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TWO HUNDRED
OPERA PLOTS
GLADYS DAVIDSON
Grand Opera in Three
Acts
By Camille Saint-Saens
Libretto
By Ferdinand Lemaire
First Produced
Weimar, December, i877
Chief Characters
Dalila, Samson, The High Priest of Dagon, Abimelech (Satrap of Gaza)
THE subject-matter
of this opera is founded on the Biblical narrative, but the love
passages and dramatic incidents predominate.
In Act 1 we are introduced to Samson, the mighty warrior-hero of
Israel, who is cheering the drooping spirits of his people by inciting
them to make a bold attempt to shake off the galling Philistine yoke.
Abimelech, Satrap of Gaza, insults and jeers at the down-trodden people,
upon which Samson, furious at the blasphemous epithets thus uttered by
the heathen intruder at the God of Israel, calls his companions to
avenge the insult, and himself slays the Satrap, the scene ending with
an attack upon the Philistine soldiers by the Israelites, who gain the
victory. As Samson comes forward as the conquering hero, he is greeted
with acclamations; and amongst the welcoming crowd is the lovely
Philistine enchantress, Dalila, who heads a procession of dancing
maidens outside the temple of Dagon. She also has a smiling welcome for
Samson; but her fair front is not sincere, for she is full of resentment
against the Israelite hero, who has been her lover once, and whom she
had loved until This conscience had forced him to desert her. She
therefore determines to cast her spells of fascination over him again,
and to bring him to ruin thus; and in Act 2 she has an interview with
the High Priest of Dagon, whom she promises that she will win from
Samson the secret of his marvellous strength, and by her seductions will
deliver him into the hands of the Philistines. When Samson presently
appears, therefore, she approaches him, adorned in her richest attire
and sparkling with jewels; and by her seductive wiles and tender
speeches she entices him to her side once more. As the scene closes,
Samson, intoxicated with love, and powerless to resist her tender
appeals to his passionate nature, yields, and follows her into her
dwelling-place. Here his ruin and degradation are soon consummated; for
Dalila, coaxing from him the secret of his strength, loses no time in
betraying him to the Philistine lords.
In Act 3, therefore, he is found in the abject condition of a slave
— a captive, blinded, and shorn of his long locks and mighty strength,
forced to grind at the mill; and from this servile task he is taken out
to the Temple of Dagon. Here we find him in the last scene, propped up
against the pillars of the temple, forced to submit to the gibes and
taunts of his enemies. Dalila, herself, joins in the mocking chorus,
rejoicing in the revenge she has achieved. Samson, however, seeks
renewed strength the pillars of the temple, forced to submit to the
gibes manded by the High Priest to offer sacrifice to Dagon he proudly
refuses, but, reaching out his arms, grasps the pillars of the temple,
which he lifts in one last mighty effort, and thus brings down the
building in ruins upon himself and his enemies.
Opera in Three Acts
By Max Schillings
Libretto
By Emil Gerhaeuser Adapted from Hebbel ‘s “Moloch”
First Produced
Dresden, December, 1906
Chief Characters
Theoda, Velleda, Teut, Hiram (a Carthaginian Priest), The King of Thule
THE scene is laid
in the island of Thule, just after the fall of Carthage. Hiram, the
Carthaginian Priest, has made his way to Thule, bearing with him the
idol, Moloch, by means of which he hopes to gain great power in his new
land, and to entice the people to make war upon the hated Romans. At
first the people of Thule will have nothing to do with the new god
offered them; but at last Teut, the King’s son, comes to believe in the
supposed power of Moloch, and accepts Hiram as a great teacher. By
degrees Hiram gets other converts; and by teaching the novices the more
advanced social arts known to Carthage, he gradually gains great
influence in the land. The old King, however, will not forsake his
ancient religion, and is greatly grieved and angered by his son’s
acceptance of the new god; and also his mother, Velleda, and his
sweetheart, Theoda, and his friend, Wolf, all plead in vain with the
royal youth to give up his apostasy.
