The Complete Opera Book Part 49

The scene changes to _Ulrica's_ hut, which _Richard_ enters disguised as a fisherman. Without his knowledge, _Amelia_ also comes to consult the negress. Concealed by a curtain he hears her ask for a magic herb to cure her of the love which she, a married woman, bears to _Richard_. The old woman tells her of such an herb, but _Amelia_ must gather it herself at midnight in the place where stands the gibbet.

_Richard_ thus learns that she loves him, and of her purpose to be at the place of the gibbet at midnight. When she has gone he comes out of his concealment and has his fortune told. _Ulrica_ predicts that he will die by the hand of a friend. The conspirators, who are in his retinue, whisper among themselves that they are discovered. "Who will be the slayer?" asks Richard. The answer is, "Whoever first shall shake your hand." At this moment _Reinhart_ enters, greets his friend with a vigorous shake of the hand, and _Richard_ laughs at the evil prophecy. His retinue and the populace rejoice with him.

Act II. Midnight, beside the gallows. _Amelia_, deeply veiled, comes to pluck the magic herb. _Richard_ arrives to protect her. _Amelia_ is unable to conceal her love for him. But who comes there? It is _Reinhart_. Concern for his master has called him to the spot. The conspirators are lying in wait for him nearby. _Richard_ exacts from _Reinhart_ a promise to escort back to the city the deeply veiled woman, without making an attempt to learn who she is, while he himself returns by an unfrequented path. _Reinhart_ and his companion fall into the hands of the conspirators. The latter do not harm the secretary, but want at least to learn who the _Governor's_ sweetheart is. They lift the veil. _Reinhart_ sees his own wife. Rage grips his soul. He bids the leaders of the conspiracy to meet with him at his house in the morning.

Act III. A study in _Reinhart's_ dwelling. For the disgrace he has suffered he intends to kill _Amelia_. Upon her plea she is allowed to embrace her son once more. He reflects that, after all, _Richard_ is much the more guilty of the two. He refrains from killing her, but when he and the conspirators draw lots to determine who shall kill _Richard_, he calls her in, and, at his command, she draws a piece of paper from an urn. It bears her husband's name, drawn unwittingly by her to indicate the person who is to slay the man she loves. Partly to remove _Amelia's_ suspicions, _Reinhart_ accepts the invitation to the masked ball which _Oscar_ brings him, _Richard_, of course, knowing nothing of what has transpired.

In the brilliant crowd of maskers, the scene having changed to that of the masked ball, _Reinhart_ learns from _Oscar_ what disguise is worn by _Richard_. _Amelia_, who, with the eyes of apprehensive love, also has recognized _Richard_, implores him to flee the danger that threatens him. But _Richard_ knows no fear. In order that the honour of his friend shall remain secure, he has determined to send him as an envoy to England, accompanied by his wife. Her, he tells _Amelia_, he will never see again. "Once more I bid thee farewell, for the last time, farewell."

"And thus receive thou my farewell!" exclaims _Reinhart_, stabbing him in the side.

With his last words _Richard_ a.s.sures _Reinhart_ of the guiltlessness of _Amelia_, and admonishes all to seek to avenge his death on no one.

It is hardly necessary to point out how astonis.h.i.+ng these proceedings are when supposed to take place in Colonial Boston. Even the one episode of _Richard, Earl of Warwick_, singing a barcarolle in the hut of a negress who tells fortunes is so impossible that it affects the whole story with incredibility. But Naples--well, anything will go there. In fact, as truth is stranger than fiction, we even can regard the events of "The Masked Ball" as occurring more naturally in an Italian city than in Stockholm, where the a.s.sa.s.sination of Gustavus III. at a masquerade actually occurred.

Although the opera is a subject of only occasional revival, it contains a considerable amount of good music and a quintet of exceptional quality.

Early in the first act comes _Richard's_ solo, "La rivedra nell'estasi" (I shall again her face behold).

[Music: La rivedra nell'estasi]

This is followed by the faithful _Reinhart's_ "Alla vita che t'arride"

(To thy life with joy abounding), with horn solo.

Strikingly effective is _Oscar's_ song, in which the page vouches for the fortune-teller. "Volta la terrea fronte alle stelle" (Lift up thine earthly gaze to where the stars are s.h.i.+ning).

[Music: Volta la terrea fronte alle stelle]

In the scene in the fortune-teller's hut are a trio for _Amelia_, _Ulrica_, and _Richard_, while the latter overhears _Amelia's_ welcome confession of love for himself, and _Richard's_ charming barcarolle addressed to the sorceress, a Neapolitan melody, "Di' tu se fedele il flutto m'aspetta" (Declare if the waves will faithfully bear me).

[Music: Di' tu se fedele il flutto m'aspetta,]

The quintet begins with _Richard's_ laughing disbelief in _Ulrica's_ prophecy regarding himself, "e scherzo od e follia" ('Tis an idle folly).

Concluding the scene is the chorus, in which, after the people have recognized _Richard_, they sing what has been called, "a kind of 'G.o.d Save the King' tribute to his worth"--"O figlio d'Inghilterra" (O son of mighty England).

The second act opens with a beautiful air for _Amelia_, "Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa" (From the stem, dry and withered, dissevered).

An impa.s.sioned duet occurs during the meeting at the place of the gibbet between _Richard_ and _Amelia_: "O qual soave brivido" (Oh, what delightful ecstasies).

The act ends with a quartet for _Amelia_, _Reinhart_, _Samuel_, and _Tom_.

In the last act is _Amelia's_ touching supplication to her husband, in which "The weeping of the violoncello and the veiled key of E-flat minor stretch to the last limits of grief this prayer of the wife and mother,"--"Morr, ma prima in grazia" (I die, but first in mercy).

"O dolcezze perdute!" (O delights now lost for ever) sings her husband, in a musical inspiration prefaced by harp and flute.

During the masked ball there is a quintet for _Amelia_, _Oscar_, _Reinhart_, _Samuel_, and _Tom_, from which the sprightly b.u.t.terfly allegro of _Oscar_, "Di che fulgor, che musiche" (What brilliant lights, what music gay) detaches itself, while later on the _Page_ has a buoyant "tra-la-la" solo, beginning, in reply to _Reinhart's_ question concerning _Richard's_ disguise, "Saper vorreste di che si veste" (You'd fain be hearing what mask he's wearing).

There is a colloquy between _Richard_ and _Amelia_. Then the catastrophe.

BEFORE AND AFTER "UN BALLO"

Prior to proceeding to a consideration of "Ada," I will refer briefly to certain works by Verdi, which, although not requiring a complete account of story and music, should not be omitted from a book on opera.

At the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, December 8, 1849, Verdi brought out the three-act opera "Luisa Miller," based on a play by Schiller, "Kabale und Liebe" (Love and Intrigue). It appears to have been Verdi's first real success since "Ernani" and to have led up to that achieved by "Rigoletto" a year later, and to the successes of "Il Trovatore" and "La Traviata." "Luisa Miller" was given at the Academy of Music, New York, October 20, 1886, by Angelo's Italian Opera Company. Giulia Valda was _Luisa_ and Vicini _Rodolfo_.

The story is a gloomy one. The first act is ent.i.tled "Love," the second "Intrigue," the third "Poison."

CHARACTERS

COUNT WALTER _Ba.s.s_ RODOLFO, his son _Tenor_ MILLER, an old soldier _Ba.s.s_ LUISA, his daughter _Soprano_ FREDERICA, d.u.c.h.eSS OF OSTHEIM, Walter's niece _Contralto_ LAURA, a peasant girl _Contralto_

Ladies attending the d.u.c.h.ess, pages, servants, archers, and villagers.

_Luisa_ is the daughter of _Miller_, an old soldier. There is ardent love between her and _Rodolfo_, the son of _Count Walter_, who has concealed his real name and rank from her and her father and is known to them as a peasant named Carlo. Old _Miller_, however, has a presentiment that evil will result from their attachment. This is confirmed on his being informed by _Wurm_ that Carlo is _Rodolfo_, his master's son. _Wurm_ is himself in love with _Luisa_.

The _d.u.c.h.ess Frederica_, _Count Walter's_ niece, arrives at the castle. She had been brought up there with _Rodolfo_, and has from childhood cherished a deep affection for him; but, compelled by her father to marry the Duke d'Ostheim, has not seen _Rodolfo_ for some years. The Duke, however, having died, she is now a widow, and, on the invitation of _Count Walter_, who has, unknown to _Rodolfo_, made proposals of marriage to her on his son's behalf, she arrives at the castle, expecting to marry at once the love of her childhood. The _Count_ having been informed by _Wurm_ of his son's love for _Luisa_, resolves to break off their intimacy. _Rodolfo_ reveals to the _d.u.c.h.ess_ that he loves another. He also discloses his real name and position to _Luisa_ and her father. The _Count_ interrupts this interview between the lovers. Enraged at his son's persistence in preferring a union with _Luisa_, he calls in the guard and is about to consign her and her father to prison, when he is, for the moment, deterred and appalled by _Rodolfo's_ threat to reveal that the _Count_, aided by _Wurm_, a.s.sa.s.sinated his predecessor, in order to obtain possession of the t.i.tle and estates.

