leading themes are the horn solo, which
forms the symphony of Sir Huon's vision, a short movement from the
fairies' chorus, a martial strain from the last scene in the court of
Charlemagne, a passage from Reiza's scene in the second act, and
Puck's invocation of the spirits.

The first act opens in Oberon's bower with a melodious chorus of
fairies and genii ("Light as fairy Feet can fall"), followed by a solo
for Oberon ("Fatal Oath"), portraying his melancholy mood, and "The
Vision," a quaint, simple melody by Reiza ("Oh! why art thou
sleeping?"), which leads up to a splendid ensemble ("Honor and Joy to
the True and the Brave"), containing a solo for Oberon, during which
the scene suddenly changes from the fairy bower to the city of Bagdad.
Huon has a grand scena ("Oh! 't is a Glorious Sight"), a composition
in several movements beginning with a dramatic bravura illustrative of
the scenes of the battlefield, and closing with a joyous, brisk
allegretto ("Joy to the high-born Dames of France"). The finale begins
with an aria by Reiza ("Yes, my Lord"), in the Italian style, passing
into a duet for Reiza and Fatima, and closing with the chorus ("Now
the Evening Watch is set.")

The second act opens with a characteristic chorus ("Glory to the
Caliph"), the music of which has been claimed by some critics as
genuinely Moorish, though it is probable that Weber only imitated that
style in conformity to the demands of the situation. A little march
and three melodramatic passages lead up to an arietta for Fatima ("A
lovely Arab Maid"), beginning with a very pleasing minor and closing
in a lively major. This leads directly to the lovely quartet, "Over
the Dark Blue Waters,"--one of the most attractive numbers in the
opera. It is a concerted piece for two sopranos, tenor, and bass,
opening with two responsive solos in duet, first for the bass and
tenor, and then for the two sopranos, the voices finally uniting in a
joyous and animated movement of great power. The music now passes to
the supernatural, and we have Puck's invocation to the spirits, whom
he summons to raise a storm and sink the vessel in which the lovers
have embarked. Puck's recitative is very powerful, and the chorus of
the spirits in response, a very rapid presto movement, is in its way
as effective as the incantation music in "Der Freischuetz." The storm
rises, the orchestra being the medium of the description, which is
very graphic and effective. Huon has a sho