In Act 2 Hiram has gained such ascendancy over the people that he
has built a fine temple for the idol Moloch; and he forbids them to
approach the sacred building at night on pain of instant death at the
hands of the god. He next proceeds to cut down the ancient and sacred
yew-tree of Thule, which is closely bound up in the old religion of the
people. Then the old King appears, and sternly forbids Hiram and Teut to
touch the yew-tree; and as Hiram disdains the command, the king is about
to stab him, when he is prevented by Teut, who wrestles with him, and
finally overpowers him. In despair the old King goes out into the
wilderness as an exile; and here he is joined by Theoda. The Queen,
Velleda, on hearing of her son’s undutiful conduct, flings herself into
the sea.
In Act 3 the harvest is being celebrated, and Wolf appears to
announce that the King has gathered his most loyal subjects together and
is about to make war upon Hiram and Teut, who have now made ready some
fine ships in which to sail against Rome. When darkness falls, Teut,
being on guard at some little distance from the Temple of Moloch, hears
a woman’s voice calling; and, drawing nearer, he recognises Theoda, who
is standing close to the building. In horror lest Hiram’s threat of the
god’s wrath shall fall upon the maiden he loves, Teut rushes to her side
to rescue her; but the joy of the lovers at thus meeting once more makes
them forget all danger, and they talk happily together. Then, when the
first joy of meeting is over, and Teut sees that the dreadful fate
foretold for those who ventured near the temple at night has never come
to pass, but that they have come to no harm, he realises that the idol
has no power after all, and that Hiram is a false teacher. He therefore
denounces Hiram, who, in despair at thus losing the power he has gained,
casts himself from the rocks into the sea. The King’s party now appear,
and Wolf, not knowing that Teut has forsaken the false religion of
Moloch, falls upon him as a traitor and stabs him. Theoda is in despair
when, on presently appearing with the old King, she finds her lover
lying fatally wounded; and as she reaches his side and embraces him, he
expires in her arms, whilst the grief-stricken father commands his
followers to break up the hideous idol, Moloch, which has brought such
disaster upon him.
Romantic Opera in Four
Acts
By Robert Schumann
Libretto
By Hebbel and Lieck (Adapted from the old Legend)
First Produced
Leipzig, June, 1850
Chief Characters
Genoveva, Margaretha, Count Siegfried, Golo, Drago
THE scene is laid in the Palatinate during the time of the Emperors of the West. The reigning Emperor, having commanded Count Siegfried to depart to the wars against the Saracens, the young noble leaves his beautiful wife, Genoveva, in charge of his friend Golo. The latter has conceived a violent passion for Genoveva, and being thus left in charge of her, he endeavours to gain her love and satisfy his desires; and in his evil design he is aided by an old nurse, Margaretha, who is in reality his own mother, who has ambitious plans for her son’s future. Genoveva, however, loves her absent lord, and scornfully repulses the passionate declaration of Golo; and when the latter still persists in forcing his odious attentions upon her she staggers him by flinging the word “ bastard “ at him. This galls Golo to desperation; and his passion changing to hatred, he entices the servants and retainers to rebel against their mistress, and when they speak ill of her good name he refuses to defend her, but declares that their slanders are true. He even goes further by bringing the faith-ful steward,. Drago, into her chamber, and then sending the other servants to discover him there. Drago is killed by his orders; and the innocent and persecuted Genoveva is cast into the castle dungeon. Margaretha, having heard that Count Siegfried has been wounded, now goes to Strasbourg to nurse him; and she attempts to put an end to his life by giving him small doses of poison, hoping thus to gain his wealth for her own son. The Count, however, is young and healthy, and her drugs have no effect upon him; but he is plunged into despair when Golo presently visits him and relates the trumped-up story of his wife’s supposed unfaithfulness. In his grief and rage he gives his sword and ring to Golo, and bids him slay Genoveva; and after Golo has departed Margaretha fans his wrath further by producing a magic-mirror, in which she shows him false pictures of the pretended love-making of the Countess and the steward Drago. Presently, however, the mirror breaks into fragments, and the ghost of Drago appears, and sternly commands the hag to speak the truth. Full of abject terror, Margaretha now confesses that the whole story is false; and Siegfried rises distractedly from his couch and sets forth immediately to intercept Golo and to save his wife from an untimely death. Meanwhile Golo reaches the castle first, and causes the unhappy Genoveva to be led out into the forest by two ruffians; and there he meets her, and showing her Siegfried’s ring and sword, announces his authority to slay her. In despair, Genoveva falls on her knees, and, holding up a cross, begs for mercy, and prays for help; and at this moment Siegfried rushes upon the scene and rescues her from the baffled and furious Golo, who, seeing his consciencestricken and repentant mother also approaching, and realising that their perfidy is discovered, takes to flight, and loses his life by falling over a precipice. Meanwhile Siegfried humbly implores the pardon of Genoveva for his doubt of her; and the opera ends with the reunion of the loving husband and wife.
