playing it, accompanying Olympia as she sings a charming song entitled “The Birds among the Fig Saplings,” sometimes called “the Doll’s Song”; and when her voice seems to falter, a servant steps up to her from behind and turns a spring, and the voice returns to its singing as before.

Spalanzani leads the doll to the soft armchair and seats her upon it, then invites his guests to supper in the adjoining room. Hoffmann stays behind to remain with Olympia, pouring out to her his burning love — and behold, she answers all his bold declarations of feeling with the word “Yes”; and the poor fellow does not know that this is the only word she is able to utter. He takes her hand, and thereby touches part of the apparatus that works her; she springs to her feet, circles about the room, then

disappears through the curtains. Nicklausse enters, trying to bring Hoffmann back to his senses, but the infatuated young man hurries after her.

Soon Coppélius comes in, a prey to violent rage, for it has become clear to him that the money draft for which he sold his rights in the doll is worthless. At that moment Spalanzani and his guests return and begin to dance to the strains of the waltz. Hoffmann and Olympia join in the dancing, and they soon become the focus of all eyes, especially when the mechan-ical doll quickens her steps. At last Spalanzani touches a spring that runs within her and she stops abruptly, while Hoffmann collapses, spent and panting, and smashes the lenses.

A little after Olympia leaves the hall, the sound of a crash is heard. Coppélius has avenged the

worthless draft by smashing the doll. Hoffmann rushes to the alcove, then returns with a piece of her in his hand, and everyone is overcome with laughter at him; and he knows that he has behaved like fools and madmen...

Act Two The scene: Giulietta’s house in Venice. This act begins and ends with the beautiful, well-known air “the Barcarolle”: the ensemble is heard playing it at the outset by way of prelude, and when the curtain rises Giulietta and Nicklausse burst out singing together the song “Night of Love” to this melody.

The scene is sumptuous: the hall is spread with glittering embroi-dered stuffs, the candelabra blaze with brilliant lights, and through

Crisco — Vegetable Shortening

Crisco

Crisco

Delicious taste — quick digestion

The pure vegetable shortening

with no trace of fat or grease in it

Crisco = the good and the pure in vegetable shortening

For all foods and light frying and every kind of sweets