Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-29
MELODY In FRANCE,
Massenet's Esclarmonde at the Thea
ter Chatelet in Paris.
AN AMERICAN GIRLS SUCCESS.
Eighteen Hundred French Vocalists Sing
ing In Unison.
PROMENADE CONCERTS In LONDON
CORRESPONDENTS OF THE prspAroH.l /

'isiteu the opera COmlque. whlcn since
the destruction of its edifce, has been
domiciled at the Theater Chatelet to heal
"Esclarmonde," the latest opera from the
pen OF Massenet.
"Esclarmonde" is more ambitious work
than "Manon," the opera OF Massenet's al
all familiar at home. Its story is heroic
out in the telling of it the ljbretists come
dangerously near imbecility-and M.
Massenet writes valiant music, sustaining
himself well upon the impassioned leyee
ne elects at the outset. The orchestration
OF "Esclarmonde" is its strong point. The
composer piles on the sorority. Splendid
harmonic progressions follow one another
In the climaxes, revealing a mastery
ease OF treatment with verv little repetition.
Inc delicate touches OF the composer OF the
Scenes Pictoresques" are not lacking in
the new work, though its sturdy trend
makes them more episode than primary.
Melodically, "Esclarmonde" is interest
Ing. note q lovely ballad for alto as an
available excerpt for concert singers look
Ing tor something new. The music OF the
title part shows evidence OF having been
fashioned to display particular talent
though in only one scene is the feature un-
duly emphasized. The opera furnishes a
| splendid spectacle. / should think iully
SUI people were employed in it. The sta ge
setting was in no way extraordinary, but the
eoStumeswere very gorgeous. The maneuvers
performed by the chorus and supernumef-
aries, though they did not make. me forget
Die Meistersinger" at Bavreuth, were in
diligently conducted. Compared with
Gounod's taste ul but lazy music to Romeo
and Juliet" this brilliant, difficult and
modern score by Massenet is infinitely su-
perior. The large orchestra at this per-
formance played finely. 1t is a band Of su-
perior wood and brass, the strings are good,
but they lack homogenety; compared with
the orchestra ut the Grand Opera this stands
first. In the cast of leading performers was
very neat alto singer, and an earnest tenor
with resonant voice and an
IMPAssIoNED STYLE OF ACTING.
Miss Sybil Sanderson, whom Massenet
had in mind when composing the opera, and
who alone has sung the title role, is stout
young woman with D. Murska voice. She
already has acquired something of wiggle
polite term Tor vibrato-yet the natural
quality OF the organ, once upon a time,
nomeDally high voice, and her higher and
highest notes are easily produced and sound
musical. But this has been gained at
sacrifice of medium and lower tones, which,
while they do not lack power, are unvital.
Yet Miss Sanderson's mezzo voce is quite
charming. The defects in her method and
her uneven scale are apparent when the
dramatic situation becomes urgent, how she
forces the toue and It's character is
sacrificed. The musical similarity between
the part OF EsclarDloRde and that of Ldkine
in Delibes' opera of that name is apparent;
both composers fashioned title part for the
same sort of soprano voice, both wrote set
scenes to emphasize that which was phe-
nomenal in the voice, Delibes, think, with
the most success. Miss Sanderson is an apt
pupil in the ways of the actor, I am not
prophet enough to say that she will ever
venture along original lines. Here, as at
the Grand Opera, the American singer was
frequently applauded.
Last Sunday afternoon hied me to the
grand hall of the Trocadero Palace to hear
a concert by 1.8O0 singers, gathered from all
France the concert being one of the series
planned by the Exposition committees. The
hall, which will seat about 1000, is circular
in shape, handsome, but acoustically poor.
The directors on this occasion were NJ.
Vianese and Nj. Paulus, who Americans
will remember shared in the Peace Jubilee
with his tavorite Garde Republque Band.
NJ. Paulus' hand was feature OF this con.
cert, furnishing background for the chorus
in one or two instances, and playing the
overture to "William Tell" and a solemn
march from Massenet's "Herodiade. The
band is certainly fine one, excelling
in the subtler qualities of express
sion, but our own intrepid Gilmore has
its equal. The selections sung by the
united 1900 Frenchmen were: lie Vim du |
G. ulos," Gounod; "Paix Charmante.
Rameau; chorus of Romans from "Herodi- |
ade, and, OF course, Lag MarseiIlaise."
Divided into groups, each representing a
regular organized choir, they sang: Lies
Marins de Kerm1r," Sainr-Saens; lies
Lansquenets," Delibes; "Les Gardesehassi,"
rom Souge dune Mutt d'Ete, A. Thomas;
'La Karnarinskaia," De Rifle. Here is
very difficult music, some OF which is also |
lovely. The pieces by Thomas and Rameau
will serve ambitious choirs in the States,
and the stirring scene from "Herodiade'
also, only the latter must have the accom-
paniment of an orchestra.
REMARKABLE FOR ENERGY.
United, the singing of the chorus was
more remarkable for energy than anything |
else; the selections were too difficult and the |
choristers too unfamiliar with the conditions |
and with the conductor to make much nos |
sible in the way OF style. But there was a |
good deal OF fallsh in the work of some of |
the separate enors. The quality of accent
is especially marked with these Frenchmen;
1t extends even to their legs. They are |
prompt iellows in the attack, and achieve
some good crescendi and diminuendi The
OF voices, however, was at all |
times feeble. Their tenors lack orce; the
voices seem to be high enough, but they
want substance, then considering numbers.
the BASES made less effect than an equal
number Of American or German singers.
OF course there was plenty OF noise when
the fellows shouted, as they did in the
"Marseillaise." l enjoyed seeing these
Frenchmen sing, they are so animated and
enter so heartily into what they do.
Two days in London were busy ones.
There was no music to hear save one of Mr..
Freeman Thomas promenade concerts at
Covent Garden Theater. The theater of
many memories is big and ordinary; the
boxes do not extend all the way around the
horseshoe, but occupy the end OF the gal
leres near the stage. imagine the place
had recently been cleaned, as the London
press contained comments on some sanitary
mnve of the lessee. The seats in the pit
were removed to lurther promenading and
the stage was replaced by temporary
structure in layers, upon which sat the
orchestra and band, metaphorically ascend
ing into heav'n. The programme an
nounced an orchestra of 15O
and the band of
the Coldstream Guards. There were 80 in
the orchestra and about IA in the band
gnor Arditi conducted. The character OF
the instrumental selections, five of which
we're given with the aid OF the channel
beg pardon-Coldstream band, was Mixed;
Snl,.,als NPnat nnI - ....auda.l L