scene4 ,he has arrived incognito for the purpose of looking up his estates1 and stops at ,lisa's inn1 where he meets ,amina4 ,he gives her many pretty compliments1 much to the dissatisfaction of the half-jealous ,elvino1 who is inclined to quarrel with the disturber of his peace of mind4 ,amina1 who is subject to fits of somnambulism1 has been mistaken for a ghost by the peasants1 and they warn ,rodolfo that the village is haunted4 ,the information1 however1 does not disturb him1 and he quietly retires to his chamber4 ,the officious ,lisa also enters1 and a playful scene of flirtation ensues1 during which ,amina enters the room1 walking in her sleep4 ,lisa seeks shelter in a closet4 ,rodolfo1 to escape from the embarrassment of the situation1 leaves the apartment1 and ,amina reclines upon the bed as if it were her own4 ,the malicious ,lisa hurries from the room to inform ,elvino of what she has seen1 and thoughtlessly leaves her handkerchief4 ,elvino rushes to the spot with other villagers1 and finding ,amina1 as ,lisa had described1 declares that she is guilty1 and leaves her4 ,awakened by the noise1 the unfortunate girl1 realizing the situation1 sorrowfully throws herself into ,teresa's arms4 ,the villagers implore ,rodolfo to acquit ,amina of any blame1 and he stoutly protests her innocence2 but it is of no avail in satisfying ,elvino1 who straightway offers his hand to ,lisa4 ,in the last act ,amina is seen stepping from the window of the mill in her sleep4 ,she crosses a frail bridge which yields beneath her weight and threatens to precipitate her upon the wheel below2 but she passes it in safety1 descends to the ground1 and walks into her lover's arms amid the jubilant songs of the villagers4 ,elvino is convinced of her innocence1 and they are wedded at once1 while the discovery of ,lisa's handkerchief in ,rodolfo's room pronounces her the faithless one4 ,such is the simple little pastoral story to which ,bellini has set some of his most beautiful melodies1 the most striking of which are the aria1 ,sovra il sen1 in the third scene of the first act1 where ,amina declares her happiness to ,teresa2 the beautiful aria for barytone in the sixth scene1 ,vi ravviso1 descriptive of ,rodolfo's delight in revisiting the scenes of his youth2 the playful duet between ,amina and ,elvino1 ,mai piu dubbi6 in which she rebukes him for his jealousy2 the humorous and very characteristic chorus of the villagers in the tenth scene1 ,osservate1 l'uscio e aperto1 as they tiptoe into ,rodolfo's apartment2 the duet1 ,o mio dolor1 in the next scene1 in which ,amina asserts her innocence2 the aria for tenor in the third scene of the second act1 ,tutto e sciolto1 in which ,elvino bemoans his sad lot2 and that joyous ecstatic outburst of birdlike melody1 ,ah6 non giunge1 which closes the opera4 ,in fact1 ,sonnambula is so replete with melodies of the purest and tenderest kind1 that it is difficult to specify particular ones4 ,it is exquisitely idyllic throughout1 and the music is as quiet1 peaceful1 simple1 and tender as the charming pastoral scenes it illustrates4 ,i ,,puritani4 ,i ,puritani di ,scozia1 an opera in two acts1 words by ,count ,pepoli1 was first produced at the ,theatre ,italien1 ,paris1 ,jan4 #be1 #ahce1 and in ,london in the following ,may1 under the title of ,i ,puritani ed i ,cavalieri4 ,the original cast was as follows3-- ,,elvira ,mme4 ,,grisi4 ,,arturo ,sig4 ,,rubini4 ,,ricardo ,sig4 ,,tamburini4 ,,giorgio ,sig4 ,,lablache4 ,this cast was one of unexampled strength1 and was long known in ,europe as the ,puritani quartet4 ,the story of the opera is laid in ,england1 during the war between ,charles ,,ii4 and his ,parliament1 and the first scene opens in ,plymouth1 then held by the parliamentary forces4 ,the fortress is commanded by ,lord ,walton1 whose daughter1 ,elvira1 is in love with ,lord ,arthur ,talbot1 a young cavalier in the ,king's service4 ,her hand had previously been promised to ,sir ,richard ,forth1 of the parliamentary army2 but to the great delight of the maiden1 ,sir ,george ,walton1 brother of the commander1 brings her the news that her father has relented1 and that ,arthur will be admitted into the fortress that the nuptials may be celebrated4 ,henrietta1 widow of ,charles ,i41 is at this time a prisoner in the fortress1 under sentence of death passed by ,parliament4 ,arthur discovers her situation1 and by concealing her in ,elvira's bridal veil seeks to effect her escape4 ,on their way out he encounters his rival2 but the latter1 discovering that the veiled lady is not ,elvira1 allows them to pass4 ,the escape is soon discovered1 and ,elvira1 thinking her lover has abandoned her1 loses her reason4 ,arthur is proscribed by the ,parliament and sentenced to death2 but ,sir ,richard1 moved by the appeals of ,sir ,george ,walton1 who hopes to restore his niece to reason1 promises to use his influence with ,parliament to save ,arthur's life should he be captured unarmed4 ,arthur meanwhile manages to have an interview with ,elvira2 and the latter1 though still suffering from her mental malady1 listens joyfully to his explanation of his sudden flight4 ,their interview is disturbed by a party of ,puritans who enter and arrest him4 ,he is condemned to die on the spot2 but before the sentence can be carried out1 a messenger appears with news of the king's defeat and the pardon of ,arthur4 ,the joyful tidings restore ,elvira to reason1 and the lovers are united4 ,the libretto of ,i ,puritani is one of the poorest ever furnished to ,bellini1 but the music is some of his best4 ,it is replete with melodies1 which are not only fascinating in their original setting1 but have long been favorites on the concert-stage4 ,the opera is usually performed in three acts1 but was written in two4 ,the prominent numbers of the first act are the pathetic cavatina for ,ricardo1 ,ah6 per sempre io ti perdei1 in which he mourns the loss of ,elvira2 a lovely romanza for tenor 7,a te o cara72 a brilliant polacca 7,son vergin vezzosa7 for ,elvira1 which is one of the delights of all artists2 and a concerted finale1 brimming over with melody and closing with the stirring anathema chorus1 ,non casa1 non spiaggia4 ,the first grand number in the second act is ,elvira's mad song1 ,qui la voce1 in which are brought out not only that rare gift for expressing pathos in melody for which ,bellini is so famous1 but the sweetest of themes and most graceful of embellishments4 ,the remaining numbers are ,elvira's appeal to her lover 7,vien1 diletto71 the magnificent duet for basses 7,suoni la tromba71 known as the ,liberty ,duet1 which in sonorousness1 majesty1 and dramatic intensity hardly has an equal in the whole range of ,italian opera2 a tender and plaintive romanza for tenor 7,a una fonte aflitto e solo72 a passionate duet for ,arthur and ,elvira 7,star teco ognor72 and an adagio1 sung by ,arthur in the finale 7,ella e tremante74 ,,bizet4 ,georges ,bizet was born at ,paris1 ,oct4 #be1 #ahch1 and in an artistic atmosphere1 as his father1 an excellent teacher1 was married to a sister of ,mme4 ,delsarte1 a talented pianist1 and his uncle1 a musician1 was the founder of the famous ,delsarte system4 ,he studied successively with ,marmontel and ,benoist1 and subsequently took lessons in composition from ,halevy1 whose daughter he afterwards married4 ,his first work was an operetta of not much consequence1 ,docteur ,miracle1 written in #aheg1 and in the same year he took the ,grand ,prix de ,rome4 ,on his return from ,italy he composed ,vasco de ,gama and ,les ,pecheurs de ,perles1 neither of which met with much success4 ,in #ahfg ,la ,jolie ,fille de ,perth appeared1 and in #ahgb1 ,djamileh4 ,during the intervals of these larger works he wrote the ,patrie overture and the interludes to ,l',arlesienne1 a very poetical score which ,theodore ,thomas introduced to this country1 and both works were received with enthusiasm4 ,at last he was to appreciate and enjoy a real dramatic success1 though it was his last work4 ,carmen appeared in #ahge1 and achieved a magnificent success at the ,opera ,comique4 ,it was brought out in ,march1 and in the following ,june he died of acute heart-disease4 ,he was a very promising composer1 and specially excelled in orchestration4 ,during his last few years he was a close student of ,wagner1 whose influence is apparent in this last work of his life4 ,,carmen4 ,carmen1 an opera in four acts1 words by ,meilhac and ,halevy1 adapted from ,prosper ,merimee's romance of ,carmen1 was first produced at the ,opera ,comique1 ,paris1 ,march #c1 #ahge1 with ,mme4 ,galli-,marie in the title-role and ,mlle4 ,chapuy as ,michaela4 ,the scene is laid in ,seville1 time #ahbj4 ,the first act opens in the public square1 filled with a troop of soldiers under command of ,don ,jose1 and loungers who are waiting the approach of the pretty girls who work in the cigar-factory near by1 and prettiest and most heartless of them all1 ,carmen4 ,before they appear1 ,michaela1 a village girl1 enters the square1 bearing a message to ,don ,jose from his mother1 but not finding him departs4 ,the cigar-girls at last pass by on their way to work1 and with them ,carmen1 who observes ,don ,jose sitting in an indifferent manner and throws him the rose she wears in her bosom4 ,as they disappear1 ,michaela returns and delivers her message4 ,the sight of the gentle girl and the thought of home dispel ,don ,jose's sudden passion for ,carmen4 ,he is about to throw away her rose1 when a sudden disturbance is heard in the factory4 ,it is found that ,carmen has quarrelled with one of the girls and wounded her4 ,she is arrested1 and to prevent further mischief her arms are pinioned4 ,she so bewitches the lieutenant1 however1 that he connives at her escape and succeeds in effecting it1 while she is led away to prison by the soldiers4 ,in the second act ,carmen has returned to her wandering gypsy life1 and we find her with her companions in the cabaret of ,lillas-,pastia1 singing and dancing4 ,among the new arrivals is ,escamillo1 the victorious bull-fighter of ,grenada1 with whom ,carmen is at once fascinated4 ,when the inn is closed1 ,escamillo and the soldiers depart1 but ,carmen waits with two of the gypsies1 who are smugglers1 for the arrival of ,don ,jose4 ,they persuade her to induce him to join their band1 and when the lieutenant1 wild with passion for her1 enters the apartment1 she prevails upon him to remain in spite of the trumpet-call which summons him to duty4 ,an officer appears and orders him out4 ,he refuses to go1 and when the officer attempts to use force ,carmen summons the gypsies4 ,he is soon overpowered1 and ,don ,jose escapes to the mountains4 ,the third act opens in the haunt of the smugglers1 a wild1 rocky1 cavernous place4 ,don ,jose and ,carmen1 who is growing very indifferent to him1 are there4 ,as the contrabandists finish their work and gradually leave the scene1 ,escamillo1 who has been following ,carmen1 appears4 ,his presence and his declarations as well arouse the jealousy of ,don ,jose4 ,they rush at each other for mortal combat1 but the smugglers separate them4 ,escamillo bides his time1 invites them to the approaching bullfight at ,seville1 and departs4 ,while ,don ,jose is upbraiding ,carmen1 the faithful ,michaela1 who has been guided to the spot1 begs him to accompany her1 as his mother is dying4 ,duty prevails1 and he follows her as ,escamillo's taunting song is heard dying away in the distance4 ,in the last act the drama hurries on to the tragic denouement4 ,it is a gala-day in ,seville1 for ,escamillo is to fight4 ,carmen is there in his company1 though her gypsy friends have warned her ,don ,jose is searching for her4 ,amid great pomp ,escamillo enters the arena1 and ,carmen is about to follow1 when ,don ,jose appears and stops her4 ,he appeals to her and tries to awaken the old love4 ,she will not listen1 and at last in a fit of wild rage hurls the ring he had given her at his feet4 ,the shouts of the people in the arena announce another victory for ,escamillo4 ,she cries out with joy4 ,don ,jose springs at her like a tiger1 and stabs her just as ,escamillo emerges from the contest4 ,carmen is the largest and best-considered of all ,bizet's works1 and one of the best in the modern ,french repertory4 ,the overture is short but very brilliant4 ,after some characteristic choruses by the street lads1 soldiers1 and cigar-girls1 ,carmen sings the ,havanaise 7,amor1 misterioso angelo71 a quaint song in waltz time1 the melody being that of an old ,spanish song by ,tradier1 called ,el ,aveglito4 ,a serious duet between ,michaela and ,don ,jose 7,mia madre io la rivedo7 follows1 which is very tender in its character4 ,the next striking number is the dance tempo1 ,presso il bastion de ,seviglia1 a seguidilla sung by ,carmen while bewitching ,don ,jose4 ,in the finale1 as she escapes1 the ,havanaise1 which is the ,carmen motive1 is heard again4 ,the second-act music is peculiarly ,spanish in color1 particularly that for the ballet4 ,the opening song of the gypsies in the cabaret1 to the accompaniment of the castanets 7,vezzi e anella scintillar71 is bewitching in its rhythm1 and is followed in the next scene by a stirring and very picturesque aria 7,toreador attento71 in which ,escamillo describes the bull-fight4 ,a beautifully written quintet 7,abbiamo in vista71 and a strongly dramatic duet1 beginning with another fascinating dance tempo 7,voglio danzar pel tuo piacer71 and including a beautiful pathetic melody for ,don ,jose 7,il fior che avevi71 closes the music of the act4 ,the third act contains two very striking numbers1 the terzetto of the card-players in the smugglers' haunt 7,mischiam6 alziam671 and ,michaela's aria 7,io dico no1 non son paurosa71 the most effective and beautiful number in the whole work1 and the one which shows most clearly the effect of ,wagner's influence upon the composer4 ,in the finale of the act the ,toreador's song is again heard as he disappears in the distance after the quarrel with ,don ,jose4 ,the last act is a hurly-burly of the bull-fight1 the ,toreador's taking march1 the stormy duet between ,don ,jose and ,carmen1 and the tragic denouement in which the ,carmen motive is repeated4 ,the color of the whole work is ,spanish1 and the dance tempo is freely used and beautifully worked up with ,bizet's ingenious and scholarly instrumentation4 ,except in the third act1 however1 the vocal parts are inferior to the orchestral treatment4 ,,boieldieu4 ,francois ,adrien ,boieldieu was born ,dec4 #af1 #agge1 at ,rouen1 ,france4 ,little is known of his earlier life1 except that he studied for a time with ,broche1 the cathedral organist4 ,his first opera1 ,la ,fille ,coupable1 appeared in #agic1 and was performed at ,rouen with some success4 ,in #agie a second opera1 ,rosalie et ,myrza1 was performed in the same city2 after which he went to ,paris1 where he became acquainted with many prominent musicians1 among them ,cherubini4 ,his first ,paris opera was the ,famille ,suisse 7#agig71 which had a successful run4 ,several other operas followed1 besides some excellent pieces of chamber music which secured him the professorship of the piano in the ,conservatory4 ,he also took lessons at this time of ,cherubini in counterpoint1 and in #ahjc brought out a very successful work1 ,ma ,tante ,aurore4 ,we next hear of him in ,st4 ,petersburg1 as conductor of the ,imperial ,opera1 where he composed many operas and vaudevilles4 ,he spent eight years in ,russia1 returning to ,paris in #ahaa4 ,the next year one of his best operas1 ,jean de ,paris1 was produced with extraordinary success4 ,though he subsequently wrote many operas1 fourteen years elapsed before his next great work1 ,la ,dame ,blanche1 appeared4 ,its success was unprecedented4 ,all ,europe was delighted with it1 and it is as fresh to-day as when it was first produced4 ,the remainder of ,boieldieu's life was sad1 owing to operatic failures1 pecuniary troubles1 and declining health4 ,he died at ,jarcy1 near ,paris1 ,oct4 #h1 #ahcd4 ,,la ,,dame ,,blance4 ,la ,dame ,blanche1 opera comique in three acts1 words by ,scribe1 adapted from ,walter ,scott's novels1 ,the ,monastery and ,guy ,mannering1 was first produced at the ,opera ,comique1 ,dec4 #aj1 #ahbe1 and was first performed in ,english under the title of ,the ,white ,maid1 at ,covent ,garden1 ,london1 ,jan4 #b1 #ahbg4 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,scotland4 ,the ,laird of ,avenel1 a zealous partisan of the ,stuarts1 was proscribed after the battle of ,culloden1 and upon the eve of going into exile intrusts ,gaveston1 his steward1 with the care of the castle1 and of a considerable treasure which is concealed in a statue called the ,white ,lady4 ,the traditions affirmed that this lady was the protectress of the ,avenels4 ,all the clan were believers in the story1 and the villagers declared they had often seen her in the neighborhood4 ,gaveston1 however1 does not share their superstition nor believe in the legend1 and some time after the departure of the ,laird he announces the sale of the castle1 hoping to obtain it at a low rate because the villagers will not dare to bid for it through fear of the ,white ,lady4 ,the steward is led to do this because he has heard the ,laird is dead1 and knows there is no heir to the property4 ,anna1 an orphan girl1 who had been befriended by the ,laird1 determines to frustrate ,gaveston's designs1 and appears in the village disguised as the ,white ,lady4 ,she also writes to ,dickson1 a farmer1 who is indebted to her1 to meet her at midnight in the castle of ,avenel4 ,he is too superstitious to go1 and ,george ,brown1 a young lieutenant who is sharing his hospitality1 volunteers in his stead4 ,he encounters the ,white ,lady1 and learns from her he will shortly meet a young lady who has saved his life by her careful nursing after a battle1--,anna meanwhile recognizing ,george as the person she had saved4 ,when the day of sale comes1 ,dickson is empowered by the farmers to purchase the castle1 so that it may not fall into ,gaveston's hands4 ,george and ,anna are there2 and the former1 though he has not a shilling1 buys it under instructions from ,anna4 ,when the time comes for payment1 ,anna produces the treasure which had been concealed in the statue1 and1 still in the disguise of the ,white ,lady1 discovers to him the secret of his birth during the exile of his parents4 ,gaveston approaches the spectre and tears off her veil1 revealing ,anna1 his ward4 ,moved by the zeal and fidelity of his father's protegee1 ,george offers her his hand1 which1 after some maidenly scruples1 she accepts4 ,the opera is full of beautiful songs1 many of them ,scotch in character4 ,in the first act the opening song of ,george 7,ah1 what ,pleasure a ,soldier to be67 is very poetical in its sentiment4 ,it also contains the characteristic ballad of the ,white ,lady1 with choral responses 7,where yon ,trees your ,eye discovers71 and an exquisitely graceful trio in the finale 7,heavens6 what do ,i hear874 ,the second act opens with a very plaintive romanza 7,poor ,margaret1 spin away671 sung by ,margaret1 ,anna's old nurse1 at her spinning-wheel1 as she thinks of the absent ,laird1 followed in the fifth scene by a beautiful cavatina for tenor 7,come1 ,o ,gentle ,lady74 ,in the seventh scene is a charming duet 7,from these ,halls71 and the act closes with an ensemble for seven voices and chorus1 which has hardly been excelled in ingenuity of treatment4 ,the third act opens with a charmingly sentimental aria for ,anna 7,with what delight ,i behold71 followed in the third scene by a stirring chorus of mountaineers1 leading up to the lay ever sung by the ,clan of ,avenel1--the familiar old ballad1 ,robin ,adair1 which loses a little of its local color under ,french treatment1 but gains an added grace4 ,it is stated on good authority that two of ,boieldieu's pupils1 ,adolph ,adam and ,labarre1 assisted him in the work1 and that the lovely overture was written in one evening1--,boieldieu taking the andante and the two others the remaining movements4 ,though a little old-fashioned in some of its phrasing1 the opera still retains its freshness and beautiful sentiment4 ,its popularity is best evinced by the fact that up to ,june1 #ahge1 it had been given #acdj times at the theatre where it was first produced4 ,,boito4 ,arrigo ,boito was born in #ahdj1 and received his musical education in the ,conservatory at ,milan1 where he studied for nine years4 ,in #ahff he became a musical critic for several ,italian papers1 and about the same time wrote several poems of more than ordinary merit4 ,both in literature and music his taste was diversified2 and he combined the two talents in a remarkable degree in his opera of ,mephistopheles1 the only work by which he is known to the musical world at large4 ,he studied ,goethe profoundly2 and the notes which he has appended to the score show a most intimate knowledge of the ,faust legend4 ,his text is in one sense polyglot1 as he has made use of portions of ,marlowe's ,doctor ,faustus1 as well as excerpts from ,blaze de ,bury1 ,lenau1 ,widmann1 and others who have treated the legend4 ,he studied ,wagner's music also very closely1 and to such purpose that after the first performance of this opera at ,la ,scala1 in #ahfh1 the critics called him the ,italian ,wagner1 and1 in common with the public1 condemned both him and his work4 ,after ,wagner's ,lohengrin had been produced in ,italy and met with success1 ,boito saw his opportunity to once more bring out his work4 ,it was performed at ,bologna in #ahge1 and met with an enthusiastic success4 ,its introduction to this country is largely due to ,mme4 ,christine ,nilsson1 though ,mme4 ,marie ,roze was the first artist to appear in it here4 ,,mephistopheles4 ,mephistopheles1 grand opera in a prologue1 four acts1 and epilogue1 words by the composer1 was first performed at ,la ,scala1 ,milan1 in #ahfh4 ,the ,prologue in the ,heavens contains five numbers1 a prelude1 and chorus of the mystic choir2 instrumental scherzo1 preluding the appearance of ,mephistopheles2 dramatic interlude1 in which he engages to entrap ,faust2 a vocal scherzo by the chorus of cherubim2 and the ,final ,psalmody by the penitents on earth and chorus of spirits4 ,the prologue corresponds to ,goethe's prologue in the heavens1 the heavenly choirs being heard in the background of clouds1 accompanied by weird trumpet-peals and flourishes in the orchestra1 and closes with a finale of magnificent power4 ,the first act opens in the city of ,frankfort1 amid the noise of the crowd and the clanging of holiday bells4 ,groups of students1 burghers1 huntsmen1 and peasants sing snatches of chorus4 ,a cavalcade escorting the ,elector passes4 ,faust and ,wagner enter1 and retire as the peasants begin to sing and dance a merry waltz rhythm 7,juhe6 ,juhe674 ,as it dies away they reappear1 ,faust being continually followed by a gray friar1--,mephistopheles in disguise1--whose identity is disclosed by a motive from the prologue4 ,faust shudders at his presence1 but ,wagner laughs away his fears1 and the scene then suddenly changes to ,faust's laboratory1 whither he has been followed by the gray friar1 who conceals himself in an alcove4 ,faust sings a beautiful aria 7,dai campi1 dai prati71 and then1 placing the ,bible on a lectern1 begins to read4 ,the sight of the book brings ,mephistopheles out with a shriek2 and1 questioned by ,faust1 he reveals his true self in a massive and sonorous aria 7,son lo spirito74 ,he throws off his disguise1 and appears in the garb of a knight1 offering to serve ,faust on earth if he will serve the powers of darkness in hell4 ,the compact is made1 as in the first act of ,gounod's ,faust2 and the curtain falls as ,faust is about to be whisked away in ,mephistopheles's cloak4 ,the second act opens in the garden1 with ,faust 7under the name of ,henry71 ,marguerite1 ,mephistopheles1 and ,martha1 ,marguerite's mother1 strolling in couples4 ,the music1 which is of a very sensuous character1 is descriptive of the love-making between ,faust and ,marguerite1 and the sarcastic passion of ,mephistopheles for ,martha4 ,it is mostly in duet form1 and closes with a quartet allegretto 7,addio1 fuggo71 which is very characteristic4 ,the scene then suddenly changes to the celebration of the ,witches' ,sabbath on the summits of the ,brocken1 where1 amid wild witch choruses1 mighty dissonances1 and weird incantation music1 ,faust is shown a vision of the sorrow of ,marguerite4 ,it would be impossible to select special numbers from this closely interwoven music1 excepting perhaps the song 7,ecco il mondo7 which ,mephistopheles sings when the witches1 after their incantation1 present him with a globe of glass which he likens to the earth4 ,the third act opens in a prison1 where ,marguerite is awaiting the penalty for murdering her babe4 ,the action is very similar to that of the last act of ,gounod's ,faust4 ,her opening aria 7,l' altra notte a fondo al maro7 is full of sad longings for the child and insane moanings for mercy4 ,faust appeals to her to fly with him1 and they join in a duet of extraordinary sensuous beauty blended with pathos 7lontano1 lontano74 ,mephistopheles urges ,faust away as the day dawns1 and pronounces her doom as she falls and dies1 while the angelic chorus resounding in the orchestra announces her salvation4 ,in the fourth act a most abrupt change is made1 both in a dramatic and musical sense4 ,the scene changes to the ,night of the ,classical ,sabbath on the banks of the ,peneus1 amid temples1 statues1 flowers1 and all the loveliness of nature in ,greece4 ,the music also changes into the pure1 sensuous ,italian style4 ,faust1 still with ,mephistopheles1 pays court to ,helen of ,troy1 who is accompanied by ,pantalis4 ,the opening duet for the latter 7,la luna immobile7 is one of exceeding grace and loveliness1 and will always be the most popular number in the work4 ,with the exception of a powerfully dramatic scena1 in which ,helen describes the horrors of the destruction of ,troy1 the music is devoted to the love-making between ,helen and ,faust1 and bears no relation in form to the rest of the music of the work1 being essentially ,italian in its smooth1 flowing1 melodious character4 ,at the close of the classical ,sabbath another abrupt change is made1 to the death-scene of ,faust1 contained in an epilogue4 ,it opens in his laboratory1 where he is reflecting upon the events of his unsatisfactory life1 and contemplating a happier existence in heaven4 ,mephistopheles is still by his side as the tempter1 offers him his cloak1 and urges him to fly again4 ,the heavenly trumpets which rang through the prologue are again heard1 and the celestial choirs are singing4 ,enraged1 ,mephistopheles summons the sirens1 who lure ,faust with all their charms4 ,faust seizes the ,sacred ,volume1 and declares that he relies upon its word for salvation4 ,he prays for help against the demon4 ,his prayer is answered2 and as he dies a shower of roses falls upon his body4 ,the tempter disappears1 and the finale of the prologue1 repeated1 announces ,faust has died in salvation4 ,the opera as a whole is episodical in its dramatic construction1 and the music is a mixture of two styles1--the ,wagnerian and the conventional ,italian2 but its orchestration is very bold and independent in character1 and the voice-parts are very striking in their adaptation to the dramatic requirements4 ,,delibes4 ,leo ,delibes1 the ,french composer1 was born at ,st4 ,germain du ,val in #ahcf1 and was graduated at the ,paris ,conservatory1 where he reached high distinction4 ,his first work1 written in #ahee1 was an operetta entitled ,deux ,sous de ,carbon2 but he did not make his mark until his ,maitre ,griffard was produced at the ,theatre ,lyrique in #aheg4 ,in #ahfe he was appointed ,chorus-master at the ,opera1 and there his real career began4 ,his first great triumph was in ballet-music1 which has ever since been his specialty4 ,his first ballet1 ,la ,source1 was produced at the ,opera1 ,nov4 #ab1 #ahfe1 and delighted all ,paris4 ,it was followed by a divertisement for the revival of ,adam's ,corsaire 7#ahfg71 the ballet ,coppelia 7#ahgj71 a three-act opera ,le ,roi l'a dit 7#ahgc71 and the exquisite ballet in three acts and five tableaux1 ,sylvia 7#ahgf71 with which ,theodore ,thomas has made ,american audiences familiar4 ,his opera ,lakme was written in #ahgi4 ,,lakme4 ,the romantic opera1 ,lakme1 written in #ahgi1 was first performed in this country by the ,american ,opera ,company in #ahhf1 ,mme4 ,l',allemand taking the title-role4 ,the principal characters are ,lakme1 daughter of ,nilakantha1 an ,indian priest1 ,gerald and ,frederick1 officers of the ,british ,army1 ,ellen and ,rose1 daughters of the ,viceroy1 and ,mrs4 ,benson1 governess4 ,the scene is laid in ,india4 ,nilakantha cherishes a fond hatred of all foreigners4 ,the two ,english officers1 ,gerald and ,frederick1 accompanied by a bevy of ladies1 intrude upon his sacred grounds4 ,they stroll about and gradually retire1 but ,gerald remains to sketch some jewels1 which ,lakme has left upon a shrine while she goes flower-gathering with her slave ,mallika1 evidently also to await developments when she returns4 ,lakme soon comes sailing in on her boat1 and there is a desperate case of love at first sight4 ,their demonstrations of affection are soon interrupted by the appearance of the priest1 whose anger ,gerald escapes by fleeing1 under cover of a convenient thunder-storm4 ,in the next act ,lakme and her father appear in the public market-place1 disguised as penitents4 ,he compels his daughter to sing1 hoping that her face and voice will induce her lover to disclose himself4 ,the ruse proves successful4 ,nilakantha waits his opportunity1 and stealing upon his enemy stabs him in the back and makes good his escape4 ,in the third act we find ,gerald in a delightful jungle1 where ,lakme has in some manner managed to conceal him1 and where she is carefully nursing him with the hope of permanently retaining his love4 ,she saves his life2 but just at this juncture1 and while she is absent to obtain a draught of the water which1 according to the ,indian legend1 will make earthly love eternal1 ,gerald hears the music of his regiment1 and ,frederick appears and urges him back to duty4 ,his allegiance to his queen1 and possibly the remembrance of his engagement to a young ,english girl1 prove stronger than his love for ,lakme4 ,the latter returns1 discovers his faithlessness1 gathers some poisonous flowers1 whose juices she drinks1 and dies in ,gerald's arms just as the furious father appears4 ,as one victim is sufficient to appease the anger of ,nilakantha's gods1 ,gerald is allowed to go unharmed4 ,the first act opens with a chorus of ,hindoos1 oriental in its character1 followed by a duet between ,lakme and her father2 the scene closing with a sacred chant4 ,the ,hindoos gone1 there is a charming oriental duet 7',neath yon ,dome where ,jasmines with the ,roses are blooming7 between ,lakme and her slave1 which is one of the gems of the opera4 ,the ,english then appear and have a long1 talky scene1 relieved by a pretty song for ,frederick 7,i would not give a ,judgment so absurd71 and another for ,gerald 7,cheating ,fancy coming to mislead me74 ,as ,lakme enters1 ,gerald conceals himself4 ,she lays her flowers at the base of the shrine and sings a restless love-song 7,why love ,i thus to stray874 ,gerald discovers himself1 and after a colloquy sings his ardent love-song 7,the ,god of ,truth so glowing71 and the act closes with ,nilakantha's threats4 ,the second act opens in the market square1 lively with the choruses of ,hindoos1 ,chinamen1 fruit-venders1 and sailors1 and later on with the adventures of the ,english party in the crowd4 ,nilakantha appears and addresses his daughter in a very pathetic aria 7,lakme1 thy soft ,looks are over-clouded74 ,soon follows ,lakme's bell-song 7,where strays the ,hindoo ,maiden871 a brilliant and highly embellished aria with tinkling accompaniment1 which will always be a favorite4 ,the recognition follows2 and the remaining numbers of importance are an impassioned song by ,gerald 7,ah6 then 't is slumbering ,love71 with a mysterious response by ,lakme 7,in the ,forest near at ,hand74 ,a ballet1 followed by the stabbing of ,gerald1 closes the act4 ,in the third act the action hastens to the tragic denouement4 ,it opens with a beautiful crooning song by ,lakme 7',neath the ,dome of ,moon and ,star7 as she watches her sleeping lover4 ,the remaining numbers of interest are ,gerald's song 7,tho' speechless ,i1 my ,heart remembers71 followed by a pretty three-part chorus in the distance and ,lakme's dying measures1 ,to me the fairest ,dream thou 'st given1 and ,farewell1 the ,dream is over4 ,though the opera is monotonous from sameness of color and lack of dramatic interest1 there are many numbers which leave a charming impression by their grace1 refinement1 and genuine poetical effect4 ,,donizetti4 ,gaetano ,donizetti was born at ,bergamo1 ,italy1 ,sept4 #be1 #agih4 ,he studied music both at ,bologna and ,naples1 and then entered the army rather than subject himself to the caprice of his father1 who was determined that he should devote himself to church music4 ,while his regiment was at ,naples he wrote his first opera1 ,enrico di ,borgogna 7#ahah71 which was soon followed by a second1 ,il ,falegname de ,livonia4 ,the success of the latter was so great that it not only freed him from military service but gained him the honor of being crowned4 ,the first opera which spread his reputation through ,europe was ,anna ,bolena1 produced at ,milan in #ahcj1 and written for ,pasta and ,rubini4 ,two years afterwards1 ,l' ,elisir d' ,amore appeared1 which he is said to have written in fifteen days4 ,he wrote with great facility4 ,il ,furioso1 ,parisina1 ,torquato ,tasso1 ,lucrezia ,borgia1 and ,gemma di ,vergi rapidly followed one another4 ,in #ahce he brought out ,marino ,faliero1 but its success was small4 ,ample compensation was made1 however1 when in the same year ,lucia appeared and was received with acclamations of delight4 ,he was invited to ,paris as the successor of ,rossini1 and wrote his ,marino ,faliero for the ,theatre des ,italiens4 ,in #ahdj he revisited ,paris and produced ,il ,poliuto1 ,la ,fille du ,regiment1 and ,la ,favorita4 ,leaving ,paris he visited ,rome1 ,milan1 and ,vienna1 bringing out ,linda di ,chamouni in the latter city4 ,returning to ,paris again1 he produced ,don ,pasquale at the ,theatre des ,italiens and ,don ,sebastien at the ,academie1 the latter proving a failure4 ,his last opera1 ,catarina ,comaro1 was brought out at ,naples in #ahdd4 ,this work also was a failure4 ,it was evident that his capacity for work was over4 ,he grew sad and melancholy1 and during the last three years of his life was attacked by fits of abstraction which gradually intensified and ended in insanity and physical paralysis4 ,he died at ,bergamo1 ,april #h1 #ahdh4 ,,the ,,daughter ,,of ,,the ,,regiment4 ,the ,daughter of the ,regiment 7,la ,fille du ,regiment7 opera comique in two acts1 words by ,bayard and ,st4 ,georges1 was first produced at the ,opera ,comique1 ,paris1 ,feb4 #aa1 #ahdj1 with ,mme4 ,anna ,thillon in the role of ,marie4 ,its first performance in ,english was at the ,surrey ,theatre1 ,london1 ,dec4 #ba1 #ahdg1 under the title of ,the ,daughter of the ,regiment1 in which form it is best known in this country4 ,in #ahdg it was performed as an ,italian opera in ,london1 with added recitatives1 and with ,jenny ,lind in the leading part4 ,the music of the opera is light and sparkling1 the principal interest centring in the charming nature of the story and its humorous situations1 which afford capital opportunities for comedy acting4 ,the scene is laid in the ,tyrol during its occupation by the ,french4 ,marie1 the heroine1 and the vivandiere of the ,twenty-first regiment of ,napoleon's army1 was adopted as the ,daughter of the ,regiment1 because she was found on the field1 after a battle1 by ,sergeant ,sulpice4 ,on her person was affixed a letter written by her father to the ,marchioness of ,berkenfeld1 which has been carefully preserved by the ,sergeant4 ,at the beginning of the opera the little waif has grown into a sprightly young woman1 full of mischief and spirit1 as is shown by her opening song 7,the ,camp was my ,birthplace71 in which she tells the story of her life1 and by the duet with ,sulpice1 known the world over as ,the ,rataplan1 which is of a very animated1 stirring1 and martial character1 to the accompaniment of rattling drums and sonorous brasses4 ,she is the special admiration of ,tony1 a ,tyrolean peasant1 who has saved her from falling over a precipice4 ,the soldiers of the regiment are profuse in their gratitude to her deliverer1 and celebrate her rescue with ample potations1 during which ,marie sings the ,song of the ,regiment 7,all ,men confess it74 ,poor ,tony1 however1 who was found strolling in the camp1 is placed under arrest as a spy1 though he succeeds in obtaining an interview with ,marie and declares his love for her4 ,the declaration is followed by a charming duet 7,no longer can ,i doubt it74 ,tony manages to clear up his record1 and the soldiers decide that he may have ,marie's hand if he will consent to join them4 ,he blithely accepts the condition and dons the ,french cockade4 ,everything seems auspicious1 when suddenly the ,marchioness of ,berkenfeld appears and dashes ,tony's hopes to the ground4 ,the ,sergeant1 as in honor bound1 delivers the letter he has been preserving4 ,after reading it she claims ,marie as her niece1 and demands that the regiment shall give up its daughter1 while ,tony is incontinently dismissed as an unsuitable person to be connected in any capacity with her noble family4 ,marie sings a touching adieu to her comrades 7,farewell1 a long ,farewell71 and the act closes with smothered imprecations on the ,marchioness by the soldiers1 and protestations of undying love by ,tony4 ,the second act opens in the castle of ,berkenfeld1 where ,marie is duly installed1 though she does not take very kindly to her change of surroundings4 ,the old ,sergeant is with her4 ,grand company is expected1 and the ,marchioness desires ,marie to rehearse a romance 7,the ,light of ,early ,days was breaking71 which she is to sing to them4 ,before she finishes it she and the ,sergeant break out into the rollicking ,rataplan and go through with the military evolutions1 to the horror of the ,marchioness4 ,while regret for the absent ,tony keeps her in a sad mood1 she is suddenly cheered up by the sound of drums and fifes1 announcing the approach of soldiers4 ,they are the gallant ,twenty-first1 with ,tony1 now a colonel1 at their head4 ,he applies once more for ,marie's hand4 ,the soldiers also put in a spirited choral appeal 7,we have come1 our ,child to free74 ,the ,marchioness again refuses4 ,tony proposes an elopement1 to which ,marie1 in resentment at her aunt's cruelty1 consents4 ,to thwart their plans1 the ,marchioness reveals to ,marie that early in life she had been secretly married to an officer of lower family position than her own1 and that this officer was ,marie's father4 ,unable to dispute the wishes of her mother1 she renounces ,tony in an agony of grief4 ,at last ,marie's sorrow arouses old associations in the mind of the ,marchioness1 and she consents to the union of ,tony and ,marie4 ,while the music of the opera is light1 it is none the less very attractive1 and the work is nearly always popular when performed by good artists1 owing to the comedy strength of the three leading parts1 ,marie1 ,tony1 and the ,sergeant4 ,the role of the heroine1 small as it is1 has always been a favorite one with such great artists as ,jenny ,lind1 ,patti1 ,sontag1 and ,albani1 while in this country ,miss ,kellogg and ,mrs4 ,richings-,bernard made great successes in the part4 ,the latter singer1 indeed1 and her father1 whose personation of the ,sergeant was very remarkable1 were among the first to perform the work in the ,united ,states4 ,,la ,,favorita4 ,la ,favorita1 an opera in four acts1 words by ,royer and ,waetz1 the subject taken from the ,french drama1 ,le ,comte de ,commingues1 was first produced at the ,academie1 ,paris1 ,dec4 #b1 #ahdj1 with ,mme4 ,stolz as ,leonora1 ,duprez as ,fernando1 and ,baroelhst as ,balthasar4 ,its success in ,england1 where it was first produced ,feb4 #af1 #ahdg1 was made by ,grisi and ,mario4 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,spain1 and the first act opens in the convent of ,st4 ,james1 of ,compostella1 where the young novice1 ,fernando1 is about to take monastic vows4 ,before the rites take place he is seized with a sudden passion for ,leonora1 a beautiful maiden who has been worshipping in the cloisters4 ,he confesses his love to ,balthasar1 the superior1 who orders him to leave the convent and go out into the world4 ,leonora1 meanwhile1 is beloved by ,alphonso1 king of ,castile1 who has provided her a secret retreat on the island of ,st4 ,leon4 ,though threatened by the pontiff with excommunication1 he has resolved to repudiate his queen1 in order that he may carry out his intention of marrying the beautiful ,leonora4 ,to her asylum a bevy of maidens conducts ,fernando4 ,he declares his passion for her and finds it reciprocated4 ,he urges her to fly with him1 but she declares it impossible1 and giving him a commission in the army signed by the ,king1 urges him to go to the wars and win honors for her sake4 ,in the second act ,balthasar1 in the name of the pontiff1 visits their retreat and pronounces the papal anathema upon the guilty pair4 ,the same curse is threatened to all the attendants unless ,leonora is driven from the ,king1 and the act closes with their vengeful menaces4 ,in the third act ,fernando returns victorious from the war with the ,moors4 ,already beginning to fear the result of the papal malediction1 and having learned of ,leonora's passion for the victor1 ,alphonso heaps rewards upon him1 even to the extent of giving him ,leonora's hand4 ,fernando1 who is ignorant of her past relations to the ,king1 eagerly accepts the proffer2 but ,leonora1 in despair1 sends her attendant1 ,inez1 to inform him of the real nature of the situation and implore his forgiveness4 ,the ,king intercepts her1 and the marriage takes place at once1 ,fernando not discovering ,leonora's shame until it is revealed by the courtiers1 who avoid him4 ,he flies from the world to the convent once more for shelter and consolation1 followed by ,leonora1 who dies in his arms after she has obtained forgiveness4 ,the music of the work is very dramatic in its character1 some of the finales being the strongest ,donizetti has written4 ,in the first act there is a beautifully melodious aria 7,una ,vergine71 in which ,fernando describes to ,balthasar the vision of ,leonora which had appeared to him at his orisons1 and a very tender duet 7,deh1 vanne6 deh1 parti7 between ,fernando and ,leonora1 in which they sorrowfully part from each other4 ,in the second act the ,king has a very passionate aria1 where he curses his courtiers for leaguing against him at ,rome1 followed by a very dramatic duet with ,leonora 7,ah6 l'alto ardor74 ,the third act contains the beautiful aria1 ,o mio ,fernando6 which is a favorite with all contraltos4 ,it is remarkable for its warmth and richness1 as well as its dramatic spirit1 and the act closes with a concerted finale of splendid power1 in which ,fernando breaks his sword1 and once more ,balthasar anathematizes the ,king4 ,the fourth act is the most beautiful of all in its music and the most powerful in dramatic effect4 ,the chorus of monks in the first scene 7,scaviam l'asilo7 is remarkable for its religious character and solemnity4 ,in the third scene occurs one of the tenderest and loveliest romanzas ever written 7,spirto gentil71 which ,donizetti transferred to this work from his opera1 ,le ,duc d',albe1 which had not been performed1 and the libretto of which was originally written by ,scribe for ,rossini4 ,the closing duet between ,fernando and ,leonora is full of pathos and beauty1 and forms a fitting close to an act which1 in one sense at least1 is an inspiration1 as the whole act was composed in four hours1--a proof of the marvellous ease and facility with which ,donizetti wrote4 ,,don ,,pasquale4 ,don ,pasquale1 an opera buffa in three acts1 was first produced at the ,theatre des ,italiens in ,paris1 ,jan4 #d1 #ahdc1 with the following extraordinary cast3 ,,norina ,mme4 ,,grisi4 ,,ernesto ,sig4 ,,mario4 ,,dr4 ,,malatesta ,sig4 ,,tamburini4 ,,don ,,pasquale ,sig4 ,,lablache4 ,the scene of this brilliant and gay little opera is laid in ,rome4 ,don ,pasquale is in a rage with ,ernesto1 his nephew1 because he will not marry to suit him4 ,dr4 ,malatesta1 his friend and physician1 who is also very much attached to the nephew1 contrives a plot in the latter's interest4 ,he visits the ,don1 and urges him to marry a lady1 pretending that she is his sister1 though in reality she is ,norina1 with whom ,ernesto is in love4 ,he then calls upon ,norina1 and lets her into the secret of the plot1 and instructs her how to play her part4 ,she is to consent to the marriage contract1 and then so harass the ,don that he will not only be glad to get rid of her1 but will give his consent to her marriage with ,ernesto4 ,the second act opens in ,don ,pasquale's house1 where ,ernesto is bewailing his fate4 ,the ,don enters1 magnificently dressed1 and ready for the marriage4 ,norina appears with ,malatesta1 and feigns reluctance to enter into the contract2 but when the notary arrives she consents to sign4 ,no sooner1 however1 has she signed it than she drops her assumed modesty4 ,ernesto1 who is present1 is bewildered at the condition of affairs1 but is kept quiet by a sign from the ,doctor4 ,norina refuses all the ,don's amatory demonstrations1 and declares ,ernesto shall be her escort4 ,she summons the servants1 and lays out a scheme of housekeeping so extravagant that the ,don is enraged1 and declares he will not pay the bills4 ,she insists he shall1 for she is now master of the house4 ,in the third act we find ,norina entertaining milliners and modistes4 ,don ,pasquale enters1 and learning that she is going to the theatre forbids it1 which leads to a quarrel1 during which ,norina boxes his ears4 ,as she leaves the room she drops a letter1 the reading of which adds the pangs of jealousy to his other troubles4 ,the ,doctor at this juncture happens in and condoles with him4 ,the ,don insists that ,norina shall quit his house at once4 ,in the next scene he taxes her with having a lover concealed in the house1 and orders her to leave4 ,the ,doctor counsels him to let his nephew marry ,norina2 and in the course of explanations the ,don discovers that the ,doctor's sister and ,norina are one and the same person1 and that the marriage was a sham4 ,he is only too glad of an escape to quarrel with the ,doctor for his plot1 and the young couple are speedily united1 and have the old man's blessing4 ,the charm of the opera lies in its comic situations1 and the gay1 bright music with which they are illustrated4 ,it is replete with humor and spirit1 and flows along in such a bright stream that it is almost impossible to cull out special numbers1 though it contains two duets and a quartet which are of more than ordinary beauty1 and the exquisite serenade in the last act1 ,com'e gentil1 which has been heard on almost every concert-stage of the world1 and still holds its place in universal popular esteem4 ,for brilliant gayety it stands in the front rank of all comic operas1 though ,donizetti was but three weeks in writing it4 ,it is said that when it was in rehearsal its fate was uncertain4 ,the orchestra and singers received it very coldly2 but when the rehearsal was over1 ,donizetti merely shrugged his shoulders and remarked to his friend1 ,m4 ,dormoy1 the publisher3 ,let them alone2 they know nothing about it4 ,i know what is the matter with ',don ,pasquale4' ,come with me4 ,they went to the composer's house4 ,rummaging among a pile of manuscripts1 ,donizetti pulled out a song4 ,this is what ',don ,pasquale' wants1 he said4 ,take it to ,mario and tell him to learn it at once4 ,mario obeyed1 and when the opera was performed sang it to the accompaniment of a tambourine1 which ,lablache played behind the scenes4 ,the opera was a success at once1 and no song has ever been more popular4 ,in strange contrast with the gay humor of ,don ,pasquale1 it may be stated that in the same year ,donizetti wrote the mournful ,don ,sebastian1 which has been described as a funeral in five acts4 ,crowest1 in his ,anecdotes1 declares that the serenade is suggestive of ,highland music1 and that many of his other operas are ,scottish in color4 ,he accounts for this upon the theory that the composer was of ,scotch descent1 his grandfather having been a native of ,perthshire1 by the name of ,izett1 and that his father1 who married an ,italian lady1 was ,donald ,izett4 ,the change from ,donald ,izett to ,donizetti was an easy one4 ,the story1 however1 is of doubtful authenticity4 ,,lucia ,,di ,,lammermoor4 ,lucia di ,lammermoor1 an opera in three acts1 words by ,cammarano1 was first produced at ,naples in #ahce1 with ,mme4 ,persiani and ,sig4 ,duprez1 for whom the work was written1 in the principal roles of ,lucia and ,edgardo4 ,its first presentation at ,paris was ,aug4 #aj1 #ahci2 in ,london1 ,april #e1 #ahch2 and in ,english1 at the ,princess ,theatre1 ,london1 ,jan4 #ai1 #ahdc4 ,the subject of the opera is taken from ,sir ,walter ,scott's novel1 ,the ,bride of ,lammermoor1 and the scene is laid in ,scotland1 time1 about #affi4 ,sir ,henry ,ashton1 of ,lammermoor1 brother of ,lucy1 the heroine1 has arranged a marriage between her and ,lord ,arthur ,bucklaw1 in order to recover the fortune which he has dissipated1 and to save himself from political peril he has incurred by his participation in movements against the reigning dynasty4 ,sir ,edgar ,ravenswood1 with whom he is at enmity1 is deeply attached to ,lucy1 who reciprocates his love1 and on the eve of his departure on an embassy to ,france pledges herself to him4 ,during his absence ,edgar's letters are intercepted by her brother1 who hints to her of his infidelity1 and finally shows her a forged paper which she accepts as the proof that he is untrue4 ,overcome with grief at her lover's supposed unfaithfulness1 and yielding to the pressure of her brother's necessities1 she at last consents to her union with ,lord ,arthur4 ,the marriage contract is signed with great ceremony1 and just as she has placed her name to the fatal paper1 ,edgar suddenly appears4 ,learning from ,lucy what she has done1 he tramples the contract under foot1 hurls an imprecation upon the house of ,lammermoor1 and bursts out of the room in a terrible rage4 ,sir ,henry follows him1 and a fierce quarrel ensues1 which ends in a challenge4 ,meanwhile1 at night1 after the newly wedded couple have retired1 a noise is heard in their apartment4 ,the attendants rush in and find ,lord ,arthur dying from wounds inflicted by ,lucy1 whose grief has made her insane4 ,when she returns to reason1 the thought of what she has done and the horror of her situation overcome her1 and shortly death puts an end to her wretchedness4 ,ignorant of her fate1 ,edgar goes to the churchyard of ,ravenswood1 which has been selected as the rendezvous for the duel with ,sir ,henry4 ,while impatiently waiting his appearance1 the bell of the castle tolls1 and some of the attendants accosting him bring the news of her death4 ,the despairing lover kills himself among the graves of his ancestors1 and the sombre story ends4 ,the popular verdict has stamped ,lucia as ,donizetti's masterpiece1 and if the consensus of musicians could be obtained1 it would unquestionably confirm the verdict4 ,it contains incomparably the grandest of his arias for tenor1 the ,tomb song in the last act1 and one of the finest dramatic concerted numbers1 the sextet in the second act1 that can be found in any ,italian opera4 ,like the quartet in ,rigoletto1 it stands out in such bold relief1 and is so thoroughly original and spontaneous1 that it may be classed as an inspiration4 ,the music throughout is of the most sombre character4 ,it does not contain a joyous phrase4 ,and yet it can never be charged with monotony4 ,every aria1 though its tone is serious and more often melancholy1 has its own characteristics1 and the climaxes are worked up with great power4 ,in the first act1 for instance1 the contrasts are very marked between ,henry's aria 7,cruda1 funesta smania71 the chorus of hunters 7,come vinti da stanchezza71 ,henry's second aria 7,la pietade in suo favore71 in which he threatens vengeance upon ,edgar1 the dramatic and beautifully written arias for ,lucy1 ,regnava nel silenzio and ,quando rapita in estasi1 and the passionate farewell duet between ,lucy and ,edgar1 which is the very ecstasy of commingled love and sorrow4 ,the second act contains a powerful duet 7,le tradirmi tu potrai7 between ,lucy and ,henry2 but the musical interest of the act centres in the great sextet1 ,chi mi frena1 which ensues when ,edgar makes his unexpected appearance upon the scene of the marriage contract4 ,for beauty1 power1 richness of melody and dramatic expression1 few concerted numbers by any composer can rival it4 ,the last act also contains two numbers which are always the delight of great artists1--the mad song of ,lucy1 ,oh1 gioja che si senti1 and the magnificent tomb scena1 ,tomba degl'avi miei1 which affords even the most accomplished tenor ample scope for his highest powers4 ,l',,elisir ,d',,amore4 ,l',elisir d',amore1 an opera buffa in two acts1 words by ,romani1 was first produced in ,milan1 in #ahcb1 and in ,english1 at ,drury ,lane1 in #ahci1 as ,the ,love ,spell4 ,the heroine of this graceful little opera is ,adina1 a capricious country girl1 who is loved by ,nemorino1 a young farmer1 whose uncle lies at the point of death1 and by ,belcore1 a sergeant1 whose troops are billeted upon the neighboring village4 ,while ,adina keeps both these suitors in suspense1 ,dr4 ,dulcamara1 a travelling quack1 arrives at the village in great state to vend his nostrums4 ,nemorino applies to him for a bottle of the ,elixir of ,love1--with the magical properties of which he has become acquainted in a romance ,adina has been reading that very morning4 ,the mountebank1 of course1 has no such liquid1 but he passes off on the simple peasant a bottle of wine1 and assures him that if he drinks of it he can command the love of any one on the morrow4 ,to thoroughly test its efficacy1 ,nemorino drinks the whole of it4 ,when he encounters ,adina he is half tipsy1 and accosts her in such disrespectful style that she becomes enraged1 and determines to give her hand to the sergeant1 and promises to marry him in a week4 ,meanwhile an order comes for the departure of the sergeant's detachment1 and he begs her to marry him the same day4 ,she gives her consent1 and the second act opens with the assembling of the villagers to witness the signing of the marriage contract4 ,while the sergeant1 ,adina1 and the notary have retired to sign and witness the contract1 ,nemorino enters in despair1 and finding ,dulcamara enjoying a repast1 he implores him to give him some charm that will make ,adina love him at once4 ,having no money1 the quack refuses to assist him1 and ,nemorino is again plunged into despair4 ,at this juncture the sergeant enters1 not in the best of humor1 for ,adina has declined to sign the contract until evening4 ,discovering that ,nemorino wants money1 he urges him to enlist4 ,the bonus of twenty crowns is a temptation4 ,nemorino enlists1 takes the money1 hurries to the quack1 and obtains a second bottle of the elixir1 which is much more powerful than the first4 ,in the next scene the girls of the village have discovered that ,nemorino's uncle has died and left him all the property1 though ,nemorino himself has not heard of it4 ,they crowd about him1 trying to attract his attention with their charms and blandishments4 ,he attributes his sudden popularity to the effects of the elixir1 and even the quack is somewhat bewildered at the remarkable change4 ,nemorino now determines to pay ,adina off in kind1 and at last rouses her jealousy4 ,meanwhile ,dulcamara acquaints her with the effects of the elixir and advises her to try some of it1 and during the interview inadvertently informs her of ,nemorino's attachment for her4 ,struck with his devotion1 she repays the sergeant herself1 announces her change of mind1 and bestows her hand upon the faithful ,nemorino4 ,like ,don ,pasquale1 the opera is exceedingly graceful in its construction1 and very bright and gay in its musical effects1 particularly in the duets1 of which there are two1--one between ,dulcamara and ,nemorino in the first act 7,obbligato1 ah6 si obbligato71 and one between ,dulcamara and ,adina in the second act 7,quanto amore6 ed io spietata71 which are charming in their spirit and humor4 ,there is also an admirable buffo song in the first act1 beginning with the recitative1 ,udite1 udite1 o rustici1 in which the ,doctor describes his wares to the rustics1 and a beautiful romanza in the second act for tenor 7,una furtiva lagrima71 which is of world-wide popularity1 and bears the same relation to the general setting of the work that the ,serenade does to ,don ,pasquale4 ,,lucrezia ,,borgia4 ,lucrezia ,borgia1 an opera in three acts1 words by ,romani1 was