Opera Books
TWO HUNDRED
OPERA PLOTS
GLADYS DAVIDSON
81 — THE CZAR AND THE CARPENTER
Opera Comique in Three Acts
By Albert Lörtzing
Libretto
.Adapted from an old Play by the Composer
First
Produced
Leipzig, December, 1837
Chief
Characters
Mary, Peter the Czar, Peter Ivanow, Van Bett (“The Burgomaster”),
Marquis de Chateauneuf, Lord Sydenham, General Lefort
THE action takes place on the wharfs of Saardam, in Russia. Peter, Czar of Russia, being fond of wandering forth in disguise to learn for himself certain matters he wishes to know, has taken work as a carpenter on the wharfs of Saardam, under the name of Peter Michaelow, a carpenter. Here he makes friends with another stranger, one Peter Ivanow, a deserter from the Russian Army; and the two work together. Peter Ivanow has fallen in love with Mary, the niece of the Burgomaster, Van Bett; but Mary likes to tease her sweetheart, and so makes him jealous by flirting with Peter Michaelow. The Czar is enjoying his masquerade when there comes an interruption. Two ambassadors, one from England and the other from France, named respectively Lord Syden-ham and the Marquis de Chateauneuf, arrive, having heard that the Czar, whom they both seek for important political negotiations, is in disguise in this neighbourhood; and they bid the Burgomaster to discover the true Czar for them from amongst the workers on the wharf. The Burgomaster is in a great flutter; and, knowing that Peter Michaelow and Peter Ivanow are the only strangers amongst them, he tries to discover which is the masquerading monarch. After asking them both a number of questions, he fixes on Peter Ivanow as the disguised Czar; and finally he slyly promises to help him to gain the hand of the pretty Mary if he will confess his identity to the ambassadors. Meanwhile the Marquis has already discovered for himself that Peter Michaelow is the Czar; and, making himself known to him, he is first in the field with the negotiations he wishes to carry through whilst the English Ambassador is still being hoodwinked into believing that Peter Ivanow is the royal personage he seeks. Ivanow, having no notion why he should be suddenly taken for the Czar of All the Russias, is very reluctantly persuaded to confess the same by the foolish old Burgomaster, who still persists in believing him to be the roving monarch. A third ambassador now appears, the Russian General Lefort, who has come to advise his royal master that it is necessary for him to return to the capital; but before going on board the vessel which has come for him the Czar calls Peter Ivanow aside and gives him a paper, telling him that it is a passport, which he may find useful when he wishes to leave the wharf, since the deserter is somewhat afraid as to his future. After the Czar has departed quietly to the waiting vessel, still keeping up his incognito, the fussy Burgomaster brings a crowd of townsfolk to pay their loyal respects to Peter Ivanow as their monarch; but whilst he is delivering a long-winded oration cannon shots are heard. The crowd all turn to the shore, their gaze centring on the vessel on which the supposed Peter Michaelow has just stepped; and they see what a foolish mistake they have made, as the crew all break out into loyal cheers as they greet their beloved ruler. The townspeople, however, gladly take up the cry also, very lustily shouting out to the departing illustrious stranger, “ Long live the Czar! “ Peter Ivanow is dumbfounded at first on discovering that he has been hobnobbing with the Czar; but his anxiety as to the result of such familiarity is soon set at rest on opening the supposed passport which his fellow-companion had given him, for he finds this to be instead a document bestowing upon him a free pardon for his desertion and a substantial gift of money besides. So, with a free field to the favours of pretty Mary also, Peter Ivanow feels that he has good cause to bless the name of his companion in labour — Peter, the Czar and the Carpenter.
