"Benvenuto Cellini," an opera in two acts, with music by Hector Berlioz and text by Wailly and Barbier, was first produced in Paris in 1838.
CHARACTERS.
Benvenuto Cellini, a Florentine goldsmith.
Giacomo Balducci, the Papal treasurer.
Fieramosca, the Papal sculptor.
Cardinal Salviati, an officer of the Court of Rome.
Francisco,
Bernardino, head workmen of the studio of Cellini.
Pompeo, a bravo, the friend of Fieramosca.
An Innkeeper.
Teresa, daughter of Balducci.
Ascanio, the pupil of Cellini.
Pantomime personages.
The counterfeit treasurer.
Harlequin.
Punchinello.
Columbine.
Two fighters.
Servants and neighbors of Balducci, metal workers, founders, maskers, Roman archers, monks, members of the Cardinal's suite, people.
The scene is laid in Rome of the Sixteenth Century on Monday, Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. Benvenuto Cellini, the celebrated Florentine sculptor, has been summoned to Rome on professional business. He is in love with Teresa, the daughter of old Balducci, the Papal treasurer, but the girl's hand is sought by Fieramosca, the Papal sculptor. The father favors the latter, declaring that he would a thousand times rather hang than have Cellini for a son-in-law, but, as sometimes happens, the daughter does not reflect the paternal inclinations. On the day upon which the story opens, the father and daughter have been discussing the two suitors and Balducci departs to calm his ruffled feelings in the open air. Cellini calls and is delighted to find Teresa alone. She tells him of her father's predilection for his rival and Cellini proposes an elopement. They plan to put this idea into execution on Mardi Gras evening at the Piazza di Colonna, where Teresa shall be met by a monk in a white cowl (Cellini), accompanied by a brown Capuchin friar (his pupil Ascanio). They will then fly to Florence and will there be happy evermore.
They say good-by, with many vows not to fail each other on the morrow, little suspecting that Fieramosca, hidden near, has overheard everything. Balducci returns and Cellini manages to depart and yet avoid the paternal eye. But Fieramosca is not so fortunate and he finds his presence in the house at this late hour remarkably difficult of explanation. Balducci opens the window 'and calls for help to punish the libertine and a swarm of servants and neighbor women coming in, armed with lanterns and brooms, make life miserable for the sculptor until he man-ages to escape down an unguarded passageway.
The next scene shows Cellini, with his pupils and companions, making merry at the tavern. They overlook the fact that they have no money to pay for the wine but the innkeeper brings this condition forcibly to their minds. Cellini is trying to find a way out of the embarrassment when Ascanio appears and is called upon for assistance. He agrees to deliver the gold sent by the Pope to recompense Cellini for the statue of Perseus, upon which he is engaged, if the promise be given that the work shall be completed by the morrow. This promise Cellini gives but when Ascanio hands over the money, the sum is so paltry that there is general indignation. They easily trace this niggardliness in payment to the influence of the parsimonious Balducci and decide to caricature him at the pantomime that evening. Meantime. Fieramosca and his friend Pompeo, the bravo, have planned to assume the disguise of Cellini and Ascanio and to carry off Teresa.
The play at Cassandro's Theatre proves a great success. Balducci and Teresa are present and the former is by no means flattered to find himself the hero of a piece called " King Midas, or the Ass's Ears." He watches the play with rising anger until, at some especially choice compliment, he loses command of himself and rushes upon the stage, brandishing his cane. Cellini takes advantage of the fracas to approach Teresa but Fieramosca chooses the same moment and a fight ensues, in which Pompeo is stabbed by Cellini in self-defense. Cellini is arrested but cannon-shots are fired to announce Ash Wednesday, the carnival lights are extinguished and in the sudden darkness he manages to escape. Balducci seeing a white-garbed monk and thinking him the culprit, hands him over to the police. It happens to be the luckless Fieramosca. Meantime, Teresa is conducted by Ascanio to Cellini's workshop.
Here the second act, which takes place on Ash Wednesday, is played. A plaster cast of Cellini's Perseus is seen and the molders are busily at work. But the master is absent and Teresa is in an agony of apprehension.
Cellini arrives, his white garb spattered with blood, and tells of his hairbreadth escapes. He declares it to be an immediate necessity for him to leave the city but Ascanio in consternation reminds him of his promise to have the statue finished the next day. Cellini jauntily consigns the statue, together with the Pope and the law, to the devil. Balducci and Fieramosca arrive inopportunely and the father calls upon his prospective son-in-law to destroy the wretch, but upon Cellini's promise to " help him into Hades " if he tries, Fieramosca shows the white feather.
The Cardinal enters to see how the statue is progressing. Seeing that Cellini has been dilatory, he declares that another shall finish it, and Cellini replies that rather than give it into another's hands he will shatter it into bits. He is raising his hammer to make good his word when the frightened Cardinal promises him whatever he wishes if he will desist. He promptly asks for absolution, for Teresa and for an opportunity to finish the statue. The Cardinal grants him until evening to finish the work, with hanging as an alternative. It is already late and everybody, Cellini included, regards his fate as sealed.
They set to work, however, but the men work only half-heartedly and Cellini tries vainly to start a gay tune for inspiration. No great additional encouragement is afforded by the arrival of Fieramosca, and two officers with huge rapiers, who watch proceedings and repeat Cellini's words, " I come to help you into hell." The work goes on madly. The shop is a scene of breathless hurry. The gold is melting in the furnace and the workmen come to demand more metal. Cellini's heart sinks and Teresa is in terror but Cellini saves the day by sacrificing his other masterpieces which are consigned to the furnace. Perseus is achieved and Cellini wins. The Cardinal grants him pardon, and his one-time enemies, Balducci and Fieramosca, add their voices to the general rejoicing.
" Benvenuto Cellini," Berlioz' first opera, was with-drawn after three representations but in recent years has had a number of successful revivals.
Notable numbers in the score are the overture, which was written later and which, under the title of " La Carnival Romain," has frequent performance in the concert-room; the terzetto of the first act; Teresa's aria, " Entre l'amour et le devoir " (" Between my love and my duty ") ; the gold-smith's chorus sung in the Place Colonne, " La terre aux beaux jours "(" The earth on days so fair ") ; " Cette somme t'est due" (" This the sum that's due you"), sung by Ascanio; Fieramosca's number, "Vive l'escrime!" (" Hail to the Sword") ; the love duet of Cellini and Teresa, "Ah! le ciel, cher époux" ("Ah! 'tis heaven, dear love") and the music of the Carnival scene.
