Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

part). Elizabeth is horrorstruck at the sight of the supposed apparition, and her guilty conscience
op-pressing her at the same time she at once determines to make amends, and-retracts her harsh
sentences on the prisoners, of whose escape she has only just learned. She therefore pardons the
three offenders, gives her consent to the union of Raleigh and Bessie, and accepts the advances of
Essex; and the play ends with the interrupted festivities of the rustics.
52. ANDRE CHENIER
Romantic Opera in Four Acts By Umberto Giordano
Libretto By Luigi Illica
First Produced Milan, 1896
Chief Characters Madeleine de Coigny, Bersi, Countess de Coigny, André Chenier, Gérard,
Roucher
ANDRÉ CHENIER, a distinguished French poet, who lived during the time of the Revolution, at
first ardently supported the movement of the people,. whose wrongs had his sincere sympathy; but
after a while the cruel excesses of the new rulers disgusted him, and, having offended Robespierre
by writing certain pamphlets, uttering scathing denunciations of his methods, he was seized,
denounced as a traitor, condemned and executed a few days before the end of the Reign of Terror.
The story of the present opera has been based on certain incidents in the life of the poet-patriot,
culminating with his death at the hands of the Revolutionaries. The first act takes place in the
salon of the Countess de Coigny, who is giving a ball; and here one of her servitors, Gérard, shows
the first signs of the revolutionary spirit. He is secretly in love with Madeleine, the lovely young
daughter of the Countess; but his passion is not suspected. Amongst the guests at the ball is the
poet, André Chenier, who is much attracted to the youthful Madeleine, who, however, merrily
makes light of his poetic gift, and also of the power of love, to which he refers in his conversation.
Chenier, wishing to rouse the dormant sympathies he sees in the young girl, recites a beautiful
poem to her on the subject of Love; and this makes Madeleine ashamed of her flippancy, and she
forthwith evinces an intense interest in the poet, which gradually develops into love. The pair,
however, do not meet again for several years, during which time many troubles visit both. In Act 2
Chenier is seen in Paris, sitting at a table outside a café, waiting for his friend, Roucher, who has
gone to secure a passport for him; for Chenier has now given offence to the Revolutionary party,
which he at first supported, by his denunciation of the savage Robespierre, and his life is in danger
since he may be arrested at any moment. He is constantly watched by a spy, who presently sees an
elderly woman hand him a letter. This woman is Bersi, the old nurse-companion of Madeline de
Coigny, who after the death of her mother, since the Reign of Terror began, would have long since
fallen into the hands of the Revolutionaries had it not been for the devotion of this faithful
servitor, who protects and hides her, she herself being regarded as a harmless citizen. Madeleine
has lovingly followed the career of Chenier and has frequently sent him letters of comfort and
hope through all his difficulties; and the note which Bersi brings arranges a meeting, since she
herself now desires his help. Chenier has cherished these letters which are unsigned as coming
from one who must love him, and when Roucher presently arrives with the passport he refuses to
make use of it, since he is determined to keep the appointment made by his unknown
correspondent. In spite of the warnings of his friend he proceeds to the meeting-place, and there he
is presently joined by a beautiful lady, whom he recognises as Madeleine de Coigny. The spy who