Romantic Opera in Four Acts
By Albert Lörtzing
Libretto
Adapted from the Abbé Fouqué’s Romance
First
Produced
Hamburg, 1845
Chief
Characters
Undine, Bertalda, Huldbrand von Ringstettin, Kühleborn, Tobias the
Fisherman, Veit
THE plot follows on almost exactly the lines of Fouqué’s charming romance, the first scene being laid on the shores of the Danube on the borders of a haunted forest. Huldbrand von Ringstettin, a noble young knight, has been sent forth to seek adventures by the proud Lady Bertalda, adopted daughter of a Duke, she having already bestowed her scarf on him at a tournament in token of her regard, but wishing to make further trial of his bravery before honouring him with her hand. After meeting with many mysterious folk in the magic forest, Huldbrand seeks a lodging in the cottage of an old fisherman named Tobias, where he remains some months owing to the spring floods. Here he sees Undine, a lovely but mysterious maiden, who has been brought up by the old fisherman and his wife, having been left on their doorstep when a little child by some unknown person. The beautiful maiden is very wayward and wilful; but, in spite of her strange ways, Huldbrand is so enthralled by her loveliness and charm that he falls in love with her, and the pair are wedded by a priest who happens to pass by one day. The Knight and his strange bride then return to the city on the other side of the forest. Meanwhile the lovely maiden reveals to her husband that she is a water-nymph, one of the “ Undines,” dwellers beneath the waves, who have no souls, but who may obtain the same, and so become mortal, by gaining the love of a man — and she herself, having been destined by her father, the Water King, for this great honour, and sent to dwell with the fisherfolk, has secured her great desire. Loving the Knight with her whole heart, she now begs him to remain faithful to her, since, otherwise, her relations in the water will take her back to the river; and should she afterwards be sent by them to visit him it would only be to bring him death. Huldbrand promises to be faithful to her; but his body-servant, Veit, is visited by Kühleborn, the powerful King of the Water-Spirits, and Undine’s uncle, who is much enraged on hearing from the valet that his master was formerly enamoured of the proud Lady Bertalda, and that he does not expect his love for Undine will be lasting. On the return of the newly-wedded pair to the city Bertalda is filled with wrath and disappointment that the task she had set her chosen Knight to do has resulted in her own love being slighted; and she is about to wed with the King of Naples, in order to hide the hurt to her pride, when she receives another shock. At the festival gathered to witness her marriage a sealed parchment is opened, which states that Bertalda is the long-lost daughter of the old fisher-couple who brought up Undine, and whose baby girl had been stolen away by Kühleborn to make room for the fulfilment of the destiny of his niece, the water-nymph, Undine. Bertalda is now filled with anger and dismay, scorning to go forth with her peasant parents, who have come to claim her; and when Kühleborn presently appears in the place of a statue of the water-god amidst a fountain of water, mocking her, she sinks to the ground in grief as the scared guests desert her. Undine, however, tenderly comforts the fallen girl, and invites her to remain as a guest in her husband’s Castle of Ringstettin. The third act takes place at Ringstettin, where Bertalda, having recovered her spirits, has once more fascinated Huldbrand with her luring charms; and the Knight, fearful of the mystery which ever hovers around his nymph-wife, is gradually led to distrust her and to find more pleasure in the love of the mortal maid. He therefore behaves unkindly to the gentle Undine, who droops and grows sad under his growing coldness, her own love still remaining deep and abiding; and finally the wrathful Kühleborn draws his neglected niece into the waters once more, where she mourns for her faithless husband. constantly, since her love for him is unaltered. Huldbrand soon feels remorse, and is constantly confronted with visions of the lovely sad face of Undine; and, fearful lest her relations should visit their wrath upon him, he orders the castle well to be covered over, this being their only means of reaching him. Finally, hoping to forget her utterly, he makes arrangements for his marriage with the triumphant Bertalda; but on the wedding-night his attendant, Veit, conscience-struck at the wrong about to be done to his gentle first mistress, removes the covering from the well. Almost immediately the lovely Undine rises from the well; and the Knight, overjoyed at the sight of her, and now realising that her love can alone satisfy him, his enthralment by Bertalda being but a snare, hastens to clasp his returning wife in his arms. Undine, however, has been sent by the powerful Water King to bring him death as the reward for his slighting of the royal nymph; and as she now presses her lips to his he sinks to the ground and dies in her arms. At this moment the castle falls into ruins, and amidst thunder and lightning and a mighty flood Undine and Huldbrand are carried away to the palace of Kühleborn beneath the waves. Here, by the passionate pleadings of Undine, Huldbrand is restored to life and pardoned for his offence, his only punishment being that he must dwell for evermore with his fairy wife in her watery domain—a penance to which he very gladly submits.
