New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-07
MUSIC.
THOMAS's " HAMLET

The termination is always great when Ambrose
,r.,oas.s Hamlet Is produced TO ask why. MUM
,c has been more plainly demonstrated SINCE .ha'
nara first saw the light OF the stage lamps INA"
.ht 1, has no reason for existence at least among
o,os N whom Shakespeare Is something more
~ name Two hundred years ago. when no
mo ,,,od sor oven a shred Of connection between
-, AID music: when the profoundest impression
rt an operatic "Otello" could produce was TO
oor,nel a peculiarly susceptible listener I'D eJacu-
ito Great God, the tenor is muIderlhg 'he So
nraoo," it matterei not If such subjects were
chosen for opera books. Tenors' sopranos anu
Sssos sang the prettiest tunes that composers
I'D write and helped make a pretty picture on
-, ,oge nv DOMINIC the conventional stage tog-
-. Given the proper number of arias Of the set
,ynes cantabile. dagitita, meZzo carattife ana an
o,a infuriata for variety, ana all was wei. but
,,,nes have changed nightly since then ana con
,der,ng how greatly the French helped TO bring
about the change. II Is marVel now
yrorchman should even have persuaded himself
- cb hook as that concoctol for Thomas
s,oh manner as he has done It, True he has
,o,ellod by other motives than actlidted the
Ia Italians but this fact can only be deprecated
,ben We think how much nearer the old style was
% his sympa;hes and abilities than the one he
tried to emulate Is a grievous thinS 10 any one
,ybo has a speaking acquaintance with Snake
,oare.s tragedy that the only pieces of music in
thn
,ioas,,rably are "A drinking song, which Hamlet
rn"s fso like Hamlet 10 sing a drinking songo.
and the mad music which DorrowS us cnaTh from
since the question why is sure TO be asked it
Is well that It can be answered as Messrs: Abbey
and Grau answer it. The presence of Nine.
Welba and NJ Lassalle In their company Is the
answer II was as Ophelia in this opera that Nine.
Welba achieved her first triumph in Brussels; NJ:
Iassalle is the only rival that Faure has yet had
;n the character that. like Millions nightingale Is
go musical so melancholy" Both artists do all
that can be done TO make Thomas anonymous
Thing entertaining for an evening: Nine. Melba
one is willing to forget that Shakespeare ever
lived il is a delight TO hear her Also NJ Lassalle
sings like a great truehearted artist, and acts as
n inspired to do the impossible and make dra-
matte character out of his part: But singing
Hamlet is inconceivable. Only the orchestra can
say unsteady what makes Hamlet TO be Hamlet
Thus even so conscientious and intelligent an
effort as that of NJ. Lassalle fails to bring salts
faction. go .
Evidently the opera is not in favor with the New
York public. The audience was not numerous at
the Metropolitan Opera House last night and the
outburss Of applause were few and FAR between
Besides the two great artists already mentioned
NJ PlancOn took part singing the part OF the King
IN a firm. manly style deserving of recognition
Mile Domenech, a contralto hitherto a stranger TO
our stage. took the part of the Queen. She has
fine presence. but her method of singing is not
likely to commend itself to the New-York public
albeit they may learn to respect her seriousness OF
Intention and her earnestness.