The Complete Opera Book Part 65

There is a flash of red light and out of it, up through the floor, rises _Mephistopheles_, garbed as a cavalier, and in vivid red.

Alternately suave, satirical, and demoniacal in bearing, he offers to _Faust_ wealth and power. The philosopher, however, wants neither, unless with the gift also is granted youth. "Je veux la jeunesse"

(What I long for is youth). That is easy for his tempter, if the aged philosopher, with pen dipped in his blood, will but sign away his soul. _Faust_ hesitates. At a gesture from _Mephistopheles_ the scene at the back opens and discloses _Marguerite_ seated at her spinning-wheel, her long blond braid falling down her back. "o Merveille!" (A miracle!) exclaims _Faust_, at once signs the parchment, and drains to the vision of _Marguerite_ a goblet proffered him by _Mephistopheles_. The scene fades away, the philosopher's garb drops off _Faust_. The grey beard and all other marks of old age vanish. He stands revealed a youthful gallant, eager for adventure, instead of the disappointed scholar weary of life. There is an impetuous duet for _Faust_ and _Mephistopheles_: "a moi les plaisirs"

('Tis pleasure I covet). They dash out of the cell-like study in which _Faust_ vainly has devoted himself to science.

Act II. Outside of one of the city gates. To the left is an inn, bearing as a sign a carved image of Bacchus astride a keg. It is kermis time. There are students, among them _Wagner_, burghers old and young, soldiers, maidens, and matrons.

The act opens with a chorus. "Faust" has been given so often that this chorus probably is accepted by most people as a commonplace. In point of fact it is an admirable piece of characterization. The groups of people are effectively differentiated in the score. The toothless chatter of the old men (in high falsetto) is an especially amusing detail. In the end the choral groups are deftly united.

_Valentine_ and _Siebel_ join the kermis throng. The former is examining a medallion which his sister, _Marguerite_, has given him as a charm against harm in battle. He sings a cavatina. It is this number which Gounod composed for Santley. As most if not all the performances of "Faust" in America, up to the time Grau introduced the custom of giving opera in the language of the original score, were in Italian, this cavatina is familiarly known as the "Dio possente" (To thee, O Father!). In French it is "a toi, Seigneur et Roi des Cieux" (To Thee, O G.o.d, and King of Heaven). Both in the Italian and French, _Valentine_ prays to Heaven to protect his sister during his absence.

In English, "Even bravest heart may swell," the number relates chiefly to _Valentine's_ ambitions as a soldier.

_Wagner_ mounts a table and starts the "Song of the Rat." After a few lines he is interrupted by the sudden appearance of _Mephistopheles_, who, after a brief parley, sings "Le veau d'or" (The golden calf), a cynical dissertation on man's wors.h.i.+p of mammon. He reads the hands of those about him. To _Siebel_ he prophesies that every flower he touches shall wither. Rejecting the wine proffered him by _Wagner_, he strikes with his sword the sign of the inn, the keg, astride of which sits Bacchus. Like a stream of wine fire flows from the keg into the goblet held under the spout by _Mephistopheles_, who raising the vessel, pledges the health of _Marguerite_.

This angers _Valentine_ and leads to the "Scene des epees" (The scene of the swords). _Valentine_ unsheathes his blade. _Mephistopheles_, with his sword describes a circle about himself. _Valentine_ makes a pa.s.s at his foe. As the thrust carries his sword into the magic circle, the blade breaks. He stands in impotent rage, while _Mephistopheles_ mocks him. At last, realizing who his opponent is, _Valentine_ grasps his sword by its broken end, and extends the cruciform hilt toward the red cavalier. The other soldiers follow their leader's example. _Mephistopheles_, no longer mocking, cowers before the cross-shaped sword hilts held toward him, and slinks away.

A sonorous chorus, "Puisque tu brises le fer" (Since you have broken the blade) for _Valentine_ and his followers distinguishes this scene.

The crowd gathers for the kermis dance--"the waltz from Faust,"

familiar the world round, and undulating through the score to the end of the gay scene, which also concludes the act. While the crowd is dancing and singing, _Mephistopheles_ enters with _Faust_.

_Marguerite_ approaches. She is on her way from church, prayerbook in hand. _Siebel_ seeks to join her. But every time the youth steps toward her he confronts the grinning yet sinister visage of _Mephistopheles_, who dexterously manages to get in his way. Meanwhile _Faust_ has joined her. There is a brief colloquy. He offers his arm and conduct through the crowd. She modestly declines. The episode, though short, is charmingly melodious. The phrases for _Marguerite_ can be made to express coyness, yet also show that she is not wholly displeased with the attention paid her by the handsome stranger. She goes her way. The dance continues. "Valsons toujours" (Waltz alway!).

Act III. _Marguerite's_ garden. At the back a wall with a wicket door.

To the left a bower. On the right _Marguerite's_ house, with a bow window facing the audience. Trees, shrubs, flower beds, etc.

