The Complete Opera Book Part 86

Act I. Home of _Count Vladimir_, St. Petersburg. While the beautiful _Princess Fedora_ awaits the coming of her betrothed, _Count Vladimir_, he is brought in, by _De Siriex_, mortally wounded.

Suspicion for the murder falls upon _Count Loris_. _Fedora_ takes a Byzantine jewelled cross from her breast and swears by it to avenge her betrothed.

Act II. Salon of _Fedora_ in Paris. _Loris_ is entertained by her. She uses all her arts of fascination in hope of securing proof of his guilt. He falls desperately in love with her, and she succeeds in drawing from him a confession of the murder. _Grech_, a police officer, plans to take _Loris_ after all the guests have left. Then, however, _Loris_ tells her further that he killed the _Count_ because he betrayed his young wife and brought about her untimely death.

_Fedora_, who herself has fallen in love with _Loris_, now takes him into her arms. But the trap is ready to be sprung. She is, however, able to escape with him.

Act III. Switzerland. _Loris_ and _Fedora_ are married. _Loris's_ footsteps, however, are followed by a spy. _Fedora_ learns that because of _Loris's_ act his brother has been thrown into prison and has died there. _Loris's_ mother has died of shock. He discovers that it was _Fedora_ who set the secret service on his track. He is about to kill her when, in despair, she swallows poison. _Loris_ now pleads with her to live, but it is too late. She dies in his arms.

GERMANIA

Opera in a prologue, two acts and an epilogue, by Alberto Franchetti; text by Luigi Illica. Produced, Milan, March 11, 1902; in this country, January 22, 1910.

CHARACTERS

FREDERICK LOEWE, member of the brotherhood _Tenor_ CARL WORMS, member of the brotherhood _Baritone_ GIOVANNI PALM, member of the brotherhood _Ba.s.s_ CRISOGONO, member of the brotherhood _Baritone_ STAPPS, Protestant priest _Ba.s.s_ RICKE, a Nuremberg maiden _Soprano_ JANE, her sister _Mezzo-Soprano_ LENA ARMUTH, a peasant woman _Mezzo-Soprano_ JEBBEL, her nephew _Soprano_ LUIGI LuTZOW, an officer _Ba.s.s_ CARLO KoRNER, an officer _Tenor_ PETERS, a herdsman _Ba.s.s_ SIGNORA HEDVIGE _Mezzo-Soprano_ CHIEF OF POLICE _Ba.s.s_

_Time_--Napoleonic Wars.

_Place_--Germany.

Prologue. An Old Mill near Nuremberg. Students under _Palm_ are s.h.i.+pping out in grain-bags literature directed against the invader--Napoleon. _Ricke_ tells _Worms_, whose mistress she has been, that her sweetheart, the poet _Loewe_, will soon return, and that she must confess to him her guilty secret. _Worms_ dissuades her. _Loewe_ arrives and is joyously welcomed by his comrades. The police break in, arrest _Palm_, and take him off to be executed.

Act I. A Hut in the Black Forest. Seven years are supposed to have pa.s.sed. _Loewe_, his aged mother, and _Ricke_ and _Jane_ have found refuge here from the victorious troops of Napoleon. _Worms_ is thought to be dead. _Loewe_ is to be married to _Ricke_. But suddenly the voice of _Worms_ is heard in the forest. _Loewe_ joyously meets his old friend, who, however, is much disconcerted at the sight of _Ricke_, and goes away. _Ricke_ flees from her husband, who concludes that she has fled with _Worms_.

Act II. Secret Cellar at Koenigsberg. _Worms_ and others plot to overthrow Napoleon. _Loewe_ challenges _Worms_ to a duel. _Worms_, penitent, asks _Loewe_ to kill him. But the preparations are stayed by _Queen Louise_. She declares they should be fighting against Napoleon, not against each other.

Epilogue. Battlefield of Leipzig. Napoleon has been defeated. The great field is strewn with dead and dying. Among the latter, _Ricke_, still loving _Loewe_, finds him. He asks her to forgive _Worms_, who lies dead. She forgives the dead man, then lies down beside her dying husband. Distant view of the retreat of Napoleon's shattered legions.

