The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-06


| have no Doubt that 1t will. nj an curly dale
| crossed the suuthern) with splendid results
| both for tho author and the impresnro who has
inith in 1t. S"nor Gomez hns lately, offered
| "Foaca" to the public OF the Theatre In Scala
| at Milan. This opera. OF quito different
| character from tho former met only with
success d6stime on the first reprs'
scnation: but the interest IN It grow
| t"nfold on the second performance, and
has continued to steadily in,rnas". until il
Although comparatively unknown abroad
MacstrI Ponchieli and Usiglio nre also thS
popular ut home. " | Promessi spos" tThs
BrirOthetll. by the former. Is gem in liz sim.
plicity. such az M9nz9nl.s m11strtpiece should
Sorrento" THE School Girls Of Sorrentoj ia
charming oDeretta In the serio comic style,
| which has been most successful wherever Il
| has been represented and Is now very populaI
| ut Madrii. where Signor Usiglio occupies nj
present the position of conductor at the Royal
De diosa L. Ross Foroni Bazzni. Plnsuu
| Buonamic CatHlant, Smoreglia, and Giovanni
| Buttesini. the phenomenal cuntrabHssst. ara all
| ofthem composers Of merit. But'esini scored an
| enormous success n few weeks ago ut the
| Teatro Regio. Turin. by his now and exquisite
opera. " Hero and Leander." But that tn,
musical talnnt OF Italy Is not exhausted ID
| operas produced Mt the various theatres of tho
| peninsula during the last fifteen months reach.
| Ing the Unprecedented figure ~ thrty-four
| Few ne the marked successes Of the period mar
have been. they are indeed so numerous as t
become impossible to register them all with
! brcvity. We shall mention only two or three OF
the most remarkable. "Delmira." by g Bac.
| chini, was the last success oi the year 1878
the Pagli9no Theatre. Florence, the second g
size I'm Italy. Four numbers had to be repeated
| three times. and tho composer was called on
tweniy-four times at the first performance
| houses for over month. and the enthusiasm
Of the audiences never abat"d. La Creola by
Maestro c2r9Daro was produced , a. the Com
grent. true, and sincere su cess" The lhr,ttC
had been prepared by Mr.. and Mrs. Torelli
Nioller. two we'll known authors OF the young
Italian school Though the argument is n0i
very fresh, the lihr,tto WIS very dramatic liz
form and commanded attention from begin.
ming to end. AT the slave market Of a city in nc
island OF the Indian Ocean. "a handsome creole
Era, accompanied by a negro goes about dis.
are TO be sold on the block. Rdoul French
officer. touched by her generosity and beauty
falls in love with her. The negro attendant OF the
young lady recognizes his sister MIRA IN
comely girl who is about to be sold by auction
ne oilers all ne possesses; ne entrrats his mis-.
trcss to exchange him for his sister; but tics,
offers are declined by the merciless dealer Ia
human flesh. Even the young lady jewels ar,
refused by him. because u drunken planter
domingo 10y name. offers the great sum OF ,0W
for the girl. MIRA seems to b' irreparnbly lost
TO her brother when the officer to crafty IN,
sets the girl free. Gratitude toward Rdoa
readily turns into love In the hearts OF both thest
feeling for him. A few days later, Era loses
herself in forest OF the island, and is on ,tirs
planter, when she Is rescued by Rdotl and
naturally the situation brings about an avowal
OF their mutual affection On learning the results
OF the meeting; the wild passions OF her race ara
aroused. and MIRA swears to avenge her de-
spised love, Taxing advantage Of q storm. dur
anxiously watching for the arrival Of the boat
that Is 10 bring her lover MIRA throws her rival
into the sea, But the crime IL discovered by
Mrzds brother. He constitutes himself Judge
and condemns her To death. He crowns her
Dirpg while the funprnl eoFt.rn of tho inform.
nate Era passes by the place where the two
stood, The music Of the first and third acts "a
especially full OF pathos and true to naturei
thoroughly original and FREQ from all eXaggera-
ton: elegant and well sustained throughout
Mastery without being too elaborate both
melody and harmony ARE eminenty characters
istic OF the situations in the drama.
