Mirella, daughter of Raimondo.
Tavena, a fortune-teller.
Andreluno, a shepherd boy.
Vincenzina, sister of Vincenzo.
Clemenza, a peasant girl.
Vincenzo, lover of Mirella.
Urias, his rival.
Raimondo, a wealthy farmer.
Ambrogio, father of Vincenzo.
[Villagers, citizens, etc.]
The scene is laid in Provence; time, the last century.
The opera of "Mirella," in France known as "Mireille," is founded upon
the "Mireio" of Mistral, the Provençal poet, and was originally written
in five acts. Subsequently it was reduced to three acts and a waltz was
added to the finale. Though one of the lighter of Gounod's operas, and
not very strong dramatically, it has great lyric beauty. The first scene
opens in a mulberry grove. Mirella is rallied by the girls upon her love
for Vincenzo, the basket-maker, and is also warned by Tavena, the
fortune-teller, against yielding to her attachment, as she foresees that
Raimondo, Mirella's father, will never consent to the union. When she
meets her lover, however, they renew their pledges and arrange, if their
plans are thwarted, to meet at the Chapel of the Virgin.
The second act opens with a merry-making at Arles. Tavena informs Mirella
that Vincenzo has a rival in Urias, a wild herdsman, who has asked her
hand of her father. Mirella however repulses him when he brings the
father's consent. Ambrogio, Vincenzo's father, and his daughter,
Vincenzina, intercede with Raimondo in Vincenzo's behalf, but in vain.
Mirella, who has overheard them, declares to her father her irrevocable
attachment for Vincenzo, which throws him into such a rage that he is
about to strike her. She is saved from the blow by appealing to the
memory of her mother.
The last act opens upon a desolate sunburned plain. Mirella appears
toiling across the hot sands to keep her appointment with her lover at
the Chapel of the Virgin, accompanied by Andreluno, the shepherd boy,
singing to the accompaniment of his pipe. Tavena meets them, and assures
Mirella that Vincenzo will keep his appointment, and then returns to
Arles to plead with the father in Mirella's behalf. The poor girl arrives
at the chapel nearly prostrated with the burning heat. Vincenzo soon
appears, and is shortly followed by Raimondo, who is so affected by the
pitiable condition of his daughter, that he gives his consent to their
union. A biographer of Gounod has condensed the story of the opera into
these few words: "A rich young girl, a poor young man, an ill-fated love;
and death of the young girl by sunstroke." In the revised version the
dénouement is happy instead of tragic.
The first act opens with the pretty and graceful pastoral chorus of the
maidens under the mulberry-trees, "Sing, Happy Maidens, as we gather."
The second act also opens with an equally graceful chorus and farandole,
"The Gay Farandole never fails to delight," followed by a beautiful
Provençal folk song, "Evening is Sweet with Summer Flowers," which is
full of local color. Tavena sings a quaint fortune-teller's roundelay,
"'Tis the Season of the Year," and in the next scene Mirella has a number
of rare beauty, "The Frowns of Fortune I fear no longer," in which she
declares her unalterable love for Vincenzo. The finale of this act with
its vigorous aria for Mirella, "At your Feet, behold, I remain," is the
only really dramatic episode in the opera. The third act opens with the
quaint little song of Andreluno with oboe accompaniment, "The Day
awakes," and also contains a plaintive song for tenor, "Angels of
Paradise." It closes with a waltz song, "Gentle Bird of the Morning,"
which is most lavishly embellished and ends the quiet, naïve, little
pastoral opera with a brilliant vocal pyrotechnical display.