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in common thanks to God.

HENRY THE LION.

Opera in four acts by EDMUND KRETSCHMER.

This opera has not had the same success as "The Folkungs", which may be
attributed in part to the subject, which is less attractive.
Nevertheless it has great merit, and has found its way to the larger
stages of Germany. The libretto is written by Kretschmer himself. The
background is in this instance also historical.

The scene which takes us back to the middle of the 12th century is
laid, in the first act, in Rome, in the second and fourth in Henry the
Lion's castle and in the third act on the coast of Ancona.

In the first act Henry's praise is sung; he has gained the victory for
his Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa, over the Italians. Frederick
enters, thanking the Duke heartily for his fidelity and fortitude. A
stranger, named Astoc, comes, prophesying an unhappy end to the
Emperor, if he continues to seek his laurels in strange lands. To the
anger {126} of everybody Henry seconds him, entreating his Master to
return into his own country, where his presence is necessary. The
Emperor rebukes him sternly, Henry grows hot, and is finally by order
of Frederick fettered and led away.

The second act shows the park in Henry's castle. His lovely wife
Clementina, whose veil he wears on his helmet as a talisman, receives
the country-people, who come to congratulate her on the first
anniversary of her wedding-day. Irmgard, sister-in-law of Duke Henry,
sees with envy how much Clementina is loved by everyone; she had
herself hoped to become Duchess of Saxony, and from the time when Henry
brought home his lovely bride, Irmgard has hated her. Conrad von
Wettin, Henry's friend, appears in pilgrim's garb, to announce to the
lonely wife the sad news of her husband's captivity and she at once
resolves to travel to Ancona in order to entreat the Emperor's pardon.

Irmgard, thinking she sees in the disguised pilgrim, whose gait she
recognizes to be that of a knight, a lover of Clementina's, believes
that already the day of revenge is dawning.

In the third act the Emperor mourns the loss of his bravest hero, who
firmly refuses to retract his rash words. A German song is heard, and
Conrad von Wettin presents a young minstrel to the homesick Prince.
The former begs for the favor of celebrating the coming festival in a
German song. This is permitted and the festival begins. {127} The
Anconites, whom Frederick delivered from t