Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

the convent as a brother and re-nouncing his foolish juggling for ever. Jean at first declares
himself loth to renounce his liberty, for he is still young and loves the beauties of nature, and also
has a real affection for the poor trappings of his trade; but on presently seeing the monk-cook,
Boni-face, carrying generous fare into the Abbey for the brethren, the pangs of hunger make him
accept the asylum offered. He manages, however, to conceal his juggling baggage and his beloved
hurdy-gurdy in a safe hiding-place; and then he enters the Abbey, eager for his expected meal. Act
2 opens in the studio of the Abbey, where the monks are all busily engaged with some special
work for the Virgin; for it is the morning of the Assumption. The Sculptor Monk has completed a
beautiful statue of the Virgin, which the Painter Monk is tinting; and the poet has composed a holy
song, which the Musician bas set to music, and the other brethren are engaged in singing it. All are
happy and busy, except Jean, who sits disconsolate and uncomfortable in his unaccustomed robes,
grieving because he has nothing to offer to the Virgin, and cannot even join in the songs and
prayers to her, since he does not understand Latin. The Artist Monks each offer to teach him their
own particular art; but they squabble so loudly as to which is the highest art, that Jean is glad
when the Prior calls them away to bring their offerings to the Chapel for dedication. The kindly
Boniface remains behind to relate a fable to the despondent Jean, in which the humblest action and
offering is stated to be acceptable to the Virgin, if offered sincerely as the best the giver has to
offer. These words bring comfort to poor Jean, who declares be would die happy if the Virgin
would only bless him and accept a humble offering from him; and he now secretly determines to
make the only offering he can, and which is of his best his juggler's entertainment. He therefore
goes cautiously to his hiding-place and brings forth his juggler's baggage; and having attired
himself in his old beloved dress, he bows before the statue of the Virgin, and begins his
entertainment of song and dance, offering it with true sincerity, and gradually working himself up
into a state of feverish excitement and exaltation. The Prior and monks presently appear, and are
scandalised at what they consider to be a piece of sacrilege; but as they are held in check by the
gentle Boniface, the sound of angel singing is heard, and an apparition of the Virgin is seen,
extending her hand in blessing over the head of the juggler, in token of her acceptance of his gift,
which the angelic voices announce has opened to him the gates of Heaven. The monks, no longer
proud of their own achievements, now kneel before the blessed and honoured Jean, who at first
does not realise what has happened, but is only full of joy because he now understands the Latin
song of triumph which the monks have raised. When, however, he beholds the Virgin mounting
towards the sky, with her hand still held in blessing over him, he is filled with joyful ecstasy; and,
overcome with the effort he has just made to give of his best, he falls back dying, with a smile of
peace upon his face, whilst the angel voices are heard once more giving welcome to the humble
juggler, whose sin-cerity of heart has gained for him the joys of Heaven.
96. THE KING OF LAHORE
Romantic Opera in Five Acts By Jules Emile Frederic Massenet
Libretto By Luigi Gallet
First Produced Paris, April, 1877
Chief Characters Nair, Aiim (King of Lahore), Scindia, Timour the High Priest
THE scene is laid in India. Alim, the young King of Lahore, has fallen in love with Nair, a
beautiful priestess in the Temple of Indra, who, though sworn to the life of a vestal, cannot restrain