Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-02-28

was sung Dy MADAM flardOt Oarcla,
it had only limited aud brief success
People found fault with the length o
the recitative, the attempt at novelty il
1 the musical forms, and the ignorance 0
? stage effect. Half of the failure of thi
5 opera, however, was unanimously at
.tributed TO the libretto, which was the
2 work of Emile Augier
/ GounOd's "Sappho, interesting il
} itself, acquired yet higher interes
when compared with the "Saffo" O.
Pacinci, that once famous, and, in mos
Italian theaters, still favorite opera. Ii
unity of conception, as we'll as in the
broad and clear movement of its second
finale, the italian Safo" is superior to
the French, quite apart from the mere
conventional advantage which the clearly
established traditional technique of the
italian opera style has, as compared
with the more subjective and expert
mental style of the young Frenehman.
But how far superior is Gounod's opera
to Pacini S, in soul and in delicacy of
conception How much more tenderly
imagined and finely expressed is every
thing in his "Sappho :" The difference
between the French lbretto and the
italian is worthy of note, though not
entirely to be praised. While the
italian poet Cammereno confines himself
to the old simple story of love and
I jealousy, Emile Augier (Gounods poet,
unites with this the history of political
intrigue The Italian poet makes beauty
victorious, and marries Phaon to
I Glycere the French poet gives the
victory to genius and to renown for
Sappho's sake Phaon puts aside his love
! for Glycere as a delusiOn and dream.
The last scene, where Sappho dies, is of
great poetical beauty in Gounod's opera.
The profound yet gentle earnestness
which breathes through it is infinitely
finer than the trivial bravura in which
Pacini's Satfo coquettes with death.
The next composition in which
Gounod appeared before the public, was
the chorus of " Ulysse," a tiresOme
/ tragedy by Ponsard, which was given in
1852, in the Theater Franchise. In
this chorus the composer endeavored, as
far as possible, to preserve the antique
character of the music, and by this means,
has secured individuality of conception
and great and original beauty I'm
fortunately, the tragedy itself lacked the
element Of immortality, and, therefore,
has dragged the music with it into OBJ
liyion. The chorus of {" Ulysse, how
ever, has occasionally been given in
concerts in Paris, and by many of the
composers friends is considered to be
his most solid composition.
In 1854, Gounod produced long, five
act opera, entitled 3" La Nonne Sang
lante, which speedily vanished from
the stage, 1 cannot speak of this opera
from personal observation indeed, its
frightful title always prejudiced me
against it. Fetis praises a duo in the
first act, almost the whole of the second
act, and an aria and duet in the third
act as compositions of remarkable
beauty. The strides which the composer
had made in the management Of musical
formulas and in technique generally, he
declares to be undeniable, but adds that,
from the middle of the third act, his
creative power grows gradually weaker.
The libretto was again the cause, in
great measure, Of the failure of the
. Bleeding Nun" Gounod took the
material for his next opera from Moliere'
comedy of " lie Medecin malgre lui
which although it is, in its broad humOr,
especially opposed to musical treatment,
=. nevertheless, congenial to Gounod's
peculiar talent. This opera has very
little comic power, but some very charm
ing movements. 1t was given for the
first time in the year 1858, in the Thea
ter Lyrique, and in the past summer was
reproduced with great success.
On the 18th of March, 1859, day
never to be forgotten in GOunods artist
life " Faust" was given for the first time
in the Theater Lyrique, in Paris. The
high rank which this opera at once took
in Paris. and still maintains, soon
extended It's fame throughout the whole
musical world of Europe. Darmstadt
was the first German city which ventured
to produce the novelty The expert
ment succeeded admirably; but as one
German theater after another showed
signs of following the example given at
Darmstadt SO much the more vehemently
did passionate Teutonic opposition
elevate itself against it. The new opera
was positively pronounced to be a
libellous parody Of Goathe's Faust,
the performance of which on the Ger
man stage merited punishment, as a kind
Of musical high treason. But the Ger
man people did not sustain their critics ;
greatly to their disgust, they listened to
" Faust with delight.
If Germans wish to suppress GOunOd's
operas, they must remember that they,
can only do it by themselves composing
better operas. Unrivalled, we may al
most say unequalled in symphonies, in
chamber and in piano music, the Ger
mans have for a long time shared the
fate of the Indians in regard to operas,
and, like them, suffer from a famine
which we can only hope will not last
long.
After the great success of Faust, "
fortune again turned her back upon Gou-
nod. None of the operas which he pro-
duced between +" Faust and Romeo
had any run in Paris or any success
abroad. The frsto of these was an opera
in three acts, Philemon and Baucis, -
which appeared in the year 1860, in the
Theater Lyrique. Various graceful
details were admired in this but the
music was built upon sand, upon a story
without dramatic life and interest, and
the excellent old couple speedily van
ished from the stage. Then followed a
greater production, this time not for the
modest Theater Lyrique, but for the
grand opera-the 'Queen of Sheba. u
The first representation of this opera
was given in Paris, on the 28th oi
February, 1862, and later, in Darn.
stadt also, under the personal direction
of the composer. Unfortunately, We
are again obliged to find fault with the
libretto, by on NJ. Carre, and Barber,
The authors have depended too mucl
upon splendor of decoration and un
heard of scenic effects, and have given
too little attention to the dramatic in
terest of the story.