Modern French Opera

The contemporaries and successors of Bizet wrote many charming operas that for years have given pleasure to large audiences. French opera has had generous representation in New York. Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffmann," Delibes's "Lakme," Saint-Saens's "Samson et Dalila," Ma.s.senet's "Manon" are among the most distinguished works of this school.

"Les Contes d'Hoffmann"; a fanciful opera in four acts; words by MM.

Michel Carre and Jules Barbier; posthumous music by Jacques Offenbach, produced at the Opera Comique on February 10, 1881. "Les Contes d'Hoffmann" had been played thirty years before, on March 31, 1851, at the Odeon, in the shape of a comedy. Such as it was designed to be, the work offers an excellent frame for the music, bringing on the stage in their fantastic form three of the prettiest tales of the German story-teller, connected with each other in an ingenious fas.h.i.+on, with the contrasts which present themselves. Lyrical adaptation therefore appeared quite natural and it was done with much taste. Offenbach had almost entirely finished its music when death came to surprise him. At the same time he had not put his score into orchestral form and it was Ernest Girard who was charged with finis.h.i.+ng this and writing the instrumentation, which it was easy to perceive at hearing it, Girard being a musician taught differently from the author of the "Belle Helene" and "Orphee aux Enfers." It is right to say that several pa.s.sages of the Contes d'Hoffmann were welcome and testify to a real effort by the composer. If to that be added the interest that the libretto offers and the excellence of an interpretation entrusted to Mlle. Adele Isaac (_Stella_, _Olympia_, _Antonia_), to MM. Talazac (_Hoffmann_), Taskin (_Lindorf_, _Coppelius_, _Dr. Miracle_), Belhomme (_Crespel_), Grivot (_Andres_, _Cochenille_, _Frantz_), Gourdon (_Spalanzani_), Collin (_Wilhelm_), Mlles. Marguerite Ugalde (_Nicklausse_), Mole (_the nurse_), one will understand the success which greeted the work. The Contes d'Hoffmann was reproduced in 1893 at the Renaissance, during the transient directors.h.i.+p of M. Detroyat, who gave to this theatre the t.i.tle of Theatre Lyrique.

LAKMe

Opera in three acts by Delibes; libretto by Gille and Gondinet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Photo copyright, 1916, by Victor Georg

Galli-Curci as Lakme]

_Lakme_ is the daughter of _Nilakantha_, a fanatical Brahmin priest.

While he nurses his hatred of the British invader, his daughter strolls in her garden, singing duets with her slave _Mallika_. An English officer, one _Gerald_, breaks through the bambou fence that surrounds _Nilakantha's_ retreat, in a ruined temple in the depths of an Indian forest. He courts _Lakme_ who immediately returns his love.

_Nilakantha_ seeing the broken fence at once suspects an English invader. In act two the old man disguised as a beggar is armed with a dagger. _Lakme_ is disguised as a street singer. Together they search for the profaner of the sacred spot at a market. It is here that she sings the famous Bell Song. _Gerald_ recognizes _Lakme_ as _Nilakantha_ recognizes the disturber of his peace. A dagger thrust lays _Gerald_ low. _Lakme_ and her slave carry him to a hut hidden in the forest. During his convalescence the time pa.s.ses pleasantly. The lovers sing duets and exchange vows of undying love. But _Frederick_, a brother officer and a slave to duty, informs _Gerald_ that he must march with his regiment. _Lakme_ makes the best of the situation by eating a poisonous flower which brings about her death.

The story is based by Gondinet and Gille upon "Le Mariage de Loti."

_Ellen_, _Rose_, and _Mrs. Benson_, Englishwomen, hover in the background of the romance. But their parts are of negligible importance, and in fact when Miss Van Zandt and a French Company first gave the opera in London they were omitted altogether, some said wisely. The opera was first presented in Paris at the Opera Comique with Miss Van Zandt. It was first sung in New York by the American Opera Company at the Academy of Music, March 1, 1886. The first _Lakme_ to be heard in New York was Pauline L'Allemand, the second Adelina Patti, this time in 1890 and at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Mme. Sembrich and Luisa Tetrazzini sang it later.

