New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-13
TIE RETIrRN OF NINE. PATTI.

There were incidents at Madame PATHS FIRST con
cert Mt the Metropolitan Opera House last night which
Invited discussion more urgently than the music per-
formed. So fur criticism means DISCRIMINATING
estimate and neither abuse nor rhapsody, 1t need be
detained long by the singing OF the famous cantatrce
and her associates. II Is not meant by this that the
performance. a whole, or n any considerable mum
Der Of II, details fell short OF the nigh standard which
Madame Patti set thirty years ago and hrs maintained
ever since But there Is occasion to repeat again
what has been said oiteI. All the variations on the
old theme which possible nave been played
thousand times In some things Madame Patti Inns
been an exemplar for whole generation Of musical
students In some Of those things she is s without
peer In the acnoN led gmcnt Of those things, II Is
meet and becoming that the voice OF criticism emf
pOy the cadences OF grateful and hearty au-
mration 1t Is privilege u hear her sing St Is
delight To the to hear her pcerleSsly Deantl
nj voice. II is education TO be privileged
TO study her art To TIN, often as occasion re-
quircs Is duty toward her gifts ani toward the phase
IN musical art which she represents
ContemIoirncous criticism. however. may be said
also to have another duty. That duty employs an
element which receives little recognition esther from
public or artist yet II IS the element which contains
the Of the intellectual exercise that Is exact and
enduring. Concerning the capacity OF singers voice
and the technical o mechanical features OF singers
performance there ought be controversy possible
Applying this element Of criticism, IL H. due 10 tho
public OF To- that the fact be stated that the Patti
OF to day though size be still without peer In her
department, is not the Patti OF twenty years
ago Taken as a whole tie statement
Is tribute to the gifts and gaces OF the singer OF
which any one might be proud. Who Is there whose
art after n decade OF decadence can still be described
AS unryalledl The deficiencies moreover nre scarcely
Observable except with the help OF comparison. This
fact. which has been impressed upon the judicicHs
more and foriby rs The years have gone BY. is
evidence Of her marvellous instincts and train
Ing Her voice has lost notes. but she conceals
the fact by not trying 10 sing them. 1t has lost in
ncxiblty and brilliance, but she has simpihed the
Ornamentaton I'm which she used Ia rcvei, and only
those who have an unfortunate enacty OF memory can
know OF the change. All that she essays she ac-
compllshes IL not with the rpOSefu OF former
years at least with consummae art that i almost
bewldcrng II is good for the art OF song. not only
the old ord art but tho art which has supplaned H.
that Madame Patti still sings. She is an eloquent
advocate Of that sound training which is
essential in modern dramatic music than IL In the
DAYS Of melltnuOus warblng
Three numbers In the programme OF last nights
cert were allotted to Nine Patti In the miscellaneous
first part she sang the - Mud scene from Lucia di
Lammermoor,' supplementing 1t with "IIome sweet
Home" before deciding upon which she exhibited the
familiar and charming temporary embargassmenD and
Comm Thro' the Rye In the second part she
sang Bel Ragslo,1 and with Mile. Fabbri the duo
serbami OgnSr' from "scmiramide.' Thes. were
sung In costume with decorated stage and with the
overture aud two extracts from the first act OF the
same opera were presented ns an operate Ieprcs
ton Nothing could have been conceived to illustrate
none efectuay the character OF the old
fashioned Italian OpeT as concert snug In costume.
Iut the audience was pleased. In the first part Of
the programme Nile. Isbbri. VI. Guile Sgnor No
vara and Signor Del Pusnte-famllsr and admired
artists all OF them-toOk part, and the orchestra WAS
condnc ed by signor Ardit about whose bald pate
many gracious memories cluster, aud who seems TO
be- Sharing the tender attention Of Old Father Time
with his admired diva,
81 much for the musical record What remains. rs
has already been suggested. Is intellectually
gestIve of serious consideration For the first time
this year. the galleries balconies and parquet Of the
opera House filled they used to be filed In
the DAYS OF German opera Also for the first time, the
boxes werr unNccuped by their usual occupants. II
is doubtfnl IL half a dozen loxholdcrs Of the opera
werr present. The evidences plain that only
u very small proportion Of the boxes had been SOLD
The audience" too. "aS neither the audience Of orr
orchestral concer nor Of the opera. Who shall ex
plain the significance Of the phenomenon