New-York tribune., 1891-12-31
MUSIC.
4 no1rBJF BILL AT THE OPERA,

Gluck's aorfct" and Mascagnrs "Cavaleria Rus
scanas were ne, med nj the Metropolitan Opera
House last night both In Italian. with the usuai prasS
ornaments traditional on the Italian stage. Con-
oerning the first opera 1t may be said WITHOUT inc
slightest hesitation that had the German composer VINO
set the fashion IN dramatic composition for the frencn
stage IT, b. would assuredy not bave recognized
To- had he heard IL he would have wondered what had
come over the sp'~it OF the score. Its dress was
most absurd jumbe of classic pagan and mediaeval
Christian notions The Greek underworld was repre-
ssnted by the He'll of Asrael. with is
ascending smoke of torment. and instead OF
Ixion. rantalus, sisyphus nd the o'her
neurological heroes Of Haies whose labors were sns
pended when the music of orpheus enriched the at
rosphere of their prsonhouse, the red devils OF
medjaeyal fancy. The Eiysan Fields were the magic
gardens OF Mern with their tropical forest vese'aton
the sea IN the background and gold dw'nged Chernom
and seraphim TO keep company VITA the buryoice al"
her associates OF eTpslchorean prochvite The oahc
ing in Hades we'll as in the Elysian Fields was
trhe disturbing t classic ideas. but for tins the aut
lay as mucl witt Guck and the stage conventions OF
his time a. with tho dancing master of the Metropol-
,tan comm; nv Tle argument which the dancer
yestris made when persuaded Gluck to forego his
objections and put gavotte in one OF his lphgenas
was unanswerable them and If we want to hear GiucRs
operas We must tale them with all their anachronisms
But Agamemnon danced a gavotte,' said Gluck
much the worse Tor Agamemnon, rcVoIpeu
vestrs, and the King of Men had to step 1t In the
style Of tn gallants OF the French Court
The revival Of "Orfeo' was due to the reputation
made by tie London newspapers for the sisters Gulin
and sofia Ravogli, respectively the Orpheus and
Eurydce Of the drama. ON what the extraordinary
praise of these two singers, especially to the con-
,ralto, was based IL would be idle to attempt TO
discover after last nights performance. Everything
that was doe by them last night only tended to set
IN yyha
standard OF judgment in city where such
voices and .eh vocaliLadon could be
lauded as excellent. There are good tones in the
voice of Mis- Gulia Ravoan but they outnumbered
BY the vice of her style, ard the pleasure which
they might ave IS red by her continual postur1ng
and uninteruptea Q, consciousness. As for the lower
register Ct he oc it is utterly undeveloped, and
when she 4 ces it in stimulation of dramatic intensity
She renders it harsh. disagreeable and vulgar Her
singing OF the nterpClstel ford air at the close OF
the first act was hopCessy and amazingly bad-so
bad indeed as to discourage the kndest hopes con-
cerning her Artistic Idture
How utterly foreign the modern dramatic spirit is
10 the average Italian opera troupe was abundanuy
illustrated IN the rfOrmance of Mascagnrs hot
tlooded opera i makes difference whether or
not the work emb living that spirit be given on Ger
man. French or r ..,n soil Vcrdi's Otello' was
treated with as little respect by Mr.. Abbey's last COM
many as Mascagnis "Cava leria Rusticana' was last
night vet both IfT'lAan products. single
Instance may be cited to illustrate what Is
meant The op'Ia opens on Easter morning
with a ga herring Of illagers IN front of the village
church The instrumental prelude, made up In the
familiar over ire styia out OF melodic material drawn
from the opera is l-. rupted by scilano sung be-
hind the curtain by the tenor The listener is permit
ted TO imagine that the song is serenade sung by
Turridu to Lola The instrumental prelude is then
resumed and Jught 10 an Impressive CiOse'
Last night the music stopped when the siclliano
was reacl d. TO permit the curtain TO be raised on
dark stage The tenor, Valero, with high and some
what striauous and strange theories OF phrasing
sang his song hidden behind house. The song was
appauded The singer promptly discoVerea
himself, and bowed his thanks over the loot
lights The he gIacOusly concealed himself again
and repeated the song. After he had come forward
second III .. SignOr Vianesi found the place IN MS
scor and resumed the overture Meanwhile the lights
were gradually turned up to suggest the coming OF
morning and the stage left open and empty. OF
course the composers intuition and the dramatic anu
sion were both outraged. Poor Mascagnl! he is
suffering tho fate of the proverbial prophet MISS
Eaines was tn santnzza Of the opera and sang ana
acted the part admirably. On Friday night lie
prophete" will be sung in French.