New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-15
GOLDMARK'S "MERLIN.n
THE NEW OPERA FOR THE METROPOLITAN
THE SCORE CoMPLBTKD-PROMfsEs or A BRILiIANY
aPECrACLE-sKgTCH OF THE WORK.


THE SCORE CoMPLETKD-PROMfsEs or BRILLIANY
DISQUALIFICATION or THE WORK.
frRox STAT. CORRESPONDENT OF The rRrBUNEl
| BERLIN August 81.
Carl Goldmark, whose newest opera, entitled
a Merln.r will be the chief operatio novelty OF
the coming se,son In Now York. Vienna and Berlin
has been spending ,the summer at Gmunden The
score of his opera received its final revision at his
hands only two or three weks ago. and at Vienna
whore IL il to receive its rst representation (unes
American energy and enterprise achieve that honor
for New-York, which IL not unlikely, the prepara-
tons for its production have begun. Stage Mana
sger Van He'll went from the festival at Bayreuth
to Gmunden to consult with tho composer touch
ing the mounting of the opera, and purposei thea
to visit Vienna to obtain models and measure
ments for the Metropolitan stage in New-York I
have been privileged to glance through the book
of the opera here and sm thus enabled to give the
New-Y York public foretaste of the pleasure that
believe to be in store for them. Concerning tAs
music unfortunately. am unable to cay ans thing.
as IL was impossible for obtain possession Of
tho score. am assured, however. that 1t IL fully
equal, IL not superior. to that of The Queen Of
Sheba," which met with % much favor last season
in New York and tho couscienttousness with which
the composer has worked can be read in the fact
that composer who 10 by no means deficient in
fancy or industry permitted dozen years to elapss
between his first opera, whicrachieved phenoms-
nal success wherever it given, and his second.
I have no doubt but ttat Herr GoIdmark composed
the music of Merlin under the strong cow ctioa
that he was putting the keystone In the arch of his
artistic reputation. and since ne had really in
spIriting book. he has in all probability accom-
plIshed work which will repeat the triumphs OF
. The Queen of Shebs,' and ix his reputation az
one of the few successful operatic composers OF
the present generation.
| Students of the Artburian legends will have 10
difficulty in recognizing the hero Of the Now opera
Merlin is the knightly magician who. In ono Of the
| oldest French poems that deal witt the adventures
of King Arthur and his Knights. helped the father
Of Arthur to his throne and caused the institution
of the Round Table in imitation of the table around
which the knights of the Holy Grail were wont to
assemble for their mystic worship He plays an
important part in the life of Arthur veil - in
That of his father Uterpandragon. and is excel
| lenty well adapted to be the hero in q drama in
which music, magic and might are prominent
features for he Is at once bard, seer magician and
soldier One incident in his life as told in the
twelfth century poem of Robert de Boron, Gold
marks librettst. Siegfried Lipner unless / am
mista zen librarian in Bern, seems to have trans
ferred from the story of Uterpandragon to that OF
| Arthur, bat that is poetcal license about which
no one is likely to quarrel with him. The inhu-
ence of Wagners Parsifal" on the book Is unmIs-
taxable, but Merlin" is in sense music
drama I'D the modern form. but far the libret
| lists work permits one to judge, an opera fash
toned over the last of Scribe and Meyerbeer.
The characters are King Arthar. his Queen,
| Guinerere (who, however. is only lay fgure), his
nephew MOdred, Gawein, LauacelOt and Merlin like
| MOdred Knights OF the Round Table,, ViUiane Ia
| sort of Diana who out of sorrow for the death OF
| her father lives in the forest with q retinue OK
maids and entertains herself with the chase)s
| Bedcw a Knight. Gleado'ce, guardian of the
CASTLE the fay Morgane, Demon representative Of
she evil principle in the drama and a generous ale
lowance of cboristers and dancers In the guse OF
Knights, warriors, maidens. women and earth, air
and water spirits. The play opens with scene
near Artkur's castle, which lies in the background
| to the LETT. IL front of the main gate extends
terrace. below which amidst the foliage is pitched
a richly decorated tent. It is early dawn.
Glendo,cer is aroused by Launoeot who brings It'd.
ings of the fact that through the treachery of an
! unknown knight the followers OF h,ng arthur had
| been taken in the rear by the heather Sax0Ds to
whom they n ere q vIng battle. and that the fight
would be lost unless Merlin came to the Kings aid
The magician Is called His prophetic eye mad
seen the state of affairs and he does not wait
| LauneeIofs report. He summons the Demon, who
round the Saxons with clouds and darkness, strike
| them with blindness and mslead them with
treacherous will-o-the wisps. The Demon ha tes
the Christians but the power of Merlin whO is the
| son OF an incubus) is supreme and be dares not
refuse Merlin punges into the battle, tho Lemon
performs incarnation, msts aud clouds and
fretes unite battle against the Saxons, and
victory rests with the Christie ns But the Demon 10
eDraged. and calls M0rqane to tell him how Mer-
| the midst of hot fountain. surrounded with
clouds of glowing steam that shed rosy glow over
the stage. She is clad in scarlet, wears q dIadem,
and green veil covers her from head to foot. She
informs the Demon that Neriin's power will begin
to waDe when his harp refuses to answer to his
touch. and that this catastrophe will follow bis
sacrifice of duty to the sweets OF love. The Demon
shouts geefully in anticipation of his victory. and
goes in search Of a whose charms will
prove greater than Mertn's virtue. The followers
of 44rtkw return singing the praises of their
rescuer. Merlin IS brought forward to receive the
thanks of King aud people, His eye falls on Bedcyr
and he accuses him Of having betrayed the King
to his enemies. Bedpyr denies the alton AID
draws his sword against his accuser. but sooner
do his eyes meet those of Merlin than he let's fall
his sword and confesses his guilt Mertig grssps
his harp and begins cong in praise of the hiHg IN
which bards knights and people join. Ii is inter
rupted by the entrance of the wild hrrfress
Tirane, who, in hot pursuit of a deer. swinging her
bow and arrows. singing a merry hunting sors the
while comes dashlng into the midst of the gronp.
She stops fascinated mysteriously by the sight OF
Merlin Her beauty IS ravishiDg. and the higg ccm-
mands that she shall place the victors wreath
upon Meriin's brow. Merltn has been az strongly
attracted toward her she toward him, but ne -
stricken with strange ,ear and refuses u receive
the wreath from her hands. struggle begins
within him and be reaches for his harp and at
tempts to Quiet ny continuing the song of praise
lie plucks at the strings In vain they refuse lim
utterance, But he steels his heart against heI
seductions, and Viridne finally IN rage tears the
wreath to pieces and throws the wreck at his feet.
arthur crowns the magician with tie wreath which
ne takes iiOm lis own head, and taxing him hy che
hand leads him into the castle V,rdne hes