first produced at ,la ,scala1 ,milan1 in #ahcd4 ,the subject was taken from ,victor ,hugo's tragedy of the same name1 and its text was freely adapted by ,romani4 ,when it was produced in ,paris1 in #ahdj1 ,victor ,hugo took steps to suppress any further representations4 ,the libretto was then rewritten1 under the title of ,la ,rinegata1 the ,italian characters were changed to ,turks1 and in this mutilated form the performances were resumed4 ,it was in this opera that ,signor ,mario made his ,english debut1 in #ahci1 with great success4 ,its first presentation in ,english was at ,london1 ,dec4 #cj1 #ahdc4 ,the history of ,lucrezia ,borgia1 daughter of ,rodrigo ,borgia1 afterwards ,pope ,alexander ,,vi41 and sister of ,caesar ,borgia1 is too well known to need recapitulation4 ,it is necessary to the comprehension of the story of the opera1 however1 to state that she had an illegitimate son1 named ,genarro1 who was left when an infant with a fisherman1 but who subsequently entered the ,venetian army and rose to an eminent rank4 ,the opera opens with a brilliant festival in the gardens of the ,barberigo ,palace1 which is attended by ,genarro1 ,orsini1 and others1 all of them cordial haters of the detestable ,borgias4 ,while they are telling tales of ,lucrezia's cruel deeds1 ,genarro lies down and goes to sleep1 and ,orsini in a spirited aria 7,nelle fatal di ,rimini7 relates to his companions the story of ,genarro's gallantry at the battle of ,rimini4 ,as they leave1 ,lucrezia approaches1 masked1 in a gondola1 and is received by ,gubetta1 with whom she has come to ,venice on some secret errand4 ,she discovers ,genarro asleep1 and expresses her delight at his beauty1 and at the same time her maternal love1 in a brilliant aria 7,com'e bello74 ,as she kisses his hand he wakes1 and in the duet which follows tells her the story of his early life in an exquisite romanza 7,di pescatore ignobile71 which is one of the most familiar numbers in ,italian opera4 ,he begs her to reveal her name1 but she refuses4 ,as he continues to implore her1 his friends return and denounce her to ,genarro as the hated ,borgia1 in a concerted number 7,chi siam noi sol chiarirla7 of great dramatic power1 which closes the first act4 ,the second act opens in the public square of ,ferrara1 with the palace of the ,borgias on the right4 ,the ,duke ,alphonso1 ,lucrezia's husband1 who has been observant of ,lucrezia's attachment to ,genarro1 vows vengeance in a passionate aria 7,vieni la mia vendetta74 ,in the next scene ,genarro1 who has been taunted by his friends with being a victim of ,lucrezia's fascinations1 recklessly rushes up to the palace door and strikes off the first letter of her name with his dagger4 ,when ,lucrezia discovers the insult1 she demands of the ,duke that the guilty person shall be arrested and condemned to death4 ,the ,duke has already seized ,genarro1 and agrees to carry out his wife's demands4 ,when the prisoner is brought before them for judgment1 she is horror-stricken to find he is her son4 ,she implores his life1 but the infuriated ,duke retaliates upon her with the declaration that she is his paramour4 ,the duet between them 7,o6 a te bada71 in which ,lucrezia passes from humble entreaties to rage and menace1 is a fine instance of ,donizetti's dramatic power4 ,the ,duke1 however1 is resolute in his determination1 and will only allow her to choose the mode of ,genarro's death4 ,she selects the ,borgia wine1 which is poisoned4 ,genarro is called in1 and after a trio 7,le ti tradisce71 which is one of the strongest numbers in the opera1 he is given the fatal draught under the pretence of a farewell greeting from the ,duke1 who then leaves mother and son together4 ,she gives him an antidote1 and he is thus saved from the fate which the ,duke had intended for him4 ,the last act opens at a banquet in the palace of the ,princess ,negroni1 which is attended by ,genarro and his friends1 ,lucrezia1 meanwhile1 supposing that he has gone to ,venice4 ,during the repast she has managed to poison their wine4 ,in the midst of the gay revel ,orsini sings the popular drinking-song1 ,il segreto per esser felici1 which is now familiar the world over4 ,the festivities are interrupted1 however1 by the appearance of ,lucrezia1 who reveals herself with the taunting declaration3 ,yes1 ,i am ,borgia4 ,a mournful dance ye gave me in ,venice1 and ,i return ye a supper in ,ferrara4 ,she then announces that they are poisoned4 ,the music is changed with great skill from the wild revelry of drinking-songs to the sombre strains of approaching death4 ,five coffins are shown them1 when ,genarro suddenly reveals himself to ,lucrezia and asks for the sixth4 ,the horror-stricken woman again perceives that her son has been poisoned by her own hand4 ,as his companions leave the apartment she implores ,genarro to take the antidote once more1 and at last reveals herself as his mother4 ,he steadily refuses to save himself1 however1 since his companions have to die1 and expires in her arms just as the ,duke and his followers enter4 ,she discloses ,genarro's relationship1 and then dies with the despairing cry on her lips that ,heaven has pronounced its final judgment upon her4 ,among all of ,donizetti's operas1 not one1 unless it be ,lucia1 is more popular than ,lucrezia ,borgia1 which may be attributed to the fact that while the story itself is one of fascinating dramatic interest1 the musical numbers are simple1 beautiful1 and effective4 ,,flotow4 ,friedrich von ,flotow was born ,april #bg1 #ahab1 in the duchy of ,mecklenberg-,schwerin1 and in #ahbg went to ,paris1 where he studied music under ,reicha4 ,his first work was ,stradella1 a mere sketch in its original form1 which was brought out at the ,palais ,royal in #ahcg2 but his first public success was made in #ahci1 with his opera1 ,le ,naufrage de la ,meduse1 which had a run1 and was afterwards produced in ,germany under the title of ,die ,matrosen4 ,l',esclave de ,camoens appeared in ,paris in #ahdc2 ,stradella1 rewritten as an opera1 in ,hamburg 7#ahdd72 ,l',ame en peine1 in ,paris 7#ahdf72 ,martha1 in ,vienna 7#ahdg74 ,the works of his later period1 which never equalled his earlier ones in popularity1 were ,die ,grossfuerstin 7#ahej72 ,indra 7#ahec72 ,rubezahl 7#ahed72 ,hilda 7#ahee72 ,der ,mueller von ,meran 7#ahef72 ,la ,veuve ,grapin 7#ahei72 ,l',ombre 7#ahfi72 ,naida 7#ahgc72 ,il ,flor d',harlem 7#ahgf72 and ,enchanteresse 7#ahgh74 ,of these later works1 ,l',ombre was the most successful1 and was received with favor in ,france1 ,italy1 ,spain1 and ,england1 in which latter country it was performed under the title of ,the ,phantom4 ,in #ahef he received the appointment of ,intendant of the theatre of the ,grand ,duke of ,mecklenberg1 and he entered upon his duties with high hopes of making the theatre exercise the same influence upon music in ,germany as the ,weimar stage2 but court intrigues and rivalries of artists so disgusted him that he resigned in #ahfc and went to ,paris1 and a few years later to ,vienna1 where he took up his abode4 ,outside of a few of his operas his works are little known1 though he composed a ,fackeltanz1 some incidental music to the ,winter's ,tale of ,shakspeare1 and several overtures1 songs1 and chamber-pieces4 ,an interesting episode in his career occurred in #ahch1 when he brought out an opera in three acts1 the ,duc de ,guise1 at the ,theatre de la ,renaissance1 the libretto based upon ,dumas's ,henri ,,iii4 ,the performance was organized by the ,princess ,czartoryska1 for the benefit of the ,poles4 ,mme4 de ,lagrange made her debut in a leading part1 and the parts of the choristers were filled by duchesses and princesses of the ,faubourg ,st4 ,germain1 upon whose persons two million dollars worth of diamonds were blazing1--sufficient evidence that the performance was brilliant in at least one sense4 ,he died at ,wiesbaden1 ,jan4 #bd1 #ahhc4 ,,martha4 ,martha1 an opera in three acts1 libretto by ,st4 ,georges1 translated into ,german by ,friedrich1 was first produced at ,vienna1 ,nov4 #be1 #ahdg1 with ,mlle4 ,anna ,zerr in the title-role1 ,herr ,ander as ,lionel1 and ,carl ,formes as ,plunkett4 ,it was first produced in ,english and ,italian at ,london in #aheh1 and in ,french at ,paris in #ahfe4 ,the history of its origin is interesting4 ,m4 de ,st4 ,georges1 at the request of the manager of the ,paris ,grand ,opera1 wrote in #ahdb the libretto to a ballet entitled ,lady ,henrietta1 or the ,servant of ,greenwich1 the subject being suggested to him by the adventures of two ladies of his acquaintance who had mingled with servants at a fair4 ,the music was confided to three composers4 ,the first act was given to ,herr von ,flotow1 the second to ,herr ,burgmuller1 and the third to ,m4 ,deldeves4 ,the ballet had such a remarkable success1 and ,flotow was so delighted with the plot1 that he entreated ,st4 ,georges to rewrite it for an opera4 ,the latter consented1 and the result of their collaboration was the appearance of one of the most popular operas which has ever been placed upon the stage4 ,the scene of the opera is laid at ,richmond1 ,england1 and the time is during the reign of ,queen ,anne1 though the ,italian version places it in the fifteenth century1 and the ,french in the nineteenth4 ,lady ,henrietta1 an attendant upon the ,queen1 tired of the amusements of court life1 contrives a plan to visit the servants' fair at ,richmond disguised as a servant-girl1 and accompanied by ,nancy1 her maid1 and ,sir ,tristan1 her somewhat aged cousin1 who is also her devoted admirer4 ,in the first three scenes their plans are laid much to the disgust of ,sir ,tristan1 who is to pass as ,john1 while his fair cousin masquerades as ,martha4 ,the duet between the ladies 7,of the ,knights so brave and charming71 and the trio with ,tristan1 are in dance time1 and full of animation4 ,the fourth scene opens in the market-place at ,richmond1 where the people are gathering to the fair4 ,thither also resort ,plunkett1 a farmer1 and ,lionel1 his brother by adoption1 whose parentage is unknown1 and who has no souvenir of his father except a ring which has been left for him1 with instructions to present it to the ,queen if he ever finds himself in trouble4 ,lionel tells his story in an aria 7,lost1 proscribed1 an humble ,stranger7 which is universally popular1 and the melody of which has been set to various words4 ,they have come to the fair to procure help for their farm4 ,while the sheriff1 according to law1 is binding the girls for a year's service1 ,plunkett and ,lionel meet ,martha and ,nancy1 and are so delighted with their appearance that they tender them the customary bonus1 or earnest-money1 which secures them4 ,too late for escape1 they find that they are actually engaged1 and they are obliged to drive away with the young farmers1 leaving ,sir ,tristan in despair4 ,the second act opens in the farm-house1 where the four have arrived4 ,the farmers inquire their names1 and seek to find out what they can do1 testing them first at the spinning-wheel4 ,the spinning quartet 7,when the ,foot the ,wheel turns lightly7 is very gay and full of humor1 and is one of the most delightful concerted numbers in the opera4 ,the brothers soon find that their new servants are useless1 but they are so pleased with them that they decide to keep them4 ,at last ,nancy1 in a pet1 kicks her wheel over and runs off1 followed by ,plunkett4 ,lionel1 left alone with ,martha1 grows very tender to the new servant1 and at last finds himself violently in love4 ,he snatches a rose from her bosom1 and refuses to return it unless she will consent to sing4 ,she replies with the familiar ballad1 ',tis the last ,rose of ,summer1 which ,flotow has interpolated in this scene1 and in the performance of which he makes a charming effect by introducing the tenor in the close4 ,her singing only makes him the more desperately enamoured1 and he asks her to be his wife on the spot1 only to find himself the victim of ,martha's sport1 although his devotion and sincerity have made a deep impression upon her4 ,plunkett and ,nancy at last return1 and another charming quartet follows 7,midnight sounds71 better known as the ,good ,night ,quartet4 ,the two brothers retire1 but ,martha and ,nancy1 aided by ,tristan1 who has followed them and discovered their whereabouts1 make good their escape4 ,the next scene opens in the woods1 where several farmers are drinking and carousing1 among them ,plunkett1 who sings a rollicking drinking-song 7,i want to ask you74 ,their sport is interrupted by a hunting-party1 composed of the ,queen and her court ladies4 ,plunkett and ,lionel recognize their fugitive servants among them1 though the ladies disclaim all knowledge of them4 ,plunkett attempts to seize ,nancy1 but the huntresses attack him and chase him away1 leaving ,lionel and ,lady ,henrietta together again4 ,the scene contains two of the most beautiful numbers in the opera1--the tenor solo1 ,like a ,dream bright and fair 7,m' appari in the ,italian version71 and a romance for soprano 7,here in deepest forest ,shadows72 and the act closes with a beautiful concerted finale1 quintet and chorus1 which is worked up with great power4 ,in this finale the despairing ,lionel bethinks him of his ring4 ,he gives it to ,plunkett1 desiring him to present it to the ,queen4 ,by means of the jewel it is discovered that he is the only son of the late ,earl of ,derby1 and she orders his estates1 of which he has been unjustly deprived1 to be restored to him4 ,the last act is not important in a musical sense1 for the climax is attained in the previous finale4 ,the dramatic denouement is soon reached1 and the ,lady ,henrietta1 who has for some time been seriously in love with ,lionel1 is at last united to him2 and it is almost needless to add that the fortunes of ,plunkett and ,nancy are also joined4 ,the charm of ,martha is its liveliness in action and tunefulness in music4 ,though not a great opera from a musical point of view1 it is one of the most popular in the modern repertory1 and though few others have been performed so many times1 it still retains that popularity4 ,its melodies1 though sung in every country of the civilized world by amateurs and professional artists1 have not yet lost their charms4 ,,stradella4 ,stradella1 a romantic opera in three acts1 was first written as a lyric drama and produced at the ,palais ,royal ,theatre1 ,paris1 in #ahcg1 and was subsequently rewritten in its present form under the title of ,alessandro ,stradella and produced at ,hamburg1 ,dec4 #cj1 #ahdd4 ,the ,english version1 which was somewhat altered by ,bunn1 was produced in ,london1 ,june #f1 #ahdf4 ,the story follows the historic narrative of ,stradella1 the ,italian musician1 except in the denouement4 ,stradella woos and wins ,leonora1 the fair ward of ,bassi1 a rich ,venetian nobleman1 with whom the latter is himself in love4 ,they fly to ,rome and are married4 ,bassi hires two bravoes1 ,barbarino and ,malvolio1 to follow them and kill ,stradella4 ,they track him to his house1 and while the bridal party are absent enter and conceal themselves1 ,bassi being with them4 ,upon this occasion1 however1 they do not wait to accomplish their purpose4 ,subsequently they gain admission again in the guise of pilgrims1 and are hospitably received by ,stradella4 ,in the next scene ,stradella1 ,leonora1 and the two bravoes are together in the same apartment1 singing the praises of their native ,italy4 ,during their laudations the chorus of a band of pilgrims on their way to the shrine of the ,virgin is heard1 and ,leonora and ,stradella go out to greet them4 ,the bravoes have been so moved by ,stradella's singing that they hesitate in their purpose4 ,bassi enters and upbraids them1 and finally1 by the proffer of a still larger sum1 induces them to consent to carry out his design4 ,they conceal themselves4 ,stradella returns and rehearses a hymn to the ,virgin which he is to sing at the festivities on the morrow4 ,its exquisite beauty touches them so deeply that they rush out of their hiding-place1 and falling at his feet confess the object of their visit and implore his forgiveness4 ,leonora enters1 and is astonished to find her guardian present4 ,explanations follow1 a reconciliation is effected1 and the lovers are happy4 ,the denouement differs from the historical story1 which1 according to ,bonnet1 ,bourdelot1 and others1 ends with the death of the lovers at ,genoa1 at the hands of the hired assassins4 ,the opera is one of the most charming of ,flotow's works for its apt union of very melodious music with dramatic interest4 ,its most beautiful numbers are ,stradella's serenade 7,horch1 ,liebchen1 horch671 the following nocturne 7,durch die ,thaeler1 ueber ,huegel71 the brilliant and animated carnival chorus 7,freudesausen1 ,jubelbrausen7 of the masqueraders who assist in the elopement1 in the first act2 the aria of ,leonora in her bridal chamber 7,seid meiner ,wonne71 the rollicking drinking-song of the two bravoes 7',raus mit dem ,nass aus dem ,fass7 and the bandit ballad 7,tief in den ,abruzzen 7 sung by ,stradella1 in the second act2 an exquisite terzetto 7,sag doch an1 ,freund ,barbarino7 sung by ,bassi and the two bravoes when they hesitate to perform their work1 and ,stradella's lovely hymn to the ,virgin 7,jungfrau ,maria6 ,himmlisch verklaerte71 in the last act4 ,,gluck4 ,christoph ,willibald ,gluck1 one of the most eminent of ,german operatic composers1 was born at ,weidenwang in the ,upper ,palatinate1 ,july #b1 #agad4 ,he began his musical studies in a ,bohemian ,jesuits' ,school at the age of twelve4 ,in his eighteenth year he went to ,prague1 where he continued his education with ,czernhorsky4 ,four years later he was fortunate enough to secure ,prince ,melzi for a patron1 who sent him to ,milan1 where he completed his studies with ,sammartini4 ,from #agda to #agde he produced numerous operas1 which were well received1 and in the latter year visited ,london1 where he brought out several works1 among them ,la ,caduta de' ,giganti4 ,his ,english experience was far from satisfactory1 and he soon returned to ,germany1 stopping at ,paris on the way1 where ,rameau's operas had a strong influence upon him4 ,from #agdf to #agfb he wrote a large number of operas1 with varying success so far as performance was concerned1 but with great and lasting benefit to his style and fame1 as was shown when his ,orpheus was first produced1 ,oct4 #e1 #agfb4 ,its success determined him at once to acquaint the musical world with his purpose to reform the opera by making it dramatically musical instead of purely lyric1 thus paving the way for the great innovator of ,baireuth4 ,alceste1 produced in #agfg1 was the first embodiment of these ideas4 ,strong criticism greeted it1 to which he replied with ,iphigenie en ,aulide1 written in #aggb1 and performed for the first time in ,paris two years later1 under the auspices of ,marie ,antoinette1 who had once been his pupil4 ,it was followed by ,orpheus and ,eurydice1 adapted from his earlier work of the same name1 which met with brilliant success4 ,in #aggg he brought out ,armide4 ,it aroused an unprecedented excitement4 ,piccini was at that time in ,paris4 ,he was the representative of the old ,italian school4 ,his partisans gathered about him1 and a furious war was waged between the ,gluckists and ,piccinists for three or four years2 the combatants displaying a bitterness of criticism and invective even worse than that which ,wagner brought down upon his devoted head4 ,when ,gluck brought out his great work1 ,iphigenie en ,tauride1 in #aggi1 however1 the ,piccinists quitted the field and acknowledged the reformer's superiority4 ,echo et ,narcisse was written in the same year1 but ,iphigenie en ,tauride was his last great work4 ,he retired shortly afterwards to ,vienna1 where he died ,nov4 #ae1 #aghg4 ,,orpheus4 ,orpheus1 the libretto by the ,italian poet ,calzabigi1 was first produced at ,vienna1 ,oct4 #e1 #agfb1 and for the first time outlined the new ideas which ,gluck had advanced for the reform of the lyric stage4 ,twelve years later the composer revised the work4 ,several new numbers were added1 its acts were extended to three1 and the principal role was rewritten for a high tenor in place of the alto1 to whom it had been originally assigned4 ,in this form it was brought out at the ,paris ,academie1 ,aug4 #b1 #aggd4 ,in #ahei it was revived in ,paris1 for which occasion ,berlioz restored the original alto part for ,mme4 ,viardot-,garcia4 ,with its performances in this country by the ,american ,opera ,troupe during the season of #ahhe-hf1 under the direction of ,mr4 ,theodore ,thomas1 our readers are already familiar4 ,the three soloists during that season were ,helene ,hastreiter1 ,emma ,juch1 and ,minnie ,dilthey4 ,the story1 except in its denouement1 closely follows the antique legend4 ,after performing the funeral rites of ,eurydice1 ,orpheus resolves to seek for her in the world of ,shades1 having received permission from ,zeus upon condition that he will not look upon her until they have safely returned4 ,orpheus descends to ,hades2 and though his way is barred by phantoms1 his pleading appeals and the tender tones of his harp induce them to make way for him4 ,he finds ,eurydice in the ,elysian fields1 and taking her by the hand leads her on to the upper world4 ,in a fatal moment he yields to her desire to see him1 and she sinks back lifeless4 ,love1 however1 comes to the rescue1 and full of compassion restores her4 ,thus the happy lovers are reunited2 and the opera closes without the tragic denouement of the old myth4 ,in the ,american performances the opera was divided into four acts1 which is the order we shall follow4 ,the short overture is characterized by a grandeur and solemnity that well befit the pathetic story4 ,the curtain rises upon a grotto containing the tomb of ,eurydice1 against which ,orpheus mournfully leans1 while upon its steps youths and maidens are strewing flowers as they chant the sombre song1 ,ah6 in our still and mournful ,meadow4 ,the sad wail of ,orpheus upon the single word ,eurydice is heard through its strains1 which continually increase in solemnity4 ,at last1 as if too much to bear1 ,orpheus interrupts their threnody with the words1 ,the ,sounds of your ,lament increase my bitter ,anguish4 ,the chorus in reply resumes its melancholy tribute to ,eurydice and then retires1 leaving ,orpheus alone1 who in a monologue full of pathos and sorrow 7,my ,eurydice6 my ,eurydice6 lost forever71 sings his grief and implores the gods to restore his loved one4 ,in answer to his prayer1 ,amor1 god of love1 appears and announces that the gods have been moved to compassion2 and if his song and lyre can appease the phantoms1 death shall give back ,eurydice upon the conditions already named4 ,the act closes with the joyful song of ,orpheus3 ,will pitying ,heaven with wondrous ,favor restore mine own8 ,the second act opens in the abysses of the underworld4 ,flames shoot up amid great masses of rock and from yawning caverns1 throwing their lurid glare upon the phantoms1 who writhing in furious indignation demand in wild and threatening chorus1 as the tones of ,orpheus's lyre are heard1 ,who through this awful ,place1 thinking alive to pass1 rashly dares venture here8 ,madly they call upon ,cerberus to kill thy new ,prey here4 ,the barking of the triple-headed monster is heard in the tones of the orchestra4 ,they surround ,orpheus as he approaches1 and with renewed clamor continue this thrilling chorus4 ,in the midst of its cruel intensity is heard the appealing voice of ,orpheus 7,in ,pity be moved by my ,grief74 ,with overwhelming wrath comes the reiterated monosyllable1 ,no1 from the ,furies1--one of the most daring and powerful effects ever made in dramatic music1--followed by another appalling chorus1 as they announce to him1 ,these are the ,depths of ,hell1 where the ,avengers dwell4 ,at last they are touched by the charm of his music and the sorrow of his story2 and as their fury dies away1 the song of ,orpheus grows more exultant as he contemplates the reunion with ,eurydice4 ,the gates of the lower world are opened1 and in the third act ,orpheus enters ,elysium4 ,the scene begins with a tender1 lovely song by ,eurydice and her companions 7,in this tranquil and lovely ,abode of the ,blest71 the melody taken by the flute with string accompaniment4 ,all is bright and cheerful and in striking contrast with the gloom and terror of the ,stygian scene we have just left4 ,after a short recitative 7,how mild a ,day1 without a ,noon71 ,orpheus seeks her4 ,she is brought to him by a crowd of shadows2 and breaking out in joyful song he takes her by the hand and turns his face to the upper world4 ,the fourth act is almost entirely an impassioned duet between ,orpheus and ,eurydice4 ,he releases her hand for fear that he may turn and look upon her4 ,eurydice chides him 7,am ,i changed or grown old that thou wilt not behold me874 ,in vain he urges her to follow him4 ,she upbraids him for his coldness1 and demands one glance as a test of his love4 ,he still refuses1 and then she sorrowfully bids him farewell4 ,at last1 overcome with weariness and sorrow1 he gazes upon her2 and at that instant she falls lifeless4 ,then ,orpheus breaks out in that immortal song1 the ,che faro senza ,eurydice 7,i have lost my ,eurydice71 the beauty and pathos of which neither time nor change of musical custom can ever mar4 ,he is about to take his life with his sword2 but ,amor suddenly appears upon the scene1 stays his hand1 and tells him the gods are moved by his sufferings4 ,he restores ,eurydice to life1 and the opera closes with a beautiful terzetto in ,love's temple4 ,the denouement is followed by ballet music4 ,,goetz4 ,hermann ,goetz1 to whose life attaches a mournful interest1 was born at ,koenigsberg1 ,dec4 #ag1 #ahdj4 ,he had no regular instruction in music until his seventeenth year4 ,at that period he began his studies with ,koehler1 and then passed successively under the tuition of ,stern1 ,ulrich1 and ,von ,buelow4 ,at the age of twenty-three he obtained a position as organist at ,winterthur1 and also taught at ,zurich4 ,it was during this time that he composed his opera1 ,the ,taming of the ,shrew1 meanwhile supporting himself as he best could1 sometimes struggling with actual poverty4 ,for years he attempted to secure a hearing for his opera2 but it was not until #ahgd that its great merit was recognized1 for in that year it was produced at ,mannheim with instant success4 ,its fame travelled all over ,germany4 ,it was performed in ,vienna in #ahge1 and the same year in ,leipsic and ,berlin1 and reached ,london in #ahgh4 ,it was not heard in this country until the season of #ahhe-hf1 when it was produced by the ,american ,opera ,company4 ,the composer did not live long enough1 however1 to enjoy the fruits of his work1 as he died in #ahgf4 ,he also left behind him an unfinished score of a second opera1 ,francesca di ,rimini1 which was completed by his friend ,franke at his request1 but proved a failure4 ,his other works include a symphony in ,f1 a suite for orchestra1 and many chamber compositions4 ,,the ,,taming ,,of ,,the ,,shrew4 ,the ,taming of the ,shrew1 as related in the sketch of the composer's life1 was written about the year #ahfc1 and first produced at ,mannheim in #ahgb4 ,its first performance in this country was in ,january1 #ahhf1 when the cast was as follows3-- ,,katharine ,,pauline ,l',,allemand4 ,,bianca ,,kate ,,bensberg4 ,,petruchio ,,william ,h4 ,,lee4 ,,baptista ,w4,h4 ,,hamilton4 ,,lucentio ,w4,h4 ,,fessenden4 ,,hortensio ,,alonzo ,,stoddard4 ,a ,,tailor ,,john ,,howson4 ,the libretto is freely adapted from ,shakspeare's comedy by ,joseph ,victor ,widmann4 ,the plot is very simple4 ,baptista1 a rich ,paduan gentleman1 has two daughters1--,katharine1 the shrew1 and ,bianca1 of sweet and lovable disposition4 ,both ,hortensio and ,lucentio are in love with ,bianca2 but the obdurate father will not listen to either until ,katharine shall have been married4 ,in this apparently hopeless situation a gleam of comfort appears1 in the suit which the rich gallant ,petruchio1 of ,verona1 pays to ,katharine1 in disgust with the sycophants who have been manifesting such deference to his wealth4 ,the remainder of the story is occupied with the details of the various processes by which he breaks and tames the shrew1 and the ingenious ruse by which ,lucentio gains the hand of the lovely ,bianca4 ,the curtain rises upon a night scene in ,padua1 with ,lucentio before ,bianca's house singing a melodious serenade4 ,its strains are interrupted1 however1 by a hurly-burly in the house1 caused by the shrew's demonstrations4 ,the tumult is transferred to the street1 and gives occasion for a very vigorous ensemble4 ,when the crowd disperses1 ,lucentio resumes his serenade1 ,bianca appears upon the balcony1 and the two join in a very pleasing duet4 ,this number is also interrupted by ,hortensio1 at the head of a band of street musicians1 who has also come to serenade his mistress4 ,the encounter of the two lovers brings on a quarrel1 which is averted1 however1 by the interposition of ,baptista4 ,a duet follows between them1 at the close of which ,lucentio retires4 ,petruchio now appears upon the scene1 and learns from ,hortensio of ,katharine's vixenish disposition1 which determines him to woo her4 ,with a stirring song 7,she is a ,wife for such a ,man created71 the act comes to an end4 ,the second act opens in a chamber in ,baptista's house1 where ,katharine is berating ,bianca for accepting serenades from suitors1 and abuses her even to blows4 ,the scene closes with a vigorous song for ,katharine 7,i'll give myself to no one71 which is greeted with cynical applause by ,petruchio1 ,baptista1 ,lucentio1 and ,hortensio1 who enter1 the last two disguised as teachers4 ,in the next scene1 ,petruchio and ,katharine alone1 we have the turbulent wooing1 which is accompanied throughout by characteristic music4 ,as the others return ,petruchio announces his success in the song1 ,all is well1 the theme of which is taken by the quintet1 closing the act4 ,the third is the most interesting act of the three4 ,it opens on the day selected for the wedding of ,katharine and ,petruchio1 in ,baptista's garden2 the first number being a charming quintet for ,katharine1 ,bianca1 ,lucentio1 ,hortensio1 and ,baptista4 ,the guests are present1 but ,petruchio is not there4 ,an explanation is made1 followed by a chorus as the guests leave2 and then ,bianca is free to take her lessons1 in one of which ,lucentio makes his avowal of love to her4 ,the arrangement of the two lessons is both unique and skilful4 ,lucentio turns the familiar opening lines of the ,a,eneid1 ,arma virumque cano1 etc41 into a love-song by declarations interposed between them2 while ,hortensio explains the mysteries of the scale to her1 each line of his love-song beginning with one of its letters4 ,it is soon found1 however1 that ,lucentio is the accepted lover4 ,baptista now enters and announces ,petruchio's return1 which leads to a charming quartet4 ,the finale of the opera1 which is very spirited1 includes the preparations for the marriage-feast1 the wedding1 and the scene in which ,petruchio abruptly forces his bride to leave with him for his country house4 ,,goldmark4 ,karl ,goldmark was born at ,keszthely1 ,hungary1 ,may #ah1 #ahcb4 ,he first studied with the violinist ,jansa at ,vienna1 and in his fifteenth year entered the ,conservatory in that city4 ,little is known of the events of his early life4 ,indeed1 his success in his profession is generally credited more to his native ability and industry than to the influence of teachers or schools4 ,he began composition at an early period1 and produced his works in concerts with much success under the encouragement of ,hellmesberger and others1 who recognized his ability before he had made any impression out of ,vienna4 ,four of his compositions during the past fifteen years1 the ,sakuntala overture1 the operas ,the ,queen of ,sheba and ,merlin1 and ,die ,iaendliche ,hochzeit 7,the ,country ,wedding7 symphony have made a permanent reputation for him4 ,the overture and operas have been performed several times in this country4 ,besides these he has written several pieces of chamber music4 ,,the ,,queen ,,of ,,sheba4 ,the ,queen of ,sheba was first produced in ,vienna1 ,march #aj1 #ahge1 and was first heard in this country at ,new ,york1 ,dec4 #b1 #ahhe1 when the cast was as follows3-- ,,king ,,solomon ,herr ,,robinson4 ,,high-,,priest ,herr ,,fischer4 ,,sulamith ,frauelein ,,lehmann4 ,,assad ,herr ,,stritt4 ,,baal ,,hanan ,herr ,,alexi4 ,,queen ,,of ,,sheba ,frau ,,kramer-,,weidl4 ,,astaroth ,frauelein ,,brandt4 ,the libretto by ,mosenthal is one of rare excellence in its skilful treatment of situations and arrangement of scenes with the view to spectacular and dramatic effect4 ,the ,biblical story has but little to do with the action of the opera beyond the mere fact of the famous visit of the ,queen of ,sheba to ,solomon4 ,the stirring episodes during the journey and the visit spring from the librettist's imagination4 ,the story in substance is as follows3-- ,king ,solomon1 learning of the ,queen's intention to visit him1 sends his favorite courtier ,assad to escort her4 ,while she waits outside the gates of ,jerusalem1 ,assad announces her arrival to the ,king and ,sulamith1 the daughter of the high-priest1 to whom the courtier is affianced4 ,observing his disturbed looks1 the ,king1 after dismissing his attendants1 inquires the cause4 ,assad replies that on their journey through the forest he had encountered a nymph bathing whose beauty had so impressed him as to banish even the thoughts of his affianced4 ,the wise ,solomon counsels him to marry ,sulamith at once4 ,meanwhile the ,queen comes into the ,king's presence1 and as she lifts her veil reveals the unknown fair one4 ,she affects ignorance of ,assad's passion2 but when she learns that he is to wed ,sulamith love for him springs up in her own breast4 ,upon the day of the wedding ceremony ,assad1 carried away by his longing for the ,queen1 declares her to be his divinity1 and is condemned to death for profaning the ,temple4 ,both the ,queen and ,sulamith appeal to the ,king for mercy4 ,he consents at last to save his life1 but banishes him to the desert4 ,the ,queen seeks him there1 and makes an avowal of her love2 but ,assad repulses her4 ,as ,sulamith comes upon the scene a simoom sweeps across the desert4 ,they perish in each other's arms2 while in a mirage the ,queen and her attendants are seen journeying to their home4 ,the first act opens in the great hall of ,solomon's palace with a brilliant1 joyous chorus 7,open the ,halls1 adorn the ,portals7 in praise of the ,king's glory4 ,after the entrance of the high-priest1 ,sulamith sings a fascinating bridal song 7,my own ,assad returns71 richly oriental both in music and sentiment1 dreamy and luxurious in its tone1 and yet full of joyous expectation1 with characteristic choral refrain and dainty accompaniment4 ,the fourth and fifth scenes are full of agitation and unrest1 and lead up to ,assad's explanation of his perturbed condition 7,at ,lebanon's ,foot ,i met ,arabia's ,queen71 a monologue aria of rich glowing color and reaching a fine dramatic climax as it progresses from its sensuous opening to the passionate intensity of its finale4 ,it is followed by the entrance of the ,queen1 accompanied by a brilliant march and a jubilant chorus 7,to the ,sun of the ,south our ,welcome we bring7 and a stirring concerted number1 describing the recognition of the ,queen by ,assad2 after which the chorus resumes its jubilant strain1 bringing the act to a close4 ,the second act opens in the gardens of the palace and discloses the ,queen1 who gives expression to her love for ,assad and her hatred of ,sulamith in an impassioned aria 7,let me from the festal ,splendor74 ,in the second scene ,astaroth1 her slave1 appears and lures ,assad by a weird strain1 which is one of the most effective passages in the opera 7,as the ,heron calls in the ,reeds74 ,after a short arioso by ,assad 7,magical ,sounds1 intoxicating ,fragrance71 a passionate duet with the ,queen follows1 interrupted by the call of the ,temple-guard to prayer4 ,the scene changes to the interior of the sanctuary with its religious service2 and with it the music changes also to solemn ,hebrew melodies with the accompaniment of the sacred instruments1 leading up to the stirring finale in which ,assad declares his passion for the ,queen1 amid choruses of execration by the people4 ,the third act opens in the banquet-hall upon a scene of festivity introduced by the graceful bee dance of the ,almas4 ,it is followed by the powerful appeal of the ,queen for ,assad's life1 rising to an intensely dramatic pitch as she warns the ,king of the revenge of her armed hosts 7,when ,sheba's iron ,lances splinter and ,zion's ,throne in ,ruins falls74 ,in sad contrast comes the mournful chant which accompanies ,sulamith as she passes to the vestal's home 7,the ,hour that robbed me of him71 and ends in her despairing cry rising above the chorus of attendants as ,solomon also refuses her petition4 ,the last act passes in the desert4 ,assad beneath a solitary palm-tree laments the destiny which pursues him 7,whither shall ,i wend my weary ,steps874 ,in the next scene the ,queen appears1 and an agitated duet follows1 ending with her repulse4 ,assad in despair calls upon death to relieve him4 ,the sky darkens4 ,clouds of sand envelop the fugitive4 ,the palm bends before the blast as the simoom sweeps by4 ,the storm at last subsides4 ,the sky grows brighter2 and the ,queen and her attendants1 with their elephants and camels1 appear in a mirage journeying eastward as ,sulamith and her lover expire in each other's arms4 ,as their duet dies away1 the chorus of maidens brings the act to a close with a few strains from the love-song in the first act4 ,,merlin4 ,the opera of ,merlin was first performed at ,vienna1 ,nov4 #ag1 #ahhf1 and was heard for the first time in this country at ,new ,york1 ,jan4 #c1 #ahhg1 under the direction of ,mr4 ,walter ,damrosch1 with the following cast3-- ,,king ,,arthur ,herr ,,robinson4 ,,modred ,herr ,,kemlitz4 ,,lancelot ,herr ,,bursch4 ,,gawein ,herr ,,heinrich4 ,,glendower ,herr ,,von ,,milde4 ,,merlin ,herr ,,alvary4 ,,viviane ,frauelein ,,lehmann4 ,,bedwyr ,herr ,,sieglitz4 ,,the ,,fay ,,morgana ,frauelein ,,brandt4 ,,the ,,demon ,herr ,,fischer4 ,the libretto of the opera is by ,siegfried ,lipiner4 ,the scene is laid in ,wales1 and the hero1 ,merlin1 is familiar as one of the knights of ,king ,arthur's round-table4 ,the story is as follows3-- ,the ,devil1 ambitious to banish all good from the world1 unites himself to a virgin in order that he may beget a child who shall aid him in his fell purpose4 ,the child is ,merlin1 who partakes of the mother's goodness1 and instead of aiding his father1 seeks to thwart his design4 ,the ,devil thereupon consults the ,fay ,morgana1 who tells him that ,merlin will lose his power if he falls in love4 ,in the opening scene ,king ,arthur sends ,lancelot to ,merlin for aid1 who promises him victory and achieves it by the assistance of his familiar1 a demon1 who is in league with the ,devil4 ,tired of his service to ,merlin1 the demon contrives to have him meet the beautiful ,viviane1 with whom he falls in love4 ,the second act transpires in ,merlin's enchanted garden1 and reveals his growing passion1 and at the same time his waning power of magic2 for when once more ,arthur summons his aid he attempts to tear himself away from her only to realize his weakness4 ,she seeks to detain him by throwing a magic veil over him which has been given her by the demon2 in an instant the scene changes1 and ,merlin appears confined to a rock by fiery chains1 while the demon mocks him from a neighboring eminence1 and ,viviane gives way to anguish4 ,in the last act ,viviane is told by the ,fay ,morgana that ,merlin's release can only be secured by woman's self-sacrifice4 ,once more an appeal for help comes to him from ,arthur1 and he promises his soul to the demon in exchange for his freedom4 ,his chains fall off4 ,he rushes into the battle and secures the victory1 but is fatally wounded4 ,the demon claims him2 but ,viviane1 remembering the words of the ,fay ,morgana1 stabs herself and thus balks him of his expectant prey4 ,like ,wagner's operas1 ,merlin has its motives1 the principal ones being that of the demon1 or the evil principle1 and two love motives4 ,in its general treatment it is also ,wagnerish4 ,the first scene opens with the spirited message of ,lancelot to ,glendower1 beseeching ,merlin's aid for the hard-pressed ,arthur4 ,it is followed by the strains of ,merlin's harp in the castle and his assurance of victory1 and these in turn by very descriptive incantation music summoning the demon and the supernatural agencies which will compass the defeat of ,arthur's enemies4 ,then comes the interview between the demon and the ,fay ,morgana1 in which he learns the secret of ,merlin's weakness4 ,in the next scene ,arthur returns from his victory over the ,saxons to the tempo of a stirring march1 and accompanied by the joyous choruses of women4 ,a vigorous episode1 in which ,bedwyr1 one of ,arthur's knights1 is charged with treachery1 is followed by ,merlin's chant of victory with chorus accompaniment4 ,as its strains die away a distant horn announces ,viviane1 who makes her appearance singing a breezy hunting song with her maidens1 leading up to a spirited septet4 ,then follows the baffled attempt of ,viviane to crown ,merlin1 the scene closing with a repetition of the chant of victory and the choruses of jubilation4 ,the second act opens in the enchanted gardens of ,merlin2 and the first scene reveals a conspiracy to seize the crown during ,arthur's absence and proclaim ,modred king1 and the farewell of ,arthur and his suite to ,merlin4 ,the magic-veil scene follows with its fascinating dance tempos1 and leads with its graceful measures up to the passionate love-scene between ,merlin and ,viviane1 which is harshly broken in upon by the clash of arms between ,modred and his perfidious companions and the faithful friends of ,arthur4 ,a dramatic scene of great energy follows1 in which ,viviane at last throws the magic veil around ,merlin with the transforming results already told4 ,the last act opens with ,viviane's mournful lament for the wretched fate which she has brought down upon her lover1 and the announcement of the means by which he may be released made to her in slumber by the ,fay ,morgana4 ,her maidens seek to rouse her with choral appeals1 in which are heard phrases of her hunting song4 ,meanwhile mocking spirits appear about ,merlin and taunt him in characteristic music4 ,then follows the compact with the demon1 which releases him4 ,he rushes into the battle accompanied by an exultant song from ,viviane2 but soon the funeral march1 as his followers bear him from the field1 tells the mournful story of his fate4 ,a very dramatic ensemble contains the deed of self-sacrifice1 by which ,viviane ends her life to redeem ,merlin from the demon1 and with this powerful effect the opera closes4 ,,gounod4 ,charles ,francois ,gounod was born1 in ,paris1 ,june #ag1 #ahah4 ,he studied music in the ,conservatory1 under the direction of ,halevy1 ,lesueur1 and ,paer1 and in #ahci obtained the first prize1 and1 under the usual regulations1 went to ,italy4 ,while at ,rome he devoted himself largely to religious music4 ,on his return to ,paris he became organist of the ,missions ,etrangeres1 and for a time seriously thought of taking orders4 ,in #ahea1 however1 he brought out his first opera1 ,sappho1 which met with success4 ,at this point his active career began4 ,in #aheb he became conductor of the ,orpheon1 and wrote the choruses for ,ponsard's tragedy of ,ulysse4 ,the year #ahed brought a five-act opera1 ,la ,nonne ,sanglante1 founded on a legend in ,lewis's ,monk4 ,in #aheh he made his first essay in opera comique1 and produced ,le ,medecin malgre lui1 which met with remarkable success4 ,the next year ,faust was performed1 and placed him in the front rank of living composers4 ,philemon et ,baucis appeared in #ahfj1 and ,la ,reine de ,saba1 which was afterwards performed in ,english as ,irene1 in #ahfb4 ,in #ahfc he brought out the pretty pastoral opera ,mireille4 ,this was succeeded in #ahff by ,la ,colombe1 known in ,english as ,the ,pet ,dove1 and in #ahfg by ,romeo et ,juliette4 ,in #ahgg he produced ,cinq ,mars1 and in #ahgh his last opera1 ,polyeucte4 ,he has also written much church music1 the more important works being the ,messe ,solenelle1 a ,stabat ,mater1 the oratorio ,tobie1 a ,de ,profundis1 an ,ave ,verum1 and many single hymns and songs1 among which ,nazareth is universally popular4 ,his list of compositions for orchestra is also very large1 and includes such popular pieces as the ,saltarello1 ,funeral ,march of a ,marionette1 and the ,meditation1 based on ,bach's ,first ,prelude1 which is accompanied by a soprano solo4 ,he was elected a member of the ,institut de ,france in #ahff4 ,,faust4 ,faust1 a grand opera in five acts1 words by ,barbier and ,carre1 founded upon ,goethe's tragedy1 was first produced at the ,theatre ,lyrique1 ,paris1 ,march #ai1 #ahei1 with the following cast of the principal parts3-- ,,marguerite ,mme4 ,,miolan-,,carvalho4 ,,siebel ,mlle4 ,,faivre4 ,,faust ,m4 ,,barbot4 ,,valentin ,m4 ,,regnal4 ,,mephistopheles ,m4 ,,balanque4 ,,martha ,mme4 ,,duclos4 ,the opera was first produced in ,london as ,faust1 ,june #aa1 #ahfc2 in ,english1 ,jan4 #bc1 #ahfd2 and in ,germany as ,margarethe4 ,the story of the opera follows ,goethe's tragedy very closely1 and is confined to the first part4 ,it may be briefly told4 ,faust1 an aged ,german student1 satiated with human knowledge and despairing of his ability to unravel the secrets of nature1 summons the evil spirit ,mephistopheles to his assistance1 and contracts to give him his soul in exchange for a restoration to youth4 ,mephistopheles effects the transformation1 and reveals to him the vision of ,marguerite1 a beautiful village maiden1 with whom ,faust at once falls in love4 ,they set out upon their travels and encounter her at the ,kermesse4 ,she has been left by her brother ,valentin1 a soldier1 in care of ,dame ,martha1 who proves herself a careless guardian4 ,their first meeting is a casual one2 but subsequently he finds her in her garden1 and with the help of the subtle ,mephistopheles succeeds in engaging the young girl's affection4 ,her simple lover1 ,siebel1 is discarded1 and his nosegay is thrown away at sight of the jewels with which ,faust tempts her4 ,when ,valentin returns from the wars he learns of her temptation and subsequent ruin4 ,he challenges the seducer1 and in the encounter is slain by the intervention of ,mephistopheles4 ,overcome by the horror of her situation1 ,marguerite becomes insane1 and in her frenzy kills her child4 ,she is thrown into prison1 where ,faust and ,mephistopheles find her4 ,faust urges her to fly with them1 but she refuses1 and places her reliance for salvation upon earnest prayer1 and sorrow for the wrong she has done4 ,pleading for forgiveness1 she expires2 and as ,mephistopheles exults at the catastrophe he has wrought1 angels appear amid the music of the celestial choirs and bear the sufferer to heaven4 ,the first act is in the nature of a prelude1 and opens with a long soliloquy 7,interrogo invano7 by ,faust1 in which he laments the unsatisfactoriness of life4 ,it is interwoven with delightful snatches of chorus heard behind the scenes1 a duet with ,mephistopheles 7,ma il ciel71 and the delicate music accompanying the vision of ,marguerite4 ,the second act is contained in a single setting1 the ,kermesse1 in which the chorus plays an important part4 ,in the first scene the choruses of students1 soldiers1 old men1 girls1 and matrons are quaintly contrasted1 and are full of animation and characteristic color4 ,in the second1 ,valentin sings a tender song 7,o santa medaglia7 to a medallion of his sister which he wears as a charm4 ,it is followed by a grim and weird drinking-song 7,dio dell' or71 sung by ,mephistopheles4 ,the latter then strikes fire from the fountain into his cup1 and proposes the health of ,marguerite4 ,valentin springs forward to resent the insult1 only to find his sword broken in his hands4 ,the students and soldiers recognize the spirit of evil1 and overcome him by presenting the hilts of their swords in the form of a cross1 the scene being accompanied by one of the most effective choruses in the work 7,tu puvi la spada74 ,the tempter gone1 the scene resumes its gayety1 and the act closes with one of the most animated and delightful of waltz tempos 7,come la brezza74 ,the third act is the ,garden scene1 full of fascinating detail1 and breathes the very spirit of poetry and music combined in a picture of love which has never been excelled in tenderness and beauty on the operatic stage4 ,its principal numbers are a short and simple but very beautiful ballad for ,siebel 7,la parlate d'amor72 a passionate aria for tenor 7,salve dimora casta e pura71 in which ,faust greets ,marguerite's dwelling2 a double number1 which is superb in its contrasts1--the folk-song1 ,c'era un re di ,thule1 a plaintive little ballad sung at the spinning-wheel by ,marguerite1 and the bravura jewel-song1 ,ah6 e' strano poter1 which is the very essence of delicacy and almost-childish glee2 the quartet commencing1 ,v'appogiato al bracchio mio1 which is of striking interest by the independent manner in which the two pairs of voices are treated and combined in the close2 and the closing duet 7,sempre amar7 between ,faust and ,marguerite1 which is replete with tenderness and passion1 and closes in strains of almost ecstatic rapture1 the fatal end of which is foreshadowed by the mocking laugh of ,mephistopheles breaking in upon its lingering cadences4 ,the fourth act is known as the ,cathedral act1 and established ,gounod's reputation as a writer of serious music4 ,it opens with a scena for ,marguerite1 who has been taunted by the girls at the fountain 7,nascose eran la le crudeli 71 in which she laments her sad fate4 ,the scene abruptly changes to the square in front of the cathedral1 where the soldiers1 ,valentin among them1 are returning1 to the jubilant though somewhat commonplace strains of the march1 ,deponiam il branda4 ,as the soldiers retire and ,valentin goes in quest of ,marguerite1 ,faust and ,mephistopheles appear before the house1 and the latter sings a grotesque and literally infernal serenade 7,tu1 che fai l' addormentata74 ,valentin appears and a quarrel ensues1 leading up to a spirited trio4 ,valentin is slain1 and with his dying breath pronounces a malediction 7,margherita6 maledetta7 upon his sister4 ,the scene changes to the church1 and in wonderful combination we hear the appeals of ,marguerite for mercy1 the taunting voice of the tempter1 and the monkish chanting of the ,dies ,irae mingled with the solemn strains of the organ4 ,the last act is usually presented in a single scene1 the ,prison1 but it contains five changes4 ,after a weird prelude1 the ,walpurgis revel begins1 in which short1 strange phrases are heard from unseen singers4 ,the night scene changes to a hall of pagan enchantment1 and again to the ,brocken1 where the apparition of ,marguerite is seen4 ,the orgy is resumed1 when suddenly by another transformation we are taken to the prison where ,marguerite is awaiting death4 ,it is unnecessary to give its details4 ,the scene takes the form of a terzetto1 which is worked up with constantly increasing power to a climax of passionate energy1 and at last dies away as ,marguerite expires4 ,it stands almost alone among effects of this kind in opera4 ,the curtain falls upon a celestial chorus of apotheosis1 the vision of the angels1 and ,mephistopheles cowering in terror before the heavenly messengers4 ,,romeo ,,and ,,juliet4 ,romeo et ,juliette1 a grand opera in five acts1 words by ,barbier and ,carre1 the subject taken from ,shakspeare's tragedy of the same name1 was first produced at the ,theatre ,lyrique1 ,paris1 ,april #bg1 #ahfg1 with ,mme4 ,miolan-,carvalho in the role of ,juliet4 ,the story as told by the ,french dramatists in the main follows ,shakspeare's tragedy very closely in its construction as well as in its dialogue4 ,it is only necessary1 therefore1 to sketch its outlines4 ,the first act opens with the festival at the house of ,capulet4 ,juliet and ,romeo meet there and fall in love1 notwithstanding her betrothal to ,paris4 ,the hot-blooded ,tybalt seeks to provoke a quarrel with ,romeo1 but is restrained by ,capulet himself1 and the act comes to a close with a resumption of the merry festivities4 ,in the second act we have the balcony scene1 quite literally taken from ,shakspeare1 with an episode1 however1 in the form of a temporary interruption by ,gregory and retainers1 whose appearance is rather absurd than otherwise4 ,the third act is constructed in two scenes4 ,the first is in the friar's cell1 where the secret marriage of the lovers takes place4 ,in the second1 we are introduced to a new character1 invented by the librettist1--,stephano1 ,romeo's page1 whose pranks while in search of his master provoke a general quarrel1 in which ,mercutio is slain by ,tybalt1 who in turn is killed by ,romeo4 ,when ,capulet arrives upon the scene he condemns ,romeo to banishment1 who vows1 however1 that he will see ,juliet again at all hazards4 ,the fourth act is also made up of two scenes4 ,the first is in ,juliet's chamber1 and is devoted to a duet between the two lovers4 ,romeo departs at dawn1 and ,capulet appears with ,friar ,laurence and announces his determination that the marriage with ,paris shall be celebrated at once4 ,juliet implores the ,friar's help1 and he gives her the potion4 ,the next scene is devoted to the wedding festivity1 in the midst of which ,juliet falls insensible from the effects of the sleeping-draught4 ,the last act transpires in the tomb of the ,capulets1 where ,romeo arrives1 and believing his mistress dead takes poison4 ,juliet1 reviving from the effects of the potion1 and finding him dying1 stabs herself with a dagger1 and expires in his arms4 ,while many numbers are greatly admired1 the opera as a whole has never been successful4 ,had not ,faust1 which it often recalls1 preceded it1 its fate might have been different4 ,still1 it contains many strong passages and much beautiful writing4 ,the favorite numbers are the waltz arietta1 very much in the manner of the well-known ,il ,bacio1 at the ,capulet festival1 the ,queen ,mab song1 by ,mercutio 7,mab1 regina di menzogne71 and the duet between ,romeo and ,juliet 7,di grazia1 t' arresta ancor671 in the first act2 the love music in the balcony scene of the second act1 which inevitably recalls the garden music in ,faust2 an impressive solo for ,friar ,laurence 7,al vostro amor cocente71 followed by a vigorous trio and quartet1 the music of which is massive and ecclesiastical in character1 and the page's song 7,ah6 col nibbio micidale71 in the third act2 the duet of parting between ,romeo and ,juliet1 ,tu dei partir ohime6 the quartet1 ,non temero mio ben1 between ,juliet1 the nurse1 ,friar ,laurence1 and ,capulet1 and the dramatic solo for the ,friar1 ,bevi allor questo filtro1 as he gives the potion to ,juliet1 in the fourth act2 and the elaborate orchestral prelude to the tomb scene in the last act4 ,,mireille4 ,mireille1 a pastoral opera in three acts1 words by ,m4 ,carre1 the subject taken from ,mireio1 a ,provencal poem by ,mistral1 was first produced at the ,theatre ,lyrique1 ,paris1 ,march #ai1 #ahfd1 with the following cast3-- ,,mireille ,mme4 ,,miolan-,,carvalho ,,tavena ,mme4 ,,faure-,,lefebvre4 ,,andreluno ,,vincenzina ,mlle4 ,,leroux4 ,,vincenzo ,m4 ,,ismiel4 ,,urias ,m4 ,,petit4 ,,raimondo ,m4 ,,morini4 ,in ,december1 #ahfd1 the opera was reduced to three acts1 in which form it is still given4 ,in this abridged shape1 and with the addition of the waltz now placed in the finale1 it was brought out in ,london with ,titiens1 ,giuglini1 ,santley1 and ,trebelli in the cast4 ,in ,english it is always given under the title of ,mirella4 ,the first scene opens in a mulberry grove1 where ,mireille is rallied by the village girls upon her attachment to ,vincenzo1 the basket-maker1 and is also warned by ,tavena1 the fortune-teller1 against yielding to her love1 as she foresees that her father1 ,raimondo1 will never consent to the union4 ,in the next scene she meets ,vincenzo1 and the warning of ,tavena is soon forgotten4 ,the lovers renew their pledges1 and agree to meet at the ,chapel of the ,virgin if their plans are thwarted4 ,the second act introduces us to a merrymaking at ,arles1 where ,mireille is informed by ,tavena that ,vincenzo has a rival in ,urias1 a wild herdsman1 who has openly declared his love for her1 and asked her hand of her father4 ,mireille repulses him when he brings the father's consent4 ,ambrogio1 ,vincenzo's father1 accompanied by his daughter1 ,vincenzina1 also waits upon ,raimondo and intercedes in his son's behalf1 but is sternly refused4 ,mireille1 who has overheard the interview1 declares to her father her irrevocable attachment for ,vincenzo4 ,her declaration throws him into such a rage that he is about to strike her1 but she disarms his anger by appealing to the memory of her mother4 ,the last act opens on a barren1 sunburnt plain4 ,andreluno