pursuers. His flight
brings him to the grave of the dead governor, in whose memory a
life-size statue has been erected in his own park. Excited to the
highest pitch and almost beside himself, Don Juan even mocks the dead;
he invites him to a supper. The statue moves its head in acceptance of
the dreadful invitation of the murderer.

Towards evening Donna Elvira comes to see him, willing to pardon
everything, if only her lover {59} will repent. She fears for him and
for his fate, she does not ask for his love, but only for the
repentance of his follies, but all is in vain. The half-drunken Don
Juan laughs at her, and so she leaves him alone. Then the ghostly
guest, the statue of the governor enters. He too tries to move his
host's conscience; he fain would save him in the last hour. Don Juan
remains deaf to those warnings of a better self, and so he incurs his
doom. The statue vanishes, the earth opens and the demons of hell
devour Don Juan and his splendid palace.

DON PASQUALE.

Comic Opera in three acts by DONIZETTI.

Text done after SER MARCANTONIO by SALVATORE GAMMERANO.

This opera, one of Donizetti's last compositions is a little jewel of
the modern Italian kinds. Its music is sparkling with wit and grace
and may rank among the best comic operas, of which we have not too
many. The reason, why it does not occupy the place on the German
stage, which is due to its undoubted merit, is the somewhat deficient
German translation of the textbook, and the very small frame, in which
it plays, without any of the dramatic pomp and decoration the people
are wont to see in our times, and finally it does not occupy a whole
evening and must needs have a ballet to fill it up. The four persons
acting in the play, have excellent parts for good singers, as Donizetti
thoroughly knew how to treat the human voice.

{60}

The wealthy old bachelor Don Pasquale, desires to marry his only nephew
to a rich and noble lady, but, finding a hindrance in Ernesto's love
for another, decides to punish his headstrong nephew by entering
himself into marriage and thus disinheriting Ernesto.

His physician Malatesta, Ernesto's friend, pretends to have discovered
a suitable partner for him in the person of his (Malatesta's) sister,
an "Ingenue", educated in a convent and utterly ignorant of the ways of
the world.

Don Pasquale maliciously communicates his intentions to the young widow
Norina telling her to distrust Malate