Opera in Four Acts
By Johann Manen
Libretto
By the Composer
First
Produced
Barcelona, 1903
Chief
Characters
Acté, Agrippina, Nero, Tigellinus, Marcus, Parthos
THE scene is laid in Rome, when Nero is ruling. Agrippina, the mother of Nero, begs him to give up a favourite freed slave, Acté, a Greek girl whom he passionately loves; and upon the wilful, self-indulgent Caesar angrily refusing to do so, a violent quarrel takes place between the pair. Nero’s satellite, Tigellinus, encourages his master in his defiance of his mother, and aids him in his love-making with the beautiful Acté. The latter, however, comes under the influence of an old Christian teacher, Marcus, who converts her to his own faith, and persuades her to renounce the evil Nero; and Acté, becoming an earnest Christian, agrees to do so, and to join the devout company in their secret meeting-place that evening. She therefore persuades her slave, Parthos, to give back to Nero the ring he has given her as a token of his love, which she can no longer accept; and by means of a valuable gift gains the slave’s promise not to betray her whereabouts. This scene has been watched by Agrippina, who happens to be passing by; and she rejoices in the circumstance as a means for revenging herself on the lovers. At a great feast that evening, she asks her son to send for his beloved one; and when Acté cannot be found she suggests that the slave Parthos may know, since she has seen him in company with the girl earlier in the day. The jealous Nero causes Parthos to be brought before him; and when the slave returns him the ring entrusted to his care, but refuses to reveal the hiding-place of Acté, the tyrant orders him to be tortured. Then Agrippina offers to give him the desired information, on condition that her son restores to her the Imperial power which she has resigned to him, and for which she still longs; but Nero violently refuses her demands, and causes her to be imprisoned. In Act 3 the tortured Parthos, having been forced to betray Acté, Nero and Tigellinus arrive with a party of the royal guards at the hiding-place of the Christians, who are seized. Acté is captured by her royal lover, who once more declares his passion and invites her to return with him. Acté, however, firmly declares her intention to renounce him, and to think only of her new Christian faith; and Caesar, furious at her refusal of his love, orders her to be led away captive with the others. Act 4 shows us Nero on the terrace of his palace, full of gloom and wrath, torn first by love, then by jealous fury against the girl who has dared to refuse his pleasure; and when as the captured Christians are being led to execution, Acté and Marcus are brought before him, the former pleading for the life of the latter, his pent-up rage vents itself upon the calm steadfast old man, whom he falls upon and kills with his own hands. At this moment, it is discovered that the houses and streets of Rome are bursting into flames, and the maddened people charge Caesar himself with the deed; and as the fire gains ground, they furiously demand the tyrant’s death. Nero, hearing their angry cries, falls into a terrific passion of mingled wrath and fear; and to save himself from the onslaught of the crowd he flings the trembling Acté down into their midst, declaring that the disaster has been brought about by the Christians. The fickle populace therefore vent their fury upon the innocent captives, the lovely Acté being their first victim; and whilst the flames leap up in the streets of Rome, Nero greets the burning city with mad cries of despair.