appears1 singing a pastoral song to the accompaniment of his bagpipe1 followed by ,mireille1 who is toiling across the hot sands to meet her lover at the ,chapel of the ,virgin4 ,she is met by ,tavena1 who assures her that ,vincenzo will keep his appointment1 and then returns to ,arles to plead with the father in ,mireille's behalf4 ,the poor girl toils on through the heat1 and at last arrives nearly prostrated by sunstroke4 ,vincenzo soon appears1 and is shortly followed by ,raimondo1 who1 seeing the sad condition of his daughter1 is moved to pity and gives his consent to the union of the lovers4 ,the sudden joyful change of affairs restores her wandering senses and the happy pair are united4 ,the music is in no sense dramatic1 but lyric and pastoral throughout1 and is specially marked by the beautiful ,french chansons with which it abounds4 ,the first act opens with a delightful pastoral chorus of the maidens under the mulberry-trees 7,facciam carole1 o giovinette71 which is very fresh and graceful4 ,the second begins with an equally delightful chorus and farandole 7,la ,farandola tutti consola71 followed by the beautiful ,provencal folk-song1 ,dolce una brezza1 intorno olezza1 which is full of local color4 ,tavena sings a quaint fortune-teller's roundelay 7,la stagione arriva71 and in the next scene ,mireille has a number of rare beauty 7,ah6 piu non temo fato 71 in which she declares her unalterable attachment to ,vincenzo4 ,the finale of this act1 with its strong aria 7,qui mi prostro innanzi ate71 is very spirited1 and in fact may be considered the only dramatic episode in the whole work4 ,the third act opens with the quaint little song of ,andreluno1 the shepherd boy 7,l'alba tranquilla71 with oboe accompaniment4 ,it also contains a plaintive song for tenor 7,ah6 se de preghi miei71 and closes with a waltz song 7,o d'amor messagera71 which is fairly gorgeous in bravura effects1 and ,hanslick says was a concession to ,miolan-,carvalho1 like the jewel song in ,faust and the waltz song in ,romeo and ,juliet4 ,in the original libretto the song had its place in the first act1 and indeed numerous changes have been made in the libretto since the opera first appeared2 as in the original1 ,mireille dies in the arms of her lover1 and ,urias1 ,vincenzo's rival1 is drowned in the ,rhone4 ,when it first appeared1 however1 great objection was made to several of the situations1 and the libretto was declared fantastic and uninteresting2 hence the changes4 ,as a lyric drama1 delightfully picturing the quaintness and simplicity of provincial life1 not alone in the tunefulness of the music1 but also in its pastoral naivete and what may be termed its folk-characteristics1 it will hold a high place upon the stage as long as young and fresh voices can be found to sing it4 ,,halevy4 ,jacques ,francois ,fromenthal ,elias ,halevy was born at ,paris1 ,may #bg1 #agii1 of ,israelitish parents1 whose name was originally ,levy4 ,he entered the ,conservatory in #ahji1 and in #ahai obtained the ,grand ,prize for his cantata of ,hermione4 ,after his arrival in ,italy he wrote several minor pieces1 but his music did not attract public attention until his return to ,paris1 when his three-act opera1 ,clari1 brought out ,dec4 #i1 #ahbh1 with ,malibran in the principal role1 made a success4 ,le ,dilettante d',avignon 7a satire on ,italian librettos71 ,manon ,lescaut 7a ballet in three acts71 ,la ,langue ,musicale1 ,la ,tentation1 and ,les ,souvenirs rapidly followed ,clari1 with alternating successes and failures4 ,in #ahce his great work1 ,la ,juive1 appeared1 and in the same year1 ,l',eclair1 one of his most charming operas1 written without chorus for two tenors and two sopranos4 ,it was considered at the time a marvellous feat that he should have produced two such opposite works in the same year1 and great hopes were entertained that he would surpass them4 ,these hopes failed1 however4 ,he subsequently wrote over twenty operas1 among them ,guido et ,ginevra 7#ahch72 ,charles ,,vi4 7#ahdb72 ,la ,reine de ,chypre 7#ahdb72 ,les ,mousquetaires de la ,reine 7#ahdf72 ,le ,val d',andorre 7#ahdh72 ,la ,tempete 7#ahec73 ,le ,juif ,errant 7#ahee71 and others2 but ,la ,juive and ,l',eclair remained his masterpieces1 and procured him admission into the ,institute4 ,he was also a professor in the ,conservatory1 and among his pupils were ,gounod1 ,masse1 ,bazin1 ,duvernoy1 ,bizet1 and others4 ,he enjoyed many honors1 and died ,march #ag1 #ahfb4 ,a ,de ,profundis was sung on the occasion of his funeral1 written by four of his pupils1 ,,mm4 ,gounod1 ,masse1 ,bazin1 and ,cohen4 ,as a composer he was influenced largely by ,meyerbeer1 and is remarkable rather for his large dramatic effects than for his melody4 ,,the ,,jewess ,la ,juive1 a grand opera in five acts1 words by ,scribe1 originally written for ,rossini and rejected in favor of ,william ,tell1 was produced for the first time at the ,academie1 ,paris1 ,feb4 #bc1 #ahce1 with the following cast of the principal parts3-- ,,rachel ,mlle4 ,,cornelia ,,falcon4 ,,eudoxia ,mme4 ,,dorus-,,gras4 ,,eleazar ,m4 ,,nourrit4 ,,cardinal ,m4 ,,levasseur4 ,it was first produced in ,england in ,french1 ,july #bi1 #ahdf1 and in ,italian under the title of ,la ,ebrea1 ,july #be1 #ahej4 ,in this country it is most familiar in the ,german version4 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,constance1 time1 #adad4 ,leopold1 a prince of the empire1 returning from the wars1 is enamoured of ,rachel1 a beautiful ,jewess1 daughter of ,eleazar the goldsmith4 ,the better to carry out his plans1 he calls himself ,samuel1 and pretends to be a ,jewish painter4 ,circumstances1 however1 dispel the illusion1 and ,rachel learns that he is no other than ,leopold1 husband of the princess ,eudoxia4 ,overcome with indignation at the discovery of his perfidy1 she publicly denounces his crime1 and the ,cardinal excommunicates ,leopold1 and pronounces his malediction on ,rachel and her father4 ,rachel1 ,eleazar1 and ,leopold are thrown into prison to await the execution of the sentence of death4 ,during their imprisonment ,eudoxia intercedes with ,rachel to save ,leopold's life1 and at last1 moved by the grief of the rightful wife1 she publicly recants her statement4 ,leopold is banished1 but ,rachel and her father are again condemned to death for conspiring against the life of a ,christian4 ,eleazar determines to be revenged in the moment of death upon the ,cardinal1 who has sentenced them1 and who is at the head of a church which he hates2 and just before they are thrown into a caldron of fire1 reveals to the spectators that ,rachel is not his own1 but an adopted daughter1 saved from the ruins of the ,cardinal's burning palace1 and that she is his child4 ,the opera of ,the ,jewess is pre-eminently spectacular1 and its music is dramatic and declamatory rather than melodious4 ,the prominent numbers of the first act are the solemn declaration of the ,cardinal 7,wenn ew'ger ,hass71 in which he replies to ,eleazar's hatred of the ,christian2 the romance sung by ,leopold 7,fern vom ,liebchen weilen71 which is in the nature of a serenade to ,rachel2 the drinking-song of the people at the fountain1 which is flowing wine 7,eilt herbei72 and the splendid chorus and march 7,leht1 es nahet sich der ,zug7 which preludes the imposing pageantry music of the ,emperor's arrival1 closing with the triumphant ,te ,deum to organ accompaniment and the greeting to the ,emperor1 ,hosanna1 unser ,kaiser hoch4 ,the second act opens with the celebration of the ,passover in ,eleazar's house1 and introduces a very solemn and impressive prayer 7,allmaecht'ger blicke gnaedig74 ,in the next scene there is a passionate ensemble and duet for ,eudoxia and ,leopold 7,ich will ihn seh'n71 which is followed by a second spirited duet between ,rachel and ,leopold 7,als mein ,herz72 an intensely dramatic aria 7,ach6 ,vater6 ,halt ein671 in which she claims her share of ,leopold's guilt2 and the final grand trio of anathema pronounced by ,eleazar4 ,the third act is principally devoted to the festivities of the royal pageants1 and closes with the anathema of the ,cardinal 7,ihr1 die ihr ,gottes ,zorn71 which is a concerted number of magnificent power and spirited dramatic effect4 ,the fourth act contains a grand duet between ,eleazar and the ,cardinal 7,hoert ich recht871 and closes with one of the most powerful scenas ever written for tenor 7,das ,todesurtheil sprich71 in which ,eleazar welcomes death and hurls defiance at the ,christians4 ,the last act is occupied with the tragic denouement1 which affords splendid opportunities for action1 and is accompanied by very dramatic music to the close1 often rising to real sublimity4 ,in the pageantry of the stage1 in the expression of high and passionate sentiment1 in elaborateness of treatment1 and in broad and powerful dramatic effect1 ,the ,jewess is one of the strongest operas in the modern repertory4 ,,humperdinck4 ,engelbert ,humperdinck1 the latest star in the ,german musical firmament1 was born1 ,sept4 #a1 #ahed1 at ,siegburg on the ,rhine1 and received his earliest musical training at the ,cologne ,conservatory4 ,he made such rapid progress in his studies1 showing special proficiency in composition1 that he carried off in succession the three prizes of the ,mozart1 ,mendelssohn1 and ,meyerbeer stipends4 ,these enabled him to continue his lessons at ,munich1 and afterwards in ,italy4 ,while in ,naples1 in #ahhj1 he attracted the attention of ,richard ,wagner as a rising genius1 and two years later had the honor of an invitation to go to ,venice as his guest1 upon the occasion of the performance of ,wagner's only symphony4 ,in #ahhe he went to ,barcelona1 ,spain1 where he taught composition1 and was the director of a quartette at the ,royal ,conservatory for two years4 ,in #ahhg he returned to ,cologne1 and since #ahij has been identified with a ,conservatory at ,frankfort-on-the-,main4 ,in addition to the opera ,hansel and ,gretel1 which has given him a world-wide fame1 he produced1 a few years ago1 a chorus ballad1 ,das ,glueck von ,edenhall1 and a cantata1 ,die ,wallfahrt nach ,kevelaar1 based upon ,heine's poem1 and scored for soloists1 chorus1 and orchestra4 ,he has also written several songs and piano pieces1 and1 it is now reported1 is engaged upon a dramatic composition called ,the ,royal ,children4 ,he is regarded in ,germany as the one composer who gives promise of continuing and developing the scheme of the music-drama as it was propounded by ,wagner4 ,,hansel ,,and ,,gretel4 ,hansel and ,gretel1 a fairy opera in three acts1 words by ,adelheid ,wette1 was first produced in ,germany in #ahid4 ,in ,january1 #ahie1 it was performed in ,london by the ,royal ,carl ,rosa ,opera ,company1 rendered into ,english by ,constance ,bache2 and in the fall of the same year it had its first representation in ,new ,york1 at ,daly's ,theatre1 with the following cast3-- ,,peter1 a broom-maker ,mr4 ,,jacques ,,bars4 ,,gertrude1 his wife ,miss ,,alice ,,gordon4 ,,the ,,witch ,miss ,,louise ,,meisslinger4 ,,hansel ,miss ,,marie ,,elba4 ,,gretel ,miss ,,jeanne ,,douste4 ,,sandman1 the ,sleep ,fairy ,miss ,,cecile ,,brani4 ,,dewman1 the ,dawn ,fairy ,miss ,,edith ,,johnston4 ,the story is taken from one of ,grimm's well-known fairy tales1 and the text was written by the composer's sister1 ,adelheid ,wette4 ,it was ,frau ,wette's intention to arrange the story in dramatic form for the amusement of her children1 her brother lending his co-operation by writing a few little melodies1 of a simple nature1 to accompany the performance4 ,when he had read it1 however1 the story took his fancy1 and its dramatic possibilities so appealed to him that he determined to give it an operatic setting with full orchestral score1 and thus placed it in the higher sphere of world performance by an art which not alone reveals the highest type of genial ,german sentimentality1 but1 curiously enough1 applied to this simple little story of angels1 witches1 and the two babes in the woods the same musical methods which ,wagner has employed in telling the stories of gods and demigods4 ,perhaps its highest praise was sounded by ,siegfried ,wagner1 son of ,richard ,wagner1 who declared that ,hansel and ,gretel was the most important ,german opera since ,parsifal1 notwithstanding its childishness and simplicity4 ,after a beautifully instrumented prelude1 which has already become a favorite concert piece1 the curtain rises upon the home of ,peter1 the broom-maker4 ,the parents are away seeking for food1 and ,hansel and ,gretel have been left in the cottage with instructions to knit and make brooms4 ,there is a charming dialogue between the two children1 beginning with a doleful lament over their poverty1 and ending with an outburst of childish hilarity in song and dancing1--a veritable romp in music1--which is suddenly interrupted by the return of ,gertrude1 the mother1 empty-handed1 who chides them for their behavior1 and in her anger upsets a jug of milk which was the only hope of supper in the house4 ,with an energetic outburst of recitative she sends them into the forest1 telling them not to return until they have filled their basket with strawberries4 ,after lamenting her loss1 and mourning over her many troubles1 she falls asleep1 but is awakened by the return of ,peter1 who has been more fortunate1 and has brought home some provisions4 ,a rollicking scene ensues1 but suddenly he misses the children1 and breaks out in a fit of rage when he is informed that they have gone into the forest4 ,to the accompaniment of most gruesome and characteristic music he tells his wife of the witch who haunts the woods1 and who1 living in a honey-cake house1 entices little children to it1 bakes them into gingerbread in her oven1 and then devours them4 ,the second act1 ,in the ,forest1 is preluded by a characteristic instrumental number1 ,the ,witches' ,ride4 ,the children are discovered near the ,ilsenstein1 among the fir-trees1 making garlands1 listening to the cuckoos1 and mocking them in a beautiful duet with echo accompaniment4 ,at last1 however1 they realize that they are lost2 and in the midst of their fear1 which is intensified by strange sights and sounds1 the ,sandman1 or sleep fairy1 approaches them1 strews sand in their eyes1 and sings them to sleep with a most delicious lullaby1 after they have recited their prayer1 ,when at night ,i go to sleep1 fourteen ,angels watch do keep4 ,as they sleep the mist rolls away1 the forest background disappears1 and the fourteen angels come down a sort of ,jacob's ladder and surround the children1 while other angels perform a stately dance1 grouping themselves in picturesque tableau as the curtain falls4 ,the third act is entitled ,the ,witch's ,house4 ,the children are still sleeping1 but the angels have vanished4 ,the ,dawn-,fairy steps forward and shakes dewdrops from a bluebell over them1 accompanying the action with a delightful song1 ,i'm up with early ,dawning4 ,gretel is the first to wake1 and rouses ,hansel by tickling him with a leaf1 at the same time singing a veritable tickling melody1 and then telling him what she has seen in her dream4 ,in place of the fir-trees they discover the witch's house at the ,ilsenstein1 with an oven on one side and on the other a cage1 both joined to the house by a curious fence of gingerbread figures4 ,the house itself is constructed of sweets and creams4 ,attracted by its delicious fragrance and toothsomeness1 the hungry children break off a piece and are nibbling at it1 when the old witch within surprises and captures them4 ,after a series of incantations1 and much riding upon her broomstick1 which are vividly portrayed in the music1 she prepares to cook ,gretel in the oven2 but while looking into it the children deftly tumble her into the fire4 ,the witch waltz1 danced by the children and full of joyous abandon1 follows4 ,to a most vivid accompaniment1 ,hansel rushes into the house and throws fruit1 nuts1 and sweetmeats into ,gretel's apron4 ,meanwhile the oven falls into bits1 and a crowd of children swarms around them1 released from their gingerbread disguises1 and sing a swelling chorus of gratitude as two of the boys drag the witch from the ruins of the oven in the form of a big gingerbread-cake4 ,the father and mother appear4 ,their long quest is ended4 ,the family join in singing a pious little hymn1 ,when past bearing is our grief1 ,god the ,lord will send relief2 and the children dance joyously around the reunited group4 ,the story is only a little child's tale1 but it is wedded to music of the highest order4 ,the union has been made so deftly1 the motives are so charming and take their places so skilfully1 and the music is so scholarly and characteristic throughout1 that no one has yet considered this union as incongruous4 ,in this respect ,hansel and ,gretel is a distinct creation in the operatic world4 ,,leoncavallo4 ,ruggiero ,leoncavallo1 a promising representative of the young ,italian school1 was born in ,naples1 ,march #h1 #aheh4 ,he first studied with ,siri1 and afterwards learned harmony and the piano from ,simonetti4 ,while a student at the ,naples ,conservatory he was advised by ,rossi1 one of his teachers1 to devote himself to opera4 ,in pursuance of this counsel1 he went to ,bologna1 and there wrote his first opera1 ,tommaso ,chatterton1 which still remains in manuscript and unperformed4 ,then followed a series of wander years1 during which he visited many ,european countries1 giving lessons in singing and upon the piano1 and meeting with varying fortunes4 ,in all these years1 however1 he cherished the plan of producing a trilogy in the ,wagnerian manner with a groundwork from ,florentine history4 ,in a letter he says3 ,i subdivided the historical periods in the following way3 first part1 ',i ,medici1' from the accession of ,sextus ,,iv4 to the ,pazzi conspiracy2 second part1 ',savonorola1' from the investiture of ,fra ,benedetto to the death of ,savonorola2 third part1 ',cesare ,borgia1' from the death of the ,duke of ,candia to that of ,alexander ,,vi4 ,the first part was completed and performed in ,milan in ,november1 #ahic1 and was a failure1 notwithstanding its effective instrumentation4 ,it was not so1 however1 with the little two-act opera ,i ,pagliacci1 which was produced ,may #ba1 #ahib1 at ,milan1 and met with an instantaneous and enthusiastic success4 ,his next work was a chorus with orchestral accompaniment1 the text based upon ,balzac's rhapsodical and highly wrought ,seraphita1 which was performed at ,milan in #ahid4 ,it has been recently reported that the ,emperor of ,germany has given him a commission to produce an opera upon a national subject1 ,roland of ,berlin4 ,of his works1 ,i ,pagliacci is the only one known in the ,united ,states4 ,it has met with great favor here1 and has become standard in the ,italian repertory4 ,i ,,pagliacci4 ,i ,pagliacci1 an ,italian opera in two acts1 words by the composer1 ,ruggiero ,leoncavallo1 was first performed at ,milan1 ,may #ba1 #ahib1 and was introduced in this country in the spring of #ahid1 ,mme4 ,arnoldson1 ,mme4 ,calve1 and ,signors ,ancona1 ,gromzeski1 ,guetary1 and ,de ,lucia taking the principal parts4 ,the scene is laid in ,calabria during the ,feast of the ,assumption4 ,the ,pagliacci are a troupe of itinerant mountebanks1 the characters being ,nedda1 the ,columbine1 who is wife of ,canio1 or ,punchinello1 master of the troupe2 ,tonio1 the ,clown2 ,beppe1 the ,harlequin2 and ,silvio1 a villager4 ,the first act opens with the picturesque arrival of the troupe in the village1 and the preparations for a performance in the rustic theatre1 with which the peasants are overjoyed4 ,the tragic element of the composition is apparent at once1 and the action moves swiftly on to the fearful denouement4 ,tonio1 the clown1 is in love with ,nedda1 and before the performance makes advances to her1 which she resents by slashing him across the face with ,beppe's riding-whip4 ,he rushes off vowing revenge1 and upon his return overhears ,nedda declaring her passion for ,silvio1 a young peasant1 and arranging to elope with him4 ,tonio thereupon seeks ,canio1 and tells him of his wife's infidelity4 ,canio hurries to the spot1 encounters ,nedda2 but ,silvio has fled1 and she refuses to give his name4 ,he attempts to stab her1 but is prevented by ,beppe1 and the act closes with the final preparation for the show1 the grief-stricken husband donning the motley in gloomy and foreboding silence4 ,the second act opens with ,tonio beating the big drum1 and the people crowding to the show1 among them ,silvio1 who manages to make an appointment with ,nedda while she is collecting the money4 ,the curtain of the little theatre rises1 disclosing a small room barely furnished4 ,the play to be performed is almost an identical picture of the real situation in the unfortunate little troupe4 ,columbine1 who is to poison her husband1 ,punchinello1 is entertaining her lover1 ,harlequin1 while ,taddeo1 the clown1 watches for ,punchinello's return4 ,when ,canio finally appears the mimic tragedy becomes one in reality4 ,inflamed with passion1 he rushes upon ,nedda1 and demands the name of her lover4 ,she still refuses to tell4 ,he draws his dagger4 ,nedda1 conscious of her danger1 calls upon ,silvio in the audience to save her2 but it is too late4 ,her husband kills her1 and ,silvio1 who rushes upon the stage1 is killed with the same dagger4 ,with a wild cry full of hate1 jealousy1 and despair1 the unfortunate ,canio tells the audience ,la commedia e finita 7,the comedy is finished74 ,the curtain falls upon the tragedy1 and the excited audience disperses4 ,the story is peculiarly ,italian in its motive1 though the composer has been charged with taking it from ,la ,femme de ,tabarin1 by the ,french novelist1 ,catulle ,mendes4 ,be this as it may1 ,leoncavallo's version has the merit of brevity1 conciseness1 ingenuity1 and swift action1 closing in a denouement of great tragic power and capable1 in the hands of a good actor1 of being made very effective4 ,the composer has not alone been charged with borrowing the story1 but also with plagiarizing the music4 ,so far as the accusation of plagiarism is concerned1 however1 it hardly involves anything more serious than those curious resemblances which are so often found in musical compositions4 ,as a whole1 the opera is melodious1 forceful1 full of snap and go1 and intensely dramatic1 and is without a dull moment from the prologue 7,si puo8 ,signore7 sung before the curtain by ,tonio to that last despairing outcry of ,canio 7,la commedia e finita71 upon which the curtain falls4 ,the prominent numbers are the prologue already referred to2 ,nedda's beautiful cavatina in the second scene 7,o1 che volo d'angello72 her duet with ,silvio in the third scene 7,e allor perche72 the passionate declamation of ,canio at the close of the first act 7,recitur6 mentre preso dal delirio72 the serenade of ,beppe in the second act 7,o ,colombino1 il tenero72 and the graceful dance-music which plays so singular a part in this fierce struggle of the passions1 which forms the motive of the closing scenes4 ,,mascagni4 ,pietro ,mascagni1 who leaped into fame at a single bound1 was born at ,leghorn1 ,dec4 #g1 #ahfc4 ,his father was a baker1 and had planned for his son a career in the legal profession2 but1 as often happens1 fate ordered otherwise4 ,his tastes were distinctly musical1 and his determination to study music was encouraged by ,signor ,bianchi1 a singing teacher1 who recognized his talent4 ,for a time he took lessons1 unknown to his father1 of ,soffredini1 but when it was discovered he was ordered to abandon music and devote himself to the law4 ,at this juncture his uncle ,stefano came to his rescue1 took him to his house1 provided him with a piano1 and also with the means to pursue his studies4 ,recognizing the uselessness of further objections1 the father at last withdrew them1 and left his son free to follow his own pleasure4 ,he progressed so rapidly under ,soffredini that he was soon engaged in composition1 his first works being a symphony in ,c minor and a ,kyrie1 which were performed in #ahgi4 ,in #ahha he composed a cantata1 ,in ,filanda1 and a setting of ,schiller's hymn1 ,an die ,freude1 both of which had successful public performances4 ,the former attracted the attention of a rich nobleman who furnished young ,mascagni with the means to attend the ,milan ,conservatory4 ,after studying there a short time1 he suddenly left ,milan with an operatic troupe1 and visited various ,italian cities1 a pilgrimage which was of great value to him1 as it made him acquainted with the resources of an orchestra and the details of conducting4 ,the troupe1 however1 met with hard fortunes1 and was soon disbanded1 throwing ,mascagni upon the world4 ,for a few years he made a precarious living in obscure towns1 by teaching1 and had at last reached desperate extremities when one day he read in a newspaper that ,sonzogno1 the music publisher1 had offered prizes for the three best one act operas1 to be performed in ,rome4 ,he at once entered into the competition1 and produced ,cavalleria ,rusticana4 ,it took the first prize4 ,it did more than this for the impecunious composer4 ,when performed1 it made a success of enthusiasm4 ,he was called twenty times before the curtain4 ,honors and decorations were showered upon him4 ,he was everywhere greeted with serenades and ovations4 ,every opera-house in ,europe clamored for the new work4 ,in a day he had risen from utter obscurity and become world-famous4 ,his sudden popularity1 however1 had a pernicious effect1 as it induced him to rush out more operas without giving sufficient time to their preparation4 ,l',amico ,fritz1 based upon the well-known ,erckmann-,chatrian story1 and ,i ,rantzau quickly followed ,cavalleria ,rusticana1 but did not meet with its success4 ,last year however he produced two operas at ,milan1 ,guglielmo ,ratcliff and ,silvano1 which proved successful4 ,whether ,cavalleria ,rusticana is to remain as his only hold upon popular favor1 the future alone can tell2 but that he has talent of the highest order1 and that he has produced an opera whose reception has been almost unparalleled in the world of music cannot be questioned4 ,,cavalleria ,,rusticana4 ,cavalleria ,rusticana1 an opera in one act1 words by ,signori ,targioni-,tozzetti and ,menasci1 music by ,pietro ,mascagni1 was written in #ahij1 and was first performed at the ,costanzi ,theatre in ,rome1 ,may #bj1 of that year1 with ,gemma ,bellinconi and ,roberto ,stagno in the two principal roles4 ,it had its first ,american production in ,philadelphia1 ,sept4 #i1 #ahia1 with ,mme4 ,kronold as ,santuzza1 ,miss ,campbell as ,lola1 ,guille as ,turridu1 ,del ,puente as ,alfio1 and ,jeannie ,teal as ,lucia4 ,the story upon which the text of ,cavalleria ,rusticana is based is taken from a ,sicilian tale by ,giovanni ,verga4 ,it is peculiarly ,italian in its motive1 running a swift1 sure gamut of love1 flirtation1 jealousy1 and death1--a melodrama of a passionate and tragic sort1 amid somewhat squalid environments1 that particularly lends itself to music of ,mascagni's forceful sort4 ,the overture graphically presents the main themes of the opera1 and these themes illustrate a very simple but strong story4 ,turridu1 a young ,sicilian peasant1 arrived home from army service1 finds that his old love1 ,lola1 during his absence has married ,alfio1 a carter4 ,to console himself he makes love to ,santuzza1 who returns his passion with ardor4 ,the inconstant ,turridu1 however1 soon tires of her and makes fresh advances to ,lola1 who1 inspired by her jealousy of ,santuzza1 and her natural coquetry1 smiles upon him again4 ,the latter seeks to reclaim him1 and1 when she is rudely repulsed1 tells the story of ,lola's perfidy to ,alfio1 who challenges ,turridu and kills him4 ,during the overture ,turridu sings a charming ,siciliana 7,o ,lola c'hai di latti71 and the curtain rises1 disclosing a ,sicilian village with a church decorated for ,easter service4 ,as the sacristan opens its doors1 the villagers appear and sing a hymn to the ,madonna4 ,a hurried duet follows1 in which ,santuzza reveals to mother ,lucia her grief at the perfidy of ,turridu4 ,her discourse is interrupted by the entrance of ,alfio1 singing a rollicking whip-song 7,il cavallo scalpita7 with accompaniment of male chorus4 ,the scene then develops into a trio1 closing with a hymn 7,inneggiamo1 il ,signor71 sung by the people in the square1 and led by ,santuzza herself1 and blending with the ,regina ,coeli1 performed by the choir inside the church with organ accompaniment1 the number finally working up into a tremendous climax in genuine ,italian style4 ,in the next scene ,santuzza tells her sad story to ,lucia1 ,turridu's mother1 in a romanza of great power 7,voi lo sapete71 closing with an outburst of the highest significance as she appeals to ,lucia to pray for her4 ,in the next scene ,turridu enters4 ,santuzza upbraids him1 and a passionate duet follows in which ,santuzza's suspicions are more than confirmed by his avowal of his passion for ,lola4 ,the duet is interrupted by a song of the latter1 heard in the distance with harp accompaniment 7,fior di giaggiolo74 ,as she approaches the pair the song grows livelier1 and at its close she banters poor ,santuzza with biting sarcasms1 and assails ,turridu with all the arts of coquetry4 ,she passes into the church1 confident that the infatuated ,turridu will follow her4 ,an impassioned duo of great power follows1 in which ,santuzza pleads with him to love her1 but all in vain4 ,he rushes into the church4 ,she attempts to follow him1 but falls upon the steps just as ,alfio comes up4 ,to him she relates the story of her troubles1 and of ,turridu's baseness4 ,alfio promises to revenge her1 and another powerful duet follows4 ,as they leave the stage1 there is a sudden and most unexpected change in the character of the music and the motive of the drama4 ,in the place of struggle1 contesting passions1 and manifestations of rage1 hate1 and jealousy ensues an intermezzo for orchestra1 with an accompaniment of harps and organ1 of the utmost simplicity and sweetness1 breathing something like a sacred calm1 and turning the thoughts away from all this human turmoil into conditions of peace and rest4 ,it has not only become one of the most favorite numbers in the concert repertory1 but is ground out from every barrel-organ the world over1 and yet it has retained its hold upon popular admiration4 ,at its close the turmoil begins again and the action hastens to the tragic denouement4 ,the people come out of the church singing a glad chorus which is followed by a drinking song 7,viva il vino71 sung by ,turridu1 and joined in by ,lola and chorus4 ,in the midst of the hilarity ,alfio appears4 ,turridu invites him to join them and drink2 but he refuses1 and the quarrel begins4 ,lola and the frightened women withdraw4 ,turridu bites ,alfio's right ear1--a ,sicilian form of challenge4 ,the scene closes with the death of the former at ,alfio's hands1 and ,santuzza is avenged2 but the fickle ,lola has gone her way bent upon other conquests4 ,,meyerbeer4 ,giacomo ,meyerbeer1 the eldest son of ,herz ,beer1 was born in ,berlin1 ,sept4 #e1 #agid4 ,he was named ,jacob ,meyer ,beer1 but afterwards called himself ,giacomo ,meyerbeer4 ,his early studies were pursued with the pianist ,lanska1 and ,bernard ,anselm ,weber1 chief of the ,berlin orchestra4 ,at fifteen he became the pupil of ,vogler in ,darmstadt1 with whom he displayed such talent in composition that he was named ,composer to the ,court by the ,grand ,duke4 ,at eighteen his first dramatic work1 ,the ,daughter of ,jephtha1 was performed at ,munich4 ,he then began the world for himself1 and made his debut in ,vienna as a pianist with great success4 ,his first opera1 ,the ,two ,caliphs1 met with complete failure1 as it was not written in the ,italian form4 ,he at once transformed his style and brought out ,romilda e ,costanza1 a serio-comic opera1 with great success1 at ,padua4 ,in #ahbj1 ,emma di ,resburgo appeared at ,venice1 and from this period his star was in the ascendant4 ,the ,gate of ,brandeburg1 ,margharita d' ,anjou1 ,esule di ,granata1 and ,almanzar followed in quick succession1 and were well received1 though with nothing like the furor which ,il ,crociato in ,egitto created in ,venice in #ahbd4 ,his next great work1 ,robert le ,diable1 was produced in ,paris1 ,nov4 #ba1 #ahca1 the unparalleled success of which carried its fame to every part of the civilized world4 ,in #ahcf ,the ,huguenots1 unquestionably his masterpiece1 was brought out1 and it still holds its place as one of the grandest dramatic works the world has ever seen4 ,in #ahch ,scribe furnished him the libretto of ,l',africaine1 but before the music was finished he had changed the text so much that ,scribe withdrew it altogether4 ,he was consoled1 however1 by ,meyerbeer's taking from him the libretto of ,le ,prophete1 this opera being finished in #ahdc4 ,during the following year he wrote several miscellaneous pieces besides the three-act ,german opera1 ,ein ,feldlager in ,schlesien1 in which ,jenny ,lind made her ,berlin debut4 ,in #ahdf he composed the overture and incidental music to his brother's drama of ,struensee1 and in #ahdg he not only prepared the way for ,wagner's ,flying ,dutchman in ,paris1 but personally produced ,rienzi1--services which ,wagner poorly requited4 ,in #ahdi ,le ,prophete was given in ,paris2 in #ahed1 ,l',etoile du ,nord2 and in #ahei1 ,dinorah2 but none of them reached the fame of ,the ,huguenots4 ,in #ahfj he wrote two cantatas and commenced a musical drama called ,goethe's ,jugendzeit1 which was never finished4 ,in #ahfb and #ahfc he worked upon ,l',africaine1 and at last brought it forward as far as a rehearsal2 but he died ,april #bc1 #ahfc1 and it was not performed until two years after his death4 ,,the ,,huguenots4 ,les ,huguenots1 a grand opera in five acts1 words by ,scribe and ,deschamps1 was first produced at the ,academie1 ,paris1 ,feb4 #bi1 #ahcf1 with the following cast of the principal parts3-- ,,valentin ,mlle4 ,,falcon4 ,,marguerite ,,de ,,valois ,mme4 ,,dorus-,,gras4 ,,urbain ,mlle4 ,,flecheux4 ,,count ,,de ,,st4 ,,bris ,m4 ,,lerda4 ,,count ,,de ,,nevers ,m4 ,,derivis4 ,,raoul ,,de ,,nangis ,m4 ,,nourrit4 ,,marcel ,m4 ,,levasseur4 ,at its first production in ,london in ,italian1 as ,gli ,ugonotti1 ,july #bj1 #ahdh1 the cast was even more remarkable than that above4 ,meyerbeer specially adapted the opera for the performance1 transposed the part of the page1 which was written for a soprano1 and expressly composed a cavatina to be sung by ,mme4 ,alboni1 in the scene of the chateau and gardens of ,chenonceaux1 forming the second act of the original work1 but now given as the second scene of the first act in the ,italian version4 ,the cast was as follows3-- ,,valentin ,mme4 ,,pauline ,,viardot4 ,,marguerite ,,de ,,valois ,mme4 ,,castellan4 ,,urbain ,mlle4 ,,alboni4 ,,count ,,de ,,st4 ,,bris ,sig4 ,,tamburini4 ,,count ,,de ,,nevers ,sig4 ,,tagliafico4 ,,raoul ,,de ,,nangis ,sig4 ,,mario4 ,,marcel ,sig4 ,,marini4 ,the action of the opera passes in #aegb1 the first and second acts in ,touraine1 and the remainder in ,paris4 ,the first act opens on a scene of revelry in the salon of ,count de ,nevers1 where a number of noblemen1 among them ,raoul de ,nangis1 a ,protestant1 accompanied by his faithful old ,huguenot servant1 ,marcel1 are present1 telling stories of their exploits in love4 ,marguerite de ,valois1 the betrothed of ,henry ,,iv41 for the sake of reconciling the dispute between the two religious sects1 sends her page to ,de ,nevers's salon and invites ,raoul to her chateau4 ,when he arrives1 ,marguerite informs him of her purpose to give him in marriage to a ,catholic lady1 daughter of the ,count de ,st4 ,bris4 ,raoul at first consents2 but when ,valentin is introduced to him and he discovers her to be a lady whom he had once rescued from insult and who had visited ,de ,nevers in his salon1 he rejects the proposition1 believing that her affections have been bestowed upon another1 and that his enemies are seeking to entrap him4 ,st4 ,bris challenges ,raoul for the affront1 but the ,queen disarms the angry combatants4 ,valentin is now urged to marry ,count de ,nevers1 and begs that she may pass the day in prayer in the chapel4 ,meanwhile ,count de ,st4 ,bris1 who has been challenged by ,raoul1 forms a plot for his assassination1 which is overheard by ,valentin from within the chapel4 ,she communicates the plot to ,marcel1 who lies in wait with a party of ,huguenots in the vicinity of the duel1 and comes to ,raoul's rescue when danger threatens him4 ,a general combat is about to ensue1 but it is suppressed by ,marguerite1 who suddenly appears upon the scene4 ,raoul thus discovers that he owes his life to ,valentin1 and that her visit to ,de ,nevers was to induce him to sever the relations between them1 as she was in love with ,raoul4 ,the announcement comes too late1 for the marriage festivities have already begun4 ,raoul visits her for the last time4 ,their interview is disturbed by the approach of ,de ,nevers1 ,st4 ,bris1 and other ,catholic noblemen1 who meet to arrange the details of the plot conceived by ,catherine de ,medicis for the slaughter of the ,huguenots on ,st4 ,bartholomew's ,eve4 ,valentin hurriedly conceals ,raoul behind the tapestries1 where he overhears their plans and witnesses the conjuration and the blessing of the swords1 as well as the refusal of the chivalrous ,de ,nevers to engage in murder4 ,after the conspirators have departed1 ,raoul and ,valentin have a long and affecting interview1 in which he hesitates between love and honor1 ,valentin striving to detain him lest he may be included in the general massacre4 ,honor at last prevails1 and he joins his friends just before the work of slaughter begins4 ,he rushes to the festivities which are about to be given in honor of the marriage of ,marguerite with the ,king of ,navarre1 and warns the ,huguenots of their danger4 ,he then makes his way to a chapel where many of them are gathered for refuge4 ,he finds ,marcel1 who has been wounded1 and who brings him the tidings of the death of ,de ,nevers4 ,the faithful ,valentin joins them to share their fate4 ,amid the horrors of the massacre ,marcel blesses and unites them4 ,they enter the church and all perish together4 ,the first act opens with the brilliant chorus of the revellers 7,piacer della mensa71 which is full of courtly grace4 ,raoul tells the story of the unknown fair one he has encountered1 in the romanza1 ,piu bianca del velo4 ,when ,marcel is called upon1 he hurriedly chants the hymn1 ,o tu che ognor1 set to the ,martin ,luther air1 ,ein feste ,burg1 and heightened by a stirring accompaniment1 and then bursts out into a graphic song 7,finita e pe' frati71 emphasized with the piff-paff of bullets and full of martial fervor4 ,in delightful contrast with the fierce ,huguenot song comes the lively and graceful romanza of ,urbain 7,nobil donna e tanto onesta71 followed by a delightful septet4 ,the scene now changes1 and with it the music4 ,we are in the ,queen's gardens at ,chenonceaux4 ,every number1 the ,queen's solo 7,a questa voce sola71 the delicate ,bathers' ,chorus1 as it is called 7,audiam1 regina1 in questo amene sponde71 the brilliant and graceful allegretto sung by ,urbain 7,no1 no1 no1 no71 the duet between the ,queen and ,raoul1 based upon one of the most flowing of melodies1 and the spirited and effective finale in which the nobles take the oath of allegiance 7,per la fe1 per l'onore71--each and every one of these is colored with consummate skill1 while all are invested with chivalrous refinement and stately grace4 ,the second act opens with a beautiful choral embroidery in which different choruses1 most striking in contrast1 are interwoven with masterly skill4 ,it is a picture1 in music1 of the old ,paris4 ,the citizens rejoice over their day's work done4 ,the ,huguenots shout their lusty ,rataplan1 while the ,papist maidens sing their solemn litany 7,ave ,maria7 on their way to chapel2 and as they disappear1 the quaint tones of the curfew chant are heard1 and night and rest settle down upon the city4 ,it is a striking introduction to what follows1--the exquisite duet between ,marcel and ,valentin1 the great septet of the duel scene1 beginning1 ,de dritti miei ho l'alma accesa1 with the tremendous double chorus which follows as the two bands rush upon the scene4 ,as if for relief from the storm of this scene1 the act closes with brilliant pageant music as ,de ,nevers approaches to escort ,valentin to her bridal4 ,the third act is the climax of the work1 and stands almost unrivalled in the field of dramatic music1 for the manner in which horror and passion are illustrated4 ,after a dark and despairing aria by ,valentin 7,eccomi sola ormai71 and a brief duet with ,raoul1 the conspirators enter4 ,the great trio1 closing with the conjuration1 ,quel ,dio1 the awful and stately chant of the monks in the blessing of the unsheathed daggers 7,sia gloria eterna e onore71 and the thrilling unisons of the chorus 7,d'un sacro zel l'ardore71 which fairly glow with energy1 fierceness1 and religious fury1--these numbers of themselves might have made an act2 but ,meyerbeer does not pause here4 ,he closes with a duet between ,raoul and ,valentin which does not suffer in comparison with the tremendous combinations which have preceded it4 ,it is filled with the alternations of despair and love1 of grief and ecstasy4 ,in its movement it is the very whirlwind of passion4 ,higher form dramatic music can hardly reach4 ,in the ,italian version the performance usually closes at this point2 but there is still another striking and powerful scene1 that in which ,raoul and ,valentin are united by the dying ,marcel4 ,then the three join in a sublime trio1 and for the last time chant together the old ,lutheran psalm1 and await their fate amid the triumphant harpings that sound from the orchestra and the hosanna they sing to its accompaniment4 ,,the ,,star ,,of ,,the ,,north4 ,l',etoile du ,nord1 an opera in three acts1 words by ,scribe1 was first performed at the ,opera ,comique1 ,paris1 ,feb4 #af1 #ahed1 and in ,italian as ,la ,stella del ,nord at ,covent ,garden1 ,london1 ,july #ai1 #ahee4 ,in ,english it has been produced under the title of ,the ,star of the ,north4 ,the opera contains several numbers from the composer's earlier work1 ,feldlager in ,schlesien1 which was written for the opening of the ,berlin opera-house1 in memory of ,frederick the ,great1 and was subsequently 7,feb4 #ag1 #ahdg7 performed with great success in ,vienna1 ,jenny ,lind taking the role of ,vielka4 ,the ,feldlager1 however1 has never been given out of ,germany4 ,the action of the opera transpires in ,wyborg1 on the ,gulf of ,finland1 in the first act1 at a camp of the ,russians in the second1 and at the palace of the ,czar ,peter in the third4 ,in the first1 ,peter1 who is working at ,wyborg1 disguised as a carpenter1 makes the acquaintance of ,danilowitz1 a pastry-cook1 and ,catharine1 a cantiniere1 whose brother ,george is about to marry ,prascovia4 ,catharine brings about this marriage2 and not only that1 but saves the little village from an invasion by a strolling horde of ,tartars1 upon whose superstition she practises successfully1 and so conducts herself in general that ,peter falls in love with her1 and they are betrothed1 though she is not aware of the real person who is her suitor4 ,meanwhile the conscription takes place1 and to save her newly wedded brother she volunteers for fifteen days in his place1 disguising herself as a soldier4 ,in the next act we find ,catharine going her rounds as a sentinel in the ,russian camp on the ,finnish frontier4 ,peter and ,danilowitz are also there1 and are having a roistering time in their tent1 drinking and making love to a couple of girls4 ,hearing ,peter's voice she recognizes it1 and curiosity leads her to peep into the tent4 ,she is shocked at what she beholds1 neglects her duty1 and is found by the corporal in this insubordinate condition4 ,he remonstrates with her1 and she answers with a slap on his ears1 for which she incurs the penalties of disobedience to orders as well as insulting behavior to her superior officer4 ,peter at last is roused from his drunkenness by the news of an insurrection among his own soldiers and the approach of the enemy4 ,he rushes out and promises to give ,peter into their hands if they will obey and follow him4 ,at last1 struck with his bearing and authority1 they demand to know who he is1 whereupon he declares himself the ,czar4 ,the mutiny is at once quelled4 ,they submit1 and offer their lives as warrant for their loyalty4 ,the last act opens in the ,czar's palace1 where his old companion1 ,danilowitz1 has been installed in high favor4 ,catharine1 however1 has disappeared4 ,george and ,prascovia arrive from ,finland1 but they know nothing of her4 ,the faithful ,danilowitz finds her1 but she has lost her reason4 ,her friends try to restore it by surrounding her with recollections of home1 and ,peter at last succeeds by playing upon his flute the airs he used to play to her in ,finland4 ,her senses come back1 and thus all ends happily2 for ,catharine and ,peter are at last united amid the acclamations of the people4 ,in the first act the character of ,peter is well expressed in the surly1 growling bass of his soliloquy 7,vedra1 vedra74 ,it is followed by a characteristic drinking-chorus 7,alla ,finlanda1 beviam71 a wild1 barbaric rhythm in the minor1 which passes into a prayer as they invoke the protection of ,heaven upon ,charles ,,xii4 ,in the eighth scene occur the couplets of ,gritzensko as he sings the wild song of the ,kalmucks4 ,in charming contrast1 in the next scene1 ,catharine sings the gypsy rondo1 which ,jenny ,lind made so famous 7,wlastla la santa71 which is characterized by graceful coquetry2 and this in turn is followed by a striking duet between ,catharine and ,peter1 in which the individual characteristics of the two are brought out in genuine ,wagnerian style4 ,in the thirteenth scene occurs the bridal song of ,prascovia 7,al suono dell'ora71 with choral accompaniment1 of a delicate and coquettish cast1 leading up to the finale1 beginning with the soldiers' chorus 7,onor che a gloria71 with an accompaniment of drums and fifes1 again passing to a pathetic prayer 7,veglia dal ciel su lor7 sung by ,catharine amid the ringing of bells as the bridal wreath is placed upon ,prascovia's head1 and closing with a florid barcarole 7,vascel che lasci7 as she sails away4 ,the second act opens with ballet music1 full of ,eastern color1 and then ensues one of those choral combinations1 like that in the second act of the ,huguenots1 in which ,meyerbeer so much delighted1--a cavalry chorus 7,bel cavalier del cuor d'acciar71 followed by the ,grenadier's song1 accompanied by chorus 7,granadier di ,russia esperti71 the chorus taking up the tr-r-r-um refrain in imitation of the drum4 ,in the eighth scene we have the orgy in the tent in the form of a very spirited dramatic trio1 in which ,peter sings a blithe drinking-song 7,vedi al par del rubino72 this in turn resolving into a quintet 7,vezzose vivandiere71 and again into a sextet1 as ,ismailoff enters with a letter for the ,czar4 ,the finale is a superb military picture1 made up of the imposing oath of death to the tyrant1 the stirring ,dessauer march1 the cavalry fanfare1 and the ,grenadiers' march1 interwoven with the chorus of women as they cheer on the marching soldiers4 ,the third act opens with a romanza 7,dal cor per iscacciare71 very tender and beautiful1 in which the rugged ,czar shows us the sentimental side of his character4 ,in the third scene occurs a long buffo trio between ,peter1 ,gritzensko1 and ,danilowitz1 which is full of humor4 ,in the finale we have ,catharine in the mad scene1 singing the scena1 ,l'aurora alfin succede1 with bits of the old music running through the accompaniment2 and in the final scene1 as her reason returns1 breaking out in the florid bravura1 ,non s'ode alcun1 accompanied by the first and second flutes1 which is a triumph of virtuosity for the voice4 ,this number was taken from ,the ,camp in ,silesia1 and was given by ,jenny ,lind with immense success1 not only in the latter work1 but upon the concert stage4 ,the opera as a whole abounds in humor1 its music is fresh and brilliant1 and its military character makes it specially attractive4 ,,robert ,,the ,,devil ,robert le ,diable1 a grand opera in five acts1 words by ,scribe and ,delavigne1 was first produced at the ,academie1 ,paris1 ,nov4 #ba1 #ahca1 with the following cast3-- ,,alice ,mlle4 ,,dorus4 ,,isabelle ,mme4 ,,cinti-,,damoreau4 ,,the ,,abbess ,sigr4 ,,taglioni4 ,,robert ,m4 ,,nourrit4 ,,bertram ,m4 ,,levasseur4 ,,raimbaut ,m4 ,,lafont4 ,in the following year two versions in ,english1 both of them imperfect1 were brought out by the rival theatres1 ,covent ,garden and ,drury ,lane4 ,on the #bjth of ,february it appeared at ,drury ,lane under the title of ,the ,demon2 or1 the ,mystic ,branch1 and at ,covent ,garden the next evening as ,the ,fiend ,father1 or ,robert ,normandy4 ,drury ,lane had twenty-four hours the start of its rival1 but in neither case were the representations anything but poor imitations of the original4 ,on the #aath of the following ,june the ,french version was produced at the ,king's ,theatre1 ,london1 with the same cast as in ,paris1 except that the part of ,alice was taken by ,mme4 ,de ,meric1 and that of the ,abbess by the danseuse ,mlle4 ,heberle4 ,on the #dth of ,may1 #ahdg1 the first ,italian version was produced at ,her ,majesty's ,theatre1 with ,jenny ,lind and ,staudigl in the cast4 ,gruneisen1 the author of a brief memoir of ,meyerbeer1 who was present1 says3 ,the night was rendered memorable1 not only by the massacre attending the general execution1 but also by the debut of ,mlle4 ,lind in this country1 who appeared as ,alice4 ,with the exception of the debutante1 such a disgraceful exhibition was never before witnessed on the operatic stage4 ,mendelssohn was sitting in the stalls1 and at the end of the third act1 unable to bear any longer the executive infliction1 he left the theatre4 ,the libretto of ,robert the ,devil is absurd in its conceptions and sensational in its treatment of the story1 notwithstanding that it came from such famous dramatists as ,scribe and ,delavigne2 and it would have been still worse had it not been for ,meyerbeer4 ,scribe1 it is said1 wished to introduce a bevy of sea-nymphs1 carrying golden oars1 as the tempters of ,robert2 but the composer would not have them1 and insisted upon the famous scene of the nuns1 as it now stands1 though these were afterwards made the butt of almost endless ridicule4 ,mendelssohn himself1 who was in ,paris at this time1 writes3 ,i cannot imagine how any music could be composed on such a cold1 formal extravaganza as this4 ,the story runs as follows3 ,the scene is laid in ,sicily1 where ,robert1 ,duke of ,normandy1 who by his daring and gallantries had earned the sobriquet of the ,devil1 banished by his own subjects1 has arrived to attend a tournament given by the ,duke of ,messina4 ,in the opening scene1 while he is carousing with his knights1 the minstrel ,raimbaut sings a song descriptive of the misdeeds of ,robert4 ,the latter is about to revenge himself on the minstrel1 when ,alice1 his foster-sister and the betrothed of ,raimbaut1 appears and pleads with him to give up his wicked courses1 and resist the spirit of evil which is striving to get the mastery of him4 ,robert then confides to ,alice his hopeless passion for ,isabella1 daughter of the ,duke4 ,while they are conversing1 ,bertram1 the unknown1 enters1 and ,alice shrinks back affrighted1 fancying she sees in him the evil spirit who is luring ,robert on to ruin4 ,after she leaves1 ,bertram entices him to the gaming-table1 from which he rises a beggar1--and worse than this1 he still further prejudices his cause with ,isabella by failing to attend the tournament1 thus forfeiting his knightly honor4 ,the second act opens upon an orgy of the evil spirits in the cavern of ,st4 ,irene4 ,bertram is present1 and makes a compact with them to loose ,robert from his influence if he does not yield to his desires at once4 ,alice1 who has an appointment with the minstrel in the cavern1 overhears the compact1 and determines to save him4 ,robert soon appears1 mourning over his losses and dishonor2 but ,bertram promises to restore everything if he will visit the ruined ,abbey of ,st4 ,rosalie1 and carry away a mystic branch which has the power of conferring wealth1 happiness1 and immortality4 ,he consents2 and in the next scene ,bertram pronounces the incantation which calls up the buried nuns4 ,dazed with their ghostly fascinations1 ,robert seizes the branch and flies4 ,his first use of it is to enter the apartments of ,isabella1 unseen by her or her attendants1 all of whom become immovable in the presence of the mystic talisman4 ,he declares his intention of carrying her away2 but moved by her entreaties he breaks the branch1 which destroys the charm4 ,in the last act ,bertram is at his side again1 trying to induce him to sign the fatal compact4 ,the strains of sacred music which he hears1 and the recollections of his mother1 restrain him4 ,in desperation ,bertram announces himself as his fiend-father4 ,he is about to yield1 when ,alice appears and reads to him his mother's warning against the fiend's temptation4 ,as he still hesitates1 the clock strikes1 and the spell is over4 ,bertram disappears1 and the scene changes to the cathedral1 where ,isabella in her wedding robes awaits the saved ,robert4 ,from the musical point of view ,robert le ,diable is interesting1 as it marks the beginning of a new school of grand opera4 ,with this work1 ,meyerbeer abandoned the school of ,rossini and took an independent course4 ,he cut loose from the conventional classic forms and gave the world dramatic music1 melodies of extraordinary dramatic force1 brilliant orchestration1 stately pageants1 and theatrical effects4 ,robert le ,diable was the first of the subsequent great works from his pen which still further emphasized his new and independent departure4 ,it is only necessary to call attention to a few prominent numbers1 for this opera has not as many instances of these characteristics as those which followed and which are elsewhere described4 ,the first act contains the opening bacchanalian chorus 7,versiamo a tazza plena71 which is very brilliant in character2 the minstrel's song in the same scene 7,regnava un tempo in ,normandia71 with choral accompaniment2 and a very tender aria for ,alice 7,vanne1 disse1 al figlio mio71 in which she delivers his mother's message to ,robert4 ,the second act opens with a spirited duet between ,bertram and ,raimbaut1 leading up to a powerful and characteristic chorus of the evil spirits 7,demoni fatali74 ,an aria for ,alice 7,nel lasciar in ,normandia71 a duet between ,bertram and ,alice 7,trionfo bramato71 and an intensely dramatic trio between ,bertram1 ,alice1 and ,robert 7,lo sguardo immobile71 prepare the way for the great scena of the nuns1 known as ,la ,temptation1 in which ,meyerbeer illustrates the fantastic and oftentimes ludicrous scene with music which is the very essence of diabolism1 and in its way as unique as the incantation music in ,der ,freischutz4 ,the third act contains two great arias4 ,the first 7,invano il fato71 sung at the opening of the act by ,isabella1 and the second the world-famous aria ,roberto1 o tu che adoro1 better known by the ,french words 7,robert6 toi que j'aime74 ,the closing act is specially remarkable for the great terzetto in its finale1 which is one of the most effective numbers ,meyerbeer has written4 ,the judgment of ,hanslick1 the great ,viennese critic1 upon this work is interesting in this connection4 ,he compares it with ,william ,tell and ,masaniello1 and finds that in musical richness and blended effects it is superior to either1 but that a single act of either of the works mentioned contains more artistic truth and ideal form than ,robert le ,diable1--a judgment which is largely based upon the libretto itself1 which he condemns without stint4 ,,dinorah ,dinorah1 an opera in three acts1 founded upon a ,breton idyl1 words by ,barbiere and ,carre1 was first produced at the ,opera ,comique1 ,paris1 ,april #d1 #ahei1 under the title of ,le ,pardon de ,ploermel4 ,it contains but three principal characters1 and these were cast as follows3 ,dinorah1 ,mme4 ,cabel2 ,corentin1 ,m4 ,sainte-,foy2 and ,hoeel1 ,m4 ,faure4 ,on the #bfth of ,july1 #ahei1 ,meyerbeer conducted the work himself at ,covent ,garden1 ,london1 with ,mme4 ,miolan-,carvalho as ,dinorah1 and it was also produced in the same year in ,english by the ,pyne-,harrison troupe4 ,the first representative of ,dinorah in this country was ,mlle4 ,cordier4 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,brittany1 and when the first act opens1 the following events are supposed to have transpired4 ,on one of the days set apart by the villagers of ,ploermel for a pilgrimage to the shrine of the ,virgin1 ,hoeel1 the goatherd1 and ,dinorah1 his affianced1 set out to receive a nuptial benediction4 ,the festivity is interrupted by a thunder-storm1 during which ,les ,herbiers1 the dwelling-place of ,dinorah1 is destroyed by lightning4 ,dinorah is in despair4 ,hoeel determines to make good the loss1 and upon