Quasimodo, the deformed
bell-ringer of Notre Dame, tries to carry her off by night. She is
rescued by Phoebus de Chateaupers, the captain of the guard, who
speedily falls in love with her. Frollo escapes, but Quasimodo is
captured, though, at Esmeralda's entreaty, Phoebus sets him once more at
liberty. In gratitude the dwarf vows himself to her service. Frollo is
mad with rage at seeing Phoebus preferred to himself; he assassinates
the captain and accuses Esmeralda of the crime. She is condemned to
death, but is saved by the appearance of Phoebus, who was not killed
after all, and opportunely turns up in time to rescue Esmeralda. Frollo
attempts once more to murder Phoebus, but the blow is received instead
by Quasimodo, who sacrifices himself for Esmeralda's happiness. When the
opera was produced in French at Covent Garden in 1890, the composer
introduced several alterations into the score. An elaborate air for
Esmeralda in the prison was the most important of the additions, and
the close of the opera was also materially changed. It was generally
thought, however, that the original version was the more successful.
Thomas's training and sympathies were thoroughly French, and except for
the words 'Esmeralda' has very little claim to be called an English
opera. The score is extremely graceful and charming, and it is only at
the more dramatic moments that the composer fails to do justice to his
theme.

In 'Nadeshda,' an opera written upon a Russian subject, which was
produced in 1885, there was much charming music, but the libretto was
uninteresting, and the success of the work never equalled that of its
predecessor. The most attractive part of the opera was the delightfully
quaint and original ballet music, to which local colour was given by
clever orchestration and ingenious use of Russian rhythms.

To the initiative of the Carl Rosa company was due the production of Mr.
Frederick Corder's 'Nordisa,' a work of undoubted talent though
suffering from a fatal lack of homogeneity, and of two operas by Sir
Alexander Mackenzie. The first of these, 'Colomba,' was produced in
1883. It achieved a success, but the gloomy character of the libretto
prevented it from becoming really popular. It is founded upon Prosper
Merimee's famous Corsican tale. The father of Orso and Colomba della
Rebbia has been treacherously murdered by two of the family of
Barracini. Colomba is burning for vengeance, but her brother is an
officer in the Fre