New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-16
GouAOD,s NEW OPERA.
ROMEO AND JULIE,r AT THE ACADEMY
LAST NIGHT.

LAST NIGHT.
! 10 is not difficult to understand why tho
latest opera If Gounods, rich as it is in every descp-
ton of beauty should have aroused when it was first
produced in Paris such war Of conflicting opinions
The positive merits Of the work are palpable But
Gounod is the recognized representative of q new
and what claims to be progressive school, The So
called music of the future whose highest aim il
not the creation OF melodious phrases but the logi
cal adaptation of words and tones rather the ex
preston of dramatic conception-that halfunder-
stood music toward which Wagner is struggling
| through tumult of grim forms and tempestuous
fancies-GOun0d seemed quietly to have grasped. In
Faust he appeared to have made long stride toward
the establishment Of new lyric school. lie
limited at way in which music could become
an intensely dramatic poem without ceasing
to be melody. He cut loose from many Of
the traditions Of the composers. He evolved from
his art new beauties, of which We had before no con-
ceptiOn. Still his theory. whatever it may have
been. was not yet completely explained. He had
brought us to the borders of garden of surprising
and surprising loveiness, but he had not yet led 10
within We waited to be led further. We watched
eagerly for the fuller development of his principles
and the growth Of his genius The appearance OF
his latest great work therefore looked for with
absorbing interest. 1t does not show the develop
ment which was hoped for. Charming it is, un-
dOubtedly but TO musicians who expected not to be
charmed but reformed, it is disappointment. We
have made no progress. We arc still lowering
around the boundaries Of the flowery land. GOanod
has gone no nearer tho music of the future In Rocs
and JpIet than he went In Faust
But to those who look only at positive achevemens
and care nothing for prospective reform or for theor
les however brilliant Romeo and Juliet must be per-
petual delight II it shows progress toward those
ideal forms which after all may prove only deceptive
visions it abounds with poetic inspiration and is ra-
diant with subtle and delicate beauties, and sparks
of the true divine alatus Comparison is not critic
ism but as the popular Judgment OF this work VIII
undoubtedly be made up by weighing 1t in the bal
ance with the earlier composition by the master
with which we so familiar it may be worth while
to indicate briefly what we deem the chief points OF
difference between them. Faust is the more original
opera Of the two not that in Romeo and JuctGounod
has copied other composers, but that he has
turned back and initiated himself. The delicious
love music in which he is without rival
is of the same essence in BOTH and often there is
strong similarity in the forms. The strain of mex
pressble tenderness which breathes through the gar
den-scene of Faust and the Fifth Act of the same
opera not surpassed by any one passage In the now
work. though the composer rises to the same high
level and susans it from the opening OF the Second
Act TO the end The melodies show no great wealth
of invention but surprising ingenuity OF delicate
elaboration The most popular airs OF Faust nearly
all have their paralels-we do not say limitations.
but resemblances-in the later opera. There Is
nothing which is likely to be hackneyed about the
streets so Immediately as the Fanfare nihta"@ but
then there is nothing false and pretentous as thae
brassy composition, and there are many spirited
movements especially the bass song and chorus.
Lunge lanqe Ogai penSir in the First Act, which
will be popular long after the soldiers chorus is for
gotten As parallel 10 the jewel-song we have
waltz which will take strong and immediate hold
upon the public taste. Sebers lie pdrlate Gdmor nnds
its counterpart in an arietta for Stephano the page;
and Romeos song under the balcony can hardly fail
TO recall to mind the Sdlre dimOrd cdstd Upon the
whole we think the preference will be awarded to
the Romeo and Juliet though ITS beauties are not SO
striking. simply because they are not so fresh IL
has less variety than Faust but that is because the
lbretto affords less opportunity for variety Its most
noticeable merit is the completeness with which
Gounod seems to have comprehended and carried out
Shakespeares conception of the characters. The in
diyiduality of the music of each part is strongly
| marked. well sustained. aud exactly appropriate TO
the persons of the drama There is hardly anything
! finer in the whole repertOry of fine modern
lyric stage than the distinction constantly preserved
between the chaste delicate ingenious love Of Juliet.
| and the burning passion and rapture of Romeo. The
musie for the one the very essence of purity for the
other 1t burns with consuming heat. Nor Is this
artistic distinction confined to the principal carac-
ters The manlness and hearty nobility of Capulet,
the gayety of the testing Mercutio, and the impctu-
osity of the fiery Tybat are all marked out with
marvellous fidelity. But the tenderness and pathos
of tho story oyerles everything and coors indeibly
every movement of the opera The Instrumentation.
in which Gounod is always great is here surprisingly
fine and is well worth q separate study.
The work commences with short symphony,
bold and vigorous allegro movement in which the
lead is taken by the brass instruments, these giving
place to striking fugue for reeds and strings line
fortisSmo passage for the trumpets leads gracefully
into a brief andante, during which the curtain rises
upon a beautiful tableau. The scene represents
grand hall in the palace Of the Capuets Juliet Is
seated in the CENTER around her grouped some OF
the principal characters of the DRAMA and the guests
and retainers, with strong force of moro or less
ornamental auxiliaries, fill up the back ground.
While We are thus shown as in living picture tho
of the tragedy about TO be enacted the chorus
briefly explains the tableau, and like the chorus In
the Greek dramas. comments upon the scene. Ina
prologue, initiated with tolera6le closeneSs Hon
| Shakespeare, we are told how
1.-TWO households, both alike IN dignity
In fair Verona, where We lay our scene, .
From ancient grudge break to new mutlhy'
and are warned of the catastrophe whlchls 10 ioow'
This chorus is perfect gem in its way. 1t begins In
| monotone breaks after few bars into very sweet
and graceful snatch of melody and then returns to
the solemn movement of the chant II is sung with
out accompaniment save at the close of each musical
phrase when the chords are swept by the harp with
most beautiful effect BY strange oversight this
Prologue has been omitted from the printed ibretto
which is sold to the audience. AT its conclusion tho
curtain falls aud there is short and lively introduce