rs with an invitation to a masked ball from the court.
Rene accepts, and the conspirators decide to seize the opportunity, to
put their foe to death. They are to wear blue dominos with red
ribbons; their pass word is "death."

The next scene shows a richly decorated ballroom. Rene vainly tries to
find out the count's {372} disguise, until it is betrayed to him by the
page who believes that Rene wants to have some fun with his master.
Amelia waylaying Richard implores him, to fly, and when he disbelieves
her warnings, shows him her face. When he recognizes her, he tenderly
takes her hand, and tells her that he too has resolved to conquer his
passion, and that he is sending her away to England with her husband.
They are taking a last farewell, but alas, fate overtakes Richard in
the shape of Rene, who runs his dagger through him. The crowd tries to
arrest the murderer, but the dying count waves them back and with his
last breath tells his unhappy friend, that his wife is innocent.
Drawing forth a document and handing it to Rene the unfortunate man
reads the count's order to send them to their native country. Richard
pardons his misguided friend and dies with a blessing on his beloved
country.

THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH.

Opera in three acts by CARL GOLDMARK.

Text after Dickens' tale by M. WILLNER.

With this opera Goldmark has entered a novel way in composing. He has
renounced all sensational effects and has produced an opera, which is
full of charming melodies, but which lacks the high dramatic verve to
which we are accustomed from this composer; there are however
remarkably fine pieces in the whole, the best of them being Dot's
dancing song in the second act, the quintette at the end of {373} it,
and the prelude in the third act, into which Goldmark has interwoven
the popular song "Weisst Du, wie viel Sternlein stehen."

The story is soon told, as everybody is supposed to know its contents
from Dickens' famous fairy-tale. That it is less pretty than the
original, is not Mr. Willner's fault, who did his best to endue it with
dramatic strength, and to make it more effective, an elevation to which
the tale never aspired, its poetic simplicity being its great charm.

The scene is laid in an English village.

The cricket, a little fairy, lives with a postilion John and his wife
Dot. They are a happy couple, the only thing wanting to their complete
happiness being children, and even this ardent wish