THE STANDARD OPERAGLASS

CHARLES ANNESLEY

ZAMPA

Opera in three acts by Herold

Text by Mellesville

     This opera has met with great success both in France and elsewhere; it is a favorite of the public, though not free from imitating other musicians, particularly Anher and Rossini. The style of the text is somewhat bomhastic, and only calculated for effect. Notwithstanding these defects the opera pleases; it has a brilliant introduction, as well as nice chorus pieces and cavatinas.
     In the first act Camilla, daughter of Count Lugano, expects her bridegroom, Alfonso di Monza, a Sicilian officer, for the wedding ceremony. Dandolo, her servant, who was to fetch the priest, comes hack in a fright and with him the notorious pirate captain, Zampa, who has taken her father and her bridegroom captive. He tells Camilla who he is, and forces her to renounce Alfonso and consent to a marriage with himself, threatening to kill the prisoners if she refuses compliance. Then the pirates hold a drinking bout in the Count’s house, and Zampa goes so far in his insolence as to put his bridal ring on the finger of a marble statue standing in the room. It represents Alice, formerly Zampa’s bride, whose heart was broken by her lover’s faithlessnss; then the fingers of the statue close over the ring, while the left band is upraised threateningly. Nevertheless Zampa is resolved to wed Camilla, though Alice appears once more, and even Alfonso, who interferes by revealing Zampa’s real name and by imploring his bride to return to him, cannot change the brigand’s plans. Zampa and his comrades have received the Viceroy’s pardon, purposing to fight against the Turks, and so Camilla dares not provoke the pirate’s wrath by retracting her promise. Vainly she implores Zampa to give her father his freedom and to let her enter a convent. Zampa, hoping that she only fears the pirate in him, tells her that he is Count of Monza, and Alfonso, who had already drawn his sword, throws it away, terrified to recognize in the dreaded pirate his own brother, who has by his extravagances once already impoverished him.
     Zampa sends Alfonso to prison and orders the statue to be thrown into the sea. Camilla once more begs for mercy, but, seeing that it is likely to avail her nothing, she flies to the Madonna’s altar, charging him loudly with Alice’s death. With scorn and laughter he seizes Camilla, to tear her from the altar, hut instead of the living hand of Camilla he feels the icy hand of Alice, who draws him with her into the waves.
     Camilla is saved and united to Alfonso, while her delivered father arrives in a boat, and the statue rises again from the waves, to bless the union.

_{_ZINGARI
Tragic Opera in two acts by R.
Leoncavallo
Text by the composer
     The
first performance of this work occurred in London, 1912.

     The first act is supposed to happen at a gypsy camp. Fleana,
queen of the band, has been watched, and the fact has been noticed that every night she
steals away to meet her lover outside. On one occasion several members of the band follow
her, and take the two lovers captive.. The stranger is not a gypsy, but he makes a solemn
declaration that he will become one and join the band if Fleana is wedded to him. The
stranger, Radir by name, is pardoned and takes oath not to have any more dealings with his
own people. The band is satisfied with this arrangement, but Tamar, the gypsy poet, takes
exception to this. He protests vehemently, avows his passion for Fleana, and is by her
rebuked for his presumption. Radir wants to fight Tamar, but the latter iguores him and
vanishes. The wedding of Radir and Fleana is celebrated with great pomp and the
observation of quaint rites, while in the distance may be heard the mourning song of
Tamar.

     In the second act Fleana’s love for Radir has grown
cold, although she sings an exuberant love song in her tent. At this Radir is troubled for
he realiizes that her affections have swerved elsewhere. She confesses that her love for
him is dead, while her song waxes wilder and wilder. He attempts to prevent her fight, but
she eludes him and goes to meet Tamar, who has returned and whose jubilant voice is heard
from afar. Together they disappear in the latter’s tent. Radir is left without in
despair, brooding upon revenge and sure that Fleana has merely played with him. In a gust
of fury he steals up to the tent which houses the two and sets it on fire. Both Fleana and
Tamar perish in the flames.

Last updated
October 21, 2006}