The Complete Opera Book Part 78

[Ill.u.s.tration: Copyright photo by Dupont

Emma Eames as Tosca]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Copyright photo by Dupont

Caruso as Mario in "Tosca"]

A knock at the door. _Spoletta_ comes to announce that _Angelotti_, on finding himself discovered, swallowed poison. "The other," he adds, meaning _Cavaradossi_, "awaits your decision." The life of _Tosca's_ lover is in the hands of the man who has told her how she may save him. Softly _Scarpia_ asks her, "What say you?" She nods consent; then, weeping for the shame of it, buries her head in the sofa cus.h.i.+ons.

_Scarpia_ says it is necessary for a mock execution to be gone through with, before _Tosca_ and _Cavaradossi_ can flee Rome. He directs _Spoletta_ that the execution is to be simulated--"as we did in the case of Palmieri.--You understand."

"Just like Palmieri," _Spoletta_ repeats with emphasis, and goes.

_Scarpia_ turns to _Tosca_. "I have kept my promise." She, however, demands safe conduct for _Cavaradossi_ and herself. _Scarpia_ goes to his desk to write the paper. With trembling hand _Tosca_, standing at the table, raises to her lips the winegla.s.s filled for her by _Scarpia_. As she does so she sees the sharp, pointed knife with which he peeled and quartered the apple. A rapid glance at the desk a.s.sures her that he still is writing. With infinite caution she reaches out, secures possession of the knife, conceals it on her person. _Scarpia_ has finished writing. He folds up the paper, advances toward _Tosca_ with open arms to embrace her.

"_Tosca_, at last thou art mine!"

With a swift stroke of the knife, she stabs him full in the breast.

"It is thus that _Tosca_ kisses!"

He staggers, falls. Ineffectually he strives to rise; makes a final effort; falls backward; dies.

Glancing back from time to time at _Scarpia's_ corpse, _Tosca_ goes to the table, where she dips a napkin in water and washes her fingers.

She arranges her hair before a looking-gla.s.s, then looks on the desk for the safe-conduct. Not finding it there, she searches elsewhere for it, finally discovers it clutched in _Scarpia's_ dead fingers, lifts his arm, draws out the paper from between the fingers, and lets the arm fall back stiff and stark, as she hides the paper in her bosom.

For a brief moment she surveys the body, then extinguishes the lights on the supper table.

About to leave, she sees one of the candles on the desk still burning.

With a grace of solemnity, she lights with it the other candle, places one candle to the right, the other to the left of _Scarpia's_ head, takes down a crucifix from the wall, and, kneeling, places it on the dead man's breast. There is a roll of distant drums. She rises; steals out of the room.

In the opera, as in the play, which was one of Sarah Bernhardt's triumphs, it is a wonderful scene--one of the greatest in all drama.

Anyone who has seen it adequately acted, knows what it has signified in the success of the opera, even after giving Puccini credit for "Vissi d'arte" and an expressive accompaniment to all that transpires on the stage.

Act III. A platform of the Castle Sant'Angelo. Left, a cas.e.m.e.nt with a table, a bench, and a stool. On the table are a lantern, a huge register book, and writing materials. Suspended on one of the walls are a crucifix and a votive lamp. Right, a trap door opening on a flight of steps that lead to the platform from below. The Vatican and St. Paul's are seen in the distance. The clear sky is studded with stars. It is just before dawn. The jangle of sheep bells is heard, at first distant, then nearer. Without, a shepherd sings his lay. A dim, grey light heralds the approach of dawn.

The firing party conducting _Cavaradossi_ ascends the steps through the trap door and is received by a jailer. From a paper handed him by the sergeant in charge of the picket, the jailer makes entries in the register, to which the sergeant signs his name, then descends the steps followed by the picket. A bell strikes. "You have an hour," the jailer tells _Cavaradossi_. The latter craves the favour of being permitted to write a letter. It being granted, he begins to write, but soon loses himself in memories of _Tosca_. "E lucevan le stelle ed olezzava la terra" (When the stars were brightly s.h.i.+ning, and faint perfumes the air pervaded)--a tenor air of great beauty.

[Music]

He buries his face in his hands. _Spoletta_ and the sergeant conduct _Tosca_ up the steps to the platform, and point out to her where she will find _Cavaradossi_. A dim light still envelopes the scene as with mystery. _Tosca_, seeing her lover, rushes up to him and, unable to speak for sheer emotion, lifts his hands and shows him--herself and the safe-conduct.

"At what price?" he asks.

Swiftly she tells him what _Scarpia_ demanded of her, and how, having consented, she thwarted him by slaying him with her own hand. Lovingly he takes her hands in his. "O dolci mani mansuete e pure" (Oh! gentle hands, so pitiful and tender). Her voice mingles with his in love and grat.i.tude for deliverance.

"Amaro sol per te m'era il morire" (The sting of death, I only felt for thee, love).