the advice of ,tonick1 an old wizard1 resolves to go in quest of a treasure which is under the care of the ,korigans1 a supernatural folk belonging to ,brittany4 ,in order to wrest it from them1 however1 it is necessary for ,hoeel to quit the country and spend a year in solitude in a desolate region4 ,he bravely starts off1 and ,dinorah1 thinking he has abandoned her1 loses her wits1 and constantly wanders about the woods with her goat1 seeking him4 ,meanwhile the year expires and ,hoeel returns1 convinced that he has the secret for securing the treasure4 ,the overture to the work is unique among operatic overtures1 as it has a chorus behind the curtain interwoven with it4 ,it is a picture of the opera itself1 and contains a will-o'-the-wisp passage1 a rustic song with accompaniment of goat-bells1 a storm1 and in the midst of the storm a chant to the ,virgin1 sung by the unseen chorus1 and then a ,pilgrimage march1 the whole being in the nature of a retrospect4 ,the curtain rises upon a rustic chorus1 after which ,dinorah appears1 seeking her goat1 and sings a slumber-song 7,si1 carina1 caprettina7 which is very graceful1 and concludes with phrases in imitation of birds4 ,in the next scene1 ,corentin1 the bagpiper1 who has been away three months1 and is nearly dead with terror of goblins and fairies1 returns to his cottage1 and to reassure himself sings a very quaint and original song 7,sto in casa alfine71 to the accompaniment of his pipe4 ,dinorah suddenly appears and enters the cottage1 and much to his alarm keeps him playing and singing1 which leads to a very animated vocal contest between her and the bagpiper4 ,it is abruptly terminated1 however1 by the arrival of ,hoeel4 ,dinorah makes her escape by a window1 and ,hoeel relates to ,corentin the story of the ,korigans' treasure4 ,as the first person who touches it will die1 he determines that ,corentin shall be his messenger1 and to rouse his courage sends for wine4 ,while ,corentin is absent1 ,hoeel sings an aria 7,se per prender7 which has always been a favorite with barytones4 ,after ,corentin returns1 the tinkling of the goat's bell is heard4 ,dinorah appears in the distance1 and a charming trio closes the act1 to the accompaniment of the whistling wind and booming thunder on the contra basses and drums of the orchestra4 ,the second act opens with a drinking-song by wood-cutters1 and as they withdraw1 ,dinorah enters1 seeking ,hoeel4 ,she sings a tender lament1 which1 as the moonlight falls about her1 develops into the famous ,shadow ,song1 a polka mazurka1 which she sings and dances to her shadow4 ,the aria1 ,ombra leggier1 is fairly lavish in its texture of vocal embroidery1 and has always been a favorite number on the concert stage4 ,the next scene changes to the ,val ,maudit 7the ,cursed ,vale71 a rocky1 cavernous spot1 through which rushes a raging torrent bridged by a fallen tree4 ,hoeel and ,corentin appear in quest of the treasure1 and the latter gives expression to his terror in a very characteristic manner1 with the assistance of the orchestra4 ,dinorah is heard singing the legend of the treasure 7,chi primo al tesor71 from which ,corentin learns that whoever touches it first will die4 ,he refuses to go on1 and a spirited duet ensues between them1 which is interrupted by the entrance of ,dinorah and her goat4 ,hoeel1 fancying it is a spirit sent to keep him back1 sings a very beautiful aria 7,le crede il padre74 ,the act closes with the fall of ,dinorah1 who attempts to cross the bridge1 into the torrent1 and her rescue by ,hoeel1 to the accompaniment of a storm set to music4 ,the scene1 though melodramatic1 is very strong in its musical effects4 ,the last act opens with a scene in striking contrast1 introduced with a quintet of horns1 followed by a hunter's solo1 a reaper's solo1 a duet for shepherds2 and a quartet in the finale4 ,hoeel arrives1 bearing the rescued ,dinorah1 and sings to her an exquisite romance 7,sei vendicata assai74 ,the magic of his singing and her bath in the torrent restore her wandering senses4 ,hoeel persuades her that all which has transpired has been a dream4 ,the old song of the ,pardon of ,ploermel comes to her1 and as she tries to recall it the chorus takes it up 7,santa ,maria6 nostra donna7 as it was heard in the overture4 ,a procession is seen in the distance1 and amid some exquisite pageant music ,hoeel and ,dinorah wend their way to the chapel1 where the nuptial rites are supposed to be performed4 ,,the ,,prophet4 ,le ,prophete1 an opera in five acts1 words by ,scribe1 was first produced in ,paris1 ,april #af1 #ahdi1 with ,mme4 ,viardot-,garcia as ,fides1 and ,m4 ,roger as ,john of ,leyden4 ,the ,prophet was long and carefully elaborated by its composer4 ,thirteen years intervened between it and its predecessor1 ,the ,huguenots2 but in spite of its elaboration it can only be said to excel the latter in pageantry and spectacular effect1 while its musical text is more declamatory than melodious1 as compared with ,the ,huguenots4 ,in this sense it was disappointing when first produced4 ,the period of the opera is #aecd4 ,the first act transpires in ,dordrecht and ,leyden1 in ,holland1 and the other three in ,munster1 ,germany4 ,the text closely follows the historical narrative of the period when ,munster was occupied by ,john of ,leyden and his fanatics1 who1 after he had been crowned by them as ,emperor of ,germany1 was driven out by the bishop of the diocese4 ,the first act opens in the suburbs of ,dordrecht1 near the ,meuse1 with the chateau of ,count ,oberthal1 lord of the domain1 in the distance4 ,after a very fresh and vigorous chorus of peasants1 ,bertha1 a vassal of the ,count1 betrothed to ,john of ,leyden1 enters and sings a cavatina 7,il cor nel sento71 in which she gives expression to emotions of delight at her approaching union4 ,as she cannot go to ,leyden1 where the marriage is to take place1 without the ,count's consent1 ,fides1 the mother of ,john1 joins her to make the request4 ,in the mean time the three ,anabaptists1 ,zacarie1 ,gione1 and ,mathisen1 leaders of the revolt in ,westphalia1 arrive on their mission of raising an insurrection in ,holland1 and in a sombre trio of a religious but stirring character 7,o libertade7 incite the peasants to rise against their rulers4 ,they make an assault upon the castle of ,count ,oberthal1 who speedily repels them1 and turns the tide of popular feeling against the ,anabaptists1 by recognizing ,gione as a former servant who had been discharged from his service for dishonesty4 ,fides and ,bertha then join in a romanza 7,della mora un giorno71 imploring his permission for the marriage of ,bertha and ,john4 ,the ,count1 however1 struck with her beauty1 not only refuses1 but claims her for himself1 and seizes both her and ,fides1 and the act closes with a repetition of the warning chant of the ,anabaptists4 ,the second act opens in the hostelry of ,john of ,leyden1 and is introduced with a waltz and drinking-chorus1 in the midst of which the ,anabaptists arrive and are struck with his resemblance to a portrait of ,david in the ,munster ,cathedral4 ,from a very descriptive and highly wrought scena 7,sotto le vasti arcati7 sung by him they also learn that he is given to visions and religious meditations4 ,they assure him that he shall be a ruler2 but in a beautiful romanza 7,un impero piu soave7 he replies that his love for ,bertha is his only sovereignty4 ,just as they depart1 ,bertha1 who has escaped1 rushes in and claims his protection4 ,he conceals her2 but has hardly done so when the ,count enters with his soldiers1 bringing ,fides as a prisoner1 and threatens to kill her unless ,bertha is given up4 ,he hesitates2 but at last1 to save his mother's life1 delivers ,bertha to her pursuers4 ,mother and son are left alone1 and she seeks to console him4 ,in this scene occurs one of the most dramatic and intense of ,meyerbeer's arias 7,o figlio mio1 che diro71 known more popularly by its ,french words1 beginning1 ,ah6 mon fils4 ,it has enjoyed a world-wide popularity1 and still holds its place in all its original freshness and vigor4 ,fides hardly disappears before the ominous chant of the ,anabaptists is heard again4 ,he does not need much persuasion now4 ,they make their compact in a quartet of magnificent power1 which closes the act2 and some of ,john's garments are left behind stained with blood1 that his mother may believe he has been killed4 ,the third act opens in the ,anabaptists' camp in a ,westphalian forest1 a frozen lake near them1 and ,munster1 which they are besieging1 in the distance4 ,in the second scene ,zacarie sings a stirring pasan of victory 7,in coppia son71 followed by the beautiful ballet music of the skaters as they come bringing provisions to the troops4 ,count ,oberthal meanwhile has been taken prisoner and brought into camp4 ,a buffo trio between himself and his captors follows1 in which ,gione penetrates his disguise and recognizes him4 ,they are about to fall upon him2 but ,john1 learning from him that ,bertha is still alive and in ,munster1 saves his life4 ,he immediately resolves to take the place by assault1 rouses his followers with religious chants of a martial character1 and the act concludes with the march on the city4 ,the fourth act opens in the city itself after its capture4 ,a mendicant appears in the public square begging for bread4 ,it is ,fides2 and in a plaintively declamatory aria of striking power 7,pieta6 pieta67 she implores alms4 ,she meets with ,bertha disguised as a pilgrim1 and bent upon the destruction of the ,prophet1 who1 she believes1 has been the cause of ,john's death4 ,the next scene opens in the cathedral1 where the coronation of the ,prophet is to take place2 and among all ,meyerbeer's pageants none are more imposing than this1 with its accompaniment of pealing bells1 religious chants1 the strains of the organ1 and the stately rhythms of the great ,coronation ,march4 ,it is a splendid prelude to the dramatic scene which follows4 ,in the midst of the gorgeous spectacle1 the voice of ,fides is heard claiming the ,prophet as her son4 ,john boldly disavows her1 and tells his followers to kill him if she does not confirm the disavowal4 ,the feelings of the mother predominate1 and she declares that she is mistaken4 ,the multitude proclaim it a miracle1 and ,fides is removed as a prisoner4 ,the dramatic situation in this finale is one of great strength1 and its musical treatment has hardly been excelled4 ,the last act opens with a trio by the ,anabaptist leaders1 who1 learning that the enemy is approaching in force1 determine to save themselves by betraying ,john4 ,in the third scene ,fides in prison1 learning that ,john is coming to see her1 invokes the punishment of ,heaven upon him in the passionate aria1 ,spirto superno4 ,a duet 7,tu che del cielo7 of great power follows1 in which ,fides convinces him of the errors of his course4 ,as they are about to leave1 ,bertha enters1 bent upon the destruction of the palace1 and in the trio which ensues learns that ,john and the ,prophet are one4 ,she stabs herself1 and dying in the arms of ,fides curses him4 ,the last scene opens in a banqueting-hall of the palace1 where ,john is revelling1 with the ,anabaptists around him4 ,he sings a bacchanalian song of a wild description 7,beviam e intorno71 and1 as it closes1 the ,bishop of ,munster1 the ,elector1 ,count ,oberthal1 and the three ,anabaptists who have betrayed him1 enter the apartment4 ,the revenge which ,john has planned is now consummated4 ,an explosion is heard4 ,flames break out on all sides4 ,fides rushes in and forgives her son1 and the ,prophet1 his mother1 and his enemies perish together4 ,although ,the ,prophet did not meet with the popularity of some of his other operas1 it contains some of the most vigorous and dramatic music ,meyerbeer has written1--notably the arias of ,zacarie and ,fides1 the skating-ballet1 the ,coronation ,march1 and the drinking-song4 ,as a pageant1 ,the ,prophet has never been surpassed4 ,,the ,,african4 ,l',africaine1 a grand opera in five acts1 words by ,scribe1 was first produced at the ,academie1 ,paris1 ,april #bh1 #ahfe1 with the following cast3-- ,,selika ,mme4 ,,marie ,,saxe4 ,,inez ,mlle4 ,,marie ,,batteo4 ,,vasco ,,di ,,gama ,m4 ,,naudin4 ,,nelusko ,m4 ,,faure4 ,,don ,,pedro ,m4 ,,belval4 ,,high ,,priest ,m4 ,,obin4 ,the libretto of the opera was first given to ,meyerbeer by ,scribe in #ahch2 but such were the alterations demanded by the composer1 that at last ,scribe withdrew it altogether1 although the music was already set4 ,in #aheb he furnished a revised libretto1 and the music was revised to suit it4 ,the work was not finished until #ahfj1 and owing to the difficulty of filling the cast satisfactorily1 was not brought to rehearsal until the fall of #ahfc4 ,while still correcting and improving it1 ,meyerbeer died1 and it was not produced until two years later4 ,shortly after the ,paris performance it was brought out in ,london1 with ,mlle4 ,lucca in the part of ,selika4 ,mme4 ,zucchi was one of the earliest representatives of the slave in this country4 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,portugal and ,africa1 and the first act opens in the council chamber of the king of the former country4 ,inez1 his daughter1 is mourning the long absence of her betrothed1 ,vasco di ,gama the explorer4 ,her father1 wishing to marry her to ,don ,pedro1 the ,president of the ,council1 tries to persuade her that ,vasco has perished by shipwreck2 but the refutation of the story comes in the sudden appearance of ,vasco himself1 who is summoned before the ,council and narrates to them his discovery of a strange land1 producing two of the natives1 ,selika and ,nelusko1 as confirmations of his announcement4 ,don ,pedro incites the inquisitors to deny the truth of the story1 at which ,vasco breaks out in such a furious rage against them that he is arrested and thrown into a dungeon4 ,the second act opens in the prison1 where ,selika is watching the slumbering ,vasco4 ,as he wakens she declares her love for him1 and at the same time saves him from the dagger of the jealous ,nelusko4 ,she also indicates to him the course he should have taken to discover the island of which he is in quest4 ,to save her lover1 ,inez consents to wed ,don ,pedro2 and the latter1 to cheat ,vasco of his fame1 takes command of the expedition under the pilotage of ,nelusko1 and sets sail for the new land4 ,the ,indian1 thirsting for vengeance1 directs the vessel out of her course towards a reef2 but ,vasco1 who has followed in another vessel1 arrives in time to warn ,don ,pedro of his danger4 ,he disregards the warning1 distrusts his motives1 and orders him to be shot2 but before the sentence can be carried out1 the vessel strikes and is boarded by the savages1 who slaughter the commander and most of his men4 ,the fourth act opens on the island which ,selika pointed out on the map1 and of which she is queen4 ,to save him from her subjects1 she declares herself his spouse2 but as the marriage rite is about to be celebrated1 ,vasco hears the voice of ,inez in the distance1 deserts ,selika1 and flies to her4 ,in the last act1 as the vessel sails away bearing ,vasco and ,inez back to ,portugal1 ,selika throws herself down under the poisonous manchineel-tree and kills herself with its fatal flowers2 expiring in the arms of ,nelusko1 who shares the same fate4 ,the first act opens with a very sweet but sombre ballad sung by ,inez 7,del ,tago sponde addio71 which recalls the ,english song1 ,isle of ,beauty1 fare thee well1 and is followed by a bold and flowing terzetto4 ,the third scene opens with a noble and stately chorus 7,tu che la terra adora7 sung by the basses in unison1 opening the ,council before which ,vasco appears2 and the act closes with an anathema hurled at him 7,ribelle1 insolente71--a splendid ensemble1 pronounced in its rhythm and majestic in the sweep of its passionate music4 ,the second act opens with the quaint slumber-song 7,in grembo a me7 which ,selika sings to ,vasco in prison4 ,it is oriental in color1 and is broken here and there by a barcarole which ,vasco murmurs in his sleep4 ,in striking contrast with its dreamy1 quiet flow1 it leads up to a passionate aria 7,tranquillo e gia7 based upon a strong and fiery motive4 ,in the next scene follows an aria of equal vigor sung by ,nelusko 7,figlia dei ,re71 in which his devotion to ,selika changing to his hatred of ,vasco is characterized by a grand crescendo4 ,the act closes with a vigorous sextet1 the motive of which is strangely similar to the old song1 ,the ,minstrel ,boy4 ,the third act contains a very impressive number1 ,nelusko's invocation of ,adamastor 7,adamastor1 re dell' onde profondo71 but is mainly devoted to the ship scene1 which1 though grotesque from the dramatic point of view1 is accompanied by music of a powerful and realistic description1 written with all the vividness and force ,meyerbeer always displays in his melodramatic ensembles4 ,the fourth act contains the most beautiful music of the opera1--,vasco's opening aria1 ,o ,paradiso1 an exquisite melody set to an equally exquisite accompaniment2 the ensemble in the fourth scene1 in which ,selika protects ,vasco and ,nelusko swears vengeance 7,al mio penar de fine72 the grand duet between ,vasco and ,selika 7,dove son71 which has often been compared to the duet in the fourth act of ,the ,huguenots1 though it has not the passionate intensity of the scene between ,raoul and ,valentin2 and the graceful choruses of the ,indian maidens and ,inez's attendants which close the act4 ,the last act contains two scenes1--the first in ,selika's gardens1 where there is a long and spirited duet between ,inez and ,selika4 ,the second1 known as ,la ,scene du ,mancenillier1 has a symphonic prelude in the form of a funeral march1 based upon a fascinating melody1 which is beyond question the finest of ,meyerbeer's orchestral numbers in any of his works4 ,from this point the story hastens to its tragic denouement2 and nearly the entire scene is occupied with ,selika's dying song1 which opens with a majestic apostrophe to the sea 7,da qui io vedo il mar71 then turns to sadness as she sings to the fatal tree 7,o tempio sontuoso71 and at the close develops into a passionate outcry of joy 7,o douce extase74 ,though the plot of ,l',africaine is often absurd1 many of its incidents preposterous1 and some of its characters unattractive1 the opera is full of effective situations1 and repeatedly illustrates ,meyerbeer's powers of realization and his knowledge of effects4 ,,mozart4 ,johann ,chrysostomus ,wolfgang ,amadeus ,mozart was born at ,salzburg1 ,jan4 #bg1 #agef4 ,with this wonderful child music was a divine gift1 for his first work1 a minuet and trio for piano1 was written in his fifth year4 ,he began to study with his father when but three years of age1 and at once gave signs of extraordinary promise4 ,his sister was also very talented2 and in #agfb the father determined to travel with his prodigies4 ,they were absent a year1 the most of that time being spent at ,munich1 ,vienna1 and ,presburg1 where they created a furor by their performances4 ,a longer journey was then resolved upon4 ,the principal ,german cities1 ,brussels1 ,paris1 ,london1 the ,hague1 ,amsterdam1 and the larger towns of ,switzerland were visited in succession1 and everywhere the children were greeted with enthusiasm1 particularly when they played before the ,french and ,english courts4 ,they returned to ,salzburg in #agff1 already famous all over ,europe2 and during the next two years ,mozart composed many minor works4 ,in #agfh he was again in ,vienna1 where he produced his little operetta1 ,bastien und ,bastienne1 and in the same year the ,archbishop of ,salzburg made him his concertmeister4 ,the next year he went to ,italy1 where he both studied and composed1 and was received with extraordinary honors4 ,in #agga he brought out his opera1 ,mitridate1 ,re di ,ponto1 at ,milan1 with great success4 ,the next year he produced ,lucio ,silla1 also in ,milan1 and during the next four years composed a great number of symphonies and other instrumental works4 ,the mass of music which he composed up to his twenty-first year is simply bewildering4 ,in #agha he brought out ,idomeneo at ,munich1 which left no doubt as to his position as a dramatic composer4 ,in #aghb his ,entfuhrung aus dem ,serail was produced at ,vienna by the ,emperor's command4 ,his next great opera was ,le ,nozze di ,figaro1 which was performed in #aghf1 and made all ,vienna go wild4 ,don ,giovanni followed it the next year1 and was received with equal enthusiasm4 ,in #aghi he composed the famous ,requiem2 and the same year the ,zauberfloete1 his last great opera1 appeared1 and made a success even greater than its two great predecessors4 ,two years later1 ,dec4 #e1 #agia1 ,mozart died in poverty1 and amid the saddest of surroundings4 ,one of the world's greatest geniuses was carried to his last resting-place unaccompanied by friends1 and was buried in the common pauper's grave4 ,god endowed him with a wonderful genius1 which the world of his time could not recognize4 ,,the ,,marriage ,,of ,,figaro4 ,le ,nozze di ,figaro1 in the ,german version1 ,die ,hochzeit des ,figaro1 an opera buffa in four acts1 the words by ,lorenzo da ,ponte1 after ,beaumarchais's comedy1 ,le ,mariage de ,figaro1 was first produced at the ,national ,theatre1 ,vienna1 ,may #a1 #aghf1 with the following cast3-- ,,countess ,,almaviva ,signora ,,storace4 ,,susanna ,signora ,,laschi4 ,,cherubino ,signora ,,mandini4 ,,marcellina ,signora ,,bussani4 ,,barbarina ,signora ,,gottlieb4 ,,count ,,almaviva ,signor ,,mandini4 ,,figaro ,signor ,,benucci4 ,,bartolo ,signor ,,occheley4 ,,basilio ,signor ,,bussani4 ,it was first brought out in ,paris in #agic1 with ,beaumarchais's spoken dialogue1 in five acts1 as ,le ,mariage de ,figaro1 and in #aheh at the ,theatre ,lyrique in the same city1 in four acts1 as ,les ,noces de ,figaro1 with text by ,barbiere and ,carre4 ,the late ,mme4 ,parepa-,rosa introduced it in this country in its ,english form with great success4 ,at the time the libretto was written1 ,beaumarchais's satirical comedy1 ,le ,mariage de ,figaro1 had been performed all over ,europe1 and had attracted great attention4 ,it had been prohibited in ,paris1 and had caused great commotion in ,vienna4 ,mozart's notice was thus drawn to it1 and he suggested it to ,da ,ponte for a libretto1 and the ,emperor ,joseph subsequently commissioned the composer to set it to music1 though he had already composed a portion of it4 ,the entire opera was written during the month of ,april1 and the wonderful finale to the second act occupied him for two nights and a day4 ,when it came to a performance1 its success was remarkable4 ,kelly1 who was present1 says1 in his ,reminiscences3 ,never was there a greater triumph than ,mozart enjoyed with his ',figaro4' ,the house was crowded to overflowing1 and almost everything encored1 so that the opera lasted nearly double the usual time2 and yet at its close the public were unwearied in clapping their hands and shouting for ,mozart4 ,popular as it was1 it was soon laid aside in ,vienna through the influence of the ,italian faction headed by ,salieri1 one of ,mozart's rivals4 ,the story of the opera is laid in ,spain4 ,count ,almaviva1 who had won his beautiful ,countess with the aid of ,figaro1 the barber of ,seville1 becomes enamoured of her maid ,susanna1 and at the same time1 by the collusion of the two1 in order to punish him1 is made jealous by the attentions paid to the ,countess by ,cherubino1 the page4 ,meanwhile ,figaro1 to whom ,susanna is betrothed1 becomes jealous of the ,count for his gallantry to her4 ,out of these cross-relations arise several humorous surprises4 ,besides these characters there are two others who have been disappointed in love1--,bartolo1 who has been rejected by ,susanna1 and ,marcellina1 whose affection for ,figaro has not been requited4 ,the ,count seeks to get rid of ,cherubino by ordering him off to the wars1 but he is saved by ,susanna1 who disguises him in female attire4 ,the ,countess1 ,susanna1 ,figaro1 and ,cherubino then conspire to punish the ,count for his infidelity4 ,the latter suddenly appears at his wife's door1 and finding it locked demands an entrance4 ,cherubino1 alarmed1 hides himself in a closet and bars the door4 ,the ,count is admitted1 and finding the ,countess in confusion insists upon searching the closet4 ,he goes out to find some means of breaking in the door1 and ,cherubino improves the opportunity to jump out of the window1 while ,susanna takes his place and confronts the puzzled ,count4 ,antonio1 the gardener1 comes in and complains that some one has jumped from the window and broken his flower-pots4 ,figaro at once asserts that he did it4 ,a ludicrous side plot unfolds at this point4 ,marcellina appears with a contract of marriage signed by ,figaro1 bringing ,bartolo as a witness4 ,the ,count decides that ,figaro must fulfil his contract1 but the latter escapes by showing that he is the son of ,marcellina1 and that ,bartolo is his father4 ,meanwhile the main plot is developed in another conspiracy to punish the ,count4 ,susanna contrives a rendezvous with the ,count at night in the garden1 having previously arranged with the ,countess that she should disguise herself as the maid1 the latter also assuming the part of the ,countess1 and arrive in time to surprise the two4 ,the page also puts in an appearance1 and gets his ears boxed for his attentions to the disguised ,countess4 ,figaro1 who has been informed that ,susanna and the ,count are to meet in the garden1 comes on the scene1 and in revenge makes a passionate declaration of love to the supposed ,countess1 upon which the ,count1 who is growing more and more bewildered1 orders lights and makes his supposed wife unveil4 ,the real wife does the same4 ,covered with confusion1 he implores pardon of the ,countess1 which is readily given4 ,the two are reconciled1 and ,figaro and ,susanna are united4 ,the whole opera is such a combination of playfulness and grace that it is a somewhat ungracious task to refer to particular numbers4 ,in these regards it is the most ,mozartean of all the composer's operas4 ,the first act opens with a sparkling duet between ,figaro and ,susanna1 in which she informs him of the ,count's gallantries4 ,as she leaves1 ,figaro1 to the accompaniment of his guitar1 sings a rollicking song 7,se vuol ballare1 ,signor ,contino71 in which he intimates that if the ,count wishes to dance he will play for him in a style he little expects4 ,in the second scene ,bartolo enters1 full of his plans for vengeance1 which he narrates in a grim and grotesque song 7,la ,vendetta74 ,the fourth scene closes with an exquisite aria by ,cherubino 7,non so piu cosa son74 ,after an exceedingly humorous trio 7,cosa sento8 tosto andate7 for the ,count1 ,basilio and ,susanna1 and a bright1 gleeful chorus 7,giovanni lieti71 ,figaro closes the act with the celebrated aria1 ,non piu andrai4 ,of the singing of this great song at the first rehearsal of the opera ,kelly says in his ,reminiscences3 ,i remember ,mozart well at the first general rehearsal1 in a red furred coat and a gallooned hat1 standing on the stage and giving the tempi4 ,benucci sang ,figaro's aria1 ',non piu andrai1' with the utmost vivacity and the full strength of his voice4 ,i stood close beside ,mozart1 who exclaimed1 sotto voce1 ',brava6 brava6 ,benucci6' and when that fine passage came1 ',cherubino1 alla vittoria1 alla gloria militar1' which ,benucci gave in a stentorian voice1 the effect was quite electrical1 both on the singers on the stage and the musicians in the orchestra4 ,quite transported with delight1 they all called out1 ',brava6 brava1 ,maestro6 viva6 viva6 viva il grande ,mozart6' ,in the orchestra the applause seemed to have no end1 while the violin-players rapped their bows on their desks4 ,the little ,maestro expressed his gratitude for the enthusiasm1 testified in so unusual a manner1 by repeatedly bowing4 ,the second act is the masterpiece of the opera1 and contains in itself music enough to have made any composer immortal4 ,it opens with a serious aria by the ,countess 7,porgi amor7 followed by ,cherubino's well-known romanza 7,voi che sapete17 one of the sweetest and most effective songs ever written for contralto1 and this in turn by ,susanna's coquettish song1 ,venite1 inginocchiatevi1 as she disguises ,cherubino4 ,a spirited trio and duet lead up to the great finale1 begun by the ,count1 7,esci omai1 garzon mal nato74 ,upon this finale ,mozart seems to have lavished the riches of his musical genius with the most elaborate detail and in bewildering profusion4 ,it begins with a duet between the ,count and ,countess1 then with the entrance of ,susanna changes to a trio1 and as ,figaro and ,antonio enter1 develops into a quintet4 ,in the close1 an independent figure is added by the entrance of ,marcellina1 ,barbarina1 and ,basilio1 and as ,antonio exits1 this trio is set against the quartet with independent themes and tempi4 ,the third act opens with a duet 7,crudel1 perche finora7 for the ,count and ,countess1 followed by a very dramatic scena for the ,count1 beginning with the recitative1 ,hai gia vinta la causa8 which in turn leads up to a lively and spirited sextet 7,riconosci in questo amplesso74 ,the two numbers which follow the sextet are recognized universally as two of the sweetest and most melodious ever written1--the exquisite aria1 ,dove ,sono1 for the ,countess1 and the ,zephyr ,duet1 as it is popularly known 7,canzonetta su l'aria4 ,che soave zeffiretto71 which stands unsurpassed for elegance1 grace1 and melodious beauty4 ,the remaining numbers of prominent interest are a long and very versatile buffo aria for tenor 7,in quegli anni71 sung by ,basilio1 ,figaro's stirring march number 7,ecco la marcia71 and a lovely song for ,susanna 7,deh1 vieni1 non tardar74 ,the opera is full of life and human interest4 ,its wonderful cheerfulness and vital sympathy appeal to every listener1 and its bright1 free1 joyous tone from beginning to end is no less fascinating than the exquisite melodies with which ,mozart has so richly adorned it4 ,like ,don ,giovanni and the ,magic ,flute1 the best test of the work is1 that it is rounding its first century as fresh and bright and popular as ever4 ,,don ,,giovanni4 ,don ,giovanni1 an opera buffa in two acts1 words by ,da ,ponte1 was first produced at ,prague1 ,oct4 #bi1 #aghg4 ,the full title of the work is ,il dissoluto punito1 ossia il ,don ,giovanni1 and the subject was taken from a ,spanish tale by ,tirso de ,molina1 called ,el combidado de piedra4 ,the original cast of the opera was as follows3-- ,,donna ,,anna ,signora ,,teresa ,,saporitti4 ,,donna ,,elvira ,signora ,,micelli4 ,,zerlina ,signora ,,bondini4 ,,don ,,ottavio ,signor ,,baglioni4 ,,don ,,giovanni ,signor ,,luigi ,,bassi4 ,,leporello ,signor ,,felice ,,ponziani4 ,,masetto and ,,don ,,pedro ,signor ,,lolli4 ,the success of the ,marriage of ,figaro prepared the way for ,don ,giovanni4 ,mozart wrote the opera in ,prague1 and completed it1 except the overture1 ,oct4 #bh1 #aghg1 about six weeks after he arrived in the city4 ,the first performance took place the next evening4 ,the overture was written during the night1 the copyist received the score at seven o'clock in the morning1 and it was played at eight in the evening4 ,he had only a week for stage rehearsals1 and yet the opera created a furor4 ,as an instance of his extraordinary memory1 it is said that the drum and trumpet parts to the finale of the second act were written without the score1 from memory4 ,when he brought the parts into the orchestra1 he remarked1 ,pray1 gentlemen1 be particularly attentive at this place1 pointing to one1 as ,i believe that there are four bars either too few or too many4 ,his remark was proved true4 ,it is also said that in the original scores the brass instruments frequently have no place1 as he wrote the parts continually on separate bits of paper1 trusting to his memory for the score4 ,the next year 7#aghh7 the opera was brought out in ,vienna1 and for this production he wrote four new numbers1--a recitative and aria for ,donna ,elvira 7,in quali excessi1 o numi72 an aria for ,masetto 7,ho capito1 ,signor1 si72 a short aria for ,don ,ottavio 7,dalla sua pace72 and a duet for ,zerlina and ,leporello 7,per queste tue manine74 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,spain4 ,don ,giovanni1 a licentious nobleman1 becomes enamoured of ,donna ,anna1 the daughter of the ,commandant of ,seville1 who is betrothed to ,don ,ottavio4 ,he gains admission to her apartments at night1 and attempts to carry her away2 but her cries bring her father to her rescue4 ,he attacks ,don ,giovanni1 and in the encounter is slain4 ,the libertine1 however1 in company with his rascally servant1 ,leporello1 makes good his escape4 ,while the precious pair are consulting about some new amour1 ,donna ,elvira1 one of his victims1 appears and taxes him with his cruelty2 but he flies from her1 leaving her with ,leporello1 who horrifies her with an appalling list of his master's conquests in various countries4 ,don ,giovanni next attempts the ruin of ,zerlina1 a peasant girl1 upon the very eve of her marriage with her lover1 ,masetto4 ,donna ,elvira1 however1 appears and thwarts his purposes1 and also discovers him to ,donna ,anna as the murderer of her father1 whereupon she binds her lover1 ,don ,ottavio1 to avenge his death4 ,don ,giovanni does not abandon his purpose1 however4 ,he gives a fete1 and once more seeks to accomplish ,zerlina's ruin1 but is again thwarted by her three friends4 ,the second act opens in a public square of ,seville at night4 ,don ,giovanni and ,leporello appear before the house of ,donna ,elvira1 where ,zerlina is concealed4 ,leporello1 disguised in his master's cloak1 and assuming his voice1 lures ,donna ,elvira out1 and feigning repentance for his conduct induces her to leave with him4 ,don ,giovanni then proceeds to enter the house and seize ,zerlina2 but before he can accomplish his purpose1 ,masetto and his friends appear1 and supposing it is ,leporello before them1 demand to know where his master is1 as they are bent upon killing him4 ,don ,giovanni easily disposes of ,masetto1 and then rejoins his servant near the equestrian statue1 which has been erected to the memory of the murdered ,don ,pedro4 ,to their astonishment the statue speaks1 and warns the libertine he will die before the morrow4 ,don ,giovanni laughs at the prophecy1 and invites the statue to a banquet to be given the next day at his house4 ,while the guests are assembled at the feast1 an ominous knock is heard at the door and the statue unceremoniously enters4 ,all except ,leporello and ,don ,giovanni fly from the room in terror4 ,the doomed man orders an extra plate1 but the statue extends its hand and invites him to sup with it4 ,he takes the marble hand1 and its cold fingers clutch him in a firm grasp4 ,thrice the statue urges him to repent1 and as many times he refuses2 whereupon1 as it disappears1 demons rise1 seize ,don ,giovanni1 and carry him to the infernal regions4 ,musically considered1 ,don ,giovanni is regarded as ,mozart's greatest opera1 though it lacks the bright joyousness of the ,marriage of ,figaro1 and its human interest4 ,its melodies are more pronounced1 and have entered more freely into general use1 however1 than those of the former4 ,repulsive as the story is1 some of the melodies which illustrate it have been impressed into the service of the church4 ,the first act is introduced with a humorous aria by ,leporello 7,notte e giorno faticar71 in which he complains of his treatment by his master4 ,after the murder of ,don ,pedro1 in the second scene1 occurs a trio between ,donna ,elvira1 ,don ,giovanni1 and ,leporello1 the leading motive of which is a beautiful aria sung by ,donna ,elvira 7,ah6 chi mi dici mai74 ,the scene closes with the great buffo aria of ,leporello 7,madamina il catalogo7 popularly known as the ,catalogue ,song1 which is full of broad humor1 though its subject is far from possessing that quality4 ,in the third scene occur the lovely duet for ,don ,giovanni and ,zerlina 7,la ci darem1 la mano71 two arias of great dramatic intensity for ,donna ,elvira 7,mi tradi7 and ,donna ,anna 7,or sai chi l'onore71 and ,don ,giovanni's dashing song1 ,finche dal vino1 the music of which is in admirable keeping with the reckless nature of the libertine himself4 ,the last scene is a treasure-house of music1 containing the exquisitely coquettish aria1 ,batti1 batti1 which ,zerlina sings to the jealous ,masetto1 and the beautiful trio of ,donna ,anna1 ,donna ,elvira1 and ,don ,ottavio1 known as the ,mask ,trio1 set off against the quaint minuet music of the fete and the hurly-burly which accompanies the discovery of ,don ,giovanni's black designs4 ,the second act opens with a humorous duet between master and servant 7,eh1 via1 buffone71 followed by the trio1 ,ah6 taci1 inquisto care1 as ,elvira appears at her window4 ,after she leaves with ,leporello1 ,don ,giovanni sings a serenade 7,deh8 vieni all finestra7 to ,zerlina1 which is interrupted by the appearance of ,masetto and his friends4 ,zerlina is summoned to the scene by the cries of ,masetto after ,don ,giovanni has beaten him1 and sings to him for his consolation the beautiful aria1 ,vedrai carino1 which has more than once been set to sacred words1 and has become familiar as a church tune1 notwithstanding the unsanctity of its original setting4 ,the second scene opens with a strong sextet 7,sola1 sola1 in bujo loco71 followed by the ludicrously solemn appeal of ,leporello1 ,ah6 pieta1 signori miei1 and that aria beloved of all tenors1 ,il mio tesoro4 ,the finale is occupied with the scenes at the statue and at the banquet1 a short scene between ,donna ,anna and ,don ,ottavio intervening1 in which she sings the aria1 ,non mi dir4 ,the statue music throughout is of a sepulchral character1 gradually developing into strains almost as cold and ominous as the marble of the ,commandant himself1 and yet not without an element of the grotesque as it portrays the terror of ,leporello4 ,it is said that in revenge at his ,italian rivals1 ,mozart introduced an aria from ,martin's ,cosa ,rara1 arranged for wind instruments1 and also a favorite aria of ,sarti's1 to be played at the banquet when the hungry ,leporello beholds his master at the table and watches for some of the choice morsels1 and parodied them in an amusing manner4 ,he never could retain an enmity very long1 however1 and so at the end of the banquet he parodied one of his own arias1 the famous ,non piu andrai1 by giving it a comical turn to suit ,leporello's situation4 ,the criticism of one of the best biographers of ,mozart upon this opera is worth repeating in this connection3 ,whether we regard the mixture of passions in its concerted music1 the profound expression of melancholy1 the variety of its situations1 the beauty of its accompaniment1 or the grandeur of its heightening and protracted scene of terror--the finale of the second act1--',don ,giovanni' stands alone in dramatic eminence4 ,,the ,,magic ,,flute4 ,die ,zauberfloete1 an opera in two acts1 words by ,emanuel ,schickaneder1 was first produced at ,vienna1 ,sept4 #cj1 #agia1 with the following cast3 ,,queen ,,of ,,night ,mme4 ,,hofer4 ,,pamina ,mlle4 ,,gottlieb4 ,,papagena ,mme4 ,,gorl4 ,,tamino ,herr ,,schack4 ,,monostatos ,herr ,,gorl4 ,,sarastro ,herr ,,schickaneder1 ,sr4 ,,papageno ,herr ,,schickaneder1 ,jr4 ,the ,magic ,flute was the last great work of the composer1 and followed the ,cosi fan tutte1 which was given in ,january1 #agia4 ,in #aghj ,mozart had made the acquaintance of ,schickaneder at ,salzburg4 ,he was a reckless1 dissipated theatre manager1 and at the time of the composition of the ,magic ,flute was running a small theatre in ,vienna4 ,the competition of the larger theatres had nearly beggared him1 and in the midst of his perplexities he applied to ,mozart to write him an opera1 and intimated that he had discovered an admirable subject for a fairy composition4 ,mozart at first objected2 but ,schickaneder1 like himself1 was a ,freemason2 he had been his companion in dissipation1 and exercised a great influence over him4 ,mozart at last consented4 ,a compact was made1 and ,schickaneder set to work on the libretto4 ,as he was a popular buffoon1 he invented the part of ,papageno1 the bird-catcher1 for himself1 and arranged that it should be dressed in a costume of feathers4 ,it is a trivial part1 but ,schickaneder intended to tickle the fancy of the public1 and succeeded4 ,the first act was finished1 when it was found that the same subject had been chosen by a rival theatre1 the ,leopold ,stadt1 which speedily announced the opera of ,kaspar der ,fagottist1 oder die ,zauber-,zither1 by a popular composer1 ,wenzel ,mueller4 ,the piece had a successful run1 and in order to prevent a duplication1 ,schickaneder reversed the point of his story1 and changed the evil magician1 who stole the daughter of the ,queen of ,night1 into a great philosopher and friend of man4 ,it is owing to this change that we have the magnificent character of ,sarastro1 with its impressive music4 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,egypt4 ,sarastro1 the high-priest of ,isis1 has induced ,pamina to leave her mother1 ,astrifiamenti1 the ,queen of ,night1 who represents the spirit of evil1 and come to his temple1 where she may be trained in the ways of virtue and wisdom4 ,at the opening of the opera the dark ,queen is trying to discover some plan of recovering her daughter and punishing ,sarastro4 ,in the first act appears ,tamino1 an ,egyptian prince1 who has lost his way1 and is attacked by a huge serpent1 from which he is rescued by the three attendants of the ,queen4 ,the latter accosts him1 tells him her daughter's story1 and demands that1 as the cost of his deliverance1 he shall rescue her4 ,he consents4 ,she gives him a magic flute1 and with his companion ,papageno1 a rollicking bird-catcher1 who is also presented with a magical chime of bells1 they set out for ,sarastro's temple4 ,papageno arrives there first1 and in time to rescue ,pamina from the persecutions of ,monostatos1 a slave1 who flies when he beholds ,papageno in his feather costume1 fancying him the ,devil4 ,they seek to make their escape1 but are intercepted4 ,tamino also is caught1 and all are brought before ,sarastro4 ,the prince consents to become a novitiate in the sacred rites1 and to go through the various stages of probation and purification1 and ,pamina again returns to her duties4 ,they remain faithful to their vows1 and the last ordeal1 that of passing through a burning lake up to the altar of the temple1 is triumphantly accomplished4 ,the ,queen of ,night1 however1 does not abandon her scheme of revenge4 ,she appears to ,pamina in her sleep1 gives her a dagger1 and swears that unless she murders ,sarastro she will cast her off forever4 ,pamina pays no heed to her oath1 but goes on with her sacred duties1 trusting to ,sarastro's promise that if she endures all the ordeals she will be forever happy4 ,in the closing scene1 ,monostatos1 who has been inflamed against ,sarastro by the ,queen1 seeks to kill him1 but is vanquished by the might of the priest's presence alone4 ,the night of the ordeals is over4 ,at a sign from ,sarastro1 the1 full sunlight pours in upon them4 ,the evil spirits all vanish1 and ,tamino and ,pamina are united amid the triumphant choruses of the priests and attendants1 as the reward of their fidelity4 ,in the opening scene1 after the encounter of ,tamino with the serpent1 ,papageno has a light and catching song 7,der ,vogelfaenger bin ich ja71 which1 like all of ,papageno's music1 was specially written for ,schickaneder1 and has been classed under the head of the ,viennese ditties4 ,melodious as ,mozart always is1 these songs must be regarded as concessions to the buffoon who sang them4 ,papageno's song is followed by another in a serious strain 7,dies ,bildniss ist bezaubernd schoen7 sung by ,tamino4 ,in the sixth scene occurs the first aria for the ,queen of ,night 7,o zittre nicht1 mein lieber ,sohn71 which1 like its companion to be mentioned later1 is a remarkable exercise in vocal power1 range1 and gymnastics1 written for an exceptional voice4 ,the next scene1 known as the ,padlock ,quintet1 is very simple and flowing in style1 and will always be popular for its humorous and melodious character4 ,in the eleventh scene occurs the familiar duet between ,pamina and ,papageno1 ,bei ,maennern1 welche ,liebe fuellen1 which has done good service for the church1 and will be recognized in the ,english hymn version1 ,serene ,i laid me down4 ,it leads up to the finale1 beginning1 ,zum ,ziehle fuehrt dich diese ,bahn1 and containing a graceful melody for ,tamino 7,o dass ich doch im ,stande waere71 and another of the ,viennese tunes1 ,koennte jeder brave ,mann1--a duet for ,papageno and ,pamina1 with chorus4 ,the second act opens with a stately march and chorus by the priests1 leading up to ,sarastro's first great aria 7,o ,isis und ,osiris71 a superb invocation in broad1 flowing harmony1 and the scene closes with a strong duet by two priests 7,bewahret euch vor ,weibertuecken47 ,the third scene is a quintet for ,papageno1 ,tamino1 and the ,queen's three attendants 7,wie ihr an diesem ,shreckensort871 and is followed by a sentimental aria by ,monostatos 7,alles fuehlt der ,liebe ,freuden74 ,in the next scene occurs the second and greatest aria of the ,queen of ,night 7,der ,hoelle ,rache kocht71 which was specially written to show off the bravura ability of the creator of the part1 and has been the despair of nearly all sopranos since her time4 ,in striking contrast with it comes the majestic aria for ,sarastro in the next scene 7,in diesen heil'gen ,hallen71 familiarly known on the concert-stage by its ,english title1 ,in these sacred ,halls1 the successful performance of which may well be the height of any basso's ambition4 ,in the twelfth scene there is a terzetto by the three boys 7,seid uns zum zweitenmal71 and in the next scene a long and florid aria for ,pamina 7,ach6 ich fuehl's es ist verschwunden71 full of plaintive chords and very sombre in color4 ,the sixteenth scene contains another stately chorus of priests 7,o ,isis und ,osiris71 based upon a broad and massive harmony1 which is followed by a terzetto between ,sarastro1 ,pamina1 and ,tamino 7,soll ich dich1 ,theurer nicht mehr sehen874 ,once more a concession to the buffoon occurs in a melody ,ein ,maedchen oder ,weibchen1 which would be commonplace but for ,mozart's treatment of the simple air4 ,the finale begins with another terzetto for the three boys 7,bald prangt1 den ,morgen zu verkuenden74 ,it may be termed a finale of surprises1 as it contains two numbers which are as far apart in character as the poles1--the first1 an old choral melody 7,der1 welcher wandelt diese ,strasse71 the original being1 ,christ1 our ,lord1 to ,jordan came1 set to an accompaniment1 strengthened by the trombones and other wind instruments2 and the second1 a nonsense duet 7,pa-pa-,papageno7 for ,papageno and ,papagena1 which would close the opera in a burst of childish hilarity but for the solemn concluding chorus of the priests 7,heil sei euch ,geweithen74 ,the great charm of the opera is its originality1 and the wonderful freshness and fruitfulness of the composer in giving independent and characteristic melodies to every character1 as well as the marvellous combination of technicality with absolute melody4 ,beethoven said of it that this was ,mozart's one ,german opera in right of the style and solidity of its music4 ,jahn1 in his criticism1 says3 ',the ,zauberfloete' has a special and most important position among ,mozart's operas4 ,the whole musical conception is pure ,german1 and here for the first time ,german opera makes free and skilful use of all the elements of finished art4 ,,rossini4 ,gioachini ,antonio ,rossini was born at ,pesaro1 ,italy1 ,feb4 #bi1 #agib4 ,his early lessons in music were taken with ,tesei1 and as a lad he also appeared upon the stage as a singer4 ,in #ahjg he was admitted to the class of ,padre ,mattei at the ,bologna ,conservatory1 where he took a prize for a cantata at the end of his first year4 ,at the beginning of his career in ,italy he was commissioned to write an opera for ,venice4 ,it was ,la ,cambiale di ,matrimonio1 an opera buffa in one act1 and was produced in #ahaj4 ,during the next three years he wrote several works for ,venice and ,milan1 which were successful1 but none of them created such a furor as ,tancredi4 ,this was followed by ,l' ,italiana in ,algeri1 ,aureliano in ,palmira1 and ,il ,turco in ,italia4 ,in #ahae appeared ,the ,barber of ,seville4 ,strange as it may seem1 it was at first condemned1 not on its merits1 but because the composer had trenched1 as it was supposed1 upon the ground already occupied by the favorite ,paisiello1 though he applied to the latter before writing it1 and received his assurances that he had no objection to his use of the same subject4 ,otello followed the ,barber at ,naples in #ahaf1 and ,cenerentola in #ahag1 and both were extraordinarily successful4 ,the ,gazza ,ladra was produced at ,milan in #ahag1 and was followed by ,armida at ,naples in the same year4 ,his next great work was the oratorio1 ,moses in ,egypt1 which is also given as opera4 ,the ,donna del ,lago1 based upon ,walter ,scott's ,lady of the ,lake1 was produced at ,naples in #ahai4 ,the same year he opened the ,carnival in ,milan with ,bianca e ,faliero1 and before its close he produced ,maometto secondo at ,naples4 ,during the next two or three years his muse was very prolific1 and in #ahbc appeared another of his great works1 ,semiramide1 which made a furor at ,venice4 ,that year he went to ,london and gave concerts1 in which he sang1 and thence to ,paris1 which now became his home4 ,his greatest work for ,paris was ,william ,tell1 which was produced in #ahbi1 and it was also his last1 though by an arrangement with the ,government of ,charles ,x4 it was to be the first of a series of five4 ,the revolution of #ahcj destroyed his plans4 ,in #ahcf he heard ,meyerbeer's ,huguenots1 and resolved to write no more4 ,four years before this he had written the ,stabat ,mater1 but it was not produced complete until #ahdb4 ,from this time on he lived at his villa at ,passy the life of a voluptuary and died there ,nov4 #ac1 #ahfh4 ,the catalogue of his works is immense1 including fifty operas alone1 of which in a necessarily brief sketch it has been possible to mention only those best known4 ,,the ,,barber ,,of ,,seville4 ,il ,barbiere di ,siviglia1 an opera buffa in two acts1 words by ,sterbini1 founded on ,beaumarchais's comedy1 was first produced at the ,argentina ,theatre1 ,rome1 ,feb4 #e1 #ahaf1 with the following cast3-- ,,rosina ,mme4 ,,giorgi ,,righetti4 ,,bertao ,mlle4 ,,rossi4 ,,figaro ,sig4 ,,luigi ,,zamboni4 ,,count ,,almaviva ,sig4 ,,garcia4 ,,bartolo ,sig4 ,,botticelli4 ,,basilio ,sig4 ,,vittarelli4 ,the story of the writing of ,the ,barber of ,seville is of more than ordinary interest4 ,rossini had engaged to write two operas for the ,roman ,carnival of #ahaf4 ,the first was brought out ,dec4 #bf1 #ahae1 and the same day he bound himself to furnish the second by ,jan4 #bj1 #ahaf1 with no knowledge of what the libretto would be4 ,sterbini furnished him with the story of the ,barber by piecemeal1 and as fast as the verses were given him he wrote the music4 ,the whole work was finished in less than three weeks4 ,its original title was ,almaviva1 ossia l'inutile precauzione1 to distinguish it from ,paisiello's ,barber of ,seville4 ,the original overture was lost in some manner1 and that of ,aureliano substituted4 ,in the scene beneath ,rosina's balcony ,garcia introduced a ,spanish air of his own2 but it failed1 and before the second performance ,rossini wrote the beautiful cavatina1 ,ecco ridente il cielo in its place1 the melody borrowed from the opening chorus of his ,aureliano1 and that in turn from his ,ciro in ,babilonia4 ,the subject of the effective trio1 ,zitti1 zitti1 was taken from ,haydn's ,seasons1 and the aria sung by the duenna ,berta 7,il vechiotto cerca moglie71 from a ,russian melody he had heard a lady sing in ,rome and introduced for her sake4 ,for the music-lesson scene ,rossini wrote a trio which has been lost2 and thus an opportunity has been given ,rosinas to interpolate what they please4 ,the scene of the opera is laid at ,seville1 ,spain4 ,count ,almaviva has fallen in love with ,rosina1 the ward of ,dr4 ,bartolo1 with whom she resides1 and who wishes to marry her himself4 ,after serenading his mistress1 who knows him only by the name of ,count ,lindoro1 he prevails upon ,figaro1 the factotum of the place1 to bring about an interview with her4 ,in spite of her guardian's watchfulness1 as well as that of ,don ,basilio1 her music-teacher1 who is helping ,bartolo in his schemes1 she informs the ,count by letter that she returns his passion4 ,with ,figaro's help he succeeds in gaining admission to the house disguised as a drunken dragoon1 but this stratagem is foiled by the entrance of the guard1 who arrest him4 ,a second time he secures admission1 disguised as a music-teacher1 and pretending that he has been sent by ,don ,basilio1 who is ill1 to take his place4 ,to get into ,bartolo's confidence he produces ,rosina's letter to himself1 and promises to persuade her that the letter has been given him by a mistress of the ,count1 and thus break off the connection between the two4 ,by this means he secures the desired interview1 and an elopement and private marriage are planned4 ,in the midst of the arrangements1 however1 ,don ,basilio puts in an appearance1 and the disconcerted lover makes good his escape4 ,meanwhile ,bartolo1 who has ,rosina's letter1 succeeds in arousing the jealousy of his ward with it1 who thereupon discloses the proposed elopement and promises to marry her guardian4 ,at the time set for the elopement the ,count and ,figaro appear4 ,a reconciliation is easily effected1 a notary is at hand1 and they are married just as ,bartolo makes his appearance with officers to arrest the ,count4 ,mutual explanations occur1 however1 and all ends happily4 ,the first act opens after a short chorus1 with the serenade1 ,ecco ridente in cielo1 the most beautiful song in the opera4 ,it begins with a sweet and expressive largo and concludes with a florid allegro1 and is followed by a chorus in which the serenaders are dismissed4 ,in the second scene ,figaro enters1 and after some brief recitatives sings the celebrated buffo aria1 ,largo al factotum1 in which he gives an account of his numerous avocations4 ,the aria is full of life and gayety1 and wonderfully adapted to the style of the mercurial ,figaro4 ,a light and lively duet between ,figaro and the ,count1 closing with the sprightly melody1 ,ah6 che d'amore1 leads up to the chamber aria of ,rosina1 so well known on the concert-stage1 ,una voce poco fa1 which is not only very expressive and of great compass1 but is remarkably rich in ornamentation4 ,a short dialogue in recitative then occurs between ,bartolo and ,basilio1 in which they plot to circumvent ,rosina by calumny1 which gives occasion for the ,calumny aria1 as it is generally known 7,la calunnia71 a very sonorous bass solo1 sung by ,basilio4 ,another dialogue follows between ,figaro and ,rosina1 leading to the florid duet1 ,e il maestro io faccio4 ,a third dialogue follows between ,rosina and ,bartolo1 ending in a bass aria 7,non piu tacete71 very similar in its general style to the ,calumny song1 but usually omitted in performances4 ,in the tenth scene the ,count arrives disguised as the drunken soldier1 and the finale begins4 ,it is composed of three scenes very ingeniously arranged1 and full of glittering dialogue and very melodious passages4 ,the second act opens with a soliloquy by ,bartolo 7,ma redi il mio destino71 in which he gives vent to his suspicions4 ,it is interrupted at last by a duet with the ,count1 in which the two characters are strikingly set off by the music4 ,the music-lesson scene follows1 in which the artist personating ,rosina is given an opportunity for interpolation4 ,in the next scene occurs a dialogue quintet1 which is followed by a long aria 7,sempre gridi7 by the duenna ,bertha1 called by the ,italians the ,aria de ,sorbetto1 because the people used to eat ices while it was sung2 reminding one of the great aria from ,tancredi1 ,di tanti palpiti1 which they called the aria dei rizzi1 because ,rossini composed it while cooking his rice4 ,in the eighth scene1 after a long recitative1 an instrumental prelude occurs1 representing a stormy night1 followed by a recitative in which the ,count reveals himself1 leading up to a florid trio1 and this in turn to the elegant terzetto1 ,zitti1 zitti4 ,a bravura and finale of light and graceful melody close the opera4 ,,semiramide ,semiramide a lyric tragedy in two acts1 words by ,gaetano ,rossi1 the subject taken from ,voltaire's ,semiramis1 was first produced at the ,fenice1 ,venice1 ,feb4 #c1 #ahbc1 with the following cast3-- ,,semiramide ,mme4 ,,rossini-,,colbran4 ,,arsaces ,mme4 ,,mariani4 ,,idreno ,mr4 ,,sinclair4 ,,assur ,sig4 ,,galli4 ,,oroe ,sig4 ,,mariani4 ,on the #ith of ,july it was produced in ,french at the ,academie1 ,paris1 as ,semiramis1 with ,carlotta ,marchisio as ,semiramide1 ,barbara1 her sister1 as ,arsaces1 and ,m4 ,obin as ,assur4 ,at ,rossini's request ,m4 ,carafa arranged the recitatives and wrote the ballet music4 ,semiramide was the last opera ,rossini wrote for ,italy2 and so far did he depart from the conventional ,italian style1 that he was charged with imitating the ,german4 ,it was probably for this reason that the opera when first performed did not meet with a kindly reception from the ,venetians4 ,although he was occupied six months in negotiating for his stipulated price 7one thousand dollars71 he wrote the opera in three weeks4 ,of its first performance1 a correspondent of the ,harmonicon1 who was present1 writes3 ,the first act1 which lasted two hours and fifteen minutes1 was received very coldly1 with the exception of one passage in the overture1 which overture1 however1 was unconscionably long4 ,the second act1 which lasted two hours and a half1 began to please in an air of ,mariani1 but the applause was rather directed to this favorite singer4 ,after this a duet between her and ,colbran1 together with an air of ,galli1 and particularly a terzetto between him and the two ladies1 were well received4 ,rossini was also called for at the end of the second act4 ,it is all over with ,madame1 his own wife 7,mme4 ,colbran71 who took the title-role4 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,babylon1 and the story briefly told is as follows3 ,ninus1 the ,king of ,babylon1 has been murdered by his ,queen1 ,semiramis1 aided by ,assur1 a prince enamoured of her and aspiring to the throne4 ,one of the ,queen's warriors1 ,arsaces1 supposed to be of ,scythian origin1 but in reality her own son1 returns from a foreign expedition and is loaded with honors for the victory he has won4 ,semiramis1 ignorant of his parentage1 has a secret passion for him1 he in the mean time being devoted to ,azema1 one of the princesses royal4 ,as all gather together in the temple to swear allegiance to the ,queen1 the gates of ,ninus's tomb suddenly open1 and his ghost appears and announces that ,arsaces will be the successor to the crown4 ,at midnight ,semiramis1 ,assur1 and ,arsaces meet at the tomb1 and by mistake ,assur stabs her instead of ,arsaces1 who in turn kills ,assur1 and1 all obstacles being removed1 is united to ,azema and ascends the throne4 ,an introductory chorus of ,babylonians and a terzetto by ,idreno1 ,assur1 and ,oroe open the opera and lead up to the first appearance of ,semiramis1 which is followed by a very dramatic quartet 7,di tanti regi74 ,in the fourth scene ,arsaces has a very brilliant aria 7,o6 come da quel di71 which also did service in one or two of ,rossini's other operas1 and is followed by a very animated duet 7,bella imago degli dei7 between himself and ,assur4 ,the eighth scene is introduced by a graceful female chorus which leads to ,semiramis's brilliant and well-known aria1 ,bel raggio4 ,in the tenth scene occurs an elegant duet 7,serbami agnor si fido71 followed in the next scene by a stately priests' march and chorus 7,ergi omai la fronte altera71 set to ecclesiastical harmony and accompanied by full military band as well as orchestra1 this being the first instance where a military band was used in ,italian opera4 ,it leads to the finale1 where ,semiramis on her throne announces to her people her choice for their future king4 ,the oath of allegiance follows in an impressive quartet with chorus 7,giuro al numi71 and a defiant aria by the ,queen leads to the sudden appearance of the ghost of ,ninus1 accompanied by characteristic music repeated in quintet with chorus4 ,as the ghost speaks1 the statue scene in ,don ,giovanni is inevitably recalled1 especially in some phrases which are literally copied4 ,the second act opens with a vindictively passionate duet 7,assur1 icenni mici7 between ,assur and ,semiramis1 closing with a fierce outburst of hatred 7,la forza primiera74 ,the scene is a very long and spirited one1 and is followed by a second chorus of priests1 leading to a great aria with chorus 7,ah6 tu gelar mi fai7 for ,arsaces4 ,in the fifth scene occurs a long duet between ,arsaces and ,semiramis1 the second part of which 7,giorno d'orrore7 is the strongest number in the opera4 ,though intensely passionate in its tone1 the music is smooth and flowing and very florid for both voices4 ,the seventh scene is composed of a scena1 aria and chorus1 followed by still another chorus in the mausoleum4 ,semiramis sings a prayer of great pathos and beauty 7,ah mio pregar74 ,a terzetto 7,l'usato ardir71 which like the mausoleum chorus is based upon an aria from ,mozart's ,cosi fan tutti1 closes the opera4 ,the ,harmonicon1 to which reference has already been made1 in an analysis of the work1 has the following apt criticism3 ,it has been said1 and truly1 that ',semiramide' is composed in the ,german style1 but it is the ,german style exaggerated4 ,rossini is become a convert to this school1 and his conversion does his judgment credit1 though like all proselytes he passes into extremes4 ,not satisfied with discarding the meagre accompaniments of the ,italian composers1 he even goes far beyond the tramontane masters in the multitude and use of instruments1 and frequently smothers his concerted pieces and choruses by the overwhelming weight of his orchestra4 ,but what would the ,harmonicon have said1 had it had ,wagner's instrumentation before it8 ,,william ,,tell ,william ,tell1 an opera in three acts1 words by ,etienne ,jouy and ,hippolyte ,bis1 the subject taken from ,schiller's drama of the same name1 was first produced at the ,academie1 ,paris1 ,aug4 #c1 #ahbi1 with the following cast3-- ,,mathilde ,mme4 ,,damoreau-,,cinti4 ,,jemmy ,mme4 ,,dabodie4 ,,hedwig ,mlle4 ,,mori4 ,,arnold ,m4 ,,nourrit4 ,,walter ,m4 ,,levasseur4 ,,tell ,m4 ,,dabodie4 ,,ruodi ,m4 ,,dupont4 ,,rodolphe ,m4 ,,massol4 ,,gessler ,m4 ,,prevost4 ,,leutold ,m4 ,,prevot4 ,rossini wrote for ,paris only two new operas1 ,le ,comte ,ory and ,william ,tell1--the latter his masterpiece in the serious style4 ,the libretto was first prepared by ,m4 ,jouy1 but it was so bad that ,m4 ,bis was called in1 and to him is due the whole of the second act4 ,even after the two authors had changed and revised it1 ,rossini had to alter it in many places4 ,when it was first performed the weakness of the drama was at once recognized1 though its music was warmly welcomed1 especially by the critical4 ,it was represented fifty-six times in its original form1 and was then cut down to three acts1 the original third act being omitted and the fourth and fifth condensed into one4 ,for three years after this time the second act was alone performed in ,paris2 but when ,m4 ,duprez made his debut in the part of ,arnold1 a fresh enthusiasm was aroused1 and there was a genuine ,tell revival4 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,switzerland1 period the thirteenth century1 and the action closely follows the historical narrative4 ,the disaffection which has arisen among the ,swiss1 owing to the tyranny of ,gessler1 suddenly comes to a climax when one of ,gessler's followers attempts an outrage upon the only daughter of the herdsman ,leutold1 and meets his death at the hands of the indignant father4 ,leutold seeks protection at the hands of ,tell1 who1 in the face of the herdsman's pursuers1 succeeds in placing him beyond the reach of danger1 and this circumstance arouses the wrath of ,gessler4 ,melchtal1 the village patriarch1 is accused by him of inciting the people to insubordination1 and is put to death4 ,meanwhile ,arnold1 his son1 is enamoured of ,mathilde1 ,gessler's daughter1 and hesitates between love and duty when he is called upon to avenge his father's death4 ,at last duty prevails1 and he joins his comrades when the men of the three cantons1 who are loyal to ,tell1 meet and swear death to the tyrant4 ,in the last act occurs the famous archery scene4 ,to discover the leading offenders ,gessler erects a pole in the square of ,altorf1 upon which he places his hat and commands the people to do homage to it4 ,tell refuses1 and as a punishment is ordered to shoot an apple from his son's head4 ,he successfully accomplishes the feat1 but as he is about to retire ,gessler observes a second arrow concealed in his garments1 and inquires the reason for it1 when ,tell boldly replies it was intended for him in case the first had killed his son4 ,gessler throws him into prison1 whereupon ,mathilde abandons her father and determines to help in the rescue of ,tell and his son4 ,her lover1 ,arnold1 meanwhile1 raises a band of brave followers and accomplishes the rescue himself4 ,after slaying the tyrant and freeing his country ,tell returns to his family1 and ,arnold and ,mathilde are united4 ,the overture to ,william ,tell1 with its ,alpine repose1 its great storm-picture1 the stirring ,ranz des ,vaches1 and the trumpet-call to freedom1 is one of the most perfect and beautiful ever written1 and is so familiar that it does not need analysis4 ,the first act opens with a delightfully fresh ,alpine chorus 7,e il ciel sereno71 which is followed by a pastoral quartet between a fisherman1 ,tell1 ,hedwig1 and ,jemmy4 ,arnold enters1 and a long duet1 one of ,rossini's finest inspirations1 follows between ,arnold and ,tell4 ,the duet is interrupted by the entrance of several of the peasants escorting two brides and bridegrooms1 which is the signal for a most graceful chorus and dance 7,cinto il crine74 ,leutold then appears1 seeking ,tell's protection1 and a very dramatic finale begins1 closing with the arrest of ,melchtal1 which leads to an ensemble of great power4 ,the second act opens with a double chorus of huntsmen and shepherds 7,qual silvestre metro intorne71 which is followed by a scena preluding a charming romanza 7,selva opaco7 sung by ,mathilde4 ,its mild1 quiet beauty is in strange contrast with the remainder of this great act4 ,it is followed by a passionate duet with ,arnold1 a second and still more passionate duet between ,tell and ,walter1 which leads to the magnificent trio of the oath 7,la gloria inflammi71 and this in turn is followed by the splendid scene of the gathering of the cantons4 ,for melodic and harmonic beauty combined1 the spirited treatment of masses1 and charm and variety of color1 this great scene stands almost alone4 ,the last act opens with a duet between ,mathilde and ,arnold1 which is followed in the next scene by a march and chorus as the multitude gathers in the square of ,altorf1 closing with a lovely ,tyrolean chorus sung by the sopranos and accompanied with the dance4 ,the dramatic scene of the archery follows1 and then ,arnold has a very passionate aria 7,o muto asil74 ,some very vivid storm-music preluding the last scene1 and the final hymn of freedom 7,i boschi1 i monti7 close an opera which is unquestionably ,rossini's masterpiece1 and in which his musical ability reached its highest expression4 ,manly1 earnest1 and mighty1 ,hanslick calls it2 and the same authority claims that the first and second acts belong to the most beautiful achievements of the modern opera4 ,,rubinstein4 ,anton ,gregor ,rubinstein was born ,nov4 #cj1 #ahbi1 at ,weghwotynez in ,russia4 ,his mother gave him lessons at the age of four1 with the result that by the time he was six she was unable to teach him anything more4 ,he then studied the piano with ,alexander ,villoing1 a pupil of ,john ,field4 ,in #ahdj he entered the ,paris ,conservatory1 where he attracted the attention of ,liszt1 ,chopin1 and ,thalberg4 ,he remained in that city eighteen months1 and then made some professional tours1 in which he met with extraordinary success4 ,in #ahdd his parents removed to ,berlin1 and he was placed under ,dehn1 the famous contrapuntist1 to study composition4 ,from #ahdf to #ahdh he taught music in ,pressburg and ,vienna1 and then went back to ,russia4 ,for eight years he studied and wrote in ,st4 ,petersburg1 and at the end of that time had accumulated a mass of manuscripts destined to make his name famous all over ,europe1 while his reputation as a skilful pianist was already world-wide4 ,he visited ,england again in #aheg1 and the next year returned home and settled in ,st4 ,petersburg1 about which time he was made ,imperial ,concert ,director1 with a life-pension4 ,at this period in his career he devoted himself to the cause of music in ,russia4 ,his first great work was the foundation of the ,conservatory in the above city in #ahfb1 of which he remained principal until #ahfg4 ,he also founded the ,russian ,musical ,society in #ahfa1 and in #ahfi was decorated by the ,czar4 ,in #ahgj he directed the ,philharmonic and ,choral ,societies of ,vienna1 and shortly afterwards made another tour1 during which1 in #ahgb1 he came to this country with the eminent violinist1 ,wieniawsky1 as will be well remembered4 ,his greatest works are the ,ocean ,symphony1 ,dramatic ,symphony1 and a character sketch for grand orchestra called ,ivan the ,terrible2 his operas1 ,children of the ,heath1 ,feramors1 ,nero1 ,the ,maccabees1 ,dimitri ,donskoi1 and the ,demon2 the oratorios ,paradise ,lost1 and ,tower of ,babel1 and a long and splendid catalogue of chamber1 salon1 and concert music1 besides some beautiful songs1 which are great favorites in the concert-room4 ,,nero4 ,the opera of ,nero1 the libretto by ,jules ,barbier1 was first produced in ,hamburg in #ahgi1--though it was originally intended for the ,french stage1--and in this country1 ,march #ad1 #ahhg1 at ,new ,york1 by the ,american ,opera ,company1 under the direction of ,mr4 ,theodore ,thomas1 with the following cast3-- ,,nero ,mr4 ,,candidus4 ,,julius ,,vindex ,mr4 ,,ludwig4 ,,tigellinus ,mr4 ,,stoddard4 ,,balbillus ,mr4 ,,whitney4 ,,saccus ,mr4 ,,fessenden4 ,,sevirus ,mr4 ,,hamilton4 ,,terpander ,mr4 ,,lee4 ,,poppoea ,,sabina ,miss ,,bertha ,,pierson4 ,,epicharis ,miss ,,cornelia ,,van ,,zanten4 ,,chrysa ,miss ,,emma ,,juch4 ,,agrippina ,miss ,,agnes ,,sterling4 ,,lupus ,miss ,,pauline ,l',,allemand4 ,the first act opens in the house of ,epicharis1 a courtesan1 which is a rendezvous for the dissolute ,roman nobles4 ,the guests assembled sing a chorus in praise of the establishment1 followed by a scene in which ,vindex1 the prince of ,aquitania1 ,saccus the poet1 ,terpander the citharist1 and others conspire against ,nero4 ,suddenly ,chrysa1 daughter of ,epicharis1 who is ignorant of her mother's real character and dwells apart from her1 rushes in and implores the protection of ,vindex from a crowd of revellers who have pursued her4 ,a very spirited duet follows in which the prince promises her his assistance4 ,upon hearing the shouts of her pursuers he conceals her just in time to escape the masked band1 headed by ,nero himself1 which bursts into the apartment4 ,the tyrant demands the girl2 and as he throws off his mask the guests stand amazed4 ,saccus at last breaks the spell by the suggestion that ,nero shall marry the girl4 ,when she is led out1 and ,vindex discovers that ,epicharis is her mother1 he no longer espouses her cause4 ,then follows the music of the mock marriage1 interspersed with dance strains and sardonic choruses by the courtesans and their associates1 at last rising to a wild bacchanalian frenzy1 in the midst of which ,vindex breaks out in a spirited song1 with harp accompaniment1 and finally hurls invectives at ,nero1 as ,chrysa1 who has drunk a narcotic at her mother's order1 falls senseless4 ,the latter declares she has been poisoned1 and the act closes with a scene of great power in which ,vindex is hurried away as ,nero's prisoner4 ,the second act opens in the dwelling of ,poppoea1 ,nero's mistress1 whose attendants are trying to console her4 ,she has heard of ,nero's new infatuation2 but her apprehensions are relieved when ,balbillus1 the astrologer1 enters and not only announces that ,chrysa is dead1 but tells the equally grateful news that ,octavia1 ,nero's wife1 has been condemned to die4 ,nero himself now appears upon the scene1 and a duet follows in which ,poppoea reproaches him for his fickleness and he seeks to console her with flattery4 ,at its close the death of ,octavia is announced1 and ,poppoea is appeased by the prospect of sharing the throne4 ,meanwhile ,chrysa has fallen into the custody of ,agrippina1 ,nero's mother1 who keeps close charge of her to further her own ambitions4 ,during the interview between the tyrant and his mistress1 ,epicharis rushes in and implores ,nero to give up ,chrysa1 which leads to a powerful ensemble4 ,learning that ,chrysa is still alive he leaves the apartment to find her4 ,the second scene is brilliantly spectacular4 ,nero and his mother appear in front of the temple1 followed by a long procession to the music of a brilliant march4 ,they enter the temple4 ,after a short episode1 in which ,poppoea informs ,epicharis of the refuge ,chrysa has found1 the ballet is given in the open square1 with its fascinating dances of warriors1 bacchantes1 jugglers and buffoons1 and their mimic combats1 the music of which is very familiar from its frequent performance in our concert-rooms4 ,nero then appears and announces his divinity in a finale1 which is rich with scenic1 spectacular1 and choral effects1 accompanied by full military band and orchestra4 ,the third act opens in ,chrysa's new asylum of refuge4 ,the persecuted girl sings a beautiful prayer1 at the close of which ,vindex joins her in a love-duet1 which will always remain as one of the most refined and noble products of ,rubinstein's skill in harmony4 ,the next number is one of almost equal beauty1--a duet for ,chrysa and ,epicharis1 the motive of which is a cradle song4 ,its soothing tones are interrupted by the appearance of ,nero1 followed by ,poppoea and ,saccus1 the last-named announcing to the tyrant that ,rome is in flames1 which leads up to a vigorous trio4 ,the concluding scene is full of characteristic music4 ,it shows us ,nero watching the fire from his tower1 while he sings a hymn 7,o ,ilion7 to the accompaniment of his lyre2 the death of ,chrysa1 who proclaims herself a ,christian and is killed by the infuriated populace2 and the fate of ,epicharis1 who is crushed beneath a falling house as she mourns for her daughter4 ,the fourth act furnishes a dramatic denouement to the mournful story4 ,the tyrant1 wild with rage and frenzy1 appears in the tomb of ,augustus1 where the shades of his murdered victims terrify him4 ,saccus enters and tells him of the revolt of his army and the danger which threatens him4 ,he rushes out again and kills himself on the highway of the ,campagna1 just as ,vindex at the head of his legions comes up with him4 ,as he expires a cross appears in the sky and a chant is heard1 herald of the coming ,christianity4 ,,thomas4 ,charles ,ambroise ,thomas was born at ,metz1 ,aug4 #e1 #ahaa1 and entered the ,paris ,conservatory in #ahbh1 where he carried off the ,grand ,prize in #ahcb1 which entitled him to go to ,italy4 ,during his ,italian residence he wrote a cantata1 ,hermann und ,ketty1 and several instrumental works4 ,his first work at the ,opera ,comique was the one-act opera1 ,la double echelle1 produced in #ahcg with success4 ,he then brought out several ballets at the ,academie1 but returned to the ,opera ,comique again1 where1 between #ahdj and #ahff1 he composed thirteen operas1 the most successful of which were ,le ,songe d'une nuit d'ete 7#ahej71 ,raymond 7#ahea71 ,psyche 7#aheg71 and ,mignon 7#ahff74 ,during this period he also wrote a large number of cantatas1 choruses1 part-songs1 and instrumental works4 ,his next great work was ,hamlet1 first produced ,march #i1 #ahfh1 the success of which gained him the position of ,director of the ,conservatory in #ahga4 ,since that time he has written only the opera ,francoise de ,rimini1 performed ,april #ad1 #ahhb4 ,in #ahhj he was made a member of the ,legion of ,honor4 ,in common with ,gounod he now shares the honor of being one of the few ,french writers who hold a high rank among modern composers4 ,,mignon ,mignon1 an opera comique in three acts1 words by ,barbier and ,carre1 the subject taken from ,goethe's ,wilhelm ,meister1 was first produced at the ,opera ,comique1 ,paris1 ,nov4 #ag1 #ahff1 with the following cast3-- ,,mignon ,mme4 ,,galli-,,marie4 ,,wilhelm ,,meister ,m4 ,,achard4 ,,laertes ,m4 ,,conders4 ,,lotario ,m4 ,,bataille4 ,,filina ,mme4 ,,cabel4 ,the scene of the first two acts is laid in ,germany1 and of the third in ,italy4 ,mignon1 the heroine1 in her childhood was stolen by gypsies4 ,she is of noble birth4 ,the mother died shortly after her bereavement1 and the father1 disguised as the harper ,lotario1 has wandered for years in quest of his daughter4 ,the opera opens in the yard of a ,german inn1 where a troupe of actors1 among them ,filina and ,laertes1 are resting1 on their way to the castle of a neighboring prince1 where they are to give a performance4 ,a strolling gypsy band arrives about the same time1 and stops to give an entertainment to the guests4 ,mignon1 who is with the band1 is ordered to perform the egg dance1 but1 worn out with fatigue and abusive treatment1 refuses4 ,giarno1 the leader1 rushes at her1 but the old harper interposes in her behalf4 ,giarno then turns upon ,lotario1 when the wandering student1 ,wilhelm ,meister1 suddenly appears and rescues both ,mignon and the harper4 ,to save her from any further persecution he engages her as his page1 and follows on in the suite of ,filina1 for whom he conceives a violent and sudden passion4 ,touched by his kind attentions to her1 ,mignon falls in love with ,wilhelm1 who1 ignorant of his page's affection1 becomes more and more a prey to the fascinations of ,filina4 ,at last the troupe arrives at the castle1 ,wilhelm and ,mignon with them4 ,wilhelm enters with the others1 leaving ,mignon to await him outside4 ,maddened with jealousy1 she attempts to throw herself into a lake near by1 but is restrained by the notes of ,lotario's harp4 ,she rushes to him for counsel and protection1 and in her despair invokes vengeance upon all in the castle4 ,as the entertainment closes1 ,filina and her troupe emerge1 joyful over their great success4 ,she sends ,mignon back for some flowers she has left1 when suddenly flames appear in the windows4 ,maddened by his own grief and ,mignon's troubles ,lotario has fired the castle4 ,wilhelm rushes into the burning building and brings out the unconscious ,mignon in his arms4 ,the last act opens in ,lotario's home in ,italy1 whither ,mignon has been taken1 followed by ,wilhelm1 who has discovered her devoted attachment to him1 and has freed himself from the fascinations of ,filina4 ,through the medium of a long-concealed casket containing a girdle which ,mignon had worn in her childhood1 also by a prayer which she repeats1 and the picture of her mother1 ,lotario is at last convinced that she is his daughter1 and gives his blessing to her union with ,wilhelm4 ,the overture recites the leading motives of the work4 ,the first act opens with a fresh and melodious chorus of the townspeople over their beer in the inn yard 7,su borghesi e magnati74 ,during their singing a characteristic march is heard1 and the gypsy band enters4 ,the scene is a charming one1 the little ballet being made still more picturesque by the fresh chorus and a song of ,filina's in waltz time4 ,the scene of the encounter with ,giarno and ,mignon's rescue follows1 and leads up to a very spirited quintet1 which is followed by a graceful trio between ,wilhelm1 ,filina1 and ,laertes1 the actor4 ,in the next scene ,wilhelm questions ,mignon as to her history1 and at the end of their pathetic duet1 when he says1 ,were ,i to break thy chains and set thee free1 to what beloved spot wouldst thou take thy way8 she replies in the beautiful romanza1 ,non conosci il bel suol1 more familiarly known in ,goethe's own words1 ,kennst du das ,land1--a song full of tender beauty and rare expression1 and one of the most delightful inspirations of any composer4 ,it is said that much of its charm comes from the composer's study of ,ary ,scheffer's picture of ,mignon4 ,be this as it may1 he has caught the inner sense of the poem1 and expressed it in exquisite tones4 ,it is followed almost immediately by a duet between ,mignon and ,lotario 7,leggiadre rondinelle7 of almost equal beauty1 known as the ,swallow duet4 ,after a somewhat uninteresting scene between ,laertes1 ,filina1 and ,frederick1 who is also in love with ,filina1 the finale begins with the departure of the actors to fulfil their engagement1 in which ,filina1 in a graceful aria 7,grazie al gentil signor71 invites ,wilhelm to be of the number4 ,the second act opens in ,filina's boudoir1 where she is at her toilet1 arraying herself for her part as ,titania in the forthcoming performance of the ,midsummer ,night's ,dream at the castle4 ,as ,wilhelm and ,mignon enter the apartment1 a very dramatic conversation ensues between them in the form of a terzetto 7,ohime quell' acre riso74 ,mignon is in despair at the attention ,wilhelm pays ,filina1 and the latter adds to her pangs by singing with him a gay coquettish aria 7,gai complimenti74 ,as they leave the room ,mignon goes to the mirror and begins adorning herself as ,filina had done1 hoping thereby to attract ,wilhelm1 singing meanwhile a characteristic song 7,conosco un zingarello7 with a peculiar refrain1 which the composer himself calls the ,styrienne4 ,it is one of the most popular numbers in the opera1 and when first sung in ,paris made a furor4 ,at the end of the scene ,mignon goes into a cabinet to procure one of ,filina's dresses1 and the lovelorn ,frederick enters and sings his only number in the opera1 a bewitching rondo gavotte 7,filina nelle sale74 ,wilhelm enters1 and a quarrel between the jealous pair is prevented by the sudden appearance of ,mignon in ,filina's finery4 ,she rushes between them1 ,frederick makes his exit in a fume1 and ,wilhelm announces to ,mignon his intention to leave her1 in the aria1 ,addio1 ,mignon1 fa core1 one of the most pathetic songs in the modern opera4 ,in the next scene she tears off her finery and rushes out expressing her hatred of ,filina4 ,the scene now changes to the park surrounding the castle where the entertainment is going on4 ,mignon hears the laughter and clapping of hands1 and overcome with despair attempts to throw herself into the lake1 but is restrained by ,lotario1 and a beautiful duet ensues between them 7,sofferto hai tu874 ,in the next scene ,filina1 the actors1 and their train of followers emerge from the castle1 and in the midst of their joy she sings the polacca1 ,ah6 per stassera1 which is a perfect feu de joie of sparkling music1 closing with a brilliant cadenza4 ,the finale1 which is very dramatic1 describes the burning of the castle and the rescue of ,mignon4 ,the last act is more dramatic than musical1 though it contains a few delightful numbers1 among them the chorus barcarole in the first scene1 ,orsu1 sciogliam le vela1 a song by ,wilhelm 7,ah6 non credea71 and the love duet1 ,ah6 son felice1 between ,wilhelm and ,mignon1 in which is heard again the cadenza of ,filina's polacca4 ,mignon has always been a success1 and will unquestionably always keep its place on the stage1--longer even than the composer's more ambitious works1 ,hamlet and ,francoise de ,rimini1 by virtue of its picturesqueness and poetic grace1 as well as by the freshness1 warmth1 and richness of its melodies4 ,in this country opera-goers will long remember ,mignon by the great successes made by ,miss ,kellogg as ,filina1 and by ,mme4 ,lucca and ,mme4 ,nilsson in the title-role4 ,,verdi4 ,giuseppi ,verdi was born at ,roncale1 ,italy1 ,oct4 #i1 #ahac4 ,he displayed his musical talent at a very early age2 indeed1 in his tenth year he was appointed organist in his native town4 ,he then studied for a time at ,busseto1 and afterwards1 by the help of a patron1 ,m4 ,barezzi1 went to ,milan4 ,curiously enough he was refused a scholarship on the ground that he displayed no aptitude for music4 ,nothing daunted1 he studied privately with the composer ,lavigne1 and five years afterwards commenced his career as an operatic writer4 ,his first opera1 ,oberto1 was given at ,la ,scala1 ,milan1 with indifferent success4 ,he was not fairly recognized until his opera ,i ,lombardi was performed4 ,in #ahdd ,ernani was received with great enthusiasm4 ,attila 7#ahdf7 was his next great triumph2 and then followed in rapid succession a large number of operas1 among them3 ,i ,masnadieri 7#ahdg71 written for the ,english stage1 with ,jenny ,lind1 ,lablache1 and ,gardoni in the cast2 ,luisa ,miller 7#ahdi72 ,stifellio 7#ahea72 ,rigoletto 7#ahea72 ,il ,trovatore1 ,rome 7#ahec72 ,la ,traviata1 ,venice 7#ahec72 ,i ,vespri ,siciliani1 ,paris 7#ahee72 ,simon ,boccanegra1 ,venice 7#aheg72 ,un ,ballo in ,maschera1 ,rome 7#aheh72 ,la ,forza del ,destino1 ,st4 ,petersburg 7#ahfb72 ,don ,carlos1 ,paris 7#ahfg71 and ,aida1 his last opera1 ,cairo 7#ahga74 ,since that time ,verdi has produced nothing but a ,pater ,noster and an ,ave ,maria 7#ahhj71 and the ,requiem1 composed in memory of the patriot ,manzoni1 and produced at ,milan in #ahgd1 on the occasion of the anniversary of his death4 ,it has been reported that he is at work upon a new opera1 ,othello1 the words by ,arrigo ,boito1 the composer of ,mephistopheles2 but nothing more than the report has been heard from it during the past three or four years4 ,the great melodist now spends a very quiet life as a country gentleman upon his estates near ,busseto4 ,,ernani4 ,ernani1 a tragic opera in four acts1 words by ,f4,m4 ,piave1 the subject taken from ,victor ,hugo's tragedy of ,hernani1 was first produced at ,venice1 ,march #i1 #ahdd4 ,the earlier performances of the opera gave the composer much trouble4 ,before the first production the police interfered1 refusing to allow the representation of a conspiracy on the stage1 so that many parts of the libretto1 as well as much of the music1 had to be changed4 ,the blowing of ,don ,silva's horn in the last act was also objected to by one ,count ,mocenigo1 upon the singular ground that it was disgraceful4 ,the ,count1 however1 was silenced more easily than the police4 ,the chorus ,si ridesti il ,leon di ,castiglia also aroused a political manifestation by the ,venetians4 ,the opera was given in ,paris1 ,jan4 #f1 #ahdf1 and there it encountered the hostility of ,victor ,hugo1 who demanded that the libretto should be changed4 ,to accommodate the irate poet1 the words were altered1 the characters were changed to ,italians1 and the new title of ,,ii ,proscritto was given to the work4 ,the action of the opera takes place in ,arragon1 ,spain1 and the period is #aeai4 ,elvira1 a noble ,spanish lady1 betrothed to the grandee ,don ,gomez de ,silva1 is in love with the bandit ,ernani1 who forms a plan to carry her off4 ,while receiving the congratulations of her friends upon her approaching marriage with ,silva1 ,don ,carlos1 the ,king of ,spain1 enters her apartment1 declares his passion for her1 and tries to force her from the castle4 ,she cries for help1 and ,ernani comes to her rescue and defies the king4 ,the situation is still further complicated by the sudden arrival of ,silva1 who declares he will avenge the insult4 ,finding1 however1 that it is the ,king whom he has challenged1 he sues for pardon4 ,in the second act1 as the nuptials are about to be solemnized1 ,ernani enters1 disguised as a pilgrim1 and believing ,elvira false to him1 throws off his disguise and demands to be given up to the ,king1 which ,silva refuses1 as he cannot betray a guest4 ,discovering1 however1 that ,elvira and ,ernani are attached to each other1 he determines on vengeance4 ,the ,king eventually carries off ,elvira as a hostage of the faith of ,silva1 whereupon the latter challenges ,ernani4 ,the bandit refuses to fight with him1 informs him that the ,king is also his rival1 and asks to share in his vengeance1 promising in turn to give up his life when ,silva calls for it1 and presenting him with a horn which he is to sound whenever he wishes to have the promise kept4 ,in the third act1 the ,king1 aware that the conspirators are to meet in the catacombs of ,aquisgrana1 conceals himself there1 and when the assassins meet to decide who shall kill him1 he suddenly appears among them and condemns the nobles to be sent to the block4 ,ernani1 who is a duke1 under the ban of the ,king of ,castile1 demands the right to join them1 but the ,king magnanimously pardons the conspirators and consents to the union of ,ernani and ,elvira4 ,upon the very eve of their happiness1 and in the midst of their festivities1 the fatal horn is heard1 and true to his promise ,ernani parts from ,elvira and kills himself4 ,the first act opens with a spirited chorus of banditti and mountaineers 7,allegri1 beviami7 as they are drinking and gambling in their mountain retreat4 ,ernani appears upon a neighboring height and announces himself in a despondent aria 7,come rugiada al cespite74 ,a brief snatch of chorus intervenes1 when he breaks out in a second and more passionate strain 7,dell' esilio nel dolore71 in which he sings of his love for ,elvira4 ,the third scene opens in ,elvira's apartments1 and is introduced with one of the most beautiful of ,verdi's arias1 ,ernani1 involami1 with which all concert-goers have become acquainted by its frequent repetition4 ,a graceful chorus of her ladies bearing gifts leads to a second and more florid number 7,tutto sprezzo che d' ,ernani74 ,don ,carlos enters1 and in the seventh scene has an aria 7,bella come un primo amore7 in which he declares his passion for ,elvira1 leading up to a very dramatic duet between them 7,fiero sangue d' ,aragona74 ,this is followed in turn by a trio between the two and ,ernani4 ,the finale commences with an impressive and sonorous bass solo 7,infelice6 e tuo credevi7 by ,silva1 and closes with a septet and chorus of great power4 ,the second act1 like the first1 opens with a chorus1 this time1 however1 of mixed voices1 the power of which is amplified by a military band on the stage4 ,after three scenes of dramatic dialogue1 an impassioned duet 7,ah6 morir potessi adesso67 occurs between ,ernani and ,elvira1 followed by a second1 of great dramatic intensity1 in the seventh scene 7,la vendetta piu tremenda74 ,the finale begins with a spirited appeal by ,silva and ,ernani for vengeance against the ,king 7,in arcione1 cavalieri7 which is met by a stirring response from their followers 7,pronti vedi li tuoi cavalieri71 sung by full male chorus and closing the act4 ,the third act is devoted to the conspiracy1 and in the second scene ,don ,carlos has a very impressive and at times thrilling soliloquy 7,gran ,dio6 costo sui sepolcrali marmi74 ,the conspiracy then begins with very characteristic accompaniments1 closing with the chorus in full harmony 7,si ridesti il ,leon di ,castiglia71 which at the performance of the work in ,venice roused such a fury among the ,venetians4 ,the finale commences with the appearance of ,don ,carlos among the conspirators1 and closes with the great sextet and chorus1 ,o ,sommo ,carlo4 ,opening with a barytone solo1 it is gradually worked up in a crescendo of great power and thrilling effect4 ,the number is very familiar from its ,english setting under the title1 ,crowned with the ,tempest4 ,the fourth act rapidly hurries to the tragic close1 and is less interesting from a musical point of view1 as the climax was reached in the finale of the third4 ,the principal numbers are the chorus of masks in the first scene 7,o come felici71 accompanied by military band1 and the great duet between ,elvira and ,ernani 7,cessaro i suoni71 which passes from rapturous ecstasy to the despair of fate 7,per noi d' amore il talamo7 as the horn of ,silva is heard1 reminding ,ernani of his promise4 ,though one of the earliest of ,verdi's works1 ,ernani is one of his strongest in dramatic intensity1 in the brilliancy and power of its concerted finales1 and in the beauty of its great chorus effects4 ,,rigoletto4 ,rigoletto1 an opera in three acts1 words by ,piave1 the subject taken from ,victor ,hugo's tragedy1 ,le ,roi s'amuse1 was first produced at ,venice1 ,march #aa1 #ahea4 ,the part of ,gilda has always been a favorite one with great artists1 among whom ,nantier-,didiee1 ,bosio1 and ,miolan-,carvalho played the role with extraordinary success4 ,in the ,london season of #ahfj ,mario and ,ronconi in the respective parts of the ,duke and ,rigoletto1 it is said1 gave dramatic portraitures which were among the most consummate achievements of the lyric stage4 ,the records of its first production1 like those of ,ernani1 are of unusual interest4 ,verdi himself suggested ,victor ,hugo's tragedy to ,piave for a libretto1 and he soon prepared one1 changing the original title1 however1 to ,la ,maledizione4 ,warned by the political events of #ahdh1 the police flatly refused to allow the representation of a king on the stage in such situations as those given to ,francis ,i4 in the original tragedy4 ,the composer and the manager of the theatre begged in vain that the libretto should be accepted1 but the authorities were obstinate4 ,at last a way was found out of the difficulty by the chief of police himself1 who was a great lover of art4 ,he suggested to the librettist that the ,king should be changed to a duke of ,mantua1 and the title of the work to ,rigoletto1 the name of the buffoon who figures in the place of the original ,triboulet4 ,verdi accepted the alterations1 and had an opera ready in forty days which by nearly all critics is considered his musical masterpiece1 notwithstanding the revolting character of the story4 ,the scene of the opera is laid in ,mantua4 ,rigoletto1 the privileged buffoon of the ,duke1 who also plays the part of pander in all his licentious schemes1 among numerous other misdeeds has assisted his master in the seduction of the wife of ,count ,ceprano and the daughter of ,count ,monterone4 ,the latter appears before the ,duke and ,rigoletto1 and demands reparation for the dishonor put upon his house1 only to find himself arrested by order of the ,duke1 and taunted in the most insolent manner by the buffoon1 upon whom he invokes the vengeance of ,heaven4 ,even the courtiers themselves are enraged at ,rigoletto's taunts1 and determine to assist in ,monterone's revenge by stealing ,gilda1 the jester's daughter1 whom they suppose to be his mistress4 ,closely as she had been concealed1 she had not escaped the observation of the ,duke1 who in the guise of a poor student wins her affections and discovers her dwelling-place4 ,pretending that it is ,count ,ceprano's wife whom they are about to abduct1 they even make ,rigoletto assist in the plot and help convey his own daughter to the ,duke's apartments4 ,in his blind fury when he discovers the trick that has been played upon him1 he hires ,sparafucile1 a professional assassin1 to kill the ,duke4 ,the bravo allures the ,duke to his house1 intending to carry out his agreement2 but his sister1 ,magdalena1 is so fascinated with the handsome stranger1 that she determines to save him4 ,sparafucile at first will not listen to her1 but finally promises if any one else comes to the house before the time agreed upon for the murder he shall be the victim4 ,rigoletto meanwhile disguises his daughter in male attire in order that she may escape to ,verona2 but before she sets out he takes her to the vicinity of ,sparafucile's house1 that she may witness the perfidy of the ,duke4 ,while outside1 she overhears the quarrel between ,sparafucile and ,magdalena1 and learns his intention to murder the ,duke1 who is even then sleeping in the house4 ,with a woman's devotion she springs forward to save the ,duke's life1 knocks at the door1 and demands admittance4 ,sparafucile opens it1 and as she enters stabs her4 ,he then thrusts her body into a sack1 and delivers it to her father as the body of the man whom he had agreed to slay4 ,rigoletto1 gloating over his revenge1 is about to throw the sack into the river near by1 when he suddenly hears the voice of the ,duke4 ,he tears open the sack to see whose body it contains1 and by the glare of the lightning is horrified to find that it is his own daughter1 and realizes that the malediction of ,monterone has been accomplished4 ,she expires in his arms1 blessing her lover and father1 while he sinks to the ground overwhelmed with the fulfilment of the terrible curse4 ,the first act opens in the ball-room of the ducal palace4 ,after a brief dialogue between the ,duke and one of his courtiers1 the former vaunts his own fickleness in one of the most graceful and charming arias in the whole opera 7,questa o quella74 ,some spirited dramatic scenes follow1 which introduce the malediction of ,monterone and the compact between ,rigoletto and ,sparafucile1 and lead up to a scena of great power 7,io la lingua1 egli ha il pugnali71 in which the buffoon vents his furious rage against the courtiers4 ,a tender duet between ,rigoletto and ,gilda follows1 and a second duet in the next scene between ,gilda and the ,duke 7,addio1 speranza ed anima71 which for natural grace1 passionate intensity1 and fervid expression is one of ,verdi's finest numbers4 ,as the ,duke leaves1 ,gilda1 following him with her eyes1 breaks out in the passionate love-song1 ,caro nome1 which is not alone remarkable for its delicacy and richness of melody1 but also for the brilliancy of its bravura1 calling for rare range and flexibility of voice4 ,the act closes with the abduction1 and gives an opportunity for a delightful male chorus 7,zitti1 zitti7 sung pianissimo4 ,the second act also opens in the palace1 with an aria by the ,duke 7,parmi veder le lagrime71 in which he laments the loss of ,gilda4 ,another fine chorus 7,scorrendo uniti remota via7 follows1 from which he learns that ,gilda is already in the palace4 ,in the fourth scene ,rigoletto has another grand scena 7,cortigiani vil razza dannata71 which is intensely dramatic1 expressing in its musical alternations the whole gamut of emotions1 from the fury of despair to the most exquisite tenderness of appeal as he pleads with the courtiers to tell him where his daughter is4 ,in the next scene he discovers her1 and the act closes with a duet between them 7,tutte le feste al tempio71 which1 after a strain of most impassioned tenderness1 is interrupted by the passage of the guards conveying ,monterone to prison1 and then closes with a furious outburst of passion from ,rigoletto4 ,with the exception of two numbers1 the last act depends for its effect upon the dramatic situations and the great power of the terrible denouement2 but these two numbers are among the finest ,verdi has ever given to the world4 ,the first is the tenor solo sung in ,sparafucile's house in the second scene by the ,duke1--,la donna e mobile1 an aria of extreme elegance and graceful abandon1 which is heard again in the last scene1 its lightly tripping measures contrasting strangely with the savage glee of ,rigoletto1 so soon to change to wails of despair as he realizes the full force of the malediction4 ,the second is the great quartet in the third scene between the ,duke1 ,gilda1 ,magdalena1 and ,rigoletto 7,bella figlia dell' amore71 which stands out as an inspiration in comparison with the rest of the opera1 fine as its music is4 ,the story itself is almost too repulsive for stage representation2 but in beauty1 freshness1 originality1 and dramatic expression the music of ,rigoletto is ,verdi's best2 and in all this music the quartet is the masterpiece4 ,,la ,,traviata4 ,la ,traviata1 an opera in three acts1 words by ,piave1 is founded upon ,dumas's ,dame aux ,camelias1 familiar to the ,english stage as ,camille4 ,the original play is supposed to represent phases of modern ,french life2 but the ,italian libretto changes the period to the year #agjj1 in the days of ,louis ,,xiv42 and there are also some material changes of characters1--,marguerite ,gauthier of the original appearing as ,violetta ,valery1 and ,olympia as ,flora ,belvoix1 at whose house the ball scene takes place4 ,the opera was first produced at ,venice1 ,march #f1 #ahec1 with the following cast of the principal parts3-- ,,violetta ,mme4 ,,donatelli4 ,,alfredo ,m4 ,,graziani4 ,,germont ,m4 ,,varesi4 ,the opera at its first production was a complete failure1 though this was due more to the singers than to the music4 ,it is said that when the doctor announced in the third act that ,mme4 ,donatelli1 who impersonated the consumptive heroine1 and who was one of the stoutest ladies ever seen on the stage1 had but a few days to live1 the whole audience broke out into roars of laughter4 ,time has brought its consolations to the composer1 however1 for ,traviata is now one of the most popular operas in the modern repertory4 ,when it was first produced in ,paris1 ,oct4 #bg1 #ahfd1 ,christine ,nilsson made her debut in it4 ,in ,london1 the charming little singer ,mme4 ,piccolomini made her debut in the same opera1 ,may #bd1 #ahef4 ,adelina ,patti1 since that time1 has not only made ,violetta the strongest character in her repertory1 but is without question the most finished representative of the fragile heroine the stage has seen4 ,the story as told by the librettist simply resolves itself into three principal scenes1--the supper at ,violetta's house1 where she makes the acquaintance of ,alfred1 and the rupture between them occasioned by the arrival of ,alfred's father2 the ball at the house of ,flora2 and the death scene and reconciliation1 linked together by recitative1 so that the dramatic unity of the original is lost to a certain extent4 ,the first act opens with a gay party in ,violetta's house4 ,among the crowd about her is ,alfred ,germont1 a young man from ,provence1 who is passionately in love with her4 ,the sincerity of his passion finally influences her to turn aside from her life of voluptuous pleasure and to cherish a similar sentiment for him4 ,in the next act we find her living in seclusion with her lover in a country-house in the environs of ,paris1 to support which she has sold her property in the city4 ,when ,alfred discovers this he refuses to be the recipient of her bounty1 and sets out for ,paris to recover the property4 ,during his absence his father1 who has discovered his retreat1 visits ,violetta1 and pleads with her to forsake ,alfred1 not only on his own account1 but to save his family from disgrace4 ,touched by the father's grief1 she consents1 and secretly returns to ,paris1 where she once more resumes her old life4 ,at a ball given by ,flora ,belvoix1 one of ,violetta's associates1 ,alfred meets her again1 overwhelms her with reproaches1 and insults her by flinging her miniature at her feet in presence of the whole company4 ,stung by her degradation1 ,violetta goes home to die1 and too late ,alfred learns the real sacrifice she has made4 ,he hastens to comfort her1 but she dies forgiving and blessing him4 ,after a short prelude the first act opens with a vivacious chorus of the guests at ,violetta's supper1 leading to a drinking-song 7,libiamo1 libiamo7 in waltz time1 sung first by ,alfred and then by ,violetta1 the chorus echoing each couplet with very pretty effect4 ,after a long dialogue between the two1 closing with chorus1 ,violetta has a grand scena which is always a favorite show-piece with concert artists4 ,it begins with an andante movement 7,ah6 fors e lui71 expressive of the suddenly awakened love which she feels for ,alfred1 with a refrain of half a dozen measures in the finale which might be called the ,violetta motive1 and then suddenly develops into a brisk and sparkling allegro 7,sempre libera7 full of the most florid and brilliant ornamentation1 in which she again resolves to shut out every feeling of love and plunge into the whirl of dissipation4 ,this number1 unlike most of ,verdi's finales which are concerted1 closes the act4 ,the second act opens in the country-house with an effective tenor aria 7,de' miei bollenti7 sung by ,alfred4 ,in the next scene ,germont enters1 and after a brief dialogue with ,violetta sings a short cantabile 7,pura siccome un angelo71 leading to a duet 7,dite alia giovine7 with ,violetta which is full of tenderness4 ,in the interview which immediately follows between ,germont and ,alfred1 the father appeals to his son with memories of home in an andante 7,di ,provenza il mar7 which in form and simplicity and simple pathos of expression might almost be called a ballad4 ,it is always a favorite1 and is usually considered the best number in the opera1 notwithstanding its simple melody4 ,the next scene changes to the ball-room of ,flora1 and is introduced with a peculiar chorus effect4 ,a masked chorus of gypsies1 accompanying their measures with tambourines1 is followed by a second chorus of matadors1 also in mask1 who accent the time with the pikes they carry1 the double number ending with a gay bolero4 ,the act closes with a long duet between ,violetta and ,alfred1 developing in the finale1 by the entrance of ,germont1 to a very strong and dramatic trio4 ,the third act opens in ,violetta's chamber with a reminiscence of the introduction4 ,as she contemplates her changed appearance in the mirror1 she bids a sad farewell to her dreams of happiness in the aria1 ,addio6 del passato1 in harsh contrast with which is heard a bacchanalian chorus behind the scenes 7,largo al quadrupede74 ,in the next scene occurs the passionate duet with ,alfred1 ,parigi1 o cara1 which is a close copy of the final duet in ,trovatore between ,manrico and ,azucena4 ,it is followed by the aria1 ,ah6 gran ,dio1 for ,violetta1 which leads to the concluding quintet and death scene4 ,,il ,,trovatore4 ,,ii ,trovatore1 an opera in four acts1 words by ,cammarano1 was first produced in ,rome1 ,jan4 #ai1 #ahec4 ,in #aheg it was brought out in ,paris as ,le ,trouvere1 and in ,london1 #ahef1 in ,english1 as ,the ,gypsy's ,vengeance4 ,it was produced in ,rome in the same year with ,la ,traviata1 but unlike the latter1 it was greeted at once with an enthusiastic welcome2 and it has held the stage ever since as one of the most popular operas in the modern repertory4 ,in this regard1 indeed1 it shares with ,martha and ,faust the highest place in popular admiration4 ,the opera opens with a midnight scene at the palace of ,aliaferia1 where the old servitor1 ,ferrando1 relates to his associates the story of the fate of ,garzia1 brother of the ,count di ,luna1 in whose service they are employed4 ,while in their cradles1 ,garzia was bewitched by an old gypsy1 and day by day pined away4 ,the gypsy was burned at the stake for sorcery2 and in revenge ,azucena1 her daughter1 stole the sickly child4 ,at the opening of the opera his fate has not been discovered4 ,as the servitor closes his narrative and he and his companions depart1 the ,count di ,luna enters and lingers by the apartment of the ,duchess ,leonora1 with whom he is in love4 ,hearing his voice1 ,leonora comes into the garden1 supposing it is ,manrico the troubadour1 whom she had crowned victor at a recent tournament1 and of whom she had become violently enamoured4 ,as she greets the ,count1 ,manrico appears upon the scene and charges her with infidelity4 ,recognizing her error1 she flies to ,manrico for protection4 ,the ,count challenges him to combat1 and as they prepare to fight she falls to the ground insensible4 ,in the second act we are introduced to a gypsy camp1 where ,azucena relates to ,manrico1 who has been wounded in the duel with the ,count1 the same story which ,ferrando had told his friends1 with the addition that when she saw her mother burning she caught up the ,count's child1 intending to throw it into the flames1 but by a mistake sacrificed her own infant4 ,as the story concludes1 a messenger arrives1 summoning ,manrico to the defence of the castle of ,castellar1 and at the same time informing him that ,leonora1 supposing him dead1 has gone to a convent4 ,he arrives at the convent in time to rescue her before she takes her vows1 and bears her to ,castellar1 which is at once besieged by the ,count's forces4 ,the third act opens in the camp of the ,count1 where ,azucena1 arrested as a spy1 is dragged in4 ,she calls upon ,manrico for help4 ,the mention of his rival's name only adds fuel to the ,count's wrath1 and he orders the gypsy to be burned in sight of the castle4 ,ferrando has already recognized her as the supposed murderer of the ,count's brother1 and her filial call to ,manrico also reveals to him that she is his mother4 ,he makes a desperate effort to rescue her1 but is defeated1 taken prisoner1 and thrown into a dungeon with ,azucena4 ,leonora vainly appeals to the ,count to spare ,manrico1 and at last offers him her hand if he will save his life4 ,he consents1 and ,leonora hastens to the prison to convey the tidings1 having previously taken poison1 preferring to die rather than fulfil her hateful compact4 ,manrico refuses his liberty1 and as ,leonora falls in a dying condition the ,count enters and orders ,manrico to be put to death at once4 ,he is dragged away to execution1 but as the ,count triumphantly forces ,azucena to a window and shows her the tragic scene1 she reveals her secret1 and informing the horror-stricken ,count that he has murdered his own brother1 falls lifeless to the ground4 ,the first act opens with a ballad in mazurka time 7,abbietta ,zingara71 in which ,ferrando relates the story of the gypsy1 leading up to a scena for ,leonora1 which is treated in ,verdi's favorite style4 ,it begins with an andante 7,tacea la notte placida71 a brief dialogue with her attendant ,inez intervening1 and then develops into an allegro 7,di tale amor7 which is a brilliant bit of bravura4 ,a brief snatch of fascinating melody behind the scenes 7,deserto sulla terra7 introduces ,manrico1 and the act closes with a trio 7,di geloso amor sprezzato71 which as an expression of combined grief1 fear1 and hate1 is one of the most dramatic and intense of all ,verdi's finales4 ,the second act opens with the ,anvil chorus in the camp of the gypsies 7,la ,zingarella71 the measures accented with hammers upon the anvils4 ,this number is so familiar that it does not need further reference4 ,as its strains die away in the distance1 ,azucena breaks out into an aria of intense energy1 with very expressive accompaniment 7,stride le vampa71 in which she tells the fearful story of the burning of her mother4 ,a very dramatic dialogue with ,manrico ensues1 closing with a spirited aria for tenor 7,mai reggendo7 and duet 7,sino all' elsa74 ,the scene is interrupted by the notes of a horn announcing the arrival of a messenger4 ,the second scene is introduced by a flowing1 broad1 and beautifully sustained aria for the ,count 7,il balen del suo71 and1 like ,leonora's numbers in the garden scene1 again develops from a slow movement to a rapid and spirited march tempo 7,per me ora fatale71 the act closing with a powerful concerted effect of quartet and chorus4 ,the third act is introduced with a very free and animated soldiers' chorus4 ,azucena is dragged in and sings a plaintive lament for ,manrico 7,giorni poveri74 ,two duets follow1 between ,azucena and the ,count1 and ,manrico and ,leonora1--the second worked up with beautiful effect by the blending of the organ in the convent chapel4 ,the act closes with the spirited aria1 ,di quella pira1 for ,manrico1--a number which has always been the delight of great dramatic tenors1 not alone for its fine melody1 but for its opportunity of showing the voice and using the exceptional high ,c which is introduced in the finale of the aria4 ,the last act is replete with beautiful melodies following each other in quick succession4 ,it opens with a very florid aria for ,leonora 7,d' amor sull' ali rosee71 leading to the exquisite scene of the ,miserere1 ,ah che la morte1--a number which has never yet failed to charm and arouse audiences with the beauty and richness of its musical effect4 ,as the ,count enters1 ,leonora has another powerful aria 7,mira di acerbe71 which in the next scene is followed by the familiar duet between ,azucena and ,manrico1 ,si la stanchezza1 upon which ,verdi lavished his musical skill with charming effect4 ,the last scene closes with the tragedy4 ,the whole opera is liberally enriched with melodies1 and is dramatic throughout2 but the last act is the crown of the work1 and may successfully challenge comparison1 for beauty1 variety1 and dramatic effect1 with any other opera in the purely ,italian school4 ,,il ,,ballo ,,in ,,maschera4 ,il ,ballo in ,maschera1 an opera in three acts1 but usually performed in four1 words by ,m4 ,somma1 was first produced in ,rome1 ,feb4 #ag1 #ahei4 ,in preparing his work for the stage1 ,verdi encountered numerous obstacles4 ,the librettist used the same subject which ,m4 ,scribe had adopted for ,auber's opera1 ,gustavus ,,iii41 and the opera was at first called by the same name1--,gustavo ,,iii4 ,it was intended for production at the ,san ,carlo1 ,naples1 during the ,carnival of #aheh2 but while the rehearsals were proceeding1 ,orsini made his memorable attempt to kill ,napoleon ,,iii41 and the authorities at once forbade a performance of the work1 as it contained a conspiracy scene4 ,the composer was ordered to set different words to his music1 but he peremptorily refused2 whereupon the manager brought suit against him1 claiming forty thousand dollars damages4 ,the disappointment nearly incited a revolution in ,naples4 ,crowds gathered in the streets shouting1 ,viva ,verdi1 implying at the same time1 by the use of the letters in ,verdi's name1 the sentiment1 ,viva ,vittorio ,emmanuele ,re ,di ,italia4 ,a way out of his difficulties1 however1 was finally suggested by the