Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

hiding until the danger shall have passed, but her lover nobly declares he must warn his
companions in the faith, and with a last passionate embrace he rushes forth as the great bell toIls
out the signal for the massacre to begin. In the last act the horrors of the massacre are depicted,
and Raoul, having warned those of his friends whom he could reach, is about to enter a chapel
where a number of them are concealed, when he is joined by his old servant, Marcel, who brings
the news that De Nevers has been killed. As they speak together Valentina comes to them,
beseeching her lover once more to accept her help in escaping the dreadful fate before him; but
finding Raoul firmly resolved to remain faithful to his religion and suffer with his Huguenot
brethren she determines to remain with him, and accepts his belief. As the lovers kneel down to
pray for strength old Marcel solemnly joins their hands and blesses them, and at this moment they
are discovered by a party of the Catholic soldiery, headed by St Bris, who gives the order for them
to be shot down at sight, not knowing that his own fair daughter is amongst them. Raoul and
Valentina fall dead in each others arms, Marcel dropping beside them; and the opera closes with
the frantic grief of St Bris on discovering that his beloved child has been slain by his own
misdirected zeal.
104. THE PROPHET
Grand Opera in Five Acts By Giacomo Meyerbeer
Libretto By Scribe
First Produced Paris, April, 1849
Chief Characters Fides, Bertha, John of Leyden, Count Oberthal, Zacarie, Gione, Mathisen
THE action takes place in Holland and Germany, in the time of the rise of the Anabaptists, in
1534. John, a citizen of Leyden, is betrothed to Bertha, a vassal of Count Oberthal; and as the
maiden cannot be taken to Leyden without the consent of the Count, she prepares to make her
request, accompanied by Fides, the mother of John. At this time the Anabaptists, headed by their
leaders, Gione, Zacarie and Mathisen, stir up an insurrection in Holland, and incite the peasants on
the estates of Count Oberthal to rise against their lord. They attack the Counts castle, but are
unsuccessful. Fides and Bertha now appear before the Count with their request for the maiden to
proceed to Leyden to be united to her betrothed; but the Count is struck by the beauty of Bertha,
and being seized with a sudden passion for her, he refuses to grant her request, and causes her to
be retained as a captive, together with Fides.
In Act 2 John of Leyden is discovered in an inn by the Anabaptists, who are greatly impressed by
his likeness to the traditional paintings of the Hebrew King, David; and on learning also that he is
somewhat of a mystic and believes himself to have visions, they show him great reverence, and
entreat him to become their leader, promising him great power and even regal honours. John,
however, has only thought for his beloved Bertha at this time, and refuses to listen to their
persuasions; and at this moment he is alarmed by the entrance of Bertha, who has made her escape
from the castle and seeks protection. John thrusts her into hiding only a moment before the
entrance of Count Oberthal, who, furious at his disappointed passion, demands the lover to
instantly give up the girl, threatening to kill his mother, Fides, whom he has brought with him,
unless his order is obeyed. John is now torn between his filial love for his mother and his passion
for the beautiful Bertha, but finally he agrees to save his mothers life, and so yields up the weeping