Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-07
COUNCILS LAS.
THE STORY OF TIE MAEsTRo's new
OPERA IN PARIS.
Plot that is Full OF Black vi:aged VII
lains and Pretty-Faced Virgins
What the Critics Say.
PARIS. April IL, 1881.

PARIS, April IL, 1881
Notwithstanding the criticisms and
doubtful praises following that enthusiasm
born of impulse and later rebuked By
reason which gather around the efforts of
genius and come like cold breezss to
quench the fire, feel yet too full OF the
charming and inspiritirg music. the fairy
like scenes and dramatic events rendered
in Gounod's new opera of the "Tribut de
zamora to believe that | shall ever expo
rience in regard to it other than the pro
foundest admiration 0ne must awaken
from the charm which beauty exercises
before being able to detect any imperfec.
tons. The first night Gounod's opera was
given all musical critics were of course
present, and although on that occasion
they appiauded IN a frantic manner and
appeared carried away by their enthusiasm,
they at present doubt the justice OF their
first decision and are less confident of the
great success they predicted for the
g Tribut de Hsmora However since the
public In general will lack their critical
sense but viii undoubtedly experience
great measure of their enthusiasm, they
need feel no apprehension as 10 the fate of
GoUNoD's LAST EFFORT.
The fcret has been composed by M=ssrs
Dennery and Bresil, who share portion OF
the honors, for the entire plot. or romance,
is of their manufacture, as well as the
whole put in short rhymes peculiar to all
compositions set to musis. L was in this
genre that Scribe immOrtalized himself
and most all of the operas composed by
Auber and others Of his time bear tAe name
of Scribe along with that of the musicians
So great are the incentives to superior
cultivation of talent offered by the French
Government that many struggle forward
with superhuman effort in competing with
the artists, and, although few succeed,
their success is crowned with such fruits
that it is worth the trial, for when once
famous. how the gold fills the Golfers
through a few strokes of the brush So ii
is with composers in literature and music.
for each time play or opera is reproduced
the author comes in for his share OF the
profits, or if he be dead, it is his heirs who
realize the amount. This reflection came
to me as I listened the other night to Au-
bar's beautiful comic opera of s. Les Dia
mants de la Couronne." Il was sung by
ONE OF THE MOST CHARMING
Artists who has ever graced the stage of
the opera comic, Mile. Bilbant Fauchelet.
who has just entered her twenties and is
the pupil Of Nine. Carvalho, the finest
prirna donna France has ever produced, and
the creator OF the role of Marguerite in
Faust" On the evenipgof this performance
the President of the Republic was present
in company with the Minister of the Bsaux
Arts, and as the artists were made aware
Of the fact they exerted themselves, and |
do not think | ever witnessed more per.
feet performance. Zach time this opera is
rs produced the heirs of Scribe receive a
certain per cent. OF the profits. | do not
exactly know in what proportion the man.
ufactuger of the hbretta is rewarded by
mansgers, but | know that he takes an
important stand along side of that of the
musician and in my mind a too important
one with regard to the composer OF the
music. the scenes OF the "Trihut de Za-
mora take place in Spain shortly after the
invasion Of the Moors, which country, van
quished, ID bound as contribution of war
to deliver over to the Caliph OF Cordova q
hundred virgins. Ben Said comes to
Ocviedo 20 claim the execution of that
clause Of the treaty of peace at the moment
when the Inhabitants Of the city are about
to celebrate the marriage of the young or
phan girl Kama with the Spanish soldier
Msnoel. When the curtain rises a strees
OF the city Of Orviedo is presented to view,
the dwelling of the Cadi on one side and
the house of the young faacee on the other :;
the young lover III company with his
/ friends comes to welcome her on that morn
ing Of their marriage, and after expressing
his Joy through some melodious strains.
he, according to the customs Of the times,
climbs up the balcony and deposits a
bouquet OF white flowers before the wiz dow
of his intended bride. she then makes
her appearance on the balcony, and after
echoing her lovers sweet strains, throws
him flower from the bouquet which he
placesin his buttonhole. The youngeirl then
descends, and they are all expressing their
Joy In anticipation of the coming event,
when trumpets are heard in the distance,
and as many as twenty white steeds. richly
comparisoued, and hearing Moorish knights
in all the splendor of their gorgeous habit
ments, appear at the back of The stage.
BEN SAID
Alights from his horse and comes forward,
and no sooner does he see the lovely
Kama than he falls in love with her. The
people at first refuse to accede to the de-
mands of Ben Said, and express their in
dignation in a chorus of much beauty and
( power. At length, yielding to the counsel
OF the Cadi, they mournfully desist The
/ virgins are drawn by lot, and as each name
/ is drawn within the dwelling of the Cadi,
a man appears on the wide steps in front
1 OF the door aud calls the name OF a young
girl, who weeps and struggles in the arms
of the two Moors who drag her of. An
other name is read, until that of the young
I Kama Is also heard. The blow is a ter
rlbie one TO the young lovers, and they
/ both plead in vain of Ben Said to choose
another in her place, but he is too well
/ pleased with the charming fuacee to heed
their request, and she, too, is carried off
struggling in the grasp of the Moorish SOL
diors. The second scene represents the
entrance to the city OF Cordova, where is
seen the great toll-gat through which pass
the entire cavalcade, followed by men on
foot carrying on their shoulders covered
coucaes, wherein recline one or two Of the
virgins and thus they continue forming a
long procession. Beyond the gate, spread
ing far out into the distance is a bright,
fertile valley. such as are so charmingly de-
scribed by Washington Iryingin his . Con
quest of Granada" The crowd here col
lects before the gate for the sale of the
virgins, who are to fall to the highest bidder.