The Complete Opera Book / The Stories of the Operas, together with 400 of the Leading Airs and Motives in Musical Notation

Act I. Hall in Blue-Beard's castle. Ariane, sixth wife of Blue-Beard, is warned by voices of the crowd outside that Blue-Beard has already murdered five wives. Ariane has seven keys—six of silver and one of gold. When Ariane, intent only on opening the forbidden chamber, throws down the six silver keys, her Nurse picks them up. With one she unlocks the first door. Instantly amethysts set in diadems, bracelets, rings, girdles, fall down in a shower on Ariane. And so, to her joy, as door after door swings open, she is showered with sapphires, pearls, emeralds, rubies, and diamonds. Now Ariane opens, with the golden key, the seventh door. Darkness, out of which come the voices of the five lost wives. Here Ariane is surprised by Blue-Beard, who lays hold of her. The crowd, admitted by the Nurse, rush in to kill Blue-Beard, but are told by Ariane that he has not harmed her.

Act II. A subterranean hall. Ariane descends with the Nurse into the depths of the blackness on which the seventh door opened. There she finds the five wives still alive but emaciated and in rags. She tells them that she has obeyed a higher law than Blue-Beard's, and that outside birds are singing and the sun is shining. A jet of water extinguishes Ariane's light, but she is not fearful. She leads the five toward a radiant spot at the end of the vault. She throws herself against the barred wall. It gives away. The sunlight streams in. Blinded at first by its brilliance, the five wives finally come out of the vault and go off singing joyously.

Act III. Same as Act I. The wives are adorning themselves with the help of Ariane. She urges them to make the best use of their gifts. Blue-Beard is approaching. The people are lying in wait for him. The wives watch his capture. Bound and wounded, he is brought in. But to the astonishment of all Ariane bandages his wounds and the others help her. Then she cuts the cords and frees him, but herself departs, although Blue-Beard pleads with her to remain. But when she in turn implores the five wives to go with her, they decline, and she leaves them in the castle.

The allegory in this tale is that five out of six women prefer captivity (with a man) to freedom without him. The opera has not been popular in this country.

MONNA VANNA

GISMONDA

The story follows that of the play. Gismonda, Duchess of Athens, promises to wed the man who succeeds in rescuing her little son from a tiger's pit, into which he has been pushed by a conspirator who wishes to help Zaccaria Franco to seize the Duchy. Almério, a young falconer, kills the beast and saves the child. But the proud though grateful Duchess will not consider a peasant for her husband.

If Almério will renounce his claim Gismonda promises to spend a night at his hut. When she discovers that Zaccaria has followed her she slays him. Almério takes the guilt for the murder upon himself but Gismonda makes public confession of her visit to his hut, hands over the wicked Grégoras, who had attempted to murder her little son, to justice, and proclaims the falconer her lord and husband.

MAROUF, THE COBBLER OF CAIRO

Marouf is unhappy at home. His wife, Fatimah, is ugly and has a bad disposition. When she asked for rice cake, sweetened with honey, and thanks to his friend the pastry cook, Marouf brought her cake sweetened with cane sugar instead, she flew into a rage and ran to tell the Cadi that her husband beat her. The credulous Cadi orders the Cobbler thrashed by the police, in spite of protesting neighbours. Marouf, disgusted, decides to disappear. He joins a party of passing sailors. A tempest wrecks the ship. He alone is saved. Ali, his friend, whom he has not seen for twenty years and who has become rich in the meantime, picks him up on the shore and takes him to the great city of Khaltan, "somewhere between China and Morocco." Marouf is presented to the townspeople as the richest merchant in the world who has a wonderful caravan on the way. He is accepted everywhere and in spite of the doubting Vizier the Sultan invites him to his palace. Furthermore, he offers him his beautiful daughter as a bride. For forty days Marouf lives in luxury with the princess. He empties the treasury of the Sultan who consoles himself with thoughts of the promised caravan which must soon arrive. At last the Princess questions Marouf who tells the truth. They decide upon flight, and the Princess disguises herself as a boy.

