Medigua, Viceroy of Peru.
Cazarro, deposed viceroy.
Pozzo, secretary of Medigua.
Verrada, in love with Isabel.
Scaramba, an insurgent.
Estrelda, Cazarro's daughter.
Marghanza, Medigua's wife.
Isabel, her daughter.
[Troops, insurgents, peasants, etc.]
The scene is laid in Peru; time, the eighteenth century.
At the opening of the story Cazarro, viceroy of Peru, has been deposed by
the King of Spain, and Medigua has been appointed in his stead. Cazarro
incites a revolution, and sends to Spain for El Capitan, a noted soldier,
to come to his help. He sails on the same ship with Medigua, in the
disguise of a seaman, but is killed in a quarrel on board. Medigua finds
out who he was, and when he lands, discovering that his faction is in a
hopeless minority, he proclaims himself El Capitan and joins the rebels.
To further his scheme he induces his secretary, Pozzo, to represent the
Viceroy. Among the other characters are Scaramba, a revolutionist in love
with Estrelda, daughter of Cazarro; the Princess Marghanza, wife of
Medigua; her daughter Isabel; and Count Verrada, who is in love with her.
Estrelda falls in love with the pseudo El Capitan, which arouses
Scaramba's jealousy. Pozzo is thrust into prison, much to the grief of
the Princess and of Isabel, who believe him to be Medigua. After the
arrival of the Spanish troops, however, Medigua declares himself. The
rebellion is squelched, all are pardoned, and everything ends happily.
The principal numbers of the first act are a pretty drinking-song for the
chorus; a solo for Medigua, "If you examine Human Kind," followed by a
dialogue and leading up to an aria for Estrelda, "When we hear the Call
for Battle," with chorus in march time; a second march, "In me you see El
Capitan," which heralds Medigua's entrance; the chorus, "Lo, the Awful
Man approaches"; and the solo and chorus, "Bah, bah," closing the act.
The second act opens with a march song, "Ditty of the Drill," which is
shortly followed by an effective scene in which a mournful accompaniment
representing the grief of Marghanza and Isabel, and a festive
accompaniment setting forth the exultation of Estrelda and her companions
as they bind El Capitan with garlands of roses, are interwoven. As the
Princess discovers Medigua in El Capitan, a quarrel duet follows between
her and Estrelda, leading up to a pompous military finale, as the Spanish
troops appear. The leading numbers of the third act are a serenade and
duet for Verrada and Isabel; a song by the tipsy Medigua, "The Typical
Tune of Zanzibar," which is the most popular number in the opera; and a
final march with chorus.