LINDA DI CHAMOUNI " Linda di Chamouni," a grand opera in three acts with text by Rossi and music by Gaetano Donizetti, was first produced at the Kfirnthnerthor Theatre, Vienna, May 19, 1842.
The Marquis de Boisfleury. Charles, Viscount de Sirval. The Prefect.
Antonio Loustot, a farmer, father of Linda.
Pierotto, a Savoyard.
Steward of the estate.
Linda.
Maddalena, Linda's mother.
Male and female Savoyards and children.
Scene, Chamouni and Paris, about 1760.
Antonio Loustot and his wife, Maddalena, are poor but honest farmer-folk who reside in the valley of Chamouni. They possess an only daughter Linda who is remarkably beautiful. A young painter named Charles, of whom they know very little, has wooed her successfully. At the open ing of the opera, we learn that the family, on account of decaying fortunes, will find it necessary to surrender the farm which they have occupied for many years under the ownership of the Marchioness de Sirval.
Their fears are quieted by the Marquis of Boisfleury, the brother of the Marchioness, who makes lavish proffers of friendship and promises to intercede with his sister, their landlady. Boisfleury, however, is an old rogue and has an ulterior motive, viz., to gain dishonorably the handsome daughter Linda. The prefect of the village sees into his designs and to remove the girl from the danger which threatens her, he advises her parents to allow her to accom pany a party of peasants who are going to Paris for the winter season, in accordance with their yearly custom. The prefect promises that she shall lodge at the house of his brother. Her parents consent and Linda sets out under the protection of Pierotto, a worthy villager.
On the way, by some mischance, Linda is separated from her protector and to her dismay, she learns, when she finally arrives in Paris that the prefect's brother is deceased. Her lover Charles has followed her. He now discloses the fact that he is the Viscount Sirval, son of the Marchioness, and nephew of the Marquis de Boisfleury.
He renews his promises of marriage and Linda, who is quite helpless, allows him to establish her in handsome apartments. While in this questionable situation, the Marquis spies her out and renews his insults but is effectu ally repulsed. Pierotto also finds her and, at last, her father. Despite the promises of the Marquis, he has been forced to abandon his farm and, wandering to Paris, he comes to ask her bounty. When he finds that it is his daughter who is living in such state, he doubts her purity and leaves her with malediction. The Marchioness, mean time, has discovered her son's infatuation, and in her anger vows to visit her displeasure severely upon the girl, unless her son marries the eligible person she has selected. Charles feigns consent to this in order to save Linda who believes herself deserted and goes mad. In this sad condition, she is taken back to her native valley, where it transpires that the Marchioness has relented, and has consented to the union of her son and the lovely peasant girl. At the sound of the voice of her lover, Linda's reason returns and the opera ends joyously.
Among the numbers of this once popular work are Antonio's song, " Here in our own native valley; " " Light of my Soul, I turn to thee," sung by Linda; Pierotto's ballad, " For her mother, a daughter wandered; " the duet of Linda and Charles, " Haste to console me, happy day; " solo of the Marquis, " It were unpleasant; " Charles' song, " If thus the world; " the Marquis' song, " She's as pure as a lily;" Charles' appeal, which dissipates Linda's madness, " 'Tis the voice which first sweetly " and the final duet of Linda and Charles, "Ah now the painful dream bath ended."