At an oasis in the desert they are sheltered by a poor peasant. Marouf seeks to repay his hospitality by a turn at his plow. The implement strikes an iron ring attached to the covering of a subterranean chamber. The ring also has magic power. When the Princess rubs it the poor peasant is transformed into a genii, who offers his services, and discloses a hidden treasure. When the Sultan and his guards, in pursuit of the fugitives, appear upon the scene, the sounds of an approaching caravan are also heard in the distance. The ruler apologizes. Marouf and the Princess triumph. The doubting Vizier is punished with a hundred lashes.

Henri Rabaud, composer of "Marouf," is a Parisian, the son of a professor of the Conservatoire of which he is also a graduate.

His second symphony has been played in New York. He has to his credit a string quartet, other smaller works, and an opera, "La Fille de Roland," which was given some years ago at the Opéra Comique. "Marouf" was produced at that theatre in the spring of 1914. M. Rabaud, for several years conductor at the Grand Opéra and the Opéra Comique, was called to America in 1918 to be the conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, succeeding Karl Muck, and Pierre Monteux who filled the vacancy for a few weeks before M. Rabaud's arrival from France.

LE SAUTERIOT
THE GRASSHOPPER

M. Lazzari of Paris is by birth a Tyrolean, whose father was an Italian. But the composer has spent most of his life in Paris. He entered the Conservatoire at twenty-four, where his teachers were Guiraud and César Franck. His operas "L'Ensorcelée" and "La Lépreuse" were first sung in Paris. "Le Sauteriot" would also have had its first performance there. But the war made it possible for Mr. Campanini to acquire it for Chicago. It was presented there on the closing day of the season, January 19, 1918. The Chicago Opera Company gave New York its first opportunity to hear the work on February 11, 1918, when it was conducted by the composer.

LA REINE FIAMMETTE
QUEEN FIAMMETTE

While this was the first operatic performance of Catulle Mendès's famous work, Charles Dillingham produced the play for the first time in America at the Hollis Street Theatre, Boston, October 6, 1902, with Julia Marlowe. Paul Kester made the English adaptation. The late Frank Worthing appeared as Danielo. Others in the cast were Frank Reicher, Albert Bruning, and Arthur Lawrence.

The story takes place in Italy of the sixteenth century, in an imaginary Kingdom of Bologna, whose ruler Queen Fiammette, young and capricious, has chosen as her consort Giorgio d'Ast, an adventurer. It is this very man whom the Papal See has determined to elevate to the throne in place of the madcap Orlanda. But Cardinal Sforza is not satisfied with the mere dethroning of Orlanda. He wishes her to be assassinated, and goes to Bologna to hatch the plot for her doom. The Prince Consort agrees to play his part and to involve several young courtiers in the scheme. It is decided to slay the Queen during a fête at her palace.

Danielo, a young monk, is chosen to strike the blow. The Cardinal tells him that after indulging in a passing fancy for his brother, the Queen has had the youth killed. The monk is only too eager for revenge. He has been in the habit of meeting a beautiful woman, whose identity is unknown, at a convent. This is none other than Fiammette herself who uses the convent for her gallantries. Danielo confides his mission of vengeance to the fair unknown. But when he recognizes in the queen the woman he adores he is powerless to carry out his intention of slaying her. He is arrested by order of the Cardinal for failing to keep his pact. The Queen signs her abdication and hopes to fly with her lover, but the Cardinal condemns both to the headsman's block.

LE CHEMINEAU
THE WAYFARER

Opera by Xavier Leroux with a libretto by Jean Richepin, performed for the first time in America at New Orleans in 1911.

A jovial wayfarer dallies with Toinette, one of the pretty girls working on a farm in Normandy. He loves her and goes his way. In despair Toinette marries François. The wayfarer's child, Toinet, is born. Years later when François has become a hopeless invalid, Toinet woos Aline, the daughter of Pierre, a surly neighbour, who doubting the youth's origin refuses his consent to the match. Suddenly the wayfarer reappears. François expires, after commending Toinette to the care of her former lover. But the call of the open road is too strong. The wayfarer refuses to contemplate domesticity. Once more he takes his well-worn hat and goes out into the storm.

