Rophino Lacy. It would be an idle task to give even the names of
Rossini's many operas. Suffice it to say that between 1810 and 1828 he
produced upwards of forty distinct works. In 1829 came his last and
greatest work, 'Guillaume Tell,' which was written for the Grand Opera
in Paris. The libretto was the work of many hands, and Rossini's own
share in it was not a small one. It follows Schiller with tolerable
closeness. In the first act Tell saves the life of Leuthold, who is
being pursued by Gessler's soldiers; and Melchthal, the patriarch of the
village, is put to death on a charge of insubordination. His son Arnold
loves Matilda, the sister of Gessler, and hesitates between love and
duty. Finally, however, he joins Tell, who assembles the men of the
three forest cantons, and binds them with an oath to exterminate their
oppressors or perish in the attempt. In the third act comes the famous
archery scene. Tell refuses to bow to Gessler's hat, and is condemned to
shoot the apple from his son's head. This he successfully accomplishes,
but the presence of a second arrow in his quiver arouses Gessler's
suspicions. Tell confesses that had he killed his son, the second arrow
would have despatched the tyrant, and is at once thrown into prison. In
the last act we find Arnold raising a band of followers and himself
accomplishing the rescue of Tell; Gessler is slain, and Matilda is
united to her lover.
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