New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-01
MEFISTOFELE.
THE PLOT OF THE NEW OPERA.

The opera is divided INTO six sections-a
prologue our acts. and an epi!ngue After bhort In
duoed by brass instruments on the stage reps ing to the
opera commences with the " Prologue in Heaven" We
hear unseen chorus OF celestial spirits chanting a
rlseate clouds through which g-teuiug stars appear,
aud IN the blue ether Is seen the revolving earth,
NeDhisfOBLekS appears among the clouds bis advent
beng accompanied 10y shurl instrumental movement,
winch the " lett motive" for that character is
gwen ApolOgiz ne for MS prcsencr IN sucL place
Is questioned. Knowcst thou Faust 2" and. in
GoctEe's poem permission - gIy or BIS temptaIon
and the wager na1e as 10 fdUsfs final loss OF al innate
salvation. 10 English minds is much that ~ re-
peeni in the reAtm mt Of such subject on the stage
aud opinions Will doubtless differ the Of
the selection Of these incidents Tor lyrical Illustration
H. however II be once conceded that Goethe poem -
iii subject for operate treatment must BE- admitted
Sgnor Bo;to in seekng to carry out the spirit II Tue
great German work, had DO alternative bat 10
retain the supernatural elements whIch FORM 50
Important u constituent part of the work.
The first divided INTO two paIts-a scene on Eas
ter sunday before the gaze at Frankfort he-Nlnlh
and a second FadSfS laboratory. In the former
nadens, ughers, Students, soldiers etc. are collected
arrives with cavacade This me is fu OF nnima-
ton, the music bright, sparkling. AID charsc ,er
lstlc. After several sDllied ch3luseS me holaat
hers dsperse. and the aged Dr. fd"sf and MS rup
wagner appear upon the scene whlcn they have been
Watching from pcnealh trec; ana helI PAIN j. So'I
crossed by Grey Fuar. who awakeus unedslnrss ana
suspjcion Faust, but makes no such impression on
wagner. fGRW observes tiat tne IrIhr moves III
strange and totuous circles, aud as he walks makes
tracks fire; bat Wagner dlsmiSses such suggestion
n an Idle fancy ana nothing but G'ey Frlar TIM
idly advancing on ais homeward way fGnt proceeds
followed by tie Grey Frlar, whom, however, he does
not observe, and who hides In an aicOyc. Faust
fields groves through which he has been passing
brgius rejecting on the attractions oi nature, and
to love for his neighbour and ycaTnnS Tor heaven
The melody here Is specially sweet and tran
Spit OF rcpose which settles over nature
the twilight falls upon departing day l. TINS PLACID
mood Faust taxes the holy yOlUne 10 read ana
t n9G1 b I,ar . Wbo rts from the coye wth cry OF
E'fgfgf 1ls nj ID
makes the omnipOtcn sicu Of solomon, an act winch
canses VcDhisfoDheles TO in niediaeiy throw his
wljh black cloak on his arm. Questioned rs 10 ms
personality he explains that "bc Is but living part
OF that great power that 10 all eternity thnKch evil
worketh good" Here occurs an ara for MephtS
tophelcs. Pm the SPIRIT VINO denieth fun Of aDrup',
weird writing the end term mating with
diabolical whistle of strange, unearhly character
cancc to the scene difficult 10 conjecture. Mephis-
foDheles here drives his welrknOwn bargain with FdUt
ana act is brought to conclusion by Inc former
tretcnng forth his CLOAK, on wnch the TWO travel
through the ar to scenes where Faust will begin HE
anew the TOmbOues IN the orchestra prUclanlng the
temporary triumph OF the evl one.
Tue second act opens win tie garden scene, where
we two coupies-Fd'tSt under the name OF Henry
and Margaret and MepidStOpheteS and Martha. thus IN
1,oducns tenor SOPRANO, pass ana S9'tia9; VINE
ms margaret, the latter as III ne original poem
questioning HIM 10 his beef Tls is the occasion for
the introduction OF very nfeOdious movement IN
major, sung by FAUST aHd after giving her the phla
the drug winch l. TO cause her mother TO
eep and enable Faust 10 enter the house. but winch III
reality pOlsoas her. the scene Is terminated D quartet
the finest plumbers in the whole wNk aud whch never
fas 40 awaken the audience a lign degree OF enthu
siasm taken 10 the heights oil the BrOcken
and We get NapuI lsnacht" III stage l. thrOnged
with witches weird unearthly FORMS VINO dance in
wild derum about the Rocks ana sing sirauge demou
acaI choruses IL is difficult conceive the mad revel
ling OF this motley crew, with their strange antics aud
vel stranger songs. At word from Nepstophei6S they
AL fall before their ruler, and sing, bouche Jrnee, q
chorus adorauOn 10 ther despotc monarch. An APP
partition of Margaret with Gil clet round her throat Ike
a tim streak of blood. concludes the second act.
The third devoted the pr scene where Mar
0nref awaits death for the murder OF her enid and
TIE unnentionaO poisoning 81 her mother AS In Gou-
mods OPERA Faust and MeDhfStODhctes anu she Is
offered escape; refuses the offered aid, and
fa dead aXeman arrives, Mephfstophefes pi
nouucing her condemued while the celestial choir sing
saved" The fourth act IA founded on the second
mart Of Goethes poem and is entitled The Night OF the
Pepeus wOOes Helen Of Troy The choicest mum
her In the whole opera, " La luna iInmoblle" o
duet between Nine. Nilsson and Nine. TreOell.
opens the act and IL s composition OF sucn singular
elegance and beauty thai its repetition Is invariably III.
sisted upon 1t has already attained certain amount OF
nopulsrty and likely become widely known In the
elOgue Faust found IN his study, an OLD man, with
ilfr with the Holy Volume open before him. Fearing
Faust may yet elude bus grasp Aephtstophets spreads
his cloak and rges Faust TO fly with hm upon the air.
ApoealDg Heaven Faust IL strengthened 0Y the sOund
OF angelic songs Fol ed IN ms effort Mephs
toDh,Ies centuries a vision of beautiful sirens Faust
htsutes n nom MT flies the Sacred Volume pressing
# 70 his b1son cries Here at last hnd salvation
the temptations Of the Evil One. He then dles ahld
shower of rose leaves and to the triumphant song oil
celestial choir WephistOpeteS has lost his wager, ana
holy Influences have prevailed