Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

sent to tempt him from is enterprise, but he overcomes all, and dashing through the flames
awakens the sleeping war-maiden with a kiss. The pair instantly fall in love with each other,
Sigurds transitory feeling for Hilda fadiug b efore his great passion; but he remembers his promise
to Gunther and, restraining his feelings, he leads he beautiful Brunnhilde away, keeping a drawn
word between them.
In Act 3 Brunnhilde has been brought in Gunthers palace garden in a deep sleep, and when she
awakens and finds Gunther at her side she accepts his protestations of love, believing him to be the
hero who rescued her. Their betrothal is announced, and at the same time Sigurd claims Hilda, still
determining to keep faith with his friend. But when Brunnhilde, at Gunthers desire, places Hildas
hand in that of Sigurd, her own fingers touch those of the hero and, being thrilled by the touch, she
knows that it is Sigurd whom she loves and who loves her. In the fourth act, therefore, she is
shown stricken with a strange sickness, which is, however, only her passionate and unsatisfied
love for Sigurd; and when Hilda approaches her, wearing a girdle which Sigurd had taken from
her when he awakened her on the rock, a passionate altercation takes place between the pair.
Brunnhilde, by means of a magic charm of her own, obtains the entire love of Sigurd; and
Gunther, now furiously jealous of the hero, whom he declares has played him false, invites him to
go hunting, intending to kill him. Hilda reveals this to Brunnhilde and offers to prevent this deed
of violence if the Valkyrie will renounce the love of the hero; but, even as they confer, the murder
has taken place, and as Sigurds body is brought in and placed upon a burning funeral pyre
Brunnhilde plunges into the flames and perishes beside her dead lover.
133. CRISPINO
Fairy Opera Comique in Three Acts By Luigi Ricci
Libretto By Piave
First Produced Venice, 1850
Chief Characters Annetta, a Fairy, Crispino, Dr Fabrizio
ACT 1 introduces us to Crispino, a poor cobbler, who has such difficulty in making both ends
meet that his loving wife, Annetta, helps to bring in a few coppers by singing ballads in the streets.
Although so poor, however, the pair are happy in their love and their children; but at last things get
so bad that Crispino determines to end his life. He is about to drown himself when a fairy
suddenly appears and, giving him a large gift of gold, bids him set up as a doctor, in which
profession he is bound to work wonderful cures, if only he is careful to see that she herself is
nowhere about when he is giving advice. The delighted Crispino follows out the instructions
given, and in Act 2 he is seen as a famous physician working wonderful cures and making a great
fortune. The other doctors of the place are, of course, jealous of his sudden and strange success,
and there are many amusing scenes with them. His sudden change from poverty to wealth,
however, spoils the temper and character of the one-time cobbler, and he grows proud and
snobbish, and when the gentle Annetta invites his old friends to the new fine house he disdains to
recognise them, and turns them all out. This brings on him the disapproval of his fairy
benefactress, who, in Act 3, takes him to her secret cave and tells him that he must prepare for
death in a very short time. The cobbler begs for at least one little half-hour longer in which to bid
farewell to his wife and children, thus proving that his natural loving nature is still stronger than