Soon after the success of The Girl of the Golden West, Puccini was commissioned to compose a Musical Comedy for one of the Vienna theatres. For generations it had been the home of sparkling light opera of the Johann Strauss and Suppe order, and the libretto provided for Puccini was by Wilner, who had written the book for more than one of Lehar's successes. It was being translated into Italian for Puccini when war broke out and the contract had to be broken off. Puccini remodelled and completed the story himself, and made it into what he called ' A Lyric Comedy.' The term is a little misleading to English readers; although there are humorous elements in the text, the tale ends unhappily and, indeed, the final tragedy is foreshadowed all through. Both in France and Italy the operatic world uses the term ' comedy ' as a contrast to ' grand opera,' for subjects which may be quite serious or even tragic, so long as the story is ' 'romantic' rather than ' heroic,' with the music modelled on suitably lighthearted lines. It certainly is here ; full of the luscious melody which Puccini has taught us to expect, many of the tunes are in really popular style and include several waltzes of the old-fashioned sentimental order.
The heroine, Magda, is a Parisian demimondaine, and the scene of the first act is the salon of the house in which she has been installed by the wealthy Rambaldo. Friends of his and hers are making merry, among them the poet Prunier, who professes to foretell the future by palmistry. He sees in Magda's hand a warning that she may fly away to a sunny land as swallows do, to find love there, and the prediction makes a deep impression on her, coming, as it does, after she has recalled a youthful escapade at a ball.
In the second act, at the Bal Bullier, a scene of brilliant gaiety, she meets adventure again in the same way, losing her heart to a youth who offers her a sincere devotion. The poet Prunier, with Magda's maid, Lisette, joins them, and there is a charming scene in which the other dancers scatter flowers upon the four young people.
The third act finds Magda and her youthful lover in an idyllic retreat on the Riviera. He looks forward to their marriage, and his parents have written to give their blessing. But Magda, conscience-stricken, tells him of her wicked past, and leaves him, broken-hearted.
The text, together with an outline of the story, is given in full in the libretto which is available in the usual form, for all B.B.C. listeners.
