The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-12-01
THE! OPERA.
A Few Ideas About Faust. II Trova
tore and La Traviata.

tore and La Trnviatn.
s,oe,hs and Byron, laborlug with n similar
sdaa froH, the start created tho Immortal char
noters Of Faust and Don Juan Az tho two
poems progress. Tho idna DIVORCES and thoy end
with different moral ~ tho period OF oxisf-
enee and nationality Of tho rnapaciive authora
direct their train Of thought. II apunhrs
paradorlesi - eatablah correlation bn-
tween the two creations. got TINT correlation
exists and tho two characters begin
from the Hama starting point 10th
realize that tho dnnl, represented hY love and
beauty. ara tho irue aims Of life with this
difference that Don Juan Jumps nj once ~ tho
conclusion. and II IL only after long life ~
work and study after having spent eleeplcHa
niQhtH following days nf patlent tpll. nftar nav
Ing prpbad NIL tho hnCres Of nature ami
atirsh Tho accumulated aotantian lnra Of con
turiaH that Faust. Ill feeliug mn irreproralhla
longing IN hs heart which cannot he Rai infod
even with the Indefinite apeOuaionH Of narol-
oay or tho dark problems Of tho Hack book aH-
nires 20 the Ideal and Eella himself 10
Hatan who haa shown him perfection In WON
anhood In The raraon OF Marguerite. Az tho
world and religious crneda En, tho lion may hn
immoral but there ID no doubt TINT woman
which II the analytical Representative Of all
that n good aud lovely which IN tho Aaal that
WUalA uIabHl hilh WEIfH VI. IiI WHbHA hHbAH
fight. statesmen pnaa aloopoaa nights aud from
whom artIatH derive their aubimeRt creations 10
tho pivot Of tho universe. tho eternal axis nron
which the world revnyaR showing IN onclt re-
olution now hnaaa nf lifc ityor purity heau-
~ dngullaH nil # fIBa 4.nHafHipua Hint the
Hieter Tie Hptbrf thr wtfo. TIA afnRuerd bride
and ayan anmelme tba myaftpnn nfp tha and
! IVY life The ultima tnule' ~ all earthly anpi-
rationH.
The Catholic creod whether iuauirei or nett
has chosen woman for H central figure. H.
haH adorned the Virgin Mary with MI tho vir
tues that belong f. womnnhoei. II hau mnln
her beautiful pure md unsnad. II hHa mndo
woman tho mother Of aod. eud hnl,ily combined
her the purity Or vtrGinly with Tho sanotIty
OF tho mntron. Wa thank tbs fathpra " thu
Church for thIa acknowledgement " tho divine
right on woman To represent nj tho rnmo limo
NIL tho poetry Of our ilnnl longimGH aud tho
practical workings of liFn NJ examulInad Nv tho
true wife and mother.
Wherever thera IL an ambition n woman il
the ultimate object They arc reaponsIblo ror
Ril that n wicked, snd deserve praIao for al
that ID good and beautiful IN tia world. Their
miesion we fear nq e. any II. though II may
not appear orthodox II suporlor 10 thai 81 /
hs priest or minister They lnnrn hy long /
mpnthH of suffering whit hotnp IL worth md
children they have brought forth aud nurand
For a feeble creature 4 ia m awful responsible
ity. but It haa boon put upon thnm ana they
must carry II. Let ua say hpra thai thop do II T
nobly. and ~ We hpva hnen carried AWAY that
Tar from our subject. lot pauaa fer awhile
and bond the kbee mud bow tho hnad Ia H,.mi-
ration and adoration af thntrun woman Tho
woman who tllin hor sanity miaaion by aufTnr.
Ing for thona ehe lovoa aud who, bv hor con
slant care. loving nndaaver. not unmixad with
everyday pain makea mon out IT hpra mud
Other women out Of tho youthful tonirits 81
womanhood which Eho rearH with all-daY
watching and secpleas nights realsaa ali Tho
dreams OF tho poes, and practically works put
MI the teachings Of Tho makers If religions. !
But we have wandered far away from our
subject. II seems 40. 1T least. Wa Wars carried
away by tho contemplation of ali That II pure
oveiy and prRntirally pohttc III woman II IL
not our fault. n Ia aoBthe'a and Hyrona. II Ia
Faust and Don Juan. Fan1' ia tho eorrelatiya
pi Don Juan. and provee Byrnn'a poem. II
Happiness must he sought for In thlp world, |
woman must ho the ohlont. Don Juan and |.
Faust both make mistake. both aRpire to Inn !
alta happiness, aud sock Il through dIHoront I
ways and both como ut tho end to tho Same con Y
huston. Faust and Don Juan both ond mlanr-
shly. because they hnve sought In esuauul On
oymant the satisfaction 81 Tint Infinite desire y
which can only Ind satiation IN the practice Of I
honorable deeds and u virtuous lifa. tending to y
he dreamy hereafter Of Milton where pure
spirits everlastlngly Join In eosaer over tho
Rlofies that surround tho fano of tho Eternal
Hounpd has selEed Tho ldea. All through hia !
musical poem OF Faust hia harmn- {
aios combine TO show tho etefnnl truth Of love 4
AMI beauty, while hiB Mophlstophala Il over In
he background sull Of devli4h antica and BIT
ng irony. teaching moral and Ioason. Ho I
akea advantage OF tho souls pure aspirations :,
II direeted. aud ont of situation Tint ought to 1
Bring perfect JOY and happiness, he. Satan I
Ike makes misery and deaoRtion.
Gounod's music III essentially modern All d
ts Ideas are now, Some parts Of hs Faust 4
correspond In noyaty, grave aud strongh to i
Alfred do Nuaset's "hallnde n In Luno' aud /,
'Rola." aud othora chino Ia with Victor Y
auRo'a boldeat and most snconaaful innova- q
ions. Tho orchestra IL there MI tho time Z
blending with the singers In magnificent ok 4"
preston OF sensual thought and enjoyment
connected with the puraRt aspirations of tia q
loul. but no. outstanding. ever III Hudertoues !!
ieep and eloquent. pointing tho moral ana y
MORNING the tale with tho maUinu,. .sbrBuaRion Il
VI heavenly harmony tendlnR toward tho y
deally pure and good.
dounod he's taken Byron and Goethe. Gu a
ironed them with the light of his genius and i
las shown US In hia masterpieces that music has
he power Of expressing ideRs which tho pen Of q
he poet or the brush ~ the painter cRn only "
Indicate. For when music speaks ani spanl,a II
ruthfully. under its inspiration tho souI'a IN I
most sympathties are aroused and tbs intellt- \
renee feels what neither words. limo or color I,
au make Ineligible. 4
dounod's work was interpreted Saturday I
light by the Italian troupe quito fairly W. n
lay quite fairly because wo do not SEQ II
my particular defect 10 notGa in the 'anRem- -.
Ne The orchestra was admirable. tho il
'horuses were very good. particularly tho {
'Ohoenr dos Yletllards." which was sung light Q
y and gracefully. atter tho Italian way, aud tho
Soldiers Return March" sung according rs i
he French method. broad and glowing u
The public was expecting Er5ut deal OF 4
1astlemary as Mephistophole and Ii ha did not v