ho at once begins wooing in the manner he has
practised with Don Gaston.

The ridiculous fellow is thought mad and is about to be turned out,
when catching sight of Gaston, he loudly accuses him of treachery.
Gaston however draws his sword and menaces Don Pinto, upon which the
poor swain cries for mercy and is thereafter removed from the hall
amidst the laughter of the whole chorus.

Imagine the assistant's astonishment, when Gaston declares, that they
have turned out the true Don Pinto. Gomez believing himself betrayed
challenges Gaston, and the father rages against the two pretenders.
But Clarissa pleads and Gaston quietly shows to Don Pantaleone the
contrast {268} between the two suitors, while Gomez is obliged to
acknowledge gratefully that he owes his lovely bride solely to Don
Gaston's joke. So the lovers are united.

THE PIPER OF HAMELN.

Opera in five acts by VICTOR NESSLER.

Text by FR. HOFMANN from JULIUS WOLFF'S legend of the same name.

Without any preliminary introduction to the musical world Nessler wrote
this opera and at once became, not only known, but a universal
favorite; so much so that there is scarcely a theatre in Germany, in
which this work of his is not now given.

The subject of the libretto is a most favorable one, like that of
Nessler's later composition, "the Trumpeter of Saekkingen"; the
principal personage Singuf, being particularly well suited for a
first-rate stage hero.

Then Wolff's poetical songs are music in themselves, and it was
therefore not difficult to work out interesting melodies, of which as a
matter of fact we find many in this opera.

The scene of the following events is the old town of Hameln on the
Weser in the year 1284. The citizens are assembled to hold council, as
to how the rat-plague of the town is to be got rid of. No one is able
to suggest a remedy when suddenly the clerk of the senate, Ethelerus,
announces a stranger, who offers to destroy all the rats and mice in
the place, solely by the might of his pipe. {269} Hunold Singuf, a
wandering Bohemian, enters and repeats his offer, asking one hundred
Marks in silver as his reward and forbidding anybody listen or to be
present, while he works his charm.

The senators comply with his request, promising him in addition a drink
from the town-cellar, when the last rat shall have disappeared, which
is to be when the moon is full.

In the following scene the Burgomaster's daughter Regina is with