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union. Marie, feeling that filial duty compels her to obey her mother, now consents to renounce Tony; but see-ing that she is quite broken-hearted the Marchioness at last relents, and gives her consent to the lovers' union. The company of aristocratic guests who had assembled to witness the marriage contract of the young nobleman retire in high disdain at this turn of affairs; but Marie and her beloved Tony embrace with great joy, and receive the blessings and good wishes of the gallant Twenty-first, who raise hearty cheers for the happiness of their cherished " daughter." 38. DON PASQUALE Opera Comique in Three Acts By Gaetano Donizetti Libretto adapted from Ser Marcantonio By Salvatore Gammerano First Produced Paris, January, 1843 Chief Characters Norina, Don Pasquale, Ernesto, Dr Malatesta THE action takes place in Rome, in the house of a rich old bachelor, Don Pasquale, who is angry with his nephew, Ernesto, because the latter refuses to accept a certain wealthy but uninteresting lady whom the uncle desires him to marry, declaring that he will wed none other than a pretty young lady named Norina, with whom he is in love. The Don has a friend, Dr Malatesta, whom he hopes will help him to manage his headstrong nephew; but Malatesta has also much affection for Ernesto, and determines to assist him to gain his heart's desire. He therefore visits Don Pasquale, and persuades him to punish his disobedient nephew by entering into a marriage himself; and he offers to provide the old bachelor with a bride in the person of a lady whom lie describes as his sister, but who is in reality the young Norina, with whom Ernesto is in love. Don Pasquale thinks he will enjoy revenging himself on his nephew in this manner, and agrees to the project; and then Malatesta arranges a plot with Norina, whereby the latter shall enter into a bogus marriage contract with the old bachelor, afterwards leading him such a dance with wild extravagances and indiscreet behaviour that he will be only too glad to be rid of her, and to hand her over to his nephew. Everything is arranged; and Norina is brought to Don Pasquale's house, where, after some hesitation, she agrees to sign the contract on the arrival of the notary. The contract is of course a bogus one, and the notary a friend of the Doctor's, who has consented to masquerade in the character; but Don Pasquale thinks that matters are in regular order. Ernesto is amongst the witnesses, and though amazed at first on discovering his uncle's bride to be his own sweetheart, Norina, he is soon made acquainted with the true facts of the case, and joins in the plot willingly. After signing the bogus contract, Norina suddenly changes the quiet and demure air she has worn until now; and at once she proceeds to reveal herself in another character, as a woman of the wildest extravagance ordering expensive decorations for the house, and valuable clothes and jewellery for herself, and announcing her intention to pass a life of unbounded pleasure now that she is the wife of such a rich man. Don Pasquale is dumbfounded at her behaviour; and throughout the next scene, he is seen squirming under the absolute rule of the capricious and extravagant girl, suffering agonies of fear at her squandering of his wealth, and her unbounded coquetries with outside admirers. Finally, the limit of his patience is reached on discovering a love-letter amongst the flighty Norina's papers; and when Dr Malatesta comes in to condole with him on this illassorted contract, he declares he will turn the frivolous lady away from his house. Malatesta then paves the way for the revealing of his plot; and, the old Don, thoroughly wearied with his recent experiences, is only too glad to discover that he is not really con-tracted to such a troublesome
