BEFORE AND AFTER “UN BALLO”

Prior to proceeding to a consideration of "Aïda," I will refer briefly to certain works by Verdi, which, although not requiring a complete account of story and music, should not be omitted from a book on opera. At the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, December 8, 1849, Verdi brought out the three-act opera " Luisa Miller," based on a play by Schiller, "Kabale und Liebe" (Love and Intrigue). It appears to have been Verdi's first real succe since "Ernani" and to have led up to that achieved by "Rigoletto" a year later, and to the succe es of "Il Trovatore" and "La Traviata." "Luisa Miller" was given at the Academy of Music, New York, October 20, 1886, by Angelo's Italian Opera Company. Giulia Valda was Luisa and Vicini Rodolfo . The story is a gloomy one. The first act is entitled "Love," the second "Intrigue," the third "Poison." Characters | Count Walter | Ba | | Rodolfo, his son | Tenor | | Miller, an old soldier | Ba | | Luisa, his daughter | Soprano | | Fred eric a, Duche of Ostheim, Walter's niece | Contralto | | Laura, a peasant girl | Contralto | Ladies attending the Duche , pages, servants, archers, and villagers. Luisa is the daughter of Miller , an old soldier. There is ardent love between her and Rodolfo , the son of Count Walter , who has concealed his real name and rank from her and her father and is known to them as a peasant named Carlo. Old Miller , however, has a presentiment that evil will result from their attachment. This is confirmed on his being informed by Wurm that Carlo is Rodolfo , his master's son. Wurm is himself in love with Luisa . The Duche Fred eric a , Count Walter's niece, arrives at the castle. She had been brought up there with Rodolfo , and has from childhood cherished a deep affection for him; but, compelled by her father to marry the Duke d'Ostheim, has not seen Rodolfo for some years. The Duke, however, having died, she is now a widow, and, on the invitation of Count Walter , who has, unknown to Rodolfo , made proposals of marriage to her on his son's behalf, she arrives at the castle, expecting to marry at once the love of her childhood. The Count having been informed by Wurm of his son's love for Luisa , resolves to break off their intimacy. Rodolfo reveals to the Duche that he loves another. He also discloses his real name and position to Luisa and her father. The Count interrupts this interview between the lovers. Enraged at his son's persistence in preferring a union with Luisa , he calls in the guard and is about to consign her and her father to prison, when he is, for the moment, deterred and appalled by Rodolfo's threat to reveal that the Count , aided by Wurm , a a inated his predece or, in order to obtain po e ion of the title and estates. Luisa's father has been seized and imprisoned by the Count's order. She, to save his life, consents, at the instigation of Wurm , to write a letter in which she states that she had never really loved Rodolfo , but only encouraged him on account of his rank and fortune, of which she was always aware; and finally offering to fly with Wurm. This letter, as the Count and his steward have arranged, falls into the hands of Rodolfo , who, enraged by the supposed treachery of the woman he loves, consents to marry the Duche , but ultimately resolves to kill Luisa and himself. Luisa also has determined to put an end to her existence. Rodolfo enters her home in the absence of Miller , and, after extracting from Luisa's own lips the avowal that she did write the letter, he pours poison into a cup. She unwittingly offers it to him to quench his thirst. Afterwards, at his request, she tastes it herself. She had sworn to Wurm that she would never reveal the fact of the compulsion under which she had written the letter, but feeling herself released from her oath by fast approaching death, she confe es the truth to Rodolfo . The lovers die in the presence of their horror-stricken parents. The principal musical numbers include Luisa's graceful and brilliant solo in the first act—"Lo vid i, e'l primo palpi to" (I saw him and my beating heart). Besides there is Old Miller's air, "Sacra la scelta è d'un consorte" (Firm are the links that are forged at the altar), a broad and beautiful melody, which, were the opera better known, would be included in most of the operatic anthologies for ba . There also should be mentioned Luisa's air in the last act, "La tomba è un let to spar so di fiori" (The tomb a couch is, covered with roses). " I Vespri Siciliani" (The Sicilian Vespers) had its first performance at the Grand Opéra, Paris, under the French title, "Les Vêpres Siciliennes," June 13, 1855. It was given at La Scala, Milan, 1856; London, Drury Lane, 1859; New York, Academy of Music, November 7, 1859; and revived there November, 1868. The work also has been presented under the title of "Giovanna di