The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-26
MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.

MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.
The plans for the new Opera Comique In
farlS nave just been approved, though d Ie"
details OF the magnificent new opera mousse
which the French capital is TO have still nave
TO De arranged. A question not YET settlcu
Is whether the orchestra shall Dc ND
den, according to Wagneran principles,
or whether it shall be In the AUDITORIUM
as Is necessary for the performances OF
all put the most modern operas. 0ustaVe
Cnafpentler, writing to defend the Wagherlan
plan, suggests that the orchestra be placed
nan under the stage and half III the AUDITORIUM
hdden by movable cOrnice that couiu DC
suppressed when old-fashiOned works are rep
resented. THE sight of the orchestra" ne
says, 'intercepts all emotion. 1t is Impossible,
unless one is deaf. to near a lyric work II one
sits In the front row OF the parquet Win
concealed orchestra the conductor, II need De
III his shlrtseeves, could feel perfectly al nome
and could infiame bis musicians with all ard0r
that his present position prohibits MN from
expressing. A new formula OF art must nave
new factors and present-day composers are
quite aware, when making their orchestratlOn,
That they are struggling IN this terrible dilem-
ma-shall they put into the orchestra the force
of expression aud sacrifice the singers or let
the song stand out and suppress the orchestra
AS long as the orchestra Is In Inc auditorium
one or the other will inevitably be sacrificed"
The more Masseuets new opera La Navar-
raise" IS heard the more admiration it appears
TO excite. The following is brief description
of the work. A strenuous introduction in ID
minor fortisSimo prepares the nearer for tale
OF woe, and the curtain rises on a picturesque
scene In the Basque provinces. All sorts OF
preparations for war are noticeable, ana the
music is martial. Soon the hearers learn that
there has been a defeat, and the royaist gen.
eral, Garrldo. enters. Then appears Anita.
LA Navarraise" Qbe girl from Navarrel who
inquiries for her soldier lover. who eventually
appears, and there is a passionate love duet
in which the rule forbidding consecutive
octaves is broken with striking effect. ! he
lovers father interrupts the scene by declaring
his son Can never marry nameles5 girl win
out dowry, Anita must bring 2Ooo ducats.
News then arrives of more military disasters,
and tile general, IN moment OF passion. de-
clares lie will give a fortune TO whoever will
Stay the Carlst general Zuccaraga. The hero
inc overhears and resolves 10 play the part of
Judi d, not for the sake of country, but for the
money. More martial music, and a soldiers
drinking chorus follow the latter with a strik
ing accompaniment in which the sounds of the
guitar are Initiated.
The second part Of LA Navarraise" is even
soldiers byouac and semi-transparent cur
tain descends through which the campfires are
seen. There is delicious Instrumental noe
turne which, without disparaglng the inter-
meZZi in the "Cavalleria" and other recent
operas, is pronounced superior to any of them.
at the conclusion OF this exquisite piece day
dawns and the curtain rises again. La Navar-
raise appears, liYd and agltated, and demands
her money from the general she has killed
Tuo lie Cd a nj IL
Mortified as the deathbelis are heard In the dis
lance. The lover appears, badly wounded, as
he he had heard that Anita had gone 10 yucca
raga, aud had followed her, though without
knowing her fell purpose. He is furlOusly
jealous at first but his feeling changes To one
of terror when she tells him she has gained
money for his sake, for he guesses 1t Is the
price of blood. News arrives that the chief of
the Carlsts Is dead, the bell Is heard again, the
lover dies and Anita goes mad, the opera end
ing with the striking motive that commenced
IL. The story is not a pleasant one, but the
story is so striking and virile That Massenet's
latest effort is absolutely bound 10 be success.
Quite touching little account is given In the
French papers of young Rabaud, pupil OF
Jules Massenet, who has just won the "PrlX
de Rome" at The Paris Conservatory. Rabaud's
father, who is violoncellist by prof ssion, has
always been so strongly opposed to permitting
his son TO adopt music as profession That
when as Young child he showed remarkable
fondness for the art his father had MIN CLOSELY
watched to see that he did not learn note
surreptitiously. Three years ago. having taken
all the degrees at the university that MS father
desired, the youth was permitted To f0lioW MS
tastes and study to become composer. which
was his dream. Rabaud regained lost time so
rapidly that in The last three years he has not
oh 7 ha
has written cantaia that Is full OF genius.
Before his departure for Rome his worK, which
won him the prize. Will be performed at the
Academic deS Beaux Arts.
1t appears that the East Is suffering as Sc
verely as San Francisco from the encore
nuisance, which poisOns all the pleasures OF
attending concerts. The Chicago Inter Ocean
says: The encore nuisance is growing to be
careless effuslon OF amiability that deserves
suppression. One expects this sort OF thing I'D
amateur entertainments where coterle Oh
friends applaud their fav0rltes. but 1t grows
veXatious when carried TO excess. rms mani
festation OF exaggerated delight mas Deen
frequently commented on In this CITY," The
New York i lines says: "1be American concert
gOer is not given to kissing, yet he will insist on
kissing one of these days. IL il Is only TO stop
the gratuitous assumption that he Is overcome
with delight every time singer opens his
mouth. Audiences do not desire to nave pieces
repeated every time they applaud"
AlbOnrs death suggests an inquiry as to what
has become OF all the great contralfo voices.
There Is not one great conralto before the
pubic of the world to-day. Since Anna Louise
Carey left the stage not one of the first rank has
been heard In opera. Madame Patey's recent
death removed the only really great consralto
on the concert platform. Operatic institutions
are hammered all the world over by deficiency
In the contralto department.. and such works as
lie prophetic" are seldom heard, because there
is no one equal to the role Of Fides.
Sibyl Sanderson aud Zee de Lussn are the
two American prima donnas engaged by Messrs.
Abbey & Grau for the Metropolitan Opera
house next season. Miss de Lussn Is no
stranger in New York, though she had only
moderate following there till she went to Eng
land and was eagerly taken up by the London
public. The Queen has made an especial
favOrite of her.
Der highness the Dowager Crown Princess
Archduchess Stephanie of Austria has gra-
ciously accepted the dedication of Miss Italia
Scaila's Ave Maria." which is very compli-
mentary distinction for this young American
artist. Miss Seaa does not enter convent, as
has been rumored bur has some very fiattering
engagements In sing In Warmers operas IN