New-York tribune., 1891-03-01
MUSICAL COMMENT.

The end Of the opera season is approaching. ohy
three weeks more and the mystic veil VIII be drawn
on German opera with its high artistic Ideals ana lor
year the lighter Latin form with its simply sehsuo"'
appeal its superficial passion and its spasmodic pet
neses will occupy the careless interest OF The pubic
What will next season bring forth9 Nobody knows.
Not even Mr. Abbey. He has engaged conductor anu
a dramatic soprano and doubtless has an arrangement
with the brothers De ResZke. "Gle rest Is ellehce.
We must wait. Meanwhile the spirit OF the times Is
manifesng itself and more plainly In appreo"
tl0n, only Of the works performed by the "er'i
company but in the spirit Of the performances Years
ago the Easy Chair Of larpers Monthly Magazine
wrote music criticism for The Tribune 1t was Wh'i
the Italian opera was in its glory in New-York Tine
again since then have the youthful impressions Oh
the Easy Chair" been elOquently echoed III tho'o
graceful and gracious pages which give 1t domlcIIt'
suddenly a new note IS sounded. 1t is in the March
number. The "Easy Chair" contrasts performance
of Pattl-Luca last year with representation OF
Fldelioo this In the former there was no drama
no Lucia, no tragedy. There famous prlIna-
donna singing sole personality no longer faSclla'l5'
The curtain fell the audience waited for 'li0ne, sweet
Home then coolly arose and departed. There was
apparently 10 interest, no real feeling. The singers
had none nor the pImadC nor the orchestra nor
the audience The performance gave an opportunity
for an ovation That all 1t was a ghost, not
living. breathing, palptatlns form. IT, even with
lis chief magician, Italian opera had come to TINS, no
wonder that the star Of its fate had declined
How differently "Fidelio' impressed the Easy
Chair: " Half the opening not over when
the listener was conscious of spirit on the stage ana
in the house which was unmistakable. 1t was that
Of common and sympathetic reverence for the
work Of master and for mastcr-work,
the consciousness of that refined delight which
comes from the nObe,t forms Of art. Tie
singers plainly resolved not so much to be 40
plaudcd that the great work should be worthily per
formed. They had evidently pride in aiding such
result and the attitude Of the audience one OF tho
same serious respect. The silence of rapt attention
most impressive. and when some Of the box com
pany ustlng in at late hour, and, not yet fully
cmanclpated from the ftlc gIlch and mines
and rude frontiers in which probably the family money
made. began the usual chatcrng and cgglng, the
sudden and Indignant hiss which instinctyey arose
promptly slcnccd thcm.'
Mr.. Curtis then goes into a disqu,ition the man.
OF the Doors who chatter and laugh in the boxes,
aud, taking the instance Of FidelO," denies their right
to determine what shall be performed at the opera.
Iut lie not llng keep away from his artistic sub
cct d" II interesting 10 observe bOth the audience
and the orchestra during the performance OF the third
to "Leonora.n which Iceccded the third act
Mr. sedl. who admirable operate conductor, was
peculiarly happy in directing this performance, and the
precision Of the orchestra Admirable, the grdda
tlol ana HHhHlB ol Houu II VIC MAY uotIp" pIA4ho7
from a kindred art. delicate, the forte strong
aud full and the piano of 50 s0f; and dying fall that
a bcttc performance seemed scarcely possible. The
audience worthy Oft The rapt attention revealed
thorough comprehension Of the fact that it was listen
Ink 20 great music. master-work of human genius OF
IT, hiud.'
Mr. Curtis IS veteran opera goer and muslcover
and good witness. Doubtless II would puzzle him 10
tell why the wheels Of rcogress in music should be
tloA Nat Dfff
owe him a Of thanks fr his timely article, for
Fdco' * to be rcreatcd for their benefit next Tues
day evening. The principals and Mr. Sedl have volun-
cccd their services. and the aaic should be bumper
Though the last two weeks Of the opera are to be
devoted exclusively to Wagner. two OF his works may
be heard this week Tannhaeuser' Monday even
INK and Dlc Waucrc' on saturday afternoon. on
Wednesday Carmen Will be repeated. and Friday
Tho Barber OF Basdad7 and the ballet Dresden
China
Two Of Mr. Krehbcrs lectures on the Wagnerian
drama viii be given at the Metropolitan opera House
Assembly Rooms this week. ON Tuesday afternoon lie
will discuss nr,fal.7 and Thursday the prologue
to the NlbcunG tragedy. The lecture 4" Parsta' Is
new and it, character may be guessed at from tho
following syllabus Of it. contents:
How ought a study Of the drama to be undertaken
Thcmatc catalogues dramatic and ethical prin
cplc and their symbolhaton in the music. The story
Of Waguer's drama. Relics Of primitive Aryan
possession. Yon Hahns formula tested. Percival
and Scgfrcd Celtic fob-tales blended with Christian
legends and religious symbolsms. PersonageS and
apparatus Of the drama. The Grat Fool Tale and the
Grail Quest. Kuudry and her prototypes. Wagner's
chief variation from the old tales. Klincsor and
medieval magic The bc,pcled Castle and the Temple
of the Holy Grail Gencsi, Of the Grail and its
musical symbol. Tho sacred lance. The Prelude, the
Alteration Of the Grail and the Lords supper. Tho
Trans formation music. Good Friday. 'Tcnebrac
flctac sunt' Tho gloom of tho church and the bloom
Ing meadow in Wagner's drama. Ethics of the drama.
Mcdacval seX.rclations. Wolfram Won Eschenbach'S
ideal conrasted with Wagner's.'
Miss Lena Littlc and Signor Campanini will sing at
Mr. Thomass eighteenth concert at the LenoX Lyccum
hl, evening" tho latter for the last time. There Will
also BE- an Instrumental performer I'm the person Of Miss
Theresa lIeilner. pianist Miss Little will sing che
faro from Chicks "ogphcus" and songs by Scccn
ala Brahms; Slgnor Campaninrs selection is Bcethov
en-, Adelaide and Miss llcllner Will play Grleg's
lovely concerto. Among the orchestral pieces Is
Rudolph ArOusou's Martha Washington GaVOtte.'
The last Of Mr. Max Spi,kcr's orchestral concerts
in brooklyn will take place In tho Academy OF Music
on Tuesday evening when the following extremely in
terc-ting programme will be performed:
Synlhony 80; sehum2n9
''"'S"'''" MIR. Franz Rummei. n.,,...'N
a Namo"99l SchcsttGcd ,'.G% by Ml spcIcr
b. Trumpha Procession -.-.-.....-..... Max Spcker
i''"o '"' Mr.. Fran, Rummol n.
Overture "Leonorc No. Y'................ Beethoven
Miss Lena Little will give song recital in Chick
cring Hall on Tuesday afternoon beginning at
O'Clock She will have the help Of Mr.. Lambert at
the panoforte and will sing songs by Schumann.
Schubert, Brahms, wagner D'Albcrt, Grleg, secch,
LuzL and GOunOd.
The tenth and last of Mr. seidrs concerts in Brook
lyn is set down for Thursday evening of this week.
The concerts have been remarkably successful from
financial as well artistic point of view. and tho
last, at which Frau Miclkc and Herr Gudehus will
assist will httingly crown the seasons work.
Frau Ritter. Goetzc will sing aria from the Mar
rage Of Figaro,' and by Franz and Jensen at
+bo 6fth roncprt of the Philharmonic Society On Sar