**  The  impression  produced  by  the  fourth  act
was  no  less  deep.  In  it  again  we  are  brought
face  to  face  with  two  grand  dramatic  situations  :
one  is  the  scene  of  the  trial  of  Radames,
accused  of  treason,  among  the  most  striking
certainly  which  exist  on  the  stage  ;  the  judges
cross  the  stage  to  go  to  the  tribunal,  which  is
invisible  to  the  public  ;  but  the  details  of  the
sitting,  the  questions  of  the  judges,  are  audible
from  afar,  while  Amneris,  who  loves  Radames,
and  who  is  partly  the  cause  of  his  ruin,  remains
alone  in  terror,  and  demonstrates  by  her  groans
the  whole  of  this  strangely  moving  episode.
The  second  scene  is  the  last  of  the  work.
Radames  has  been  condemned  to  die  in  a
dungeon,  which  they  brick  up  over  him,  in
which  Aida,  who  had  foreseen  the  sentence,  is
waiting  to  share  his  fate.  The  duet  which  the
two  lovers  sing  at  this  supreme  hour  is  worthy
of  the  finest  models  which  the  lyric  stage
offers ;  it  is  a  passage  of  the  highest  order,
and  closes  worthily,  in  a  pathetic  transport
impressed  with  noble  grief,  this  grand  and
masterly  work.
CRITICISM    OF    '*AIDA.  253

"  I  have  already  said  that  the  ensemble  of  the
concerted  piece  was  superb  and  irreproachable.
The  orchestra,  at  the  head  of  which,  by  an
interference  with  the  custom  of  the  Opera,
M.  Verdi  was  placed,  performed  veritable
prodigies  as  regards  expression  of  light  and
shade  and  symphonic  contrasts.  The  chorus,
on  their  part,  sang  with  a  precision,  a  power,  and
a  firmness  which  cannot  be  too  highly  praised.
