New-York tribune., 1890-01-04
MUSIC.
.THE BARBER OF BAGDAD.r

comic Cpe,a. which fiat failure IN one OF the
intellectual capitals Of Europe les than generation
ago. was success its first performance IN New-
York. Yet It IL not music for the frivolous nor
play t0r those who think that comedies arc only mads
f. grill at and it was performed under many dlsad-
vantagcs. chiciest OF which was the Illness OF MT
soid who had prepared 1t with great care and devo-
o vet had 10 place the baton for tho first representa-
tion In The hands Ot Mr. Damrosch. tnder inc cif-
cumstance, w. Damrosch IS 70 be congratulated !"
Is no small matter 10 conduct Work :" dllhcnt as
this opera ana though one ensemble came near sui.
terine shipwrecl ard there were many instances "
disagreement between the singers and the orchestra.
Mf Damrosch deserves words Of praise ana gratitude
for making the performance possible feeling OF
Gratitude NAV well be spoken Of In connection with
rer.eSeDtaton Ike that under discussion. "Ihe
Barber Of BaedaI" IS work whose pfVuuc"'" uoe.
honor 20 the Metropolitan managemeh'' anu "
Mr. Damiosch Is to be thanked iof ha'l"s
spared the public the disappointment of ahoe' P'9'
uonmeut Ny. scdl and Nc. stanton ought 70 reoo''
a tv0foI measure OF thanks for having put INC ope'
on the local list Il is superb work. fresh az the
morning brilliant rs jewel, and might furnish texts
for a sermon running up 70 fortcthly' Every de
partment Of the establishment covered Itself Win
glory In bringing it out
For those who are willing 20 permit ceverness Of
daiogue aad BE- gcn.ous and refined musical wit ana
lumor q make mp FOR poverty IN action, TIE
Barber Of Iop1t1n is most fascinating musca
comedy. comic opera ~ the best sense OF tic tern"
T.. horizon D. not WIDE q feelnes arc not deep, bi
TO every respect the expression D. 3" appo'Ne ah'
.f,coro the Characterization - Ingenious aud truth
I'M that 10 one whose taste, rise above the common
place &, likely 70 find h., interest tagging. After All
" ,hc constituents Of an opera. action, az least that
form " il commonly called incident, is most easily
spared. Progress in fecling development OF the
emotional element. 5 indeed essential 70 variety OF
musical taraucc buf nevertheless all great operas have
demonstrated that music Is more potent and eloquent
when procaiming an emotional state than while seek
ipg 20 depict progress toward such state Even IN
the dramas of Wagner the eliminating musical mo-
mcnt, are prcdomiuantly lyrical. witness the love
duct In Tristan thc C,o>e Of " Das Rhcincold,'
-e,nund's song. the love duet and Wotans farewell
IN De Walucrc.7 the forest scene and final duet in
"~crfied" and the death of >iegtred I'm Die Goetter
daenimewng7 II !, in the nature Of music that TINS
should be 30. For the drama which plays on the
stage Of the heart music is a truthful language
than speech, bat 1t stimulate movement and
prepare the mind for an incident better than II can
accompany movement and incident. But
nu,e that has high degree Of
emotional expre,sivcness by divcrtng attention from
cxternals % the play Of passion within the breasts u
The persons. can sometime, make Us forget tho
pauc.ty Of incident in play. Tristan und Isolde'
is case in point. Practically Ito outward action is
summed mp in each Of its three acts By the same
words Preparation FOR meeting Of the iI-'tarred
lovers: the meeting. What is outside OF this Is mere
detail. Vet the effect 81 the tragedy upon the listener
j.. that Of a play -urcharled with pregnant occur.