Romantic Opera in Three Acts and Prologue
By Heinrich Marschner
Libretto
By Edouard Devrient
First
Produced
Berlin, 1833
Chief
Characters
Anna, Queen of the Gnomes, Gertrude, Hans Heiling, Conrad
THE
story is taken from an old German legend. Hans Heiling, the King of the
Gnomes, has fallen in love with a mortal, a fair peasant maiden, named
Anna. When he announces his intention to go to the upper earth to woo
the maid, his mother and his gnome subjects endeavour to prevent him
from doing so; but finding her son obstinate, and bent upon going the
Queen bids him take with him his magic book — without which he would
lose his power over the gnomes — and also some valuable precious stones
which his ever-toiling subjects have obtained for him. When Hans arrives
above ground, he seeks out the pretty Anna, and makes love to her,
offering her a fine gold chain. Anna is somewhat afraid of the stranger,
but accepts his gifts and attention, being encouraged by her mother,
Gertrude, who wishes her to accept such a rich suitor. Anna is fond of
gaiety, and begs her new admirer to attend a village festival with her;
but Hans, being of a more sombre turn of mind, refuses to do so. Anna
now finds the magic book which Hans has brought with him from the lower
world; and being greatly terrified at the mysterious matter it
contains, and the magical way in which it opens and shuts and turns over
its own leaves, she begs her suitor to destroy the volume. So alarmed is
she, and so earnestly does she plead, that Hans at last consents to
destroy the book; and thus he cuts himself off from his power in the
Under-world. Anna now again begs him to attend the festival with her;
and at last he consents to do this also, on condition that the girl
promises not to dance. Anna promises; but when they arrive at the
festival she finds many of her friends there, who soon persuade her to
break her word. Amongst these swains is her real sweetheart, Conrad the
Hunter, who is soon at her side, begging her to have nothing more to do
with the stranger; and Hans is filled with rage on seeing her go off to
dance with Conrad.
In Act 2 Anna is found in the forest, thinking of her true
lover, Conrad. Here she is visited by the Queen of the Gnomes and her
subjects, who entreat her to renounce Hans Heiling and send him back to
them, since he is their King. Anna is amazed, but gives her promise to
have nothing further to do with their King; and when Conrad presently
appears she begs him to help her, and avows her love for him. They
return to her home, where Hans Heiling presently appears with a further
gift of jewels. Anna, however, now repudiates his gifts, declaring she
will have no dealings with a gnome, which she knows him to be, but that
she means to bestow herself upon her beloved Conrad; and Hans, in a fit
of jealous rage, aims his dagger at his rival, and dashes forth into the
forest. Here he is found in the last act, full of gloom and
disappointment. Finally he decides to return to his Earth Kingdom once
more; but when the gnomes presently appear, he realises, to his dismay,
that, having destroyed his magic book, he has no longer any power over
them. They add to his misery by informing him that Anna is about to
marry his rival, Conrad, who has now recovered from the wound he gave
him. Finally, however, they take pity on his wretched condition, and
agree to receive him back as their King, swearing fealty to him once
more; and on returning to the Under-world he is very gladly welcomed
back by the Queen.
The last scene takes us to the wedding of Anna with Conrad, at
which Hans Heiling appears, announcing that he will be the bridegroom;
and when Conrad attacks him, his sword is broken asunder by the magic of
his rival. Hans is just about to overcome his rival utterly, when the
Queen of the Gnomes appears with her subjects, and persuades him to have
pity upon these true mortal lovers. Hans listens to her pleading, his
heart is touched; and having bestowed his forgiveness upon the human
pair who had thwarted him, he departs with his gnomes to the underground
life for ever, leaving the bridal party to rejoice.
85. — THE TEMPLAR AND THE JEWESS
Romantic Opera in Three Acts
By Heinrich Marschner
Libretto,
adapted from Scott’s Romance
By W. A. Wöhlbruck
First
Produced
London, 1830
Chief
Characters
Rebecca, Lady Rowena, Brian de Bois-Guilbert (The Templar), Ivanhoe,
Richard Coeur de Lion (The Black Knight), Cedric of Rotherwood, Locksley
(Robin Hood)
THE
story follows on the lines of Scott’s romance pretty closely, though of
course much condensed in action and dealing more particularly with the
struggle between Rebecca and the Templar.
