New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-17
USIC.
" PHILEMON AND BAUCIS.7

Thoughtful observers OF the gongs-on in the
world OF amusement have long ago given up all
hope of understanding the motives OF the operate
| mpresarlo. Ii has been made as plain as
| pikestaf that all gentlemen in the operate line
live In a world OF their own. in which other laws
than those with which science is familiar are op-
erative Nevertheless. the recognition OF this face
has estopped curious speculation as TO why MT.
Duff should have organized a company OF singers
for the express purpose OF performing Gounods
comic opera philemon Baucis' in English.
There is much that is amiable about the work, put
the way does not seem open to careful and even
prayerful scrutiny by which 1t might be explained
wherein the contemporaneous human interest OF ths
opera may consist. The classic legend OF the sweet
old married lovers has touch Of pathos in II.
and celebrates a lovely virtue but 1t does
not look like promising dramatic matter II Will be
remembered that. according to this legend. once
upon a time there lived In Phrygia two old ana
pious persons. who had become so attached TO
each other that when Jupiter punished the mpety or
their countrymen by sending devastating Hood
which destroyed tneir hut along with the homes
of the wicked. they asked the only reward for
the hospitality shown to him that they be per-
mitted to serve in the temple which he caused to
spring up the site of their cottage so long as IT
might be his WILL an6 then to die together Their
prayer was granted. ana when they had lived out
all their days they were changed-Philemon into an
oak and Baucis into lime tree-at least that 10
the testimony of the veracious informant OF Ovid.
who had a penchant for such metamorphoses ana
spent a good deal Of his time writing them up.
How dramatst with some bowels OF sympathy
for a pretty bit of folklore and modicum Of
romance for poetcal mythology could make three
act opera out OF such story might puzzle almost
any one except student OF the methods Of
the ordinary French brettst: Gounod wrote
sa SG one a aSt and e ea
easily imagine i to have Ss been Zee 6o grace1u ana fairly
nd VIII he Barber ~
banded It into ,i three-aet opera OF which ne
metamorp pf was not from pous domestic
human pair into respectable trees. but into .
sviiable French touch: Jupiter seeing how beauik
oe w a shs
under the ardSr Of his woOng 70 sye cause 70
Of which he INDUCED in sacr.legious talk against
the chief Of the gods, and provided vast amusemenr
q ali married fidelity. because Of his own
II! ass & SS I I1us,s rsPsn;sS her 4.
S cover her hu.band Il Is so papaSis
f;y sFs' xo4 .hs S.s:. sf Hs.
first remodeilIns Of the opera could not save a
second se s and reduced ewoss em
the Opera comSus Il was this rssyson which
formed IL Ensl!sh at HsrrmsSns Tnsstrs e:
s s sy Nj Dfi sS@pssy Ad ess9se's
Me- SDseTn Msm RFSs.te Mussin
chorus OF a sadly unharmonious character
that sang one song behind the scenes. and
fairly good orchestra under the leadership OF Mr..
Julian Edwards. Under circumstances not OF the
most propitous kind great deal OF NJ. Gounod's
first scene in which the ripe love Of the ancient
a style SS spirit
sadly to wreck In the second act, where tawdry
air OF the horid kind. inspired by the Jewel scene
from faust but greatly inferior to IT, takes ts
place. This air. as sung with some hexibiity ot
voice by Miss Morgan. was the eliminating point OF
the opera in the estimation OF the public. Mr.. Ling
was mildly sentimental Philemon. but the repre-
sentatves OF the gods were two robustious Fellows
who made all split with their voices. On saturday
a one-act operetta by Julian Edwards. called .kine
Rene's Daughter" will be consorted with Fhus'
mon and Daucis."