renee. II is the subtle alchemy II music that trans
forms the psychological action Of the tragedy into
dramatic incident
on les significant scale this happens, too, in
"Thc Barber of BagdaG.7 There IS the touch Of na-
ure in the character II the chief parsonage Of the
comedy, which brags him within the range Of uni
vcrSal and contemporary Interest Tie loquacous
interncddlcr and good nltuled clarlatan, OF which
the Barber I'm the Arabian Nights is the peerless pro-
toypc individual who has lived in All ages and
an lands. Ie is made for comedy. and Cornelius
has presented him in book and score. Dee really de-
serves to be hung on ths line iu tAe picture -aicry
of operate characters. 80 cap.tay &, be- drawn hat
though DE occupies haf an act in preparing to -haya
and to other half in shaving the loves
Of the play, he fl,cinit"s the attention every
moment OF the time. The little character d".lroaton
by Of local color which Cornelius ha, indulrcd IN
fan, to A, lot. TIE phrase with whit Do the oycrturs
opens. and which is repeated whenever t'e name ot
Abul Ha--an MI Enc Becir j. mentioned. ha, ths
utcrvalH peculTr'tv - q -uprrlous second touch
OF Oreutal.-m which is am the more striking fom
the fact that II /, Isolated. u j. significant that
Cornelius uses this phase only m connection WITH
the Hame, and always 10 produce scr.o comic effect.
lie doe, not label the Barber wiih IT, ard compel the
orchestra To announce his entrance like fpotman
usher It stands, not Tor him but for his capacouS
name As happily his name is Bit OF by this
phrase moreover. B, the character Of the barber
ht OF by an tire music that he sings.
An example Of the Ingenious garrultv
of AIul Ha,-an was printed IN thi, journal days
ago. That specimen ot prc-Giihcrtan chatter is
caract tclI-tc o greater part of the book which is
markabe the number and cleveuess Of it, verbal
PLAYS and eNemplhcition, Of rhythmical glibness.
Bo~taua. the oonhdartc Of Margana and 20 between
OF the lovers j, the female pendant OF tie Barber and
IS accompanied by 90 deal OF dry ,achnns from the
f.ft nf tba
orchestral effect, in Die Nei,ter,ncer.7 and most
humorou>ly Illustrative of the character. The C4di
is drawn with tow bold lines. and sympathy Is
awakened and held for the lovers, though they behave
with the huguI>hns seutimontality Of all Of their
,b", hy the siren 9Th. originality and unconyention-
allty Of the music which they sing lcre particularly.
though 10 IS true OF all the music i'm The score 1t Is
that the appropriateness OF Lists remark Illus.
tratcd when. IN writing 10 Wagner .l the fan Of
1-5-. hc characterized the music # the opera
moving with remarkable self possession I'm the ari-to.
craft, region, Of art The duet Of the lover, eX-
qui~itay beautiful and create, the impression Of
tire novelty. Yet 10 seems impossible t. point ous
wherein that novelty lies. IL /, the product
of niad fertile enough m invention -
get al.u: Viibout once descending from the plane ~
hieltcla-s mU~c-muS.c which has special charm
those capable Of apprccntns the subtlctics and
refinement, If the harm0nics and orchestral elects
p.,uI.r to the new romantic school of composers
A.uch Of The AImor OF the opera lic, such refine
urui. aud tins one obstacle in the way OF iJs en-
us,-t3-tIc appreciation hy tho multitude. There
win ie no difficulty m recognizing ard cu.oyiug ~
m"odc beauty and animation. and even the
.tu.u,ors ru>cmbl, i'm the second act l,rcond sccne
l~ presented last ul-hu, which rDse rc,onditc
and ,urior, than beautiful VIII doubtc,, achieve 1t.
intended effect Of a unsteady orderly ubbuh ta, all
ni.-i,I luhbHbs must be-. when l,s colossal din
cattle, have been vuqulNhed by the Cilori,triS. bat
AFTER an tn, there Will remain mGliidc ot beauties
taat vll escape the notice OF all except those Wits
trained muSlcal faculties. HcaUucs OF tins natWs
humorous orchestral pictures Abul la~,ans
brothers as he cnmnertcs them. aud their ulit, Of
'uauctcr-the "tigbclliri HakMr,h7 dram, aud
contra ba>,ooni echaAAabIN. tie a>thmauc' unuted
horn,l. etc.-,ud the change %, harmony every TINE