Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

More documents

Recommendations

Info

favour since he once saved her life. In order to escape the unwelcome attentions of the sheriff, Germaine engages herself as a servant to the young Marquis; and she persuades Jean and Serpolette to join her as companions. The Marquis, on introducing his three new servants to the château, determines to fathom the mystery of the supposed ghost; and after a grand search at midnight, after the ringing of the bells, they discover old Gaspard, the Miser, who has been using one of the rooms as a store place for his ill-gotten gains, having found a secret way into the closed castle. The discovery of his hiding-place drives him half-crazy for the time being. Some papers are now found, giving information as to treasures in the château belonging to a lost heiress; and all points to the fact that Serpolette is the missing heiress. When the Marquis presently gives a grand ball to his tenants, Serpolette therefore appears in the garb of a great lady. Germaine is also there, and she and the Marquis fall in love with one another and agree to marry. Old Gaspard now comes forward, his reason having returned, and confesses that it is Germaine who is the missing heiress, and that she is a Marchioness in her own right; also that the treasure he has hoarded is hers. Germaine, therefore, comes into her fortune and title, and marries the Marquis; and she keeps the merry Serpolette with her as her companion. 125. THE VAGABOND AND THE PRINCESS <strong>Opera</strong> in One Act By E. Poldini Libretto By A. E. Seligman (Adapted from one of Hans Andersens Fairy Tales Chief) Characters The Princess, The Prince, The King, The Ambassador, The Court Astrologer THE scene opens in the garden before the Kings palace. The King and the Princess are seated on thrones upon the terrace, surrounded by their courtiers; and before them stands the Ambassador from the Prince of Pallagonia with his suite. The Ambassador brings an offer of marriage from his royal master, who, having once seen the fair Princess, has fallen in love with her, and desires to make her his Queen; and as his lovers gifts he has sent to her a rose-bush crowded with exquisite blooming roses - the symbols of love-and a poem he has written, in which he bids the roses reveal to her by their beauty and sweetness the message of his burning love and devotion for the mistress of his heart. The Ambassador calls upon a minstrel in his suite to step forth and sing his masters love-song; and the troubadour - who is the Prince himself in disguise - sings the beautiful song of love with all the fervour and depth of a true devotion. The courtiers express great admiration of the roses and the song; but the Princess, who, though fair, is proud and unappreciative of true beauty, disdains the offering which has been made to her, and, declaring the roses and the song to be " shabby gifts," declines to accept a suitor who has nothing better to offer her. She therefore departs with her ladies, leaving the Ambassador and the rejected suitor in a state of amazement. The young Prince, realising that the haughty Princess is unworthy of his love, now determines to be even with her by humbling her pride, and at the same time to teach her the folly of despising the beautiful gift of love, which she shall now court in vain. He therefore procures a puppet-show, and disguising himself as a gipsy showman he again enters the palace gardens at dusk, accompanied by his Ambassador, also similarly disguised, who plays a hurdy-gurdy. The Princess and her ladies have been laughing together over the humble gifts brought by the Ambassador, and are now playing at " Blindmans Buff"; but hearing the sound of the hurdy-gurdy they hasten to the garden wall, and cry out with delight at the sight of the marionette show. Eager for a change of amusement, the Princess bids the gipsy bring his puppet-show into the garden and perform before
