The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-01
THE LATEST OPERA.
Plot and Libretto OF Saint
Saens' AscaniO.
FLIGHT or THE COMPOSER,


The opera Of -Ascsrio." the score Of
which Is by n Saint sasns snd the libresso
By n. Gs4Ist. is borrowed from M. Paul
MeuYice's drama Of "Benvenrfo Celiini,
which wss m adaptation from The elder
Dumas' novel OF "Ascanio." The drama
had = great run At the Porte Saint Martin,
where Meiingus modelled stafustts on the
stage. II IL hard TO follow the hbretto, or
indeed. 70 understand IL well, unless one
knows both the novel and the adaptation
Eenvsnrfo Celliri. one Of the great artists
whom Francis I. brought from Italy and
loaded with savors. lives in Paris. and not
alone. His fair companion Is Scozzone.
also "A Italian. whose passion for him Is
ardent ard demonsfratGve- His favorite
pupil. Ascanio. whom be took into his
studio because he was poor and whom be
endowed with artistic genius, Is treated by
him as SON For the misfortune OF all.
tie Duchess d Etampes. the inamorsta OF
Francis T., visits the studio. fslls In love
With Ascanio, and writes 10 him TO meet
her by moonlight in some royal
garden The letter falling into Benvenuto's
hands, be decides 70 go himself 10 her rem
devious and 70 prohibit the duchess from
thus Iuring his pupil TO his ruin she Is
furious at this intrusion. and in order to
be avenged, gets King Francis 10 dismiss
the great artist from his place OF silver
smith TO the court Her passion IL made
keener by the discovery that the heart OF
Ascanio IL taken by Colombo d'Estour-
vile, daughter Of the provost OF Paris,
who il henehman OF the duchess. The
young girl returns the love OF which she IL
the object Things are complicated by
Benvenuie seeing her from his studio and
being carried away by her artless graces. In
noeent air and maidenly loneliness. She often
comes on the balcony. and he avsils him
self thereof to model statuette in Coiombe's
image. Sccxzone discovers this storms
and VOWS vengeance. and falls in with the
Duchess d 'Etampes. Together they con-
coct plan TO get Colombo married 70 the
viscount d'Orbee. The king, set on by
the duchess. orders the marriage. But
Benyenuto determines 10 have the pro-
vost's daughter carried of 10 . place OF
safety, under the protection OF Queen
Clarde at the Ursuline convent To dis
arm suspicion, he places her in = reiiquary
which he made for the nuns. Nobody could
guess that IL contained Colombo. The
stratagem must succeed" cries the gold
smith Unfortunately, however. PagaIo.
an inattentive and traitorous pupil. knows
of the concealment and tells the duchess.
Thereapon the latter and scozzone again
put their heads together. They decide to
ret the reliqusry taken to the palace OF the
former, on its way 10 the nunnery, and 10
keep IL for several days. For the young
girls misfortune the box In which she lies
hidden shuts with spring and cannot be
opened from the inside. 1t had been
planned that she was to die OF hunger
But scozzone, though hot-headed. Is
good hearted, and relents. She has been
carried away with admiration st the mag
nanimity OF the goldsmith In sacrificing
his own happiness 20 that OF Ascanio. and
slips. instead OF the girl. into the reliquary,
whilst the latter, dressed a. Scozzone, fol-
lows II without being recognised. She
reaches the convent in safety, while the
Italian woman Is at the duchess.
On the third day that evil parsonage
opens the relienary, and places her hand
ON one that Is cold ~ stone. Her rival is
dead, and killed by Madame d'Etampes!
Benvenuto is restored 10 the kings favor.
which he wins by casting in three days. in
Etf1t aIutotG SAtitSts 8httt u
wanted for table ornament The artist
asks the hand OF Mademoiselle d Estour-
willie for his favorite pupil. and the king ac-
cords 1t, but considers IL necessary TO 20
through the formaiity OF asking the duchess
10 consent. She. believing Colombo dead.
has no objection. As she says so. the fair
young being comes tn, the picture OF health
and happiness, and PUSHES into the arms of
Ascanlo. Terrified. the duchess orders the
reliquary TO ne opened. and the body OF
seozroHe is brought to light
NJ. Saint Saens has disappeared. NJ.
Saint Saens is bundle of nerves not by
any means the best organization for an ar
tist, who needs often 10 retire completely
within himself and shut out the outer
world. He cannot do this IL the nerves
are in constant state of worry. There is
no opportunity for unconscious cerehra-
ton, which Is the great fount of inspira-
ton. NJ. Saint Saens has talent, and OF q
high order. But talent is one thing. and
genius Is another. He j. like those writers
OF leading articles who can spin clever
newspaper or magazine articles on
no matter what subject or on no sub
jeci At moments notice. and never
write thing that Is worth being remem-
bered. In personal appearance he is small.
slender. has q long and high. bridged aqui-
line nose, and 3 face that expresses high
strung nerves and sensihiliiics rather than
strong emotions. or. indeed. force OF any
Kind. saw him and tina, serene Russian
giant, Tourguenen. together, and was
struck with the contrast they presented
one to the other. VI. Saint Saens sxcels in
arranging music for orchestra and a. q
pianist. His music Is in the nature of ara
hesques. beautiful, fantastic, free, easy and
quite scaiiess. and saying nothing TO
heart or soul. As pianist he has
q wonderful touch. clear. sharp, hard in
staocsto passages, as II an ivory mallst
covered with light sheath of India rubber
were heating on the key hoard. All the
muscular power comes from the bare
tnuekieS. His sriiity in swift passages is
prodigious. bat he LACKS feeling in those
which should he soft aud sentimental. He
Is product OF q highly artificial civilsHA-
eon, in which ar, IS second nature. HE Is
bachelor. Ne sdored his mother. as Cas-
telar sdored bis sister. Since her death
be has taken Ia wandering and keeps the
fat where she died shut up. In her time
he loved IL As the male bird loves the nest
IN which its teathercd family is gathering
strength and growing wings.