Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

insults upon her, she is unable to resist the tender invitation of her lover, and at last goes away
with him. In Act 3 Louise and Julien are living happily together at Montmarte; and Louise is soon
engaged in a vortex of pleasures with a merry com-pany of true Parisian Bohemians, who crown
her as their Queen of Revels. Here, however, she is visited by her mother, who begs her to return
to her father, who has fallen ill with grief and shame at her downfall; and Louise, filled with
remorse, returns to her home. She tries to forget her recent gay life; but she cannot conquer her
love for Julien. When, therefore, her father reproaches her sternly for her errors, and becomes
violent in his anger, bidding her leave his sight, she is alarmed at such unaccustomed harshness,
and remembering only the tenderness of Julien, she rushes out into the gloom of the night, and
hastens back to the protection of her lover.
30. THE WATER CARRIER
Opera Comique in Three Acts. By Maria Luigi Carlo Zenobio Salvatore Cherubini
Libretto By Bouilly
First Produced Paris, January, 1800
Chief Characters Marcelline, Michele (The Water Carrier), Count Armand, Antonio
THE scene is laid near Paris, in the time of Cardinal Mazarin, who has a grudge against a young
nobleman, Count Armand, whose estates and titles he has confiscated, and whom he has also
proscribed. The Count and his wife, being closely hunted by the Cardinal's followers, are anxious
to escape from Paris; but as the city gates are constantly watched, and they have no pass, they are
in despair. They have a friend, however, in the water-carrier, Michele, who is grateful to the Count
for past favours; and when the opera opens, he is arranging a plan for the escape of his noble
friends. His son, Antonio, is just about to set off to Genesse, to wed his sweetheart, Angeline; and
his sister, Marcelline, is to accompany him to join in the wedding festivities. Old Michele,
however, persuades his daughter to forego her pleasure, and to give up her pass to the Count's
wife, Costanza, who, by disguising herself in Marcelline's clothes, may thus pass out of the city as
the water-carrier's daughter, under the charge of Antonio, who also has a pass. This part of the
plan succeeds well, and the Countess, thus disguised, passes out of the city unquestioned, and
awaits her husband at a certain retired spot. The Count's escape is next planned by the ingenious
water-carrier, who arranges for him to be placed in an empty water-barrel, in which he is wheeled
by some trusty com-panions disguised as carriers through the city gates, also without question.
Outside the city, however, he soon meets with adventures. He has no sooner greeted his beloved
wife, when a company of soldiers are seen approaching; and he has just time to hide in a hollow
tree, arranging that Costanza shall clap her hands when all danger has passed. Costanza thinks
herself safe, being still disguised as the humble Marcelline; but the soldiers, suspecting her, seize
her roughly, and her cries of alarm instantly bring forth the hidden Armand to her assistance. He is
at once recognised as the proscribed Count, and is about to be dragged back to the city, when
Michele, the water-carrier, appears, bringing the welcome news that the Cardinal has ceased his
persecution, and is friendly-disposed towards the Count once more, having restored to him his
estates and freedom; and as the soldiers release their prisoner, Armand and Costanza embrace, and
rejoice because their troubles are ended.