SAMSON ET DALILA

Opera in three acts and four scenes. Music by Saint-Saens; text by Ferdinand Lemaire. Produced: Weimar, December 2, 1877.

CHARACTERS

DALILA _Mezzo-Soprano_ SAMSON _Tenor_ HIGH PRIEST OF DAGON _Baritone_ ABIMELECH, satrap of Gaza _Ba.s.s_ AN OLD HEBREW _Ba.s.s_ THE PHILISTINES' WAR MESSENGER _Tenor_

_Place_--Gaza.

_Time_--1136 B.C.

Act I. Before the curtain rises we hear of the Philistines at Gaza forcing the Israelites to work. When the curtain is raised we see in the background the temple of Dagon, G.o.d of the Philistines. With the lamentations of the Jews is mixed the bitter scorn of _Abimelech_. But _Samson_ has not yet expressed a hope of conquering. His drink-inspired songs agitate his fellow countrymen so much that it now amounts to an insurrection. _Samson_ slays _Abimelech_ with the sword he has s.n.a.t.c.hed from him and Israel's champion starts out to complete the work. _Dagon's_ high priest may curse, the Philistines are not able to offer resistance to the onslaught of the enemy.

Already the Hebrews are rejoicing and gratefully praise G.o.d when there appear the Philistines' most seductive maidens, _Dalila_ at their head, to do homage to the victorious _Samson_. Of what use is the warning of an old Hebrew? The memory of the love which she gave him when "the sun laughed, the spring awoke and kissed the ground," the sight of her ensnaring beauty, the tempting dances ensnare the champion anew.

Act II. The beautiful seductress tarries in the house of her victim.

Yes, her victim. She had never loved the enemy of her country. She hates him since he left her. And so the exhortation of the high priest to revenge is not needed. _Samson_ has never yet told her on what his superhuman strength depends. Now the champion comes, torn by irresolute reproaches. He is only going to say farewell to her. Her allurements in vain entice him, he does not disclose his secret. But he will not suffer her scorn and derision; overcome, he pushes her into the chamber of love. And there destiny is fulfilled. _Dalila's_ cry of triumph summons the Philistines. Deprived of his hair, the betrayed champion is overcome.

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

Caruso as Samson in "Samson and Dalila"]

Act III. In a dungeon the blinded giant languishes. But more tormenting than the corporal disgrace or the laments of his companions are the reproaches in his own breast. Now the doors rattle. _Beadles_ come in to drag him to the Philistines' celebration of their victory--(change of scene). In _Dagon's_ temple the Philistine people are rejoicing. Bitter scorn is poured forth on _Samson_ whom the high priest insultingly invites to sing a love-song to _Dalila_. The false woman herself mocks the powerless man. But _Samson_ prays to his G.o.d.

Only once again may he have strength. And while the intoxication of the festival seizes on everybody, he lets himself be led between the two pillars which support the temple. He clasps them. A terrible crash--the fragments of the temple with a roar bury the Philistine people and their conqueror.

LE ROI D'YS

Opera by Lalo, produced at the Opera Comique in 1888, and given in London in 1901. The story is founded upon a Breton legend. _Margared_ and _Rozenn_, daughters of the King of Ys, love _Mylio_. But the warrior has only eyes for _Rozenn_. In revenge _Margared_ betrays her father's city to _Karnac_, a defeated enemy. To him she gives the keys of the sluices which stand between the town and the sea. When the town and all its inhabitants are about to be swept away, the girl in remorse throws herself into the sea. St. Corentin, patron saint of Ys, accepts her sacrifice and the sea abates.

GRISeLIDIS

Ma.s.senet's "Griselidis," a lyric tale in three acts and a prologue, poem by Armand Silvestre and Eugene Morand based on the "Mystery" in free verse by the same authors, produced at the Comedie-Francaise, Paris, May 15, 1891, was given for the first time in America, January 19, 1910, at the Manhattan Opera House, New York. The story of the patient _Griselda_ has been handed down to posterity by Boccaccio in the Decameron, 10th day, 10th novel, and by Chaucer, who learned it, he said from Petrarch at Padua, and then put it into the mouth of the Clerk of Oxenforde.

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

Mary Garden as Griselidis]

The old ballad of "Patient Grissell" begins thus: