Opera Books
THE OPERA
EDITED BY
ALBERT HILLERY BERGH
VOLUME III.
1909
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Blockx.
Jan Blockx was born in
Antwerp, January 25, 1851. He owed his musical education to his
employer, an upholsterer, who discovered that he possessed musical
talent. Blockx began his musical studies at Antwerp and Brussels, and
completed them at the Leipsic Conservatory. In 1877 his first opera,
Iels Vergeten, was produced. This was followed by several orchestral
pieces, which were successful, and a ballet called Milenka,
produced at Brussels in 1886, won him immediate recognition. Milenka
was followed by Maître Martin, the success of which was
eclipsed in 1896 by the production at Antwerp of Herbergsprinses,
a very popular opera, better known under the French title of
Princesse d’Auberge.
In 1900 Thyl Uylenspiegel was sung in Brussels. The hero
of this opera is not the rogue of Strauss nor the scoundrel portrayed by
Reznicek; but a patriot who rouses the peasantry against Spanish tyranny.
Another successful work was La Fianeée de la Mer, brought out in
1903.
Blockx manifests an interesting personality in his compositions,
and, while carrying out most of the newer tendencies in harmony and
orchestration, succeeds in evading imitation of Wagner. The composer has
been a teacher for many years, and has been professor of {150} harmony
at the Antwerp Conservatory, succeeding Benoit.
Opera by Jan Blockx.
Libretto by de Tiere.
Characters: Bluts, the innkeeper; Rita, his daughter; Kataleyne, a
lady of Brussels; Merlyn, her son, a composer; Reinilde, adopted
daughter of Kataleyne; Marcus, a friend of Merlyn; Rabo, a blacksmith;
the three sisters of Rita, guests of the inn; townspeople and servants.
Place, Brussels. Time, the Eighteenth Century. First produced at
Antwerp in 1896.
Bluts has a daughter, the pretty Rita, who runs her father’s inn,
and by her freedom and charm makes it a popular resort for the youth of
the city. Rabo is discovered asleep on the doorstep at early dawn, when
the peasants are coming to market, he is rudely awakened by a tardy
guest of the inn, and it becomes evident that he is a discarded lover of
the innkeeper’s daughter. Reinilde enters, followed by Marcus, who
protests that he is in love with her. She reproaches him, as he is a
friend of Merlyn to whom, as Marcus should know, she has given her heart.
On her way to church a band of young men enter, gaily calling for Rita.
She appears at the window and welcomes them to the inn. Bluts also
appears with his drunken cronies. Merlyn then enters on his way to work,
but is stopped by Marcus, who urges him to join the revelers. Merlyn
refuses, as his mind is engaged with the music he is composing for the
coming national prize competition, and he desires solitude and quiet.
Marcus describes the lovely Rita, and
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asks him to drink in her honor. Merlyn refuses, and Rita herself then
comes out and urges him to drink, throwing her arms around his neck and
coquettishly kissing him. The crowd applauds them; but Rabo, the
blacksmith in the background, frowns fiercely and threatens :Merlyn and
Rita.
The second act takes place in the house of Kataleyne. With Reinilde
she is weeping over the sad change in her son Merlyn. For the last three
months his life has been nothing but an unending carouse. He has fallen
under the influence of Rita, and will not listen to his’ mother’s
appeals. Kataleyne leaves Reinilde alone, and :Merlyn enters, showing
plainly the results of his debauchery. He complains that he is without
money and that he is broken in spirit, and ends by very nearly cursing
Rita. Then Reinilde sings to him one of the songs that he himself has
written, and tells him that she still loves him. Merlyn is touched and
promises to reform. At this moment Bluts enters, and ‘demands settlement
for the bill that Merlyn has contracted at the inn. Merlyn has no money,
but Bluts throws the bill at his feet and goes away. Merlyn, more
ashamed of himself than ever, bitterly repents, but Marcus comes in and
asks him why he shuns all the pleasures of life. Merlyn replies that he
is tired of it all, and that he is determined to be a man again. Marcus,
laughing at him, informs him that Rita has lately shown deep regard for
a certain rhymester. This makes Merlyn mad with jealousy, which he
betrays when Rita enters to ask him to join her and her companions. She
cajoles him so well that he goes off with her to the Carnival, just as
his mother and Reinilde enter, too late to prevent it.
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In the third act Rita is alone in the inn, awaiting the awakening
of Merlyn, who has drunk heavily. Rabo enters and accuses Rita of
having thrown him over after she had
made him a drunkard, he pleads for a little of her old tenderness, but
she laughs at him and points to the door. He leaves, vowing that he will
be revenged. Rita’s three younger sisters then enter, and quarrel with
her, saying that she assumes too many airs, posing as a veritable
Princess of the inn. Rita, however, soon routs them. At this point
Kataleyne enters, accompanied by Reinilde, and asks for her son. Rita
tells them to seek him elsewhere, that she knows nothing about him, only
that when he enters the inn he is served with what he asks for, just
like anyone else. Rita laughs at the two women when they are gone.
Merlyn then appears calling for more wine. He is followed by Marcus and
others. Rabo, intent upon pick-hag a quarrel with Merlyn, then enters.
He first insults Rita, and then turns upon Merlyn, who takes the woman’s
part. He then challenges Merlyn to a duel with knives, and a space is
cleared. They fight, in spite of Rita’s protests. Rabo is wounded, but
he lunges at Merlyn and mortally wounds him. Merlyn falls dying, and at
that moment the people rush in proclaiming that he is victor in the
musical competition. His mother and Reinilde follow to congratulate
him on his success. Reinilde curses Rita as a wanton and Marcus as a
false friend, while the young composer is dying clasped in his mother’s
arms.
Last updated March 14, 2007