''Pepita; or, the Girl with the Glass Eyes'', based on a story by E. T. A. Hoffmann, is a comic opera in three acts written by Alfred Thompson and composed by

Edward Solomon Edward Solomon (25 July 1855 – 22 January 1895) was an English composer, conductor, orchestrator and pianist. He died at age 39 by which time he had written dozens of works produced for the stage, including several for the D'Oyly Carte Oper ...

. The opera was produced and directed by Thompson and Solomon and debuted at the

Union Square Theatre Union Square Theatre was the name of two different theatres near Union Square, Manhattan, New York City. The first was a Broadway theatre that opened in 1870, was converted into a cinema in 1921 and closed in 1936.(8 October 1921)Two landmarks to ...

, New York, then under the management of J. M. Hill, on March 16, 1886, and closed after a nine-week run on May 22."Union Square Theatre"
''The New York Times,'' March 17, 1886, p. ?? Retrieved 6.27.13

Principal roles and original cast

Sources:Welch, Deshler
- ''The Theatre''
vol. 1, 1886, p. 150. Retrieved 6.27.13Brown, Thomas Alston
''A History of the New York Stage''
1903, p. 176. Retrieved 6.27.13 Pepita, Professor Pongo's Daughter ..

Lillian Russell Lillian Russell (born Helen Louise Leonard; December 4, 1860 or 1861 – June 6, 1922), was an American actress and singer. She became one of the most famous actresses and singers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for her beauty ...

Don Pablo, the governor's son and heir ..

Chauncey Olcott Chauncey Olcott, born John Chancellor Olcott and often spelled Chauncey Alcott, (July 21, 1858 – March 18, 1932) was an American stage actor, songwriter and singer of Irish descent. Biography He was born in Buffalo, New York. His mother, Mar ...

/ G. Taglieri
Professor Pongo, Doctor of Sciences . . Jacques Kruger
Donna Carmansuita, Directress of Seminary for Young Ladies .. Alma Stuart Stanley
Don Giavolo, Governor of Scaliwaxico .... Fred Clifton
Don Juan, Pablo's inevitable friend .. George Wilkinson
Curaso, valet to Pablo .. Frederick Solomon
Pasquela, a forward pupil .. Lizzie Hughes
Maraquita, an advanced idem .. Clara Jackson
Chiquita, a prominent ditto .. Cora Striker
Juana, a maid in waiting .. Julia Wilson
Ballet

Coryphée A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on yea ...

.. Miles. Pasta, S. Watson/ Forstner Atkins.

Synopsis

Setting: The City Of Scaliwaxico.
Time—High Old. Period—Uncertain.
ACT I.—The Students' Frolic. Before Professor Pongo's House in Scaliwaxico.
ACT II.—The Professor's Prodigy. Interior of Pongo's Sanctum.
ACT III.—The Governor's Fete. Don Giavolo's Palace. In this scene will appear The Mechanical Waiters and The Humming Birds.

Plot

Professor Pongo is obsessed with

automata An automaton (; plural: automata or automatons) is a relatively self-operating machine, or control mechanism designed to automatically follow a sequence of operations, or respond to predetermined instructions.Automaton – Definition and More ...

, as is Governor Giavolo. Pepita, the professor's daughter and Pablo, the governor's son, are in love. Her father disapproves and Pablo is forbidden to visit. To gain entry past her father, Pablo disguises himself as one of the cadavers Pongo planned to use to augment his mechanical devices. That night when Giavolo paid Pongo a visit, curious to view his mechanisms, neither knew that two of the automatons entertaining them were actually Pepita and Pablo concealed inside.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pepita or, the Girl with the Glass Eyes 1886 plays 1886 operas 1886 in music Operas based on works by E. T. A. Hoffmann