Opera Comique in Three
Acts
By Frederick Smetana
Libretto
By R. Sahina
First Produced
Prague, 1866
Chief Characters
Mary, Agnes Micha, Esmeralda, Mother Kruschina, Hans, Wenzel, Kezul,
Father Kruschina
THE action takes place in a Bohemian village, where Mary, daughter of a rich peasant, Kruschina, has been promised by her parents to a bridegroom whom she has never seen. The marriage was arranged by the professional match-maker, Kezul, who has persuaded Kruschina to wed his daughter to Wenzel, the son of the wealthy farmer, Micha, by a second wife. When farmer Micha married again, his elder son, Hans, not liking the stepmother, ran away from home, and has long been regarded as dead. He is, however, alive; and in the guise of a humble servant has arrived in the village where the Kruschinas dwell, and has fallen in love with the charming Mary, who declares she will marry none other but the handsome, though seemingly poor, Hans. This upsets Kezul’s arrangements very much; but Father Kruschina insists nevertheless that his daughter shall marry the rich suitor, Wenzel. The latter is, however, but a foolish boor; and when he arrives at last in person, and Mary scolds him roundly for daring to aspire to the hand of a girl who loves another man, he is so alarmed by her flashing glances that he promises to leave her alone, especially when she confuses him further by teasing and flirting with him. Hans in the meantime has been lectured by the disturbed match-maker, Kezul, who wishes him to pay no further attention to Mary; and he at first flatly refuses to give her up. But when Kezul announces that he is wooing Mary for “ Micha’s son,” he decides to play a merry trick on the mercenary old meddler. He therefore agrees that “ Micha’s son “ shall certainly wed Mary; and he even signs a contract to that effect. In Act 3 a troupe of strolling players and acrobats are amusing the villagers; and the stupid Wenzel /is so amazed and impressed by their antics that he leaves his half-hearted wooing to watch them. He falls in love with the spangled dancer, Esmeralda; and when the master of the troupe offers him the post of dancing bear in his company he very gladly accepts it, so that he may be near the coquettish E Esmeralda, whose hand is also promised him as an additional inducement. When, therefore, Farmer Micha and his wife appear on the scene with the wedding contract, Wenzel flatly refuses to sign it, and rushes away. Mary now is in distress not because of the disappearance of her boorish wooer, but because she believes her beloved Hans to be false, since he has consented to give her up to “ Micha’s son.” Presently, however, Hans appears,. and is recognised at once as the long-lost son of Farmer Micha, who receives him gladly, and willingly consents to allow him to marry Mary, promising to provide him with ample means of support in his married life. Kruschina also readily consents to give his daughter to Micha’s eldest son,. since, when the foolish Wenzel presently appears in his ridiculous garb as a dancing bear, he is too disgusted to desire him as a son-in-law any longer. Agnes Micha, the stepmother, is angry at the failure of her stupid son to make a desirable marriage; and the match-maker, Kezul, is also disappointed of his expected reward. But the rest of the parties concerned are very well satisfied; and the scene ends with the rejoicings attending upon the union of Mary with “ Micha’s son,” whom she is glad enough to wed, when he turns out to be her beloved Hans.
