Beauties of the Opera and Ballet, Illustr. Under the Superintendence of C. Heath (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1845 Excerpt: ...kneels in prayer Hydrola again appears, and renews her warning and her assertion, that the Ondine, like the plucked rose, has already begun to feel the progress of withering and decay. She points to the shrinking flower; she counsels the languid maiden; and entreats her, before it is too late, to abandon her mortal attach-ment, whose endurance must be so frail, so limited. The Ondine is immovable; she has the abiding love of a true woman, and, though mournful, yet resigned, though sinking, still constant, she bids Hydrola depart. The queen has scarcely left her, when Matteo comes to her with his mother, and we have the expressive and characteristic "pas de la rose fi-trie" between the two lovers. Ondine sinks at every moment, and yet with each feeling of increasing languor makes a fresh effort to smile upon Matteo. She pines and withers, and her youth and fondness cannot compensate to her exhausting frame for the surrender of its immortality. Her fond, though deceived lover, is deeply affected to see her wasting at every breath, and is struck with the sad conviction that the hand of death is upon her for whom (in his own belief) he has given up the affection of a divinity. She insists on proceeding to the marriage, and desires that the ceremony be gone through, even if the exertion shall cost the sacrifice of her brief existence. She will, at least, possess him for whom alone she has cared to live, and that is a consummation worth achieving and dying for. The finale draws nigh, and the sixth and last tableau opens with the procession of the wedding-party, who move on with slow and silent steps. The Naiad is hardly able to support herself, and with great difficulty advances, leaning on the arm of Matteo, who carries rather than supports her. The g...