Act V. Covered with blood, _Raoul_ rushes into the ballroom of the

Hôtel de Nesle, where the Huguenot leaders, ignorant of the massacre that has begun, are assembled, and summons them to battle. Already Coligny, their great commander, has fallen. Their followers are being massacred.

The scene changes to a Huguenot churchyard, where _Raoul_ and _Marcel_ have found temporary refuge. _Valentine_ hurries in. She wishes to save _Raoul_. She adjures him to adopt her faith. _De Nevers_ has met a noble death and she is free--free to marry _Raoul_. But he refuses to marry her at the sacrifice of his religion. Now she decides that she will die with him and that they will both die as Huguenots and united. _Marcel_ blesses them. The enemy has stormed the churchyard and begins the massacre of those who have sought safety there and in the edifice itself. Again the scene changes, this time to a square in Paris. _Raoul_, who has been severely wounded, is supported by _Marcel_ and _Valentine_. _St. Bris_ and his followers approach. In answer to _St. Bris's_ summons, "Who goes there?" _Raoul_, calling to his aid all the strength he has left, cries out, "Huguenots." There is a volley. _Raoul_, _Valentine_, _Marcel_ lie dead on the ground. Too late _St. Bris_ discovers that he has been the murderer of his own daughter.

Originally in five acts, the version of "Les Huguenots" usually performed contains but three. The first two acts are drawn into one by converting the second act into a scene and adding it to the first. The fifth act (or in the usual version the fourth) is nearly always omitted. This is due to the length of the opera. The audience takes it for granted that, when _Raoul_ leaves _Valentine_, he goes to his death. I have seen a performance of "Les Huguenots" with the last act. So far as an understanding of the work is concerned, it is unnecessary. It also involves as much noise and smell of gunpowder as Massenet's opera, "La Navarraise"--and that is saying a good deal.

The performances of "Les Huguenots," during the most brilliant revivals of that work at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, under Maurice Grau, were known as "les nuits de sept étoiles" (the nights of the seven stars). The cast to which the performances owed this designation is given in the summary above. A manager, in order to put "Les Huguenots" satisfactorily upon the stage, should be able to give it with seven first-rate principals, trained as nearly as possible in the same school of opera. The work should be sung preferably in French and by singers who know something of the traditions of the Grand Opéra, Paris. Mixed casts of Latin and Teutonic singers mar a performance of this work. If "Les Huguenots" appears to have fallen off in popularity since "the nights of the seven stars," I am inclined to attribute this to inability or failure to give the opera with a cast either as fine or as homogeneous as that which flourished at the Metropolitan during the era of "les nuits de sept étoiles," when there not only were seven stars on the stage, but also seven dollars in the box office for every orchestra stall that was occupied--and they all were.

Auber's "Masaniello," Rossini's "William Tell," Halévy's "La Juive," and Meyerbeer's own "Robert le Diable" practically having dropped out of the repertoire in this country, "Les Huguenots," composed in 1836, is the earliest opera in the French grand manner that maintains itself on the lyric stage of America--the first example of a school of music which, through the "Faust" of Gounod, the "Carmen" of Bizet, and the works of Massenet, has continued to claim our attention.

After a brief overture, in which Luther's hymn is prominent, the first act opens with a sonorous chorus for the banqueters in the salon of _de Nevers's_ castle. _Raoul_, called upon to propose in song a toast to a lady, pledges the unknown beauty, whom he rescued from the insolence of a band of students. He does this in the romance, "Plus blanche que la plus blanche hermine" (Whiter than the whitest ermine). The accompaniment to the melodious measures, with which the romance opens, is supplied by a viola solo, the effective employment of which in this passage shows Meyerbeer's knowledge of the instrument and its possibilities. This romance is a perfect example of a certain phase of Meyerbeer's art--a suave and elegant melody for voice, accompanied in a highly original manner, part of the time, in this instance, by a single instrument in the orchestra, which, however, in spite of its effectiveness, leaves an impression of simplicity not wholly uncalculated.

_Raoul's_ romance is followed by the entrance of _Marcel_, and the scene for that bluff, sturdy old Huguenot campaigner and loyal servant of _Raoul_, a splendidly drawn character, dramatically and musically. _Marcel_ tries to drown the festive sounds by intoning the stern phrases of Luther's hymn. This he follows with the Huguenot battle song, with its "Piff, piff, piff," which has been rendered famous by the great bassos who have sung it, including, in this country, Formes and Édouard de Reszke.

_De Nevers_ then is called away to his interview with the lady, whom _Raoul_ recognizes as the unknown beauty rescued by him from the students, and whom, from the circumstances of her visit to _de Nevers_, he cannot but believe to be engaged in a liaison with the latter. Almost immediately upon _de Nevers's_ rejoining his guests there enters _Urbain_, the page of _Marguerite de Valois_. He greets the assembly with the brilliant recitative, "Nobles Seigneurs salut!" This is followed by a charming cavatina, "Une dame noble et sage" (A wise and noble lady). Originally this was a soprano number, _Urbain_ having been composed as a soprano rôle, which it remained for twelve years. Then, in 1844, when "Les Huguenots" was produced in London, with Alboni as _Urbain_, Meyerbeer transposed it, and a contralto, or mezzo-soprano, part it has remained ever since, its interpreters in this country having included Annie Louise Cary, Trebelli, Scalchi, and Homer. The theme of "Une dame noble et sage" is as follows:

[Transcriber's Note: Music apparently missing from original.]

The letter brought by _Urbain_ is recognized by the Catholic noblemen as being in the handwriting of _Marguerite de Valois_. As it is addressed to _Raoul_, they show by their obsequious demeanour toward him the importance they attach to the invitation. In accordance with its terms _Raoul_ allows himself to be blindfolded and led away by _Urbain_.

Following the original score and regarding what is now the second scene of Act I as the second act, this opens with _Marguerite de Valois's_ apostrophe to the fair land of Touraine (Ô beau pays de la Touraine), which, with the air immediately following, "À ce mot tout s'anime et renaît la nature" (At this word everything revives and Nature renews itself),

[Music]

constitutes an animated and brilliant scene for coloratura soprano.

There is a brief colloquy between _Marguerite_ and _Valentine_, then the graceful female chorus, sung on the bank of the Seine and known as the "bathers' chorus," this being followed by the entrance of _Urbain_ and his engaging song--the rondeau composed for Alboni--"Non!--non, non, non, non, non! Vous n'avez jamais, je gage" (No!--no, no, no, no, no! You have never heard, I wager).

_Raoul_ enters, the bandage is removed from his eyes, and there follows a duet, "Beauté divine, enchanteresse" (Beauty brightly divine, enchantress), between him and _Marguerite_, all graciousness on her side and courtly admiration on his. The nobles and their followers come upon the scene. _Marguerite de Valois's_ plan to end the religious strife that has distracted the realm meets with their approbation. The finale of the act begins with the swelling chorus in which they take oath to abide by it. There is the brief episode in which _Valentine_ is led in by _St. Bris_, presented to _Raoul_, and indignantly spurned by him. The act closes with a turbulent ensemble. Strife and bloodshed, then and there, are averted only by the interposition of _Marguerite_.