1886,
and was heard for the first time in this country at New York, Jan. 3,
1887, under the direction of Mr. Walter Damrosch, with the following
cast:--

KING ARTHUR Herr ROBINSON.
MODRED Herr KEMLITZ.
LANCELOT Herr BURSCH.
GAWEIN Herr HEINRICH.
GLENDOWER Herr VON MILDE.
MERLIN Herr ALVARY.
VIVIANE Frauelein LEHMANN.
BEDWYR Herr SIEGLITZ.
THE FAY MORGANA Frauelein BRANDT.
THE DEMON Herr FISCHER.

The libretto of the opera is by Siegfried Lipiner. The scene is laid
in Wales, and the hero, Merlin, is familiar as one of the knights of
King Arthur's round-table. The story is as follows:--

The Devil, ambitious to banish all good from the world, unites himself
to a virgin in order that he may beget a child who shall aid him in
his fell purpose. The child is Merlin, who partakes of the mother's
goodness, and instead of aiding his father, seeks to thwart his
design. The Devil thereupon consults the Fay Morgana, who tells him
that Merlin will lose his power if he falls in love. In the opening
scene King Arthur sends Lancelot to Merlin for aid, who promises him
victory and achieves it by the assistance of his familiar, a demon,
who is in league with the Devil. Tired of his service to Merlin, the
demon contrives to have him meet the beautiful Viviane, with whom he
falls in love. The second act transpires in Merlin's enchanted garden,
and reveals his growing passion, and at the same time his waning power
of magic; for when once more Arthur summons his aid he attempts to
tear himself away from her only to realize his weakness. She seeks to
detain him by throwing a magic veil over him which has been given her
by the demon; in an instant the scene changes, and Merlin appears
confined to a rock by fiery chains, while the demon mocks him from a
neighboring eminence, and Viviane gives way to anguish. In the last
act Viviane is told by the Fay Morgana that Merlin's release can only
be secured by woman's self-sacrifice. Once more an appeal for help
comes to him from Arthur, and he promises his soul to the demon in
exchange for his freedom. His chains fall off. He rushes into the
battle and secures the victory, but is fatally wounded. The demon
claims him; but Viviane, remembering the words of the Fay Morgana,
stabs herself and thus balks him of his expectant prey.

Like Wagner's operas, "Merlin" has its motives, t