Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

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106. THE STAR OF THE NORTH
Grand Opera in Three Acts By Giacomo Meyerbeer
Libretto By Scribe
First Produced Paris, February, 1854
Chief Characters Catharine, Prascovia, Peter (The Czar), Danilowitz, George, Gritzensko
THE scene is laid in Wyborg, Finland, and in the Czars palace. Peter, the Czar, disguised as a
carpenter, is working in the shipyards in Wyborg for purposes of seeking certain information firsthand.
Here he makes the acquaintance of Danilowitz, a baker, with whom he becomes great
friends; and he also falls in love with Catharine, a vivandière, who is a very beautiful maiden, with
great influence over all she comes in contact with. Her brother George is about to marry a village
maiden, Prascovia, when his wedding is interrupted by the arrival of some wild Cossacks and
Kalmucks, who would force the bridegroom to take service with them at once; but Catherine
arranges that George shall find a substitute within a certain time, and she also calms the angry
soldiery by revealing herself to them as the daughter of one who was formerly their priestess, and
who foretold for Catharine a dazzling future. Peter hears this and hopes to make the beautiful and
inspired girl his Empress in due course; but Catherine disappears, having disguised herself in male
attire and departed to serve in the army in the place of her brother, so that the latter may continue
his nuptials.
In Act 2 Peter is discovered in a tent with the army, still in disguise, and accompanied by
Danilowitz, whom he has persuaded to attend him by promising him promotion in the Czars
service, and Catharine is also there, in her soldiers dress, doing sentry duty. Peter and Danilowitz
grow hilarious and pay rough attentions to a couple of vivandières who are serving them, the
former anxious to keep up his disguise by copying the conduct of ordinary soldiers; and Catharine,
hearing the noise, peeps within the tent, being terribly grieved at beholding her beloved Peter
behaving in such a boorish manner, believing that he never could have had any love for her. She is
discovered by the corporal, who reprimands her for neglecting her duty, supposing her to be the
male recruit she appears; and Catharine, responding by an angry cuff, is chased by the corporal
and others of his companions until in despair she flings herself into the river. Meanwhile Peter has
been roused from his pretended revelry by a serious insurrection in the camp, and now revealing
himself as the Czar he quells the discontent and receives the loyal homage of all. He is, however,
plunged into the deepest grief on learning that Catharine has been near him in the garb of a recruit,
who is reported missing, having jumped into the river to escape the angry superior officer; and full
of grief he gives orders to Danilowitz to scour the country for the missing girl, refusing to believe
that she is drowned. Act 3 takes place in the palace of Peter, who has returned from the campaign
victorious, but very unhanpy because the one person he wished to share in his triumph is missing -
the lovely Catherine. In order to forget her he takes up his carpenters work again, and whilst
engaged in this humble work Dan ilowitz - whom he has raised to a high position - enters with the
joyful news that he has found Catherine, who has been rescued from the river by a country
woman. The poor girl has, however, lost her reason, owing to her recent danger and unhappy
feelings; and Peter is in despair again. Danilowitz, however, hits on the plan of trying to restore