Merlin
In three acts by CHARLES GOLDMARK.
Text by SIEGFRIED LIPINER.
This latest creation of the talented composer at once proved itself a
success, when produced for the first time in the Opera-House in Vienna.
Since then it has quickly passed to all the larger stages.
Merlin surpasses the Queen of Sheba in dramatic value and is equal to
it in glowing coloring and brilli
the reverse of Wagner. Though equally master of modern
instrumentation, he abounds in melodies. Airs, duets and
choruses meet us of surpassing beauty and sweetness. The text is
highly fantastic, but interesting and poetical.
King Artus is attacked by the Saxons and almost succumbs.--In his need
he sends Lancelot to Merlin, an enchanter and seer, but at the same
time the King's best friend and a Knight of his table.
Merlin, offspring of the Prince of Hell and of a pure virgin, has power
over the demons, whom however he only employs in the service of Heaven,
his good mother's spirit protecting him. Merlin calls up a demon, whom
he forces to blind the heathen Saxons, so that the Britons may be
victorious. The demon obeys unwillingly and after Merlin's departure
he calls up the fairy Morgana who knows all the secrets of the world.
Morgana tells the demon, that if Merlin loves an earthly woman, his
power will be gone and the demon resolves to tempt Merlin with the most
beautiful woman on earth. He vanishes and the Britons return
victorious, Merlin with prophetic insight recognizing the knight, who
had betrayed his people to the Saxons. While he sings a passionate
chant in honor of his King and his country, Vivien, a Duke's daughter,
appears and they are at once attracted to each other. But Merlin
vanquishes his love and refuses to accept the crown of oak-leaves,
which his King offers him by the hand of Vivien. Then Artus takes his
own crown and puts it on Merlin's curls.
The second act begins with a conspiracy headed by Modred, Artus'
nephew, against his uncle. Lancelot openly accuses him of treason, and
the King sends to Merlin, for judgment. But alas, Merlin's love has
already blinded his understanding; he fails to detect the culpable
Modred, and declares that he is not able to find fault in him. King
Artus and his knights depart to seek new laurels, leaving the country
in Modred's hands. Merlin stays in his sanctum, to where the demon now
leads Vivien who has lost her way. The doors of the temple open by
themselves at Vivien's request, and she finds a rosy, glittering veil,
which, thrown into the air, causes various charming apparitions to
present themselves.--When Merlin comes, the whole charm vanishes into
air. Vivien tells him of her delightful adventure, but Merlin,
frightened, informs her that who ever is touched by the veil, will be
in the power of demons, chained to a rock for ever. Love conquers, and
the short hour succeeding is for both filled with earth's greatest
bliss. The news of Modred's treachery to King Artus awakes Merlin from
his dream. He tears himself from his love, vowing to shun her for ever
and to return to the well of grace. But Vivien, finding all her
prayers vain, throws the fatal veil over him to hinder his flight. The
dreadful effect becomes instantly apparent; the rose-garden disappears,
mighty rocks enclose the vale on all sides, and Merlin is held down by
burning chains.
While Vivien is consumed by self-reproach and pain, the fairy
Morgana appears, telling her that love, which is stronger than death,
can bring Merlin eternal grace. Vivien is led away by her maid, and
Lancelot enters with the knights to seek Merlin's help against the
treacherous Modred.
Seeing Merlin in this pitiful state, he sadly turns from him, but
Merlin in despair promises his soul to the demon, if he but assist to
deliver his King and his country. The demon breaks the chains and
Merlin rushes with the knights into battle. During his absence Vivien
prepares herself to receive her hero, but though she sees him return
victorious he is wounded to death. The demon comes up to claim his
victim, but Vivien, remembering Morgana's words, sacrifices herself
piercing her heart at Merlin's feet. The demon disappears cursing
heaven and earth, while Artus and his knights, though they sadly mourn
for their hero, yet praise the victory of true love.
