New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-12
A MUSICAL REVOLUTION.
PARIS ACCEPTING WAGNER-PRICESA AT THE
OPERA-DELIBES.

| critics. is now in ecstasies over his "Lohehgrlh,
an act of which was recently given for tie pehenC
of a needy artist. The managers OF the opera
were ast0unded at the immediate success IL oo-
! tanned. and now Wagner is The idol of the hour
As in every case, there is an opposing lacuoi' al
| the head of which is Chauvins, who declares
| il an insult to the Government; but there are
! others who think differently, and these hoeIah'
| assert that France, which has ever been iolenoso
in recognizing genius, should not witlhoiu Asi
opnrovaI of Wagner Her recognition, tardy
| though it be, is proof that the country Is hoV
sufficiently narrow-minded TO scott at merit. III
anv case political hostility has no place in art
which itself has no boundaries, being the leslu-
mate property of the universe.
| Concerning tie question of OPERA the Minister
| of Public Instruction and Fine Arts, presiding
nj n recent meeting, made the following pertinent
| observations The opera, he dccared' HCulIc"
numerous risks, which, if not seriously cohslueIeu,
must result in its future collapse. III Prouuccu
too few works, and presented coh'lhualN i"
rcpcrtofv Of wcll-worn pieces which, auhough
| beautiful were decidedly ancient In addltloh' 10
| afforded no opportunity to composers III was
| On Injustice also to the public. who desire NJ"
| and attractive themes. 1t was monument upon
the Ministry to remedy this state OF ulh4s' "n"
"a comnrebend that a new departure was not only
|
| IF NJ bourgeois were received with applause
Directly following his harangue motion was mauc
for = new scale of prices and general discussion
! orsrod in which Messrs. Ilalanzicr, Camille
| Dorcct Denormandie Rousscl Antonin, fTOus''
| Charles 'Garnier and others took part. III was
| resolved that variety was Indispensable, thaU
o,ora should not limit itself as at present. 10 ,e
nroducng. three or four times month, oil VII
| lam Tell" or La Juive." The committee theh
| discussed the subject of scenery. The Ola rePuIa-
tions required that the director OF the opera
sbould return to the State quantity OF scenery
and costumes equal in number to those ne I'u
| received: also that he might not WiHc 'nc
material allotted for certain piece II th"' piece
| were Withdrawn from the repcrtory' IhH S9S'c"
! is NOW abandoned Under the new bylaws TIE
manager may select whatever accessories he may
deem necessary without specifying their use Tor
| any nortjcplar production. Tie old system stlpu-
Iotcd that fine director should produce only operas
| r rccitativas and one or more of the acts oil
| ballet The new code allows all sorts OF lyric
| dramas and balets except those works reserved
! for the theatre and comic opera
| The ouestion of prices has been the subject OF
| endless argument but is now arranged upon
| NOW basis While formerly the price of every
| scat in the house was regulated by the codc' az
nresent il includes only the lesser places that Is
| the parterre and third and fourth balcony rows
The prices of other seats may be raised al tAe
discretion of the manager. with regard 10 ,"c
| renresentotions. it was decided that the number
should be considerably augmented. Government
| demanded as many as possible. The State actually
| desired six productions n week, and i've at the
| least The opera will have the nght 10 retain
the pupils of the Conservatory Tor longer
roriod than three wears. All these notifications
| have been unanimously adopted b. the committee
which has, besides, announced IT'S intention ~
offer every indictment to native composers IH'
director will be compelled TO produce every year
six new pieccs of French composition, and viii
not require other authority tnan ms own VI
mounting a new piece III which he believes there
: merit, Government will not interfere, except
IN the event of Il not OccaSOncd by the pIoductIoH'
The utmost liberty is thus accorded the hiaHascr'
and there Is no reason why Opera unur' ,i '"v
new conditions, shouit Aot btc'h'c H'Ic INA"
| ever popular with the PaI!si'nS.
There have occurred numerous deaths 70 Sd'
den the new year but the most uhcAPec'eu ".'
tbat of Leo Dclbcs. DrllucS WIS daSHIhG, p"ph-
lar. full of life and s1ycty, and although Tor
some time past his o3pcrb physique h"I oc'H H"ci
| GOING a change, no one supposed th1l ms WH>P'7l-
| hon wou!G terminate fatally In nm France mas
| lost a great artist. and one who carried Win h.hI
! born in 1886, ia the Province OF Saflhe rs "
| child ne was taught music, and al the early age
| of twelve years his name figures on the l'il 81
| honor of the conservatory, where ne cuIc' Oh
| line prize for suilc9gi0. For child, ms voice
was rrrm3rj.abie ana he was in great demand in
church circles. lie learned the piano OF CoupPcN.
the organ with lrnoist and harmony oil lam
and al eighteen became p"Pil 81 t"nlP'S' ' nm ~
The clas, OF Adoph Adam. with Adam Dtiinca
found the master lie needed, and tie master. ~ DIS
turn discovered pupil who was destined 10
surpasS him. Dcllbcs became acc0npaihst aL t"c
| Lyric Theatre, and II Was here that ne was en-
| abled 10 study stage effects while he TOOK part
in nearly all The works put th" boards AT that
timc-" iidcio. Faust, " Fanchonnetlc ia Rene
TOpazc. Les Noccs DIES Figaro and others.
Inc fZf fAT1
Two old Guards" produced az the BOuhcs
Parisirns in 1886: SiN Misses to Marry II tie
same theatre: Master Grnard," at the Lyric
Tncatrc-in which creation ne showed himself 10
he a musician of versatility, wit and spirit, and
a happy pup Of Adam. whose sparkling ana
finished style was al that period much aGmlfcl.
Onenbach became Interested in the youth ana
made place for him Oh tie stage Of the BOuhes.
The operas he composed after tins comprise lon-
list Of successes. In l562 he lelt lhc lArc
Theatre, and became second director OF the chpfus
al the Opera His repertory, although not heavy.
was sufficiently attractive to induce Emile IeIr,h
10 intrust him with the composition OF Two tan
leauN Of La source ballet Of which VI.
llnkOns wrote the TWO remaining parts; DcIlnrs
succeeded admirably. lie produced also at the
B0utIcs q" The ScOtchman OF ChallOn altcrWard.
at the Varieties, the Court Of King fetand,
and, finally. in 1870, he produced "Coppella,
the masterpiece OF baeis. where for the hrst
time, the Young musician had an opportunity to
display his talent for comedy. In this he eX-
hbcd a marvellous ingenuity, tact ana grace.
combining richnes, Of melody and a number Of
CGppclia" is popular at the present day. In
1876 Dclibcs produced third ballet at the opera.
Sylvia, or the Nymph Of Diana" which at once
became famous. In 1913 Delbcs invaded the
Comic Opera with his creation lie Roi a Dit.
The piece was weak, but throughout II the art
of tie musician asserted itself. Its strains of
melody. its faultless taste and clever CONSTRUCTION
saved the work, which otherwise would have
passed unnouccd The other works Of Dei5cs
represented at the Comic Opera were Jean de
Nivele." in 1850, which had run of 90 nights.
and Iakmc.7 in 1855. Beside the works men
toned Delibcs composed many lyric pieces which
were executed in symphony concerts; also num-
crous bits for choral societies He wrote the re-
Franchise in 1882 the stage music and ballet airs
/ Of which were in themselves works Of art Every
! where popular, at the death Of Victor Masse he
was elected TO the Academy without dissenting
! vote