Another opera lately very successful ia, al
Devils Violin by Maestro Mercuri. This work
has already held the boards of two theatres,
Maestro .Mercuri is the worthy successor Of
Angelo Mariani In the leadership OF thu
Comunale Theatre Of Bologna His popularity
which he wrote few years ago. aud which was
iaxorably received everywhere. The lihretto Of
The Devils Violin is a fantastic conception
OF Signor fontaiD. a young poet and novelist
the plot Of which may be described as fol;
b I0TSs; D G,,,a, is gypsy 10y birth and
astic soul Meeting on the battlefield q
wounded cavalier. she nurses him lovingly
and restores him % his aged father. But while
the cavalier is recovering, Detd breathes thd
poison OF love and on returning TO her tribe
bne Ii lnulHtitnt 10 everything around nor hui
the Thought OF Don Diego. strange parsonage
appears in the gvpsy camp and entert,,ins thC
audience with some extraordinary tricks. The
| enthusinsn OF the company for the tricks Of
Doctor .NdneO. IA he IS called Httains the highest
| pitch but even these fail 10 shake DeLd from
| her lethargic Indifference. That is more than
the pride OF Doctor MdteO can endure and he
proposes to have his revenge. In few worls
he makes her understand that he knows all
about her secret pass, ION. and informs her that
Don Die0O Ii in love with a girl Of noble blood,
not. however, without telling her that he haS
will meet him at midnight in the forest. DeIid,
as matter OF course. accedes TO the propo.
s paSe nd T Doctor meet MSed 5s' % SPP26R
brings forth magic violin from n shsl
lying In bower OF roses. Della begins TO play
on the charmed instrument and Diego imme-
diatey appears. Although betrothed to Gdda,
won by the magic melody. he falls at tho
players feet, declares his love. and persuados
her to eope, with him. The revenge OF the ma
gcian now begins. He wants to make vuigaE
culprit OF her; he nstils jealousy into her soul,
and tells her that DieOo's love being the result
OF witchcraft she has no hope OF retaining him
II she does not rid herself OF her rival by Killing
her. Inc honest Instincts OF tho gypsy tri-
umph, however. over her passion. and she en-
ergeticay refuses Ia secure Dle0O's love at that
us principal end. he revenges himself by breas-
ing the enchantment. Diego returns to Gida.
ana poor Dei'd is left to die OF disappointment.
This much about the story; rs for tho music,
there are pages TO which Meyerbeer wound
have been proud TO append his name.
The second act. in which tho action
OF tho drama ia carried up to thu
nebulous regions OF sorcery. is wonderful. This
opera WAS expressly written for the famous
violinist and singer. Carolina Ferni and how
ever beautiful in itself II may be safely asserts
! ed that she contributed in no mean measure 70
the success ii achieved. He who has not heard
Mile, Ferni cannot realize the fascination of her
playing and singing. and we doubt whether
! the composer Will ever be able 10 find a sulrsu-
| tute Tor her. II seems to me-" a critic con-
| cludes, that The DEVILS Violin is the Jnsia
| ntittfi and "A happy specimen of the union II
| the German school with Italian melody. a union
| rs success lul ~ that attained by Nordi in Don
| Carlos and Aida.'"
After the death 81 pcrcocse C73Gl classic
| music passed from Italy To- Germany Rossinis
htaoat Mater" and n Mass 10y Doni2etu aro
| nearly all the important works of this sort -
| which reference can be made up to the tm5
| when Verdi initiated movement toward "las.
! sicsm 10y his Requiem Mass on the death II
| AlessnndrO MHnHlnl.' Nrrdis example Na5
soon followed 10y a most ot younger comp, -'r-,
! and never before has Italy produced ~ much
| classic music, equal in every way 20 tie b'sL
! German COMPOSITIONS, except perhaps thos'ot
| beethoven. the Italian or'hostrHS that v,siri
| the Paris Exhibition in 1878 chrautured the Hu-
dtences that crowded tine rroraicro Hal Wil
scores 81 orchestral partitions. tue excellence u
| when hhs been admitted 10y those worry sau'1
| critics who are generally most adverse o. ltti{
! such masterpieces rs Facrio's Funeral MARCH,.
| Bottles mis- symphonies. and Manrlnriu IN
! termcIA Will sooner or lutcr rrplu'" IN iN'
! universal estimation many classic lrndA'-