Montadada I., widow of King Indigo.
Fantasca, the late King's favorite.
Janio, the late King's jester.
Romadour, chief of the eunuchs.
Babazouck, fruit and vegetable vender.
Mysouf, general-in-chief.
[Inmates of the harem, eunuchs, cooks, courtiers, soldiers, sailors,
etc.]
The scene is laid in Asiatic Turkey; time, the last century.
At the opening of the opera King Indigo has just died, and his widow,
Montadada I., decides to sell the harem. Fantasca, a beautiful slave, who
was the favorite of the King, is included among those to be sold, and
Romadour, chief of the eunuchs, resolves to secure her. Fantasca is in
love with Janio, the King's jester, of her own country. Queen Montadada
is also in love with him and has chosen him for her second husband, but
he prefers Fantasca. The two contrive a cunning plot for the escape of
the entire harem. Janio informs the Queen that one of her tribes has
revolted, and as her troops are all sick he proposes that the women be
armed and that he be placed in command. She accepts the proposal, and
promises that the victor "shall choose the woman he loves, did she even
wear a crown," not doubting Janio will select her, but, much to her
chagrin, he announces Fantasca as his choice.
The second act discloses the Amazon army with Janio and Fantasca at its
head. The Queen also accompanies them, still bent upon securing Janio's
love. At the first alarm the troops fly in all directions, and the Queen,
suspicious that something is wrong, scours the woods for Janio, who makes
his escape by changing clothes with Babazouck, a fruit-vender. The Queen
meanwhile arrays herself in male attire, so that she may compete in
physical attractions with Fantasca. She furthermore gets into a
semi-drunken condition, but recognizes the cheat when Babazouck is
brought before her. Immediately thereafter she falls into a drunken
stupor. Romadour also comes in intoxicated, and mistaking her for
Fantasca, sings to her, "O, my Queen, I love you," in a deep bass voice.
The act closes with the two sleeping side by side, and the women of the
harem carrying off the royal treasures.
In the last act Janio, Fantasca, and the other slaves are preparing for
flight, when the Queen and Romadour enter. The former announces she no
longer loves Janio, but the man who had declared, "Oh, my Queen, I love
you." At her request Romadour repeats the remark, but this time in a high
falsetto voice which she does not recognize. Subsequently he changes his
mind, after hearing of Fantasca's prowess in battle, and exclaims, "O, my
Queen, I love you," in the bass voice. The Queen promptly claims him for
her husband and he acquiesces. She then orders Janio and Fantasca to be
sold, but Romadour intercedes in their behalf, and she banishes them.
Like all the Strauss operas, "Queen Indigo" is full of charming waltz
music, comprising, in addition to many novelties, several of his old-time
favorites. The most effective vocal numbers are the trio, "What Dark
Forebodings" ("Quel sombre et noir présage"); Fantasca's couplets, "A
Model Soldier" ("Cavalier modèle"), and her song, "Woman is a Cunning
Bird" ("La femme est un oiseau subtil"); the waltz song, "Oh! Maddening
Flame" ("O flamme cuivrante"); the characteristic Tyrolienne, "Youpla!
why, Fond Lover" ("Youplà, pourquoi, bel amoureux"); and the "Blue
Danube" chorus of the sailors, in the last act.
The Bat.
(_Die Fledermaus._)
[Opéra comique, in three acts; text by Haffner and Genée. First
produced in Vienna, July, 1874.]