New-York tribune., 1879-04-14
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
CARLBERG-PNAFORE RE.

with concerto OF Rublusieuss 4 tne Wtu- KNOWN
Revere nv vieuxtemps the artists own Romanza ana
the transcription OF the Prize Song from the Mester
singer" Miss Beebe's pure voice and good style were
admired n MozagJs dramatic aud aria, An non
tcner. auato bene." written an Interpolation ID
IdOmeuco 10 has important vOhn obbhgato Whch
was played by Mr. Brandt For am encore Miss beene
gavp with orchestral accompaniment, effective song
entitled Tears" by Mr.. Homer Bartlett After MI
Wibel mi had finished his selections, large proportion
OF c audience went away waiting for the sym
phony which was Scubert's great one IN {. TINS was
a severe criticism upon the work the orchestra had
already accomplished. hui It was not unjust Beroz
imagiued as foundation of he Soirees de FOTeneS
tre" band players who IN the habit OF giving
themselves up reading and conversation during the
execution OF all mediocre music which they were
obliged 70 perform Critics mish perhaps borrow hint
rom 1otesque fancy OF tne Fr nch compose and
Of discussing performances OF small merit m-ht
take refuge rom dulness IN the contemplation ol some
topic o, removed a. possible from the work imme-
dIately before thrm.
If II. ~ : PIuasore were nothing but musical
extrava-anza with humorous and Sparkling music
It's popularity would De one a. the phcnomed' oi the
age The stage has seen nothing successful IN our
time as This little buriesq1e which u few weeks '7
vrruu the whole Try, Occupying four OF i've th'-
aires simultaneously single city. a-acng all sorts
actors ami amateurs with mania, cori"puhS lA'
conversation Of fashionable duneriab's 4nd enicAins
the sang OF tine streets We not ui here the Keen
est o. M GHberi's wit. the brightest Of Mr. sullivan
music. uor does The piece owe much to the skill OF tue
performers, for Vrospors evea wren Is played eR
cerdiugy H. II must merits winch are not appa-
rent on the surface Perhaps OF lie mos 7teadiast
admirers 90 realize just what Il l. IN lls coicA
pro4urtIrn That give, hem much pleasure
Ersert p one OF the first OF ts claims 10 consicera
ton very utc has been said Il probably the must
delicate Jravesty upon the convehtlon'
italian opera ever written, this phase of DIS char
-~.A ffsH ffH
musician a. iu TIE poet Broad bufiesQues Of operate
forms lre common e1ough and so easy make that
they are NOT very amusing. This Is something quie
different Il Il, Amos; entirely free from exarSeratlon
There is not ridiculous situation, absurd line.
IN cougruous. lauEhje4 moving musical phrase in
the whole work Tor winch could not had
an exact parallel the Academy Of Music on
auv night devoted 10 Bellm, Donizetn, on
Verdi The udcr0us aspects OF the opera are brought
out not by the ordinary process Of enlareinc aud dis
rtug som. of its worst features. but by dit arrange
artful almost 20 defy analysis-whlch shows
u one rapid tine whole plan OF the standard IaA
OPERA ana at the time sets in clear light ana
elective contrasts IT'S salient ahsurdItos The Pima
fore b, laid out precisely the established operate
scheme and its ludIcrOus numbers considered as
copies o the conventional aria, rccieuFc chorus, eic
ctc are not Oyerdrawu u the slightest degree As Mrs
A-ues Booth, in the play OF EnEaEe'.' produces an
irresistible effect rs the Intense seriousness with
Arthur sullivan IN The score Of Pnatlre exhibits
the very essence Of bGre-que By the prgternaiura.
So cmu,ty and composure With which ne
writes correct operate forms . III mirth-
m verses and nonseaslcal situation AL this is done
with such fine sense OF humor That there cial
reason 10 regret tuat cannot hear the work per
formed with tine composers own mstrr,entauon. In
tie treatment Of the orchestra there opportunities
for ,tiu further hurI-sque winch 80 quick vii can
hardly have neglected
The oneulus clorus Of sailors is excellent specimen
OF q familiar operate device. The have nothing
whatever 10 saw brisk is wanted 90 start The
scene and so they brought the stage 10 tell usn
the usual strain OF nautical cb0ru-es that they sail the
ocean blue and are sober and true aad 20 remark
aloy. aAOy." az sailors always do al the opera when
they are not otherwise employed The aria GeH'ra'a
of the old buuboa; woman Little bterc'tJ!s not whit
more absurd afecratou OF Ingenious tenderness
tuan hundred corresponding songs allotted time oar
~ mind. 10 the pgma donna Ia pearl pow
der, smiles and white muslin (TlmmCd WIN
lace and satin. who warbes her innocent H'nl-
nputs to a crowd o. aCmriug villagers bus the best
thing ID tnIs popular number is the Introductory rrcia-
tive where the unaceomP inied phrases o. LINE Bnf'e-
cD are relieved by crauGose chords ia the orchestra
ortendin some hing thai never comes, and he passage
ends jon the words " To welcome L&te bHHcrclly on
board - with gushing seutlmeui sang 10 soft aud
sustained harmoHIes. How often have We not nearn
these same preliminary vocal exercises With the very
I
the same proEessl0ns. the harmonie- the same
interrupted cadence the chord Of the dominant! Lit
N. Euhercp indeed fortunate Iu having several gems
OF absurd recitalive alone In dialogue with C0DtqH
C9rcOrqn which contain the very essence of opera The
snrcarance Of the the signal according rule.
/ flr sentimental andaute, and nothing could
be more Characteristic tnan Ralpds NLgutin-
/ gale song with It's happily conceived accom-
{ panmenL Il ID thIs scene tlat the author
and composer introduce for the hrst time touch Of
numor often repeated which Is perhaps the mos; deli
cIyus IL iAe whole work We ne treatment OF the
caorus. No matter wuat Is sand Oi done IN the course
OF the play tie chorus Invariably svmpathzes with the
last speaker Unanimously and instantancousy, these
extraordinary people turn about dozen times Ia half
an hour now sharing all the OF the lOve-sick
sailor n0v stocked at MS temerty now repeating all
the words Of the caUtln4ke parruts-Were very, y0ry
good And De understood he commands . ri-ut good
crew"-n0w joining the autOblographlcai reninis-
cences OF SIR Joseph Pmter and pouring floods Of
couy.,san on JOscphie There action too sudden
for them; change tho sentiment OF The drama or
the music eau be great abrupt to cheek their
readiness 20 approve enthusiastically Uf everything.
ana adhere voclferousy 10 the person who chances
10 occupy the Stage tor the moment. Never were
tho functions OF the choristers in serious opera
more deucatey satrised. and never surely was the
customary OF placing them on the stage more
perfectly illustrated than the scene where the sisters
and and auts u ping across the deck station
Themselves n uucpmpfOml5uG lines IN front OF lt TWO
rows OF sailors The pretty chorus OF women. IN the
manner of Barcarslc which proceiss the entrance
the Fela Reiatives close copy style " many
plr OF melody winch h4 prchgur.d TO- us. pre-
teutous stsEcs tls coming OF somebody ~ al !upO.s
bic boat, with various apparatus OF unpro'Oked fes-
tivity. Then follow rapidly the dramatic numbers
winch Italian posers account essential
tner opera been tary a-cOng; the distraction
Of the ptlma donna, tAe agony O the raring tenor.
the wrath " the OVpressor, secusstOn, dcnuncis-
ton lameutation, load the air with meOdious
trouble while the placid orchestra. innocent OF al
sha-. ia ne general emotion. beats calm