145.—A BASSO PORTO
(AT THE LOWER HARBOUR)
Opera in Three Acts
By Niccola Spinelli
Libretto
By Eugene Checchi
Chief Characters
Maria, Sesella, Luigino, Cicillo, Pascale, Pichillo
THE scene is laid
in Naples at the Lower Harbour; and Act 1 takes place outside the Inn of
Pascale, where a number of sea-folk and idle youths are gambling.
Amongst these is Luigino, the son of Maria, who complains that his
vicious habits are ruining her. His sister, Sesella, also remonstrates
with him; but the youth only replies roughly to these reproaches, and,
taking no heed, presently continues his play and loses ten lire to
Pascale. Maria pays the money out of her scant means, and retires sadly
into her house; whilst Sesella has an angry scene with her brother, who
threatens her with his dire vengeance should she continue to accept the
attentions of a new admirer, Cicillo, whom he declares to be a spy upon
the Harbour band of the Camorristi, of which he, Luigino, is one.
Cicillo presently enters, declaring that the Camorristi members have
been betrayed to the authorities by a traitor in the camp; and he infers
that Luigino is the spy, although,. as a matter of fact, he is himself
the false member. Cicillo has an interview with Maria, and it then
transpires that there is a blood feud between the pair, who were once
lovers. Cicillo, however, deserted Maria for another girl, Carmela; and
when Maria learnt of this, in her rage and grief she accused Carmela of
many base crimes and secured her execution. She then married; and after
the death of her husband endeavoured to find comfort and happiness in
her two children. But Cicillo is determined to revenge himself upon
Maria; and he intends to strike at her through her children. He
therefore leads Luigino into every kind of extravagance and vice; and he
also proceeds to make love to Sesella, intending to compass her
dishonour and leave her to her fate. Maria, suspecting his evil
designs, implores him to spare her children; but Cicillo only spurns her
and laughs scornfully at her own threat of denouncing him as a traitor
to the Camorristi band—a fact which she strongly suspects.
In Act 2 Cicillo meets Sesella again, and gets her to promise to
elope with him, telling her a version of his former relations with her
mother, which shows up Maria in a very evil light, and so overcomes the
girl’s reluctance to leave her home; but after he has retired, Maria
herself comes forward, and, suspecting the conversation which has taken
place, implores Sesella not to trust to Cicillo, who has only evil
designs on her, and by telling her the true facts of the bygone sordid
story she enlists the girl’s sympathies with herself, so that she
determines to renounce her false lover.
In Act 3 Maria denounces Cicillo to the members of the Camorristi
as the real traitor who has betrayed them, so that Luigino is released
from suspicion ; and the latter, now repenting of his vicious conduct,
pleads forgiveness of his mother and promises to aid in bringing Cicillo
to justice. The Camorristi determine to slay Cicillo, and appoi;nt
Luigino to do the deed; and in spite of Maria’s prayer to spare her
beloved son from performing such a terrible task, they keep to their
intention, and make all arrangements for lying in wait. Maria, however,
determines that her repentant son shall not do the deed; and at night,
just before the Camorristi band approaches, she intercepts Cicillo, and
telling him of the fate that awaits him at the street corner, she offers
to save him yet if he will promise not to molest her children again, but
to leave her to dwell in peace. Cicillo laughs her warnings to scorn,
believing himself to be safe from the Camorristi; and he vows that he
will pursue his evil designs on her loved ones until he brings them both
to the dust in disgrace. Then Maria is in despair; and hearing the
signal of the hidden assassins she springs forward and stabs Cicillo to
the heart as the Camorristi band rush forward, headed by Luigino.
Opera in Three Acts
By Louis Spohr
Libretto
By Henry Gehe
First Produced
Cassel, July, 1823
Chief Characters
Jessonda, Amazili, Tristan d ‘Acunha, Nadori, Daudon
THE scene is laid
in Goa, on the Malabar coast, early in the sixteenth century. Jessonda,
the young widow of the old Rajah, who has just died, is condemned to
ascend her husband’s funeral pyre, according to the barbarous custom of
“ Suttee.” She is full of despair, for, being young, she longs to live.
