His finest opera is Medee, although his one light opera,
The Water Carriers, is also well known.

Beethoven gave one famous opera to Germany at this time, his Fidelio.
The music shows strongly the influence of Mozart, but it is original in
form and beautiful in execution. The Fateful Moment is a good selection
to give.

IV--THE ROMANTIC SCHOOL

Weber, a German, was the first to turn from the conventional type of
opera-writing to the romantic. To his solid foundation he added an
exquisite, imaginative glow. After years of struggle he achieved success
in his Der Freischuetz. Oberon, his last work, full of fairylike and
charming music, did not succeed. In fact, Weber's greatest
accomplishment was the inspiration he gave others, like Mozart and
Rameau. The overtures to both operas should be given.

Flotow, a German by birth, wrote distinctly Italian music. His one
well-known opera, Martha, still has a certain vogue, though it is
remembered more for its tuneful airs than for any real merit. The
Spinning-Wheel Song and the Last Rose of Summer are familiar.

Nicolai began his work by imitating Italian music, but later he became
distinctly original and wrote a really excellent comic opera, the Merry
Wives of Windsor, which stands in the first rank.

Schubert wrote many light operas of slight musical value, and Schumann
one of more or less worth, called Genoveva.

Opera-writing now became so popular everywhere that it is necessary to
take it up in its different homes, and to divide the work into that done
in the earlier and later years. The first is:

V--THE EARLIER ITALIAN SCHOOL

Rossini, born at the end of the eighteenth century, knew little of
technical methods, so he followed his native genius. His first great
opera was Tancredi, and this was followed by others in a lighter vein,
notably the Barber of Seville, bright and amusing, and later William
Tell, his finest work, dignified and beautiful. The overture to the last
is one of his familiar melodies.

Donizetti, born in the same decade with Rossini, wrote sixty-five
operas; one of the best-known is Lucia di Lammermoor, with its famous
sextet. Lucrezia Borgia, probably his best work, is but seldom given
to-day, but La Fille du Regiment, a gay, charming little opera, is often
presented.

Bellini, who comes a few years later than the last two composers, wrote
operas famous in their day. I Puritani, La Sonnambula, and Norma, are
all well known. The solo, Hea