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I Was Looking At the Ceiling And Then I Saw the Sky
The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
The Sacrifice
Six Characters In Search of an Author
The Sacrificeopera in three acts |
Music by Frederick Shepherd Converse Libretto by the composer and John Albert Macy after Los Gringos, or an Interior View of Mexico and California, with Wanderings in Peru, Chile, and Polynesia by Lietenant Henry Augustus Wise, writing as "Harry Gringo" |
| About The Sacrifice |
Converse's opera, on a Western theme, was the first opera by a Boston composer produced in Boston.
| Cast of Characters |
| Chonita, a young Mexican lady, s | Captain Burton, an American officer, bar |
| Bernal, a Mexican officer, t | Tomasa, an old Indian servant, c |
| Pablo, Bernal's servant and son of Tomasa, bar | Padre Gabriel, a Mexican priest, b |
| Corporal Tom Flynn, an American soldier, b | Little Jack, an American soldier, bar |
| Marianna, a yound Indian servant, s | Magdalena, an Indian girl, s |
| A Gypsy Girl, ms | Senora Anaya, aunt of Chonita, mute |
| American and Mexican soldiers and Spanish and Indian girls | |
| Synopsis |
In southern California in 1846, Chonita, a young Mexican lady, is courted both by Bernal, a Mexican soldier, and Captain Burton, an American officer. She loves Bernal, but needs the protection of Burton and the soldiers at his Mission. Bernal, hidden in the woods, sees Burton declare his love for Chonita; later, he swears vengeance on him. Bernal and Chonita sing of their love for each other and their fears for the future before Bernal leaves for an attack on the Mission.
In a ruined church the next day, a group of American soldiers talk about their victory in the previous night's battle. They are visited by an Indian flower-seller and a troupe of dancing Gypsies. While the soldiers are outside watching the Gypsies dance, Tomasa and Chonita arrive. Burton tells Chonita about the battel, and she learns that Bernal has been killed. Burton, realizing he has killed her lover, is devestated; he begs for her forgiveness. She sends him away, and Bernal enters; he has only been wounded after all. Burton returns, and Chonita throws herself between the two men as they fight and is wounded on Burton's sword. The Americans drag Bernal off.
The next morning the wounded Chonita, resting in her aunt's house, prays for safety. Padre Gabriel sends Tomasa to bring Burton and Bernal, to tell the Captain that Chonita wishes for a last word with her love. They come, and Chonita begs Burton for Bernal's life. As Burton asks how he can reconcile his love for Chonita with his duty, the Padre's soldiers attack, and Burton, to save Chonita, allows himself to be killed. The Mexican soldiers take Chonita and Bernal away as the final curtain falls.
| Performance History |
| World premiere Boston Opera House, Boston, Massaschusetts March 3, 1911 (also March 8, 13, 18) Chonita: Alice Nielsen Tomasa: Maria Claessens Marianna: Grace Fisher Pablo: Constantino Stroesco Burton: Ramon Blanchart Bernal: Florencio Constantino Flynn: John Morgan Padre Gabriel: Carl Gantvoort Magdalena: Bernice Fisher Little Jack: Howard White Gypsy Girl: Anne Roberts First Soldier: Frederick Huddy Second Soldier: Pierre Letol Wallace Goodrich, conductor |
| Discography |
Search for recordings of The Sacrifice at Amazon.com
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Last update: January 1, 2009
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