New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-25
MUSIC-THE DRAMA
"MANON LESCAUr.n

this journal has already given It. There no moment
during the performance it not painfully and
obtrusvey evident that the work had bson ptehforkei
on the stage and that the performers with scarcely an
exception were cropping their way through an arwork
whose manner they had comprehended and OF whose
deeper beauties they were ignorant Condemnation
should fall lightly Mr. MaplesOn In the first for
since brought his to an ncontlnent close no
has abored under great disadvantages in preparing for
this production, yet Is the less to be regretted
that tho performance inadequate for upon VIII
be based public opinion of opera that has brought
much honor its composer IN Europe. Ia the OF
Nine. Hank Ito whose persistent energy we doubt
less owe the fact that Mr.. Mapleson redeemed
his promise produce the novelty the failure to pre-
impersonaton which might aiterward be recalled
with pleasure owing to physical rather than to In
tellectual incapacy. In many respects she showed a
conception OF the purposes Of the authors tho
opera, bat for the tender Of musical expression
which must be relied Oh to great extent to make
character like NnOH lOvable land which in this instance
the composer supplied almost IN defiance OF tho
DrettIsts longer accents IN her voice. nor
can she present counterfeit Of that brilliant anmasm
which. the world goes IL permitted to cOndoue vice
and stu, and open the lachryma loOdgaies when they
bring their natural and proper Toward Our indebted
ness to Nine Hluk Tor the privilege OF hearing
"Manon" freely Acknowledged 1t cannot carry
with II admiration for the manner In which sho sang
the music allotted to her role in the score.
"Manon has taken rank with the most successful OF
modern French operas and we believe far as its
is concerned it merits the distinction it las
Not least of the praise that is due challenged by
The from first to last the influence OF tie
The drama is ennObling. The bretto is poor
an acting play and worse piece OF literature. When
II possesses animation at all it occupies the plane OF
the OptraS 60ugeS; when it attempts an excursion
in the REALM OF sentiment and profound leehng
1t dcgenerates at once into baldcr dash.
as the title implies Mesrs Mellhac and Gllle got tho
l,I IBcrr,
novel; OF the same name. which is fair to presume
the inspiring medium also OF Ddmas's la Dame 9.N
CauGllas and 50, around alb Out-way OF "Irayaia"
Ver5 admired opera and Masschets are bound together
by ties OF dramatic consanGuity but not OF musical.
situation after situation in Manon" recalls parallel
or prototype IN "Trayiata but Massene worked with
different musical ideas than Verdi and If ever he was
tempted to extend the likeness to tae music he
fully resisted the temptation. His score has distinct
pysIOuony of its own though like Verbs 1t sings VI
the delights Of Partisan life IN duet form, furnishes H.
claenta diversion in gambling AMI eventually
acconpiisAes apOlheOsis VI haumtng wautOn ckc.
Ia their draft on Preyosts romance the brettst
Judged by the standard Of healthy art made one serious
OMISSION The story Of MahoH LcScdW Is quite generally
known. She Is a country maiden naturally lshthcartci
and Joyous who the cOnsunmatiOn o! all human
lodgings in life Paris and the ornaments and pleas
ures that money bring The Chcglier DIS Grteur
Incomes enamOred Of her. she abdndOus her purpose
enter "A convent and goes to live with him IL Paris.
lie dreams of welded bliss, she or greater
gayety. she abandons him 10 live with weather.
lover and he l.s religion Tor consolation. lie be-
comes a famous preacher aid ker LunOr az an tHrns
toward him seeks him in the seminary Of 81 eulpc,
breaks down his pous resolutions with few word, "
love nj artfu reunceuce, and he had deserted his
family 20 now aDaudons honor and the Church iOr her
sake Desiring more money she leads aim to gamble
rival Qulrrels with him ~ the gambling roOn and 10
get revenge for his losses Of money and love- briggs tho
police upon the scene. Thr ChsruiS father secures
the release his son. but Na0 l. sentenced 10 Danish
meut from France. Here the stories dyerse IN tho
novel NdHOn goes America an dS GIter goes win
her There she dies the desert after having purged
herself ofsn by marvellous devotion TO the man whose
ardent love had made the cause OF bis rum In tho
opera iano dies in des Gretrs while on the roal
To Hayre where she embark with other conVIcs
under The loss to the ethical element OF Tue
play brought by this chan is serious, though Ne
Ml,senet has oue his beet 10 conceal 1t by the me pas
sion and deep earuestness with which he imoued the
music that accompanies the catastrophe last pr"tcS-
taton OF love lips that held protestations AID
deuas in equal readiness. brief confession OF remoTSo
FOR ruin wrought ami then death from causes whose
ma ture brought 10 the Consciousness Oh TIE o.
