AFRICAINE, VL’

Composer: GIACOMO MEYER BEER Book by EUGENE SCRIBE First performance: Opéra, Paris, April 28, 1865 5 acts. Vasco DA GamA, who is pledged to marry Inez, daughter of a Portuguese admiral, returns with information about a new land and two natives to prove it: Selika, an Indian queen, and Nelusko, attendant. Don Diego, father of Inez, has tried to get her to marry Don Pedro, who now throws Vasco in jail. Selika comes there to protect him from the murderous intent of the jealous Nelusko, and to tell him of her love. Don Pedro decides to find the new land for himself and takes Inez with him, also taking Selika and Nelusko as guides. The latter plans to destroy the ship—a plan which Vasco knows about. He pursues the party in a second ship to warn them. Don Pedro pays no heed and the crew is killed. Vasco’s life is spared when Selika informs the natives that he is her husband. However, when Vasco finds that Inez was not killed in the ma acre he leaves Selika for his old love. The Indian Queen in despair kills herself, as the faithful Nelusko does likewise, by breathing the poisonous scent of the manchineel tree.