New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-06
4" ASCANIO.'
ANT sAENS'S NEW oPERA-iilS FLIGHT
FROM PARIS.

W Saint Sacns and the hhrel'o ny VI ""I'e''
horro,ycd from W. Paul Meurices drama oil
.pervenuto Ccllini." which was an an'p'aalo"
- tho older Dumas's novel OF Ascahio' Inc
s..n,o had = treat run at tho Porte SAINT Martini
a.here Nclnoue modelled sta'"e''e OH 'lc S'"Sc'
=. ;s hard to follow the hbre''o' or iho"o' l"
understand if well. unless one KNOWS oo'h 'he
novel and It's adaptation
ponvenuto Cellni. one OF INC great aius'S
ubon Francis brought from l''iN anu lo'uc"
VIM" ,-'. lives IN Paris. and not alone His
o,ir ooononion is Scozzone. also an ltalian. whose
'"'' ,nr him is ardent and GemonstratiVr. His
f'S+ nrnil Ascanio. whom he took into his
s,d,l because he was poor and whom he en-
e'"''D ;,l artisiic genius. is treated by him
For the misfortune OF all. the Duchess
.,,.a,oos the inamorata of Francis !. visits the
,,;n falls in love with Ascanio. and writes TO
-. ., meet her by moonlight in some Royal
,o The letter falling into Bcnvenuto's
lnds 10 decides 10 60 himself to her rendezvous
.d IN mohibit the Duchess from thus Turing
his nup to his ruin She is furious at this
;,,,,,sion. and in order to he avenged gets King
Francis 10 dismiss the great artist from his place
NJ silversnith 10 the court Her passion Is made
kccncr by her discovery that the heart of Ascanio
is taken by Colombo d'Estourvillc daughter
of the Provost % Paris. who is n hcnchman OF
tie Duchess. The young girl returns the love
NJ which she is tire Chicct. Things are complicated
bv Benvcnuto seeing her from his studio, and
Heng carried away by her artle>s graces. inno-
cent air and maidcnly loneliness. She often
comes on the balcony. and he avais himself
thereof to model statucttc in Colcmbe's image
Scozzone discovers this. storms. and vows ven
geancc and falls in with the Duchess dStampeso
Together they concoct a plan to Get Colombo
on hy the Duchess orders the marriage
But Benvcnnto determines to have the ProvostS
daughter carried of to a place Of safety. under
the protection of Queen Clardc at the Jrsullne
Convent. To disarm suspicion. he places her in
a rciquary which lie made for the nuns. No
body could guess that il contained Colombo. 1.-The
sfrataeem must succeed ." cries tie goldsmith. In
fortunately. however. Paealo. an inattentivc and
tfaitorous pupil. Knows of the conceamcnt and
tells the Duchess Thercupon tn, latter and Scoz-
zone again put their heads together They decide
10 act tie reliquary taken to TIC palace of the
former on it's way 10 the nunncrv, and to keep
~ for several DAYS For the young girls mis-
fortune. .iie box in which she lies hidden shuts
with a spring. and cannot be opened from the IN
side. IT had been planned that she was to die of
hunger. Bat Scczzone. though ho;-headed. Is
cood-hcar;ed. and relents. She has been carried
away with admirltior AZ the magnanmitv Of the
goldsmith in sacrificing his own happiness II that
Of Ascanio and slips instead of the girl into the
rriquary. whilst The latter. dressed as Scozzone,
fcll9ws il without being recognized. She reaches
tie convent in safety. while the Italian woman is
az tie Duchess
on the third day that evil parsonage opens the
rcliQu.ry. and places her hand on one that IS cold
as stone Her rival is dead. and killed by Madame
d'E-au.pcs.
Henvennto IS restored 10 the Kings favor. which
ic wins bg casting in three DAYS. in gold.
arandiosc Jupiter which Francis ! wanted for a
table ornament. The arts; asks the hand of
Madenoisellc d Es,ourville for his favoritc pupil
end the King accords it. but considers it ncccs-
s,rv 10 10 through the formaltv Of asking the
Duchess 10 consent. She. believing Colombo
dead has TO objection. AS size says so. the fair
voing being comes in. the picture Of health and
happiness. and rushes into the arms Of Ascanio
Terrified. the Duchess order, The reliquary 10 be
opened and the body OF Scozzonc is brought TO
lsht
Tic whole &c; of the reliquary is obscure and
pulling. and the stage accessories are too poor
10 afford compensation for want Of interest
The scene is more cccant than dramatic. Nothing
in il takes hold Of the memory. Every one says
How refined: how cultivated: what exquisite
taste. But they avow fatigue because it is 50
hard 10 follow. There is no strength Of wing
and the sense OF melody is wanting. Gounod at
& rehearsal called it "Music for an ar.tocsaIi;
house. by which perhaps he meant that il would
suit persons having nice. cold varnsh Oh cen
tiity Ii is wanting in originality and emo
ton. Bat the orchesiraton is that OF q master
perfect in his art. ". Saint Saens. who usually
follows the methods Of the new school in avoid
preston. introduces frequently motifs meodiques
In the part Of Benvenuto there are some mclodous
Passages. which are almost perfect in their way
Some choral parts have an Italian ring lie
seeks not 10 offend the ears Of those who are
true TO The old school OF operate music.
The publishers Of pianoforte music will find
a good deal in Ascano7 10 suit them. In the first
act there is telling lyrical dialogue between
Bcnvcnu'o and Ascanio, in which the former speaks
Of MS devotion 10 art IN the second act there
is a charming scene and almost delicious music
An OLD hcgear blesses the pair Of billing and
Ing lovers, Colombo and AscaniO. \ gay. ami
mated scene is that Of the taking of the Tour dc
Nesle by BcnvenutOs pupils with a crowd Of
Parsians Of the sixteenth century behind them
Francis had given that royal residence 10 his
goldsmith, but the Governor. in obedience 10 the
Duchess refuses TO let him enter into possession
ldsht ana trihng music expresses the feeling Of
the crowd. The song Of la Scozzonc is an adapta-
uon OF sixteenth century ballad. The ballad,
without accompaniment, Of Colombo jss n gem
'ocaiisis hencciorth will have no excuse for being
unable TO sing unaccompanied Then there is a
noole scene filed with lyrical defamation between
fchVenuto and Ascano. In the fourth act one is
thrilled by the scene between Bcnvcnuto, Scoz-
zone, Ascano and Colombo, in which Benvenuto
determines TO bury his love for Colombo in his
heart forever and be magnanimous
And The ballet? Here W. Saint Sacns is AT his
ocs' The orchestra has only to deal with ,aintilv
eapncious and inseniously composed music. Il is
IKE an echo of what was current in the sixteenth
century. There are passages that would suit the
'o"euS scenes IN the Merchant of Vcncc" The /
s'"9ec' OF TIE ballet is II icte given by Francis !
l" 'haTlcs ' In his gardens Of Fontaincblcan. OF |
course an aIleeory is brought in. The nymph Of
me garden has invited Dim, Ni,orva Iu,o