impresario at ,rome1 who arranged with the censorship to have the work brought out at the ,teatro ,apollo as ,un ,ballo in ,maschera4 ,the scene was changed to ,boston1 ,massachusetts1 and the time laid in the colonial period1 notwithstanding the anachronism that masked balls were unknown at that time in ,new ,england history4 ,the ,swedish king appeared as ,ricardo1 ,count of ,warwick and ,governor of ,boston1 and his attendants as ,royalists and ,puritans1 among them two negroes1 ,sam and ,tom1 who are very prominent among the conspirators4 ,in this form1 the ,romans having no objection to the assassination of an ,english governor1 the opera was produced with great success4 ,the first act opens in the house of the ,governor1 where a large party1 among them a group of conspirators1 is assembled4 ,during the meeting a petition is presented for the banishment of ,ulrico1 a negro sorcerer4 ,urged by curiosity1 the ,governor1 disguised as a sailor and accompanied by some of his friends1 pays the old witch a visit4 ,meanwhile another visit has been planned4 ,amelia1 the wife of the ,governor's secretary1 meets the witch at night in quest of a remedy for her passion for ,richard1 who of course has also been fascinated by her4 ,they arrive about the same time1 and he overhears the witch telling her to go to a lonely spot1 where she will find an herb potent enough to cure her of her evil desires4 ,the ,governor follows her1 and during their interview the ,secretary hurriedly rushes upon the scene to notify him that conspirators are on his track4 ,he throws a veil over ,amelia's face and orders ,reinhart1 the ,secretary1 to conduct her to a place of safety without seeking to know who she is4 ,he consents1 and the ,governor conceals himself in the forest4 ,the conspirators meanwhile meet the pair1 and in the confusion ,amelia drops her veil1 thus revealing herself to ,reinhart4 ,furious at the ,governor's perfidy1 he joins the conspirators4 ,in the denouement the ,secretary stabs his master at a masquerade1 and the latter while dying attests the purity of ,amelia1 and magnanimously gives his secretary a commission appointing him to a high position in ,england4 ,after a brief prelude1 the first act opens with a double chorus1 in which the attitude of the friends of the ,governor and the conspirators against him is strongly contrasted4 ,in the next scene ,richard and his page1 ,oscar1 enter2 and after a short dialogue ,richard sings a very graceful romanza 7,la rivedra nell' estasi71 which in the next scene is followed by a spirited aria for ,reinhart 7,di speranze e glorie piena74 ,in the fourth scene ,oscar has a very pretty song 7,volta la terrea71 in which he defends ,ulrica against the accusations of the judge1 leading up to a very effective quintet and chorus which has a flavor of the opera bouffe style4 ,in grim contrast with it comes the witch music in the next scene 7,re del abisso71 set to a weird accompaniment4 ,as the various parties arrive1 a somewhat talky trio ensues between ,amelia1 ,ulrica1 and ,richard1 followed in the next scene by a lovely barcarole 7,di' tu se fedele7 sung by ,richard1 leading to a beautifully written concerted finale full of sharp dramatic contrasts4 ,the second act opens upon a moonlight scene on the spot where murderers are punished2 and ,amelia1 searching for the magic herb1 sings a long dramatic aria 7,ma dall arido7 consisting of abrupt and broken measures1 the orchestra filling the gaps with characteristic accompaniment4 ,richard appears upon the scene1 and the passionate love-duet follows1 ,m'ami1 m'ami4 ,the interview is ended by the sudden appearance of ,reinhart1 who warns the ,governor of his danger1 the scene taking the form of a spirited trio 7,odi tu come74 ,a buffo trio closes the act1 ,sam and ,tom supplying the humorous element with their laughing refrain4 ,the last act opens in ,reinhart's house with a passionate scene between the ,secretary and his wife1 containing two strong numbers1 a minor andante 7,morro1 ma prima in grazia7 for ,amelia1 and an aria for ,reinhart 7,o dolcezzo perdute71 which for originality and true artistic power is worthy of being classed as an inspiration4 ,the conspiracy music then begins1 and leads to the ball scene1 which is most brilliantly worked up with orchestra1 military band1 and stringed quartet behind the scenes supplying the dance-music1 and the accompaniment to the tragical conspiracy1 in the midst of which1 like a bright sunbeam1 comes the page's bewitching song1 ,saper vorreste4 ,the opera closes with the death of ,richard1 set to a very dramatic accompaniment4 ,the ,masked ,ball was the last work ,verdi wrote for the ,italian stage1 and though uneven in its general effect1 it contains some of his most original and striking numbers1--particularly those allotted to the page and ,reinhart4 ,in the intensity of the music and the strength of the situations it is superior even to ,trovatore1 as the composer makes his effects more legitimately4 ,,aida4 ,aida1 an opera in four acts1 was first produced at ,cairo1 ,egypt1 ,dec4 #bg1 #ahga1 and was written upon a commission from the ,khedive of that country4 ,the subject of the opera was taken from a sketch1 originally written in prose1 by the director of the ,museum at ,boulak1 which was afterwards rendered into ,french verse by ,m4 ,camille de ,locle1 and translated thence into ,italian for ,verdi by ,sig4 ,a4 ,ghizlandoni4 ,it is the last opera ,verdi has composed1 and is notable for his departure from the conventional ,italian forms and the partial surrender he has made to the constantly increasing influence of the so-called music of the future4 ,the subject is entirely ,egyptian1 and the music is full of ,oriental color4 ,the action of the opera passes in ,memphis and ,thebes1 and the period is in the time of the ,pharaohs4 ,aida1 the heroine1 is a slave1 daughter of ,amonasro1 the ,king of ,ethiopia1 and at the opening of the opera is in captivity among the ,egyptians4 ,a secret attachment exists between herself and ,rhadames1 a young ,egyptian warrior1 who is also loved by ,amneris1 daughter of the sovereign of ,egypt4 ,the latter suspects that she has a rival1 but does not discover her until ,rhadames returns victorious from an expedition against the rebellious ,amonasro1 who is brought back a prisoner4 ,the second act opens with a scene between ,amneris and ,aida1 in which the ,princess wrests the secret from the slave by pretending that ,rhadames has been killed2 and the truth is still further revealed when ,rhadames pleads with the ,king to spare the lives of the captives4 ,the latter agrees to release all but ,aida and ,amonasro1 bestows the hand of ,amneris upon the unwilling conqueror1 and the act closes amid general jubilation4 ,acting upon ,amonasro's admonitions1 ,aida influences ,rhadames to fly from ,egypt and espouse the cause of her father4 ,the lovers are overheard by ,amneris and ,ramfis1 the high priest4 ,the ,princess1 with all the fury of a woman scorned1 denounces ,rhadames as a traitor4 ,he is tried for treason and condemned to be buried alive in the vaults under the temple of the god ,phtah4 ,pardon is offered him if he will accept the hand of ,amneris1 but he refuses and descends to the tomb1 where he finds ,aida awaiting him4 ,the stones are sealed above them and the lovers are united in death1 while ,amneris1 heart-broken over the tragedy her jealousy has caused1 kneels in prayer before their sepulchre4 ,after a short prelude1 consisting of a beautiful pianissimo movement1 mainly for the violins1 and very ,wagnerish in its general style1 the first act opens in a hall of the ,king's palace at ,memphis4 ,a short dialogue between ,rhadames and the priest ,ramfis leads to a delicious romanza 7,celeste ,aida7 which is entirely fresh and original1 recalling nothing that appears in any of ,verdi's previous works4 ,it is followed by a strong declamatory duet between ,rhadames and ,amneris1 which upon the appearance of ,aida develops to a trio 7,vieni1 o diletta74 ,in the next scene the ,king and his retinue of ministers1 priests1 and warriors enter1 and a majestic ensemble occurs1 beginning with a martial chorus 7,su6 del ,nilo7 in response to the appeal of the priests4 ,as the war chorus dies away and the retinue disappears1 ,aida has a scena of great power4 ,it begins with a lament for her country 7,ritorna vincitor71 in passionate declamatory phrases1 clearly showing the influence of ,wagner2 but in its smooth1 flowing cantabile in the finale1 ,numi pieta1 ,verdi returns to the ,italian style again4 ,the final scene is full of oriental color and barbaric richness of display4 ,the consecrated arms are delivered to ,rhadames4 ,the priestesses behind the scene to the accompaniment of harps1 and the priests in front with sonorous chant1 invoke the aid of the god ,phtah1 while other priestesses execute the sacred dance4 ,an impressive duet between ,ramfis and ,rhadames closes the act4 ,in this finale1 ,verdi has utilized two native ,egyptian themes1--the melody sung by the priestesses with the harps1 and the dance-melody given out by the flutes4 ,the second act opens with a female chorus by the slave girls1 the rhythm of which is in keeping with the oriental scene1 followed by an impassioned duet between ,amneris and ,aida 7,alla pompa che si appresta71 through which are heard the martial strains of the returning conqueror4 ,the second scene opens the way for another ensemble1 which with its massive choruses1 and its stirring march and ballet1 heralding the victory of ,rhadames1 is one of the most picturesque stage scenes the opera has ever furnished4 ,a solemn1 plaintive strain runs through the general jubilation in the appeal of ,amonasro 7,questo assisa ch' io vesto7 to the ,king for mercy to the captives4 ,the finale begins with the remonstrances of the priests and people against the appeals of ,amonasro and ,rhadames1 and closes with an intensely dramatic concerted number1--a quintet set off against the successive choruses of the priests1 prisoners1 and people 7,gloria all' ,egitto74 ,the third act1 like the first1 after a brief dialogue1 opens with a lovely romanza 7,o cieli azzuri7 sung by ,aida1 and the remainder of the act is devoted to two duets1--the first between ,amonasro and ,aida1 and the second between ,rhadames and ,aida4 ,each is very dramatic in style and passionate in declamation1 while they are revelations in the direction of combining the poetic and musical elements1 when compared with any of the duets in ,verdi's previous operas4 ,in the last act the first scene contains another impressive duet between ,rhadames and ,amneris 7,chi ti salva1 o sciagurato71 ending with the despairing song of ,amneris1 ,ohime6 morir mi sento4 ,in the last scene the stage is divided into two parts4 ,the upper represents the temple of ,vulcan1 or ,phtah1 crowded with priests and priestesses1 chanting as the stone is closed over the subterranean entrance1 while below1 in the tomb1 ,aida and ,rhadames sing their dying duet 7,o terra1 addio71 its strains blending with the jubilation of the priests and the measures of the priestesses' sacred dance4 ,aida is the last and unquestionably the greatest1 if not the most popular1 of ,verdi's works4 ,it marks a long step from the style of his other operas towards the production of dramatic effect by legitimate musical means1 and shows the strong influence ,wagner has had upon him4 ,since this work was produced1 no other for the stage has come from his pen4 ,should he break his long silence1 some new work may show that he has gone still farther in the new path4 ,if the time for rest has come1 however1 to the aged composer1 ,aida will remain his masterpiece among musicians and connoisseurs1 though ,trovatore will be best loved by the people4 ,,othello4 ,othello has formed the subject of the following compositions3 ,otello1 opera in #c acts1 text by ,berio1 music by ,rossini 7#ahaf72 ,othelleri1 parody by ,mueller1 ,vienna 7#ahbh72 ,othello1 overture by ,krug 7#ahhc72 ,un ,othello1 operetta1 by ,legoux1 ,paris 7#ahfc72 and ,othello1 opera in #d acts1 text by ,boito1 music by ,verdi 7#ahhf74 ,othello1 the last of the long and brilliant series of ,verdi's operas1 was completed in #ahhf1 and first produced at the ,la ,scala ,theatre1 ,milan1 ,feb4 #e1 #ahhg1 with remarkable success1 ,signora ,pantaleoni1 ,signors ,maurel and ,tamagno taking the three leading roles4 ,the libretto was prepared by the accomplished ,italian scholar and musician1 ,arrigo ,boito1 and closely follows the story of the ,shakspearian tragedy4 ,the curtain rises upon a scene in ,cyprus4 ,a storm is raging1 and a crowd1 among them ,iago1 ,cassio1 and ,roderigo1 watch the angry sea1 speculating upon the fate of ,othello's vessel1 which finally arrives safely in port amid much rejoicing4 ,after returning the welcomes of his friends he enters the castle with ,cassio and ,montano4 ,the conspiracy at once begins by the disclosure of ,iago to ,roderigo of the means by which ,cassio's ruin may be compassed4 ,then follows the quarrel1 which is interrupted by the appearance of ,othello1 who deprives ,cassio of his office4 ,a love-scene ensues between ,desdemona and the ,moor2 but in the next act the malignity of ,iago has already begun to take effect1 and the seeds of jealousy are sown in ,othello's breast4 ,his suspicions are freshly aroused when ,desdemona intercedes in ,cassio's behalf1 and are changed to conviction by the handkerchief episode and ,iago's artful insinuation that ,cassio mutters the name of ,desdemona in his sleep2 at which the enraged ,moor clutches him by the throat and hurls him to the ground4 ,in the third act ,iago continues his diabolical purpose1 at last so inflaming ,othello's mind that he denounces ,desdemona for her perfidy4 ,the act concludes with the audience to the ,venetian embassy1 during which he becomes enraged1 strikes ,desdemona1 and falls in convulsions4 ,the last act transpires in her chamber1 and follows ,shakspeare in all the details of the smothering of ,desdemona and the death of ,othello4 ,there is no overture proper to the opera4 ,after a few vigorous bars of prelude1 the scene opens with a tempestuous and very striking description of a sea-storm by the orchestra1 with the choruses of sailors and ,cypriots rising above it and expressing alternate hope and terror4 ,after a short recitative the storm dies away1 and the choral phrases of rejoicing end in a pianissimo effect4 ,a hurried recitative passage between ,iago and ,roderigo introduces a drinking scene in which ,iago sings a very original and expressive brindisi with rollicking responses by the chorus4 ,the quarrel follows with a vigorous and agitated accompaniment1 and the act comes to a close with a beautiful love-duet between ,othello and ,desdemona4 ,the second act opens with recitative which reveals all of ,iago's malignity1 and is followed by his monologue1 in which he sings a mock ,credo which is ,satanic in utterance4 ,it is accompanied with tremendous outbursts of trumpets1 and leads up to a furious declamatory duet with ,othello4 ,the next number brings a grateful change4 ,it is a graceful mandolinata1 sung by children's voices and accompanied by mandolins and guitars1 followed by a charming chorus of mariners1 who bring shells and corals to ,desdemona4 ,the intercession episode ensues1 leading to a grand dramatic quartet for ,desdemona1 ,emilia1 ,iago1 and ,othello4 ,the latter then sings a pathetic but stirring melody with trumpet accompaniment1 the farewell to war1 and the act closes with a tumultuous duet between himself and ,iago4 ,the third act opens with a very expressive duet for ,othello and ,desdemona1 in which the growing wrath of the former and the sweet and touching unconsciousness of the other are happily contrasted4 ,a sad monologue by ,othello prepares the way for the coming outbreak4 ,the handkerchief trio follows1 in which the malignity of ,iago1 the indignation of ,othello1 and the inability of ,cassio to understand the fell purpose of ,iago are brought out with great force4 ,at its close a fanfare of trumpets announces the ,venetian embassy1 and the finale begins with much brilliancy4 ,then follows the scene in which ,othello smites down ,desdemona4 ,she supplicates for mercy in an aria of tender beauty1 which leads up to a strong sextet4 ,all the guests depart but ,iago2 and as ,othello1 overcome with his emotions1 swoons away1 the curtain falls upon ,iago's contemptuous utterance1 ,there lies the lion of ,venice4 ,the fourth act is full of musical beauty4 ,after an orchestral introduction in which the horn has a very effective solo1 the curtain rises and the action transpires in ,desdemona's chamber4 ,the scene opens with a touching recitative between ,desdemona and ,emilia4 ,while the former prepares herself for slumber she sings the ,willow ,song1 an unaffected melody as simple and characteristic as a folk-song4 ,emilia retires1 and by a natural transition ,desdemona sings an ,ave ,maria1 which is as simple and beautiful in its way as the ,willow ,song4 ,she retires to her couch1 and in the silence ,othello steals in1 dagger in hand1 the contra-basses giving out a sombre and deep-toned accompaniment which is startling in its effect4 ,he kisses her1 the motive from the love-duet appearing in the orchestra2 then1 after a hurried dialogue1 stifles her4 ,he then kills himself1 his last words being a repetition of those in the duet1 while the strings tenderly give out the melody again4 ,,falstaff4 ,falstaff1 an opera in three acts1 words by ,arrigo ,boito1 was first performed ,march #ab1 #ahic1 at the ,teatro alla ,scala1 ,milan1 with the following cast of characters3-- ,mistress ,,ford ,signora ,,zilli ,,nannetta ,madame ,,stehle ,,fenton ,m4 ,,garbin ,dr4 ,,caius ,signor ,,paroli ,,pistola ,signor ,,arimondi ,mistress ,,page ,signora ,,guerrini ,mistress ,,quickly ,signora ,,pasqua ,,ford ,signor ,,pini-,,corsi ,,bardolfo ,signor ,,pelagalli-,,rossetti ,,falstaff ,m4 ,,maurel ,the libretto1 which is mainly based upon ,the ,merry ,wives of ,windsor1 also makes some contributions upon ,henry ,,iv41 particularly in the introduction of the monologue upon honor1 and illustrates ,boito's skill in adaptation as well as his remarkable powers in condensation4 ,in the arrangement of the comedy the five acts are reduced to three4 ,the characters ,shallow1 ,slender1 ,william1 ,page1 ,sir ,hugh ,evans1 ,simple1 and ,rugby are eliminated1 leaving ,falstaff1 ,fenton1 ,ford1 ,dr4 ,caius1 ,bardolph1 ,pistol1 ,mistress ,ford1 ,mistress ,page1 ,anne1 ,dame ,quickly and three minor characters as the dramatis personae1 though ,anne appears as ,nannetta and is the daughter of ,ford instead of ,page4 ,the first act opens with a scene at the ,garter ,inn1 disclosing an interview between ,falstaff and ,dr4 ,caius1 who is complaining of the ill treatment he has received from the fat ,knight and his followers1 but without obtaining any satisfaction4 ,after his departure1 ,falstaff seeks to induce ,bardolph and ,pistol to carry his love-letters to ,mistresses ,ford and ,page2 but they refuse1 upon the ground that their honor would be assailed1 which gives occasion for the introduction of the monologue from ,henry ,,iv4 ,the letters are finally intrusted to a page1 and the remainder of the act is devoted to the plots of the women to circumvent him1 with an incidental revelation of the loves of ,fenton and ,nannetta1 or ,anne ,page4 ,in the second act1 we have ,falstaff's visit to ,mistress ,ford1 as planned by the merry wives1 the comical episode of his concealment in the buck-basket1 and his dumping into the ,thames4 ,in the last act1 undaunted by his buck-basket experiences1 ,falstaff accepts a fresh invitation to meet ,mistress ,ford in ,windsor ,park4 ,in this episode occurs the fairy masquerade at ,herne's ,oak1 in the midst of which he is set upon and beaten1 ending in his complete discomfiture4 ,then all is explained to him2 ,nannetta is betrothed to ,fenton2 and all ends merry as a marriage bell4 ,there is no overture4 ,after four bars of prelude the curtain rises1 and the composer introduces ,dr4 ,caius with the single exclamation1 ,falstaff1 and the latter's reply1 ,ho6 there1 which are emblematic of the declamatory character of the whole opera2 for although many delightful bits of melody are scattered through it1 the instrumentation really tells the story1 as in the ,wagner music-drama1 though in this latest work of the veteran composer there is less of the ,wagnerian idea than in his ,aida4 ,the first scene is mainly humorous dialogue1 but there are two notable exceptions1--the genuine lyrical music of ,falstaff's song 7',tis she with eyes like stars71 and the ,honor monologue1 a superb piece of recitative with a characteristic accompaniment in which the clarinets and bassoons fairly talk1 as they give the negative to the ,knight's sarcastic questions4 ,the most attractive numbers of the second scene are ,mistress ,ford's reading of ,falstaff's letter1 which is exquisitely lyrical1 a quartet1 a capella1 for the four women 7,he'll surely come courting71 followed by a contrasting male quartet 7,he's a foul1 a ribald thief71 the act closing with the two quartets offsetting each other1 and enclosing an admirable solo for ,fenton4 ,the second act opens with the interview between ,dame ,quickly and ,falstaff1 in which the instrumentation runs the whole gamut of ironical humor4 ,then follows the scene between ,ford and ,falstaff1 in which the very clink of the money1 and ,falstaff's huge chuckles1 are deliberately set forth in the orchestra with a realism which is the very height of the ridiculous1 the scene closing with an expressive declamation by ,ford 7,do ,i dream8 ,or1 is it reality874 ,the second scene of the act is mainly devoted to the ludicrous incident of the buck-basket1 which is accompanied by most remarkable instrumentation2 but there are one or more captivating episodes2 such as ,dame ,quickly's description of her visit 7',twas at the ,garter ,inn7 and ,falstaff's charming song 7,once ,i was ,page to the ,duke of ,norfolk74 ,the third act opens in the ,inn of the ,garter1 and discloses ,falstaff soliloquizing upon his late disagreeable experiences3-- ,ho6 landlord6 ,ungrateful world1 wicked world1 ,guilty world6 ,landlord6 a glass of hot sherry4 ,go1 go thy way1 ,john ,falstaff1 ,with thee will cease the type ,of honesty1 virtue1 and might4 ,as the fat ,knight soliloquizes and drinks his sack the orchestra takes part in a trill given out by piccolo1 and gradually taken by one instrument after the other1 until the whole orchestra is in a hearty laugh and shaking with string1 brass1 and wood wind glee4 ,then enters ,dame ,quickly1 mischief-maker1 and sets the trap at ,herne's ,oak in ,windsor ,forest1 into which ,falstaff readily falls4 ,the closing scene is rich with humor4 ,it opens with a delightful love-song by ,fenton 7,from those sweet lips a song of love arises74 ,the conspirators enter one after the other1 and at last ,falstaff1 disguised as the sable hunter4 ,the elves are summoned1 and glide about to the delicious fairy music accompanying ,nannetta's beautiful song 7,while we dance in the moonlight74 ,from this point the action hastens to the happy denouement1 and the work concludes with a fugue which is imbued with the very spirit of humor and yet is strictly constructed4 ,while the vocal parts are extraordinary in their declamatory significance1 the strength of the opera lies in the instrumentation1 and its charm in the delicious fun and merriment which pervades it all and is aptly expressed in the closing lines3-- ,all in this world is jesting4 ,man is born to be jolly1 ,e'en from grief some happiness wresting ,sure proof against melancholy4 ,,wagner4 ,richard ,wagner1 who has been somewhat ironically called the musician of the future1 and whose music has been relegated to posterity by a considerable number of his contemporaries1 was born at ,leipsic1 ,may #bb1 #ahac4 ,after his preliminary studies in ,dresden and ,leipsic1 he took his first lessons in music from ,cantor ,weinlig4 ,in #ahcf he was appointed musical director in the theatre at ,magdeburg1 and later occupied the same position at ,koenigsberg4 ,thence he went to ,riga1 where he began his opera ,rienzi4 ,he then went to ,paris by sea1 was nearly shipwrecked on his way thither1 and landed without money or friends4 ,after two years of hard struggling he returned to ,germany4 ,his shipwreck and forlorn condition inspired the theme of ,the ,flying ,dutchman1 and while on his way to ,dresden he passed near the castle of ,wartburg1 in the valley of ,thuringia1 whose legends inspired his well-known opera of ,tannhaeuser4 ,he next removed to ,zurich1 and about this time appeared ,lohengrin1 one of his most favorite operas4 ,tristan and ,isolde was produced in #ahef1 and his comic opera1 ,die ,meistersinger von ,nuernberg1 three years later4 ,in #ahfd he received the patronage of ,king ,louis of ,bavaria1 which enabled him to complete and perform his great work1 ,der ,ring der ,nibelungen4 ,he laid the foundation of the new theatre at ,baireuth in #ahgb1 and in #ahge the work was produced1 and created a profound sensation all over the musical world4 ,parsifal1 his last opera1 was first performed in #ahhb4 ,his works have aroused great opposition1 especially among conservative musicians1 for the reason that he has set at defiance the conventional operatic forms1 and in carrying out his theory of making the musical and dramatic elements of equal importance1 and employing the former as the language of the latter in natural ways1 has made musical declamation take the place of set melody1 and swept away the customary arias1 duets1 quartets1 and concerted numbers of the ,italian school1 to suit the dramatic exigencies of the situations4 ,besides his musical compositions1 he enjoys almost equal fame as a litterateur1 having written not only his own librettos1 but four important works1--,art and the ,revolution1 ,the ,art ,work of the ,future1 ,opera and ,drama1 and ,judaism in ,music4 ,his music has made steady progress through the efforts of such advocates as ,liszt1 ,von ,buelow1 and ,richter in ,germany1 ,pasdeloup in ,france1 ,hueffer in ,england1 and ,theodore ,thomas in the ,united ,states4 ,in #ahgj he married ,frau ,cosima von ,buelow1 the daughter of ,liszt1--an event which provoked almost as much comment in social circles as his operas have in musical4 ,he died during a visit to ,venice1 ,feb4 #ac1 #ahhc4 ,,rienzi4 ,rienzi der letzte der ,tribunen1 a tragic opera in five acts1 words by the composer1 the subject taken from ,bulwer's novel1 ,the ,last of the ,tribunes1 was first produced at ,dresden1 ,oct4 #bj1 #ahdb1 with ,herr ,tichatscheck1 ,mme4 ,schroeder-,devrient1 and ,mlle4 ,wiest in the principal roles4 ,it was designed and partly completed during ,wagner's stay in ,riga as orchestra leader4 ,in his ,autobiography the composer says that he first read the story at ,dresden in #ahcg1 and was greatly impressed with its adaptability for opera4 ,he began it in the fall of the same year at ,riga1 and says3 ,i had composed two numbers of it1 when ,i found1 to my annoyance1 that ,i was again fairly on the way to the composition of music a la ,adam4 ,i put the work aside in disgust4 ,later he projected the scheme of a great tragic opera in five acts1 and began upon it with fresh enthusiasm in the fall of #ahch4 ,by the spring of #ahci the first two acts were completed4 ,at that time his engagement at ,riga terminated1 and he set out for ,paris4 ,he soon found that it would be hopeless for him to bring out the opera in that city1 notwithstanding ,meyerbeer had promised to assist him4 ,he offered it to the ,grand ,opera and to the ,renaissance1 but neither would accept it4 ,nothing daunted1 he resumed work upon it1 intending it for ,dresden4 ,in ,october1 #ahdb1 it was at last produced in that city1 and met with such success that it secured him the position of capellmeister at the ,dresden opera-house4 ,the action of the opera passes at ,rome1 towards the middle of the fourteenth century4 ,the first act opens at night1 in a street near the ,church of ,st4 ,john ,lateran1 and discovers ,orsini1 a ,roman patrician1 accompanied by a crowd of nobles1 attempting to abduct ,irene1 the sister of ,rienzi1 a papal notary4 ,the plot is interrupted by the entrance of ,colonna1 the patrician leader of another faction1 who demands the girl4 ,a quarrel ensues4 ,adriano1 the son of ,colonna1 who is in love with ,irene1 suddenly appears and rushes to her defence4 ,gradually other patricians and plebeians are attracted by the tumult1 among the latter1 ,rienzi4 ,when he becomes aware of the insult offered his sister1 he takes counsel with the ,cardinal ,raimondo1 and they agree to rouse the people in resistance to the outrages of the nobles4 ,adriano is placed in an embarrassing position1--his relationship to the ,colonnas urging him to join the nobles1 and his love for ,irene impelling him with still stronger force to make common cause with the people4 ,he finally decides to follow ,rienzi1 just as the trumpets are heard calling the people to arms and ,rienzi clad in full armor makes his appearance to lead them4 ,the struggle is a short one4 ,the nobles are overcome1 and in the second act they appear at the ,capitol to acknowledge their submission to ,rienzi3 but ,adriano1 who has been among them1 warns ,rienzi that they have plotted to kill him4 ,festal dances1 processions1 and gladiatorial combats follow1 in the midst of which ,orsini rushes at ,rienzi and strikes at him with his dagger4 ,rienzi is saved by a steel breastplate under his robes4 ,the nobles are at once seized and condemned to death4 ,adriano pleads with ,rienzi to spare his father1 and moved by his eloquence he renews the offer of pardon if they will swear submission4 ,they take the oath only to violate it4 ,the people rise and demand their extermination4 ,rienzi once more draws the sword1 and ,adriano in vain appeals to him to avert the slaughter4 ,he is again successful1 and on his return announces to ,adriano that the ,colonnas and ,orsinis are no more4 ,the latter warns him of coming revenge1 and the act closes with the coronation of ,rienzi4 ,the fourth act opens at night near the church4 ,the popular tide has now turned against ,rienzi1 upon the report that he is in league with the ,german ,emperor to restore the pontiff4 ,a festive cortege approaches1 escorting him to the church4 ,the nobles bar his way1 but disperse at his command2 whereupon ,adriano rushes at him with drawn dagger1 but the blow is averted as he hears the chant of malediction in the church1 and sees its dignitaries placing the ban of excommunication against ,rienzi upon its doors4 ,he hurries to ,irene1 warns her that her brother's life is no longer safe1 and urges her to fly with him4 ,she repulses him1 and seeks her brother1 to share his dangers or die with him4 ,she finds him at prayer in the ,capitol4 ,he counsels her to accept the offer of ,adriano and save herself1 but she repeats her determination to die with him4 ,the sounds of the approaching crowd are heard outside4 ,rienzi makes a last appeal to them from the balcony1 but the infuriated people will not listen4 ,they set fire to the ,capitol with their torches1 and stone ,rienzi and ,irene through the windows4 ,as the flames spread from room to room and ,adriano beholds them enveloping the devoted pair1 he throws away his sword1 rushes into the burning building1 and perishes with them4 ,the overture of ,rienzi is in the accepted form1 for the opera was written before ,wagner had made his new departure in music1 and takes its principal themes1 notably ,rienzi's prayer for the people and the finale to the first act1 from the body of the work4 ,the general style of the whole work is vigorous and tumultuous4 ,the first act opens with a hurly-burly of tumult between the contending factions and the people4 ,the first scene contains a vigorous aria for the hero 7,wohl an so moeg es sein71 which leads up to a fiery terzetto 7,adriano du8 ,wie ein ,colonna67 between ,rienzi1 ,irene1 and ,adriano1 followed by an intensely passionate scene 7,er geht und laesst dich meinem ,schutz7 between the last two4 ,the finale is a tumultuous mass of sound1 through which are heard the tones of trumpets and cries of the people4 ,it opens with a massive double chorus 7,gegruesst1 gegruesst71 shouted by the people on the one side and the monks in the ,lateran on the other1 accompanied by an andante movement on the organ4 ,it is interrupted for a brief space by the ringing appeal of ,rienzi ,erstehe1 hohe ,roma1 neu1 and then closes with an energetic andante1 a quartet joining the choruses4 ,this finale is clearly ,italian in form1 and much to ,wagner's subsequent disgust was described by ,hanslick as a mixture of ,donizetti and ,meyerbeer1 and a clear presage of the coming ,verdi4 ,the second act opens with a stately march1 introducing the messengers of peace1 who join in a chorus of greeting1 followed by a second chorus of senators and the tender of submission made by the nobles4 ,a terzetto between ,adriano1 ,orsini1 and ,colonna1 set off against a chorus of the nobles1 leads up to the finale4 ,it opens with a joyful chorus 7,erschallet feier ,klaenge71 followed by rapid dialogue between ,orsini and ,colonna on the one hand and ,adriano and ,rienzi on the other4 ,a long and elaborate ballet intervenes1 divided into several numbers1--an ,introduction1 ,pyrrhic ,dance1 ,combat of ,roman ,gladiators and ,cavaliers1 and the ,dance of the ,apotheosis1 in which the ,goddess of ,peace is transformed to the ,goddess1 protector of ,rome4 ,the scene abruptly changes1 and the act closes with a great ensemble in which the defiance of the conspirators1 the tolling of bells1 the chants of the monks1 and the ferocious outcries of the people shouting for revenge are mingled in strong contrasts4 ,the third act is full of tumult4 ,after a brief prelude1 amid the ringing of bells and cries of alarm1 the people gather and denounce the treachery of the nobles1 leading up to a spirited call to arms by ,rienzi 7,ihr ,roemer1 auf74 ,the people respond in furious chorus1 and as the sound of the bells and battle-cries dies away ,adriano enters4 ,his scene opens with a prayer 7,gerechter ,gott7 for the aversion of carnage1 which changes to an agitated allegro 7,wo war ich87 as he hears the great bell of the ,capitol tolling the signal for slaughter4 ,the finale begins with a massive march1 as the bells and sounds of alarm are heard approaching again1 and bands of citizens1 priests and monks1 the high clergy1 senators and nobles1 pass and repass in quick succession1 at last followed by ,rienzi1 which is the signal for the great battle-hymn1 ,santo spirito cavaliere1 which is to be sung with great fire and energy1 accompanied by great and small bells ringing behind the scenes1 the clash of swords upon shields1 and full power of chorus and orchestra4 ,a dialogue follows between ,adriano and ,rienzi1 and then the various bands disappear singing the ritornelle of the hymn4 ,a great duet 7,lebwohl1 ,irene7 ensues between ,adriano and ,irene1 which in its general outlines reminds one of the duet between ,raoul and ,valentin in ,the ,huguenots4 ,at its conclusion1 after a prayer by the chorus of women1 the battle hymn is heard again in the distance1 gradually approaching1 and the act closes with a jubilee chorus 7,auf6 im ,triumpf zum ,capitol71 welcoming the return of the conquerors4 ,the fourth act is short1 its principal numbers being the introduction1 terzetto and chorus 7,wer war's der euch hierher beschied871 and the finale1 beginning with a somewhat sombre march of the cortege accompanying ,rienzi to the church1 leading to the details of the conspiracy scene1 and closing with the malediction of the monks1 ,vae1 vae tibi maledicto4 ,the last act opens with an impressive prayer by ,rienzi 7,allmacht'ger ,vater71 which leads to a tender duet 7,verlaesst die ,kirche mich7 as ,irene enters1 closing with a passionate aria by ,rienzi 7,ich liebte gluehend74 ,the duet is then resumed1 and leads to a second and intensely passionate duet 7,du hier ,irene67 between ,adriano and ,irene4 ,the finale is brief1 but full of energy1 and is principally choral4 ,the denouement hurries1 and the tragedy is reached amid a tumultuous outburst of voices and instruments4 ,unlike ,wagner's other operas1 in ,rienzi set melody dominates1 and the orchestra1 as in the ,italian school1 furnishes the accompaniments4 ,we have the regular overture1 aria1 duet1 trio1 and concerted finale2 but after ,rienzi we shall observe a change1 at last becoming so radical that the composer himself threw aside his first opera as unworthy of performance4 ,,the ,,flying ,,dutchman4 ,der ,fliegende ,hollaender1 a romantic opera in three acts1 words by the composer1 the subject taken from ,heinrich ,heine's version of the legend1 was first produced at ,dresden1 ,jan4 #b1 #ahdc1 with ,mme4 ,schroeder-,devrient and ,herr ,wechter in the two principal roles4 ,it was also produced in ,london in #ahgj at ,drury ,lane as ,l',ollandose dannato1 by ,signor ,arditi1 with ,mlle4 ,di ,murska1 ,signors ,foli1 ,perotti1 and ,rinaldini1 and ,mr4 ,santley in the leading parts2 in #ahgf1 by ,carl ,rosa as ,the ,flying ,dutchman1 an ,english version2 and again in #ahgg as ,il ,vascello fantasma4 ,in this country the opera was introduced in its ,english form by ,miss ,clara ,louise ,kellogg4 ,wagner conceived the idea of writing ,the ,flying ,dutchman during the storm which overtook him on his voyage from ,riga to ,paris4 ,he says in his ,autobiography3 ',the ,flying ,dutchman1' whose intimate acquaintance ,i had made at sea1 continually enchained my fancy4 ,i had become acquainted1 too1 with ,heinrich ,heine's peculiar treatment of the legend in one portion of his ',salon4' ,especially the treatment of the delivery of this ,ahasuerus of the ocean 7taken by ,heine from a ,dutch drama of the same title7 gave me everything ready to use the legend as the libretto of an opera4 ,i came to an understanding about it with ,heine himself1 drew up the scheme1 and gave it to ,m4 ,leon ,pillet manager of the ,grand ,opera1 with the proposition that he should have a ,french libretto made from it for me4 ,subsequently ,m4 ,pillet purchased the libretto direct from ,wagner1 who consented to the transaction1 as he saw no opportunity of producing the opera in ,paris4 ,it was then set by ,dietsch as ,le ,vaisseau fantome1 and brought out in ,paris in #ahdb4 ,in the mean time1 not discouraged by his bad fortune1 ,wagner set to work1 wrote the ,german verse1 and completed the opera in seven weeks for ,dresden1 where it was finally performed1 as already stated4 ,unlike ,rienzi1 it met with failure both in ,dresden and ,berlin2 but its merits were recognized by ,spohr1 who encouraged him to persevere in the course he had marked out4 ,the plot of the opera is very simple4 ,a ,norwegian vessel1 commanded by ,daland1 compelled by stress of weather1 enters a port not far from her destination4 ,at the same time a mysterious vessel1 with red sails and black hull1 commanded by the wandering ,flying ,dutchman1 who is destined to sail the seas without rest until he finds a maiden who will be faithful until death1 puts into the same port4 ,the two captains meet1 and ,daland invites the stranger to his home4 ,the two at last progress so rapidly in mutual favor that a marriage is agreed upon between the stranger and ,senta1 ,daland's daughter4 ,the latter is a dreamy1 imaginative girl1 who1 though she has an accepted lover1 ,eric1 is so fascinated with the legend of the stranger that she becomes convinced she is destined to save him from perdition4 ,when he arrives with her father she recognizes him at once1 and vows eternal constancy to him4 ,in the last act1 however1 ,eric appears and reproaches ,senta with her faithlessness4 ,the stranger overhears them1 and concludes that as she has been recreant to her former lover1 so too she will be untrue to him4 ,he decides to leave her2 for if he should remain1 her penalty would be eternal death4 ,as his mysterious vessel sails away ,senta rushes to a cliff1 and crying out that her life will be the price of his release1 hurls herself into the sea1 vowing to be constant to him even in death4 ,the phantom vessel sinks1 the sea grows calm1 and in the distance the two figures are seen rising in the sunlight never to be parted4 ,the overture characterizes the persons and situations of the drama1 and introduces the motives which ,wagner ever after used so freely1--among them the curse resting upon the ,dutchman1 the restless motion of the sea1 the message of the ,angel of ,mercy personified in ,senta1 the personification of the ,dutchman1 and the song of ,daland's crew4 ,the first act opens with an introduction representing a storm1 and a characteristic sailors' chorus1 followed by an exquisite love-song for tenor 7,mit ,gewitter und ,sturm71 and a grand scena of the ,dutchman 7,die ,frist ist um71 which lead up to a melodious duet between the ,dutchman and ,daland4 ,the act closes with the sailors' chorus as the two vessels sail away4 ,after a brief instrumental prelude1 the second act opens in ,daland's home1 where the melancholy ,senta sits surrounded by her companions1 who are spinning4 ,to the whirring accompaniment of the violins they sing a very realistic spinning song 7,summ' und brumm du gutes ,maedchen71 interrupted at intervals by the laughter of the girls as they rally ,senta upon her melancholy looks4 ,senta replies with a weird and exquisitely melodious ballad 7,johohae6 traefft ihr das ,schiff im ,meere an71 in which she tells the story of the ,flying ,dutchman1 and anticipates her own destiny4 ,the song is full of intense feelings and is characterized by a motive which frequently recurs in the opera1 and is the key to the whole work4 ,a duet follows between ,eric and ,senta1 the melodious character of which shows that ,wagner was not yet entirely freed from ,italian influences4 ,a short duet ensues between ,senta and her father1 and then the ,dutchman appears4 ,as they stand and gaze at each other for a long time1 the orchestra meanwhile supplying the supposed emotions of each1 we have a clew to the method ,wagner was afterwards to employ so successfully4 ,a duet between ,senta and the ,dutchman 7,wie aus der ,ferne7 and a terzetto with ,daland close the act4 ,the third act opens with another sailors' chorus 7,steuermann1 lass' die ,wacht71 and a brisk dialogue between them and the women who are bringing them provisions4 ,the latter also hail the crew of the ,dutchman's vessel1 but get no reply until the wind suddenly rises1 when they man the vessel and sing the refrain with which the ,dutchman is continually identified4 ,a double chorus of the two crews follows4 ,senta then appears accompanied by ,eric1 who seeks to restrain her from following the stranger in a very dramatic duet 7,was muss ich hoeren874 ,the finale is made up of sailors' and female choruses1 and a trio between ,senta1 ,daland1 and the ,dutchman1 which are woven together with consummate skill1 and make a very effective termination to the weird story4 ,there are no points in common between ,the ,flying ,dutchman and ,rienzi1 except that in the former ,wagner had not yet clearly freed himself from conventional melody4 ,it is interesting as marking his first step towards the music of the future in his use of motives1 his wonderful treatment of the orchestra in enforcing the expression of the text1 and his combination of the voices and instrumentation in what he so aptly calls ,the ,music-,drama4 ,,tannhaeuser ,tannhaeuser und der ,singerkrieg auf ,wartburg 7,tannhaeuser and the singers' contest at the ,wartburg71 a romantic opera in three acts1 words by the composer1 was first produced at the ,royal ,opera1 ,dresden1 ,oct4 #bj1 #ahde1 with ,mme4 ,schroeder-,devrient and ,herr ,niemann as ,elizabeth and ,tannhaeuser4 ,its first performance in ,paris was on ,march #ac1 #ahfa2 but it was a failure after three representations1 and was made the butt of ,parisian ridicule1 even ,berlioz joining in the tirade4 ,in ,england it was brought out in ,italian at ,covent ,garden1 ,may #f1 #ahgf1 though its overture was played by the ,london ,philharmonic orchestra in #ahee1 ,wagner himself leading4 ,in the spring of #ahdb ,wagner returned from ,paris to ,germany1 and on his way to ,dresden visited the castle of ,wartburg1 in the ,thuringian ,valley1 where he first conceived the idea of writing ,tannhaeuser4 ,the plot was taken from an old ,german tradition1 which centres about the castle where the landgraves of the thirteenth century instituted peaceful contests between the ,minnesingers and knightly poets4 ,near this castle towers the ,venusberg1 a dreary elevation1 which1 according to popular tradition1 was inhabited by ,holda1 the goddess of ,spring4 ,proscribed by ,christianity1 she took refuge in its caverns1 where she was afterwards confounded with the ,grecian ,venus4 ,her court was filled with nymphs and sirens1 who enticed those whose impure desires led them to its vicinity1 and lured them into the caverns1 from which they were supposed never to return4 ,the first act opens in this court1 and reveals ,tannhaeuser1 the knight and minstrel1 under the sway of ,venus4 ,in spite of her fascinations he succeeds in tearing himself away1 and we next find him at the castle of ,wartburg1 the home of ,hermann the ,landgrave1 whose daughter ,elizabeth is in love with him4 ,at the minstrel contest he enters into the lists with the other ,minnesingers1 and1 impelled by a reckless audacity and the subtle influence of ,venus1 sings of the attractions of sensual pleasures4 ,walter1 of the ,vogelweide1 replies with a song to virtue4 ,tannhaeuser breaks out in renewed sensual strains1 and a quarrel ensues4 ,the knights rush upon him with their swords1 but ,elizabeth interposes and saves his life4 ,he expresses his penitence1 makes a pilgrimage to ,rome and confesses to the ,pope1 who replies that1 having tasted the pleasures of hell1 he is forever damned1 and1 raising his crosier1 adds3 ,even as this wood cannot blossom again1 so there is no pardon for thee4 ,elizabeth prays for him in her solitude1 but her prayers apparently are of no avail4 ,at last he returns dejected and hopeless1 and in his wanderings meets ,wolfram1 another minstrel1 also in love with ,elizabeth1 to whom he tells the sad story of his pilgrimage4 ,he determines to return to the ,venusberg4 ,he hears the voices of the sirens luring him back4 ,wolfram seeks to detain him1 but is powerless until he mentions the name of ,elizabeth1 when the sirens vanish and their spells lose their attraction4 ,a funeral procession approaches in the distance1 and on the bier is the form of the saintly ,elizabeth4 ,he sinks down upon the coffin and dies4 ,as his spirit passes away his pilgrim's staff miraculously bursts out into leaf and blossom1 showing that his sins have been forgiven4 ,the overture to the opera is well known by its frequent performances as a concert number4 ,it begins with the pilgrim's song1 which1 as it dies away1 is succeeded by the seductive spells of the ,venusberg and the voices of the sirens calling to ,tannhaeuser4 ,as the whirring sounds grow fainter and fainter1 the pilgrim's song is again heard gradually approaching1 and at last closing the overture in a joyous burst of harmony4 ,the first act opens with the scene in the ,venusberg1 accompanied by the ,bacchanale music1 which was written in ,paris by ,wagner after the opera was finished and had been performed4 ,it is now known as the ,parisian ,bacchanale4 ,it is followed by a voluptuous scene between ,tannhaeuser and ,venus1 a long dialogue1 during which the hero1 seizing his harp1 trolls out a song 7,doch sterblich1 ach671 the theme of which has already been given out by the overture1 expressing his weariness of her companionship4 ,the second scene transports us to a valley1 above which towers the castle of ,wartburg4 ,a young shepherd1 perched upon a rock1 sings a pastoral invocation to ,holda 7,frau ,holda kam aus dem ,berg hervor71 the strains of his pipe 7an oboe obligato7 weaving about the stately chorus of the elder pilgrims 7,zu dir wall' ich1 mein ,herr und ,gott7 as they come along the mountain paths from the castle4 ,the scene1 which is one of great beauty1 closes with the lament of ,tannhaeuser 7,ach6 schwer drueckt mich der ,suenden ,last71 intermingled with the receding song of the pilgrims1 the ringing of church-bells in the distance1 and the merry notes of hunters' horns as the ,landgrave and his followers approach4 ,the meeting with ,tannhaeuser leads to an expressive septet1 in which ,wolfram has a very impressive solo 7,als du in kuehnem ,sange74 ,the second act opens in the singers' hall of the ,wartburg4 ,elizabeth1 entering joyfully1 greets it in a recitation 7,froh gruess ich dich1 geliebter ,raum71 if we may so term it1 which is characterized by a joyous but dignified dramatic appeal1 recalling the scenes of her youth4 ,the interview between ,tannhaeuser and ,elizabeth1 which follows1 gives rise to a long dialogue1 closing with a union of the two voices in the charming duet1 ,gepriesen sei die ,macht4 ,then follows the grand march and chorus1 ,freudig begruessen wir die edle ,halle1 announcing the beginning of the song contest4 ,the stirring rhythm and bold1 broad outlines of this march are so well known that it is needless to dwell upon it4 ,the scene of the contest is declamatory throughout1 and full of animation and spirit2 its most salient points being the hymn of ,wolfram 7,o ,himmel lasst dich jetzt erflehen7 in honor of ideal love1 and ,elizabeth's appeal to the knights to spare ,tannhaeuser 7,zurueck von ihm71 which leads up to a spirited septet and choral ensemble closing the act4 ,in the third act we are once more in the valley of the ,wartburg4 ,after a plaintive song by ,wolfram 7,wohl wusst ich hier sie im ,gebet zu finden71 the chorus of the returning pilgrims is heard in the distance1 working up to a magnificent crescendo as they approach and cross the stage4 ,elizabeth1 who has been earnestly watching them to find if ,tannhaeuser be of their number1 disappointed1 sinks upon her knees and sings the touching prayer1 ,allmaecht'ge ,jungfrau1 hoer mein ,flehen4 ,as she leaves the scene1 ,wolfram takes his harp and sings the enchanting fantasy to the evening star1 ,o1 du mein holder ,abendstern1--a love-song to the saintly ,elizabeth4 ,tannhaeuser makes his appearance4 ,a long declamatory dialogue ensues between himself and ,wolfram1 in which he recites the story of his pilgrimage4 ,the scene is one of extraordinary power1 and calls for the highest vocal and dramatic qualities in order to make it effective4 ,from this point on1 the tragedy hastens4 ,there is the struggle once more with the sirens1 and amid ,wolfram's touching appeals and ,tannhaeuser's exclamations is heard the enticement of the ,venus music4 ,but at the name ,elizabeth it dies away4 ,the mists grow denser as the magic crew disappears1 and through them is seen a light upon the ,wartburg4 ,the tolling of bells and the songs of mourners are heard as the cortege approaches4 ,as ,tannhaeuser dies1 the pilgrims' chorus again rises in ecstasy1 closing with a mighty shout of ,hallelujah6 and the curtain falls4 ,,lohengrin4 ,lohengrin1 a romantic opera in three acts1 words by the composer1 was first produced at ,weimar1 ,aug4 #bh1 #ahej1 the anniversary of ,goethe's birthday1 under the direction of ,franz ,liszt1 and with the following cast of the leading parts3-- ,,lohengrin ,herr ,,beck4 ,,telramund ,herr ,,milde4 ,,king ,herr ,,hofer4 ,,elsa ,frau ,,agathe4 ,,ortrud ,frauelein ,,fastlinger4 ,lohengrin was begun in ,paris1 and finished in ,switzerland during the period in which ,wagner was director of the musical society as well as of the orchestra at the city theatre of ,zurich1 whither he had fled to escape the penalties for taking part in the political agitations and subsequent insurrection of #ahdi4 ,though it manifests a still further advancement in the development of his system1 it was far from being composed according to the abstract rules he had laid down4 ,he says explicitly on this point1 in his ,music of the ,future3 ,the first three of these poems--',the ,flying ,dutchman1' ',tannhaeuser1' and ',lohengrin'--were written by me1 their music composed1 and all 7with the exception of ',lohengrin'7 performed upon the stage1 before the composition of my theoretical writings4 ,the story of ,lohengrin1 the son of ,parsifal1 upon which ,wagner has based his drama1 is taken from many sources1 the old ,celtic legend of ,king ,arthur1 his knights1 and the ,holy ,grail being mixed with the distinctively ,german legend of a knight who arrives in his boat drawn by a swan4 ,the version used by ,wagner is supposed to be told by ,wolfram von ,eschenbach1 the ,minnesinger1 at one of the ,wartburg contests1 and is in substance as follows3 ,henry ,i41 ,king of ,germany1 known as the ,fowler1 arrives at ,antwerp for the purpose of raising a force to help him expel the ,hungarians1 who are threatening his dominions4 ,he finds ,brabant in a condition of anarchy4 ,gottfried1 the young son of the late ,duke1 has mysteriously disappeared1 and ,telramund1 the husband of ,ortrud1 daughter of the ,prince of ,friesland1 claims the dukedom4 ,the claimant openly charges ,elsa1 sister of ,gottfried1 with having murdered him to obtain the sovereignty1 and she is summoned before the ,king to submit her cause to the ordeal of battle between ,telramund and any knight whom she may name4 ,she describes a champion whom she has seen in a vision1 and conjures him to appear in her behalf4 ,after a triple summons by the heralds1 he is seen approaching on the ,scheldt1 in a boat drawn by a swan4 ,before the combat ,lohengrin betroths himself to ,elsa1 naming only the condition that she shall never question him as to his name or race4 ,she assents1 and the combat results in ,telramund's defeat and public disgrace4 ,in the second act occur the bridal ceremonies1 prior to which1 moved by ,ortrud's entreaties1 ,elsa promises to obtain a reprieve for ,telramund from the sentence which has been pronounced against him4 ,at the same time ,ortrud takes advantage of her success to instil doubts into ,elsa's mind as to her future happiness and the faithfulness of ,lohengrin4 ,in the next scene1 as the bridal cortege is about to enter the minster1 ,ortrud claims the right of precedence by virtue of her rank1 and ,telramund publicly accuses ,lohengrin of sorcery4 ,the faith of ,elsa1 however1 is not shaken4 ,the two conspirators are ordered to stand aside1 the train enters the church1 and ,elsa and ,lohengrin are united4 ,the third act opens in the bridal chamber4 ,the seeds of curiosity and distrust which ,ortrud has sown in ,elsa's mind have ripened1 and in spite of her conviction that it will end her happiness1 she questions ,lohengrin with increasing vehemence1 at last openly demanding to know his secret4 ,at this juncture ,telramund breaks into the apartment with four followers1 intending to take the life of ,lohengrin4 ,a single blow of the knight's sword stretches him lifeless4 ,he then places ,elsa in the charge of her ladies and orders them to take her to the presence of the ,king1 whither he also repairs4 ,compelled by his wife's unfortunate rashness1 he discloses himself as the son of ,parsifal1 ,knight of the ,holy ,grail1 and announces that he must now return to its guardianship4 ,his swan once more appears1 and as he steps into the boat he bids ,elsa an eternal farewell4 ,before he sails away1 however1 ,ortrud declares to the wondering crowd that the swan is ,elsa's brother1 who has been bewitched by herself into this form1 and would have been released but for ,elsa's curiosity4 ,lohengrin at once disenchants the swan1 and ,gottfried appears and rushes into his sister's arms4 ,a white dove flies through the air and takes the place of the swan1 and ,lohengrin sails away as ,elsa dies in the embrace of her newly found brother4 ,the ,vorspiel1 or prelude1 to the opera takes for its subject the descent of the ,holy ,grail1 the mysterious symbol of the ,christian faith1 and the ,grail motive is the key to the whole work4 ,the delicious harmonies which accompany its descent increase in warmth and power until the sacred mystery is revealed to human eyes1 and then die away to a pianissimo1 and gradually disappear as the angels bearing the holy vessel return to their celestial abode4 ,the curtain rises upon a meadow on the banks of the ,scheldt1 showing ,king ,henry surrounded by his vassals and retainers4 ,after their choral declaration of allegiance1 ,telramund1 in a long declamatory scena of great power 7,zum ,sterben kam der ,herzog von ,brabant71 tells the story of the troubles in ,brabant1 and impeaches ,elsa4 ,at the ,king's command1 ,elsa appears1 and in a melodious utterance of extreme simplicity and sweetness1 which is called the dream motive 7,einsam in trueben ,tagen71 relates the vision of the knight who is to come to her assistance4 ,the summons of the heralds preludes the climax of the act4 ,amid natural outcries of popular wonderment ,lohengrin appears1 and1 as he leaves his boat1 bids farewell to his swan in a strain of delicate beauty 7,nun sei gedankt1 mein lieber ,schwan74 ,the preparations for the combat are made1 but before it begins1 the motive of warning is sounded by ,lohengrin 7,nie sollst du mich befragen74 ,the finale of the act takes the form of a powerful ensemble1 composed of sextet and chorus1 and beginning with the prayer of the ,king1 ,mein ,herr und ,gott1 nun ruf ich ,dich4 ,the second act opens upon a night scene near the palace1 which is merry with the wedding festivities1 while the discomfited ,telramund and ,ortrud are plotting their conspiracy without in a long duet 7,erhebe dich1 ,genossin meiner ,schmach71 which introduces new motives of hatred and revenge1 as opposed to the ,grail motive4 ,in the second scene ,elsa appears upon the balcony and sings a love-song 7,euch ,lueften1 die mein ,klagen71 whose tenderness and confidence are in marked contrast with the doubts sown in her mind by ,ortrud before the scene closes4 ,the third scene is preluded with descriptive sunrise music by the orchestra1 followed by the herald's proclamations1 interspersed by choral responses1 leading up to the bridal-procession music as the train moves on from the palace to the cathedral1 accompanied by a stately march and choral strains1 and all the artistic surroundings of a beautiful stage pageant4 ,the progress is twice interrupted2 first by ,ortrud1 who asserts her precedence1 and second by ,telramund1 who1 in the scena ,den dort im ,glanz1 accuses ,lohengrin of sorcery4 ,when ,elsa still expresses her faith1 the train moves on1 and reaches its destination amid the acclamations of the chorus 7,heil1 ,elsa von ,brabant674 ,the third act opens in the bridal chamber with the graceful bridal song by ,elsa's ladies1 ,treulich gefuhrt1 ziehet dahin1 whose melodious strains have accompanied many unions1 the world over1 besides those of ,elsa and ,lohengrin4 ,the second scene is an exquisite picture of the mutual outpouring of love1 at first full of beauty and tenderness1 but gradually darkening as ,ortrud's insinuations produce their effect in ,elsa's mind4 ,tenderly ,lohengrin appeals to her1 but in vain2 and at last the motive of warning is heard4 ,the fatal questions are asked1 the tragedy of ,telramund follows1 and all is over4 ,the last scene introduces us once more to the meadow on the ,scheldt1 where ,lohengrin appears before the ,king and his vassals4 ,in their presence he reveals himself as the son of ,parsifal1 in a scena of consummate power 7,in fernem ,land1 unnahbar euren ,schritten71 wherein the ,grail motive reaches its fullest development4 ,it is followed by his touching farewell1 ,o ,elsa6 nur ein ,jahr an deiner ,seite1 the melody of which can hardly be surpassed in dignity and impressiveness4 ,the denouement now hastens1 and ,lohengrin disappears1 to the accompaniment of the ,grail motive4 ,,tristan ,,und ,,isolde4 ,tristan und ,isolde1 an opera in three acts1 words by the composer1 was first produced at ,munich1 ,june #aj1 #ahfe1 under the direction of ,hans von ,buelow1 with the following cast of characters3-- ,,tristan ,herr ,,ludwig ,,schnorr ,,von ,,carolsfeld4 ,,kurwenal ,herr ,,mitterwurzer4 ,,king ,,mark ,herr ,,zottmayer4 ,,isolde ,mme4 ,,schnorr ,,von ,,carolsfeld4 ,,brangoena ,mlle4 ,,deinet4 ,tristan and ,isolde was commenced in #aheg and finished in #ahei1 during the period in which ,wagner was engaged upon his colossal work1 ,the ,ring of the ,nibelung4 ,as early as the middle of #aheb he had finished the four dramatic poems which comprise the cyclus of the latter1 and during the next three years he finished the music to ,das ,rheingold and ,die ,walkuere4 ,in one of his letters he says3 ,in the summer of #aheg ,i determined to interrupt the execution of my work on the ,nibelungen and begin something shorter1 which should renew my connection with the stage4 ,the legend of ,tristan was selected4 ,it is derived from the old ,celtic story of ,tristram and ,iseult1 the version adopted by ,wagner being that of ,gottfried of ,strasburg1 a bard of the thirteenth century1 though it must be said he uses it in his own manner1 and at times widely departs both from the original and the mediaeval poem4 ,in ,tristan and ,isolde ,wagner broke completely loose from all the conventional forms of opera4 ,it has nothing in common with the old style of lyric entertainment4 ,as ,hueffer says1 in his recent ,life of ,wagner3 ,here is heard for the first time the unimpaired language of dramatic passion intensified by an uninterrupted flow of expressive melody4 ,here also the orchestra obtains that wide range of emotional expression which enables it1 like the chorus of the antique tragedy1 to discharge the dialogue of an overplus of lyrical elements without weakening the intensity of the situation1 which it accompanies like an unceasing passionate undercurrent4 ,in an opera like this1 which is intended to commingle dramatic action1 intensity of verse1 and the power and charm of the music in one homogeneous whole1 the reader will at once observe the difficulty of doing much more than the telling of its story1 leaving the musical declamation and effects to be inferred from the text4 ,even ,wagner himself in the original title is careful to designate the work ,ein ,handlung 7an action74 ,the vorspiel to the drama is based upon a single motive1 which is worked up with consummate skill into various melodic forms1 and frequently appears throughout the work4 ,it might well be termed the motive of restless1 irresistible passion4 ,the drama opens on board a ship in which the ,cornish knight1 ,tristan1 is bearing ,isolde1 the unwilling ,irish bride1 to ,king ,mark of ,cornwall4 ,as the vessel is nearing the land1 ,isolde sends ,brangoena to the ,knight1 who is also in love with her1 but holds himself aloof by reason of a blood-feud1 and orders him to appear at her side4 ,his refusal turns ,isolde's affection to bitterness1 and she resolves that he shall die1 and that she will share death with him4 ,she once more calls ,tristan1 and tells him that the time has come for him to make atonement for slaying her kinsman1 ,morold4 ,she directs ,brangoena to mix a death-potion and invites him to drink with her1 but without her knowledge ,brangoena has prepared a love-potion1 which inflames their passions beyond power of restraint4 ,oblivious of the landing1 the approach of the royal train1 and all that is going on about them1 they remain folded in mutual embrace4 ,the second act opens in ,cornwall1 in a garden which leads to ,isolde's chamber1 she being already wedded to ,king ,mark4 ,with ,brangoena she is waiting for ,tristan4 ,the ,king goes out upon a night hunt1 and no sooner has he disappeared than ,isolde gives the signal for his approach1 while ,brangoena goes to her station to watch4 ,the second scene is a most elaborate love-duet between the guilty pair1 the two voices at first joining 7,bist du mein8 ,hab'ich dich wieder874 ,a passionate dialogue ensues1 and then the two voices join again 7,o sink' hernieder1 ,nacht der ,liebe74 ,after a brief dialogue ,brangoena's warning voice is heard4 ,absorbed in each other1 they pay no heed1 and once more they join in the very ecstasy of passion1 so far as it can be given musical form1 in the finale of the duet1 ,o suesse ,nacht6 ,ew'ge ,nacht6 ,hehr erhabne ,liebes-,nacht4 ,the treachery of ,sir ,melot1 ,tristan's pretended friend1 betrays the lovers to the ,king4 ,tristan offers no explanations1 but touched by the ,king's bitter reproaches provokes ,sir ,melot to combat and allows himself to be mortally wounded4 ,the third act opens in ,brittany1 whither ,kurwenal1 ,tristan's faithful henchman1 has taken him4 ,a shepherd lad watches from a neighboring height to announce the appearance of a vessel1 for ,kurwenal has sent for ,isolde to heal his master's wound4 ,at last the stirring strains of the shepherd's pipe signal her coming4 ,in his delirious joy ,tristan tears the bandages from his wounds1 and has only strength enough left to call ,isolde by name and die in her arms4 ,now a second vessel is seen approaching1 bearing ,king ,mark and his men4 ,thinking that his design is hostile1 ,kurwenal attempts to defend the castle1 but is soon forced to yield1 and dies at the feet of his master4 ,the ,king exclaims against his rashness1 for since he had heard ,brangoena's story of the love-potion he had come to give his consent to the union of the lovers4 ,isolde1 transfigured with grief1 sings her last farewell to her lover 7,mild und leise wie er laechelt71 and expires on his body4 ,the dying song is one of great beauty and pathos1 and sadly recalls the passion of the duet in the second act1 as ,isolde's mournful strains are accompanied in the orchestra by the sweetly melodious motives which had been heard in it1 the interweaving of the two also suggesting that in death the lovers have been reunited4 ,,the ,,mastersingers4 ,die ,meistersinger von ,nuernberg1 a comic opera in three acts1 words by the composer1 was first produced at ,munich1 ,june #ba1 #ahfh1 under the direction of ,hans von ,buelow1 with the following cast3 ,,hans ,,sachs ,herr ,,betz4 ,,walter ,herr ,,nachbauer4 ,,beckmesser ,herr ,,hoelzel4 ,,david ,herr ,,schlosser4 ,,eva ,mlle4 ,,mallinger4 ,,magdalena ,mme4 ,,dietz4 ,the plan of ,the ,mastersingers was conceived about the same time as that of ,lohengrin1 during the composer's stay at ,marienbad1 and occupied his attention at intervals for twenty years1 as it was not finished until #ahfg4 ,as is clearly apparent both from its music and text1 it was intended as a satire upon the composer's critics1 who had charged that he was incapable of writing melody4 ,it is easy to see that these critics are symbolized by the old pedant ,beckmesser1 and that in ,walter we have ,wagner himself4 ,when he is first brought in contact with the ,mastersingers1 and one of their number1 ,kothner1 asks him if he gained his knowledge in any school1 he replies1 ,the wood before the ,vogelweid'1 'twas there ,i learnt my singing2 and again he answers3-- ,what winter night4 ,what wood so bright1 ,what book and nature brought me1 ,what poet songs of magic might ,mysteriously have taught me1 ,on horses' tramp1 ,on field and camp1 ,on knights arrayed ,for war parade ,my mind its powers exerted4 ,the story is not only one of love as between ,walter and ,eva1 but of satirical protest as between ,walter and ,beckmesser1 and the two subjects are illustrated not only with delicate fancy but with the liveliest of humor4 ,the work is replete with melody4 ,it has chorales1 marches1 folk-songs1 duets1 quintets1 ensembles1 and choruses1 and yet the composer does not lose sight of his theories2 for here we observe as characteristic a use of motives and as skilful a combination of them as can be found in any of his works4 ,to thoroughly comprehend the story1 it is necessary to understand the conditions one had to fulfil before he could be a mastersinger4 ,first of all he must master the ,tabulatur1 which included the rules and prohibitions4 ,then he must have the requisite acquaintance with the various methods of rhyming verse1 and with the manner of fitting appropriate music to it4 ,one who had partially mastered the ,tabulatur was termed a scholar2 the one who had thoroughly learned it1 a schoolman2 the one who could improvise verses1 a poet2 and the one who could set music to his verses1 a mastersinger4 ,in the test there were thirty-three faults to be guarded against2 and whenever the marker had chalked up seven against the candidate1 he was declared to have oversung himself and lost the coveted honor4 ,the vorspiel is a vivid delineation of mediaeval ,german life1 full of festive pomp1 stirring action1 glowing passion1 and exuberant humor4 ,the first act opens in the ,church of ,st4 ,katherine1 at ,nuremberg1 with the singing of a chorale to organ accompaniment4 ,during the chorale and its interludes a quiet love-scene is being enacted between ,eva1 daughter of the wealthy goldsmith ,veit ,pogner1 and ,walter von ,stolzing1 a noble young knight4 ,the attraction is mutual4 ,eva is ready to become his bride1 but it is necessary that her husband should be a mastersinger4 ,rather than give up the hand of the fair ,eva1 ,walter1 short as the time is1 determines to master the precepts and enter the lists4 ,as ,eva and her attendant1 ,magdalena1 leave the church1 the apprentices enter to arrange for the trial1 among them ,david1 the friskiest of them all1 who is in love with ,magdalena4 ,he volunteers to give ,walter some instructions1 but they do not avail him much in the end1 for the lesson is sadly disturbed by the gibes of the boys1 in a scene full of musical humor4 ,at last ,pogner and ,beckmesser1 the marker1 who is also a competitor for ,eva's hand1 enter from the sacristy4 ,after a long dialogue between them the other masters assemble1 ,hans ,sachs1 the cobbler-bard1 coming in last4 ,after calling the roll1 the ceremonies open with a pompous address by ,pogner 7,das schoene ,fest1 ,johannis-,tag71 in which he promises the hand of ,eva1 with my gold and goods beside1 to the successful singer on the morrow1 which is ,john the ,baptist's ,day4 ,after a long parley among the gossiping masters1 ,pogner introduces ,walter as a candidate for election4 ,he sings a charming song 7,so rief der ,lenz in den ,wald71 and as he sings1 the marker1 concealed behind a screen1 is heard scoring down the faults4 ,when he displays the slate it is found to be covered with them4 ,the masters declare him outsung and rejected1 but ,hans ,sachs befriends him1 and demands he shall have a chance for the prize4 ,the second act discloses ,pogner's house and ,sachs's shop4 ,the apprentices are busy putting up the shutters1 and are singing as they work4 ,walter meets ,eva and plots an elopement with her1 but ,sachs prevents them from carrying out their rash plan4 ,meanwhile ,beckmesser makes his appearance with his lute for the purpose of serenading ,eva and rehearsing the song he is to sing for the prize on the morrow4 ,as he is about to sing1 ,sachs breaks out into a rollicking folk-song 7,jerum1 jerum1 halla1 halla1 he671 in which he sings of ,mother ,eve and the troubles she had after she left ,paradise1 for want of shoes4 ,at last he allows ,beckmesser a hearing1 provided he will permit him to mark the faults with his hammer upon the shoe he is making4 ,the marker consents1 and sings his song1 ,den ,tag seh' ich erscheinen1 accompanied with excruciating roulades of the old-fashioned conventional sort2 but ,sachs knocks so often that his shoe is finished long before ,beckmesser's song4 ,this is his first humiliation4 ,before the act finishes he is plunged into still further trouble1 for ,david suspects him of designs upon ,magdalena1 and a general quarrel ensues4 ,the third act opens upon a peaceful ,sunday-morning scene in the sleepy old town1 and shows us ,sachs sitting in his arm-chair at the window reading his ,bible1 and now and then expressing his hopes for ,walter's success1 as the great contest is soon to take place4 ,at last he leans back1 and after a brief meditation commences a characteristic song 7,wahn6 wahn6 ,ueberall wahn674 ,a long dialogue ensues between him and ,walter1 and then as ,eva1 ,david1 ,magdalena1 and ,beckmesser successively enter1 the scene develops into a magnificent quintet1 which is one of the most charming numbers in the opera4 ,the situation then suddenly changes4 ,the stage-setting represents an open meadow on the banks of the ,pegnitz4 ,the river is crowded with boats4 ,the plain is covered with tents full of merrymakers4 ,the different guilds are continually arriving4 ,a livelier or more stirring scene can hardly be imagined than ,wagner has here pictured1 with its accompaniment of choruses by the various handicraftsmen1 their pompous marches1 and the rural strains of town pipers4 ,at last the contest begins4 ,beckmesser attempts to get through his song and dismally fails4 ,walter follows him with the beautiful prize-song1 ,morgenlich leuchtend in rosigem ,schein4 ,he wins the day and the hand of ,eva4 ,exultant ,sachs trolls out a lusty lay 7,verachtet mir der ,meister nicht71 and the stirring scene ends with the acclamations of the people 7,heil ,sachs6 ,hans ,sachs6 ,heil ,nuernberg's theurem ,sachs674 ,,the ,,ring ,,of ,,the ,,nibelung4 ,der ,ring des ,nibelungen1 a trilogy1 the subject taken from the ,nibelungen ,lied and adapted by the composer1 was first conceived by ,wagner during the composition of ,lohengrin4 ,the four dramatic poems which constitute its cyclus were written as early as #aheb1 which will correct a very general impression that this colossal work was projected during the closing years of his life4 ,on the contrary1 it was the product of his prime4 ,hueffer1 in his biographical sketch of ,wagner1 says that he hesitated between the historical and mythical principles as the subjects of his work1--,frederick the ,first representing the former1 and ,siegfried1 the hero of ,teutonic mythology1 the latter4 ,siegfried was finally selected4 ,wagner began at once sketching the subject1 but gradually the immense breadth and grandeur of the old types began to expand under his hands1 and the result was a trilogy1 or rather tetralogy1 of enormous dimensions1 perhaps the most colossal attempt upon which the dramatic muse has ventured since the times of ,a,eschylus4 ,the trilogy is really in four parts1--,das ,rheingold 7the ,rhinegold72 ,die ,walkuere 7the ,valkyrie72 ,siegfried2 and ,die ,goetterdaemmerung 7the ,twilight of the ,gods71 ,the ,rhinegold being in the nature of an introduction to the trilogy proper1 though occupying an evening for its performance4 ,between the years #aheb and #ahef the composer wrote the music of the ,rhinegold and the whole of ,the ,valkyrie2 and then1 as he says himself1 wishing to keep up his active connection with the stage1 he interrupted the progress of the main scheme1 and wrote ,tristan and ,isolde1 which occupied him from #ahef to #ahei4 ,during its composition1 however1 he did not entirely forsake the trilogy4 ,in the autumn of #ahef he began ,siegfried1 the composition of which was not finished until #ahfi1 owing to many other objects which engaged his attention during this period1 one of which was the composition of ,the ,mastersingers1 which he wrote at intervals between #ahfa and #ahfg4 ,from the latter year until #ahgf1 when the trilogy was produced at ,baireuth1 he gave himself wholly to the work of completing it and preparing it for the stage4 ,prior to the production of the completed work1 separate parts of it were given1 though ,wagner strongly opposed it4 ,the ,rhinegold1 or introduction1 came to a public dress-rehearsal at ,munich ,aug4 #be1 #ahfi1 and ,the ,valkyrie was performed in a similar manner in the same city1 ,june #bd1 #ahgj1 with the following cast3-- ,,wotan ,herr ,,kindermann4 ,,siegmund ,herr ,,vogl4 ,,hunding ,herr ,,bauserwein4 ,,bruennhilde ,frl4 ,,stehle4 ,,sieglinde ,frau ,,vogl4 ,,fricka ,frl4 ,,kauffmann4 ,the ,siegfried and ,goetterdaemmerung1 however1 were not given until the entire work was performed in #ahgf4 ,upon the completion of his colossal task ,wagner began to look about him for the locality1 theatre1 artists1 and materials suitable for a successful representation4 ,in the circular which he issued1 narrating the circumstances which led up to the building of the ,baireuth opera-house1 he says3 ,as early as the spring of #ahga ,i had1 quietly and unnoticed1 had my eye upon ,baireuth1 the place ,i had chosen for my purpose4 ,the idea of using the ,margravian ,opera-,house was abandoned so soon as ,i saw its interior construction4 ,but yet the peculiar character of that kindly town and its site so answered my requirements1 that during the wintry latter part of the autumn of the same year ,i repeated my visit1--this time1 however1 to treat with the city authorities4444 ,an unsurpassably beautiful and eligible plot of ground at no great distance from the town was given me on which to erect the proposed theatre4 ,having come to an understanding as to its erection with a man of approved inventive genius1 and of rare experience in the interior arrangement of theatres1 we could then intrust to an architect of equal acquaintance with theatrical building the further planning and the erection of the provisional structure4 ,and despite the great difficulties which attended the arrangements for putting under way so unusual an undertaking1 we made such progress that the laying of the corner-stone could be announced to our patrons and friends for ,may #bb1 #ahgb4 ,the ceremony took place as announced1 and was made still further memorable by a magnificent performance of ,beethoven's ,ninth or ,choral ,symphony1 the chorus of which1 set to ,schiller's ,ode to ,joy1 was sung by hundreds of lusty ,german throats4 ,in addition to the other contents of the stone1 ,wagner deposited the following mystic verse of his own3 ,i bury here a secret deep1 ,for centuries long to lie concealed2 ,yet while this stone its trust shall keep1 ,to all the secret stands revealed4 ,he also made an eloquent address1 setting forth the details of the plans and the purposes of the new temple of art4 ,the undertaking was now fairly inaugurated4 ,the erratic ,king of ,bavaria had from the first been ,wagner's steadfast friend and munificent patron2 but not to him alone belongs the credit of the colossal project and its remarkable success4 ,when ,wagner first made known his views1 other friends1 among them ,tausig1 the eminent pianist1 at once devoted themselves to his cause4 ,in connection with a lady of high rank1 ,baroness von ,schleinitz1 he proposed to raise the sum of three hundred thousand thalers by the sale of patronage shares at three hundred thalers each1 and had already entered upon the work when his death for the time dashed ,wagner's hopes4 ,other friends1 however1 now came forward4 ,an organization for the promotion of the scheme1 called the ,richard ,wagner ,society1 was started at ,mannheim4 ,notwithstanding the ridicule which it excited1 another society was formed at ,vienna4 ,like societies began to appear in all the principal cities of ,germany1 and they found imitators in ,milan1 ,pesth1 ,brussels1 ,london1 and ,new ,york4 ,shares were taken so rapidly that the success of the undertaking was no longer doubtful4 ,meanwhile the theatre itself was under construction4 ,it combined several peculiarities1 one of the most novel of which was the concealment of the orchestra by the sinking of the floor1 so that the view of the audience could not be interrupted by the musicians and their movements4 ,private boxes were done away with1 the arrangement of the seats being like that of an ancient amphitheatre1 all of them facing the stage4 ,two prosceniums were constructed which gave an indefinable sense of distance to the stage-picture4 ,to relieve the bare side walls1 a row of pillars was planned1 gradually widening outward and forming the end of the rows of seats1 thus having the effect of a third proscenium4 ,the stage portion of the theatre was twice as high as the rest of the building1 for all the scenery was both raised and lowered1 the incongruity between the two parts being concealed by a facade in front4 ,whoever has rightly understood me1 says ,wagner1 will readily perceive that architecture itself had to acquire a new significance under the inspiration of the genius of ,music1 and thus that the myth of ,amphion building the walls of ,thebes by the notes of his lyre has yet a meaning4 ,the theatre was completed in #ahgf1 and in the month of ,august 7#ac-af7 ,wagner saw the dream of his life take the form of reality4 ,he had everything at his command1--a theatre specially constructed for his purpose2 a stage which in size1 scenery1 mechanical arrangements1 and general equipment1 has not its equal in the world2 an array of artists the best that ,europe could produce2 an orchestra almost literally composed of virtuosi4 ,the audience which gathered at these performances--composed of princes1 illustrious men in every department of science and culture1 and prominent musicians from all parts of the world--was one of which any composer might have been proud1 while the representation itself marked an epoch in musical history1 and promulgated a new system of laws destined to affect operatic composition ever after4 ,the casts of the various portions of the trilogy upon this memorable occasion were as follows3 ,,das ,,rheingold4 7,,prelude47 ,,wotan 7,herr ,,betz4 ,,donner 7,herr ,,gura4 ,gods ,,froh 7,herr ,,unger4 ,,loge 7,herr ,,vogl4 ,,fasolt 7,herr ,,eilers4 ,giants ,,fafner 7,herr ,,von ,,reichenberg4 ,,alberich 7,herr ,,hill4 ,nibelungs ,,mime 7,herr ,,schlosser4 ,,fricka 7,frau ,,von ,,gruen-,,sadler4 ,,freia ,goddesses 7,frl4 ,,haupt4 ,,erda 7,frau ,,jaeida4 ,woglinde 7 7 ,frl4 ,lilly ,lehmann4 ,wellgunde 7 ,rhine daughters 7 ,frl4 ,marie ,lehmann4 ,flosshilde 7 7 ,frl4 ,lammert4 ,,die ,,walkuere4 ,,siegmund ,herr ,,niemann4 ,,hunding ,herr ,,niering4 ,,wotan ,herr ,,betz4 ,,sieglinde ,frl4 ,,schefzky4 ,,bruennhilde ,frau ,,friedrich-,,materna4 ,,fricka ,frau ,,von ,,gruen-,,sadler4 ,,siegfried4 ,,siegfried ,herr ,,unger4 ,,mime ,herr ,,schlosser4 ,,der ,,wanderer ,herr ,,betz4 ,,alberich ,herr ,,hill4 ,,fafner ,herr ,,von ,,reichenberg4 ,,erda ,frau ,,jaeida4 ,,bruennhilde ,frau ,,friedrich-,,materna ,,der ,,goetterdaemmerung4 ,,siegfried ,herr ,,unger4 ,,gunther ,herr ,,gura4 ,,hagen ,herr ,,von ,,reichenberg4 ,,alberich ,herr ,,hill4 ,,bruennhilde ,frau ,,friedrich-,,materna4 ,,gutrune ,frl4 ,,weckerlin4 ,,waltraute ,frau ,,jaeida4 ,the motive of the drama turns upon the possession of a ring of magic qualities1 made of gold stolen from the ,rhine daughters by ,alberich1 one of the ,nibelungen1 who dwelt in ,nebelheim1 the place of mists4 ,this ring1 the symbol of all earthly power1 was at the same time to bring a curse upon all who possessed it4 ,wotan1 of the race of the gods1 covetous of power and heedless of the curse which follows it1 obtained the ring from ,alberich by force and cunning1 and soon found himself involved in calamity from which there was no apparent escape4 ,he himself could not expiate the wrong he had done1 nor could he avert the impending doom1 the twilight of the gods1 which was slowly and surely approaching4 ,only a free will1 independent of the gods1 and able to take upon itself the fault1 could make reparation for the deed4 ,at last he yields to despair4 ,his will is broken1 and instead of fearing the inevitable doom he courts it4 ,in this sore emergency the hero appears4 ,he belongs to an heroic race of men1 the ,volsungs4 ,the unnatural union of the twins1 ,siegmund and ,sieglinde1 born of this race1 produces the real hero1 ,siegfried4 ,the parents pay the penalty of incest with their lives2 but ,siegfried remains1 and ,wotan watches his growth and magnificent development with eager interest4 ,siegfried recovers the ring from the giants1 to whom ,wotan had given it1 by slaying a dragon which guarded the fatal treasure4 ,bruennhilde1 the ,valkyr1 ,wotan's daughter1 contrary to his instructions1 had protected ,siegmund in a quarrel which resulted in his death1 and was condemned by the irate god to fall into a deep sleep upon a rock surrounded by flames1 where she was to remain until a hero should appear bold enough to break through the wall of fire and awaken her4 ,siegfried rescues her4 ,she wakens into the full consciousness of passionate love1 and yields herself to the hero1 who presents her with the ring1 but not before it has worked its curse upon him1 so that he1 faithless even in his faithfulness1 wounds her whom he deeply loves1 and drives her from him4 ,meanwhile ,gunther1 ,gutrune1 and their half-brother ,hagen conspire to obtain the ring from ,bruennhilde and to kill ,siegfried4 ,through the agency of a magic draught he is induced to desert her1 after once more getting the ring4 ,he then marries ,gutrune4 ,the curse soon reaches its consummation4 ,one day1 while traversing his favorite forests on a hunting expedition1 he is killed by ,hagen1 with ,gunther's connivance4 ,the two murderers then quarrel for the possession of the ring1 and ,gunther is slain4 ,hagen attempts to wrest it from the dead hero's finger1 but shrinks back terrified as the hand is raised in warning4 ,bruennhilde now appears1 takes the ring1 and proclaims herself his true wife4 ,she mounts her steed1 and dashes into the funeral pyre of ,siegfried after returning the ring to the ,rhine-daughters4 ,this supreme act of immolation breaks forever the power of the gods1 as is shown by the blazing ,walhalla in the sky2 but at the same time justice has been satisfied1 reparation has been made for the original wrong1 and the free will of man becomes established as a human principle4 ,such are the outlines of this great story1 which will be told more in detail when we come to examine the component parts of the trilogy4 ,dr4 ,ludwig ,nohl1 in his admirable sketch of the ,nibelungen poem1 as ,wagner adapted it1 gives us a hint of some of its inner meanings in the following extract3 ,temporal power is not the highest destiny of a civilizing people4 ,that our ancestors were conscious of this is shown in the fact that the treasure1 or gold and its power1 was transformed into the ,holy ,grail4 ,worldly aims give place to spiritual desires4 ,with this interpretation of the ,nibelungen myth1 ,wagner acknowledged the grand and eternal truth that this life is tragic throughout1 and that the will which would mould a world to accord with one's desires can finally lead to no greater satisfaction than to break itself in a noble death4444 ,it is this conquering of the world through the victory of self which ,wagner conveys as the highest interpretation of our national myths4 ,as ,bruennhilde approaches the funeral pyre to sacrifice her life1 the only tie still uniting her with the earth1 to ,siegfried1 the beloved dead1 she says3-- ',to the world ,i will give now my holiest wisdom2 ,not goods1 nor gold1 nor godlike pomp1 ,not house1 nor lands1 nor lordly state1 ,not wicked plottings of crafty men1 ,not base deceits of cunning law1-- ,but1 blest in joy and sorrow1 let only love remain4' ,we now proceed to the analysis of the four divisions of the work1 in which task1 for obvious reasons1 it will be hardly possible to do more than sketch the progress of the action1 with allusions to its most striking musical features4 ,there are no set numbers1 as in the ,italian opera2 and merely to designate the leading motives and trace their relation to each other1 to the action of the dramatis personae1 and to the progress of the four movements1 not alone towards their own climaxes but towards the ultimate denouement1 would necessitate far more space than can be had in a work of this kind4 ,,das ,,rheingold4 ,the orchestral prelude to ,the ,rhinegold is based upon a single figure1 the ,rhine motive1 which in its changing developments pictures the calm at the bottom of the ,rhine and the undulating movement of the water4 ,the curtain rises and discloses the depths of the river1 from which rise rugged ridges of rock4 ,around one of these1 upon the summit of which glistens the ,rhinegold1 ,woglinde1 a ,rhine-daughter1 is swimming4 ,two others1 ,wellgunde and ,flosshilde1 join her2 and as they play about the gleaming gold1 ,alberich1 a dwarf1 suddenly appears from a dark recess and passionately watches them4 ,as they are making sport of him1 his eye falls upon the gold and he determines to possess it4 ,they make light of his threat1 informing him that whoever shall forge a ring of this gold will have secured universal power1 but before he can obtain that power he will have to renounce love4 ,the disclosure of the secret follows a most exultant song of the ,undines 7,rheingold6 leuchtende ,lust6 wie lachst du so hell und hehr674 ,in the announcement made by them also occurs the motive of the ring4 ,the ,rhine-daughters1 who have fancied that ,alberich will never steal the gold because he is in love with them1 are soon undeceived1 for he curses love1 and snatches the gold and makes off with it1 pursued by the disconsolate maidens1 whose song changes into a sad minor leading up to the next scene4 ,as they follow him into the dark depths the stream sinks with them and gives place to an open district with a mountain in the background1 upon which is the glistening ,walhalla1 which the giants have just built for the gods4 ,wotan and ,fricka are discovered awakening from sleep and joyfully contemplating it1 the latter1 however1 filled with apprehension lest the giants shall claim ,freia1 the goddess of love1 whom ,wotan has promised to them as the reward for their work4 ,loge1 the god of fire1 however1 has agreed to obtain a ransom for her4 ,he has searched the world over1 but has been unable to find anything that can excel in value or attraction the charm of love4 ,as the gods are contemplating their castle ,loge appears1 and in a scene of great power1 accompanied by music which vividly describes the element he dominates 7,immer ist ,undank ,loge's ,lohn71 he narrates the tidings of his failure4 ,the giants1 however1 have heard the story of the ,rhinegold1 and as they carry off the weeping ,freia agree to release her whenever the gods will give to them the precious and all-powerful metal4 ,as love departs1 the heavens become dark and sadness overcomes the gods4 ,they grow suddenly old and decrepit4 ,fricka totters and ,wotan yields to despair4 ,darkness and decay settle down upon them4 ,the divine wills are broken1 and they are about to surrender to what seems approaching dissolution1 when ,wotan suddenly arouses himself and determines to go in quest of the all-powerful gold4 ,loge accompanies him1 and the two enter the dark kingdom of the gnomes1 who are constantly at work forging the metals4 ,by virtue of his gold ,alberich has already made himself master of all the gnomes1 but ,wotan easily overpowers him and carries him off to the mountain4 ,the ,nibelung1 however1 clings to his precious gold1 and a struggle ensues for it4 ,in spite of his strength and the power the ring gives to him it is wrenched from him1 and the victorious ,wotan leaves him free to return to his gloomy kingdom4 ,infuriated with disappointment over his loss and rage at his defeat1 ,alberich curses the ring and invokes misfortune upon him who possesses it4 ,may he who has it not1 covet it with rage1 cries the dwarf1 and may he who has it1 retain it with the anguish of fear2 and with curse upon curse he disappears4 ,now that he has the ring1 ,wotan is unwilling to give it up4 ,the other gods implore him to do so1 and the giants demand their ransom4 ,he remains inflexible2 but at last ,erda1 the ancient divinity1 to whom all things are known1 past1 present and future1 appears to ,wotan and warns him to surrender the ring4 ,she declares that all which exists will have an end1 and that a night of gloom will come upon the gods4 ,so long as he retains the ring a curse will follow it4 ,her sinister foreboding so alarms him that at last he abandons the gold4 ,youth1 pride1 and strength once more return to the gods4 ,the grand closing scene of the prelude now begins4 ,wotan attempts to enter ,walhalla1 but all is veiled in oppressive mist and heavy clouds4 ,the mighty ,donner1 accompanied by ,froh1 climbs a high rock in the valley's slope and brandishes his hammer1 summoning the clouds about him4 ,from out their darkness its blows are heard descending upon the rock4 ,lightning leaps from them1 and thunder-crashes follow each other with deafening sounds4 ,the rain falls in heavy drops4 ,then the clouds part1 and reveal the two in the midst of their storm-spell4 ,in the distance appears ,walhalla bathed in the glow of the setting sun4 ,from their feet stretches a luminous rainbow across the valley to the castle1 while out from the disappearing storm comes the sweet rainbow melody4 ,froh sings1 ,though built lightly it looks1 fast and fit is the bridge4 ,the gods are filled with delight1 but ,wotan gloomily contemplates the castle as the curse of the ring recurs to him4 ,at last a new thought comes in his mind4 ,the hero who will make reparation is to come from the new race of mortals of his own begetting4 ,the thought appears in the sword motive1 and as its stately melody dies away1 ,wotan rouses from his contemplation and hails ,walhalla with joy as a shelter from shame and harm4 ,he takes ,fricka by the hand1 and leading the way1 followed by ,froh1 ,freia1 ,donner1 and ,loge1 the last somewhat reluctantly1 the gods pass over the rainbow bridge and enter ,walhalla bathed in the light of the setting sun and accompanied by the strains of a majestic march4 ,during their passage the plaintive song of the ,rhine-daughters mourning their gold comes up from the depths4 ,wotan pauses a moment and inquires the meaning of the sounds1 and bids ,loge send a message to them that the treasure shall gleam no more for the maids4 ,then they pass laughingly and mockingly on through the splendor to ,walhalla4 ,the sad song still rises from the depths of the ,rhine1 but it is overpowered by the strains of the march1 and pealing music from the castle4 ,the curtain falls upon their laments1 and the triumphant entrance of the gods into their new home4 ,,die ,,walkuere4 ,in ,the ,valkyrie1 properly the first part of the cyclus1 the human drama begins4 ,strong races of men have come into existence1 and ,wotan's ,valkyres watch over them1 leading those who fall in battle to ,walhalla1 where1 in the gods' companionship1 they are to pass a glorious life4 ,according to the original legend1 ,wotan blessed an unfruitful marriage of this race by giving the pair an apple of ,hulda to eat1 and the twins1 ,siegmund and ,sieglinde1 were the result of the union4 ,when the first act opens1 ,siegmund has already taken a wife and ,sieglinde has married the savage warrior ,hunding1 but neither marriage has been fruitful4 ,it is introduced with an orchestral prelude representing a storm4 ,the pouring of the rain is audible among the violins and the rumbling of the thunder in the deep basses4 ,the curtain rises1 disclosing the interior of a rude hut1 its roof supported by the branches of an ash-tree whose trunk rises through the centre of the apartment4 ,as the tempest rages without1 ,siegmund rushes in and falls exhausted by the fire4 ,attracted by the noise1 ,sieglinde appears1 and observing the fallen stranger bends compassionately over him and offers him a horn of mead4 ,as their eyes meet they watch each other with strange interest and growing emotion4 ,while thus mutually fascinated1 ,hunding enters and turns an inquiring look upon ,sieglinde4 ,she explains that he is a guest worn out with fatigue and seeking shelter4 ,hunding orders a repast and ,siegmund tells his story4 ,vanquished in combat by a neighboring tribe1 some of whose adherents he had slain1 and stripped of his arms1 he fled through the storm for refuge4 ,hunding promises him hospitality1 but challenges him to combat on the morrow1 for the victims of ,siegmund's wrath were ,hunding's friends4 ,as ,sieglinde retires at ,hunding's bidding1 she casts a despairing1 passionate look at ,siegmund1 and tries to direct his attention to a sword sticking in the ash-tree1 but in vain4 ,hunding warns her away with a significant look1 and then taking his weapons from the tree leaves ,siegmund alone4 ,the latter1 sitting by the fire1 falls into dejection1 but is soon roused by the thought that his sire had promised he should find the sword ,nothung in his time of direst need4 ,the dying fire shoots out a sudden flame1 and his eye lights upon its handle1 illuminated by the blaze4 ,the magnificent sword-melody is sounded1 and in a scene of great power he hails it and sings his love for ,sieglinde1 whom now he can rescue4 ,as the fire and the song die away together1 ,sieglinde reappears4 ,she has drugged ,hunding into a deep sleep1 and in an exultant song tells ,siegmund the story of the sword4 ,they can be saved if he is strong enough to wrench it from the trunk of the ash4 ,he recognizes his sister and folds her passionately in his arms4 ,the storm has passed1 and as the moonlight floods the room he breaks out in one of the loveliest melodies ,wagner has ever written1 the spring song 7,winterstuerme wichen dem ,wonnemond71 a song of love leading to the delights of spring2 and ,sieglinde in passionate response declares1 ,thou art the spring for which ,i longed in winter's frosty embrace4 ,the recognition is mutual1 not alone of brother and sister but of lover and mistress1--the union which is destined to beget ,siegfried1 the hero4 ,seizing her in his arms1 ,siegmund disappears with her into the depths of the forest1 and the curtain falls4 ,the second act opens in the mountains of the gods1 and discloses ,wotan with spear in hand in earnest converse with ,bruennhilde1 his daughter1 who is arrayed in the armor of a ,valkyr4 ,he tells her of the approaching combat1 and bids her award the victory to ,siegmund the ,volsung1 beloved of the gods4 ,as she disappears among the rocks1 shouting the weird cry of the ,valkyres1 the jealous ,fricka1 protector of marriage vows1 comes upon the scene in a chariot drawn by rams4 ,a stormy dialogue occurs between them1 ,fricka demanding the death of ,siegmund as compensation for the wrong done to ,hunding4 ,wotan at last is overcome1 and consents that the ,valkyres shall conduct him to ,walhalla4 ,as he yields1 ,bruennhilde's jubilant song is heard on the heights1 and ,wotan summons her and announces his changed decision4 ,siegmund must perish4 ,as he stalks gloomily away among the rocks1 ,bruennhilde falls into deep dejection1 and turns away moaning3 ,alas6 my ,volsung6 ,has it come to this1--that faithless the faithful must fail thee8 ,as she enters a cave for her horse1 the fugitives ,siegmund and ,sieglinde hurriedly approach1 pursued by the infuriated ,hunding4 ,they stop to rest1 and ,sieglinde falls exhausted in his arms4 ,the scene is marked by alternations of passionate love and fear1 hope on the one side1 despair on the other1 vividly portrayed in the instrumentation4 ,as the music dies away and ,sieglinde rests insensible in his arms1 ,bruennhilde1 with deep melancholy in her visage1 shows herself to ,siegmund4 ,in reply to his question1 ,who art thou8 she answers1 ,he who beholds me1 to death in the battle is doomed4 ,i shall lead thee to ,walhalla4 ,eagerly he asks1 ,shall ,i find in ,walhalla my own father ,waelse8 and she answers1 ,the ,volsung shall find his father there4 ,with passionate earnestness he asks1 ,shall ,siegmund there embrace ,sieglinde8 ,the ,valkyre replies1 ,the air of earth she still must breathe4 ,sieglinde shall not see ,siegmund there4 ,then furiously answers ,siegmund1 ,then farewell to ,walhalla6 ,where ,sieglinde lives1 in bliss or blight1 there ,siegmund will also tarry1 and he raises his sword over his unconscious sister4 ,moved by his great love and sorrow1 ,bruennhilde for the first time is swayed by human emotions1 and exultantly declares1 ,i will protect thee4 ,hunding's horn sounds in the distance1 and soon is heard his defiant challenge to battle4 ,siegmund rushes to the top of one of the cloudy summits1 and the clash of their arms resounds in the mists4 ,a sudden gleam of light shows ,bruennhilde hovering over ,siegmund1 and protecting him with her shield4 ,as he prepares himself to deal a deadly thrust at ,hunding1 the angry ,wotan appears in a storm-cloud and interposes his spear4 ,siegmund's sword is shivered to pieces4 ,hunding pierces his disarmed enemy1 and he falls mortally wounded4 ,bruennhilde lifts the insensible ,sieglinde upon her steed and rides away with her4 ,wotan1 leaning upon his spear1 gazes sorrowfully at the dying ,volsung1 and then turning to ,hunding1 so overcomes him with his contemptuous glance that he falls dead at his feet4 ,but ,bruennhilde1 woe to the traitor4 ,punishment dire is due to her treason4 ,to horse1 then4 ,let vengeance speed swiftly4 ,and mounting his steed he disappears amid thunder and lightning4 ,the last act opens in a rocky glen filled with the ,valkyres calling to each other from summit to summit with wild cries as they come riding through the clouds after the combat1 bearing the dead bodies of the warriors on their saddles4 ,the scene is preluded with an orchestral number1 well known in the concert-room as the ,ride of the ,valkyres1 which is based upon two motives1 the ,valkyre's call and the ,valkyre melody4 ,in picturesque description of the rush and dash of steeds1 amid which are heard the wild cries of the sisters1 ,the ,ride is one of the most powerful numbers ever written4 ,bruennhilde arrives among the exultant throng in tears1 bearing ,sieglinde with her4 ,she gives her the fragments of ,siegmund's sword1 and appeals to the other ,valkyres to save her4 ,she bids ,sieglinde live1 for thou art to give birth to a ,volsung1 and to keep the fragments of the sword4 ,he that once brandishes the sword1 newly welded1 let him be named ,siegfried1 the winner of victory4 ,wotan's voice is now heard angrily shouting through the storm-clouds1 and calling upon ,bruennhilde1 who vainly seeks to conceal herself among her sisters4 ,he summons her forth from the group1 and she comes forward meekly but firmly and awaits her punishment4 ,he taxes her with violating his commands2 to which she replies1 ,i obeyed not thy order1 but thy secret wish4 ,the answer does not avail1 and he condemns her to sleep by the wayside1 the victim of the first who passes4 ,she passionately pleads for protection against dishonor1 and the god consents4 ,placing her upon a rocky couch and kissing her brow1 he takes his farewell of her in a scene which for majestic pathos has never been excelled4 ,one forgets ,wotan and the ,valkyre4 ,it is the last parting of an earthly father and daughter1 illustrated with music which is the very apotheosis of grief4 ,he then conjures ,loge1 the god of fire2 and as he strikes his spear upon the rock1 flames spring up all about her4 ,proudly he sings in the midst of the glare3-- ,who fears the spike ,of my spear to face1 ,he will not pierce the planted fire1-- a melody which is to form the motive of the hero ,siegfried in the next division of the work--and the curtain falls upon a scene which for power1 beauty1 and majesty has not its equal on the lyric stage4 ,,siegfried4 ,the second division of the tragedy1 ,siegfried1 might well be called an idyl1 of the forest4 ,its music is full of joyousness and delight4 ,in place of the struggles of gods and combats of fierce warriors1 the wild cries of ,valkyres and the blendings of human passions with divine angers1 we have the repose and serenity of nature1 and in the midst of it all appears the hero ,siegfried1 true child of the woods1 and as full of wild joyousness and exultant strength as one of their fauns or satyrs4 ,it is a wonderful picture of nature1 closing with an ecstatic1 vision of love4 ,after the death of ,siegmund1 ,sieglinde takes refuge in the depths of the forest1 where she gives birth to ,siegfried4 ,in her dying moments she intrusts him to ,mime1 who forged the ring for ,alberich when he obtained possession of the ,rhinegold4 ,the young hero has developed into a handsome1 manly stripling1 who dominates the forests and holds its wild animals subject to his will4 ,he calls to the birds and they answer him4 ,he chases the deer with leaps as swift as their own4 ,he seizes the bear and drags him into ,mime's hut1 much to the ,nibelung's alarm4 ,but while pursuing the wild1 free life in the forest1 he has dreams of greater conquests than those over nature4 ,heroic deeds shape themselves in his mind1 and sometimes they are illuminated with dim and mysterious visions of a deeper passion4 ,in his interviews with ,mime he questions him about the world outside of the forest1 its people and their actions4 ,he tires of the woods1 and longs to get away from them4 ,mime then shows him the fragments of his father's sword1 which had been shattered upon ,wotan's spear1 the only legacy left her son by ,sieglinde1 and tells him that he who can weld them together again will have power to conquer all before him4 ,mime had long tried to forge a sword for ,siegfried1 but they were all too brittle1 nor had he the skill to weld together the fragments of ,siegmund's sword1 ,nothung4 ,the only one who can perform that task is the hero without fear4 ,one day ,siegfried returns from a hunting expedition and undertakes it himself4 ,he files the fragments into dust and throws it into the crucible1 which he places on the fire of the forge4 ,then while blowing the bellows he sings a triumphant song 7,nothung6 ,nothung6 neidliches ,schwert71 which anticipates the climax towards which all the previous scenes have led4 ,as he sings at his work ,mime cogitates how he shall thwart his plans and get possession of the sword4 ,he plots to have him kill ,fafner1 the giant1 who has changed himself into a dragon1 for the more effectual custody of the ,rhine-treasure and the ring4 ,then when ,siegfried has captured the treasure he will drug him with a poisoned broth1 kill him with the sword1 and seize the gold4 ,siegfried pours the melted steel into a mould1 thrusts it into the water to cool1 and then bursts out into a new song1 accompanied by anvil blows1 as he forges and tempers it1 the motive of which has already been heard in the ,rhinegold prelude1 when ,alberich made his threat4 ,while ,mime quietly mixes his potion1 ,siegfried fastens the hilt to his blade and polishes the sword4 ,then breaking out in a new song1 in which are heard the motives of the fire-god and the sword1 he swings it through the air1 and bringing it down with force splits the anvil in twain4 ,the music accompanying this great scene1 imitating the various sounds of the forge1 the flutter of the fire1 the hissing of the water1 the filing of the sword1 and the blows upon the anvil1 is realism carried to the very extreme of possibilities4 ,the great exploit has been successful1 and ,siegfried at last has ,siegmund's sword4 ,mime takes him to the cave where ,fafner1 the giant-dragon1 guards the gold4 ,siegfried slays the monster1 and laughs over the ease of the task4 ,his finger is heated with the dragon's blood1 and as he puts it to his lips to cool it he tastes the blood1 and thus learns the language of the birds4 ,he cares nought for the treasure1 and takes only the ring and a magic helmet1 which enables the wearer to assume any form4 ,after the contest he throws himself at the foot of a tree in the forest and dreamily listens to the ,waldweben1 the rustle and mysterious stirrings of the woods4 ,amid all these subtle1 soothing sounds1 pierced now and then with the songs of the birds1 and distant cries in far-away sylvan recesses1 he realizes that he is alone1 while his old companions of the woods are together4 ,he thinks of the mother whom he has never known1 and of that mysterious being whom he has never seen1 who should make the companionship he observes among the birds4 ,the passion of love begins to assert itself vaguely and strangely1 but full soon it will glow out with ardent flame4 ,a bird flying over his head sings to him4 ,he can understand its song and fancies it his mother's voice coming to him in the bird-notes4 ,it tells him now he has the treasure1 he should save the most beautiful of women and win her to himself4 ,she sleeps upon a rock1 encircled with flames2 but shouldst thou dare to break through them1 the warrior-virgin is thine4 ,the bird wings its flight through the forest1 and ,siegfried1 joyously seizing his sword1 follows it with swift foot1 for he knows it is guiding him to ,bruennhilde4 ,the time for great deeds has come4 ,the wild1 free life of the forest is over4 ,the third act once more shows us the god ,wotan still plunged in gloom4 ,gazing into a deep abyss1 he summons ,erda1 who knows the destiny of all the world1 to question her again as to the twilight of the gods4 ,the mysterious figure appears at his bidding1 but has nothing further to communicate4 ,their doom is certain4 ,the fearless race of men is destined to efface the gods1 and ,walhalla must disappear4 ,the hero is at hand1 and coming rapidly4 ,the despairing ,wotan1 who appears in this scene as ,der ,wanderer 7the wanderer71 cries out1 ,so be it4 ,it is to this end ,i aspire4 ,he turns gloomily away1 and confronts ,siegfried bounding from rock to rock like a deer1 still following his airy guide4 ,the god angrily tries to bar his way1 but in vain4 ,his lance is shattered at a single blow of the sword ,nothung1 which he himself had once so easily shivered4 ,it is the first catastrophe of the final fate which is approaching4 ,the hero without fear has come1 the free will of man has begun to manifest itself4 ,the power of the gods is breaking4 ,joyously ,siegfried rushes on over the rocks4 ,he is soon bathed in the glow of the fire1 which casts weird shadows through the wild glen4 ,now the burning wall of red flames is before him4 ,with a ringing cry of exultation he dashes through them1 and before him lies the sleeping maiden in her glistening armor4 ,mad with her beauty and his own overpowering passion1 he springs to her side and wakes her with a kiss4 ,the ,volsung and the ,valkyr gaze at each other a long time in silence4 ,bruennhilde strives to comprehend her situation1 and to recall the events that led up to her penalty1 while love grows within her for the hero who has rescued her1 and ,siegfried is transfixed by the majesty of the maiden4 ,as she comes to herself and fully realizes who is the hero before her and foresees the approaching doom1 she earnestly appeals to him3-- ,leave1 ah1 leave1 ,leave me unlost1 ,force on me not ,thy fiery nearness4 ,shiver me not ,with thy shattering will1 ,and lay me not waste in thy love4 ,what is preordained cannot be changed4 ,siegfried replies with growing passion1 and ,bruennhilde at last yields1 and the two join in an outburst of exultant song3-- ,away1 ,walhalla1 ,in dust crumble ,thy myriad towers4 ,farewell1 greatness1 ,and gift of the gods4 ,you1 ,norns1 unravel ,the rope of runes4 ,darken upwards1 ,dusk of the gods4 ,night of annulment1 ,draw near with thy cloud4 ,i stand in sight ,of ,siegfried's star4 ,for me he was1 ,and for me he will ever be4 ,with this great duet1 which is one of the most extraordinary numbers in the trilogy for dramatic power and musical expression of human emotion1 this division closes4 ,,die ,,goetterdaemmerung4 ,the last division of the tragedy opens under the shade of a huge ash-tree where the three ,fates sit spinning and weaving out human destinies4 ,as they toss their thread from one to the other1--the thread they have been spinning since time began1--they foresee the gloom which is coming4 ,suddenly it snaps in their fingers1 whereupon the dark sisters crowding closely together descend to the depths of the earth to consult with the ancient ,erda and seek shelter near her4 ,meanwhile as day breaks ,siegfried and ,bruennhilde emerge from the glen where they have been reposing in mutual happiness4 ,bruennhilde has told her lover the story of the gods and the secrets of the mystic runes1 but he is still unsatisfied4 ,his mission is not yet fulfilled4 ,he must away to perform new deeds4 ,before he leaves her he gives her the ring as his pledge of fidelity1 and they part1 after exchanging mutual vows of love and constancy4 ,in his search for further exploits1 ,siegfried arrives at the dwelling of ,gunter1 a powerful ,rhenish chief1 head of the ,gibichungen1 another race of heroes1 where also resides ,gutrune1 his fascinating sister1 and the evil ,hagen1 begotten by ,alberich of ,crimhilda1 ,gunter's mother1 who was the victim of his gold4 ,alberich's hatred of the gods and all connected with them is shared by his son1 who has been charged by the ,nibelung to recover the gold4 ,from this point the tragic denouement rapidly progresses4 ,siegfried's horn is heard in the distance1 and he soon crosses ,gunter's threshold1 where his ruin is being plotted by the sinister ,hagen4 ,he is hospitably received1 and at ,hagen's bidding ,gutrune pours out and offers him a draught so cunningly mixed that it will efface all past remembrances4 ,he is completely infatuated with the girl's beauty1 and as the potion takes effect1 the love for ,bruennhilde disappears4 ,he demands ,gutrune in marriage1 and ,hagen promises her upon condition that he will bring ,bruennhilde as a bride for ,gunter4 ,siegfried departs upon the fatal errand1 and after taking from her the ring drags her by force to deliver her to ,gunter4 ,the ,valkyr rises to a sublime height of anger over her betrayal1 and dooms ,siegfried to death in the approaching hunt1 for by death alone she knows that she can regain his love4 ,the last act opens in a rocky glen on the banks of the ,rhine1 the ripple of whose waters is repeated in the melody of ,the ,rhinegold4 ,siegfried is separated from his companion1 and while alone1 the song of the ,rhine-daughters is heard4 ,they rise to the surface of the gleaming water and demand their gold1 but ,siegfried refuses to restore it4 ,they warn him again to fly from the curse1 but he proudly exclaims that his sword is invincible and can crush the ,norns4 ,sadly they float away to the sound of harps shimmering over the water4 ,gunter's horn is heard among the hills1 and ,siegfried exultantly answers it4 ,the huntsmen assemble and prepare for a feast4 ,siegfried relates his adventure with the ,rhine-daughters1 and when ,hagen asks him if it is true that he can understand the language of the birds1 he tells the whole story of his life in the ,rheinfahrt1 a song built up of all the motives which have been heard in the ,siegfried