The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-07-01
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uANIN0 CUu4aI
Indolent As a hsmmocks motion, amorous
A the Orient, gently relaxing as the south
wind, il quiets his perturDed spirits. Ihen
abe bends over him, and kisses ms brow
Nelusko comes toslay him. SelIka forbidf
the assassination. He obeys, and In an sd-
mirable o tells how, Notwithstanding
his hatred Tor the pale face, his love for
Sslika masters his hate. Selika wskens
Vasco de Cana. He takes 8 map, traced
bv himself, and plans his voyagei for
though in prison, and denied the necessary
vessels, he still hopes to prosecute his
scheme. Selika observes him in silence,
and then, seeing the route he traced would
lead TO his certain destruction, she points
out the true course his ship must sail.
He cstches her in his arms, and vows
he adores her. At this moment
In 8. D1n Pedro, and their suite enter
she mas accepted Don Pedro for her hus-
band in order to obtain VGsco de GGnpG'S
liberty. Her breast is wrung by jealousy
when she sees YGseO de CANA and Settka
locked in tch others arms. He detects it,
and to extiuguish it makes her q present OF
SsEika and NslusIO. Don Pedro saw VdScO
de GGnla1s plans during the debste before
the council and determines to appropriate
them in order 10 resp the honors of dis
coverv. Here a sextuor which becomes a
septuor is sung, in which HaSco de Cana
mourns his tRice-blasted hopes; lnez
weeps that ever fortune should ever thwsrt
true loves course; Don Pedro rtjOices in
the possession of wife and fame; Seliks
mourns over her miscsrried love; Nelusko
tells his hatred and his love, etc. 1t is with
this vivid contrast of sentiments, predoml-
nAnt in which is pathos, the second act
ends.
The third act transports US out Of sight
of land; we see the famous vessel rising
and falling on the sea. lis early morn
ing; the sge of innocence Of the dsy when
the sun scatters gold and purple over the
smiling and still uulaborious earth. Inez
swings in her hammock, and thinks Of
faded times; Selika is at her fee.1 with
Thoughts now roaming over the past, now
dwelling in her native land. The sailors
sing g hymn of praise to the Heaven which
has guarded them. The women then take
up the magnificent chant, and in turn
crave Heavens aid. While this solemn
scene transpires, Nelusko, leaning against
the starboard shrouds, secretly jeers the
fools who thank Heaven. They protected
v minute, every fsthom is fastening
them to destruction. He hates the whole
race of pale faces. A change comes over
the morning. Clouds appear. The wind
rises. The sea labors. Nelusko Is chief
pilot. aAu NordI ToWrnOns Gw nord-ou
SIMON Ee trepasi r he cries to the pilot in a
splendid piecs of defamation, consisting
only of these words, with no meditation,
but an ascending progression, which pro-
duces an effect 1 cann0tp pretend to describe.
oAir is Hbouted :" all are delighted, and
express their Joy in merry sons~He
checks their premature delight by singing
Administers ballad. AdamRstor is the
malevolent giant of the ssas. This
ballad il full Of sinister pressge. A
drum ia heard Seemingly distant, it
draws nearer. It is from q vessel bear
ingT Portuguese colors. A boat puts of
It reaches Don Pedro's vessel. VascO de
CANA climbs up the ships side. He knew
that If Don Pedro followed the indications
eoatained in his, Vdseo's maps, (msde be-
fore SeakG had pointed out the true route,
he and IHez would be lost. Don PAa-~
fuses TO bellows hia> susPscts sinister de-
signs; orders him to be tied to the mair-
mast and shot. Hez and SeLikG intercede
in vain for him. "Soldiers, obey your Or
dersi Make ready Take ainW At this
instant q terrible noise is heard. The YES
sci has struck on the reef Nelusko designed
it should reach. Horjes Of wreckers and
pirates appear, and would massacre every
body-a gesture of SeLika checks them.
They recognise their old queen and do her
homage.
The fourth act is laid in India. SeLikG
has been reiDstated on her ancestral throne.
All the persons on Don Pedros vessel
have been put TO death lit is reported ex'
cent Vssco. He wanders about the cum
try delighted to see his dream a reality ;
but he is TO die, for in thst land, as in old
japan, all foreigners must die. He ex-
presses his delight in ravishing song, &C
companied by tremoLos of violins and ech-
oes of horns. Her subjects insist on his
execution. She his life by marrying
him. He is for q moment intoxicated with
she new land, and with her sings an amor
GUS duet Mons. Theophile Gautier calls 1t
the most smorous cuet ever sighed upon
the stsge) and they go to the nuptial bow.
er. They would be perfectly happy but
for a sigh which seems borne on the wind,
from whence no one knows, but which is
strangely like Inez's voice. It ava
kens deep remorse in Vasco de Gama's
breast.
The fifth act scqusints US with Seliks's
resolution to restore VascO to lnez. Life
has now no charms for Selika, and she de.
termiRes to seek the Upss tree. We see
the Upss tree. 1t stands alone by the sea
shore a desert is around it. While We
gaze on this vacant scene We hear q sym
phony in the slow measure of q dead march,
1t consists of only sixteen bars, executed
in unison by altos, violincellos and violi0s
on the fourth string, and bsssoons. Mons
Theophile G4utier thus describee this sym
phony ATS of q disquieting supernatural
beauty /; of a s~onorousness unknown to hui
man ear, and seeming to come from auoth'
er planet Oae is tempted TO think 1t
spirits sigh, Natures insrticulate, symps'
thetic plant, the sob of the invisible
world, what Virgil calls the tears of thing
: : WI do not believe a mu.ical phrase
ever produced such an impression" Sell
ks anpssrs and Dido farewell to life in no
Die and touching recitstive. Whom sht
lies down to die an unseen chorus breathe
parting songs, soft as q dying summer
day. Then the curtain slowly falls.
SPIRIDIoN.
PUHCH's VERSION OF L'AFRICAINE.
This Is the LibrettO of the grad nei0 ola
Opera. EvoLved from the depths Of ow
oiOn moral consciousness lOith slight az
from the contradictory accounts By eTItlcj
none of lohonI aOere present at thePeTJoT
nance.
Co,1eA M-r5rT tho King Of PoTragd
BiahopS, Grand IaquisieorS, b1q~lsltIu
Courtiers, Members Of the Royal Geo
graphical Society, and others.
First Bishop. Vsseo de Cana was q gres
discoverer, but we await his return in val
because he is drowned.
Enter VAsCo DE CANA.
Vasco. Subject 10 correction by you
reverence's superior Notwithstanding
of the kind.
GRAND CHoRUs.
He Is not drowned,
Indeed, he's found.
Vssco. l love Donna Inez, and thel
exist very large countries which have No
been discovered.
Don Pedro. You must not love Dom
Inez because she is engaged to me.
Bishops and Inquisitors. And you mui
not say that there are any other countrl
than those mentioned in the Scripture.
G H.1I-