partner, and willingly hands her over to his delighted nephew. The lovers, having thus gained their wish, all ends happily. 39. THE ELIXIR OF LOVE Opera Comique in Two Acts By Gaetano Donizetti Libretto By Romani First Produced Milan, 1832 Chief Characters Adina, Nemorino, Dulcamara, Belcore THE scene is laid in an Italian village, where a pretty and coquettish country belle, Adina, is amusing herself by keeping on tenter-hooks her two sweethearts, Nemorino, an honest young farmer, and Belcore, a recruiting sergeant from the next village. After much lively flirtation, matters are brought to a climax by a visit to the village of a quack, from whom Nemorino purchases a bottle supposed to contain "the Elixir of Love," but which is in reality only ordinary wine, since the quack, Dulcamara, not possessing the drug asked for, still desires the simple peasant's money. Being eager to put the Elixir to a good test, Nemorino swallows the whole contents of the bottle; with the result that the wine makes him half-drunk, so that Adina is shocked at his unseemly behaviour, and declares she will marry Belcore. The marriage contract is to be signed next day; and Nemorino, in despair, seeks a second bottle of Elixir from the quack, permitting Belcore to enter him as a recruit, in order to secure the bonus money, wherewith he is able to pay for the drug, the effect of which being still merely strong wine is, however, to place him still further in the black books of his ladylove. Next day, the village girls, having discovered that Nemorino' s uncle has died and left him a fortune a fact not yet known to the young manbegin to pay great attention to the now eligible farmer, who is much surprised, but takes advantage of the circumstance to rouse the jealousy of Adina who has much to the chagrin of Belcore postponed the signing of the wedding contract until evening. Seeing the girl looking dejected, Dulcamara, struck with remorse, reveals to her his deception of her sweetheart; and Adina, pleased with this proof of the true love and sincerity of the young farmer, decides to reward his faithfulness by granting him his heart's desire. Belcore reminds her that the new recruit, having spent part of his bonus money, must depart to take up his military duties; but when Adina herself repays the money, the disappointed suitor retires crestfallen, whilst the triumphant village belle bestows her hand upon the delighted Nemorino. 40. LA FAVORITA Grand Opera in Four Acts By Gaetana Donizetti Libretto By Waetz and Royer First Produced Paris, December, 1840 Chief Characters Leonora, Inez, Fernando, Alphonso (King of Castile), Baithasar THE scene is laid in Spain, in the Middle Ages. Alphonso, King of Castile, has a beautiful mistress, Leonora, whom he keeps in secret splendour in the Island of St Leon, and, despite the anger of the Pope, he declares his intention to put away his Queen and to marry his paramour
Page 1 and 2: TWO HUNDRED OPERA PLOTS By Gladys D
Page 3 and 4: 56. Iphigenia in Aulis 57. Iphigeni
Page 5 and 6: Offenbach 118. La Belle Hélène Pa
Page 7 and 8: Wagner (Richard) 180. The Flying Du
Page 9 and 10: Madame de la Tour, and wishing to p
Page 11 and 12: his suspicions thus confirmed, and
Page 13 and 14: 7. THE CROWN DIAMONDS Opera Comique
Page 15 and 16: challenges the Marquis to fight wit
Page 17 and 18: Bertrand; and the unhappy young wif
Page 19 and 20: they desire in order to compromise
Page 21 and 22: had two sons. At the opening of the
Page 23 and 24: circumstance a means of avenging he
Page 25 and 26: establish his identity. When the Ca
Page 27 and 28: Romantic Opera in One Act By George
Page 29 and 30: ings forth the hidden treasure, tog
Page 31 and 32: Libretto By Mosenthal, adapted from
Page 33 and 34: 26. ODYSSEUS' RETURN Grand Opera in
Page 35 and 36: y Despoina, who has managed to esca
Page 37 and 38: insults upon her, she is unable to
Page 39 and 40: ing the lady to be La Duclos, they
Page 41 and 42: lovers, asks the irate father to co
Page 43 and 44: 35. THE KING HAS SAID IT Opera Comi
Page 45: moment,. the angry Nilakantha appea
Page 49 and 50: takes her to some luxurious rooms,
Page 51 and 52: amongst the guests, and has also sw
Page 53 and 54: Court, where he sees Lady Henrietta
Page 55 and 56: First Produced Dresden, October, 18
Page 57 and 58: 50. NANON Opera Comique in Three Ac
Page 59 and 60: part). Elizabeth is horrorstruck at
Page 61 and 62: condemned to death. He has, however
Page 63 and 64: obtained the love she craved for, t
Page 65 and 66: Grand Opera in Three Acts By Christ
Page 67 and 68: stand with his sweetheart, May. The
Page 69 and 70: plot having been evolved by the lib
Page 71 and 72: Gringoire suddenly appears with Pho
Page 73 and 74: with remorse and grief, since her l
Page 75 and 76: Bertram becomes more jealous of him
Page 77 and 78: calling himself Samuel, and thus ma
Page 79 and 80: eloved ones are in greater danger t
Page 81 and 82: 74 THE FOLKUNGS Grand Opera in Five
Page 83 and 84: elease of the noble prisoner; and F
Page 85 and 86: 78. MAIA Opera in Three Acts By R.