Also, she is in love with Tristan d’Acunha, a young Portuguese general,
from whom she has been separated, having been forced to marry the old
Rajah against her will by the High Priest, Daudon, who is now determined
she shall carry out the dreadful law of “Suttee.” Jessonda, however,
hopes she may yet be rescued by Tristan, as the Portuguese are even now
besieging Goa; but she is plunged into despair on learning that a truce
has been called, and that Tristan, therefore, cannot enter the city.
Daudon now hastens on the sacrifice; and Jessonda is sent down to bathe
in the Ganges with her maidens, as the first part of the ceremony. Help,
however, is at hand. A young Brahmin priest, Nadori, has been sent to
break the news of her quickly-approaching fate to the widow; but, having
no real desire for the priesthood, and having seen and fallen
desperately in love with Amazili, the fair sister of Jessonda, he
determines to baulk the plans of the High Priest. He therefore comforts
Amazili with glowing words of love, and promises to do his best to save
her helpless sister.
In Act 3 he pays a secret visit to Tristan and tells him that
Daudon has sent spies into the Portuguese camp, in order to fire their
vessels, in spite of the existing truce; and rejoicing that this galling
truce is thus broken, and that he is now freed from his oath, Tristan
gathers his troops together and leads them into Goa through a secret
passage shown to him by Nadori. By this means the Portuguese gain a
quick entrance into the city; and Tristan arrives in time to save his
beloved Jessonda from her awful fate, at the moment when the sacrifice
is about to be made. Daudon is thus baulked of his prey, and Tristan
carries away the rescued Jessonda to be his bride; whilst Nadori,
renouncing the priesthood, gains his heart’s desire and weds the
grateful Amazili.
Opera Comique in Three
Acts
By Sir Charles Villiers Stanford
Libretto
By Sheridan Le Fanu (Adapted from the Poem)
First Produced
London, March, 1896
Chief Characters
Nora O’Brien, Kitty O'Toole, Mike Murphy, Captain Trevor,
Father O’Flynn
THE action takes
place in the village of Ballyhamis in Cork, just after the Irish
rebellion of 1798. Amongst the ringleaders is Shamus O’Brien, who is now
an outlaw with a price on his head, having managed to elude his enemies
for some time. He has, however, an enemy in Mike Murphy, who loves Nora,
the wife of Shamus; and having a grudge against his rival for the hand
of the village belle, he turns informer and brings the English soldiery,
headed by Captain Trevor, to the house of Shamus, who is at the moment
encouraging the peasants to rebel again. Shamus, however, cleverly
assumes the character and bearing of the village “ natural,” or fool,
and deceives the English Captain so successfully that he even allows him
to act as a guide in his own search. After he has departed Nora is full
of fear for his safety, having heard the mysterious “ Banshee “twice;
and she trembles lest she should hear it a third time, which will mean
dire misfortune, or even death to one she loves. She is comforted by the
cheery words of the good old priest, Father O’Flynn; and presently, to
her joy, Shamus returns. He has scarcely kissed his wife and little
child, however, when the weird wailing of the “ Banshee “ is heard
again; and at that moment the soldiers rush into the house, brought
thither by the base Mike, and Shamus is captured and dragged away to
await execution as a rebel.
In Act 2 Captain Trevor is harried first by Mike Murphy, who
demands his prize, disgusting the honest soldier by his eager claiming
of “bloodmoney “ ; and secondly, by the entreaties of the distracted
wife, Nora, and her pretty sister; Kitty O’Toole, the latter having
already caused him to succumb to her charms. In spite of his love for
Kitty, however, his duty prevents him from granting the release of the
doomed man; but he permits Nora to visit her husband and take a last
farewell of him. When Nora comes weeping from this pathetic interview,
she is accosted by Mike Murphy, who suggests that if she will accept his
love and elope with him he will give evidence which will save Shamus.