[Music]

She informs him of the necessity of going through a mock execution. He must fall naturally and lie perfectly still, as if dead, until she calls to him. They laugh over the ruse. It will be amusing. The firing party arrives. The sergeant offers to bandage _Cavaradossi's_ eyes.

The latter declines. He stands with his back to the wall. The soldiers take aim. _Tosca_ stops her ears with her hands so that she may not hear the explosion. The officer lowers his sword. The soldiers fire.

_Cavaradossi_ falls.

"How well he acts it!" exclaims _Tosca_.

A cloth is thrown over _Cavaradossi_. The firing party marches off.

_Tosca_ cautions her lover not to move yet. The footsteps of the firing party die away--"Now get up." He does not move. Can he not hear? She goes nearer to him. "Mario! Up quickly! Away!--Up! up!

Mario!"

She raises the cloth. To the last _Scarpia_ has tricked her. He had ordered a real, not a mock execution. Her lover lies at her feet--a corpse.

There are cries from below the platform. _Scarpia's_ murder has been discovered. His myrmidons are hastening to apprehend her. She springs upon the parapet and throws herself into s.p.a.ce.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Farrar as Tosca]

MADAMA b.u.t.tERFLY

MADAM b.u.t.tERFLY

Opera in two acts, by Giacomo Puccini, words after the story of John Luther Long and the drama of David Belas...o...b.. L.

Illica and G. Giacosa. English version by Mrs. R.H. Elkin.

Produced unsuccessfully, La Scala, Milan, February 17, 1904, with Storchio, Zenatello, and De Luca, conductor Cleofante Campanini. Slightly revised, but with Act II divided into two distinct parts, at Brescia, May 28, 1904, with Krusceniski, Zenatello, and Bellati, when it scored a success. Covent Garden, London, July 10, 1905, with Destinn, Caruso, and Scotti, conductor Campanini. Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C., October, 1906, in English, by the Savage Opera Company, and by the same company, Garden Theatre, New York, November 12, 1906, with Elsa Szamozy, Harriet Behne, Joseph F. Sheehan, and Winifred Goff; Metropolitan Opera House, New York, February 11, 1907, with Farrar (_b.u.t.terfly_), Homer (_Suzuki_), Caruso (_Pinkerton_), Scotti (_Sharpless_), and Reiss (_Goro_).

CHARACTERS

MADAM b.u.t.tERFLY (Cio-Cio-San) _Soprano_ SUZUKI (her servant) _Mezzo-Soprano_ KATE PINKERTON _Mezzo-Soprano_ B.F. PINKERTON, Lieutenant, U.S.N. _Tenor_ SHARPLESS (U.S. Consul at Nagasaki) _Baritone_ GORO (a marriage broker) _Tenor_ PRINCE YAMADORI _Baritone_ THE BONZE (_Cio-Cio-San's uncle_) _Ba.s.s_ YAKUSIDE _Baritone_ THE IMPERIAL COMMISSIONER _Ba.s.s_ THE OFFICIAL REGISTRAR } _Baritone_ CIO-CIO-SAN'S MOTHER } Members of _Mezzo-Soprano_ THE AUNT } the Chorus _Mezzo-Soprano_ THE COUSIN } _Soprano_ TROUBLE (_Cio-Cio-San's Child_)

_Cio-Cio-San's_ relations and friends. Servants.

_Time_--Present day.

_Place_--Nagasaki.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Photo by Hall

"Madame b.u.t.terfly," Act I

(Francis Maclennan, Renee Vivienne, and Thomas Richards)]

Although "Madama b.u.t.terfly" is in two acts, the division of the second act into two parts by the fall of the curtain, there also being an instrumental introduction to part second, practically gives the opera three acts.

Act I. There is a prelude, based on a j.a.panese theme. This theme runs through the greater part of the act. It is employed as a background and as a connecting link, with the result that it imparts much exotic tone colour to the scenes. The prelude pa.s.ses over into the first act without a break.

_Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton_, U.S.N., is on the point of contracting a "j.a.panese marriage" with _Cio-Cio-San_, whom her friends call _b.u.t.terfly_. At the rise of the curtain _Pinkerton_ is looking over a little house on a hill facing the harbour. This house he has leased and is about to occupy with his j.a.panese wife. _Goro_, the nakodo or marriage broker, who has arranged the match, also has found the house for him and is showing him over it, enjoying the American's surprise at the clever contrivances found in j.a.panese house construction. Three j.a.panese servants are in the house, one of whom is _Suzuki_, _b.u.t.terfly's_ faithful maid.

_Sharpless_, the American Consul at Nagasaki, arrives. In the chat which follows between the two men it becomes apparent that _Sharpless_ looks upon the step _Pinkerton_ is about to take with disfavour. He argues that what may be a mere matter of pastime to the American Naval lieutenant, may have been taken seriously by the j.a.panese girl and, if so, may prove a matter of life or death with her. _Pinkerton_ on the other hand laughs off his friend's fears and, having poured out drinks for both, recklessly pledges his real American wife of the future.

Further discussion is interrupted by the arrival of the bride with her relatives and friends.