In Act 1 Rebecca, the beautiful Jewish maiden, is a captive
in the castle of the Knight Templar, Brian de Bois-Guilbert, who has
fallen in love with her; and, being unscrupulous and tyrannical, he does
not hesitate to use violence for the gratifying of his passion. Rebecca,
however, is in love with Ivanhoe, the wounded knight whom she has nursed
after his great achievements in a recent tournament, where he was the
victor, the Queen of Love and Beauty being the lovely Lady Rowena, his
cousin, the ward of the Saxon knight, Cedric of Rotherwood; and though
her love is not returned — Ivanhoe having bestowed his affections upon
Rowena — she indignantly refuses to listen to the Templar’s declaration
of passion for her. When her captor waxes bolder and threatens force,
she springs through the open window on to the parapet of the Castle,
firmly announcing her determination to fling herself to the ground
beneath rather than submit to the embraces of one whom she loathes and
despises; and the Templar is forced to retire, baffled, and leave the
gentle but brave maiden the victor. Meanwhile, the Saxon lord, Cedric,
and his fair ward, Rowena, have also been captured and imprisoned in the
unscrupulous Templar’s Castle; but Rebecca is assured by her patient
Ivanhoe that a relief party has been organised to come to their aid.
These friends in need consist of the outlaws of Sherwood, headed by a
stranger calling himself the Black Knight, who is in reality Richard
Coeur de Lion, who, having just returned from the Crusades, is wandering
in disguise through this part of the country, and thus learning of the
misrule of his brother, Prince John, whom he had left in charge. He has
met the famous Robin Hood, who goes by the name of Locksley, and hearing
of the unjust seizure of the Saxon family he joins the outlaw band and
leads them to the rescue. They gain the victory, and release the Saxon
captives; but unfortunately, the Jewish maiden is again seized by Bois-Guilbert,
who carries her away to the Preceptory of the Knights Templars, and
continues his unwelcome love-making. Still finding her obdurate,
however, he causes her to be accused by the Templars of sorcery, and of
seducing him by her wiles to the performance of the violent deeds of
which he has himself recently been justly accused; and the militant
brethren, willing enough of an excuse to declare their companion
innocent, find Rebecca guilty of the charges laid against her, and
condemn her to be burnt at the stake as a witch. The unfortunate Jewess,
however, demands her right to seek a champion to defend her; and though
Brian, now remorseful, offers himself to save her from her awful fate,
she scornfully refuses his help, knowing the reward he would claim,
which she cannot grant, all her love being given to the honourable
knight Ivanhoe, to whom, though she is aware he will never return her
affection, she is yet determined to remain faithful. She is allowed one
day in which to find a champion; and just as evening falls, and her
execution is about to take place, Ivanhoe himself arrives, having heard
of the danger of the gentle maiden who had tended him so well when
wounded, and he gladly offers himself as her champion. Brian de Bois-Guilbert
is his adversary in the duel; and after a struggle the false Templar
falls to the ground dead, even before Ivanhoe’s death-thrust is given.
This is regarded as the judgment of Heaven, and Rebecca is restored to
liberty; and the opera ends with the arrival of Coeur de Lion, no longer
disguised as the Black Knight, who comes to announce his determination
to bring justice into the land once more. Ivanhoe receives the hand of
Rowena, the lady of his choice; and the noble Jewish maiden retires to
comfort her old father, Isaac, and to bury in filial duty the beautiful
gift of a faithful love which fate has decreed shall remain unrequited.
