The Indianapolis journal., 1883-01-31
THE CINCINNATI FESTIVAL
Production of Meyerboer's "L'Afri-
caine" on Monday Night.
The Opera and Its Composer-scene at the
Opening Night of the FestIval-Pattts
Performance In ''Traviata."
Collated From Cincinnati Papers.

in every respect French composer. He,
when young was with Weber pupil of the
renowned Abbie V. Vogler, but how unlike
the facts and the creation of the two. One
is the very type and embodiment of popu-
lar German music, the romanticism of the
metaphysical land, and the other is the very
express result of Partisan life and culture.
Meyerbeer deals in effects-effects ever and
without end Effect, it must be owned of
the most striking kind, and upon scale of
daring which would make the cheeks of any
composer blanch with fear He is in the world
of bizarre, yet certainly beautiful opera,
what Rossini is in the world of aord vocali-
zation. No scales and ornaments can be
named with those of Rossini and so the
startling contrasts and bold combinations OF
other masters seem like timid experiments
when matched with the autocratic successes
of Meyerbeer Such strange things as that
sudden tiger-spring upon sharp after the
+ fiat chord are of constant recurrence.
The plot and whole makeup of the opera
L. L'Africaine is magnificent. 1t deals with
the romantic period of Portuguese life
and history, that time when the thirst for
geographical discovery and the widening OF
Christendom andthe power of Catholic SOW
ereigns made the inspiration of the worlds
most gifted spirits. The opportunity for
gorgeous tropical scenery is made the most
OF by the composer, and the whole emo
tional texture of the play is of the iutensest
kind. The role of Selika is one especially
adapted to the display OF a dramatic soprano,
and many OF our most celebrated singers,
among them Materna have first established
their reputation by a presentation of the In
dian Queen. Nine. Furch-Madi has a pow
erful, even and most thrilling voice of the
unmistakab,e dramatic species, She has
made a wonderful impression in New York.
PLOT OF THE OPERA.
Following is the plot of the opera: Vasco
di CANA, young officer in the Portuguese
navy, convinced of the existence OF lands
hitherto unknown to his countrymen, ap-
plies to the Royal Council of Portugal for
means wherewith to prosecute his researches
producing, in support OF his arguments,
two slaves purchased by him in an African
slave mart whose features garb, etc, prove
them to be of race unknown to Europeans.
The superStitious ignorance of the council
leads, not only to the refusal of Vasco's APP
plication, but to his being forthwith arrested
being shared by his two slaves, Selika and
Neusko, the former of whom has become
deeply enamored of her master while she
herself is passionately beloved by her COM
panion in bondage, Nelusko Vasco, how
ever, is soon released from prison. owing to
the Jealous intervention of Inez NOW the
wife of Don Pedro), but between whom and
Vasco a deep and endearing attachment
had long existed. Don Pedro has mean
time become possessed of Vasco's pa
pers, plans, etc, and having obtained
from the king the command of
/ ship, he sets sail, hoping TO carry out
"Vasco's" projected discoveries, and thereby
reap the advantages to which the great nav
igator's genius and enterprise had so justly
entitled him. "Don Pedro" takes with him,
on his voyage, his wife lines" and two
slaves, "Selika" and "Nelusko" whom he
had purchased of their former master. As
the ship approaches the Cape of Storms
Good Hope), it is overtaken by a vessel car
rying the same colors, and commanded by
none other than "VaSco" n person. whom
an unexpected turn of fortune has enabled
10 fit out ship for himself. Notwithstand-
ing their mutual hate, ''Vasco' comes on
board Don Pedro's' ship for the purpose of
cautionng him against the numerous dan
gers with which the navigation in those lat
/ itudes is fraught. quarrel, however, en-
sues, during which, in verification of
"Vascos" warning, the ship Through the
Vaccinations of "Nelusko," to whom the
steering OF the vessel has been entrusted) is
suddenly boarded by Indians, who despite
resistance, take the entire crew prisoners
and carry them away to land rich in every
tropical beauty and of which the cap
tive slave "Selika" now proves to be
queen, she having formerly been captured by
Africans on an occaS on, when, tempest
tossed her bark had drifted far from her
native shores. don Pedro" and his COM
panons are, in accordance with law of the
country, Immediately put to death. Sell
ka." to save the life of her beloved 'Vasco"
informs her subjects that a marriage has
been contracted between herself and the
young Portuguese, during her captivity in
Europe. "Nasco," overcome by gratitude, is
on the point of forgetting his love for lines"
when OF a sudden the wife of Pedro" is
heard, and she and her attendants are being
led to the sacrifice, bewailing her sad fate
and bidding an eternal adieu to her native
| land. The well-known accents at once re-
viye in 'Vascos" breast all his former affec-
ton for Ines" "Selika," heartbroken on
finding that her ardent love for "Vasco' is
| unreturned, at first determines on signal
vengeance, but her better nature subsequent
ly gaius the ascendant, and she nobly restores
the two lovers to liberty. Despair, however
takes possession of the unhappy queen, and,
unable to endure the torments of unrequited
passion, She decides to end her
days by inhaling the perfume of the
manzanilla tree, the exhalations of whose
FOLIAGE, according to their traditional proper
ties, lull her into dreamy trance, from the
ecstatic visions Of which she is awakened by
the signal gun. announcing the departure Of
Vasco and his beloved Ines, to whose happi-
ness, Don Pedro being dead there is now no
longer a barrier. Recalled to the terrible
reality of her position, Seiika utters a pas
sionate farewell to Vasco, and, overcome by
the poisonous emanations of the fatal tree
beneath whose death-deaing branches she is
still extended, the unhappy queen expires in
| the arms of her faithful and sorrow-strlcken
| Nelusko
Patti in ''Traviata."
| What would "Traviata" have been Monday
night without Patti in the role of Violetto?
The diva seems to have been created for that