_Luisa's_ father has been seized and imprisoned by the _Count's_ order. She, to save his life, consents, at the instigation of _Wurm_, to write a letter in which she states that she had never really loved _Rodolfo_, but only encouraged him on account of his rank and fortune, of which she was always aware; and finally offering to fly with _Wurm._ This letter, as the _Count_ and his steward have arranged, falls into the hands of _Rodolfo_, who, enraged by the supposed treachery of the woman he loves, consents to marry the _d.u.c.h.ess_, but ultimately resolves to kill _Luisa_ and himself.

_Luisa_ also has determined to put an end to her existence. _Rodolfo_ enters her home in the absence of _Miller_, and, after extracting from _Luisa's_ own lips the avowal that she did write the letter, he pours poison into a cup. She unwittingly offers it to him to quench his thirst. Afterwards, at his request, she tastes it herself. She had sworn to _Wurm_ that she would never reveal the fact of the compulsion under which she had written the letter, but feeling herself released from her oath by fast approaching death, she confesses the truth to _Rodolfo_. The lovers die in the presence of their horror-stricken parents.

The princ.i.p.al musical numbers include _Luisa's_ graceful and brilliant solo in the first act--"Lo vidi, e'l primo palpito" (I saw him and my beating heart). Besides there is _Old Miller's_ air, "Sacra la scelta e d'un consorte" (Firm are the links that are forged at the altar), a broad and beautiful melody, which, were the opera better known, would be included in most of the operatic anthologies for ba.s.s.

There also should be mentioned _Luisa's_ air in the last act, "La tomba e un letto sparso di fiori" (The tomb a couch is, covered with roses).

"I Vespri Siciliani" (The Sicilian Vespers) had its first performance at the Grand Opera, Paris, under the French t.i.tle, "Les Vepres Siciliennes," June 13, 1855. It was given at La Scala, Milan, 1856; London, Drury Lane, 1859; New York, Academy of Music, November 7, 1859; and revived there November, 1868. The work also has been presented under the t.i.tle of "Giovanna di Guzman." The libretto is by Scribe and deals with the ma.s.sacre of the French invaders of Sicily, at vespers, on Easter Monday, 1282. The princ.i.p.al characters are _Guy de Montford_, French Viceroy, _baritone_; _Arrigo_, a Sicilian officer, _tenor_; _d.u.c.h.ess Helene_, a prisoner, _soprano_; _Giovanni di Procida_, a native conspirator, _ba.s.s_. _Arrigo_, who afterwards is discovered to be the brutal _Guy de Montford's_ son, is in love with _Helene_. The plot turns upon his efforts to rescue her.

There is one famous number in the "The Sicilian Vespers." This is the "Bolero," sung by _Helene_--"Merce, dilette amiche" (My thanks, beloved companions).

At Petrograd, November 10, 1862, there was brought out Verdi's opera in four acts, "La Forza del Destino" (The Force of Destiny). London heard it in June, 1867; New York, February 2, 1865, and, with the last act revised by the composer, at the Academy of Music in 1880, with Annie Louise Cary, Campanini, Gala.s.si, and Del Puente. The princ.i.p.al characters are _Marquis di Calatrava_, _ba.s.s_; _Donna Leonora_ and _Don Carlo_, his children, _soprano_ and _baritone_; _Don Alvaro_, _tenor_; _Abbot of the Franciscan Friars_, _ba.s.s_. There are muleteers, peasants, soldiers, friars, etc. The scenes are laid in Spain and Italy; the period is the middle of the eighteenth century.

The libretto is based on the play, "Don Alvaro o La Fuerza de Sino" by the Duke of Rivas.

_Don Alvaro_ is about to elope with _Donna Leonora_, daughter of the _Marquis_, when the latter comes upon them and is accidentally killed by _Don Alvaro_. The _Marquis_ curses his daughter with his dying breath and invokes the vengeance of his son, _Don Carlo_, upon her and her lover. She escapes in male attire to a monastery, confesses to the _Abbot_, and is conducted by him to a cave, where he a.s.sures her of absolute safety.

_Don Alvaro_ and _Don Carlo_ meet before the cave. They fight a duel in which _Don Alvaro_ mortally wounds _Don Carlo_. _Donna Leonora_, coming out of the cave and finding her brother dying, goes to him.

With a last effort he stabs her in the heart. _Don Alvaro_ throws himself over a nearby precipice.

"Madre, pietosa Vergine" (Oh, holy Virgin) is one of the princ.i.p.al numbers of the opera. It is sung by _Donna Leonora_, kneeling in the moonlight near the convent, while from within is heard the chant of the priests.

The "Madre pietosa" also is utilized as a theme in the overture.

"Don Carlos," produced at the Grand Opera, Paris, March 11, 1867, during the Universal Exposition, was the last opera composed by Verdi before he took the musical world by storm with "Ada." The work is in four acts, the libretto, by Mery and du Locle, having been reduced from Schiller's tragedy of the same t.i.tle as the opera.