More
-
Il Demonio
In three acts by ANTON RUBINSTEIN Text after the Russian of ALFRED OFFERMANN. This opera of the great Russian musician has an entirely national character. The great features of Rubinstein's work are most fertile imagination and an immense... Il Seraglio
In three acts by MOZART. Text after BRETZNER by G. STEPHANIE. Mozart modestly called this opera a Vaudeville (in German: Singspiel). They were the fashion towards the end of the last century, but "Il Seraglio" ranks much higher, and may be... Il Trovatore
In four acts by GIUSEPPE VERDI. Text by SALVATORE COMMERANO. Though Verdi is far beneath his celebrated predecessors Rossini and Bellini, he is highly appreciated in his own country and the Trovatore counts many admirers not only in Italy ... Ingrid
In two acts by KARL GRAMANN. Text by T. KERSTEN. Ingrid is a musical composition of considerable interest, the local tone and colouring being so well hit. It is a Norwegian picture with many pretty and original customs, to which the musi... Iphigenia In Aulis
In three acts by GLUCK. Text of the original rearranged by R. WAGNER. This opera, though it does not stand from the point of view of the artist on the same level with Iphigenia in Tauris, deserves nevertheless to be represented on every go... Iphigenia In Tauris
In four acts by GLUCK. Text by GUILLARD. Gluck's Iphigenia stands highest among his dramatic compositions. It is eminently classic and so harmoniously finished, that Herder called its music sacred. The libretto is excellent. It follow... Jean De Paris
In three acts by ADRIEN BOIELDIEU. Text by St. JUST. After a lapse of many years this spirited little opera has again been put upon the stage and its success has shown, that true music never grows old. Next to the "Dame blanche" Jean de... Jessonda
In three acts by LOUIS SPOHR. Text by HENRY GEHE. Spohr wrote this opera by way of inauguration to his charge as master of the court-chapel at Cassel, and with it he added to the fame, which he had long before established as master of the ... Joseph In Egypt
In three acts by ETIENNE HENRY MEHUL. Text after ALEXANDER DUVAL. This opera, which has almost disappeared from the French stage, is still esteemed in Germany and always will be so, because, though clad in the simplest garb, and almost wit... Junker Heinz Sir Harry
In three acts by KARL VON PERFALL. Text after Hertz's poem: Henri of Suabia by FRANZ GRANDOUR. This opera composed recently by the Superintendent of the Royal Opera in Munich, has made its way to the most renowned stages in Germany, which ... Kirke Circe
In a Prologue and three acts by AUGUST BUNGERT. Kirke, the first part of Bungert's Odyssey was given for the first time in Dresden January 29th 1898. It had the same immense success as Odysseus' Return. Nevertheless it is weaker in many par... L'africaine
In five acts by MEYERBEER. Text by E. SCRIBE, translated by GUMPERT. L'Africaine, one of the Maestro's last operas (1865), unites in itself all the strength and at the same time all the weakness of Meyerbeer's composition. The music is ... La Boheme
Adapted from HENRY MURGER'S VIE DE BOHEME. Music by GIACOMO PUCCINI. This opera was composed in 1896, and the music is of a far higher order than that of "La Tosca", particularly the love scenes.-- La Boheme grows on one more and more, t... La Dame Blanche
In three acts by BOIELDIEU. Text by SCRIBE. Boieldieu is for the French almost what Mozart was for the German. This opera especially may be called classic, so deliberate and careful is its execution. The "Lady in white" is the chef-d'oe... La Figlia Del Reggimento
In two acts by GAETANO DONIZETTI. Text by ST. GEORGE and BAYARD. This opera is one of the few of Donizetti's numerous works, which still retain their attraction for the theatre-visitor, the others are his Lucrezia Borgia and Lucia di Lamme... La Juive The Jewess
In five acts by HALEVY. Text by EUGENE SCRIBE. This opera created a great sensation when it first appeared on the stage of the Grand Opera at Paris in the year 1835, and it has never lost its attraction. It was one of the first grand oper... La Muette De Portici
In five acts by AUBER. Text by SCRIBE. This opera was first put on the stage in the Grand Opera-House at Paris in the year 1828, and achieved for its author universal celebrity; not only, because in it Auber rises to heights, which he never ... La Somnambula
In two acts by VINCENZO BELLINI. Text by FELICE ROMANI. This opera is decidedly of the best of Bellini's muse. Though it does not reach the standard of Norma, its songs are so rich and melodious, that they seem to woo the ear and cannot b... La Traviata
