The last act opens in the salon of Count Arnheim.  Arline is restored to her old position, but her love for Thaddeus remains.  He finds an opportunity to have a meeting with her, through the cunning of Devilshoof, who accompanies him.  He once more tells his love in that tender and impassioned song, “When other Lips and other Hearts,” and she promises to be faithful to him.  As the sound of approaching steps is heard, Thaddeus and his companion conceal themselves.  A large company enter, and Arline is presented to them.  During the ceremony a closely veiled woman appears, and when questioned discovers herself as the Gypsy Queen.  She reveals the hiding-place of her companions, and Thaddeus is dragged forth and ordered to leave the house.  Arline declares her love for him, and her intention to go with him.  She implores her father to relent.  Thaddeus avows his noble descent, and boasts his ancestry and deeds in battle in that stirring martial song, “When the Fair Land of Poland.”  The Count finally yields and gives his daughter to Thaddeus.  The Queen, filled with rage and despair, induces one of the tribe to fire at him as he is embracing Arline; but by a timely movement of Devilshoof the bullet intended for Thaddeus pierces the breast of the Queen.  As the curtain falls, the old song of the gypsies is heard again as they disappear in the distance with Devilshoof at their head.

Many of the operas of Balfe, like other ballad operas, have become unfashionable; but it is doubtful whether “The Bohemian Girl” will ever lose its attraction for those who delight in song-melody, charming orchestration, and sparkling, animated choruses.  It leaped into popularity at a bound, and its pretty melodies are still as fresh as when they were first sung.

THE ROSE OF CASTILE.

“The Rose of Castile,” comic opera in three acts, words by Harris and Falconer, adapted from Adolphe Adam’s “Muletier de Tolede,” was first produced at the Lyceum Theatre, London, Oct. 29, 1857, with the following cast:—­

Elvira        Miss Louisa Pyne. 
Manuel        W.H.  Harrison. 
Carmen        Miss Susan Pyne. 
Don Pedro     Mr. Weiss. 
Don sallust   Mr. St. ALBYN. 
Don Florio    Mr. Honey.

The scene of the opera is laid in Spain.  Elvira, the Rose of Castile, Queen of Leon, has just ascended the throne, and her hand has been demanded by the King of Castile for his brother, Don Sebastian the Infant.  Having learned that the latter is about to enter her dominions disguised as a muleteer, the better to satisfy his curiosity about her, she adopts the same expedient, and sets out to intercept him, disguised as a peasant girl, taking with her one of her attendants.