LE VIEIL AIGLE
THE OLD EAGLE

The scene of the story is a rocky coast in the Crimea. The time, the fourteenth century. The Khan Asvezel Moslain informs his son Tolak, who has just returned from a successful campaign against the Russians, that great preparations have been made to celebrate his return. But the young man is sad and replies that he only seeks forgetfulness in death. He asks his father to grant him the dearest wish of his heart and confesses his love for the Khan's favourite slave Zina. The old man consents to give her to his son, but when he orders the girl to follow Tolak she refuses to do so. The Khan, wishing to retain his son's love, throws the disobedient slave into the sea, but as this far from restores harmony between the generations the old man follows her to her watery grave.

Modern German and Bohemian Opera

ST. ELIZABETH

Although the score of "Saint Elizabeth" is dedicated to Wagner's benefactor, Ludwig II. of Bavaria, the Grand Duke Alexander of Weimar was responsible for the fact that Liszt undertook a setting of a poem on this subject by Otto Roquette. This poem was inspired by a series of frescoes by Moritz Schwind at the Wartburg, which tells the story of Elizabeth's sad life. The daughter of a Hungarian king of the thirteenth century, she was brought to the Wartburg at the age of four and betrothed to the boy, Ludwig, son of the Landgrave of Thuringia. The children were reared as brother and sister, and at seventeen Elizabeth was married to Ludwig who succeeded to the throne.

A famine came upon the land. Elizabeth impoverished herself by helping the poor, and incurred the displeasure of her mother-in-law. Forbidden to give any further aid to the victims of the famine, she was one day found by her husband carrying a basket. She declared that it was filled with flowers. When he tore it from her hands a miracle had happened, and the bread and wine had changed into roses. Then she confessed her deception which was atoned for by the miracle. The two after offering a prayer of thanksgiving renew their vows.

Soon afterwards Ludwig joins a passing procession of crusaders. He is killed in battle with the Saracens and his wife becomes ruler of the Wartburg. Sophie, her mother-in-law, plots with the Seneschal and drives Elizabeth out with her children into a storm. She finds refuge in a hospital she once founded. The remainder of her life is devoted to assisting the helpless and the poor. The closing scene of the opera shows her apotheosis.

THE BARBER OF BAGDAD

Act I. Nureddin is ill, very ill his servants say. They must know very little of such youthful illnesses. Margiana calls the invalid in a dream. Margiana is the medicine that can cure him, Margiana, the marvellously glorious daughter of the mighty cadi, Baba Mustapha. And see how health reanimates Nureddin's limbs, when Bostana, a relative of the cadi, approaches and brings the sweet news that Margiana will wait for her lover about noon when her father has gone to prayers in the mosque. But the latter, in order to appear properly, needs above everything else a barber. And Bostana appoints—"O knowest thou, revered one, I find for you a learned one—the greatest of all barbers, Abdul Hassan Ali Ebn Bekar. He is great as a barber, a giant as a talker, swift his razor, a thousand times quicker his tongue."

Act II. A magnificent room in the cadi's house. What a stirring, harmonious picture. Margiana, Bostana, and the cadi rejoice: "He comes! he comes! oh, delightful pleasure." Of course the covetous old cadi is not thinking of young Nureddin but of the rich old Selim who wants to have Margiana for his wife. A mighty chest full of rich gifts, so he announces. But the cadi goes off full of dignity to prayers in the mosque. And now Nureddin comes. How happy the couple are. But is not that the barber approaching with his love-song? "O Allah, save us from the flood of his talk"—no, rather save us from the cadi who suddenly comes back. The screams of a servant, whom he is punishing with a bastonade by his own hand, announce his arrival. There is only one escape. Quickly the chest is emptied and Nureddin gets in. Then the barber with Nureddin's servant. Abdul Hassan Ali Ebn Bekar leaves no customers in the lurch. He who screamed can only be Nureddin whom the furious cadi has murdered. Bostana advises him to drag forth the chest; the cadi opposes. The wild clamour brings, in crowds, the people of Bagdad who hear rumours of a murder. Finally the caliph comes too. What is in the chest? Nureddin's corpse, says the barber; Margiana's dowry, answers the cadi. The chest is opened. The cadi is right, for Nureddin is not a corpse but only in a swoon because he was nearly smothered, but he is without doubt Margiana's dowry and he will become so publicly. A cadi cannot lightly oppose the wish of a caliph. The barber is seized but is ordered by the caliph to be taken to his palace to entertain him with stories.