_Siebel_ enters by the wicket. Stopping at one of the flower beds and about to pluck a nosegay, he sings the graceful "Faites-lui mes aveux"

(Bear my avowal to her). But when he culls a flower, it shrivels in his hand, as _Mephistopheles_ had predicted. The boy is much perturbed. Seeing, however, a little font with holy water suspended by the wall of the house, he dips his fingers in it. Now the flowers no longer shrivel as he culls them. He arranges them in a bouquet, which he lays on the house step, where he hopes _Marguerite_ will see it. He then leaves.

_Faust_ enters with _Mephistopheles_, but bids the latter withdraw, as if he sensed the incongruity of his presence near the home of a maiden so pure as _Marguerite_. The tempter having gone, _Faust_ proceeds to apostrophize _Marguerite's_ dwelling in the exquisite romance, "Salut!

demeure chaste et pure."

[Music]

_Mephistopheles_ returns. With him he brings a casket of jewels and a handsome bouquet. With these he replaces _Siebel's_ flowers. The two men then withdraw into a shadowy recess of the garden to await _Marguerite's_ return.

She enters by the wicket. Her thoughts are with the handsome stranger--above her in station, therefore the more flattering and fascinating in her eyes--who addressed her at the kermis. Pensively she seats herself at her spinning-wheel and, while turning it, without much concentration of mind on her work, sings "Le Roi de Thule," the ballad of the King of Thule, her thoughts, however, returning to _Faust_ before she resumes and finishes the number, which is set in the simple fas.h.i.+on of a folk-song.

Approaching the house, and about to enter, she sees the flowers, stops to admire them, and to bestow a thought of compa.s.sion upon _Siebel_ for his unrequited devotion, then sees and hesitatingly opens the casket of jewels. Their appeal to her feminine vanity is too great to permit her to return them at once to the casket. Decking herself out in them, she regards herself and the sparkling gems in the handgla.s.s that came with them, then bursts into the brilliant "Air des Bijoux"

(Jewel Song):

[Music]

Ah! je ris de me voir Si belle en ce miroir!...

Est-ce toi, Marguerite?

(Ah! I laugh just to view-- Marguerite! Is it you?-- Such a belle in the gla.s.s!...)

one of the most brilliant airs for coloratura soprano, affording the greatest contrast to the folklike ballad which preceded it, and making with it one of the most effective scenes in opera for a soprano who can rise to its demands: the chaste simplicity required for the ballad, the joyous abandon and faultless execution of elaborate embellishments involved in the "Air des Bijoux." When well done, the scene is brilliantly successful; for, added to its own conspicuous merit, is the fact that, save for the very brief episode in Act II, this is the first time in two and a half acts that the limpid and grateful tones of a solo high soprano have fallen upon the ear.

_Martha_, the neighbour and companion of _Marguerite_, joins her. In the manner of the average duenna, whose chief duty in opera is to encourage love affairs, however fraught with peril to her charge, she is not at all disturbed by the gift of the jewels or by the entrance upon the scene of _Faust_ and _Mephistopheles_. Nor, when the latter tells her that her husband has been killed in the wars, does she hesitate, after a few exclamations of rather forced grief, to seek consolation on the arm of the flatterer in red, who leads her off into the garden, leaving _Faust_ with _Marguerite_. During the scene immediately ensuing the two couples are sometimes in view, sometimes lost to sight in the garden. The music is a quartet, beginning with _Faust's_ "Prenez mon bras un moment" (Pray lean upon mine arm). It is artistically individualized. The couples and each member thereof are deftly characterized in Gounod's score.

For a moment _Mephistopheles_ holds the stage alone. Standing by a bed of flowers in an att.i.tude of benediction, he invokes their subtle perfume to lull _Marguerite_ into a false sense of security. "Il etait temps!" (It was the hour), begins the soliloquy. For a moment, as it ends, the flowers glow. _Mephistopheles_ withdraws into the shadows.

_Faust_ and _Marguerite_ appear. _Marguerite_ plucks the petals of a flower: "He loves me--he loves me not--he loves!" There are two ravis.h.i.+ng duets for the lovers, "Laisse-moi contempler ton visage"

(Let me gaze upon thy beauty), and "o nuit d'amour ... ciel radieux!"

[Music]

(Oh, night of love! oh, starlit sky!). The music fairly enmeshes the listener in its enchanting measures.

[Music]

_Faust_ and _Marguerite_ part, agreeing to meet on the morrow--"Oui, demain! des l'aurore!" (Yes, tomorrow! at dawn!). She enters the house. _Faust_ turns to leave the garden. He is confronted by _Mephistopheles_, who points to the window. The cas.e.m.e.nt is opened by _Marguerite_, who believes she is alone. Kneeling in the window, she gazes out upon the night flooded with moonlight. "Il m'aime; ... Ah!

presse ton retour, cher bien-aime! Viens!" (He loves me; ah! haste your return, dearly beloved! Come!).

