air in the
first act, the evening-song, sung while the people are gliding down the
Rhine in boats, whose lovely variations remind us of quaint old airs of
bye-gone days,--the chorus of the stone-masons in the second act, and
the love-duet in the third are brilliant gems in Becker's music.

The libretto rivals the best of its kind.

The scene is laid near and in Maintz in the year 1308; it takes place
during the reign of Ludwig, Emperor of Bavaria.

Heinrich Frauenlob, the famous minstrel, who had won his name by his
songs in women's praise, {95} is by birth a knight, Dietherr zur Meise.
Years ago he slew the Truchsess of Maintz in self-defence, and having
therefore become an outlaw, had entered the service of the Emperor. In
the beginning of the opera we find him however near Maintz, where he
stays as a guest at his friend's Wolf's castle. He takes part in the
people's festival on Midsummer day, deeming himself unknown.

When the customary St. John's fire is lighted, no one dares leap over
it for fear of an old gipsy's prophesy, which threatened with sudden
death the first who should attempt it. Frauenlob, disregarding the
prophesy, persuades Hildegund, Ottker von Scharfenstein's fair ward, to
venture through the fire with him. Hildegund is the slain Truchsess'
daughter, and has sworn, to wed the avenger of her father's death, but
each lover is unconscious of the other's name. The gipsy Sizyga alone,
who had been betrayed in her youth by Frauenlob's father, recognizes
the young knight, and though he has only just saved the old hag from
the people's fury, she wishes to avenge her wrongs on him. To this end
she betrays the secret of Frauenlob's birth to Hildegund's suitor,
Servazio di Bologna, who is highly jealous of this new rival, and
determines to lay hands on him, as soon as he enters the gates of
Maintz.--Frauenlob, though warned by Sizyga, enters Maintz attracted by
Hildegund's sweet graces; he is determined to confess everything, and
then to fly with her, should she be willing to follow him.

{96}

The second act opens with a fine song of the warder of the tower. The
city awakes, the stonemasons assemble, ready to greet the Emperor,
whose arrival is expected. Tilda, Hildegund's friend, and daughter to
Klas, chief of the stone-masons is going to church, but on her way she
is accosted by the knight Wolf, who has lost his heart to her, and now,
forgetting his plan to look for Frauenlob, follows the love