Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

Leonard, who manages to slip out of the Tower unnoticed. Meanwhile a strolling jester, Jack
Point, arrives and sings and dances with his pretty gipsy companion, Elsie Maynard; and the latter
is so interested in the talk about the unfortunate Fairfax that she consents to gratify his last wish by
wedding him, on condition that they are both blindfolded and separate immediately after the
ceremony. She is therefore blindfolded and taken into the prisoners cell, where the marriage
ceremony is hastily performed, after which she returns to Jack Point, who is greatly relieved to see
her safely back; for the Jester loves Elsie, who, however, has only pity for his passion. Meryll now
endeavours to get the yeomans uniform into Fairfaxs cell so that he may join in the ranks; and as
the keys of his cell are in possession of Wilfred, an extremely dour jailer, Phoebe Meryll
undertakes to obtain them. Wilfred loves Phcebe, in spite of the latters saucy delight in teasing
him; but the merry maiden now encourages her gloomy sweethearts clumsy love-making, and
during the interview slyly abstracts the keys from his pocket unnoticed, returning them when the
deed is done. Fairfax dons the disguise which is thus brought to him, issues from his cell, and falls
into the ranks of the Yeomen of the Guard; and the scene ends with the discovery of his escape as
the executioner waits for him at the block.
In Act 2 Dame Carruthers, a comely widow, is seen scolding the jailer for the escape of the
prisoner; but as Wilfred moves sheepishly aside Jack Point, at Elsies instigation, persuades him to
fire his gun outside the courtyard and then return and announce that he has shot the escaped
prisoner dead - and as a reward Jack will teach him how to become a jester. Wilfred agrees, and
when the noise of the report has been heard with surprise, Wilfred hastens back and declares that
he has killed the escaped prisoner. Meanwhile Fairfax still mingles with the Yeomen; and from the
ranks he watches the beautiful gipsymaiden, Elsie, with ever-increasing interest, being strangely
thrilled on hearing Dame Carruthers gossiping that she believes Elsie to be the unknown maiden
who, blindfolded, married the prisoner before his escape. Seeing that Jack Point loves the girl,
however, he approaches her and tries to plead the Jesters cause with her; but before the end of the
interview he has fallen desperately in love with her himself, and is overjoyed to find his passion
returned. Matters are brought to a climax by the arrival of a belated pardon for Fairfax, who now
steps forward and reveals himself, claiming Elsie as his bride. Phoebe also now consents to marry
Wilfred, whilst Sergeant Meryll is captured by the buxom Dame Carruthers, who has long had her
eye on him; but the opera ends in tragedy, nevertheless, for the faithful Jack Point is filled with
woe at the loss of his beloved Elsie, and as the curtain descends he falls dead at her feet, a poor,
broken-hearted "Merryman," who has "died for the love of a Ladyee!"
167. BOCCACCIO
Opera Comique in Three Acts By Franz von Suppé
Libretto By Zell and Genée
First Produced Venice, February, 1879
Chief Characters Fiametta, Peronetta, Boccaccio, Pietro (Prince of Palermo), The Duke of Naples,
Lutteringhi (a Cooper), Lambertuccio (a grocer)
THE action takes place in the neighbourhood of Florence during the time of the Italian poet and
romance-writer, Boccaccio. Fiametta, who is in reality the Princess Maria of Naples, has been
brought up by a grocer, into whose hands she was placed by her father, the Duke, who has special