Evening star., 1909-05-02
STORIES OF THE OPERA.
"Robin Hood" "

In act one the old town Of Noting.
ham, famous for its lace, is dressed ir
holiday garb in honor of the May day
fair. A maypole adorns the center Of the
market square. and about 1t dance the
villagers and visitors from miles around
Hither come Little John and his
companions, outlaws of Sherwood for
est, both to dispose Of their ''tak-
ings' in wood and highway and tc
take part in the archery contests
Robert. Earl of Huntington. who ex-
poets to enter upon his inheritance
that day. wins the admiration Of the out
laws by his craftsmanship and when his
guardian, the sheriff of Nottingham. re-
pudiates his claim to the earIdom and de-
clares Guy of Gisbourne a tool of his
own. the real heir, Robert joins the out
laws and becomes the celebrated Robin
Hood. Meanwhile Lady Marian. who has
the Earl of Huntington. comes I'm dis
guise to see what sort of man he may
be. With Robert she is we'll pleased and
they plight their troth in a genuine love
match. but when the willy sheriff sub.
Lady Marian conceals the kings writ
commanding her to marry him and re-
mains true to the choice Of her heart
In act two the scene shifts to the
Sherwood forest. where Robin Hood and
his merry men are holding their revels
with "ale, skittles and song" hard by
the Woodland Inn kept by Dame burden.
Alan-A-Dale is enamored Of her daugh-
ter, Anabel, whose fiirtations SO an
ger the young outlaw that he is pro-
voked into playing traitor. Accordingly,
when the sheriff and his posse, dis
guised as jOurneyman tinkers, come into
the forest to capture the redoubtable
Robin Hood, young Alan betrays his
chief. But Maid Marian whom Robin
believes to have welded Guy, fees from
that loutish suitor and follows her true
love to the forest, where she and Robin
Then Alan. seeing how baseless was
his jealousy, summons the outlaws to
rescue Robin Hood and put the sheriff
TN stocks. But at the climax of the act
the kings men-at-arms capture Robin
and carry him of to prison In Noting
ham.
In act three the scene returns to the
old town. showing the Jail. st. Swithin's s
let, in the guise of an armorer, is en-
ployed by the sheriff in making fetters
for Robin. for the vengeful sheriff has
planned to compel Robin to witness the
wedding of Maid Marian to his rival.
Guy, while the old schemer himself
espouses Anabel. But while Scarlet pur-
posely forges chains which his chief may
easily break the other outlaws appear in
the guise Of mendicant monks and conspire
together for Robins rescue. Friar Tuck
takes his place in prison. while In the
absence Of the bishop. whom the outlaws
have kidnapped, Robin. In disguise OF
friar, volunteers to perform the cere-
mony When the sheriff brings the sup
posed outlaw from prison and finds in
stead an indignant monk who defies him
he is much perturbed. and still more sc
when he finds that the church is full OF
outlaws In disguise. who stop the cere-
monies. while Robin and Alan rescue
Marian and Anabel from detested bride
grooms. Just at the climax comes a
messenger from the king. who has re-
turned to England. and at the interces-
sion of Marian has granted free pardon
TO Robin Hood, the outlaw, and restored
him to his rightful estate as Earl oi
Huntington. Whereupon Marian Is quite
ready and willing to obey the kings
command to marry the real earl, and the
curtain falls on the jolliication OF the
"merry men, and the confusion OF the
schemerS.