Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

which it was believed that the fair young mistress and her child were burned to death. After this
terrible deed, Boland retired to his castle, a prey to Constant remorse, living the life of a hermit;
and here his son Gerald has been brought up alone, and, his mother having died in his early
childhood, he has never come under the influence of a woman. On attaining manhood, his father
desires him to marry, since it is the wish of their vassals; but Gerald has never yet seen a maiden
who pleases him. One day, however, when out hunting, he meets Silvana, a lovely maiden who
lives with Ratto, a collier, whom she regards as heir father; and the pair fall mutually in love with
each other. A forest nymph, who follows Silvana as a guardian wherever she goes, endeavours to
lure the young Count away from the maidens side; but Gerald is determined to wed the lovely girl,
and with the help of his followers, he makes the collier drunk, and then steals Silvana away whilst
he is sleeping. Silvana is not left unprotected, however; for the forest nymph still accompanies her
in the disguise of a troubadour, and guards her from all harm. The old Count Boland, only too
pleased that his son should consent to take a wife, receives Silvana with kindness, being attracted
to her by a strange influence which he cannot fathom; and he even consents to attend the
ceremony, and to watch the peasants revels which are to accompany it. When the wedding party
gathers together, the nymph, still in troubadour attire, asks permission to sing; and this being
granted, she begins to relate the story of the old Counts crime as the introduction to her story. Old
Boland is filled with horror that his dreadful deed should become known; and he forbids the
minstrel to continue, even making an attempt to kill him. Gerald for the first time has doubts about
his unknown bride, and asks an explanation of the story; but Silvana gently informs him that she is
not at liberty to speak on the matter. Ratto the collier now appears and claims Silvana as his
daughter; and when it is seen that the bride comes of such a low family, she is treated with
contumely, and the mystery about her deepening, she is accused of witchcraft, and thrust into
prison. As she still refuses to speak of her ancestry, she is declared to be a child of the devil, and is
condemned to be burnt at the stake. Gerald, however, firmly believes in her innocence, and still
loving her passionately resolves to perish with her; but when the lovely maiden is led out to meet
her awful death, the minstrel nymph appears once more, and continuing her interrupted song-story,
relates that when Count Boland fired his brothers castle, the fair mistress and her child, who were
supposed to have perished in the flames, in reality escaped to the distant forest, where they took
refuge in the hut of the poor collier, Ratto, who, when the distracted mother died, brought up the
little girl, Silvana, as his own child. The old Count now understands his strange attraction to the
lovely maiden; and with a cry of joy he welcomes her as his beloved niece, whom he very gladly
bestows upon the now happy Gerald as his wife, the opera ending with the wedding revels of the
peasants.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF OPERAS
OPERA COMPOSER
Acté Manen
Adrienne Lecouvreur Cilea
Africaine, L' Meyerbeer