New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-25
OPENING OF THE ITALIAN OPERA SEASON

OPENING OF THE ITALIAN OPERA StaSO-''
An hour and half after the first performance OF
the Italian opera season at the Metropolitan opera
House had been begun last night the enterprise ia" put
On fair exterior and feeling OF sa'slac''on was
crowdnc ont the disappointment occasoned by the hrst
hour That hour was most distressful one ana was
made doubly grievous by the renecuoh u"V '"o 'o''
earnest endcavor of the greatest hNl'e
Italian composer seemed doomed 10 t"o-
fold failurc-a failure in performance and IN ap-
preciation The audience was not numerous "heh
the curtain went up on the first act OF "oteio nor
was il marked by brlancy of appearance or social
distinction For this there seemed to be hlue
compensation in the circumstance mat the ac' was
wretchedly performed; the fewer the number oil per
sons who witnessed and heard it the smaller was inc
sum Of disappointment and consequently also 'ic
sum of unjust criticism of the composer
"Otellor is a creation whose significance seems
far beyond the comprehension OF many OF
rose concerned in the performance hs' N's''''
on the other hand. IT may also be salo 'hal II -
creation whose significance was never revealed nero
until last night far as that revelation oouio DO
made by the representation of the utuar roic' JUST
as far as the work of the stage manager chorus ana
orchestra fell below the ideal set by the poet ana com
poser in all the ensembles and especially III l''c hiSV
act tust so far did sienor Tauasno's performance
eurpass all previous efforts at Interpreting inc part
here and differ from the old conceptions OF the prov
nce In which an Italian operate tcnors duties lie.
II was during the woful FIRST hour that the conventional
STYLE OF criticism occupied itself with this truly great
artist The fact that his voice is not particularly
agreeable In quality and not always true IN Nh thaI
IL lacks breadth occasionally sounds constrained III
the medium register and nasal IN the upper Wa
forced upon the attention persistently that the
udicous were disilclined TO forget their dsappont
ment in consideration OF its magnificent power. Later
all disposition TO hold the field Of such technical
criticism yielded 10 admiration OF the wohd'fluiN
effective manner in which the singer devoted MS
powers 10 exemplifyins the composers purposes III
writing the music. Then the attention was rNeted
by the truthful and vire defamation OF the ar's'
the cearness and expressivenesc of his enuncation
the splendor Of his demonstration of the capacity OF
music 10 raise the emotional Of dramatic text 1" 1t
higher power Then it was made manfes; thar 9i5
nor Tamagnos artistic stature is commensurate IN al
respects with his ply steal stature and his great i'e
His Otelo is operate marionete, 1t j. terrluS
real and fearful tragic character, dramatic hsuTe
worthy of being placed by the side II >alvins, when
it resembles IN its external manifestations. IL grows
with the tragedy, and when the CLIMAX j. Ie',"eu
where the dissolution Of noble manhood d's'4o'c'
itself in brutality of behavior The effect l. amcsi a.
intense as that of the dreadful catastrophe. More
can not be said After performance IKE ''''S
there can be no question why Verdi chose IamA7ho
a. the frs representative OF his hero. lie heeoe"
dramatic SINGER tenor who copd put the conven-
tonates Of the operate stage aS far behnd nm IN
tle performance as he had put the convcntionalte>
Of operate Writing behind him IN the work Of com
POSITION. Tie grandeur OF both achievements de-
corvrs .f'i.l rr!~c thar il l. likely To receive iiOO
those VIII, think that scnsuOus pleasure l. the be-al
and end all ti Italian opera.
But other things demand hurried phrase or two.
a fragrant tribute Of praise must he given 70 Mad
anne Alban for much lovely singing ln IN" part Of
DesdemOna. an encOmum none the les hearty be
cause it is necessarily brief be spoken OF >Snor Del
Puene's Iago. respectful mention bee mtdc Of slgnor
Castclmarv's LodoVicO and Nine -Nnncih cr-s lmilld
the record completed by.nOtng that SgiOi Pcru-ihi
was the Cassie OF the occasion, and nnal cuhdcn-
nation be pronounced the chorus and the manner
in which Nerds efforts TO suit his music - az IOhS
and stage pictures were ignored. The company ma,
set itself no nODlcr aim than the Production OF
OtcO~: II is pity that conductor and si"rc man
ager should moi be able. or If able, then Wiling 20
present il a lyric drama
The audience was charS Of applause, riouZh PLAINLY
disposed to bcstOw il generously early IN the even
ing but after the splendid crcsccndO began IN the sec
ond act there was a steady growth in enthusiasts.