The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-30
MOZART'S "DON JUAN"

If, as Fetis remarks, the IdomeReo of Mo
zart be the basis of all the music of the pre-
sent day, Don Juan lies as the centre of all
human intelligence with regard to operate
writing not only in this day but for all
other days. 1t is possible that there may be
operas more pleasing to the ear than Mozarts
Juan, more passionate to the heart,
tinged with a deeper personal sorrow, dis
playing more of the controversial schools in
composition-but never again can there be
such n romantic, innocent-hearted descrip-
tion of the denial of the infinite life and the
humiliation of the present as seen in Mozarts
portrature of the scenes in Don Juan. Pro-
fessor Ruskin, in considering it the greatest
prostitution of the greatest musical genius
that has ever yet appeared upon earth, has
judged hardly and harshly of the poor
composer. He was not in the situation of
Meyerbeer, and the BertrdB1 of Meyerbeer is
not the Juan Of Mozart. Mozart lived by his
pen and when the Viennese publisher told
him that unless he could write in more
popular style, he would buy no more manu-
script of him. the prompt reply of the artist
told of both his necessity and his honesty
''Then had better starve and go to destruc-
ton at once" He was never in the position
to choose his subjects; but the facts to be de-
scribed if not in unison with his disposition,
never affected his artistic power. He saw
that great things in art often failed from
want of an admixture with the lower and
meaner circumstances of life, and he accepted
the combination, but not with any intention
that it should circumscribe or debase the
action of his own great heart. Don Juan
was with him at first necessity, and after
wards a deliberate choice, but he knew
his own powers and instincts. He had to
paint the true reprobate-one who was
never sorry for anything he did and never
intended to be; repentance was q word cut
out of his dictionary; and when the "Stone-
Ghost" cried out, "Repent," and the serving
man joined in the entreaty, he could
see nothing to repent of. Mozart had no SYM
pathy in such o creed, his temperament and
emotional tendencies were altogether opposed
to it, and in the affluence of perfect artistic
power, he well knew he could reveal it. This
great artist, who could write to his father and
saw 81 never lie down in bed without thinll-
ing I may never see another day, but [ have
no fear, for death alone fulfls the real de-
sign of life, and is the key of true happi-
ness" cannot be considered as prostituting
his genius when painting in all the intensity
of burning passion the impotent struggle and
nothipgness of such a creed as the ibertines.
The great charm of the opera is the inno-
cent way in which Mozart conceives and treats
every incident. Is it something about love-
Ze1Iind, Donna anna, or even EJ0SrG e.? Then
comes forth the strong tenderness of affec-
tion-the man who sends 'million of kisses"
to his wife-ard he instantly weaves little
scene of true, honest feeling, chapter in
human life, sweet and solemn, as coming from
one who holds certain belief in the purity of
woman and in the faith of man. In the
''Batti, batti," and the ''Vedrai carino"
of Ze1Sna, there is as much of the true
spiritual life = the infinite existence -
of maiden affection, in the larger
framed songs of DOnnd AnnG and her
lover Ottdgl0. Haydn could not realize
anything of this kind, but he appreciated
keenly the power he himself failed in, when
he remarked, ''It is the affecting emotion, the
deep musical intelligence, that makes Mozart
the greatest composer living" Meyerbeer
could not do it; indeed, the only bit of feel
| ing shown in the B6rtram is when the poor
wretch (in the recitative) reflects it is all of
| no use for he is irrecoverably damned. Even
in the case of Lep0r6ILO, Mozart's good heart
makes the servant show a true affection for
his master when in real afflictlon and danger.
| The Ghost asks Juan to come and sup with
him; ''No, no, don't, is the instant answer of
the Joker of jokes, and he is as earnest as the
marble visitant in his prayer for sorrow and
| amendment on the part of the disappearing
hero And amid the heartless fun and mer-
riment created out of the woes of the poor
| abandoned and half-demented lady, LepOreLLO
| drops in with lovely tunes of melody sympa
thetic of her melancholy, and marvellously
| advantageous to the expression of the situa
ton. 1t was Mozart's mission to reform the
musical drama; he felt this, and made it the
object of his life; all his thoughts were de-
pendent on this condition of his mind, and
gave him that high tone and advancing
impulse which mark all he did. The only
Don Juan to match that of Mozart is the
Juan" of Lord Byron; but then the two lie
at the opposite points of the compass. Lord
Byron in his "Don Juan"-a work of enor-
nous power-is describing himself. Mozart,
like the poets of the golden age, describes
the cruelty and injustice of the libertine as a
scene on the dark side of human nature which
has come to him to be dealt with as thinker
and artist, and manifests by his individual
mode of treatment his power to realize the
position, and yet look down upon it as one
placed immeasurably beyond its sphere and in
fluence. AS with Byron, Don Juan is always
Byron so with Mozart, whatever Is going
on, Mozart is foremost, and therefore there
never is anything very bad; for so great an
! optimist is he that he tries to reform the un'
reformable and never stays to reason upon
the improbability of the attempt. Don
JUGn's duet with ZerLind, ''La ci darem, is 8
genuine bit of real feeling; there is no hard
heartedness in him now, although, unlike
Faust, he does not care bodkin for the girl
Faust does love Margaret, but Juan is no
in this case with Zortiho, and get no inter
prefer of Faust has ever put so much rea
love-song into his mouth as Mozart pours ou
of the lips of the professed deceiyer.
The opera failed at Vienna being badly
mounted, badly rehearsed, badly played
4 I H.. odd N