orchestral song, which bears upon its surface the choral
proclamation of the sun: "I am! I am life! I am Beauty infinite!" The
flux and reflux of the instrumental surge grows in intensity, the music
begins to glow with color and pulsate with eager life, and reaches a
mighty sonority, gorged with the crash of a multitude of tamtams,
cymbals, drums, and bells, at the climacteric reiteration of "Calore!
Luce! Amor!" The piece is thrillingly effective, but as little operatic
as the tintinnabulatory chant of the cherubim in the prologue of
Boito's "Mefistofele."

And now allegory makes room for the drama. To the door of her cottage,
embowered on the banks of a quiet stream, comes Iris. The peak of
Fujiyama glows in the sunlight. Iris is fair and youthful and innocent.
A dream has disturbed her. "Gorgons and Hydras and Chimaeras dire" had
filled her garden and threatened her doll, which she had put to sleep
under a rose-bush. But the sun's rays burst forth and the monsters
flee. She lifts her doll and moves its arms in mimic salutation to the
sun. Osaka, a wealthy rake, and Kyoto, a pander, play spy on her
actions, gloat on her loveliness and plot to steal her and carry her to
the Yoshiwara. To this end they go to bring on a puppet show, that its
diversion may enable them to steal her away without discovery. Women
come down to the banks of the river and sing pretty metaphors as they
wash their basketloads of muslins. Gradually the music of samisens,
gongs, and drums approaches. Osaka and Kyoto have disguised themselves
as travelling players, gathered together some geishas and musicians,
and now set up a marionette theatre. Iris comforts her blind father,
the only object of her love, besides her doll, and promises to remain
at his side. The puppet play tells the story of a maiden who suffers
abuse from a cruel father, who threatens to sell her to a merchant.
Iris is much affected by the sorrows of the puppet. The voice of Jor,
the son of the sun, is heard--it is Osaka, singing without. The melody
is the melody of Turridu's Siciliano, but the words are a promise of a
blissful, kissful death and thereafter life everlasting. The puppet
dies and with Jor dances off into Nirvana. Now three geishas,
representing Beauty, Death, and the Vampire, begin a dance. Kyoto
distracts the attention of the spectators while the dancers flaunt
their skirts higher and wider until their folds conceal Iris, and
Osaka's hirelings seize her and bear