Guzman." The libretto is by Scribe and deals with the ma acre of the French invaders of Sicily, at vespers, on Easter Monday, 1282. The principal characters are Guy de Montford , French Viceroy, baritone ; Arrigo , a Sicilian officer, tenor ; Duche Hélène , a prisoner, soprano ; Giovanni di Procida , a native conspirator, ba . Arrigo , who afterwards is discovered to be the brutal Guy de Montford's son, is in love with Hélène . The plot turns upon his efforts to rescue her. There is one famous number in the "The Sicilian Vespers." This is the "Bolero," sung by Hélène —"Mercé, dilette amiche" (My thanks, beloved companions). At Petrograd, November 10, 1862, there was brought out Verdi's opera in four acts, " La Forza del Destino" (The Force of Destiny). London heard it in June, 1867; New York, February 2, 1865, and, with the last act revised by the composer, at the Academy of Music in 1880, with Annie Louise Cary, Camp an in i, Gala i, and Del Puente. The principal characters are Marquis di Calatrava , ba ; Donna Leonora and Don Carlo , his children, soprano and baritone ; Don Alvaro , tenor ; Abbot of the Francis can Friars , ba . There are muleteers, peasants, soldiers, friars, etc. The scenes are laid in Spain and Italy; the period is the middle of the eighteenth century. The libretto is based on the play, "Don Alvaro o La Fuerza de Sino" by the Duke of Rivas. Don Alvaro is about to elope with Donna Leonora , daughter of the Marquis , when the latter comes upon them and is accidentally killed by Don Alvaro . The Marquis curses his daughter with his dying breath and invokes the vengeance of his son, Don Carlo , upon her and her lover. She escapes in male attire to a monastery, confe es to the Abbot , and is conducted by him to a cave, where he a ures her of absolute safety. Don Alvaro and Don Carlo meet before the cave. They fight a duel in which Don Alvaro mortally wounds Don Carlo . Donna Leonora , coming out of the cave and finding her brother dying, goes to him. With a last effort he stabs her in the heart. Don Alvaro throws himself over a nearby precipice. "Madre, pietosa Vergine" (Oh, holy Virgin) is one of the principal numbers of the opera. It is sung by Donna Leonora , kneeling in the moonlight near the convent, while from within is heard the chant of the priests. The "Madre pietosa" also is utilized as a theme in the overture. " Don Carlos," produced at the Grand Opéra, Paris, March 11, 1867, during the Universal Exposition, was the last opera composed by Verdi before he took the musical world by storm with "Aïda." The work is in four acts, the libretto, by Méry and du Locle, having been reduced from Schiller's tragedy of the same title as the opera. The characters are Philip II. , of Spain, ba ; Don Carlos , his son, tenor ; Rodrigo, Marquis de Posa , baritone ; Grand Inquisitor , ba ; Elizabeth de Valois , Queen of Philip II. , and stepmother of Don Carlos , soprano ; Prince Eboli , soprano . In the original production the fine rôle of Rodrigo was taken by Faure. Don Carlos and Elizabeth de Valois have been in love with each other, but for reasons of state Elizabeth has been obliged to marry Philip II. , Don Carlos's father. The son is counselled by Rodrigo to absent himself from Spain by obtaining from his father a commi ion to go to the Netherlands, there to mitigate the cruelties practised by the Spaniards upon the Flemings. Don Carlos seeks an audience with Elizabeth , in order to gain her interce ion with Philip . The result, however, of the meeting, is that their pa ion for each other returns with even greater intensity than before. Prince Eboli , who is in love with Don Carlos , becomes cognizant of the Queen's affection for her stepson, and informs the King . Don Carlos is thrown into prison. Rodrigo , who visits him there, is shot by order of Philip , who suspects him of aiding Spain's enemies in the Low Countries. Don Carlos , having been freed, makes a tryst with the Queen . Discovered by the King , he is handed over by him to the Inquisition to be put to death. "La Forza del Destino" and "Don Carlos" lie between Verdi's middle period, ranging from "Luisa Miller" to "Un Ballo in Maschera" and including "Rigoletto," "Il Trovatore," and "La Traviata," and his final period, which began with "Aïda." It can be said that in "La Forza" and "Don Carlos" Verdi had absorbed considerable of Meyer beer and Gounod, while in "Aïda," in addition to these, he had a imilated as much of Wagner as is good for an Italian. The enrichment of the orchestration in the two immediate predece ors of "Aïda" is apparent, but not so much so as in that masterpiece of operatic composition. He produced in "Aïda" a far more finished score than in "La Forza" or "Don Carlos," sought and obtained many exquisite instrumental effects, but always remained true to the Italian principle of the supremacy of melody in the voice.