VIOLETTA In three acts by VERDI. Text taken from the French by PIAVE. The original of the libretto is Dumas' celebrated novel "La dame aux camelias." The opera is like all of Verdi's works full of melody and there are numberless spec... Le Domino Noir
In three acts by AUBER. Text by SCRIBE. This is one of the most charming comic operas, which were ever written by this master. Graceful archness and elegance of style are its characteristics, and these lose nothing from the presence of a ... Le Nozze Di Figaro
In four acts by MOZART. Text by LORENZO DA PONTE. This opera may be said to be the continuation of Rossini's "Barbiere di Seviglia". The text too is taken from Beaumarchais' Figaroade, and the principal persons in it, we find to be old ac... Le Prophete
In five acts by GIACOMO MEYERBEER. Text by SCRIBE. Though Meyerbeer never again attained the high standard of his Huguenots, the "Prophet" is not without both striking and powerful passages; it is even said, that motherly love never spoke... Les Huguenots
In five acts by GIACOMO MEYERBEER. Text by SCRIBE. This is the best opera of this fertile composer, and one with which only his "Robert le diable" can compare. The music is not only interesting, but highly dramatic; the "mise en scene", ... Little Bare Foot
BARFUSSELE in two Pictures with a Prelude by RICHARD HEUBERGER. Words by VICTOR LEON from AUERBACH'S Story. The young composer's opera is a musical village-story, simple and well adapted to the pretty subject. Heuberger's talent is of... Lohengrin
In three acts by RICHARD WAGNER. This is the most popular of all Wagner's operas. No need to say more about its music, which is so generally known and admired, that every child in Germany knows the graceful aria, where Lohengrin dismisses th... Lorle
In three acts by ALBAN FOERSTER. Text by HANS HEINRICH SCHEFSKY. With this opera its composer has made a lucky hit; it stands far higher than the "Maidens of Schilda", by dint of the charming subject, founded on Auerbach's wonderful villag... Love's Battle
DER LIEBESKAMPF In two acts. Music and Text by ERIK MEYER-HELMUND. This young composer, whose first opera was brought on the stage in Dresden in the spring of 1892, has been known for several years to the musical world by his most charm... Lucia Di Lammermoor
In three acts by GAETANO DONIZETTI. Text from Scott's romance by SALVATORE CAMMERANO. This opera is Donizetti's master-piece and except his "Figlia del reggimento" and "Lucrezia Borgia" is the only one of his fifty operas, which is still g... Lucrezia Borgia
In three acts by DONIZETTI. Text by FELICE ROMANI after Victor Hugo's drama. Donizetti's Lucrezia was one of the first tragic operas to command great success, notwithstanding its dreadful theme and its light music, which is half French, ha... Madame Butterfly
Tragedy of a Japanese woman in three acts after John L. Long and David Belasco by L. ILLICA and G. GIACOSA. Music by GIACOMO PUCCINI. Though Puccini has not reached the musical heights of "Boheme" and "Tosca" in this opera, it has neverthe... Manon
In four acts by J. MASSENET. Text by HENRY MEILHAC and PHILIPPE GILLE. The subject of this opera is based on Prevost's famous novel "Manon Lescaut". The libretto is much weaker than the story, but the music is most graceful and charming, ... Manru
In three acts by J. PADEREWSKI. Text by ALFRED NOSSIG. Dresden claims the honour of having first represented the celebrated Polish pianist's opera. The performance took place on May 29th 1901, and a closely packed house showed its appro... Marga
In one act by GEORG PITTRICH. Text by ARNO SPIESS. The first performance of this highly interesting little opera took place in Dresden in February 1894 and awakened the interest of every music lover in the hitherto quite unknown composer. ... Marguerite
FAUST In five acts by CHARLES GOUNOD. The subject of this piece is taken from the first part of Goethe's greatest drama--"Faust". Faust, a celebrated old Doctor, is consumed by an insatiable thirst for knowledge, but, having already li... Martha
In four acts by FLOTOW. Text by W. FRIEDRICH. This charming opera finally established the renown of its composer, who had first found his way to public favor through "Stradella".--It ranks high among our comic operas, and has become as mu... Melusine
In three acts by CARL GRAMMANN. Text after C. CAMP'S poem of the same name. Tableaux and mise en scene after SCHWIND'S composition. The composer of this opera is known in the musical world as the author of many other fine works. He has ... Merlin