Romantic Opera in Two Acts
By Heinrich Marschner
Libretto, adapted from Lord Byron’s Story By W. A. Wöhlbruck
First
Produced
Leipzig, 1828
Chief
Characters
Janthe, Malvina, Emma, Lord Ruthven (The Vampire), Edgar Aubry, the
Laird of Davenant, Sir John Berkeley
THE story is taken from the old Northern legend of the Vampire, an inhuman demon-monster which depends for existence upon sucking the blood of mortals. The scene is laid in Scotland, where Lord Ruthven, a secret Vampire, who has sold his soul to the Devil, is seeking three young girls as victims to his Demon Master, who has granted him a year’s respite on condition that he secures three fair brides for the sake of their life’s blood, lie first gains the love of Sir John Berkeley’s daughter, Janthe, whom he lures to his secret den amidst the mountain caves, and then slays and proceeds to drain her heart’s blood. He is interrupted in his horrible orgy by the bereaved father, who, finding his beloved child lifeless, stabs her murderer, and rushes from the cave in despair. The Vampire is mortally wounded, and knowing that he can only be restored by the rays of the moon shining upon him he also is in despair, when a youth named Edgar Aubry enters the cave by accident. He implores the youth to carry him to the mountain side for air, telling him of the terrible curse he is under; and Edgar, feeling pity for the ill-fated Vampire, and thinking him about to die, complies with his request, even promising the dying monster to keep secret the story of their meeting. When Edgar has departed, however, Ruthven recovers, and sets about seeking out his other two victim’s. Meanwhile, the young Aubry meets his sweetheart, Malvina, daughter of the Laird of Davenant, who desires her to accept as her suitor the Earl of Marsden, a stranger to the neighbourhood. Malvina begs her father to consent to her union with Aubry; but the Laird, having already promised her to the stranger, refuses to withdraw from his contract, and calls forward the Earl of Marsden, who has been waiting in the background. Aubry at once recognises in the stranger the Vampire monster whom he had carried out to die on the hillside, and is about to denounce him when Ruthven reminds him of his oath to preserve the dreadful secret, threatening that should he break his promise the young man himself will become a Vampire. The despairing Aubry is thus compelled to silence; and Ruthven proceeds in his dreadful designs. He gains the attention of Emma, a simple country maiden attendant upon Malvina, by praising her beauty and promising to help her sweetheart; and finally he lures her also to his den and she becomes the second victim promised to his Demon Master, In the last scene, the marriage of Malvina, who has at last consented to wed the feared stranger, is about to take place; but when the gloomy bridegroom stands beside the almost fainting bride, Aubry, unable to hold back his dreadful knowledge any longer, and regardless of his own threatened danger, denounces Ruthven as a Vampire before all the company, At that moment Ruthven’s year of respite being at an end, he is killed by a terrific flash of lightning; and his threat to the effect that the dreadful curse would fall upon Aubry should he give up the secret proving false, the old Laird consents to his union with the now happy Malvina.
Opera Comique in Three Acts
By Pietro Mascagni
Libretto
By Suaratoni, Adapted from Erckmann-Chatrian’s ‘s Story
First
Produced
October, 1891
Chief
Characters
Susel, Fritz, David the Rabbi, Hans, Friedrich
THE scene is laid in a village in Alsace. Fritz Kobus, a wealthy bachelor, is celebrating his fortieth birthday by a feast to the tenants on his estates. Although a jovial, pleasant fellow, he is an inveterate upholder of celibacy — a circumstance greatly to the distaste of old David, the Rabbi, who is himself an incorrigible match-maker. David is determined to arrange a marriage for the well-to-do bachelor; and he therefore marks with satisfaction that Fritz appears to. be interested in pretty Susel, the daughter of one of his tenants, who has shyly presented him with a bunch of violets, and whom he has invited to sit beside him at the feast. Fritz is, indeed, for the first time in his life, really interested in a young girl; and he shows such real pleasure in the society of the pretty Susel, who has already lost her heart to him, that his friends Hans and Friedrich and old David tease him unmercifully. Fritz, however, indignantly denies that he has fallen in love; and he readily accepts a wager which the wily Rabbi presently suggests, by which he agrees to give the latter one of his fine vineyards should he ever be so foolish as to marry. He is, nevertheless, unable to keep away from the dainty maiden, whose sweet, winning ways have enthralled him; and in Act 2 we find him in his tenant’s garden, accepting flowers and cherries from fair Susel, as love-sick as any youthful swain. His friends find him here, and are delighted at his progress; and the clever old match-maker strengthens his growing passion by telling him of the many admirers the pretty girl has, and so stirs his jealousy. The laughter of his friends, however, causes the staid bachelor to attempt to thrust this disturbing element of love from his life; and for awhile he keeps away from poor Susel, who weeps sadly at his imagined desertion. However, love conquers in the end; and Fritz, finding his life miserable and empty without his charming little sweetheart, returns gladly to her side, kisses away her tears, and entreats her to marry him and make him happy. The joyful Susel very gladly consents; and thus the old Rabbi wins his wager, his joy at this new match which he believes he has been the entire means of bringing about being so great that he bestows the vineyard he has won upon the pretty Susel as her wedding dowry.