Nora declines to listen to such a vile suggestion; and consequently the
patriotic rebel is tried-and condemned to death.
In Act 3 the unhappy Nora and Kitty await with Father O’Flynn near
the scaffold where Shamus is to be hanged; and here the treacherous Mike
again vainly tries to persuade the weeping wife to agree to his infamous
proposals. When Shamus appears in the cart with the soldiers, he bids a
tender, last farewell to his wife and friends; and then Father O’Flynn
steps into the cart to pray with the condemned man. But the good old
priest, who has known and loved Shamus from childhood, and admires him
as a true patriot, has determined to give him a chance of escape; and by
a dexterous movement he manages to cut the cords which bind the captive.
Freed from his fetters, Shamus makes a bold dash for liberty, and
succeeds in getting to a safe distance almost before the soldiers have
realised that he has gone. Mike Murphy springs forward in order to stop
the daring fugitive; and as the soldiers fire at, that moment, he
receives the volley intended for Shamus and falls dead. Shamus,
therefore, gets safely away, to the great joy of all — not excepting
Captain Trevor, who rejoices for the sake of his pretty sweetheart,
Kitty, and her thankful sister, Nora.
Opera Comique in Three
Acts
By Johann Strauss
Libretto
By Hofiner and Genée
First Produced
Vienna, July, 1874
Chief Characters
Rosalind, Adele, Baron Eisenstein, Dr Falke, Franck, Prince Orlofsky
ADÉLE, the maid of
Rosalind, Baroness Eisenstein, desires to attend a grand ball to be
given by the rich Russian Prince, Orlofsky, an invitation having been
sent to her by her sister, who is a ballet dancer; and, after much
persuasion, she receives permission to go. Baron Eisenstein has been
sentenced to a week’s imprisonment for contempt of Court; but before
undergoing his sentence he is persuaded by his friend Dr Falke to
attend the Russian Prince’s ball and indulge in a merry time, unknown
to his wife. Falke arranged this out of a merry desire to be revenged
upon the Baron, who had once played him a trick which had made him the
laughing-stock of the city when he had been attending a carnival in the
disguise of a Bat—the title of “The Bat” having stuck to him ever since;
and he hopes now to get his friend into domestic hot water by slyly
introducing the Baroness at the ball also, in diguise, in order that she
may look on at his flirtations. Rosalind, after the departure of her
husband, whom she imagines is on his way to prison, is visited by her
former lover, Alfred, a music-master, who has lately been serenading
her; and upon her granting him an interview he proceeds to adorn himself
in the Baron’s dressing-gown and smoking-cap, and to make himself very
much at home. Presently however, they are interrupted by the arrival of
Franck, the Prison Governor, who has come for the Baron, his prisoner;
and, in order to save the lady’s reputation, Alfred gallantly declares
that he is Baron Eisenstein, and gaily goes off to prison.
In Act 2 we are introduced to the ball at Prince Orlofsky’s house,
where the Baron is not long in discovering his wife’s pretty maid, Adéle,
who is dressed up in her mistress’s finest gown; and he soon engages in
a desperate flirtation with her. Presently, Dr Falke introduces
Rosalind, masked and disguised as a Hungarian Princess; and the lady is
furiously jealous on beholding the attentions paid by her truant husband
to her own flighty maid. Eisenstein, however, now deserts Adéle for the
charming and mysterious Hungarian lady, and makes love to her; and
Rosalind, during their ensuing tête-à-tête, manages to take from
him a watch, with which he had pretended to count the pulse-beats of her
heart. Finally, Eisenstein remembers that it is time he departed to
prison; and he proceeds to give himself up.
Act 3 takes place in the prison, where all the various
complications are cleared up. The Baron is furious on finding that his
place in prison has been taken by Alfred, and that his wife has been
flirting with her old lover; but the tables are quickly turned upon him
by Rosalind producing his watch and revealing herself as the Princess
with whom he had flirted at the ball, and where, also, she had seen him
paying attentions to her maid, Adéle. Finally, both admit themselves to
be delinquents, and the opera ends with mutual forgiveness by all the
parties concerned.