Page 87 and 88: First Produced Hamburg, 1846 Chief
Page 89 and 90: Here he sees Undine, a lovely but m
Page 91 and 92: victim; and whilst the flames leap
Page 93 and 94: defend her; and though Brian, now r
Page 95 and 96: 88. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA Tragic Ope
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trick which has been played upon hi
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is overlooked by the King, who best
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the convent as a brother and re-nou
Page 103 and 104:
since he has the means to provide h
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Chief Characters Charlotte, Sophia,
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two of the inhabitants, a male and
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etween the Catholics and Huguenots
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and despairing Bertha to the tyrant
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lovers. 106. THE STAR OF THE NORTH
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108. MUGUETTE Opera Comique in Four
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fact that he is pursued by another
Page 119 and 120:
however, their trials are not over,
Page 121 and 122:
determination to die rather than be
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himself an arrant coward. The situa
Page 125 and 126:
good looks and gallant bearing of a
Page 127 and 128:
In Act 2 we are taken to Venice, wh
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it to the test. When he has gone, R
Page 131 and 132:
her. The disguised Prince obeys wit
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First Produced Turin, February, 189
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jealous anger of her rough friends
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husband, and trustfully expecting h
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131. LA TOSCA Tragic Opera in Three
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sent to tempt him from is enterpris
Page 143 and 144:
her transitory suspicions, and next
Page 145 and 146:
character, and is herself leading a
Page 147 and 148:
shackles of Rome and proclaims hims
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Opera in Three Acts By Max Schillin
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Chief Characters Mary, Agnes Micha,
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146. JESSONDA Opera in Three Acts B
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een sentenced to a weeks imprisonme
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151. THE QUEENS LACE HANDKERCHIEF O
Page 159 and 160:
chamber window she listens to his p
Page 161 and 162:
lineage, they are desperately poor
Page 163 and 164:
Comic Opera in Two Acts By Sir Arth
Page 165 and 166:
Chief Characters Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sin
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everyday young man " at once, on pa
Page 169 and 170:
disguise, however, is presently pen
Page 171 and 172:
considerations of rank, wealth or a
Page 173 and 174:
Leonard, who manages to slip out of
Page 175 and 176:
In Act 5 the funeral procession of
Page 177 and 178:
in this beautiful and charming lady
Page 179 and 180:
a plan to elope with the willing El
Page 181 and 182:
him. Adelia, on searching for the m
Page 183 and 184:
and he bribes Sparafucile, a bravo,
Page 185 and 186:
prisoner and thrust into a dungeon
Page 187 and 188:
scheming Telramund, whom he defeats
Page 189 and 190:
183. PARSIFAL Sacred Festival Music
Page 191 and 192:
Loving One who shall crush his own
Page 193 and 194:
symbol of Evil; and in revenge for
Page 195 and 196:
leaping flames-to be awakened by th
Page 197 and 198:
as they exultingly carry it away a
Page 199 and 200:
from Brangaena, and come at once to
Page 201 and 202:
match, unable to conquer her passio
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THE story is founded on an old Germ
Page 205 and 206:
fearing she has been deceived. When
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to be Chief Ranger, but also covets
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First Produced Berlin, March, 1821
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Aïda Verdi Alceste Gluck Amber Wit
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Gioconda, La Ponchielli Gipsy Baron
Page 215 and 216:
Mikado, The Sullivan Moloch Schilli
Page 217:
Trumpeter of Säkkingen, The Nessle
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