The New York herald., 1870-07-24

|
the celebrated sollloquy on Death in Jerky lines
"Etre ou metre -mystere-mouriF,d dormtr, revef
Td carSas anS IN the
haps So 80 outrageous rIna p.c curiesqn%e % as Ham
| Hamlet "Bacchlc p) PoloniOus who Is the accom-
plice Of fCaudlus In the murder a Laertes modelled
on on the ,anguishIag tenor type, or final tableau
Ophena, Is proclaimed King OF Denmark Ia his stead.
ballet too, IN "Hamaet ;, a ballet which contans
| taken with this tragedy In Its day. hundred and
| aity years ago the opera or "Ambletov was pro-
sna IT, on this sa NJ
erDse S Thomas, notion = certainly some advance.
Of ne present hamie Epens 1 Win the coronation
to the words:-
IS Sss ssa e fs t,! place ssr aSs Hhsn:
Nous saluons avec ivresss
o roi, ton hymen glorieux.
To which the King replies, and then Hamlet enters
in melancholy mood For his enree the phrase,
20 woman, thy name is iraty." Is muslcally turned
| o femme, tn tappeles,
accompanied by the viooncellos. Hamlet's part Is
enpetopee-a character preserved throughout the
opera.
For the nrst scene between the Prince and Ophelia
sun is Gre.S literally enough followed here here A' w
Doute du soleii ct du jour,
Doute des ceux tcrre,
Mais n doute jamais de mon amour.
Laertes makes his appearance at the end Of this
u
Of the stage troubador-a scandinavian Dunols
And the chorus OF the jewellers who tilt the conven
rean aDOa N spd vaa sae
parody are they upon the nerce NOrselnen their
reckless chief who
draSSis dswD. rS.
The Ths s hstsd1l@ n ana sg. trumpet th bray OUT
But then the, task Of Messieurs Barber and Carre
was not fidelity. They had to operatize the
tragedy, to cut, pare alter, hack every. situation
how they and the composer together managed to
turn the notable old points In the tragedy to
"leRltimate' actors. HameCs father for instance,
appears with rumblng and growing OF trombones
which doubtless caused NJ. Sax lively satisfaction,
but which was spasmodic agony TO the audience.
The Ghost Is monotonous to a Tartarean degree his
rectave Is limited TO two notes. Only the plctur-
esque setting or the scene and the excellent acting
OF M. Faure saved this part OF the opera.
The second act proceeds as in the play, the one
presence OF 0phea ophella, as Siisso plays plays the the
part, Is the prop and malnstay Of the opera. Be,
going oil ls dulness and atrophy. But even in this
bright instance Ambrose Thomas has to large ex-
tent oe ns p ne maht t have done
tist This second act contains duet between
Qphella and tho Queen, but u duet which leaves no
thing IN the memory. She leaves tho scene and the
I flicker Of brightness dies away. Tho duet between
Gertrude and Claudius Is duh, dull also the chorus
nifty for picturesque color; but the composer is un-
equal to the demand. Then comes Hamlet's "Bac-
however, TO which poor Hamlet practically gives
the lie. IL does not disspate his G'isteSse, or NJ
Thomas. The scene OF 0onzagos play was Inagaih-
Gently mounted and acted at the Grand Opera, but
here again the music failed. 1t was sheer noise The
lbretsts had turned the situation at the end OF this
Hamlet denounce Claudlus to his face as the mur-
9erer Of his brother, and call upon tile assembled
coupabier with his own hands he G endeavors to
tear the crown from the cuprit's bastard head.
Here at al events is an opening for powerful innsi-
with the stuatonY He gives tho exalted Prince a
weak naelop6e With Which even Faure could do no.
suddenly or when the musician might have ex-
panded 1t into o broad and lofty concerted num-
not all the big artillery OF hsorchestra could hids.
Compare this miserable poverty Of treatment with
the finale Of the third act OF ia Favorta," where
O similar dramatic sitpatlOn-a King denounced ana
dumbfoundered-fell into the hands Of Donzetn.
