New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-07
1[TSIC.
I'll TRovAToRE7 IN GERMAN.

III IhON AlOhE' IN OE-INAiANs
few years ago Madame Marches in one OF ths
clever articles which she IS in the habit occasionally
Of contributing TO the sipale fuer die Mlsikalisehs
WIZ of Lcipslc complained that under the new
regime I'm Germany the managers of operahouses no
longer paid attention 10 the old classification Of singers.
but hired prima donna they would a maid Of all
work There is good deal Of truth In the assertion
and good deal of jus tfcaon for the criticism which
the Madame based upon it, from the point Of view oc-
cupied by vocalist one fact,
however Madame Marchesi forgot to mem
ton, and that Is, that under the new system
German singers have been trained to sing great
variety and number of parts, and 10 sing them WE'LL
What singers like Frau Lehman and Frau Morsn-ol-
den accomplish would have been voted an i'm
possibility twenty-five years ago. Dates are elusive
things and we would like to be held TO a too
strict accountability but It must be about that long
that Tristan und Isode' studied for the first
time in Vienna, and after months Of hard work
abandoned because the singers GOuld not commit the
music to memory What revolution has occurred
since them Now scarcely dramatic prima donna
enters upon her novittae in Germany unless she has
all OF Wagncrs operas In her rcpenoy as wei as tbs
operas of the classic and romantic schools of Germany
and fair number Of the current French and Italian
works. Sometimes these latter operas, It must be
confessed arc sung as the singers
were really maids Of all work, but, ON the
Whole something like justice is done all OF thehi
which lie little within the domain Of dramatic WIFI
ing
The production of II Tovaore7 by the German
singers at the Metropolitan Opera House last night
suggested these reflections At first blush nothing
would seem to be moro anomalous than to expect
Verdi's old opera from singels whose thoughts are
occupied most Of the time 10y WaguePs dramas yea
I'll Trovatorep was sung by them with the utmost
seriousness and devotion. Crudii:es there were III
plenty but they not all due TO the singers many
OF Mr. Damrosch's tempt appeared singular III the
rbt Of tradition and the choruses were sung As baby
as ever they were, in the careless Italian days al
the old Academy Of Music But these things counted
as nothing In the balance. \ tremendous auulenco
had gathered tn enjoy The popular otelS anu ehioy
study Of the house during Herr fetOttlS sinslnS
of hi quella pira and after IT disclosed scene az
solutey novel I'm the history OF opera IN SeW-i1
Herr Pertt sang IL with splendid vigor and pfodgai
use Of voice, hurting out the famous high { with
ringing clearness and vigor fairly electrllyhg w
was the note as written, too not the which has so
long stood for II in our old Italian rpresentatons'
Herr PsrOtti needs trans positions he doSent De
Gin to feel at home until he has begun 10 soar among
the leger lines above the staf.) OF course ne Was
recalled over and over again and compelled to repeat
the air which he did with double allowance OF lhe
high c. but all the ume the audience Ws Wen
numbering their applause Le ~ tbe whole ScSns
The standard OF judgment applied was an enuI ns
different one nom thai demandsa ny u Had NJ,
been, The Interpolation OF a ballet IN tle camp socLo
with music by Loeseh9rn ana some T,r non 7. sn
Intrusion. Ii Trovatore' was accepted as a reaAs
ton from the seriousness o. me operas ths1 Aa.o
lection ON Veulis opera, whose merits have me-
Qucntly been set forth In this journal All "ofA
and mo- rlay makes Jack dun boy
The best Individual accomplishment OF the evening
was that Of Frau Moran-Odan whose Azucsna wa,
n thnruuchly dgniiled and highly emouOnahzed
impcr,onation. After her came Herr Porotu Win
two or three fine musical moments like that described,
end Fran schroeder lianftaengl as LeOnora Herr
(;renauer WAS The Count and Herr Muche phenohe-
nally clumsy voiced Fernando.
The admirers of " II nUvatOre' are 20 have plenty
Of opportunities 20 hear H. IL 4 already set down lob
next saturday afternoon and Monday evening