e
daughter of the innkeeper. The next act takes place in the Russian camp.
Catherine, whose soldiering has turned out a great success, is told off
to act as sentry outside the tent occupied by two distinguished officers
who have just arrived. To her amazement she recognises them as Peter and
his friend Danilowitz, a former pastry-cook, now raised by the Czar to
the rank of General. Catherine's surprise and pleasure turn to
indignation when she sees her lover consoling himself for her absence
with the charms of a couple of pretty vivandieres, and when her senior
officer reprimands her for eavesdropping, she bestows upon him a sound
box on the ears. For this misdemeanour she is condemned to be shot, but
she contrives to make her escape, first sending a letter to Peter
blaming him for his inconstancy, and putting in his hand the details of
a conspiracy against his person which she has been fortunate enough to
discover. Peter's anguish at the loss of his loved one is accentuated by
the nobility of her conduct. At first it is supposed that Catherine is
dead, but by the exertions of Danilowitz she is at length discovered,
though in a lamentable plight, for her troubles have cost her her
reason. She is restored to sanity by the simple method of reconstructing
the scene of the Finnish dockyard in which she first made Peter's
acquaintance, and peopling it with the familiar forms of the workmen.
Among the latter are Peter and Danilowitz, in their old dresses of
labourer and pastry-cook, and, to crown all, two flutes are produced
upon which Peter and her brother play a tune known to her from
childhood. The last charm proves effectual, and all ends happily.

The lighter parts of 'L'Etoile du Nord' are delightfully arch and
vivacious, and much of the concerted music is gay and brilliant. The
weak point of the opera is to be found in the tendency from which
Meyerbeer was never safe, to drop into mere pretentiousness when he
meant to be most impressive. In some of the choruses in the camp scene
there is a great pretence at elaboration, with very scanty results, and
the closing scena, which is foolish and wearisome, is an unfortunate
concession to the vanity of the prima donna. But on the whole 'L'Etoile
du Nord' is one of Meyerbeer's most attractive works, besides being an
extraordinary example of his inexhaustible versatility.

'Le Pardon de Ploermel,' known in Italy and England as 'Dinorah,' shows
Meyerbeer in a pastoral and idylli