But Weber was not the only foreigner at this
time who helped to shape the destiny of French music. The spell of
Rossini was too potent for the plastic Gauls to resist, and to his
influence may be traced the most salient features of the school of opera
comique which is best represented by Auber. Herold, though divided
between the camps of Germany and Italy, had individuality enough to
write music which was independent of either. Yet it is significant
that his last two works--the only two, in fact, which have
survived--represent with singular completeness the two influences which
affected French music most potently during his day. 'Zampa' has been
called a French 'Don Giovanni,' but the music owes far more to Weber
than to Mozart, while the fantastic and absurd incidents of the plot
have little of the supernatural terror of Mozart's opera. Zampa is a
famous pirate, who, after having dissipated his fortune and made Italy,
generally speaking, too hot to hold him, has taken to the high seas in
self-defence. In his early days he had seduced a girl named Alice
Manfredi, who after his desertion found a home in the house of a
Sicilian merchant named Lugano. There she died, and there Lugano caused
a statue to be set up in her honour. When the story of the opera begins,
Lugano is a prisoner in the hands of the redoubtable Zampa. The pirate
himself comes to Sicily to obtain his prisoner's ransom, bringing
directions to Lugano's daughter Camilla to pay him whatever he may ask.
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