priest who refuses him absolution for his heinous crimes. At this point the brigands are heard storming the castle and Francesco rushes out, swearing that he will defy the very fires of Hell. Scene 2: The second clearing in the Franconian forest. Massimiliano bewails Carlo's death, although he still does not recognise that the man standing in front of him is his favourite son. He blesses the "unknown stranger" for saving his life. The robbers reappear and report that they had not been able to capture Francesco. This pleases Carlo who intends to change his ways. At this moment Amalia is dragged in by the brigands. Carlo is forced to admit to her, and to his father, his role as leader of the robbers. Massimiliano expresses his horror and despair, but Amalia declares that despite everything she still loves Carlo and wants to stay with him. Although Carlo has sworn to change his ways, he has also given his oath of lifelong allegiance to his band of robbers. He cannot allow the woman he loves to be dragged down into his world of degradation and disgrace and he cannot escape his own evil fate; he resolves this paradox by stabbing Amalia to death. Carlo rushes offstage claiming he is going in search of his own death. Orchestration I masnadieri is scored for piccolo, flute, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, cimbasso, timpani, bass drum cymbals, harp, and strings. Music In his essay on this opera in Grove, Roger Parker refers to the overall quality and style of the music, and notes that the opera "contains much more fine music than is commonly supposed, but it has an unusually high proportion of solo arias" and, therefore, fewer ensembles. It is the first early opera not to open with a chorus or contain a concertato finale. Budden also finds some "fine things" in the music and names (amongst others) the prelude, the act 1 tenor's cavatina plus the quartet in the finale and, in act 2, the choruses, plus the trio which is the finale of act 4, but comments on the fact that they appear to be "isolated, not part of the general scheme." But David Kimbell, writing in The New Penguin Opera Guide remarks on some of the features which limited its success. For example, he notes that "the arbiters of taste in London