The New York herald., 1878-07-07
Great Triumph Of Mile. Min
ME Hauck.
STORY OF CARMEN. THE GYPSY,
Mr.. Mapleson's Company at Her
Majesty's.
WAGES OF PRIMA DONNAS.


taking the title r6,c The representation Of this long
promised work proved "event" oi more than ordi-
nary musical importance The success was the great
eat achieved either of the two Italian opera houses
during the present season, and for Miss Hauck the
performance ended In a most complete triumph II
was the nrst that this gited American lady has
had an opportunity Of displaying her vocal aud
dramatic capabilities to the fullest advantage ana she
proved in every way that the reputation which
preceded her from the Continent had been fairly
and even magnifccntly won 1t Is seldom that
so rare piece oil operate acting has been seen on
the Italian stage in London, or, may add In the en-
thusiastic OF o the critics, ' has rarely
been the good fortune OF opera patrons to be deghed
with the exhibition OF such piquant and fascinating
histronlc talent shown by Mile. Hauck In the part
OF Carmen" SELDOM, 100, that our Italian friends,
whom fashion compels to sing to US for livelihood,
induced 10 emerge from their usual apathetic In
difference and enter into the spirit Of an opera so lar
as 10 submit 10 their individual personality being
concealed for even few hours beneath the mask OF
the character which they graclous'y undertake to
represent For once the Italian singers were artists
in the true sense OF the word
THE SUBJECT OPERA
Yet 'Carmen" was given under some very serious
disadvantages The subject is OF delicate and piqaant
nature, though by no means go repulsive as many
operas that could be mentioned, and which vIr-
tuous public has taken TO in kindly spirit. For
some weeks the newspapers have published para
graphs the effect that another London prma don ma
hau soma lime ago idea OF appearing in the r6e of
Carmen, but that she had given up the intention be
cause the character immoral! Tho paragraph
had It's effect II we may judge the fact that by
no means SO many ladies wore present as We are ac'
cusomcd to see at Her Majssly's on "frst nights"
II may be said here however, that the most
can scarcely lnd objection To the character Of Car
men as represented by Mile. Hauck and especially in
the Italian language which but lew operagoors un-
derstapd to any great extent For the character
has been treated with consummate skill. and though,
as critic well observes t is impossible to sympa-
thize iu the proper OF the term with heroine
VINO resembles ugress alike in her beauty aud her
wilful cruelty, ana merely because the
exercise OF a power 10 affords qualification"
Yet the interest which feel in the character is un
absorbing one. What with the piquancy and fresh
ness OF the situaions tho strong fresh and charac-
teristic music oil songs, cnoruses and dances; The
nsturalucss with which Spanish LIE Is depicted
among gypsies, smusgers, bull lighters and muleteers
We are sure that ''Carmen" viii become immensely
popular and that lie. Hauck WILL III her deneation
OF the heroine secure we'll deserved and lasting
triumph / am induced to say more OF this operate
perform ance than otherwise should because Of the
lac. that possibly you will hear Mile. Hauck in the role
CARMEN, GYPSY.
.Carmen" Is tho last opera composed by Georges
B,zet who died al Bougiva the Sd OF June, 1875.
at the age OF thirty just as he was beginning TO
taste the fruits of his and OF tame Bzst had
written other operas which had tailed to become pop
ular HIS rst work was produced, strange TO say at
the instance OF Onenbach, who, tnen director
Of The BouG6s s.Parisiennes, offered PRIZE for the
best setting Of a hbretto Tor an operctta entitled,
"Le Docteur MIRACLE" Tor whicn Bzet ana Lscocq
sent IN competitive works. Lecocq's setting was
presented one night and b zers on the succeeding
one but neither appears have created very lively
i'm preston. Bizct had been inouced TO compete
chiefly because he needed money wherswith to live.
Blu. no was capsble OF higner thugs As a young
man he had given evidences oil considerable talent.
Al the Conservatoire he had studied composition
under halevy zone OF whose daughters he married)
and harmony with tho conservative Zlmmermann; 10
1856 he OBJ ained the Grsnd Prix de Rome ut the In
sulu,e and then went 10 Italy, when he became i'm
bucd with higher artistic principles whico, by
courtesy, may be styled Wagnerian
opKRATIc FAILURES.
