recent
times by a foreign composer of the first rank for the English stage. The
libretto, which was the work of Planche, is founded upon an old French
romance, 'Huon of Bordeaux,' and though by no means a model of lucidity,
it contains many scenes both powerful and picturesque, which must have
captivated the imagination of a musician so impressionable as Weber. The
opera opens in fairyland, where a bevy of fairies is watching the
slumbers of Oberon. The fairy king has quarrelled with Titania, and has
vowed never to be reconciled to her until he shall find two lovers
constant to each other through trial and temptation. Puck, who has been
despatched to search for such a pair, enters with the news that Sir Huon
of Bordeaux, who had accidentally slain the son of Charlemagne, has been
commanded, in expiation of his crime, to journey to Bagdad, to claim the
Caliph's daughter as his bride, and slay the man who sits at his right
hand. Oberon forthwith throws Huon into a deep sleep, and in a vision
shows him Rezia, the daughter of the Caliph, of whom the ardent knight
instantly becomes enamoured. He then conveys him to the banks of the
Tigris, and giving him a magic horn, starts him upon his dangerous
enterprise. In the Caliph's palace Huon fights with Babekan, Rezia's
suitor, rescues the maiden, and with the aid of the magic horn carries
her off from the palace, while his esquire Sherasmin performs the same
kind office for Fatima, Rezia's attendant. On their way home they
encounter a terrific storm, raised by the power of Oberon to try their
constancy. They are ship-wrecked, and Rezia is carried off by pirates to
Tunis, whilst Huon is left for dead upon the beach. At Tunis more
troubles are in store for the hapless pair. Huon, who has been
transported by the fairies across the sea, finds his way into the house
of the Emir, where Rezia is in slavery. There he is unlucky enough to
win the favour of Roshana, the Emir's wife, and before he can escape
from her embraces he is discovered by the Emir himself, and condemned to
be burned alive. Rezia proclaims herself his wife, and she also is
condemned to the stake; but at this crisis Oberon intervenes. The lovers
have been tried enough, and their constancy is rewarded. They are
transported to the court of Charlemagne, where a royal welcome awaits
them.

Although written for England, 'Oberon' has never achieved much
popularity in this, or indeed in any country. The fairy music is
exqui