Opera Comique in Three
Acts
By Johann Strauss
Libretto
By Schnitzer (Adapted from the old Romance of M. Jokai)
First Produced
Vienna, October, 1885
Chief Characters
Arsena, Saffi, Sandov Barinkay, Zsupan
THE scene is laid in a country district of Austria, where, at the beginning of the opera, Sandov Barinkay, a handsome young man, has just returned to the home he left in childhood. To his sorrow, he finds that his friends have all deserted the place, and that a band of gipsies have taken possession of the neighbourhood. The nearest civilian is a man named Zsupan; and he makes friends with him, and visits his house frequently. Zsupan has a fair daughter, Arsena, to whom Barinkay presents himself as a suitor; but the maiden is proud, and haughtily declares that she will wed none other but a Baron. Barinkay is filled with anger and disgust on hearing this; and, determining to see the ambitious Arsena no more, he goes away and joins the gipsy band. He soon becomes so popular with the gipsies that they make him their Gipsy Baron; and presently he falls in love with a beautiful gipsy maiden, Saffi, and is married to her. In Act 2 the Gipsy Baron discovers some buried wealth, and keeps the matter secret for some time; but when the hidden treasure is found out by the Government he is arrested for having held treasure trove. On making over the treasure to the State, however, he is allowed to go free; and then he joins the Austrian Army and goes to the wars. In Act 3 he returns from the campaign, having covered himself with glory; and for his mighty deeds of valour he is created a real Baron. His gipsy wife, Saffi, is also now discovered to be the child of a famous Pasha; and she and her husband become great people in the land.
Opera Comique in Three
Acts
Johann Strauss
Libretto
By Zell and Genée
First Produced
Vienna, November, 1881
Chief Characters
The Countess Violetta, Artemisia, Umberto, Balthasar, Groats
THE scene of this operetta is laid in Genoa. A quarrel has arisen between the States of Genoa and Massa Carrara, for the absurd reason that a celebrated dancer has accepted engagements to perform at the theatres of both places at the same time; and because the authorities of each theatre claim the dancer, a quarrel has arisen, and a comical warfare is carried on. Every ‘day one harmless grenade is solemnly fired from both camps; but beyond this the “ merry war “ proceeds no further. One day, however, the charming Countess Violetta appears in one of the camps in mistake for the other, to which she desires to pass in order to take up the command of the Castle. Finding herself in a fix, she makes use of her many fascinations to deceive the commander, Colonel Umberto, and so coaxes him to give her a safe conduct through the lines into the opposing camp, where she desires to be. After she has gone Umberto discovers the trick she has played upon him; and in order to be even with her he determines to make her marry him, since he is already in love with her. Having learnt that she is about to be married by proxy to the Duke of Limbourg, he dons a disguise, and passes himself off as the Duke, and is thus married to Violetta without further trouble. In all his schemes he is assisted by a comical Dutchman, Balthasar Groats, a dealer in bulbs, who, having been mistaken for a spy, and arrested, is anxious enough to help the Colonel in his love-making and so gain his release. After the wedding is safely over, there are many amusing complications, since the Dutchman’s wife, Artemisia, appears on the scene, and becomes jealous because she cannot understand her husband’s interest in the pretty Countess; and Violetta herself, having fallen in love with the obliging Umberto in his first character as Commander, treats her new husband (whom she believes to be the Duke of Limbourg) with scant ceremony and much show of pettish dislike. Finally, however, all the misunderstandings are explained away, and Violetta is delighted to find that the man she has married is none other than the fascinating Umberto; and the Dutch couple are also reconciled to each other. At the same time the dancer, about whom The quarrel between the two States had arisen, announces her refusal to keep her engagement at either theatre; and the casus belli being thus removed, the “merry war” comes to a happy end.
Last updated October 31, 2006