The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-24
AMI SEMEN rs.
italian Opers-rirt Night Of the New and
Intcre.tIng Opern. carmen"

italian Opern-First Night Of the New nnd
Interesting Opera. " Carmen"
new opera was brought out last even
ing Mt the Academy Of Music This is n pleas
urc in which opera managers do not often in
dulge the public. At theatres new plays are
constantly produced. but operate managers
cling to their established repertoires.
For this there are reasons more or less effect
unl. Chief among them is the immense chance
that the public will. after months OF prepare
tion. at once ignore the work. That has been
the fate OF most operas. In Italy they bring
out hundred every year. and OF these perhaps
two or three outlive tho first night OF their
istencc. Nine tcnths even OF the works OF such
composer us Donizetti are unknown. and
more than half Of those Of Kossin and Mozart
were failures from the beginning. SO that
made wise by these traditions Of disaster
managers in England and America are shy Of
making ventures. They wait until the French
| or Italians have experimental on the work. and
when it has proved Il success. they take it W.
SO Carmen" having made its mark in Paris
and elsewhere. we have it here. And It is.
50 far rs We have heard. the only novelty upon
Mr. Maplcsons list. lis composer. Georges
Bzct. me; the fortune that has beiallen many II
| better man. He'labored long for "a reputation.
| and saw one after another Of his works fail. and
at last in March. 1875. he made happy hit at the
| Opera Comique with his Carmen" and bril-
! liant future seemed TO await him. but in the
very hour OF his success-in June. 1s75-the
| poor man died in the prime OF his life. and at
the beginning Of his fame.
II is curious that Bzct began life with such
exalted notions that he looked with no partcu-
! lar favor on the composers OF opera comique
in fact. he spoke quite disparngngly of such
men as Boildeu and Auber. and exalted
A.. l.
live through this work. composed in the light
spirit Of that stage. though It is full OF serious
thought and palnstakinS effort.
He was fortunate in his ibIetto. Three men
contributed to its existence. Prosper Merimee.
| one of the brightest men OF his day. wrote the
| original Spanish tale on which II is founded.
And M"llhac and Halcvy adapted II 10 It's dra-
OF course it lost greatly in this reorganization.
! and yet enough Of the spirit Of Mcrimtr \
work remains 70 make tbright and interesting
! and IL is full OF stir and emotion.
The plot. briefly stated. Is this: Carmen is n
| bright. saucy fascinating. daring. and beauti-
| iul INN Of mischiei-a gypsy hy nature and
disposition, and Wild and lawess like most of
her race. Naturally that kind OF girl has n
many lovers as sho pleAses. and Carmen makes
free use OF her privileges in this respect.
Among these lovers is Jose. a sergeant OF
| Dragons who ought to be IN better business
rs he is already committed 10 another pretty
girl named Nichdeid.
the women with her. These disputes with her
own sex she settles. after prompt and sqtsfac-
u p,
IN the use Of which she is as free as in that OF
her tongue.
But even in Seville stabbing has to be looked
after and Carmen is arrested and put in charge
OF lose. n sergeant. He allows her 10 escape
and for this gets his allowance Of two months in
men persuades him to desert his regiment and
go with her to the mountains. there to turn
But tai7nen finds JosS Mt last little tiresome
and when han some Torcador comes upon
the scene, fresh from the triumphs Of the bull
y vi "a a IL 81 rul ~ hqks
cltetthe widest enthusiasm, Carmen becomes
the most ardent Of his admirers, This arouses
the jealousy OF Jose. and in the last act, in the
very moment Of the Toreadors greatest tri-
umph and OF Cdrp,ep's exultant admiration. the
furious dragon stabs her. and so ends Carmen
and the opera.
II will be seen Tint this plot ia full OF move.
ment, and that Bizct had II fine opportunity 10
avail himself Of the abandon aud stir and glitter
that belong both to the military and the gypsy
life. His work Is full Of local color; Il is as
vading spirit. and carries her wild moods into
Tho music. like the plot is restless. nervous
and exciting. II might be called light music
il we looked only to its rhy thm and hrilliancy
and the frequent use OF dance measures. hui
on the other hand 1t Is treated with such
strength, the orchestration is SO rich and varied
and elaborate, and the concerted parts are writ
ten with such care and skill that it attains
greater dignity ms an art work than the word.
light music might imply
That II VIII become popular here there can be
no doubt. our audiences. AS a rule are quick
10 know what is really and intrinsically good
and Carmen will, like Mignon" take
strong hold. and retain il.
The distribution Of the parts In this repre-
sentatiOn substantially the same as that in Eng
land WAS rs follows:
Carmen .................. vi" Minnie Haul
Eseaulo r............... ssnvr bel Fuenu
zunsa .-...,....,..... ........ .ssnoC France ,ci
M MsreeGe. Mm M% Ga5 SS
This is n strong cast throughout. and thos,
concerned in II Insured the complete success o
As for Miss Hnuk, It does not seem possible
that she could be better suited with larl, q
representative. Her voice never has sounde,
clear and pure as last evening
This was partly because she has been singing
high soprano roles while her voice is II meg
soprano, and partly, doubtless by reason Of tn
lowering OF the prh which seems at last t
Miss Hank. but all the others at thci
case. and was gain, for every one,
for tho audience most 81 all. Campanini'
high notes came with perfect ease and round
, ness, and with no strQining for the tone, and n
resort To falscto What was gain 10 tho sing
ers was probably something OF n detriment 4
; the orchestra. but that will soon mend. II Ger
, tuinly is high time that the screaming days tina
| Verdi initiated came to an ond.
In Carmen there nre many salient melo
dies. such ns people catch immediately and X
about h6nmmi5ng to thems shtnyoi These WI
. them have that curious syn'opated move
mcnt and unexpected accent which char
! acterizo the music OF tho Havanese-
/ which Gottschak caught in his Cuba
y pieces 50 gorieetly' and which eomp9s t
q selves Of. This throwing ot the accent on un
/ expected parts Of the musical phrase Bi2et ha
resorted 10 IN many Of his numbers. 1t give
portions Of his work almost tho characte
Of sublimated opera boune for M
ment, but he speedy drives away thu
impression by sterling good wrliing-passago
y in imitation and canon form that show hi
n training. and concerted pieces in six and egl
n parts-rcal parts at that not doubled ones. IN
i decd. tho opera brstles with GOO
. situations and good music. Those VIII
t do not like II Mt first. and sue
!. there are will likely end by becoming its mo,
= ardent admirers. Time is not left us to refer
detail to the pieces that specially deserve prais
2 or 10 the individual artists. But in general
i may be said that Do Pucnte. in his character
! the brilliant Toreador, added another leaf /
/ his chApct and that Mesdamcs Sinico and Ii
, blaehe contributed greatly 70 the success OF Ii
r ] evening"