Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

trick which has been played upon him; and after destroying most of his furniture in his rage, he
rushes out of the house. When he has gone, Jeannette replaces all the broken goods with fresh
furniture from her own stock; and having set the cottage tidy, she makes a nice dinner and
prepares to receive her husband with a smiling face. When Jean presently appears, therefore, and
beholds his renovated house, and sees what a useful and charming little housewife is waiting to
greet him with a smiling welcome, he is greatly relieved, and gladly welcomes the now happy
Jeannette as his bride, rejoicing that the nuptial knot has been tied.
91. PAUL AND VIRGINIA
Romantic Opera in Three Acts By Felix Marie Massé
Libretto By Carré and Barbiere, Adapted from St Pierre's Romance
First Produced Paris, November, 1876
Chief Characters Virginia, Meala, Madame de la Tour, Margaret, Paul, St Croix
THE scene is laid in an African Coast island. Paul and Virginia are the children of Madame de la
Tour and her friend, Margaret, respectively, two ladies who have come to reside in the island, the
former having been renounced by her noble relations in France. The two children love one another
dearly and can scarcely bear to be separated; and as they grow to riper years their affection
deepens to a strong and abiding passion. In the first scene the parents are discussing the education
of their children and grieving at the sorrow they will feel on being separated from each other; and
when they have departed Paul and Virginia themselves enter, making the wonderful discovery that
their childish affection has developed into the sweet love of early youth. Whilst they are rejoicing
in their happiness a slave girl named Meala flies to them for protection from her cruel master, St
Croix; and, moved by her misery, the lovers return with her to the planter, and intercede with him.
St Croix grants their request; but, being struck with the beauty of Virginia, and being determined
to satisfy his sudden passion, he persuades them to remain awhile with him. Meala, however,
knows of his evil designs, and warning the youthful pair they are able to escape, whilst the
enraged master wreaks his disappointment upon the hapless Meala. In Act 2 Madame de la Tour
receives a letter from her relatives in France, pardoning her for her offence against their family
pride, and offering to introduce the beautiful Virginia to the fashionable world, requesting the
maiden to be sent to them at once. Virginia, however, firmly refuses to be parted from her beloved
Paul; and whilst her mother is endeavouring to persuade her, the slave Meala again appears for
protection against her harsh master, who presently appears also, demanding his slave, whom he
considers deserves the punishment he is determined to mete to her. Paul, however, is present, and
indignantly refuses to give up the poor girl; and finally St Croix agrees to sell the slave for a sum
of money which the sympathetic Virginia produces. When St Croix has departed the grateful
Meala reveals the fact that the unscrupulous St Croix means to abduct Virginia on her way to the
vessel, having heard that she is to depart to Europe that night; but by the young girl stoutly
refusing to take the journey his base designs are again foiled. But Virginia is not left long in peace;
for the Governor of the Island presently appears, being the bearer of a signed order from the King
of France commanding Madame de la Tour to force her daughter to obey the request of her
relatives without further delay. The heart-broken Virginia is now compelled to take the journey;
but before her departure, the lovers vow to be true to each other always, the young girl promising
to return to the desolate Paul without fail. Act 3 finds Paul upon the shore, eagerly awaiting the