New-York tribune., 1884-01-10
Music.
MME. TREBElLI AS CARMEN.

The Simplest and most summary way of disposine
critically of last nights performance of Carmen"
at the Metropolitan Opera House would be to
institute comparison between its principal
features and those of the first perform
ances at the Academy a few years ago
by Mr. Maplesons company. But aside from tho
fact that criticism by comparison is nearly always
a cheap refuge and is become proverbially odous,
the comparison would so often run into contrast
that when all was done little would
have been made clear. For those who
would AVOID comparison, however, the fact that
Nine. Minnie Hauk has come to be the ideal rep
reSentalve of the title character of the opera for
the Engsh-spealing people at least, causes embar-
rassment
In this country Miss Kellogg es-
sayed the part before Nine. Hauk
returned from her long stay IN Europe but did not
keep her mpsrsonation long before the public;
in London, after Nine. Hauk had created" tho
character, Nme Trebelli took it up and
won a commendable degree of with
it, In Paris. before this, Mile. CALI Mariee had
stamped her identity upon the character, she being
the first of all the CarmeRs After Mime. Hauk's
success Nine. Lucca introduced the bewildering
gypsy to the Germans, and in her cOun-
try she is the ideal representative. I'M
questionably there are points of difference
in all these Cdrmens, bat, by common consent when
Americans say Carmen, they think Minnie Hauk.
This fact made Nine; Trebellfs task last night
difficult one, but also gave a higher value
to the degree of success which she won. In
the announcements of the opera in Mr.. Abbey's
prospectus issued at the beginning of the season
attention was called to the fact that Bizets Car
men" would A" be performed with the same cast as
when it was produced at Her Majesty's Theatre,
London, and performed more than fifty
times. " Such a statement is calculated
to mislead, and to take from Nine.
Hauk the credit of having been the original repre-
sentative of Bzet's heroine in London. 1t is true
only IN part; three of the singers in last nights
performance were included in the original dstri-
button of parts in London. They are Mime.
Valleria, Sig. Campanini and Sig. Del Puente.
after the prima donna the principal performers
IN the opera.
That Mime. Terbelli would sing the music of the
part with fine artistic finish was foregone conclu-
sion; that she had subjected the dramatic elements
of it to original and intelligent study she made
plain early in the performance.
In realizing her conception, however. she did not
always give the highest degree of satisfaction. She
throws lurid light ouer its wickedneSs, but finds
neither tones actions for those amiable qualities
in witch most Of the artistic force of the charac-
ter lies. Her aim seems TO be to make Carmen
a beautiful demon, and she leaves no for
tltDeT OF IDt gypsy girl OF lns
capacity which she has for tender attachment.
Now CdrmeR does love Don JOSe-fOr a little while;
otherwise her seduction of him is wanton wicked
ness. Ihe tragic element IN the
character takes possession of 1t
early, and the feeling which follows il through tho
third and fourth acts has nothing of sympathy in
IT, For this reason it might be argued that there
was more whOlesOmenesS in its moral lesson than in
that of our familiar carmen, but Bzet's opera
IS not that suggests an inquiry into
moral values; we are quite content to be charmed
by so beautiful a girl though she be gypsy cigar.
ette-maker, who wears dagger in her corset aud
uses it freely on her companions. The hardness
which Nine. Trebell gives the character fits
it admirably after the in which
she learns her fate from the cards and
grimly and characterstically accepts it. From
that moment its power grows But il needs light
ness and grace in the earlier moments. Sig. Cam
panin as in bad voice, but acted with telling
fervOr. His exhibition OF the growth OF his passion
and the wreck OF his manhood was tine
most powerful pieces of acting that has been seen
the lyric stage this season. Sig. Del Puente was
the Esoanitlo Of old, and Miles. COrani and La
blache efficient gypsies. The vocal successor
the opera was Mme Nalleria, who sang beautifully
throughout and did ueT best TO save performance
which was almost fatally hurt by poor singing and
acting in the subordinate parts and wretched stage
management. The opera was handsomely set