Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-07
Musical Gossip From Paris.

Another chatty resume of Partisan musica
news written by Mr., William David Holmes,
to the editor of this department, is presented
this Misunderstanding off with the customary
objurgation of the intelligent com positor's
work on its predecessor:
What an awful mess of names you printers
made. Why, Oh, why Beztt? And if poor
Talazac had only as much as feet s inches to
bless himself with! He must content himself
with at least inches less and then undergo the
humiliation of Samson being looked down
upon by rather mature Dalila who irresistibly
reminds one of hatisha and Lady Jane to-
Eether. l attended the third performance of
the opera Samson and Dalila'' towards the
close Of last month and was both pleased and
disappointed. Probably you know some of the
music, such as the love duo of the second act,
the dance of the Priestesses of Dagon, the
Dacchanale, with its lovely second movement
and the finale.
Wen, the orchestra was superb and [ never
caught II tripping once and the chorus
gooq as nave ever heard. 1t seems to strike
the ParlsIans as something remarkable to hear
good chorus. The ones at the Opera and the
opera Gomlque are not noted for their preci-
sion. This particular chorus sang as if il
rather enjoyed it than otherwise. 1t had quite
fresh ring about it which was grateful TO me
after the usual opera sort. As far as beauty
was concerned-well. we will let that alone If
you have seen the Colonel's houris in the old
days at the Academy in New York. you know
my raptures. The costumes were indeed very
those three girls In tights who stood down by
the tootllghts, am faint still. One in blue
might have posed as the holy blonde elephant
and another as the sacred COW, while No.
could have acted as the small terrier who 'Wor-
ried the COW who" etc.
Poor little Ialazac; he did look SO absurd as
Samson Naturally stout, he had on some sort
OF an impossible, though possibly correct suit
apparently leather, his own short beard and
musJache. and wore long, flowing riaglets. He
is not pretty man at his best and here he was
at his very worst Then DaLiLd appeared.
Mile. Bloch used to sing at the opera some
years ago and has a very peculiar mezzo voice
which has some pleasing notes in it but is de-
cidedly passe. She is large woman and looks
the part to perfection and acts well But Sam
son was overshadowed, and in the love scene
fancied could detect a gentle smile among the
audience. Ialazac is quite famous here.
and be sings with great expression. He is yery
popular. But then you remember Mark
Twan's German tenor. fancy some of the
French have had the same feeling
That reminds me th3G that ANTIQUE Lothario
Capoul, is said to be going to sing in opera here
this winter. SlgnOr Dami, an ancien chef d. or
cheStra, told me last spring that the opera was
by friend of his tDamrsl. l have suspicion
that il is by a very dear friend-himself If so
it will be very melodious, though how original
in motive is hard to say.
la Jolie File de PERTH" one of Bizet,s
operas, is the other piece at the LyrIque alter
mating with samson 1t is hardly success
owing partly TO the principals not being quite
up to the mark.
One of the best voices in Samson" is jacques
Bouhv who was for some time connected with
Mrs. ThurbeT's conservatory. His voice is very
sweet and handled admirably. Some wears apo
he sang at the Opera. Just why he left there /
do not know, except that it is said his voice
was hardly powerful enough. He is teaching
singing here in Paris. Two of his American
pupils, MI. and Mrs. Royal S. Smith (nee Blau-