ITALIAN GRAND OPERA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14196, 13 January 1917, Page 4

ITALIAN GRAND OPERA.

"IL "TROVATbRE? 1

' It Would appear that Ben. J. Fuller and John Fuller have shown a fine

spirit of enterprise m presenting so famous an operatic organisation as the Gonsailez Grand Opera Company, which, is scheduled to make its first appearance here oh Monday next. The'' lyric organisation hagi completed a phenomenally successful season of : 100 nights m Sydney/ Ifc takes some 150 people to interpret and produce the operas. These include an orchestra of 30 picked instrumentalists, under the cond'ucitorship of ■ Giovanni and Ernest Gonsalez, six prjma donnas, six principal tenors, four principal basses, alid five baritones, together with a chorus of 60 voices and complete corps de ballet. During the season' two operas will be presented. In "II Trovatore" will be heard Signor Bettirip Cappelli, a ' dramatic tenbt, whose equal, it is said, has seldom, if 'ever, been heard south of the Line. The tragic story of "II Trovatore" belongs to the Middle Ages, the scene being the kingdom of Arragon, m Spain. Azucena, , the daughter of a gipsy who had been burn, ed at the. stake by the ruler of Arragon, Count de Luna, steals-, the younger son of the. count m reveiige, intending to sacrifice the lad on the funeral pyre of her" mother; but she sacrifices her own boy Tby mistake. Appalled, she takes the count's son to .the mountains and brings him up as her owji under the name of Manrico. The count dies of grief, and eventually the young Count de Luna succeeds to the kingdom. Meanwhile Manrico gro>vs to manhood, euid beoomes a troubadour, and after many adventures wins glory and renown m war, and becomes the hero m a great tourney, whei*ein he is crowned by the Lady Leonbi'a. He falls m love with the latter, and serenades her, ■ and she reciprbcatesi his passion. But Manrico's brother, the Count de Luna, is also the lady's suitor, and there is the. inevitable "meeting"; m the sword fight that "ensues Manrico disarms 8l Luna, but in_ spired by instinct, spares his. life. Afterwards, m a war against Arragon, Manrico is wounded. His mother nurses him back to health, but he departs hastily to i*escue Leonora on hearing that, believing him dead, she ia about to enter a convent. De Luna hears the same news, and stops Leonora's party at the gates. "She repulses de Luna, and is saved by Manrico, and taken to a castle which he is defending. De Luna, with an overpowering force, .attacks the castle, • takes Manrico prisoner, and sentcaiceg him to death. Leonora, aided by Maurice's, trusty friend, Ruiz, escapes. Azucena jfe taken, and is recognised as the woman who stole the late count's child years before. 'Leonora's offer to marry the count if she will consent to spare Manrico's life is accepted, but t on the way to acquaint Manrico of the fact she tak^s poison, and diest m his -.arms m the prison. The infuriated dte Luna orders Manrico to irstant execration, and, .this being accomplished, Azucena turns upon the taunting count, and telling him of Manrico's parentage, says; "Thou hast slain thine own brother." De Luna's exultation turns* to deepest horror, and thus at lost the murder of the gipsy te avenged. These tragic happenings are related iiv the course of four acts. A remarkable programme is announced for Tue^ay night next m Mascagni's magnificent opera m 9110 act • "Cavalleria Rusticana,"' which introduoes the famous intermezzo. This fine work will be succeeded the same^eveninc by Leoncavallo's glorious opera- "I Pagliacci."