pregar"). A terzetto ("L'usato ardir"), which like the
mausoleum chorus is based upon an aria from Mozart's "Cosi fan tutti,"
closes the opera. "The Harmonicon," to which reference has already
been made, in an analysis of the work, has the following apt
criticism: "It has been said, and truly, that 'Semiramide' is composed
in the German style, but it is the German style exaggerated. Rossini
is become a convert to this school, and his conversion does his
judgment credit, though like all proselytes he passes into extremes.
Not satisfied with discarding the meagre accompaniments of the Italian
composers, he even goes far beyond the tramontane masters in the
multitude and use of instruments, and frequently smothers his
concerted pieces and choruses by the overwhelming weight of his
orchestra." But what would the "Harmonicon" have said, had it had
Wagner's instrumentation before it?

WILLIAM TELL

"William Tell," an opera in three acts, words by Etienne Jouy and
Hippolyte Bis, the subject taken from Schiller's drama of the same
name, was first produced at the Academie, Paris, Aug. 3, 1829, with
the following cast:--

MATHILDE Mme. DAMOREAU-CINTI.
JEMMY Mme. DABODIE.
HEDWIG Mlle. MORI.
ARNOLD M. NOURRIT.
WALTER M. LEVASSEUR.
TELL M. DABODIE.
RUODI M. DUPONT.
RODOLPHE M. MASSOL.
GESSLER M. PREVOST.
LEUTOLD M. PREVOT.

Rossini wrote for Paris only two new operas, "Le Comte Ory" and
"William Tell,"--the latter his masterpiece in the serious style. The
libretto was first prepared by M. Jouy, but it was so bad that M. Bis
was called in, and to him is due the whole of the second act. Even
after the two authors had changed and revised it, Rossini had to alter
it in many places. When it was first performed the weakness of the
drama was at once recognized, though its music was warmly welcomed,
especially by the critical. It was represented fifty-six times in its
original form, and was then cut down to three acts, the original third
act being omitted and the fourth and fifth condensed into one. For
three years after this time the second act was alone performed in
Paris; but when M. Duprez made his debut in the part of Arnold, a
fresh enthusiasm was aroused, and there was a genuine Tell revival.

The scene of the opera is laid in Switzerland, period the thirteenth
century, and the action closely follows the historical narrativ