servers with anything like adequate power cannot 80
held to work an atonement for the heroine or Ju'ilcl
ton for the boOkmdkcr
Compared with MaHOn the Lady the camclasis sanity
and the u,H,n Of the opera is than the AtHoH
OF the romance The latter with all her frIyOAty and
wicGeluess OF those characters that dsarm weak
human nature 0f the condemnation which justice dc
mauds be pronounced the former has none oI ths
potent charm-a least not the hra2H Of the ioret,o
The heroine is presented TO Us IN two characters
Nclihac and Giles MlnoH every respect unamaOe;
Massrnets MtHOit has about her certain honest III
gcuuousnes, ANA unconscious paihos winch oot's Tor
her our pardon We forgive the singer while we con-
denim tho player Paraoxcs OF TINS kind are not inre-
quent opera; MozArts Do" 0Aario Is heavenly mix
sop
II WI be guessed from what has been said that Mas
scnt has ann ID at character de,ueatiOn in BIS music
lie only attempted IT, he has been extremely sue
cessul. The principal people Of the play ae
all associated with meiodic phrases, WHich
as they multiply and are MAZE to recIr
again aud again acquire symbolic neaihH th't i uA.
mis- taxable IL is u fair GucstIon WHOM composer
mNk use OF tins principle 3t co"''si,'Oh d rIi
which dd not come ~ win i-i,' 'ui We 80
To is EXTREMIST and most logical conclusion by HIu-
whether he does lroul nmo,t dramatic he'essiP'o
because he sees in II cth'ra 90 Sus,,ii a ~ ~ ,
uupgOductWr fancy. The answer Il Ol course 10 nc Ie
In character OF The mcloiies Invented ana the u9
made OF tnrn In both respects NJ Missenct Is entitled
To considerable praise HIS characteristic melodies 70
are suAinEy Smne.'o u' ,,".,strnrv rnon, he
seoSness OF P%rpIse ana systsm Of conSn
ton and transformation his Ingenuity ia t,e manning
OF las orchestra saves the score from tho chai-r ot
iIon0tnny Ramon has melody, two bars long. OF /
qnayers 10 6s tmr, the second ihu mn" no.eS 81
fn and sixth syucopated. which uSherS hcr INTO Tue
drama and ceyerly Publishes the slhp'iy ~ ,h'r
netule: dss yicRr most expressive phrase IN rs
mc which has OF the sOeiun!ty of iatlsln IA ~
LeScdu Is portrayed IN sharply marked bnt merry
rytnuS 10 becomes careless soldier unemOdIi">ScI ~
any uiccty OF honor The first cy step IN the career OK
the lovers kept before lis IN me recurrence o lhes
lee; of tie duet Hich pleasures or Paris are sung
ana when MuiDS tGcno returIs IN he catastrophe IL
a nouruiu coquenca wEIch cannot lait !" ihFrS,
the most indifferent listener Tie gayety OF the INST
of third which plays on the prouenae 81
the Cour5 la Rene has happy expression AMI L
one for the innovation OF which NJ MaSsth-t II
deserves Juuc credit Here. rs throughout thc WoiN
but more OBVIOUSLY the average listener the ground
tone OF the drama gwen Out by the orthestrL Uhdr
al the dialogue and the concerted prcese mo
measures of last century dance music-a M h'et ana
gvottc both beautiful Ia Thought aud most hSeh"nsy
treated with reference to their dramatic purposes no
musical climax reached with the dramatic IN the seems
ot des Grslt'S temptation and fall IN ne second 50 Il"
or the ACT IN which intensity or passionate F'ot -