The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-10
TWO POSTHUMOUS OPERAS.
Mozart and Weber.


There is something so remarkable (says the
Pail Mall Gazette in the fact that an ope-
retta by Weber and an opera by Mozart
should both have remained untouched by our
managers until the present day, that the first
question one feels inclined to ask respecting
them is, not what they are, but where they
came from: for not one piece either from
A5u Hdssan, or from Il Oca del Cairo had
ever, we believe, been publicly performed in
England until last month, at Drury Lane
There is this important difference between
the two productions as they now stand-one
is Weber's work, almost as Weber left it,
while the other, though every number it con-
tains is from the hand of Mozart, is neverthe-
less pasticcio in which some of the music
was not written for the words to which it now
finds itself joined. Abu HdSsaR dates from
the year 1910, when its composer was in his
twenty-fifth year. 1t can scarcely, however,
be looked upon as a work of his early
youth, since Weber, with the precocity
which has distinguished SO many great musi-
clans, began to write for the stage at the age
of fourteen. Thus he had already had some
thing like ten years experience as a dramatic
composer when he produced A6U HdSsan at
the Darmstadt Theatre. This charming little
opera (of about the same dimensions as Pre-
eiOSd) would have sufficed to make Weber
celebrated had he never composed Der Frei-
Schutz, the fame of which soon eclipsed that
of all that he had previously given to the
world Nor can A6u HdSsdn be placed on an
equality with Ober0n. But it may fairly have
q place assigned to it between Preci0sd and
EuTydnthe and, thanks to the superior inte-
rest of the libretto, is much more likely to
become popular than the latter work, to
which the nickname of "EBRuydnte," be-
slowed upon it by the irreverent amateurs of
Vienna, is not altogether inappropriate.
The story of Abou Hassan, in the arabian
Nights" is well enough known, and nothing
can be simpler. Hassan and Fatima, husband
and wife, are suffering from that ''accursed
want of pence" which troubles not ''public
men" alone. Neither the Caliph nor Zobaide
the Caliphs wife, will do aught to assist
them; but Fatima thinks that if she pretended
that her husband was dead the Caliph's re-
gard for Hassan would make him give her
good sum for funeral expenses, and that if
Hassan applied the scheme conversely he
would be sure to get a handsome trihe from
Zobaide with which to bury Fatima. The
attentions paid to Fatima by Omar serve to
complicate and strengthen the intrigue,
which is brisBly carried on to the very end Of
the little piece. The German librettist has
followed the incidents of the Arabian story
closely enough, and has retained all the origi-
nal characters with or without changes of
name The German book was translated and
adapted to the French stage eleven years
ago by NM Nuitter and Beaumont, and was
produced with much success on the 18th of
May, 1851 at the Theatre Lyrique. The
French book has now been translated into
italian by Signor Marchesi, the Signor Mar
chests Italian translation has been done into
admirable English verse by Nj. du Terreaux
whose version, moreover, forms a good act
ing piece, pleasant to read, and
capable, as it now stands, of being
sung to the original music. Most operatic
transators seem shackled by their attempts
(wken they make -them) to observe the
rhythm of the musical pieces; but to such a
master of metre as NJ. du Terreaux, the
music, instead of being hindrance, has evil
IDENTIFY been a help. The three principal parts
in the opera are those of ''Hassan," 'Omar,
the groom of the chamber, and "Fatima, y
''Hassan's' wife; which at the Theatre Ly-
rique were played by NJ. Wartel, NJ. Meilhet,
and Mile. Darimon. At Drury Lane, "Has-
SAN" the tenor part is assigned to Nine.
Trebelli Bettini and transpositions and
changes have of course, been made in
the music to suit it to the contralto voice.
This is TO be regretted; but it is at least
some consolation to hear the music
sung as Nine. Trebelli-Bettini sings it. II
gains fresh beauty from her perfect execu-
ton, which was never more remarkable than
in her delivery of ''Hassan's" melodious solo
''Daro una fiesta amena." Nine. Monbelll
sang her music very brilliantly throughout
The third part, that of the groom of the
chamber, was sustained very efficiently by
Signor Castelli, who, if he has comparatively
but little to do, at least does that little we'll
One of the best and most original pieces in
the opera is a chorus of creditors, which il
the effective English version runs thus
Pay, pay, pay.