Peter's anguish at the loss of his loved one is accentuated by
the nobility of her conduct. At first it is supposed that Catherine is
dead, but by the exertions of Danilowitz she is at length discovered,
though in a lamentable plight, for her troubles have cost her her
reason. She is restored to sanity by the simple method of reconstructing
the scene of the Finnish dockyard in which she first made Peter's
acquaintance, and peopling it with the familiar forms of the workmen.
Among the latter are Peter and Danilowitz, in their old dresses of
labourer and pastry-cook, and, to crown all, two flutes are produced
upon which Peter and her brother play a tune known to her from
childhood. The last charm proves effectual, and all ends happily.
The lighter parts of 'L'Etoile du Nord' are delightfully arch and
vivacious, and much of the concerted music is gay and brilliant. The
weak point of the opera is to be found in the tendency from which
Meyerbeer was never safe, to drop into mere pretentiousness when he
meant to be most impressive. In some of the choruses in the camp scene
there is a great pretence at elaboration, with very scanty results, and
the closing scena, which is foolish and wearisome, is an unfortunate
concession to the vanity of the prima donna. But on the whole 'L'Etoile
du Nord' is one of Meyerbeer's most attractive works, besides being an
extraordinary example of his inexhaustible versatility.
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