Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

they desire in order to compromise herself, they are immediately struck by the likeness of the
charming peasant maid to their sovereign. After some persuasion they induce Elvira to carry out
their wishes, little dreaming that she is the real Queen; and she departs with them to the Palace,
knowing well that the adventurous Prince in disguise will follow her. Manuel is not long in
appearing at the palace, still not revealing his true identity; and Elvira, escaping from the
conspirators for a few moments, meets him, and learns from him that he has overheard the plotters
declaring their intention to thrust her into prison. Elvira frustrates this plot by persuading one of
her ladies a foolish and elderly Duchess to impersonate her and to take her place, very densely
veiled, the next time she is expected to ride forth from the palace. The plotters surround the
carriage and seize the Duchess, believing her to be the Queen, and she is carried away to a
convent, to be kept prisoner whilst they force the mock Queen to do their will. Elvira, however, by
appearing in her royal robes, spoils their plan, and they are mystified by the disappearance of their
country maid; and great consternation is experienced by all, upon the Queen announcing her
determination to wed none other than a certain Manuel, a muleteer. The disguised Prince,
however, to prove further her real love for him, now sends a message purporting to come from
Don Sebastian, and announcing his marriage with an-other Princess; and Elvira, though greatly
disappointed by the news, now believing that she has made a mistake and that the Prince and
muleteer are not one and the same person, yet sturdily announces her determination to wed
Manuel, who is the man she loves. This is good news to Don Pedro, who sees in her stubborn
intention to wed a commoner the means of gratifying his own ambition, since such a marriage
would cause an uproar in the country; but his hopes are soon dashed to the ground by the
appearance of Manuel, who takes his place beside the Queen, declaring himself to be the Prince of
Castile. The entrance of his suite proves his identity beyond all doubt, and Elvira gladly gives her
hand to the triumphant Sebastian, who is at once her royal suitor and the man she loves.
13. FIDELIO
Grand Opera in Two Acts By Ludwig van Beethoven
Libretto By Sonnleithner (Adapted from Bouilly's "Leonore.")
First Produced Vienna, November, 1805
Chief Characters Leonora (Fidelio), Marcellina, Florestan, Don Pizarro, Rocco, Jaquino
THE scene is laid in a Spanish State Prison, near Seville. A rich and high-minded nobleman,
named Florestan, has made a mortal enemy of the Prison Governor, Don Pizarro, by accusing him
of cruelty and injustice; and the latter, in revenge, has succeeded in kidnapping and incarcerating
him in the fortress, giving out that he has died from natural causes. He is being slowly starved to
.death by his cruel enemy; and when the opera opens he is near his end. However, the unhappy
captive has a faithful wife, Leonora, who, refusing to believe the reports of her husband's death,
determines on a bold plan to learn his whereabouts and rescue him. She adopts male attire, and in
this disguise presents herself at the fortress where she suspects her beloved husband is pining, and
secures an engagement to assist the jailer, Rocco, who regards her as a very pleasant and amiable
youth, since the new assistant is willing to help him in all his arduous duties. Rocco has a gay
daughter, Marcellina, who is so struck by the charming appearance and manners of the new
assistant who goes by the name of Fidelio that she endeavours to secure him for her husband, to
the dismay of Leonora, who vainly tries to avoid the amorous maiden. Don Pizarro, receiving