In three acts by CHARLES GOLDMARK. Text by SIEGFRIED LIPINER. This latest creation of the talented composer at once proved itself a success, when produced for the first time in the Opera-House in Vienna. Since then it has quickly passed to... Mignon
In three acts by AMBROISE THOMAS Text by MICHEL CARRE and JULES BARBIER. This opera is full of French grace and vivacity, and has been favorably received in Germany. The authors have used for their libretto Goethe's celebrated novel "Wilh... Moloch
In three Acts. Music by MAX SCHILLINGS. Libretto by EMIL GERHAEUSER, founded on HEBBEL'S fragment "MOLOCH". The first representation of this opera took place on December 8th 1906 in the Dresden Royal Opera. It is the production of a hig... Nausikaa
Second Part of the Tetralogy: The Odyssey. Musical Tragedy in three acts and a Prologue by AUGUST BUNGERT. The first representation of Nausikaa took place in Dresden on March 20th 1901.--The reception was much warmer than that given to Kirk... Norma
In two acts by BELLINI. Text by ROMANI. Few operas can boast of as good and effective a libretto as that, which Romani wrote for Bellini's Norma. He took his subject from a French tragedy and wrote it in beautiful Italian verse. With t... Oberon
In three acts by WEBER. English text by PLANCHE translated by TH. HELL. Oberon is Weber's last work. In the year 1824 he had the honor of being commissioned to compose this opera for the Covent-garden theatre. He began at once to study En... Odysseus' Death
Fourth Part of the Odyssey in three acts by AUGUST BUNGERT. This last part of the Tetralogy bears more decided indications of Wagner's influence than the others do; and though strikingly beautiful in many ways it fails to excite quite the sam... Odysseus' Return
In three acts with a Prelude by AUGUST BUNGERT. A musical drama of the highest interest, one which may be considered equal to Wagner's great Nibelung series, has been created at last. "Odysseus' Return" is the third of four parts of a cyclu... Orfeo E Eurydice
In three acts by GLUCK. Text by RANIERO DI CALZABIGI. This opera is the oldest of all we possess in our repertoire. Gluck had already written more than forty operas, of which we do not even know the names now, when he composed his Orfeo, ... Othello
In four acts by GIUSEPPE VERDI. Text by ARRIGO BOITO, translated into the German by MAX KALBECK. In his seventy-third year the Maestro has given to his time an opera, which surpasses his former compositions in many respects. It proves, th... Pagliacci
(MERRY ANDREW.) In two acts and a Prologue. Music and Text by R. LEONCAVALLO. Translated into the German by LUDWIG HARTMANN. In the summer of the year 1892 a rumour was going through the musical world, that Mascagni had found his equa... Philemon And Baucis
In two acts by CHARLES GOUNOD. Text by JULES BARBIER and MICHEL CARRE, with an intermezzo. This is a truly delightful musical composition and though unpretending and not on the level of Gounod's "Margaretha", it does not deserve to be forg... Preciosa
In four acts by ALEXANDER WOLFF. Musical accompaniment by CHARLES MARIA VON WEBER. Though Preciosa is not an opera, we may feel justified in admitting it into our collection, as the music, which Weber wrote to it has alone given celebrity ... Rienzi The Last Of The Tribunes
In five acts by RICHARD WAGNER. In this first opera of Wagner's one hardly recognizes the great master of later times.--But though Wagner himself disowned this early child of his muse, there is a grand energy in it, which preserves it from t... Rigoletto
In three acts by VERDI. Text by PIAVE from VICTOR HUGO'S drama: "Le roi s'amuse". No opera has become popular in so short a time as Rigoletto in Italy. The music is very winning and is, like all that Verdi has written, full of exquisite m... Robert Le Diable
In five acts by MEYERBEER. Text by SCRIBE and DELAVIGNE. Though the text, which embodies the well-known story of Robert the Devil, Duke of Normandy, is often weak and involved, Meyerbeer has understood in masterly fashion how to adapt his ... Romeo E Giulietta
In five acts by CH. GOUNOD. Text by BARBIER and CARRE. This highly favored opera by Gounod presents much that is worthy of admiration, though it does not rise to the high level of his Marguerite (Faust). {304 The libretto follows Shakespe... Salome
In one act and Libretto by RICHARD STRAUSS founded on OSCAR WILDE'S drama. On December 9th, 1905, this opera was performed for the first time in Dresden. Its success was immense, and can only be compared with that achieved at Bayreuth in ... Sealed