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

This opera was produced at the Metropolitan Opera House in commemoration of Shakespeare in 1916. It was first sung in Mannheim in 1874, when it was known as "Die Widerspenstigen Zachmung." Mr. Bodanzky came to conduct at the Metropolitan Opera House, from that city, and the New York performance was perhaps the result of a suggestion made by him. Widmann in his libretto brings into prominence the wooing of Bianca by rival suitors. This is done to give relief to Petruchio's blustering and to the exhibitions of temper by the Shrew. The librettist also provides his own introduction which includes the rival suitors, a chorus of angry servants, interested women on the balcony, and Petruchio's entrance. The second act represents Petruchio's tempestuous wooing. In the third Bianca is courted by Lucentio as a tutor and Hortensio as a musician. The wedding party returns and Petruchio makes his hasty exit bearing his sulky bride. Servants and wedding guests provide an opportunity for chorus music. The tailor is introduced and Katharina is finally tamed.

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA

Act I. In Solomon's magnificent palace everybody is preparing for the reception of the Queen of Sheba. But nobody is more delighted than Sulamith, the daughter of the High Priest. Assad, who had gone to meet the foreign queen, returns. Here he comes already into the hall. But Assad, growing pale, draws back before his betrothed. He confesses to King Solomon that he has not yet seen the Queen of Sheba but at a certain well a wonderful woman favoured him with her love and since then his mind has been confused. The King consoles the young man by telling him that God will permit him to find her again. Now the queen's train approaches; she greets Solomon and unveils herself. Assad rushes toward her. What does the young man want of her? She does not know him.

Act II. The queen did not want to recognize Assad but the woman in her is consumed with longing for him. He comes and happy love unites them. Then the scene changes and shows the interior of the Temple. The wedding of Assad and Sulamith is about to be solemnized. Then, at a decisive moment the queen appears, and Assad throws the ring on the floor and hurries to the queen as if the deceit were making a fool of him. She has never seen him, she declares a second time. Assad, however, who has offended the Almighty, has incurred the penalty of death. In the meantime Solomon, who is examining the affair, defers sentence.

Act III. Solomon is alone with the queen. She has one request to make of him, that he shall release Assad. Why? He is nothing to her but she wants to see whether the king has regard for his guest. And Solomon refuses the request of the deceitful woman who, breathing vengeance, strides out of the palace. But when Sulamith complains, Solomon consoles her. Assad will shake off the unworthy chains. Far away on the borders of the desert, she will find peace with Assad.

Act IV. Again the scene changes. On the border of the desert stands the asylum of the young women consecrated to God in which Sulamith has found rest from the deceitful world. Assad staggers hither; a weary, banished man. And again the Queen of Sheba appears before him offering him her love. But he flees from the false woman for whom he had sacrificed Sulamith, the noble one. A desert storm arises, burying Assad in the sand. When the sky becomes clear again Sulamith, taking a walk with her maidens, finds her lover. She pardons the dying man and points out to him the eternal joys which they will taste together.

THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH

Act II. A garden. May and Tackleton are supping together. John makes Tackleton jealous of the stranger, Edward, who, seeing that May is only marrying Tackleton because his wealth will save her old foster-father from want, reveals his identity to Dot. Tackleton now makes John jealous of Edward, but John is lulled to sleep by the Cricket, and dreams of himself as a happy father.

Act III. May resolves to be true to Edward. Recognizing him (after his song, "Hulla, list to the Seas"), they drive off in Tackleton's carriage. John is told of Dot's secret. Reconciliation, with the Cricket chirping merrily. There is much pretty music (for instance, the quintet on the hearth in the second act, and Edward's song), which, however, has not sufficed to keep the piece in the repertoire in this country.

KÖNIGSKINDER
KING’S CHILDREN

A king's daughter forced to act as a goose-girl in a forest, by an old witch who has cast a spell upon her, is discovered and loved by a king's son. Though she returned his love and would gladly go with him she finds that she cannot break the spell which holds her a prisoner in the forest. Leaving the crown at her feet the prince continues his wanderings. No sooner has he gone than a broom-maker and a wood-chopper guided by a wandering minstrel come to the witch's hut. They are ambassadors from the city of Hellabrunn which has been so long without a sovereign that the people themselves feel sadly in need of a government. The ambassadors ask the witch who this ruler shall be and by what signs the people may recognize him. The witch answers that their ruler will be the first person who enters the gates of the city after the bells have rung the hour of noon on the following day, which is the day of the festival of Hella. The minstrel notices the beautiful goose-girl and recognizes her to be of royal birth. He breaks the spell of the witch and forces her to give the lovely maiden into his keeping. He persuades her to break the enchantment and defy the evil powers by which she has been bound.

