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JUNKER HEINZ (SIR HARRY).

Opera in three acts by KARL VON PERFALL.

Text after Hertz's poem: Henri of Suabia by FRANZ GRANDOUR.

This opera composed recently by the Superintendent of the Royal Opera
in Munich, has made its way to the most renowned stages in Germany,
which proves that the composition is not a common one.

Indeed, though it is not composed in the large style to which we are
now accustomed from hearing so much of Wagner, the music is
interesting, particularly so, because it is entirely original and free
from reminiscenses.--There are some little {165} masterpieces in it,
which deserve to become popular on account of their freshness; wit and
humor however are not the composer's "forte" and so the first act, in
which the vagabonds present themselves, is by far the least interesting.

The libretto is very well done; it has made free use of Hertz's pretty
poem.

The scene is laid in the beginning of the 11th century. The first act
lands us near Esslingen in Suabia, the two following near Speier.

Three swindlers concoct a plot to acquire wealth by robbing the
Emperor's daughter. To this end, one of them, Marudas, a former clerk,
has forged a document, in which the Emperor of Byzantium asks for the
hand of Agnes, daughter of Conrad, Emperor of Germany, who just
approaching with his wife Gisela, is received with acclamation by the
citizens of Esslingen. Soon after, the three vagabonds appear in
decent clothes, crying for help; they pretend to have been attacked and
robbed by brigands. Boccanera, the most insolent of them wears a
bloody bandage round his head. The document is presented to the
Emperor, who turns gladly to his wife and tells her of the flattering
offer of the Greek Prince. After he has ordered that the ambassador be
taken good care of, the Emperor is left alone with his wife. She
tenderly asks him why he always seems so sorrowful and gloomy, and
after a first evasive answer, he confides to his faithful wife what
oppresses him.

Twenty years ago he gave orders to kill a {166} little infant, the son
of his deadliest enemy, Count of Calw, his astronomer Crusius having
prophesied, that this child would wed the Emperor's daughter and reign
after him. The remembrance of this cruelty now torments him, but
Gisela consoles her husband, hoping and praying that God will pardon
the repentant sinner. During this intercourse, a young man comes up,
entreating the Emperor to read a