BENVENUTO CELLINI " Benvenuto Cellini," an opera in two acts, with music by Hector Berlioz and text by Wailly and Barbier, was first produced in Paris in 1838.
Benvenuto Cellini, a Florentine goldsmith.
Giacomo Balducci, the Papal treasurer.
Fieramosca, the Papal sculptor.
Cardinal Salviati, an officer of the Court of Rome. Francisco, Bernardino, head workmen of the studio of Cellini.
Pompeo, a bravo, the friend of Fieramosca.
An Innkeeper.
Teresa, daughter of Balducci.
Ascanio, the pupil of Cellini.
Pantomime personages.
The counterfeit treasurer.
Harlequin.
Punchinello.
Columbine.
Two fighters.
Servants and neighbors of Baldueci, metal workers, founders, maskers, Roman archers, monks, members of the Cardinal's suite, people.
The scene is laid in Rome of the Sixteenth Century on Monday, Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. Benvenuto Cellini, the celebrated Florentine sculptor, has been sum moned to Rome on professional business. He is in love with Teresa, the daughter of old Balducci, the Papal treas urer, but the girl's hand is sought by Fieramosca, the Papal sculptor. The father favors the latter, declaring that he would a thousand times rather hang than have Cellini for a son-in-law, but, as sometimes happens, the daughter does not reflect the paternal inclinations. On the day upon which the story opens, the father and daughter have been discuss ing the two suitors and Balducci departs to calm his ruffled feelings in the open air. Cellini calls and is delighted to find Teresa alone. She tells him of her father's predilection for his rival and Cellini proposes an elopement. They plan to put this idea into execution on Mardi Gras evening at the Piazza di Colonna, where Teresa shall be met by a monk in a white cowl (Cellini), accompanied by a brown Capuchin friar (his pupil Ascanio). They will then fly to Florence and will there be happy evermore.
They say good-by, with many vows not to fail each other on the morrow, little suspecting that Fieramosca, hidden near, has overheard everything. Balducci returns and Cellini manages to depart and yet avoid the paternal eye. But Fieramosca is not so fortunate and he finds his presence in the house at this late hour remarkably difficult of explanation. Balducci opens the window and calls for
help to punish the libertine and a swarm of servants and neighbor women coming in, armed with lanterns and brooms, make life miserable for the sculptor until he man ages to escape down an unguarded passageway.
The next scene shows Cellini, with his pupils and com panions, making merry at the tavern. They overlook the fact that they have no money to pay for the wine but the innkeeper brings this condition forcibly to their minds. Cellini is trying to find a way out of the embarrassment when Ascanio appears and is called upon for assistance. He agrees to deliver the gold sent by the Pope to recom pense Cellini for the statue of Perseus, upon which he is engaged, if the promise be given that the work shall be completed by the morrow. This promise Cellini gives but when Ascanio hands over the money, the sum is so paltry that there is general indignation. They easily trace this niggardliness in payment to the influence of the parsimoni ous Balducci and decide to caricature him at the pantomime that evening. Meantime. Fieramosca and his friend Pom peo, the bravo, have planned to assume the disguise of Cellini and Ascanio and to carry off Teresa.
The play at Cassandro's Theatre proves a great suc cess. Balducci. and Teresa are present and the former is by no means flattered to find himself the hero of a piece called " King Midas, or the Ass's Ears." He watches the play with rising anger until, at some especially choice compli ment, he loses command of himself and rushes upon the stage, brandishing his cane. Cellini takes advantage of the fracas to approach Teresa but Fieramosca chooses the same moment and a fight ensues, in which Pompeo is stabbed by Cellini in self-defense. Cellini is arrested but cannon-shots are fired to announce Ash Wednesday, the carnival lights are extinguished and in the sudden darkness he manages to escape. Balducci seeing a white-garbed monk and think ing him the culprit, hands him over to the police. It happens to be the luckless Fieramosca. Meantime, Teresa is conducted by Ascanio to Cellini's workshop.