THE STANDARD OPERAS (12TH EDITION)***

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THE STANDARD OPERAS

Their Plots, Their Music, and Their Composers

A Handbook

by

GEORGE P. UPTON

Twelfth Edition

Chicago: A. C. McClurg and Company

1897

PREFACE.

The object of the compiler of this Handbook is to present to the reader a brief but comprehensive sketch of each of the operas contained in the modern repertory which are likely to be given during regular seasons. To this end he has consulted the best authorities, adding to the material thus collected his own observations, and in each case presented a necessarily brief sketch of the composer, the story of each opera, the general character of the music, its prominent scenes and numbers,--the latter in the text most familiar to opera-goers,--the date of first performances, with a statement of the original cast wherever it has been possible to obtain it, and such historical information concerning the opera and its composition as will be of interest to the reader. The work has been prepared for the general public rather than for musicians; and with this purpose in view, technicalities have been avoided as far as possible, the aim being to give musically uneducated lovers of opera a clear understanding of the works they are likely to hear, and thus heighten their enjoyment. In a word, the operas are described rather than criticised, and the work is presented with as much thoroughness as seemed possible considering the necessarily brief space allotted to each. In the preparation of the Handbook, the compiler acknowledges his indebtedness to Grove's excellent "Dictionary of Music" for dates and other statistical information; and he has also made free use of standard musical works in his library for historical events connected with the performance and composition of the operas. It only remains to submit this work to opera-goers with the hope that it may add to their enjoyment and prove a valuable addition to their libraries.--G.P.U.

CHICAGO, August, 1885.

CONTENTS.

AUBER

FRA DIAVOLO

MASANIELLO

THE CROWN DIAMONDS

BALFE

THE BOHEMIAN GIRL

THE ROSE OF CASTILE

BEETHOVEN

FIDELIO

BELLINI

NORMA

LA SONNAMBULA

I PURITANI

BIZET

CARMEN

BOIELDIEU

LA DAME BLANCHE

BOITO

MEPHISTOPHELES

DELIBES

LAKME

DONIZETTI

THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT

LA FAVORITA

DON PASQUALE

LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR

L'ELISIR D'AMORE

LUCREZIA BORGIA

FLOTOW

MARTHA

STRADELLA

GLUCK

ORPHEUS

GOETZ

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

GOLDMARK

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA

MERLIN

GOUNOD

FAUST

ROMEO AND JULIET

MIREILLE

HALEVY

THE JEWESS

HUMPERDINCK

HANSEL AND GRETEL

LEONCAVALLO

I PAGLIACCI

MASCAGNI

CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA

MEYERBEER

THE HUGUENOTS

THE STAR OF THE NORTH

ROBERT THE DEVIL

DINORAH

THE PROPHET

THE AFRICAN

MOZART

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

DON GIOVANNI

THE MAGIC FLUTE

ROSSINI

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

SEMIRAMIDE

WILLIAM TELL

RUBINSTEIN

NERO

THOMAS

MIGNON

VERDI

ERNANI

RIGOLETTO

LA TRAVIATA

IL TROVATORE

THE MASKED BALL

AIDA

OTHELLO

FALSTAFF

WAGNER

RIENZI

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN

TANNHÄUSER

LOHENGRIN

TRISTAN UND ISOLDE

THE MASTERSINGERS

THE RING OF THE NIBELUNG

DAS RHEINGOLD

DIE WALKÜRE

SIEGFRIED

DIE GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG

PARSIFAL

WALLACE

MARITANA

WEBER

DER FREISCHÜTZ

OBERON

EURYANTHE

APPENDIX

INDEX

AUBER.

Daniel François Esprit Auber, one of the most prominent representatives of the opera comique, was born at Caen, in Normandy, Jan. 29, 1784. He first attracted attention in the musical world by his songs and ballads, written when a mere boy. Young as he was, they were great favorites in French and English drawing-rooms, and their success diverted him from his commercial intentions to that profession in which he was destined to achieve such popularity. His début was made as an instrumental composer in his twentieth year, but before he had reached his thirtieth he was engrossed with operatic composition. His first two works were unsuccessful; but the third, "La Bergère Châtelaine," proved the stepping-stone to a career of remarkable popularity, during which he produced a large number of dramatic works, which not only secured for him the enthusiastic admiration of the Parisians, with whom he was always a favorite, but also carried his name and fame throughout the world, and obtained for him marks of high distinction from royalty, such as the office of Director of the Conservatoire from Louis Philippe, and that