Wagner's Rienzi--No. 1.
This is the first of a series of articles upon the great operas of the
world offered to the readers of THE SCRAP BOOK. To the out-of-town
devotees the echoes from stageland sound only remotely as they are given
forth by the press. Moreover, the critics deal with the specific
production, not with the opera itself in relation to the history of music,
or the conceptions of the composers. It is our purpose in these articles
to look at the opera from a different point of view, and to glimpse the
minds of the great men who have developed the art of the music drama. Even
those familiar with the subject may find new light here.
Rienzi.
The fourth opera written by Wagner. The first three, "The Wedding," "The
Fairies," and "The Novice of Palermo" are scarcely known to-day. The music
of "The Wedding" was never completed; "The Fairies," although finished in
1833, was first produced in 1888, five years after Wagner's death, when
the theater at Munich obtained sole rights for its production. During the
tour season it is still frequently placed on the boards of that theater,
with all the scenic appurtenances of an operetta. Neither Wagner himself
nor the admirers of his later work could claim for it any strong
originality or power.
"The Novice of Palermo" had only one performance. That was conducted
under Wagner's own direction, in 1836, in Magdeburg. The best comment
upon this occasion was made by the succeeding performance, when the
audience consisted of three persons--Wagner's housekeeper, her husband,
and one Polish Jew!
After this discouraging event, Wagner abandoned Germany for Paris, and
there wrote his five-act opera, "Rienzi," which was shortly afterward
accepted by the Dresden Theater. Its success was immediate and brilliant,
and this notwithstanding the fact that its performance lasted six hours.
The opera is still occasionally produced in Germany, but it is practically
unknown to the lyric stage in the English-speaking countries.
Wagner.
Born in Leipsic, in 1813. He was a child of tastes and enthusiasms, but of
no apparent genius. He loved philology, history, and mythology; but, most
of all, he loved the drama. His early associations were musical, and at
the age of sixteen he resolved to become a musician.
During his period of apprenticeship he wrote a few concert pieces, but his
love of drama led almost at once to his real vocation--the opera. In 1836
he married an actress, Minna Planer, who, despite beauty and a talent for
her art, and despite a faithful nature, failed to comprehend Wagner's
genius, or to make him happy.
For twenty-five years they struggled to appreciate each other, then
separated. Wagner subsequently married Cosima, daughter of Liszt, and
divorced wife of Von Buelow. The union was one of ideal happiness.
Argument.
The scene is laid in Rome of the fourteenth century, when the patriot,
_Rienzi_, is leading his insurrection against the nobles. The first act
represents a street riot, occasioned by the patricians, under _Orsini_,
who have scaled _Rienzi's_ house by a ladder and are seeking to abduct his
sister, _Irene_.
While _Irene_ struggles for freedom, a rival faction of patricians
arrives, led by _Colonna_, whose son, _Adriano_, is in love with _Irene_.
_Adriano_ fights his way to her side and protects her. Then, in the midst
of the disturbance, _Rienzi_ appears and the crowd scatters.
A prelate, _Cardinal Raimondo_, asks _Rienzi_ how soon he is going to
begin his warfare upon the nobles, and _Rienzi_ replies that when he hears
a long trumpet-note sound across the city the hour will have come. He
turns to _Adriano Colonna_, and fervently beseeches him to forsake his
party and to join the popular cause of Roman freedom. Remembering _Irene_,
_Adriano_ pledges his loyalty to _Rienzi_.
He is then left alone with the beautiful girl, and they sink into the
tender ecstasies of love, till they are roused by the ominous sound of the
trumpet-call which heralds the uprising. The day dawns, and within the
church the organ and chorus simultaneously break out to greet it.
Borne in by the populace, _Rienzi_ arrives. The people seek to crown him
king of Rome, but the only title he will accept is that of tribune. A
great composite voice rises from the piazza, swearing vengeance on the
nobles.
_Rienzi's_ cause triumphs, and in the hall of the capitol the patricians
are forced to do homage to the victor. Goaded by wounded pride, _Orsini_
forms a conspiracy to stab _Rienzi_ during the festivities which are in
preparation.
_Adriano_ hears the plot, and warns _Rienzi_, who consequently wears, when
he appears at the festa, a steel breastplate.
This scene commences in an abandon of joyousness. The crowd cheers a
pantomime, and knights fight in tourney.
Suddenly _Orsini_ presses his way to _Rienzi's_ side, and draws his knife.
But _Rienzi_ is saved by his breastplate. He sentences all the nobles to
death, and the festa ends in tragedy. But _Adriano_ pleads for his
father's life, and finally _Rienzi_ pardons all the conspirators on their
oath of submission.
The third act is ushered in by alarm-bells. The nobles are again in
insurrection; the people clamor for _Rienzi_, who appears, swearing to
exterminate the faithless patricians. He goes out to victory, and
presently the body of _Colonna_ is borne past his son, _Adriano_, who
forthwith deserts _Rienzi's_ cause.
_Adriano_ finds his opportunity for revenge in confirming a story which
gains credence with the fickle Roman populace; he declares that _Rienzi_
is a traitor to his country, and meant himself to become a noble through
the marriage of his sister with _Adriano_.
_Rienzi_ appears in a procession, marching toward church. As he places his
foot on the steps, a malediction sounds from within the sanctuary.
_Cardinal Raimondo_ steps to the door and pronounces upon him the ban of
excommunication. The nobles have won victory for their cause by an
alliance with the Church.
In the hall of the capitol, _Rienzi_ prays that his work for freedom may
not be undone. _Irene_ and _Adriano_ enter, and _Rienzi_ begs them to flee
together from danger. But _Irene_ refuses to desert her brother's cause.
The noise outside the besieged capitol increases.
The scene shifts to the open square, where the populace, deaf to _Rienzi_,
who from a balcony seeks to address them, sets fire to the capitol.
_Adriano_, darting in and out among the mob, sees _Irene_ arm in arm with
her brother, within a huge flower of flame which curls about them.
Through the fire he rushes toward her; at that moment the capitol
collapses, and he is caught with _Rienzi_ and _Irene_ in its ruins. The
nobles turn upon the people, and with drawn swords cut them down like
blades of grass.