Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

Chief Characters Mary, Agnes Micha, Esmeralda, Mother Kruschina, Hans, Wenzel, Kezul, Father
Kruschina
THE action takes place in a Bohemian village, where Mary, daughter of a rich peasant, Kruschina,
has been promised by her parents to a bridegroom whom she has never seen. The marriage was
arranged by the professional match-maker, Kezul, who has persuaded Kruschina to wed his
daughter to Wenzel, the son of the wealthy farmer, Micha, by a second wife. When farmer Micha
married again, his elder son, Hans, not liking the stepmother, ran away from home, and has long
been regarded as dead. He is, however, alive; and in the guise of a humble servant has arrived in
the village where the Kruschinas dwell, and has fallen in love with the charming Mary, who
declares she will marry none other but the handsome, though seemingly poor, Hans. This upsets
Kezuls arrangements very much; but Father Kruschina insists nevertheless that his daughter shall
marry the rich suitor, Wenzel. The latter is, however, but a foolish boor; and when he arrives at
last in person, and Mary scolds him roundly for daring to aspire to the hand of a girl who loves
another man, he is so alarmed by her flashing glances that he promises to leave her alone,
especially when she confuses him further by teasing and flirting with him. Hans in the meantime
has been lectured by the disturbed match-maker, Kezul, who wishes him to pay no further
attention to Mary; and he at first flatly refuses to give her up. But when Kezul announces that he is
wooing Mary for " Michas son," he decides to play a merry trick on the mercenary old meddler.
He therefore agrees that " Michas son " shall certainly wed Mary; and he even signs a contract to
that effect. In Act 3 a troupe of strolling players and acrobats are amusing the villagers; and the
stupid Wenzel /is so amazed and impressed by their antics that he leaves his half-hearted wooing
to watch them. He falls in love with the spangled dancer, Esmeralda; and when the master of the
troupe offers him the post of dancing bear in his company he very gladly accepts it, so that he may
be near the coquettish E Esmeralda, whose hand is also promised him as an additional inducement.
When, therefore, Farmer Micha and his wife appear on the scene with the wedding contract,
Wenzel flatly refuses to sign it, and rushes away. Mary now is in distress not because of the
disappearance of her boorish wooer, but because she believes her beloved Hans to be false, since
he has consented to give her up to " Michas son." Presently, however, Hans appears,. and is
recognised at once as the long-lost son of Farmer Micha, who receives him gladly, and willingly
consents to allow him to marry Mary, promising to provide him with ample means of support in
his married life. Kruschina also readily consents to give his daughter to Michas eldest son,. since,
when the foolish Wenzel presently appears in his ridiculous garb as a dancing bear, he is too
disgusted to desire him as a son-in-law any longer. Agnes Micha, the stepmother, is angry at the
failure of her stupid son to make a desirable marriage; and the match-maker, Kezul, is also
disappointed of his expected reward. But the rest of the parties concerned are very well satisfied;
and the scene ends with the rejoicings attending upon the union of Mary with " Michas son,"
whom she is glad enough to wed, when he turns out to be her beloved Hans.
145. A BASSO PORTO (AT THE LOWER
HARBOUR)
Opera in Three Acts By Niccola Spinelli
Libretto By Eugene Checchi