Bizet's first works pro uced under this iunucnce,
.s-s Pecheurs dc Perles' given under the direction
OF M Carvslno at the Lyriqus In lS63 and al, Joe
.Diavn,ich" produced at the Opera Comiqae 1872,
all written the porioi OF youthiui efnorcscence
aud perhaps in tho spirit Win which youth loves 70
coldy. IL Is tho Incidental music composed ny
B,znt for N. DaudcPs drama "LAriesiennc," !"
| winch marks the turning poiut 10 the composer s
brici career Pasdoioup presented u at his concerts
| In the form "a suite d'orchssfre; Bzet became an
oujcct oi interest; u was annouSced that the opera
Comique would give him another trai, and that tno
n,poscr chosen Tor his subject Prosper eri-
noes celebrated novel "Carmen." fhe text was ur-
! ne ned by NM. Mcnhac aud Lalevy, and this opera
wus brought out a. tue Opera tom quo on The 81 OF
March ls7b with Ame CALI Marc as Carmen and
! Mile. Cna, ny as M,chaela. IL was received by no
public WIN acciamatioD, aud AIexandrc Cesar Bzct
fsono,d B,zct q Georges was only a nom de pfue.)
| AMI n II IA ef.t ltnltn pt
| the co-uraDatic school oi France.
THE LiRE OF THE HEROINE
The subject OF the opera is Tue lie VI Carmen, a
gypsy giri, wild ani rnpuisve oi nature. whose r-
rer ben avior contempt ior SOCIAL conventionaii
| ties aud personal beauty iasc,natc every one who
con,es witnin Tue rcacn Of charms. She scduccs
Jose, the soldier, from his bettothcd love aud the
duty to his Country sue rules supremcly over the
wild lie gypsles and snugelcrs ana mulciecrs win
wuom Uccomes associated; casts OF ono
love aner the other with supereIIlous aud
| fascinating dsdain untii tno trugc end.
The nrst NC: oi Tue optre Introduces us 10 pubic
| square iu seville; the guard IS changing The bell
OF the cigar manuiactory announces the close OF the
| days work ana brignt scone OF spanish iiis IS
developed. There are the oriyh,-eycd daughters OF
| the gypsy tribe, who make pretcEce OF earning a
livelihood at the factory. ahd among them Carmen or
Carmenciia the pretti,st and widest girl IN Seville.
| Prosper Mermee's description OF TINS very scene IN
the cnai ming tale winch the opera is founded Is
| carried Out the life. song In praise OF tobacco,
| sung py the factory girIs some Of whom appe n
| on tho stage smoking cigarettes, at once tells
| us that we are on new ground and among strange,
characteristic melodies Passing over minor Incl.
spirit sces Don jose from his allegiance ana
alach mcnt 20 Micnac and nnaiiy induce MIN 10 de-
sert and 90 with her become au associate Of vaga-
pond gypsics ana smnxslcrs, 10 whom we are intro.
| duceu "a the second and third acts Of the opera
CARMHN-HAuck.
And to watch Mile Hauck even In the nrst net Is
truly delight, Tor her pton Of the character
a perfect realization oil Morimee's idea A "Ucaut
fu graceful sympathetic sort o savage" Sutherland
Edwards calls her; "a captivating youni
sypsy, VINO, though no. os.r'ns the stamp g
lovabie 10 her or would not inspire 90 much love
Her troubles commence tho nrst act. when arrescs
because Of u stabbing afiar among tne factory gir
themselves; the captain orders her hands TO DO last
ened behind her, aud Jose Is selected TO guard her
But jose Is soon compelled TO admit that ne loves her
nc uudocs the handouts ana rs the guard Is takini
her of to prison she ips oil her bonus ana effects he
escape In the second act we ind Carmen among an'
tho ruling spirit OF sil more exc,,inr scenes. rh
stage represents the interior OF an old fashionet
spanish tavern, large room with balcony running
| IL. full Of RYp.Ies. male and femaIe