Tragic Opera in One Act
By Pietro Mascagni
Libretto
By G. Targioni-Tozzetti and G. Manasci, Adapted from Verga ‘s Drama
First
Produced
Rome, May, 1890
Chief
Characters
Santuzza, Lola, Lucia, Turiddu, Alfio
THE scene is laid in Sicily on Easter morning. A young peasant, Turiddu, before going on military service, has been the sweetheart of the rustic belle, Lola; but on his return he finds the fickle maiden already married to Aiflo, the carrier. In pique he makes love to another maiden, Santuzza, who returns his attentions with a deep and abiding passion. Turiddu, however, has no real affection for the devoted Santuzza, whose honour he has betrayed; and on receiving encouragement from the flighty Lola to renew his attentions to her, he deserts his new sweetheart without compunction and gladly returns to his first love, Lola, who is ready enough for such a flirtation, even though well-treated by her husband, who adores his pretty wife. The deserted Santuzza complains of her ill-treatment to Turiddu’s mother, Lucia, the mistress of the inn, telling the whole of the wretched story of her betrayal, and begging the dismayed mother to intercede for her with her faithless son. At this moment, however, Turiddu himself appears; and as Lucia retires within Santuzza approaches her truant lover, and implores him not to cast her aside. Turiddu, however, is deaf to her reproaches and entreaties; and when she clings passionately to him, he flings her angrily away from him, so that she falls to the ground, as he hurries away to keep an appointment with the pretty Lola. When Santuzza recovers, she determines to be revenged by informing Adfio of his wife’s intrigue. This she does; and when the light-hearted, happy Alfio hears of his beloved Lola’s return to her old sweetheart he is filled with despair and deep jealousy. Consequently, when Turiddu presently appears, in good spirits, after his happy interview with Lola, and invites his friends to drink with him, Alfio sternly refuses to do so. Turiddu now sees that Alfio is aware of the intrigue; and he resigns himself to the inevitable with a good grace. Alfio gives the betrayer of his honour the challenge in true Sicilian fashion by embracing him and biting his left ear; and then the pair retire to the fields to fight, whilst the terrified Lola is led away by her friends. Almost immediately some of the rustics rush back with the dread news “ Turiddu is slain!” And as the announcement is made the unhappy Santuzza falls to the ground in a dead swoon. Thus the “Village Honour” is appeased.
Japanese Opera in Three Acts
By Pietro Mascagni
Libretto
By Luigi Illica
First
Produced
Rome, November, 1898
Chief
Characters
Iris, Osaka, Kyoto, Cieco
THE
scene is laid in Japan, where Iris, the lovely daughter of a blind man
named Cieco, is playing with her dolls in true Japanese fashion, and
greeting the rising sun in simple terms of joyful adoration. Though now
grown to fair maidenhood, Iris is as simple and innocent of the world as
a little child; and she is kept away from society by her doting father.
