The last act opens with a scene in striking contrast, introduced with a quintet of horns, followed by a hunter’s solo, a reaper’s solo, a duet for shepherds; and a quartet in the finale.  Hoeel arrives, bearing the rescued Dinorah, and sings to her an exquisite romance ("Sei vendicata assai").  The magic of his singing and her bath in the torrent restore her wandering senses.  Hoeel persuades her that all which has transpired has been a dream.  The old song of the Pardon of Ploermel comes to her, and as she tries to recall it the chorus takes it up ("Santa Maria! nostra donna”) as it was heard in the overture.  A procession is seen in the distance, and amid some exquisite pageant music Hoeel and Dinorah wend their way to the chapel, where the nuptial rites are supposed to be performed.

THE PROPHET.

“Le Prophete,” an opera in five acts, words by Scribe, was first produced in Paris, April 16, 1849, with Mme. Viardot-Garcia as Fides, and M. Roger as John of Leyden.  “The Prophet” was long and carefully elaborated by its composer.  Thirteen years intervened between it and its predecessor, “The Huguenots;” but in spite of its elaboration it can only be said to excel the latter in pageantry and spectacular effect, while its musical text is more declamatory than melodious, as compared with “The Huguenots.”  In this sense it was disappointing when first produced.

The period of the opera is 1534.  The first act transpires in Dordrecht and Leyden, in Holland, and the other three in Munster, Germany.  The text closely follows the historical narrative of the period when Munster was occupied by John of Leyden and his fanatics, who, after he had been crowned by them as Emperor of Germany, was driven out by the bishop of the diocese.  The first act opens in the suburbs of Dordrecht, near the Meuse, with the chateau of Count Oberthal, lord of the domain, in the distance.  After a very fresh and vigorous chorus of peasants, Bertha, a vassal of the Count, betrothed to John of Leyden, enters and sings a cavatina ("Il cor nel sento"), in which she gives expression to emotions of delight at her approaching union.  As she cannot go to Leyden, where the marriage is to take place, without the Count’s consent, Fides, the mother of John, joins her to make the request.  In the mean time the three Anabaptists, Zacarie, Gione, and Mathisen, leaders of the revolt in Westphalia, arrive on their mission of raising an insurrection in Holland, and in a sombre trio of a religious but stirring character ("O libertade”) incite the peasants to rise against their rulers.  They make an assault upon the castle of Count Oberthal, who speedily repels them, and turns the tide of popular feeling against the Anabaptists, by recognizing Gione as a former servant who had been discharged from his service for dishonesty.  Fides and Bertha then join in a romanza ("Della mora un giorno"), imploring his permission for the marriage of Bertha and John.  The Count, however, struck with her beauty, not only refuses, but claims her for himself, and seizes both her and Fides, and the act closes with a repetition of the warning chant of the Anabaptists.