In writing about his theories of the lyric drama, Bruneau, who was regarded as a promising follower of Wagner, used these words: "It is music uniting itself intimately to the poetry ... the orchestra comments upon the inward thoughts of the different characters." Wagnerian—but also requiring the genius of a Wagner.

ARIANE ET BARBE-BLEUE
ARIADNE AND BLUE-BEARD

Opera in three acts, by Paul Dukas; text by Maurice Maeterlinck. Produced in New York, March 3, 1911.

Characters

Blue-BeardBass
Ariane, wife of Blue-BeardSoprano
The NurseContralto
Sélysette, wife of Blue-BeardMezzo-Soprano
Ygraine, wife of Blue-BeardSoprano
Mélisande, wife of Blue-BeardSoprano
Bellangère, wife of Blue-BeardSoprano
Allaine, wife of Blue-BeardActing Rôle
An Old PeasantBass

Peasants and Mob.

Time—Middle Ages.

Place—Blue-Beard's Castle.

Act I. Hall in Blue-Beard's castle. Ariane, sixth wife of Blue-Beard, is warned by voices of the crowd outside that Blue-Beard has already murdered five wives. Ariane has seven keys—six of silver and one of gold. When Ariane, intent only on opening the forbidden chamber, throws down the six silver keys, her Nurse picks them up. With one she unlocks the first door. Instantly amethysts set in diadems, bracelets, rings, girdles, fall down in a shower on Ariane. And so, to her joy, as door after door swings open, she is showered with sapphires, pearls, emeralds, rubies, and diamonds. Now Ariane opens, with the golden key, the seventh door. Darkness, out of which come the voices of the five lost wives. Here Ariane is surprised by Blue-Beard, who lays hold of her. The crowd, admitted by the Nurse, rush in to kill Blue-Beard, but are told by Ariane that he has not harmed her.

Act II. A subterranean hall. Ariane descends with the Nurse into the depths of the blackness on which the seventh door opened. There she finds the five wives still alive but emaciated and in rags. She tells them that she has obeyed a higher law than Blue-Beard's, and that outside birds are singing and the sun is shining. A jet of water extinguishes Ariane's light, but she is not fearful. She leads the five toward a radiant spot at the end of the vault. She throws herself against the barred wall. It gives away. The sunlight streams in. Blinded at first by its brilliance, the five wives finally come out of the vault and go off singing joyously.