After leaving the Casino Miss Hall began her career as a star, appearing
in "Puritania." This was followed the next year by "Amorita" and "Madame
Favart," while "Puritania" was retained in her repertory. The season
succeeding she brought out "The Honeymooners." During 1894-95 her operas
were "La Belle Helene," a revival of "The Chimes of Normandy," and
"Dorcas." She then retired from the stage for a while, and afterward
appeared in vaudeville until she joined Francis Wilson.
"Puritania, or the Earl and the Maid of Salem," the best known and most
successful of all her operas, was produced in Boston in the summer of
1892. The opera was written by C. M. S. McLellan, and Edgar Stillman
Kelley was responsible for the music. The story of the opera was
decidedly attractive. The action began in Salem. Elizabeth, a fair young
miss of the town, had been accused of being a witch by Abigail, a
confirmed woman-hater. Elizabeth was tried by the local tribunal and was
condemned, chiefly because she had refused to wed Jonathan Blaze, the
chief justice of the court. Just as the sentence was pronounced an
English ship arrived in the harbor, and Vivian, Earl of Barrenlands,
came ashore. He rescued Elizabeth from the mob, and captivated by her
beauty proceeded to make love to her. Nothing would do but he must take
her back to England with him. Smith, the Witch-finder-general to his
Majesty Charles II., was indignant because Vivian had won the girl, and
threatened to expose her as a witch to the king.
The second act took place in a subterranean chamber under the king's
palace, where Killsin Burgess, a conspirator, was plotting after the Guy
Fawkes fashion to blow up everything. So deeply did he meditate on
divers plots and treasons, that he fell asleep, lighted pipe in mouth
and seated on a keg of gunpowder. The next scene showed the palace where
King Charles had just bestowed his favor on Vivian and the future
Countess of Barrenlands. Smith entered with Blaze and Abigail, and the
trio denounced Elizabeth as a witch. Elizabeth, driven half mad by their
false accusations, mockingly declared that she was a witch, and
proceeded to "weave a spell." She summoned Asmodeus, the Prince of
Eternal Darkness, to appear. A loud report was heard, and the form of
Burgess was hurled through the air. The sparks from his pipe had ignited
the keg of powder which exploded just as Elizabeth was pretending to
display her powers. Of course, Elizabeth was condemned by the king on
this _prima facie_ evidence; but Burgess, recognizing her as his
daughter, confessed his conspiracy against the king, and all ended
happily.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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