The third oct (MM Barber and Carre were not
particular about transposng the action) opens with
Inc celebrated soliloquy. AS well attempt TO set
treatise or Sptnosa or thesis OF uegel to music as
this. Music ceases az the point where metaphysics
begin; yst here Is music called upon to express the
mental state OF one who, In the words OF Pascal,
doubts everything. and, doubling even that he
Wherewlth shall music hone TO Illustrate this frame
Or mindl With hollow sonorities; With dubious.
brose Thomas worst % fault that he utterly fans 70
realize such subtleties OF thought; for what genius
Gould succeed, ard yet remain .comprehensiblef
Thomas reads on steadier ground In the succeeding
trio between Hamlet, Opheha and the Queen,
wherein an expressive phrase 0ccurs-"AlleZ dams
un cloitre, Ophelie'-and wherein the answering
plant Of the young girl Is tender and touching.
But once more, OpheIia, being discarded, out goes
the light. Tie interview between mother and son
the "Look on this picture and On that' scene--s
cold and scany tedious recitative cut into frag-
ments occupies the place of concentrated and IN.
cdly written, accurately modulated and-whOlly
destitute OF dramatic vigor. i.I
voted to Ophelia; the spell Of her sweetness and pa
tos 70 upon It, and the audience forget what defects
her. The scene opens with bailet-peasants are
enjoying themselves holding mystic fete, when the
na ady @ wn ne nasH ngns Ia rars
pected turn at this point gloom had gradually
settled on the spectators as the dull work dragged
along and eIectless situations followed on each
other's heels. But the fourth act opened; the ballet
cheercd them somewhat, and Ophelia followed. The
step the look of Christine Nilsson the fret words.
she uttered In the tender and pie0usly voice
enchained every sympathy. 1t is true that even IN
this act as the critic Of the Opinion Nattonate says,
"On Gultse ptS Qu'O ne UOcdse, on rOcdlfSe plus
QW0n ne Ctante." but Ophelia pervades 1t, and the
audience were more rapt with the manner than the
matter. Upon the scene OF The revels she enters fam
tasEcally decked with flowers and wisps OF straw;
slender and sweet; fair even to transparency; with
eyes volummousy bright; the welrdness of fay the
beauty OF 0 virgin: Reason has abandoned NOR.
talty only to leave the soul more visible. She sings
lifting an ETHEREAL voice to the lark. Wild rouades,
Ia which The depth and pathos OF love mngle with
its gayer memories; laughter, in which tears have
part; q Joy infinitely compassionabe, pain inlln-
itey dear She tears the flowers from her hair and,
| distributing them sings strange wandering melody
| OF sweden, penetrating IN its beauty Turing and
tempting, but treacherous In Its lOveness, as the
| voice of sea nymph Tho shepherds retreat mar
yelling; and then she scatters the last OF hetEar
| lands and draws near the fatal stream. With the
refrain of her lovers song upon her lips sDOue de
| Ia umlere' but feeble as a far-Off echO she casts
herself upon The bosom of the water and floats softly
away with the distant chorus OF the peasants as an
| UNCONSCIOUS requiem y Oh know the picture Of the
"Young Martyr OF the time Of DiOcIetan,' The fair
| Christian girl, drowned, but seeming In peaceful
! slumber, with corded hands and a haZy aure0le
above her head. This picture OF Delaroche's was
| reproduced In the opera; and the beauty OF It and
| its unspeakable truth and tenderness smote every
heart and hushed every voice. until the act drop ie
and the audience awoke 10 realize that not Ophella
dead but Nilsson living had wrought the miracle.
When Ophelia passes from the opera, dulness once
more asserts its sway The last act takes place IN
the graveyard The song Of The Gravedlggers lacks
| character; the romance OF Hamlet "COmme une
pale heur" evaporates In confused sighs the chorus
OF girls amenting Ophelia is sheer bQnaltte Des.
perale with lost love, Hamlet is about TO fall upon