her. The disguised Prince obeys with alacrity; and the play he makes his puppets act is a picture of his own experiences, and is as follows : The shepherdess, Phyllis, is beloved by two shepherds. As she sleeps on the grass, the sincere lover, Philidor, awakens her with a kiss, offering her his devoted heart; but she rejects him, and sends him away with a box on the ear. Then Punchinello appears, and awakens her by striking the ground with his wand; and she is delighted with all the foolish pranks he plays before her, and, accepting his admiration, lets him kiss her. The two suitors then meet and fight a duel, in which both fall dead; and when Phyllis appears and sees the tragedy which has taken place, and realises that she has lost both lovers, she falls dead beside the two. This is the end of the play; and the Princess, not perceiving the lesson it has for herself, is so delighted that she desires to buy the show. The gipsy, however, refuses all offers of money for his show, and declares he will only sell it for one hundred kisses from the Princess. The royal maiden is most indignant at his daring to ask such terms, and refuses the offer at first; but when the gipsy prepares to depart, her longing for the toys is so great that she calls him back, and declares she will give him the payment he requires. The pretended showman thereupon returns, and bids the ladies count the salutes and not cheat him of his dues; and the toll of the kisses begins, and proceeds to the increasing joy of the Princess, who feels her heart strangely stirred for the first time. It has now grown dark; and presently the King and his attendants appear on the terrace above with torches; and the King is so enraged and disgusted at beholding his daughter in the arms of a vagabond gipsy, whose kisses she is accepting so willingly, that he Casts her off for ever, and declares she shall never darken his doors again. As the King and his attendants. retire into the palace the Princess remains alone, weeping; and then the vagabond, stripping off his outer rags, reveals himself in his true character as the Prince of Pallagonia, and scornfully tells her that by refusing his gifts of song and roses, which told the story of his true love for her, and by showing herself willing to let a mere vagabond kiss her for the sake of securing a worthless toy, she has forfeited his love and regard for ever, since he now has only contempt for her. He then proudly walks out through the gate, and, too late, the Princess realises that through her own haughty scorn of a lovers true offering she has lost love and home and rank; and as she wanders forth from her fathers palace, an outcast, she sadly plucks off a bloom from the once-despised rose-bush and kisses it tenderly in remembrance of the love which is now lost to her for ever. 126. LA GIOCONDA <strong>Opera</strong> in Four Acts By Amilcare Ponchielli Libretto By Tobic Garrio (Adapted from Victor Hugo's Drama, "The Tyrant of Syracuse") First Produced Milan, April, 1876 Chief Characters Gioconda, Laura, La Cieca, Emzo, Barnaba, Aloise THE action takes place in Venice in the seventeenth century. In Act 1 a great festival is taking place; and as the revellers wander forth from the Dukes palace, the Inquisitors spy, Barnaba, comes forth. He is in love with a beautiful maiden, Gioconda; and when she presently appears with her blind mother, La Cieca, he endeavours to seize her, and declares his violent love for her. Gioconda, however, repulses him, for she is in love with Enzo, whom she knows only as a young noble, but who is in reality the exiled Prince of Santifior. Barnaba, enraged at Giocondas coldness, accuses her mother of witchcraft, and an angry crowd
Page 1 and 2:
TWO HUNDRED OPERA PLOTS By Gladys D
Page 3 and 4:
56. Iphigenia in Aulis 57. Iphigeni
Page 5 and 6:
Offenbach 118. La Belle Hélène Pa
Page 7 and 8:
Wagner (Richard) 180. The Flying Du
Page 9 and 10:
Madame de la Tour, and wishing to p
Page 11 and 12:
his suspicions thus confirmed, and
Page 13 and 14:
7. THE CROWN DIAMONDS Opera Comique
Page 15 and 16:
challenges the Marquis to fight wit
Page 17 and 18:
Bertrand; and the unhappy young wif
Page 19 and 20:
they desire in order to compromise
Page 21 and 22:
had two sons. At the opening of the
Page 23 and 24:
circumstance a means of avenging he
Page 25 and 26:
establish his identity. When the Ca
Page 27 and 28:
Romantic Opera in One Act By George
Page 29 and 30:
ings forth the hidden treasure, tog
Page 31 and 32:
Libretto By Mosenthal, adapted from
Page 33 and 34:
26. ODYSSEUS' RETURN Grand Opera in
Page 35 and 36:
y Despoina, who has managed to esca
Page 37 and 38:
insults upon her, she is unable to
Page 39 and 40:
ing the lady to be La Duclos, they
Page 41 and 42:
lovers, asks the irate father to co
Page 43 and 44:
35. THE KING HAS SAID IT Opera Comi
Page 45 and 46:
moment,. the angry Nilakantha appea
Page 47 and 48:
partner, and willingly hands her ov
Page 49 and 50:
takes her to some luxurious rooms,
Page 51 and 52:
amongst the guests, and has also sw
Page 53 and 54:
Court, where he sees Lady Henrietta
Page 55 and 56:
First Produced Dresden, October, 18
Page 57 and 58:
50. NANON Opera Comique in Three Ac
Page 59 and 60:
part). Elizabeth is horrorstruck at
Page 61 and 62:
condemned to death. He has, however
Page 63 and 64:
obtained the love she craved for, t
Page 65 and 66:
Grand Opera in Three Acts By Christ
Page 67 and 68:
stand with his sweetheart, May. The
Page 69 and 70:
plot having been evolved by the lib
Page 71 and 72:
Gringoire suddenly appears with Pho
Page 73 and 74:
with remorse and grief, since her l
Page 75 and 76:
Bertram becomes more jealous of him
Page 77 and 78:
calling himself Samuel, and thus ma
Page 79 and 80: eloved ones are in greater danger t
Page 81 and 82: 74 THE FOLKUNGS Grand Opera in Five
Page 83 and 84: elease of the noble prisoner; and F
Page 85 and 86: 78. MAIA Opera in Three Acts By R.
Page 87 and 88: First Produced Hamburg, 1846 Chief
Page 89 and 90: Here he sees Undine, a lovely but m
Page 91 and 92: victim; and whilst the flames leap
Page 93 and 94: defend her; and though Brian, now r
Page 95 and 96: 88. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA Tragic Ope
Page 97 and 98: trick which has been played upon hi
Page 99 and 100: is overlooked by the King, who best
Page 101 and 102: the convent as a brother and re-nou
Page 103 and 104: since he has the means to provide h
Page 105 and 106: Chief Characters Charlotte, Sophia,
Page 107 and 108: two of the inhabitants, a male and
Page 109 and 110: etween the Catholics and Huguenots
Page 111 and 112: and despairing Bertha to the tyrant
Page 113 and 114: lovers. 106. THE STAR OF THE NORTH
Page 115 and 116: 108. MUGUETTE Opera Comique in Four
Page 117 and 118: fact that he is pursued by another
Page 119 and 120: however, their trials are not over,
Page 121 and 122: determination to die rather than be
Page 123 and 124: himself an arrant coward. The situa
Page 125 and 126: good looks and gallant bearing of a
Page 127 and 128: In Act 2 we are taken to Venice, wh
Page 129: it to the test. When he has gone, R
Page 133 and 134: First Produced Turin, February, 189
Page 135 and 136: jealous anger of her rough friends
Page 137 and 138: husband, and trustfully expecting h
Page 139 and 140: 131. LA TOSCA Tragic Opera in Three
Page 141 and 142: sent to tempt him from is enterpris
Page 143 and 144: her transitory suspicions, and next
Page 145 and 146: character, and is herself leading a
Page 147 and 148: shackles of Rome and proclaims hims
Page 149 and 150: Opera in Three Acts By Max Schillin
Page 151 and 152: Chief Characters Mary, Agnes Micha,
Page 153 and 154: 146. JESSONDA Opera in Three Acts B
Page 155 and 156: een sentenced to a weeks imprisonme
Page 157 and 158: 151. THE QUEENS LACE HANDKERCHIEF O
Page 159 and 160: chamber window she listens to his p
Page 161 and 162: lineage, they are desperately poor
Page 163 and 164: Comic Opera in Two Acts By Sir Arth
Page 165 and 166: Chief Characters Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sin
Page 167 and 168: everyday young man " at once, on pa
Page 169 and 170: disguise, however, is presently pen
Page 171 and 172: considerations of rank, wealth or a
Page 173 and 174: Leonard, who manages to slip out of
Page 175 and 176: In Act 5 the funeral procession of
Page 177 and 178: in this beautiful and charming lady
Page 179 and 180: a plan to elope with the willing El
Page 181 and 182:
him. Adelia, on searching for the m
Page 183 and 184:
and he bribes Sparafucile, a bravo,
Page 185 and 186:
prisoner and thrust into a dungeon
Page 187 and 188:
scheming Telramund, whom he defeats
Page 189 and 190:
183. PARSIFAL Sacred Festival Music
Page 191 and 192:
Loving One who shall crush his own
Page 193 and 194:
symbol of Evil; and in revenge for
Page 195 and 196:
leaping flames-to be awakened by th
Page 197 and 198:
as they exultingly carry it away a
Page 199 and 200:
from Brangaena, and come at once to
Page 201 and 202:
match, unable to conquer her passio
Page 203 and 204:
THE story is founded on an old Germ
Page 205 and 206:
fearing she has been deceived. When
Page 207 and 208:
to be Chief Ranger, but also covets
Page 209 and 210:
First Produced Berlin, March, 1821
Page 211 and 212:
Aïda Verdi Alceste Gluck Amber Wit
Page 213 and 214:
Gioconda, La Ponchielli Gipsy Baron
Page 215 and 216:
Mikado, The Sullivan Moloch Schilli
Page 217:
Trumpeter of Säkkingen, The Nessle
show all

Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?