She is, however, seen by a bold and unprincipled man of the world, named
Osaka, who, greatly struck with her wonderful beauty, determines to
steal her away; and with the aid of his friend, Kyoto, he carries out
his plan. The pair disguise themselves as the owners of a puppet-show,
with which they entice the childlike Iris into the street; and whilst
she is gazing in delight at the show they seize her, wrap her in a
cloak, and hasten away with her. They next send a gift of money to the
father, who, when he is also informed that she has gone to the
ill-reputed district of Yoshimara, and is led to think that she has gone
thither at her own desire, is filled with indignation as well as grief
and sets off to seek her out that he may curse and disown her.
In Act 2 Iris awakens in a palatial chamber in the Yoshimara,
the dazzling luxury of which leads her to believe that she has been
suddenly transported to Paradise. Presently Osaka appears and pours
forth passionate protestations of love for her; but Iris is too
childlike to understand the meaning of his ardent expressions, and is,
in fact, so mystified that Osaka is held back involuntarily, and being
awed by such innocence, he loses interest in her, and determines to make
use of her as a street show. The first time the unhappy girl appears on
the streets, however, she beholds her father, and flies to him for
protection; but Cieco, thinking her voluntarily degraded, repudiates
her, and flinging mud upon her to show his contempt, he pours forth
curses and railings upon her. The poor girl, overwhelmed with grief, and
not knowing what she has done to offend her beloved parent, is so filled
with despair that she throws herself in the flooded gutters to die. In
Act 3 the wretched Iris is discovered by the rag-pickers and beggars,
who despoil her of her finery, believing her to be already dead; but
when the swooning girl recovers somewhat they flee from her in terror.
Iris, however, is dying; but once more beholding the glory of the rising
sun, she stretches out her arms entreatingly, and greets the golden orb
with loving words as though greeting a welcome friend. Then, as she
draws her last breath, fair blossoms spring up on every side of her; and
her released spirit is seen winging its way joyfully to its celestial
home in the golden heavens.
90. — THE MARRIAGE OF JEANNETTE
Opera Comique in One Act
By Felix Marie Massé
Libretto
By Barbier and Carré
First Produced
Paris, February, 1853
Chief
Characters
Jeannette and Jean
THE plot of this opera is quite a simple little story; and its chief charm lies in its dainty simplicity. The scene is laid in a rustic village in France, where Jean, a simple and exceedingly shy young peasant, has fallen in love with the equally simple Jeannette. They arrange to be married; but when the wedding-day arrives Jean is attacked by a sudden fit of shyness, and hastily changing his mind he refuses to sign the contract, and beats an ignominious retreat to his cottage. Here he is promptly followed by the disappointed Jeannette, who takes him to task. Seeing, however, that the matter will require careful dealing with, she announces that she believes he was really willing to marry her had his shyness not made him too nervous to go forward with the ceremony; and she asks him amiably to prove this to her by signing another contract, from which she will refrain from writing her name, and also promising to refuse his proposals before all her friends. Jean falls into the trap; but when he has signed the new contract Jeannette, in her turn, announces to him that she has changed her mind, since he has set her the example of being so irresolute, and she declares that he is already her husband and that she means to be his wife. The shy Jean falls into a passion at this trick which has been played upon him; and after destroying most of his furniture in his rage, he rushes out of the house. When he has gone, Jeannette replaces all the broken goods with fresh furniture from her own stock; and having set the cottage tidy, she makes a nice dinner and prepares to receive her husband with a smiling face. When Jean presently appears, therefore, and beholds his renovated house, and sees what a useful and charming little housewife is waiting to greet him with a smiling welcome, he is greatly relieved, and gladly welcomes the now happy Jeannette as his bride, rejoicing that the nuptial knot has been tied.
Last updated October 31, 2006