division1--the melody of the sword1 the stir of the woods1 the song of the mysterious bird1 ,mime's enticement1 the love of ,bruennhilde1 and the flaming fire following each other in rapid and brilliant succession through the measures of the picturesque description4 ,as the song dies away1 two ravens1 messengers of ill-omen1 fly across the stage4 ,the curse motive sounds gloomily through the orchestra4 ,hagen springs to his feet and suddenly and treacherously plunges his spear into ,siegfried's back1 then sullenly leaves and disappears among the rocks4 ,the hero falls to the earth and dies1 breathing ,bruennhilde's name1 for in the last supreme moment the spell of ,hagen's draught passes away4 ,with his last breath he breaks out in a death-song of surpassing beauty and majesty1 in which the motives are those of the ,volsung and the ,valkyr1 as well as of the destiny which is to reunite them in death4 ,once more he murmurs the name of ,bruennhilde1 and then his companions tenderly place him upon his shield1 and lifting him upon their shoulders carry him to the misty summits and disappear in the cloud1 to the mighty and impressive strains of a funeral march1 built up on the motives of ,siegmund1 the love-duet of ,siegmund and ,sieglinde1 the sword and ,volsung motives1 and ,siegfried's great theme4 ,in the interweaving of these motives and their sombre coloring1 in massive fortissimo and crescendo effects1 in expressive musical delineation1 and in majestic solemnity1 the ,siegfried funeral march must take precedence of all other dirges4 ,in truth it is a colossal and heroic funeral poem fit to celebrate the death of a demigod4 ,in the last scene ,siegfried's body is borne back to the hall of the ,gibichungs amid loud lamenting4 ,when ,gutrune learns what has occurred1 she bitterly curses ,hagen and throws herself on ,siegfried's corpse4 ,hagen and ,gunter quarrel for the possession of the ring1 and ,gunter is slain2 but when ,hagen tries to take the ring1 the hand of the dead hero is raised in warning4 ,then ,bruennhilde solemnly and proudly advances in the light of the torches and bids the empty clamor cease1 for this is no lamenting worthy of a hero4 ,she orders a funeral pyre to be built1 and ,siegfried is laid thereon4 ,she contemplates the dead hero with passionate love and sadness1 and then solemnly turning to those about her1 exclaims3 ,those who efface the fault of the gods are predestined to suffering and death4 ,let one sacrifice end the curse4 ,let the ,ring be purified by fire1 the waters dissolve it forever4 ,the end of the gods is at hand4 ,but though ,i leave the world masterless1 ,i give it this precious treasure4 ,in joy or in suffering1 happiness can alone come from love4 ,she seizes a burning brand1 and invoking ,loge1 god of fire1 flings it into the pyre4 ,her horse is brought to her1 and she proudly mounts it3-- ,grane1 my horse1 ,hail to thee here6 ,knowest thou1 friend1 ,how far ,i shall need thee8 ,heiaho6 ,grane6 ,greeting to him4 ,siegfried6 ,see1 ,bruennhilde ,joyously hails thee1 thy bride4 ,she swings herself upon her steed and dashes into the furious flames4 ,at last they die away1 and the ,rhine rushes forward from its banks and covers the pyre4 ,the exultant ,rhine-daughters are swimming in the flood1 for ,bruennhilde has thrown them the ring4 ,hagen makes a last desperate effort to clutch it1 but ,woglinde and ,wellgunde wind their arms about him1 and as they drag him into the depths ,flosshilde holds the ring above the waters1 and the exultant song of the ,rhine-daughters is heard above the swelling tide1 while far in the distance a red flame spreads among the clouds4 ,walhalla is blazing in the sky4 ,the ,dusk of the ,gods has come4 ,reparation has been made4 ,the hero without fear is victorious4 ,free will1 independent of the gods1 will rule the world1 and the gods themselves are lost in the human creation4 ,love is given to men1 and conquers death4 ,,parsifal4 ,parsifal1 a ,buehnenweihfestspiel 7festival acting-drama71 words by ,wagner1 was concluded in #ahgi1 and first produced at ,baireuth1 ,july #bb1 #ahhb1 only about seven months before the distinguished composer's death1 with ,mme4 ,friedrich-,materna as ,kundry1 ,herr ,winckelmann as ,parsifal1 and ,herr ,scaria as ,gurnemanz4 ,the theme of the opera is taken from the cycle of ,holy ,grail myths to which ,lohengrin also belongs4 ,the reader will remember that ,lohengrin in his final address declares himself son of ,parsifal1 the ,king of the ,grail2 and it is with this ,parsifal that ,wagner's last work is concerned4 ,parsifal1 like ,siegfried1 represents free human nature in its spontaneous1 impulsive action4 ,he is styled in the text1 ,der reine ,thor 7the guileless fool71 who1 in consonance with the old mythological idea1 overcomes the evil principle and gains the crown by dint of pure natural impulse4 ,the opera differs widely from ,the ,nibelung ,ring4 ,the composer has used the free instead of the alliterative form of verse1 which he then contended was best adapted to musical setting4 ,in ,the ,ring the chorus is not introduced at all until the last division is reached1 while in ,parsifal it plays an important part in every act1 in the second scene of the first act there being three choirs on the stage at a time4 ,still there is no trace of the aria1 the duet1 or the recitative1 of the ,italian style1 though there is plenty of concerted music1 which grows out of the dramatic necessities of the situations4 ,when these necessities do not urge themselves1 the music flows on in dialogue form1 as in ,the ,ring4 ,the vorspiel is based upon three motives connected with the mystery of the ,grail1 which forms the key-note of the opera1 though in a different aspect from that which the ,grail assumes in ,lohengrin1 where it can only be visible to the eye of faith1 while in ,parsifal it distinctly performs its wonders4 ,let it be remembered that the ,grail is the chalice from which ,christ drank with his disciples at the ,last ,supper1 and in which his blood was received at the cross4 ,the first of these motives is of the same general character as the ,grail motive in the ,lohengrin vorspiel2 the second is an impressive phrase for trumpets and trombones1 which will be heard again when the ,knights of the ,grail are summoned to their duties2 and the third is a broad1 dignified melody in the chorale form4 ,the action of the drama occurs in the north of ,spain1 and in the vicinity of ,monsalvat1 the ,castle of the ,holy ,grail1 where this chalice was brought by angels when ,christianity was in danger4 ,the curtain rises upon a lovely forest glade on the borders of a lake1 at daybreak1 and discovers the ,grail ,knight1 ,gurnemanz1 and two young shield-bearers1 guardians of the castle1 sleeping at the foot of a tree4 ,trumpet-calls1 repeating the motive first heard in the prelude1 arouse them from their sleep2 and as they offer up their morning prayer the chorale is heard again4 ,as they wend their way to the castle1 they meet two knights preceding the litter upon which the wounded ,amfortas1 ,king of the ,grail1 is carried4 ,in the subsequent dialogue ,gurnemanz tells the story of the ,king's mishap4 ,he is suffering from a wound which refuses to close1 and which has been inflicted by the sacred spear1--the spear1 according to the legend1 with which our ,saviour's side was pierced4 ,klingsor1 a magician1 had aspired to become a knight of the ,grail1 but his application was refused2 for only those of holy lives could watch the sacred vessel and perform its ministrations4 ,in revenge1 ,klingsor studied the magic arts and created for himself a fairy palace1 which he peopled with beautiful women1 whose sole duty it was to seduce the ,knights of the ,grail4 ,one of these women1 a mysterious creature of wonderful fascinations1 ,kundry by name1 had beguiled ,amfortas1 who thus fell into the power of ,klingsor4 ,he lost his spear1 and received from it a wound which will never heal so long as it remains in the hands of the magician4 ,in a vision he has been told to wait for the one who has been appointed to cure him4 ,a voice from the ,grail tells him the following mystery3-- ,durch ,mitleid wissend1 ,der reine ,thor1 ,harre sein' ,den ich erkor4 ,let a guileless fool only1 knowing by compassion1 await him whom ,i have chosen4 ,meanwhile1 as the shield-bearers are carrying ,amfortas towards the lake1 the savage1 mysterious ,kundry is seen flying over the fields4 ,she overtakes ,gurnemanz and gives him a balm1 saying that if it will not help the ,king1 nothing in ,arabia can1 and then1 refusing to accept thanks or reveal her identity1 sinks to the ground in weariness4 ,the ,king takes the drug with gratitude2 but she scorns thanks1 and sneers at those about her with savage irony4 ,gurnemanz's companions are about to seize her1 but the old ,knight warns them that she is living incarnate to expiate the sins of a former life1 and that in serving the ,order of the ,grail she is purchasing back her own redemption4 ,as ,gurnemanz concludes1 cries are heard in the wood1 and two knights1 approaching1 announce that a swan1 the bird sacred to the ,grail1 which was winging its way over the lake1 and which the ,king had hailed as a happy omen1 has been shot4 ,parsifal1 the murderer1 is dragged in1 and when questioned by ,gurnemanz1 is unaware that he has committed any offence4 ,to every question he only answers he does not know4 ,when asked who is his mother1 ,kundry answers for him3 ,his mother brought him an orphan into the world1 and kept him like a fool in the forest1 a stranger to arms1 so that he should escape a premature death2 but he fled from her and followed the wild life of nature4 ,her grief is over1 for she is dead4 ,whereupon ,parsifal flies at her and seizes her by the throat2 but ,gurnemanz holds him back1 and ,kundry sinks down exhausted4 ,parsifal answers to the ,thor1 but it remains to be seen whether he is the reine ,thor4 ,gurnemanz conducts him to the temple where the holy rites of the ,grail are to be performed1 hoping he is the redeemer whom the ,grail will disclose when the love-feast of the ,saviour is celebrated4 ,the scene changes to the great hall of the castle and the celebration of the feast of the ,grail4 ,the scene is introduced with a solemn march by full orchestra1 including trombones on the stage1 accompanied by the clanging of bells as the knights enter in stately procession4 ,they sing a pious chant in unison1 the march theme still sounding4 ,as the younger squires and pages enter1 a new melody is taken in three-part harmony1 and finally an unseen chorus of boys from the extreme height of the dome sing the chorale from the introduction1 without accompaniment1 in imitation of angel voices4 ,the shield-bearers bring in ,amfortas upon his litter1 when suddenly from a vaulted niche is heard the voice of ,titurel1 ,amfortas's aged father1 and the founder of ,monsalvat1 now too feeble to perform the holy offices1 bidding the ,grail to be uncovered4 ,amfortas1 mourning that he1 the unholiest of them1 should be called1 opens a golden shrine and takes out the crystal vessel4 ,darkness falls upon the hall1 but the ,grail is illuminated with constantly increasing brilliancy1 while from the dome the children's voices sing1 ,take ,my blood in the name of our love1 and take ,my body in remembrance of me4 ,parsifal watches the scene with bewildered eyes1 but upon saying in reply that he does not understand the holy rite1 he is contemptuously ejected from the place4 ,the second act reveals ,klingsor's enchanted palace4 ,the magician gazing into a mirror sees ,parsifal approaching1 and knows he is the redeemer who has been promised4 ,he summons ,kundry before him1 and commands her to tempt him with her spells4 ,she struggles against the task1 for in her soul the powers of good and evil are always contending for the mastery4 ,she longs for eternal sleep1 and rest from her evil passions1 but ,klingsor holds her in his power4 ,parsifal enters1 and the scene changes to a delightful garden filled with girls of ravishing beauty in garments of flowers4 ,they crowd about him1 and by their fascinating blandishments seek to gain his love1 but in vain4 ,he is still the guileless fool4 ,then ,kundry appears in all her loveliness1 and calls him by name1 the name he had heard his mother speak4 ,he sorrowfully sinks at ,kundry's feet4 ,the enchantress bends over him1 appeals to him through his longing for his mother1 and kisses him4 ,instantly he comprehends all that he has seen1 and he cries1 ,the wound burns in my heart1 oh1 torment of love6 ,then quickly rising he spurns her from him4 ,he has gained the world-knowledge4 ,she flies to him again1 and passionately exclaims1 ,the gift of my love would make thee divine4 ,if this hour has made thee the redeemer1 let me suffer forever1 but give me thy love4 ,he spurns her again1 and cries1 ,to all eternity thou wouldst be damned with me1 if for one hour ,i should forget my mission1 but says he will save her too1 and demands to know the way to ,amfortas4 ,in rage she declares he shall never find it1 and summons the help of ,klingsor1 who hurls the sacred lance at ,parsifal4 ,the weapon remains suspended over his head4 ,he seizes it and makes the sign of the ,cross4 ,the gardens and castle disappear4 ,parsifal and ,kundry are alone in a desert4 ,she sinks to the ground with a mournful cry1 and turning from her1 his last words are1 ,thou knowest where only thou canst see me again4 ,in the third act we are again in the land of the ,grail4 ,parsifal has wandered for years trying to find ,monsalvat1 and at last encounters ,gurnemanz1 now a very old man1 living as a hermit near a forest spring1 and the saddened ,kundry is serving him4 ,it is the ,good ,friday morning1 and forests and fields are bright with flowers and the verdure of spring4 ,gurnemanz recognizes him1 and in reply to his question what makes the world so beautiful1 the aged knight makes answer3-- ,the sad repentant tears of sinners ,have here with holy rain ,besprinkled field and plain1 ,and made them glow with beauty4 ,all earthly creatures in delight ,at the ,redeemer's trace so bright1 ,uplift their prayers of duty4 ,and now perceive each blade and meadow flower1 ,that mortal foot to-day it need not dread4 ,kundry washes the dust of his long wanderings from his feet1 and looks up at him with earnest and beseeching gaze4 ,gurnemanz recognizes the sacred spear1 hails him as the ,king of the ,grail and offers to conduct him to the great hall where the holy rites are once more to be performed4 ,before they leave1 ,parsifal's first act as the redeemer is to baptize ,kundry with water from the spring4 ,the sound of tolling bells in the distance announces the funeral of ,titurel1 and the scene changes to the hall where the knights are carrying the litter upon which ,amfortas lies1 awaiting the funeral procession approaching to the strains of a solemn march4 ,the knights demand he shall again uncover the ,grail1 but he refuses1 and calls upon them to destroy him and then the ,grail will shine brightly for them again4 ,unobserved by them1 ,parsifal steps forward1 touches the king's wound with the spear1 and it is immediately healed4 ,then he proclaims himself ,king of the ,grail1 and orders it to be uncovered4 ,as ,amfortas and ,gurnemanz kneel to do him homage1 ,kundry dies at his feet in the joy of repentance4 ,titurel rises from his coffin and bestows a benediction4 ,parsifal ascends to the altar and raises the ,grail in all its resplendent beauty4 ,a white dove flies down from the dome of the hall and hovers over his head1 while the knights chant their praise to ,god1 re-echoed by the singers in the dome1 whose strains sound like celestial voices3-- ,miracle of supreme blessing1 ,redemption to the ,redeemer4 ,,wallace4 ,william ,vincent ,wallace was born at ,waterford1 ,ireland1 in #ahae4 ,he first studied music with his father1 a bandleader1 who afterwards sent him to ,dublin1 where he speedily became an excellent performer on the clarinet1 violin1 and piano4 ,at the early age of fifteen he was appointed organist at the ,cathedral of ,thurles1 and soon afterwards was engaged as a theatre director and concert conductor4 ,at the age of eighteen he had a fit of sickness1 and upon his recovery went to ,australia for his health1 and thence to ,van ,diemen's ,land and ,new ,zealand4 ,he passed some time in the latter country1 and then began a long series of wanderings1 in the course of which he visited the ,east and ,west ,indies1 ,mexico1--where he conducted ,italian opera1--and the ,united ,states4 ,he remained in ,new ,york a considerable period1 and gave concerts which were very remunerative4 ,in #ahdf he returned to ,europe1 and shortly afterwards his pretty little opera1 ,maritana1 appeared1 and made quite a sensation among the admirers of ,english opera4 ,in #ahdg ,matilda of ,hungary was produced1 and met with success4 ,thirteen years of silence elapsed1 and at last1 in #ahfj1 he produced his legendary opera1 ,lurline1 at ,covent ,garden4 ,it gave great satisfaction at the time1 but is now rarely performed4 ,besides his operas he also wrote many waltzes1 nocturnes1 studies1 and other light works for the piano4 ,after the production of ,lurline he went to ,paris for the purpose of bringing out some of his operas1 and while in that city also composed the first act of an opera for ,london1 but his health was too delicate to admit of its completion4 ,he died at ,chateau de ,bayen1 ,oct4 #ab1 #ahfe4 ,,maritana4 ,maritana1 a romantic opera in three acts1 words by ,fitzball1 founded upon the well-known play of ,don ,caesar de ,bazan1 was first produced at ,drury ,lane1 ,london1 ,nov4 #ae1 #ahde4 ,the text closely follows that of the drama4 ,the first act opens in a public square of ,madrid1 where a band of gypsies are singing to the populace1 among them ,maritana1 a young girl of more than ordinary beauty and vocal accomplishments4 ,among the spectators is the young ,king ,charles1 who after listening to her is smitten with her charms4 ,don ,jose1 his minister1 to carry out certain ambitious plans of his own1 resolves to encourage the fascinations which have so attracted the ,king4 ,he extols her beauty and arouses hopes in her breast of future grandeur and prosperity4 ,at this juncture ,don ,caesar de ,bazan1 a reckless1 rollicking cavalier1 comes reeling out of a tavern where he has just parted with the last of his money to gamblers4 ,in spite of his shabby costume and dissipated appearance he bears the marks of high breeding4 ,in better days he had been a friend of ,don ,jose4 ,while he is relating the story of his downward career to the minister1 ,lazarillo1 a forlorn young lad who has just attempted to destroy himself1 accosts ,don ,caesar1 and tells him a piteous tale of his wrongs4 ,don ,caesar befriends him1 and in consequence becomes involved in a duel1 which leads to his arrest2 for it is ,holy ,week1 and duelling during that time has been forbidden on pain of death4 ,while ,don ,caesar is on his way to prison1 ,don ,jose delights ,maritana by promising her wealth1 a splendid marriage1 and an introduction to the court on the morrow4 ,the second act opens in the prison1 and discovers ,don ,caesar asleep1 with his faithful little friend watching by him4 ,it is five o'clock when he wakes1 and at seven he must die4 ,only two hours of life remain for him1 but the prospect does not disturb him4 ,on the other hand he is gayer than usual1 and rallies ,lazarillo with playful mirth4 ,in the midst of his gayety the crafty ,don ,jose enters and professes strong friendship for him4 ,when ,don ,caesar declares that he has but one last wish1 and that is to die a soldier's death instead of being ignominiously hanged1 ,don ,jose says it shall be gratified upon condition that he will marry4 ,the prisoner has but an hour and three quarters to live1 but he consents4 ,he is provided with wedding apparel1 and a banquet is spread in honor of the occasion4 ,during the feast ,lazarillo brings in a paper to ,don ,jose containing the ,king's pardon for ,don ,caesar1 but the minister promptly conceals it4 ,maritana1 her features disguised by a veil1 is introduced1 and as the nuptial rites are performed the soldiers prepare to execute the penalty4 ,at the expiration of the hour ,don ,caesar is led out to meet his fate1 but ,lazarillo has managed to abstract the balls from the guns4 ,the soldiers perform their duty1 and ,don ,caesar feigns death2 but as soon as the opportunity occurs1 he leaves the prison and hurries to a grand ball given by the ,marquis and ,marchioness de ,montefiori at their palace1 while the ,marquis1 who has had his instructions from ,don ,jose to recognize ,maritana as his long-lost niece1 is introducing her as such4 ,don ,caesar enters and demands his bride4 ,the astonished ,don ,jose1 perceiving that his scheme to introduce ,maritana at court is liable to be frustrated1 offers the ,marquis a rich appointment if he will induce his wife to play the part he shall suggest4 ,the scheme is soon arranged1 and the ,marchioness1 closely veiled1 is presented to ,don ,caesar as the ,countess de ,bazan4 ,disgusted at the precious piece of antiquity1 as he terms her1 and fancying that he has been duped1 he is about to sign a paper relinquishing his bride1 when he suddenly hears ,maritana's voice4 ,he recognizes it as the same he had heard during the marriage rites4 ,he rushes forward to claim her1 but she is quickly carried away1 and he is prevented from following4 ,the last act opens in a palace belonging to the ,king1 where ,maritana is surrounded with luxury1 though she is as yet unaware that she is in the royal apartments4 ,don ,jose1 fancying that ,don ,caesar will not dare to make his appearance1 as he does not know of his pardon1 carries out his plot by introducing the ,king to her as her husband4 ,she at first rejects him1 and as he presses his suit ,don ,caesar breaks into the apartment4 ,the ,king in a rage demands to know his errand4 ,he replies that he is in quest of the ,countess de ,bazan1 and with equal rage inquires who he 7the ,king7 is4 ,the ,king in confusion answers that he is ,don ,caesar1 whereupon the latter promptly replies1 ,then ,i am the ,king of ,spain4 ,before further explanation can be made1 a messenger arrives from the ,queen with the announcement that she awaits the ,king4 ,after his departure ,don ,caesar and ,maritana mutually recognize each other1 and upon her advice he resolves to appeal to the ,queen to save her4 ,he waits for her ,majesty in the palace garden1 and while concealed1 overhears ,don ,jose informing her that the ,king will meet his mistress that night4 ,he springs out1 and denouncing him as a traitor to his ,king slays him1 and then returning to ,maritana's apartment finds the ,king there again1 and tells him what has occurred4 ,he has saved the ,king's honor3 will the ,king destroy his8 ,the monarch1 overcome with ,don ,caesar's gallantry and loyalty1 consigns ,maritana to him and appoints him ,governor of ,granada4 ,the appointment does not suit ,don ,caesar1 for ,granada is too near his creditors4 ,the ,king1 laughing1 changes it to ,valencia1 a hundred leagues away1 and thither ,don ,caesar conducts his happy bride4 ,the drama is one which is well adapted to bright1 cheerful1 melodious music1 and the opportunity has been well improved1 for ,maritana is one of the sprightliest and brightest of all the ,english operas1 and contains several ballads which for beauty and expressiveness may well challenge any that ,balfe has written4 ,the principal numbers in the first act are ,maritana's opening song in the public square 7,it was a ,knight of princely ,mien72 the romanza which she subsequently sings for ,don ,jose1 ,i hear it again1 'tis the ,harp in the ,air1 which is one of the sweetest and most delicate songs in any of the lighter operas2 the duet between ,maritana and ,don ,jose1 ,of fairy ,wand had ,i the ,power2 ,don ,caesar's rollicking drinking-song1 ,all the ,world over1 to love1 to drink1 to fight1 ,i delight2 and the tripping chorus1 ,pretty ,gitana1 tell us what the ,fates decree1 leading up to the stirring ensemble in the finale1 when ,don ,caesar is arrested4 ,the first scene of the second act is the richest in popular numbers1 containing an aria for alto1 ,lazarillo's song 7,alas6 those ,chimes so sweetly pealing72 a charming trio for ,don ,caesar1 ,lazarillo1 and ,don ,jose 7,turn on1 old ,time1 thine ,hourglass72 ,don ,caesar's stirring martial song1 ,yes1 let me like a ,soldier fall2 the serious ballad1 ,in happy ,moments1 ,day by ,day1 written by ,alfred ,bunn1 who wrote so many of the ,balfe ballads2 and the quartet and chorus closing the scene1 ,health to the ,lady1 the lovely ,bride6 ,the second scene opens with a pretty chorus in waltz time 7,ah1 what ,pleasure6 the soft ,guitar71 followed by an aria sung by the ,king 7,the ,mariner in his ,bark71 and introduced by an attractive violin prelude4 ,the finale is a very dramatic ensemble1 quintet and chorus 7,what ,mystery must now control74 ,the last act falls off in musical interest1 though it is very strong dramatically4 ,it contains a few numbers1 however1 which are very popular2 among them one of the most admired of all ,english songs 7,scenes that are brightest71 which ,maritana sings in the ,king's apartments at the beginning of the act2 the humorous duet between the ,king and ,don ,caesar when they meet2 the love-duet between ,don ,caesar and ,maritana 7,this ,heart with ,bliss o'erflowing72 and ,don ,caesar's song1 ,there is a ,flower that bloometh1 which is in the sentimental ballad style4 ,the freshness1 brightness1 and gracefulness of the music of this little opera1 combined with the unusual interest and delicate humor of the story1 have always commended it to popular admiration4 ,,weber4 ,carl ,maria von ,weber was born ,dec4 #ah1 #aghf1 at ,eutin1 and may almost be said to have been born on the stage1 as his father was at the head of a theatrical company1 and the young ,carl was carried in the train of the wandering troupe all over ,germany4 ,his first lessons were given to him by ,henschkel1 conductor of the orchestra of ,duke ,friedrich of ,meiningen4 ,at the age of fourteen he wrote his first opera1 ,das ,waldmaedchen1 which was performed several times during the year #ahjj4 ,in #ahja appeared his two-act comic opera1 ,peter ,schmoll and his ,neighbors1 and during these two years he also frequently played in concerts with great success4 ,he then studied with the ,abbe ,vogler1 and in his eighteenth year was engaged for the conductorship of the ,breslau opera4 ,about this time appeared his first important opera1 ,rubezahl4 ,at the conclusion of his studies with ,vogler he was made director of the ,opera at ,prague4 ,in #ahad he wrote a cantata1 ,the ,lyre and ,sword1 for a festive occasion1 and it was greeted with the wildest enthusiasm4 ,in #ahaf he went to ,berlin1 where he was received with the highest marks of popular esteem1 and thence to ,dresden as ,hofcapellmeister4 ,this was the most brilliant period in his career4 ,it was during this time that he married ,caroline ,brandt1 the actress and singer1 who had had a marked influence upon his musical progress1 and to whom he dedicated his exquisite ,invitation to the ,dance4 ,the first great work of his life1 ,der ,freischuetz1 was written at this period4 ,three other important operas followed1--,preciosa1 ,euryanthe1 the first performance of which took place in ,vienna in #ahbc1 and ,oberon1 which he finished in ,london and brought out there4 ,weber's last days were spent in the latter city2 and it was while making preparations to return to ,germany1 which he longed to see again1 that he was stricken down with his final illness4 ,on the #dth of ,june1 #ahbf1 he was visited by ,sir ,george ,smart1 ,moscheles1 and other musicians who were eager to show him attention4 ,he declined to have any one watch by his bedside1 thanked them for their kindness1 bade them good-by1 and then turned to his friend ,fuerstenau and said1 ,now let me sleep4 ,these were his last words4 ,the next morning he was found dead in his bed4 ,he has left a rich legacy of works besides his operas1--a large collection of songs1 many cantatas 7of which ,the ,jubilee1 with its brilliant overture1 is the finest71 some masses1 of which that in ,e flat is the most beautiful1 and several concertos1 besides many brilliant rondos1 polaccas1 and marches for the piano4 ,,der ,,freischuetz4 ,der ,freischuetz1 a romantic opera in three acts1 words by ,friedrich ,kind1 was first produced at ,berlin1 ,june #ah1 #ahba4 ,it is one of the most popular operas in the modern repertory4 ,it was first performed in ,paris1 ,dec4 #g1 #ahbd1 as ,robin des ,bois1 with a new libretto by ,castile ,blaze and ,sauvage1 and many changes in the score1 such as divertissements made up of the dance-music in ,preciosa and ,oberon1 and of ,the ,invitation to the ,dance1 scored by ,berlioz4 ,in #ahda it was again given in ,paris1 with an accurate translation of the text by ,pacini1 and recitatives added by ,berlioz1 as ,le ,franc ,archer4 ,its first ,english performance in ,london was given ,july #bb1 #ahbd1 as ,der ,freischuetz1 or the ,seventh ,bullet1 with several ballads inserted2 and its first ,italian at ,covent ,garden1 ,march #af1 #ahej1 with recitatives by ,costa1 as ,il ,franco ,arciero4 ,so popular was it in ,england in #ahbd that no less than nine theatres were presenting various versions of it at the same time4 ,the original cast was as follows3-- ,,agatha ,frau ,,caroline ,,seidler4 ,,annchen ,frl4 ,,johanna ,,eunike4 ,,max ,herr ,,carl ,,stuemer4 ,,caspar ,herr ,,heinrich ,,blume4 ,,ottakar ,herr ,,rubinstein4 ,,kuno ,herr ,,waner4 ,,hermit ,herr ,,gern4 ,,kilian ,herr ,,wiedemann4 ,the text of the opera is taken from a story in ,popular ,tales of the ,northern ,nations1 and is founded upon a traditionary belief that a demon of the forest furnishes a marksman with unerring bullets cast under magical influences4 ,kuno1 the head ranger to the ,prince of ,bohemia1 too old to longer continue in his position1 recommends ,max1 a skilful marksman1 who is betrothed to his daughter ,agatha1 as his successor4 ,the ,prince agrees to accept him if he proves himself victor at the forthcoming hunting-match4 ,caspar1 the master-villain of the play1 who has sold himself to the demon ,zamiel1 and who also is in love with ,agatha1 forms a plot to ruin ,max and deliver him over to ,zamiel as a substitute for himself1 for the limit of his contract with the ,evil ,one is close at hand4 ,with ,zamiel's aid he causes ,max to miss the mark several times during the rehearsals for the match4 ,the lover is thrown into deep dejection by his ill luck1 and while in this melancholy condition is cunningly approached by ,caspar1 who says to him that if he will but repeat the formula1 ,in the name of ,zamiel1 he will be successful4 ,he does so1 and brings down an eagle soaring high above him4 ,elated with his success1 ,caspar easily persuades him that he can win the match if he will meet him at midnight in the ,wolf's ,glen1 where with ,zamiel's aid he can obtain plenty of magic bullets4 ,the second act opens in ,kuno's house1 and shows us ,agatha melancholy with forebodings of coming evil4 ,a hermit whom she has met in the woods has warned her of danger1 and given her a wreath of magic roses to ward it off4 ,an ancestral portrait falling from the walls also disturbs her2 and at last the appearance of the melancholy ,max confirms her belief that trouble is in store for her4 ,max himself is no less concerned4 ,all sorts of strange sounds have troubled him1 and his slumbers have been invaded with apparitions4 ,nevertheless1 he goes to the ,wolf's ,glen2 and though spectres1 skeletons1 and various grotesque animals terrify him1 and his mother's spirit appears and warns him away1 he overcomes his fright and appears with ,caspar at the place of incantation4 ,zamiel is summoned1 and seven bullets are cast1 six of which are to be directed by ,max himself in the forthcoming match1 while the seventh will be at the disposal of the demon4 ,little dreaming the fate which hangs upon the seventh1 ,caspar offers no objections4 ,the third act opens1 like the last1 in ,kuno's house1 and discovers ,agatha preparing for her nuptials1 and telling ,annchen a singular dream she has had4 ,she had fancied herself a dove1 and that ,max fired at her4 ,as the bird fell she came to herself and saw that the dove had changed to a fierce bird of ill omen which lay dying at her feet4 ,the melancholy produced by the dream is still further heightened when it is found that a funeral instead of a bridal wreath has been made for her2 but her heart lightens up again as she remembers the magic rose-wreath which the hermit had enjoined her to wear on her wedding day4 ,at last the eventful day of trial comes1 and the ,prince and all his courtiers assemble to witness the match4 ,max makes six shots in succession which go home to the mark4 ,at the ,prince's command he fires the seventh1 ,zamiel's bullet1 at a dove flying past4 ,as he fires1 ,agatha appears to him as the dove1 and he fancies he has slain her4 ,the wreath protects her1 however1 and ,zamiel directs the bullet to ,caspar's heart4 ,the demon claims his victim1 and ,max his bride1 amid general rejoicing4 ,the overture1 which is one of the most favorite numbers of its class in the concert-room as well as in the opera-house1 is a masterpiece of brilliant and descriptive instrumentation1 and furnishes us with a key to the whole story in its announcement of the leading themes4 ,it opens with an adagio horn passage of great beauty1 giving us the groundwork of the entire action2 and then follow motives from ,max's grand scena in the first act1 the ,incantation music1 ,agatha's moonlight scene1 and other episodes connected with the action of ,max and ,caspar4 ,indeed1 the frequent and expressive use of the ,leit motif all through the work seem to entitle ,weber to the credit of its invention4 ,the first act opens with a spirited chorus of villagers1 followed by a lively march and a comic song by ,kilian1 in which he rallies ,max upon his bad luck4 ,the next number is a trio and chorus1 with solos for the principals1 ,max1 ,kuno1 and ,caspar 7,o diese ,sonne1 furchtbar steigt sie mir empor74 ,max laments his fate1 but ,kuno encourages him1 while ,caspar insinuates his evil plot4 ,the trio is of a sombre cast at the beginning1 but by a sudden change the horns and an expressive combination of the chorus give it a cheerful character4 ,it is once more disturbed1 however1 by ,caspar's ominous phrases1 but at last ,kuno and his men cheer up the despondent lover with a brisk hunting-chorus1 and the villagers dance off to a lively waltz tempo4 ,max is left alone1 and the next number is a grand tenor scene4 ,it opens with a gloomy recitative1 which lights up as he thinks of ,agatha1 and then passes into one of the most tender and delicious of melodies 7,durch die ,waelder1 durch die ,auen71 set to a beautiful accompaniment4 ,suddenly the harmony is clouded by the apparition of ,zamiel1 but as he disappears1 ,max begins another charming melody 7,jetzt ist wohl ihr ,fenster offen71 which is even more beautiful than the first4 ,as ,zamiel reappears the harmony is again darkened2 but when despairing ,max utters the cry1 ,lives there no ,god6 the wood-demon disappears1 and the great song comes to an end4 ,in this mood ,caspar meets him1 and seeks to cheer him with an hilarious drinking-song 7,hier im ird'schen ,jammerthal71 furious in its energy1 and intended to express unhallowed mirth4 ,the act closes with ,caspar's bass aria of infernal triumph 7,triumph6 die ,rache1 die ,rache gelingt71 accompanied by music which is wonderfully weird and shadowy in its suggestions4 ,the second act opens with a duet 7,schelm6 halt fest7 in which ,agatha's fear and anxiety are charmingly contrasted with the lightsome and cheery nature of ,annchen1 her attendant1 and this in turn is followed by a naive and coquettish arietta 7,kommt ein schlanker ,bursch gegangen7 sung by the latter4 ,annchen departs1 and ,agatha1 opening her window and letting the moonlight flood the room1 sings the famous scena and prayer1 ,leise1 leise1 fromme ,weise1 beginning1 after a few bars of recitative1 with a melody full of prayer and hope and tender longings1 shaded with vague presentiment4 ,it is an adagio of exquisite beauty1 closing with an ecstatic outburst of rapture 7,alle meine ,pulse schlagen7 as she beholds her lover coming4 ,the melody has already been heard in the overture1 but its full joy and splendid sweep are attained only in this scene4 ,in the next scene we have a trio 7,wie8 was8 ,entsetzen87 between ,max1 ,annchen1 and ,agatha1 in which the musical discrimination of character is carried to a fine point2 and the act concludes with the incantation music in the ,wolf's ,glen1 which has never been surpassed in weirdness1 mystery1 and diablerie1 and at times in actual sublimity4 ,its real power lies in the instrumentation2 not alone in its vivid and picturesque presentation of the melodramatic scene with its hideous surroundings1 but in its expressiveness and appositeness to the action and sentiment by the skilful use of motives4 ,the last act has an instrumental prelude foreshadowing the ,hunters' ,chorus4 ,it opens with a graceful but somewhat melancholy aria of a religious character 7,und ob die ,wolke sie verhuelle71 sung by ,agatha1 in which she is still wavering between doubt and hope1 and succeeded by another of ,annchen's arias1 beginning with the gloomy romance1 ,einst traumte meiner sel'gen ,base1 and closing with a lively allegro 7,truebe ,augen1 ,liebchen71 which is intended to encourage her sad mistress4 ,then the bridesmaids sing their lively chorus1 ,wir winden dir den ,jungfern-,kranz1 so well known by its ,english title1 ,a rosy ,crown we twine for ,thee4 ,the pretty little number is followed by the ,hunters' ,chorus1 ,was gleicht wohl auf ,erden dem ,jaegervergnuegen1 which is a universal favorite4 ,it leads up to a strong dramatic finale1 crowded with striking musical ideas1 and containing ,agatha's beautiful melody in the closing chorus4 ,few operas have had such world-wide popularity as ,der ,freischuetz1 and yet it is an essentially ,german product4 ,the composer's son has aptly characterized it1 in his ,biography of his father3 ,weber did not compose ',der ,freischuetz2' he allowed it to grow out of the rich soil of his brave ,german heart1 and to expand leaf by leaf1 blossom by blossom1 fostered by the hand of his talent2 and thus no ,german looks upon the opera as a work of art which appeals to him from without4 ,he feels as if every line of the work came from his own heart1 as if he himself had dreamed it so1 and it could no more sound otherwise than the rustling of an honest ,german beech-wood4 ,,oberon4 ,oberon1 or the ,elf ,king's ,oath1 a romantic and fairy opera in three acts1 words by ,j4,r4 ,planche1 was first produced at ,covent ,garden1 ,london1 ,april #ab1 #ahbf1 in ,english4 ,its first ,italian performance was given in the same city1 ,july #c1 #ahfj1 the recitatives being supplied by ,benedict1 who also added several numbers from ,euryanthe4 ,the original cast was as follows3-- ,,reiza ,miss ,,paton4 ,,fatima ,mme4 ,,vestris4 ,,puck ,miss ,,cawse4 ,,huon ,mr4 ,,braham4 ,,oberon ,mr4 ,,bland4 ,,sherasmin ,mr4 ,,fawcett4 ,,mermaid ,miss ,,gownell4 ,the librettist1 ,planche1 in a tribute to ,weber1 gives the origin of the story of ,oberon4 ,it appeared originally in a famous collection of ,french romances1 ,la ,bibliotheque ,bleue1 under the title of ,huon of ,bordeaux4 ,the ,german poet ,wieland adopted the principal incidents of the story as the basis of his poem1 ,oberon1 and ,sotheby's translation of it was used in the preparation of the text4 ,the original sketch of the action1 as furnished by ,planche1 is as follows3-- ,oberon1 the ,elfin ,king1 having quarrelled with his fairy partner1 vows never to be reconciled to her till he shall find two lovers constant through peril and temptation4 ,to seek such a pair his 'tricksy spirit1' ,puck1 has ranged in vain through the world4 ,puck1 however1 hears the sentence passed on ,sir ,huon of ,bordeaux1 a young knight1 who1 having been insulted by the son of ,charlemagne1 kills him in single combat1 and is for this condemned by the monarch to travel to ,bagdad to slay him who sits on the ,caliph's left hand1 and to claim his daughter as his bride4 ,oberon instantly resolves to make this pair the instruments of his reunion with his queen1 and for this purpose he brings up ,huon and ,sherasmin asleep before him1 enamours the knight by showing him ,reiza1 daughter of the ,caliph1 in a vision1 transports him at his waking to ,bagdad1 and having given him a magic horn1 by the blasts of which he is always to summon the assistance of ,oberon1 and a cup that fills at pleasure1 disappears4 ,here ,sir ,huon rescues a man from a lion1 who proves afterwards to be ,prince ,babekan1 who is betrothed to ,reiza4 ,one of the properties of the cup is to detect misconduct4 ,he offers it to ,babekan4 ,on raising it to his lips the wine turns to flame1 and thus proves him a villain4 ,he attempts to assassinate ,huon1 but is put to flight4 ,the knight then learns from an old woman that the princess is to be married next day1 but that ,reiza has been influenced1 like her lover1 by a vision1 and is resolved to be his alone4 ,she believes that fate will protect her from her nuptials with ,babekan1 which are to be solemnized on the next day4 ,huon enters1 fights with and vanquishes ,babekan1 and having spell-bound the rest by a blast of the magic horn1 he and ,sherasmin carry off ,reiza and ,fatima4 ,they are soon shipwrecked4 ,reiza is captured by pirates on a desert island and brought to ,tunis1 where she is sold to the ,emir and exposed to every temptation1 but she remains constant4 ,sir ,huon1 by the order of ,oberon1 is also conveyed thither4 ,he undergoes similar trials from ,roshana1 the jealous wife of the ,emir1 but proving invulnerable she accuses him to her husband1 and he is condemned to be burned on the same pile with ,reiza4 ,they are rescued by ,sherasmin1 who has the magic horn4 ,oberon appears with his queen1 whom he has regained by their constancy1 and the opera concludes with ,charlemagne's pardon of ,huon4 ,the overture1 like that of ,der ,freischuetz1 reflects the story1 and is universally popular4 ,its leading themes are the horn solo1 which forms the symphony of ,sir ,huon's vision1 a short movement from the fairies' chorus1 a martial strain from the last scene in the court of ,charlemagne1 a passage from ,reiza's scene in the second act1 and ,puck's invocation of the spirits4 ,the first act opens in ,oberon's bower with a melodious chorus of fairies and genii 7,light as fairy ,feet can fall71 followed by a solo for ,oberon 7,fatal ,oath71 portraying his melancholy mood1 and ,the ,vision1 a quaint1 simple melody by ,reiza 7,oh6 why art thou sleeping871 which leads up to a splendid ensemble 7,honor and ,joy to the ,true and the ,brave71 containing a solo for ,oberon1 during which the scene suddenly changes from the fairy bower to the city of ,bagdad4 ,huon has a grand scena 7,oh6 't is a ,glorious ,sight71 a composition in several movements beginning with a dramatic bravura illustrative of the scenes of the battlefield1 and closing with a joyous1 brisk allegretto 7,joy to the high-born ,dames of ,france74 ,the finale begins with an aria by ,reiza 7,yes1 my ,lord71 in the ,italian style1 passing into a duet for ,reiza and ,fatima1 and closing with the chorus 7,now the ,evening ,watch is set47 ,the second act opens with a characteristic chorus 7,glory to the ,caliph71 the music of which has been claimed by some critics as genuinely ,moorish1 though it is probable that ,weber only imitated that style in conformity to the demands of the situation4 ,a little march and three melodramatic passages lead up to an arietta for ,fatima 7,a lovely ,arab ,maid71 beginning with a very pleasing minor and closing in a lively major4 ,this leads directly to the lovely quartet1 ,over the ,dark ,blue ,waters1--one of the most attractive numbers in the opera4 ,it is a concerted piece for two sopranos1 tenor1 and bass1 opening with two responsive solos in duet1 first for the bass and tenor1 and then for the two sopranos1 the voices finally uniting in a joyous and animated movement of great power4 ,the music now passes to the supernatural1 and we have ,puck's invocation to the spirits1 whom he summons to raise a storm and sink the vessel in which the lovers have embarked4 ,puck's recitative is very powerful1 and the chorus of the spirits in response1 a very rapid presto movement1 is in its way as effective as the incantation music in ,der ,freischuetz4 ,the storm rises1 the orchestra being the medium of the description1 which is very graphic and effective4 ,huon has a short prayer 7,ruler of this ,awful ,hour71 which is impressively solemn1 and then follows ,reiza's magnificent apostrophe to the sea 7,ocean1 thou mighty ,monster that liest curled like a green ,serpent round about the ,world74 ,the scene is heroic in its construction1 and its effective performance calls for the highest artistic power4 ,it represents the gradual calm of the angry waters1 the breaking of the sun through the gloom1 and the arrival of a boat to the succor of the distressed ,reiza4 ,the immense effect of the scene is greatly enhanced by the descriptive instrumentation1 especially in the allegro describing the rolling of the billows and the recitative and succeeding andante picturing the outburst of the sun4 ,the mermaid's song 7,oh6 't is pleasant71 with its wavy1 flowing melody1 forms a fitting pendant to this great picture of elementary strife2 and a delicate and graceful chorus closes the act4 ,the third act opens with a lovely song for ,fatima 7,oh6 ,araby1 dear ,araby71 consisting of two movements1--an andante plaintively recalling past memories1 and an allegro of exquisite taste4 ,the song1 even detached from the opera1 has always been greatly admired in concert-rooms1 and1 it is said1 was a special favorite also with the composer4 ,it is followed by a duet for ,sherasmin and ,fatima 7,on the ,banks of sweet ,garonne71 which is of a vivacious and comic nature in ,sherasmin's part1 and then passes into a tender minor as ,fatima sings4 ,the next number is a trio for soprano1 alto1 and tenor 7,and must ,i then dissemble871 written very much in the style of the trio in ,der ,freischuetz1 and yet purely original in its effect4 ,reiza follows with a smooth1 flowing1 and pathetic cavatina 7,mourn thou1 poor ,heart71 which is succeeded in marked contrast by a joyous rondo 7,i revel in ,hope7 sung by ,sir ,huon4 ,the next scene is that of ,sir ,huon's temptation1 a voluptuous passage for ballet and chorus1 interrupted at intervals by the energetic exclamations of the paladin as he successfully resists the sirens4 ,the gay scene leads up to the finale4 ,sir ,huon and ,reiza are bound to the stake1 surrounded by slaves singing a weird chorus4 ,a blast from the magic horn sets them dancing1 and a quartet for the four principal characters based upon the subject of the slaves' ,chorus ensues4 ,oberon appears and takes his leave after transporting the whole company to the royal halls of ,charlemagne4 ,a stirring march opens the scene1 a beautiful aria by ,huon follows 7,yes6 even ,love to ,fame must yield71 and a chorus by the whole court closes the opera4 ,,euryanthe4 ,the opera of ,euryanthe was written for the ,kaernthnerthor ,theatre1 ,vienna1 where it was first produced ,oct4 #be1 #ahbc1 though not with the success which afterwards greeted it in ,berlin1 owing to the ,rossini craze with which the ,austrian capital was afflicted at that time4 ,the libretto is by ,helmine von ,chezy1 an eccentric old woman who proved a sad torment to the composer4 ,the plot1 which is a curious mixture of ,cymbeline and ,lohengrin1 was adapted from an old ,french romance1 entitled ,l',histoire de ,gerard de ,nevers et de la belle et vertueuse ,euryanthe1 sa mie1 and is substantially as follows3-- ,in the palace of ,king ,louis of ,france1 where a brilliant assemblage is gathered1 ,count ,adolar sings a tribute to the beauty and virtue of ,euryanthe1 his betrothed4 ,count ,lysiart replies with a sneer1 and boasts that he can gain her favor2 but ,adolar challenges him to bring a proof4 ,the scene then changes to the castle of ,nevers1 and discloses ,euryanthe longing for ,adolar4 ,eglantine1 who is also in love with ,adolar1 and who is conspiring against ,euryanthe1 soon joins her1 and in their interview the latter rashly discloses the secret of a neighboring tomb known only to herself and ,adolar4 ,in this tomb rests the body of ,emma1 ,adolar's sister1 who had killed herself1 and whose ghost had appeared to ,euryanthe and her lover with the declaration that she can never be at peace until tears of innocence have been shed upon the ring which was the agency employed in her death4 ,lysiart arrives from court with a commission to take ,euryanthe to the ,king1 while ,eglantine is left behind in possession of the secret4 ,in the second act ,lysiart deplores his failure to obtain the favor of ,euryanthe2 but his hopes are renewed when he meets ,eglantine emerging from the tomb with the ring1 and learns from her that it can be made to convict ,euryanthe of indiscretion1 or at least of breaking her promise not to reveal the tomb secret4 ,he obtains the ring1 confronts ,euryanthe with it at the palace1 and forces her to admit the broken promise4 ,adolar1 believing that she is guilty1 drags her away to a wilderness where it is his intention to kill her2 but on the way they are attacked by a serpent4 ,adolar slays the monster1 and then1 seized with sudden pity1 he abandons his intention of killing her1 but leaves her to her fate4 ,she is subsequently found by the ,king while on a hunting expedition1 and to him she relates the story of ,eglantine's treachery4 ,the ,king takes her with him to the palace4 ,meanwhile ,adolar has begun to suspect that ,euryanthe has been the victim of her base wiles1 and on his way to ,nevers to punish ,lysiart he encounters the wedding-procession of the guilty pair1 and challenges him4 ,the ,king suddenly arrives upon the scene and announces ,euryanthe's death1 whereupon ,eglantine declares her love for ,adolar4 ,the furious ,lysiart turns upon her and stabs her4 ,euryanthe is not dead4 ,she has only fainted1 and is soon restored to her lover1 while ,lysiart is led off to the scaffold4 ,the overture1 which is familiar in our concert-rooms1 gives a sketch of the principal situations in the opera4 ,the first act opens in the great banquet-hall of the ,king with a flowing and stately chorus 7,dem ,frieden ,heil7 alternating between female and male voices and finally taken by the full chorus4 ,then follows ,adolar's lovely and tender romanza 7,unter bluehenden ,mandelbaeumen74 ,the next number1 a chorus 7,heil6 ,euryanthe71 with recitatives for ,adolar1 ,lysiart1 and the ,king leads up to a vigorous trio 7,wohlan6 ,du kennst74 ,euryanthe's idyllic and touching cavatina 7,gloecklein im ,thale7 is a match in beauty and tenderness for ,adolar's romanza4 ,the recitative which follows introduces a sentimental aria for ,eglantine 7,o mein ,leid ist unermessen71 leading to a duet with ,euryanthe 7,unter ist mein ,stern gegangen74 ,a scena for ,eglantine1 characterized by all the hatred and fury of jealousy1 introduces the finale1 which consists of a vigorous chorus 7,jubeltoene7 accompanying ,euryanthe's solo 7,froehliche ,klaenge74 ,the second act opens with a powerful recitative and aria for ,lysiart 7,wo berg ich mich71 which is full of passion4 ,a duet of a menacing and sombre character between ,lysiart and ,eglantine 7,komm denn unser ,leid zu raechen7 stands out in gloomy contrast with ,adolar's aria 7,wehen mir ,luefte ,ruh'7 and the duet with ,euryanthe 7,hin nimm die ,seele mein71 so full of grace and tenderness4 ,they lead up to the finale1 a grand quartet 7,lass mich empor zum ,lichte71 with powerful chorus accompaniment4 ,the last act opens with the serpent episode1 with characteristic music1 and a recitative scene between ,euryanthe and ,adolar leads up to a pathetic cavatina for ,euryanthe 7,hier am ,quell wo ,weiden stehn74 ,the ringing notes of the horns behind the scenes announce the approach of the ,king's party1 who sing a fresh and sonorous hunting chorus 7,die ,thale dampfen74 ,the remaining numbers are a duet for ,euryanthe and the ,king with chorus 7,lasst mich hier in ,ruh' erblassen71 a lovely and melodious aria with chorus for ,euryanthe 7,zu ihm71 a bright wedding-march and scene with chorus1 and a duet for ,adolar and ,lysiart with chorus1 leading to the grand quintet and chorus which bring the opera to a close4 ,,appendix4 ,a work of this kind1 by whomsoever written1 must be somewhat arbitrary in its selection of ,,the ,,standard ,,operas2 and the writer has often found it difficult to say where the line should be drawn1--what excluded and what admitted4 ,in addition to the operas treated of1 there are others1 without a mention of which such a work as this would scarcely be considered complete2 and a list of these is herewith submitted1 together with the dates of their first performance4 ,many of these are familiar to the public by their past reputation1 while others still hold the stage in ,europe4 ,others have never been given out of the native country of their composers2 and still others1 like those of ,mr4 ,sullivan1 are in reality operettas1 and cannot be classed as standard1 although their popularity is extraordinary4 ,,adam - ,le ,postilion de ,longjumeau 7#ahce74 ,,auber - ,le ,cheval de ,bronze 7,the ,bronze ,horse7 7#ahce72 ,l',ambassadrice 7#ahcf72 ,le ,domino ,noir 7,the ,black ,domino7 7#ahcg72 ,zanetta 7#ahdj72 ,manon ,lescaut 7#ahef74 ,,balfe - ,enchantress 7#ahde72 ,satanella 7#aheh72 ,puritan's ,daughter 7#ahfa72 ,the ,talisman 7#ahfc74 ,,benedict - ,the ,lily of ,killarney 7#ahfb74 ,,corder - ,nordisa 7#ahhg74 ,,donizetti - ,polinto 7#ahdj72 ,linda 7#ahdb72 ,maria di ,rohan 7#ahdc72 ,don ,sebastian 7#ahdc72 ,gemma di ,vergi 7#ahde74 ,,flotow - ,l',ombre 7#ahfi74 ,,goetz - ,francesca von ,rimini 7#ahgd72 ,the ,taming of the ,shrew 7#ahgd74 ,,goldmark - ,the ,queen of ,sheba 7#ahge72 ,merlin 7#ahhf72 ,cricket on the ,hearth 7#ahif74 ,,gomez - ,il ,guarany 7#ahgj74 ,,gounod - ,polyeucte 7#ahgh74 ,,halevy - ,l',eclair 7#ahce74 ,,herold - ,zampa7#ahca72 ,pre aux ,clercs7#ahcb74 ,,isouard - ,joconde 7#ahad74 ,,kreutzer - ,das ,nachtlager in ,granada 7#ahcd74 ,,leoncavallo - ,i ,medici 7#ahic74 ,,marchetti - ,ruy ,blas 7#ahgj74 ,,marschner - ,der ,vampyr 7#ahbh72 ,hans ,heiling 7#ahcc74 ,,mascagni - ,l',amico ,fritz 7#ahib72 ,i ,rantzau 7#ahib72 ,silvano7#ahie72 ,guglielmo ,ratcliff 7#ahie74 ,,masse - ,la ,reine ,topaze 7#ahef72 ,paul et ,virginie 7#ahgf74 ,,massenet - ,le ,roi de ,lahore 7#ahgg72 ,manon ,lescaut 7#ahhd72 ,le ,cid 7#ahhf72 ,esclarmonde 7#ahhi74 ,,nicolai - ,merry ,wives of ,windsor 7#ahdi74 ,,pacini - ,saffo 7#ahdj74 ,,planquette - ,the ,bells of ,corneville 7#ahgg74 ,,ponchielli - ,la ,gioconda 7#ahgf74 ,,ricci - ,crispino 7#ahej74 ,,rossini - ,la ,gazza ,ladra 7#ahag72 ,moses in ,egypt 7#ahah74 ,,rubinstein - ,dimitri ,donskoi 7#aheb72 ,the ,demon 7#ahge72 ,feramors 7#ahfc74 ,,saint ,,saens - ,le ,timbre d',argent 7#ahgg72 ,etienne ,marcel 7#ahgi72 ,henry ,,viii4 7#ahhc72 ,proserpine 7#ahhg74 ,,strauss - ,indigo 7#ahga72 ,die ,fledermaus 7,the ,bat7 7#ahgb72 ,der ,lustige ,krieg 7,the ,merry ,war7 7#ahge74 ,,sullivan - ,trial by ,jury 7#ahge72 ,the ,sorcerer 7#ahgg72 ,pinafore 7#ahgh72 ,pirates of ,penzance 7#ahhj72 ,patience 7#ahha72 ,iolanthe 7#ahhb72 ,the ,princess 7#ahhc72 ,the ,mikado 7#ahhe72 ,ruddygore 7#ahhg72 ,the ,yeomen of the ,guard 7#ahhh72 ,king of ,barataria 7#ahhi72 ,hesse ,halbpfennig 7#ahif74 ,,suppe - ,fatinitza 7#ahgf72 ,boccaccio 7#ahhb74 ,,thomas - ,hamlet 7#ahfh72 ,francoise de ,rimini 7#ahhb74 ,,verdi - ,the ,sicilian ,vespers 7#ahee72 ,la ,forza del ,destino 7,force of ,destiny7 7#ahfb72 ,don ,carlos 7#ahfg74 ,,wallace - ,lurline 7#ahfj74 ,,weber - ,abu ,hassan 7#ahaa72 ,preciosa 7#ahbc74 ,,index4 ,adam1 #cb1 #fc1 #ga1 #bgg4 ,african1 ,the1 #afj1 #afa1 #ahe4 ,aida1 #bci1 #bfb1 #bgb4 ,albani1 #gi4 ,alboni1 #afa1 #afb4 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#ff1 #bci4 ,merimee1 #ee4 ,merlin1 #aaf1 #aba4 ,meyerbeer1 #ach1 #aei1 #afa1 #agf1 #ahe1 #baa1 #bgg4 ,mignon1 #bca1 #bcb4 ,miolan-,carvalho1 #abf1 #aca1 #acd1 #agf1 #bdd4 ,mireille1 #abf4 ,mosenthal1 #aag4 ,moses in ,egypt1 #baa4 ,mozart1 #cf1 #cg1 #adb1 #aij1 #aic1 #bjd4 ,nero1 #bbf4 ,niemann1 #bhh4 ,nilsson1 #ff1 #bcg1 #bej4 ,nohl1 #cah4 ,norma1 #dd4 ,nourrit1 #ach1 #afa1 #aga1 #bbj4 ,oberon1 #ceg1 #ceh1 #cfe4 ,orpheus1 #ajf1 #ajg4 ,otello 7,rossini71 #baa4 ,othello 7,verdi71 #bci1 #bff4 ,pacini1 #ceh4 ,paisiello1 #baa4 ,pantaleoni1 #bfg4 ,parepa-,rosa1 #aib4 ,parsifal1 #bgf1 #cdj4 ,pasdeloup1 #bgf4 ,pasta1 #dd1 #dh1 #ge4 ,patti1 #gi1 #bej4 ,persiani1 #hf4 ,piccini1 #ajf4 ,piccolomini1 #bg1 #bej4 ,preciosa1 #ceg1ceh4 ,prophet1 ,the1 #afj1 #ahj4 ,puritani1 #dd1 #ej4 ,pyne1 #ai1 #cb1 #agf4 ,queen of ,sheba1 #aag4 ,rameau1 #aje4 ,reeves1 #ai4 ,rheingold1 #cji1 #caj1 #cad1 #cai4 ,richings1 ,caroline1 #gi4 ,richter1 #bgf4 ,rienzi1 #afj1 #bge1 #bgg1 #bhe4 ,rigoletto1 #hh1 #bci1 #bdd4 ,ring 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