New-York tribune., 1883-10-27
MUSIC AND The DRAMA.
THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.


The performance of "Q TrovatOre at the
Metropolitan Opera House last night like hundreds OF a
predecessors aesed the popularity OF this most thread
bare Vers creations, and the extreme susceptDtyor
metropolitan audience to the elementary power OK
musical tones. fine hOuse-fun Of people sas
in the boxes and stalls, because the hurdy-
gurdy music was TO be given, and applauded
with reckless vigor because another tenor had
been found who could not only sing the high W1thous
breaking but could hurl 1t into the vast space OF the
auditorium that It rang out hgb clear and elecrfyns
above the din Of sounding brass and changing cymbal
The performance therefore that scored most
unmstakable popular success-and the only cause OK
regret In relation to 1t is that all the applause not
bestowed the deserving persons and the most de-
serving music.
1t may be said with such degree OF emphasis as tho
reader chooses put into the words that whole the
opera was given In which reflected the highest
credit upon the establishment. The orchestra and
chorus particularly made more than have been accus-
toned hear rule OF their portions Of the scOre
More attention bestowed upon ncetes OF shading
and such delicacy of expression and refinement
of dynamic effects the altogether drastic
music OF Verdi would allow, were given 1t under
the inspiration OF sgnor yanesPs mastery direction.
That all the numbers sung equally well is fact
that familiar with the pecuartes OF the opera
viii need 10 be told There too many pages In the
book concerning which feel that II Is really an ac-
compshment of no quality If they be sung at all
Certainly there other In the modern uSt In
which little real singing gives much real pleasure.
Except the very effective ensemble In the last act
which Verdi conceived and executed with refined
dramatic instinct, there IS little In the opera that does
touch when does not quite Oversep the border be-
tween refined and vulgar expression; and the pasmodo
gasps which Verdi made the vehicle OF all his strong emo
tions wherever climax Is reached in the play, coupled
with his barbarous tyranny in the treatment OF
voices make the in the opera that are hlled
with flowing melodies few and far between. Too
many OF the pOpulary effective numbers are
those I'm which the result IS attained By
main strength rather than by artistic singing
These facts and the natural vanity OF tenor singers uf
fee to explain performance Ike SignOr stagnOs Last
night. The has a high In his -annging,
trumpet toned C-and this likely 10 be the bea and
endall of his work a. Mdric0 It makes all that pre-
cedcs the Dl quela plra" merely a prelude, and all
that follows only postlude. When his voice was frst
heard in the serenade OF the second scene
hundred shoulders were shrugged and many
music lovers felt a disappointment. The
voice that came from behind the decidedly
throaty The tones seemed squeezed out and there was
such dssimlarlty between the high and low notes that
the memory poor Orator Puff" with "two tones In his
voice was Involuntary revived Throughout the scene
the (who discovered himself as rather short
heavy-set econscious Of good stage features and
bad stage acons) continued to squeeze out trcke Of
voice, showing animation until the notes above the
sta reached and always outstanding his strength In
the concerted pieces where he only one OF several
Those who are easily moved by high notes loudly sung
and well sustained had however recognized In the voice
the promise OF the excitement they love- and the new
tenors reception was q hearty The expectations
thus aroused he filed to OyerOwtng IN his show piece
Through IL all his voice rang out like trumpet and
stirred up whlrlwind of excitement in the house. The
people shouted their delight, and would not be
quieted until a repetition showed that the high notes
were plentiful his voice. and that the and tear Of
nusic Ot
unwilling to believe that signOr stagno
not sing better than he did In the early part OF
last nights opera Naturally he was anxious to mako
hit a sensation, his first appearance, and
hence he laid the stress of his work where It would tell
unmistakaby. His voice is robust ana tunetui. pene
tTating and powerful when he chooses that IL shaI
be so, and ne ought ou TO De aoe nonso ,vsgIn. gg
real musical pleasure as wen as cause physicsi
excitement If he does not we shall have TO depend, as
we have often done without disappointment, upon
SgnOr Campanin art for the delight inspired by beau
ful singing I'm the tenor roles.
MIN The 9nn1 that artistic sdn triumph Madame Of 'nf eSs sgG
Hers was the exposition OF beautiful singing We can
admiration Of London and the Continent was little
fuller, fresher and more sympathetic than
R9% handled OVf With more can skin than last night
a vide e Tanse and in every respect shows degree Of
singers of to-day. Her execution is finished.
mark every phrase she utters She commands
wlened the horizon OF the role which she Interpreted
This, Of course, was that OF the dream-hannted
Gypsy She had not correctly estimated at first
the demands which the large house makes upon the
singers of the rennements of her warmly dra-
matte singing lost in the wings but she filled the
air with her feryOr later. IL was triumph
OF high vocal art worthy OF being ranked Hlth
Madame Sembrchs brilliant performance on Wednesday
The LeoHora OF last night Madame Valera. an
od-timc favorite who has helped 10 make Americas
name hOnOred In the opera houses Of the old world
She was warmly remembered on her entrance
and her excellent impersOnatiOn received It's need or
applause Her voice has lost nothing In volume quality
aud eXbility and there can be no on nights at the
MctrOpOlitan long aS sne FeleNcs el-
ther Madame Nilsson Madame sembrch. Sig
nor Kaschmann the Count, and was be-
cominrVn tempestuous and choerc musically
s well as dramatically. The unfortunate VibratO, for
which American audiences cannot develop TASTE marred
his singing before but he showed himself artist OF
good parts, as did also NJ Auger, the Fernando.
At the matinee this afternoon Faust" will be repeated
with the same cast rs on opening night.