of the Alps.  ’La Damnation de Faust’ is hardly more than a string of incidents, with only the most shadowy semblance of connection, but several of the scenes are effective enough on the stage, notably that in Faust’s study with the march of Hungarian warriors in the distance, the exquisite dance of sylphs and the ride to the abyss.  Nevertheless, when the success of curiosity is over, the work is hardly likely to retain its place in the repertory.

Unperformed as he was, Berlioz of course could not be expected to found a school; but Meyerbeer’s success soon raised him up a host of imitators.  Halevy (1799-1862) drew his inspiration in part from Herold and Weber; but ‘La Juive,’ the work by which he is best known, owes much to Meyerbeer, whose ‘Robert le Diable’ had taken the world of music in Paris by storm a few years before the production of Halevy’s work.  In turn Halevy reacted upon Meyerbeer.  Many passages in ‘Les Huguenots’ reflect the sober dignity of ‘La Juive’; indeed, it is too often forgotten that the production of Halevy’s opera preceded its more famous contemporary by a full year.

The scene of ‘La Juive’ is laid in Constance, in the fifteenth century.  Leopold, a Prince of the Empire, in the disguise of a young Israelite, has won the heart of Rachel, the daughter of the rich Jew Eleazar.  When the latter discovers the true nationality of his prospective son-in-law he forbids him his house, but Rachel consents, like another Jessica, to fly with her lover.  Later she discovers that Leopold is a Prince, and betrothed to the Princess Eudoxia.  Her jealousy breaks forth, and she accuses him of having seduced her—­a crime which in those days was punishable by death.  Rachel, Leopold, and Eleazar are all thrown into prison.  There Rachel relents, and retracts her accusation.  Leopold is accordingly released, but the Jew and his daughter are condemned to be immersed in a cauldron of boiling oil.  There is a rather meaningless underplot which results in a confession made by Eleazar on the scaffold, that Rachel is not a Jewess at all, but the daughter of a Cardinal who has taken a friendly interest in her fortunes throughout the drama.

Halevy’s music is characterised by dignity and sobriety, but it rarely rises to passion.  He represents to a certain extent a reaction towards the pre-Rossinian school of opera, but, to be frank, most of ‘La Juive’ is exceedingly long-winded and dull.  Besides his serious operas, Halevy wrote works of a lighter cast, which enjoyed popularity in their time.  But the prince of opera comique at this time was Auber (1782-1871).  Auber began his career as a musician comparatively late in life, but en revanche age seemed powerless to check his unflagging industry.  His last work, ‘Le Reve d’Amour,’ was produced in the composer’s eighty-eighth year.  Auber is a superficial Rossini.  He borrowed from the Italian master his wit and gaiety; he could not catch an echo of his tenderness and passion.