Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

amongst the guests, and has also swallowed the fatal draught, thus partaking of poison a second
time by her hand. Having heard her order the attendants to show the coffins prepared for the five
poisoned guests, he demands to be shown the sixth; but, full of grief, Lucrezia quickly offers him
the antidote, entreating him to swallow it instantly, since a moment's delay is dangerous. Gennaro,
however, passionately refuses to be saved, when his friends are even now dying, and he pours
forth the wildest execrations upon the murderess. Then Lucrezia, in utter distraction, reveals her
true relationship to him, and again entreats him to live for her sake; but Gennaro scornfully thrusts
her from him, and, declaring he would rather die than own such a mother, he falls expiring at her
feet. Lucrezia, with a cry of utter despair and remorse, clasps him in her arms; and as her beloved
son draws his last breath, she also, overcome by her emotion and wretchedness, falls beside him,
and as the Duke of Ferraro enters to behold her expected victory, she reveals to him her secret and
expires.
44. TESS.
Opera in Four Acts By Frederic d'Erlanger
Libretto adapted from Thomas Hardy's novel "Tess of the d'Urbervilles," by Luigi Illica
First Produced Naples
Chief Characters Tess, Joan, Alec d'Urberville, Clare, Dark-Car, Aby, Toronton
THE scene is laid in " Blackmoor Vale, Wessex," where the Durbeyfield family live in a cottage,
and are in poor circumstances. They owe money to Toronton, who duns them for it. Hearing from
him that they are related to the rich d'Urbervilles, the squires of the district, they make themselves
known to these relations, and the daughter, Tess, is engaged by the great family to help in the
domestic work. She is not happy there, however, being persecuted by the other servants, and by
the attentions of Alec d'Urberville, the unprincipled heir, who, attracted by her handsome looks,
determines to amuse himself with her. Tess proudly disdains his insulting advances, all her
thoughts being with her worried parents and her true sweetheart, Clare; and her coldness enrages
Alec, who determines on her ruin. This he accomplishes when, owing to a cruel trick played upon
her by one of the jealous servants, she is locked out one night. In Act 3. some considerable time
has elapsed, and Tess is once more at home. Here she receives an offer of marriage from her old
sweetheart, Clare, who has never been told of the trouble she has been through, her child having
died; and at first Tess tries to resist her love for him, but finally gives way, and agrees to marry
him, arranging that her father shall first relate to him the story of her misfortune. Durbeyfield,
however, neglects to do his part, and after the pair are married, Tess, unaware of her father's
omission, pro-ceeds to offer grateful thanks to her husband for his kindness and nobility of heart in
making such an un-fortunate woman his wife. Seeing him bewildered, she realises the fact that he
is still in ignorance of her secret; but, nobly determining to undeceive him, she relates the whole
story, protesting her own utter help-lessness in the unhappy affair. Clare, however, has received a
terrible shock, and refuses to believe in her innocence, casting reproaches upon her, and declaring
his inability to receive a fallen woman as his wife; and, full of grief and despair, the unhappy Tess
wanders out into the night, leaving him alone.
45. MARTHA