Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

etween the Catholics and Huguenots is nearing its dreadful close. Raoul de Nangis, a young
Protestant nobleman, has been invited to a festival in the house of the Count de Nevers, a Catholic
gentleman, and during the revels he describes his meeting with a beautiful lady whom he rescued
recently from the insults of a crowd of unruly students, and with whom he has fallen in love, not
knowing her name. As the feast proceeds a mysterious, veiled lady arrives and asks for an
interview with De Nevers; and as the pair retire to the garden Raoul is shocked and grieved to see
that the lady is his own beautiful unknown, whom he thus believes to be a person of bad character.
The lady is in reality Valentina de St Bris, the betrothed of De Nevers, and she has come to beg
him to release her, as she has fallen in love with the gallant young stranger who rescued her from
insult recently. De Nevers, though much grieved, grants her request, and then returns to his
friends. A second interruption shortly follows, this being caused by the entrance of Urbane, the
favourite page of Marguerite de Valois, who brings a message from his royal mistress inviting
Raoul to visit her at Court, as she desires to speak with him. The guests are all amazed that the
somewhat despised young Protestant should receive such marked favour, and they treat him with
increased respect. The next scene takes place in Marguerite de Valois apartments, where the royal
lady informs Raoul that she has arranged a marriage for him with a Catholic lady, wishing thereby
to cement the pre tended good feeling between the two contending parties; and Raoul, believing
his own love affair at an end, and thinking it his duty to help the Protestant cause thus, agrees to
carry out the august ladys wishes. When, however, he is introduced to the lady who is to be his
bride, and he discovers she is none other than his fair and - as he imagines - false unknown, he
refuses point-blank to wed with her.
Valentina is filled with grief, and her father, the Count de St Bris, furious at the insult offered his
daughter, challenges Raoul, the scene ending in great confusion. Valentina is now commanded by
her father to marry De Nevers, who is attached to her; and the unhappy girl, full of grief at the
insult offered her by Raoul, whom she loves, and believes still loves her, though compelled to
acquiesce, begs to be permitted to pass the night in the chapel, that she may pray there in peace.
Meanwhile St Bris has been persuaded to lay a plot for the assassination of Raoul, when he comes
for the duel arranged between them; but Valentina overhears this plot, and finds means to send
Raouls servant, old Marcel, to warn his master. Marcel is too late, however, to prevent Raoul
keeping his appointment; and the young man is surrounded by the plotters and about to lose his
life when Marguerite de Valois herself happens to pass with her retinue and rescues Raoul from
further danger. Valentina now issues from the chapel, and explanations follow, by which Raoul is
overjoyed to learn the real reason for his loved ones visit to De Nevers on the night of the feast,
and to realise that she returns the passion he himself has conceived for her. He begs her to accept
him as her suitor, but he is again plunged into despair by the appearance of St Bris, who
announces that his daughters nuptials with De Nevers are about to be celebrated, the latter
stepping forward and leading away his reluctant and weeping bride. Raoul, however, is determined
to see his beloved one once again, and that night - the fateful Eve of St Bartholomew-he visits her
in De Nevers mansion. Even whilst the lovers are in each others arms a party of Catholic
conspirators approach for purposes of settling details of the massacre which is to take place that
night; and the terrified Valentina conceals Raoul behind the tapestry. The Catholic leaders enter
and arrange their plans for the slaughtering of the Huguenots on the tolling of the great bell at
midnight, the noble De Nevers alone refusing to join in the dreadful work, and when they have
departed to be in readiness the lovers come forth, horrified at what they have heard. Valentina
implores Raoul not to venture forth into the streets again that night, promising to keep him in