The prince, meanwhile, is at Hellabrunn, acting as a swineherd. The innkeeper's daughter loves the handsome young man but he proudly repulses her advances. He dreams of the goose-girl. The innkeeper's daughter revenges herself by proclaiming him a thief. As he is about to be led away to prison the bells announce the hour of the festival, and the gates are thrown open in expectation of the new ruler. Through the gates comes the goose-girl, wearing her wreath of flowers and followed by her geese and the minstrel. The lovers embrace. But only the minstrel and a little child recognize their royal rank. The townspeople, thinking that their sovereign would appear in royal regalia, drive the kings' children from the city, burn the witch, and break the minstrel's leg on a wheel.

The two lovers lose their way in a forest as the snow falls. They both die of a poisoned loaf made by the witch. The children of Hellabrunn, guided by a bird, find them buried under the same tree under which they had first met.

HÄNSEL UND GRETEL

Morning comes with the third act. The dew fairy sprinkles dew on the children. Suddenly they notice a little house made of cake and sugar. They start to break off little bits when a voice cries out from within and the witch opens the door. She throws a rope around Hänsel's throat, urging them both to enter. Frightened, they try to escape, but after binding them with a magic spell she imprisons Hänsel in a kennel, she forces Gretel to go into the house.

When she believes Hänsel to be asleep she turns her attention to the oven, then rides around the house on her broom-stick. When she alights she orders Hänsel to show her his finger. But it is still thin and the witch orders more food for him. While she turns her back, Gretel, seizing the juniper bough, speaks the magic words and breaks her brother's enchantment. Then the witch tells Gretel to get into the oven and see if the honey cakes are done. But Gretel pretends to be stupid and asks her to show her how to get in. Together the children push the old witch into the oven and slam the door. The oven soon falls to pieces. The children then see a row of boys and girls standing stiffly against the house. Gretel breaks the spell for them as she had done for Hänsel. There is general rejoicing. Gertrude and Peter now appear, the old witch is pulled out of the ruined oven as gigantic honey cake and everyone on the stage joins in a hymn of thanksgiving.

THE GOLDEN CROSS

Act I. The town of Melun is suffering heavily from the great campaign which Napoleon is undertaking against Russia in 1812, so many of the young men must take the field. Among the hardest hit are Thérèse and Christine, the first a bride, the other a beloved sister. Their Colas has been taken away; if he can find no substitute he must go to the war. Sergeant Bombardon, who is to take away the drafted men, is already in town with his soldiers. At the same time as the sergeant, a young nobleman, Gontran de l'Anery, arrives. He hears that Christine has promised her hand to the man who goes to war in place of her brother. She will give him a golden cross and when he brings it back will be his bride. But no one has the desire to expose himself to the hazards of war. Then Gontran, seized by a violent love, decides to take Colas' place. Through the sergeant he sends for the cross. Christine does not know who has offered himself for her brother.

Act II. Three years have passed. In the house of the innkeeper Colas, now as brave as before, having been wounded in battle with the invading enemy, Captain Gontran finds himself received as a severely wounded person. He loves his nurse Christine with all his heart and she also is attached to him. He even has a claim upon her as having been once a substitute for her brother, but he will not force her affections, and besides, he no longer has "the golden cross." Christine too dares not follow her inclinations for, as Gontran tells her that it was he who went to the war, she would offend him very much if she, true to her oath, should ask for the cross. This also reappears. A cripple, in whom one would scarcely recognize the former stalwart Sergeant Bombardon, is the bearer. Christine's heart nearly breaks, but she does not hesitate to keep her word. But no! Bombardon is not an impostor. He got the cross from a dying man. Yet, who is this? Dare he trust his eyes? The man whom he believed dead comes out of the house. It is Gontran. What happiness for the two lovers!

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