With a cry, _Faust_ rushes to the open cas.e.m.e.nt, sinks upon his knees. _Marguerite_, with an ecstatic exclamation, leans out of the embrasure and allows him to take her into his arms. Her head rests upon his shoulder.

At the wicket is _Mephistopheles_, shaking with laughter.

Act IV. The first scene in this act takes place in _Marguerite's_ room. No wonder _Mephistopheles_ laughed when he saw her in _Faust's_ arms. She has been betrayed and deserted. The faithful _Siebel_, however, still offers her his love--"Si la bonheur a sourire t'invite"

(When all was young and pleasant, May was blooming)--but _Marguerite_ still loves the man who betrayed her, and hopes against hope that he will return.

This episode is followed by the cathedral scene. _Marguerite_ has entered the edifice and knelt to pray. But, invisible to her, _Mephistopheles_ stands beside her and reminds her of her guilt. A chorus of invisible demons calls to her accusingly. _Mephistopheles_ foretells her doom. The "Dies irae," accompanied on the organ, is heard. _Marguerite's_ voice joins with those of the wors.h.i.+ppers. But _Mephistopheles_, when the chant is ended, calls out that for her, a lost one, there yawns the abyss. She flees in terror. This is one of the most significant episodes of the work.

Now comes a scene in the street, in front of _Marguerite's_ house. The soldiers return from war and sing their familiar chorus, "Gloire immortelle" (Glory immortal). _Valentine_, forewarned by _Siebel's_ troubled mien that all is not well with _Marguerite_, goes into the house. _Faust_ and _Mephistopheles_ come upon the scene. Facing the house, and accompanying himself on his guitar, the red gallant sings an offensive serenade. _Valentine_, aroused by the insult, which he correctly interprets as aimed at his sister, rushes out. There is a spirited trio, "Redouble, o Dieu puissant" (Give double strength, great G.o.d on high). _Valentine_ smashes the guitar with his sword, then attacks _Faust_, whose sword-thrust, guided by _Mephistopheles_, mortally wounds _Marguerite's_ brother. _Marguerite_ comes into the street, throws herself over _Valentine's_ body. With his dying breath her brother curses her.

Sometimes the order of the scenes in this act is changed. It may open with the street scene, where the girls at the fountain hold themselves aloof from _Marguerite_. Here the brief meeting between the girl and _Siebel_ takes place. _Marguerite_ then goes into the house; the soldiers return, etc. The act then ends with the cathedral scene.

Act V. When Gounod revised "Faust" for the Grand Opera, Paris, the traditions of that house demanded a more elaborate ballet than the dance in the kermis scene afforded. Consequently the authors reached beyond the love story of _Faust_ and _Marguerite_ into the second part of Goethe's drama and utilized the legendary revels of Walpurgis Night (eve of May 1st) on the Brocken, the highest point of the Hartz mountains. Here _Faust_ meets the courtesans of antiquity--Las, Cleopatra, Helen of Troy, Phryne. "Les Nubiennes," "Cleopatra et la Coupe d'Or" (Cleopatra and the Goblet of Gold), "Les Troyennes" (The Troyan Women), "Variation," and "Dance de Phryne" are the dances in this ballet. More frequently than not the scene is omitted. To connect it with the main story, there comes to _Faust_, in the midst of the revels, a vision of _Marguerite_. Around her neck he beholds a red line, "like the cut of an axe." He commands _Mephistopheles_ to take him to her.

They find her in prison, condemned to death for killing her child.

There is an impa.s.sioned duet for _Faust_ and _Marguerite_. He begs her to make her escape with him. But her mind is wandering. In s.n.a.t.c.hes of melody from preceding scenes, she recalls the episode at the kermis, the night in the garden. She sees _Mephistopheles_, senses his ident.i.ty with the arch-fiend. There is a superb trio, in which _Marguerite_ ecstatically calls upon angels to intervene and save her--"Anges purs! Anges radieux!" (Angels pure, radiant, bright).

[Music]

The voices mount higher and higher, _Marguerite's_ soaring to a splendid climax. She dies.

"Condemned!" cries _Mephistopheles_.

"Saved," chant ethereal voices.

The rear wall of the prison opens. Angels are seen bearing _Marguerite_ heavenward. _Faust_ falls on his knees in prayer.

_Mephistopheles_ turns away, "barred by the s.h.i.+ning sword of an archangel."

During the ten years that elapsed between the productions at the Theatre Lyrique and the Grand Opera, "Faust" had only thirty-seven performances. Within eight years (1887) after it was introduced to the Grand Opera, it had 1000 performances there. From 1901-1910 it was given nearly 3000 times in Germany. After the score had been declined by several publishers, it was brought out by Choudens, who paid Gounod 10,000 francs ($2000) for it, and made a fortune out of the venture.

For the English rights the composer is said to have received only 40 ($200) and then only upon the insistence of Chorley, the author of the English version.

ROMeO ET JULIETTE

ROMEO AND JULIET