Act III. Gallery in an Italian castle, to which _Wilhelm_ has brought

_Mignon_ and _Lothario_. _Mignon_ has been dangerously ill. A boating chorus is heard from the direction of a lake below. _Lothario_, standing by the door of _Mignon's_ sick-room, sings a lullaby, "De son coeur j'ai calmé la fièvre" (I've soothed the throbbing of her aching heart). _Wilhelm_ tells _Lothario_ that they are in the Cipriani castle, which he intends to buy for _Mignon_. At the name of the castle _Lothario_ is strangely agitated.

_Wilhelm_ has heard _Mignon_ utter his own name in her aberrations during her illness. He sings, "Elle ne croyait pas" (She does not know). When she enters the gallery from her sick-room and looks out on the landscape, she is haunted by memories. There is a duet for _Mignon_ and _Wilhelm_, "Je suis heureuse, l'air m'enivre" (Now I rejoice, life reawakens). _Filina's_ voice is heard outside. The girl is violently agitated. But _Wilhelm_ reassures her.

In the scenes that follow, _Lothario_, his reason restored by being again in familiar surroundings, recognizes in the place his own castle and in _Mignon_ his daughter, whose loss had unsettled his mind and sent him, in minstrel's disguise, wandering in search of her. The opera closes with a trio for _Mignon_, _Wilhelm_, and _Lothario_. In it is heard the refrain of "Connais-tu le pays."

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"Hamlet," the words by Barbier and Carré, based on Shakespeare's tragedy, is another opera by Ambroise Thomas. It ranks high in France, where it was produced at the Grand Opéra, March 9, 1868, with Nilsson as _Ophelia_ and Faure in the title rôle; but outside of France it never secured any approach to the popularity that "Mignon" at one time enjoyed. It was produced in London, in Italian, as "Amleto," Covent Garden, June 19, 1869, with Nilsson and Santley. In America, where it was produced in the Academy of Music, March 22, 1872, with Nilsson, Cary, Brignoli, Barré, and Jamet, it has met the fate of practically all operas in which the principal character is a baritone--esteem from musicians, but indifference on the part of the public. It was revived in 1892 for Lasalle, and by the Chicago Opera Company for Ruffo.

The opera contains in Act I, a love duet for _Hamlet_ and _Ophelia_, and the scene between _Hamlet_ and his father's _Ghost_; in Act II, the scene with the players, with a drinking song for _Hamlet_; in Act III, the soliloquy, "To be or not to be," and the scene between _Hamlet_ and the _Queen_; in Act IV, _Ophelia's_ mad scene and suicide by drowning; in Act V, the scene in the graveyard, with a totally different ending to the opera from that to the play. _Hamlet_ voices a touching song to _Ophelia's_ memory; then, stung by the _Ghost's_ reproachful look, stabs the _King_, as whose successor he is proclaimed by the people.

Following is the distribution of voices: _Hamlet_, baritone; _Claudius_, King of Denmark, bass; _Laertes_, Polonius's son, tenor; _Ghost_ of the dead King, bass; _Polonius_, bass; _Gertrude_, Queen of Denmark, Hamlet's mother, mezzo-soprano; and _Ophelia_, Polonius's daughter, soprano.

* * * * *

Ambroise Thomas was born at Metz, August 5, 1811; died at Paris, February 12, 1896. He studied at the Paris Conservatory, where, in 1832, he won the grand prix de Rome. In 1871 he became director of the Conservatory, being considered Auber's immediate successor, although the post was held for a few days by the communist Salvador Daniel, who was killed in battle, May 23d.

Georges Bizet

CARMEN

Opera in four acts by Georges Bizet; words by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, founded on the novel by Prosper Mérimée. Produced, Opéra Comique, Paris, March 3, 1875, the title rôle being created by Galli-Marié. Her Majesty's Theatre, London, in Italian, June 22, 1878; same theatre, February 5, 1879, in English; same theatre, November 8, 1886, in French, with Galli-Marié. Minnie Hauck, who created _Carmen_, in London, also created the rôle in America, October 23, 1879, at the Academy of Music, New York, with Campanini (_Don José_), Del Puente (_Escamillo_), and Mme. Sinico (_Micaela_). The first New Orleans _Carmen_, January 14, 1881, was Mme. Ambré. Calvé made her New York début as _Carmen_ at the Metropolitan Opera House, December 20, 1893, with Jean de Reszke (_Don José_), and Eames (_Micaela_). Bressler-Gianoli, and afterwards Calvé, sang the rôle at the Manhattan Opera House. Farrar made her first appearance as _Carmen_ at the Metropolitan Opera House, November 19, 1914. Campanini, Jean de Reszke, and Caruso are the most famous _Don Josés_ who have appeared in this country; but the rôle also has been admirably interpreted by Saléza and Dalmorès. No singer has approached Emma Eames as _Micaela_; nor has any interpreter of _Escamillo_ equalled Del Puente, who had the range and quality of voice and buoyancy of action which the rôle requires. Galassi, Campanari, Plançon, and Amato should be mentioned as other interpreters of the rôle.

February 13, 1912, Mary Garden appeared as _Carmen_ at the Metropolitan Opera House, with the Chicago Opera Company.

"Carmen" is an opera of world-wide popularity, and as highly esteemed by musicians as by the public.

CHARACTERS

DON JOSÉ, a corporal of dragoons _Tenor_ ESCAMILLO, a toreador _Baritone_ EL DANCAIRO } smugglers { _Baritone_ EL REMENDADO } { _Tenor_ ZUNIGA, a captain _Bass_ MORALES, an officer _Bass_ MICAELA, a peasant girl _Soprano_ FRASQUITA } gypsies, { _Mezzo-Soprano_ MERCEDES } friends of Carmen { _Mezzo-Soprano_ CARMEN, a cigarette girl and gypsy _Soprano_

Innkeeper, guide, officers, dragoons, boys, cigarette girls, gypsies, smugglers, etc.

_Time_--About 1820.

_Place_--Seville, Spain.