VERSIEGELT In one act by RICHARD BATKA and PORDES-MILO, adapted from Rauppach's "Der versiegelte Buergermeister". Music by LEO BLECH. The popularity of this work, the composer's first real success, is due not only to the sparkling and e... Siegfried
Second day of the Nibelungen Ring by WAGNER. In three acts. The first act represents a part of the forest, where Fafner guards the Rhinegold and where Sieglinda has found refuge. We find her son Siegfried,--to whom when she was dying, s... Silvana
In four acts by WEBER. Text by ERNST PASQUE. This opera was left unfinished by Weber. It has however recently been completed, the text by Ernest Pasque, and the music by Ferdinand Langer, who rearranged the manuscript with loving care, in... Tannhaeuser
In three acts by RICHARD WAGNER. With this opera begins a new era in the history of the German theatre. Tannhaeuser is more a drama than an opera, every expression in it is highly dramatic; the management of the orchestra too is quite differe... The Alpine King And The Misanthrope
In three acts by LEO BLECH. Text by RICHARD BATKA. The young composer, who is already conductor of the orchestra of the German Opera in Prague made his debut last year in a small one-act opera, called "That was I"--, the music of which is ... The Apothecary
(LO SPEZIALE.) Comic Opera by JOSEF HAYDN (1768). After a sleep of 125 years in the dust of Prince Esterhazy's archives at Eisenstadt, Dr. Hirschfeld received permission from Prince Paul Esterhazy of Galantha to copy the original manuscrip... The Armorer
DER WAFFENSCHMIED In three acts by ALBERT LORTZING. Text by himself. Though this opera does not equal in value Lortzing's "Czar and Zimmermann", it has nevertheless proved an admirable addition to the operatic repertory. It is attract... The Barber Of Bagdad
In two acts by PETER CORNELIUS. It took a long time, before this charming little Opera took its place amongst so many fellow operas much less entitled to notice. The composer had died 15 years previously, without having gained the success h... The Beauties Of Fogaras
DIE SCHOeNEN VON FOGARAS. In three acts by ALFRED GRUeNFELD. Words by VICTOR LEON, founded on the Hungarian novel of MIKSZATH, "Szehistye, the village without Men". This opera was first performed in Dresden on September 7th, 1907. Vic... The Bell Of The Hermit
In three acts by LOUIS AIME MAILLART. LES DRAGONS DE VILLARS. Text after the French by G. ERNST. Maillart, who studied under Halevy in Paris and received the Roman prize (prix de Rome) in the year 1841, composed six operas, all of whi... The Cid
In three acts. Text and Music by PETER CORNELIUS. After an interval of more than thirty years the Dresden Opera has paid a debt of honour to the dead composer and gave his finest and best opera for the first time on January 17th 1899. T... The Cricket On The Hearth
In three acts by CARL GOLDMARK. Text after Dickens' tale by M. WILLNER. With this opera Goldmark has entered a novel way in composing. He has renounced all sensational effects and has produced an opera, which is full of charming melodies,... The Departure
In one Act. Libretto by A. VON STEIGENTESCH (end of 18th century). Arranged by FERDINAND COUNT SPORCK. With Music by EUGENE D'ALBERT. By this opera the young composer, whose previous dramatic efforts were to a certain extent unsuccess... The Devil's Part
CARLO BROSCHI In three acts by AUBER. Text by SCRIBE. This composition might rather be called a Vaudeville with musical accompaniment, than an opera. The music is not above mediocrity, though we find many pleasing and even exquisite ... The Dusk Of The Gods
Third day of the Nibelungen Ring by WAGNER. This is the end of the great and beautiful tragedy and really it may be called both a sublime and grand conclusion, which unites once again all the dramatic and musical elements of the whole and pre... The Evangelimann
In two acts. With Text and Music by WILHELM KIENZL. The author has learnt a great deal since the days, in which he composed Urvasi. His music has become more original and more independant of great models. The new opera, while not so poet... The Fledermaus The Bat
In three Acts by MEILHAC and HALEVY. Music by JOHANN STRAUSS. The Fledermaus is the famous Viennese Waltz King's best operetta. The charming music is so well known, that only the libretto needs to be explained, because of its rather compl... The Flying Dutchman
In three acts by WAGNER. DER FLIEGENDE HOLLAeNDER. This fine opera is Wagner's second work, which he composed in direst need, when living at Paris with his young wife. The songs, which so well imitate the hurricane and the howling of the oc...