The austere subject of the opera of _le Prophète_, in which the element of passion played only a very secondary rôle, caused it to be received at first with a certain reserve on the part of the public. But Meyerbeer had never been better inspired, and the nobleness, the grandeur and the severity of the style of this composition raises it to a level which he did not exceed. The beautiful introduction to the first act, the scene of the three anabaptists, the marvellous ballet of skaters, the arioso of Fidès in prison, a truly sublime and pathetic page, finally the grand tableau of the cathedral, are so many superb and living proofs of Meyerbeer's powerful and versatile genius. The public grew to admire the beauties of this bold and dignified work; as to the artists, there are many who unhesitatingly place the _Prophète_ above all that he has written for the stage; for myself, I divide my highest admiration between _le Prophète_ and _les Huguenots_. [Illustration: REPRODUCTION OF ORIGINAL BILLBOARD OF FIRST PERFORMANCE OF THE HUGUENOTS. From archives of the Paris Opera.] The success of _l'Etoile du Nord_, performed at the _Opéra-Comique_, Feb. 16, 1854, was much more spontaneous and considerable than that of the _Prophète_ at the _Opéra_. Yet, after the lapse of forty years, the latter is still played on all the stages of the world, whereas _l'Etoile du Nord_ is well-nigh forgotten. Assuredly there are some beautiful pages in this score, in which Meyerbeer embodied several pieces from his German opera, _A Camp in Silesia_, and especially should be mentioned the songs and the ballad of Catherine in the first act, the quintet in the second, the superb song of Pierre in the third, as well as the comic duet and trio; but the work is essentially lacking in unity, it is too heavy as a whole, and the orchestration is too noisy and brilliant for the demi-character of the opera. Meyerbeer was much better inspired in _le Pardon de Plöermel_ (Dinorah), given also at the _Opéra-Comique_, April 4, 1839. This work contains some exquisite pages, among which I will mention particularly the overture with invisible chorus, Hoël's air in the first act, the drinking chorus and the trio in the second, and the touching and melancholy song of Hoël in the third. Unfortunately the insignificance and emptiness of the libretto have always been a drawback to this beautiful score.