The morning call., 1894-05-17

of Partisan society. All the performers were
amateurs. the choruses being sung by women,
scarcely one of whom was without high
sounding title. The programme performed en-
braced works by Wagner. Gounod. BOhne,
Saint-Saens, Ambrose Thomas, Verdi, Mozart,
Rossini and B. GODDARD. Everything passed of
brilliantly, and tie hostess won an especial
success In the third act of AIDA"
In ''The Snow Man." recently produced at
"Les Bouffes Parisiens." H. ChivOt aud A.
Vanloo have hit upon a somewhat extraordi-
nary plot, even for a comic opera. The scene
IS laid In Flanders, where Fritz. young stu
dent, is in love with the beautiful Edwige.
daughter OF the rich buTgomaster Van Gluten,
who proudly repulSes the studious sutton.
"You shall never have my daughter" declares
Van Gluten "Deyer, until you animate that
block aud railngly he shows The student
snow man that the children have made In the
square. II is then that Mepbistopheles, dis
guised as young and pretty servant, appears
on The scene and gives Fritz the means OF ami
mating the frozen image, which becomes the
gleatest nuisance IN the world. freezing every
thing and every one that comes In It's way.
Happily the thaw comes at last and lie mtlts.
The composer. Antoine Banes, has succeeded
in warming this cold IibrettO by very gay and
amusing music.
IDlcaEO somewhat udUlUeQ
Werther'' with faint praise, but in Russia
the work has met with very different recep-
ton. The subjects of the Great White car
stu cling to operas resembling those of the old
school, like MoZart's and Rosslnrs, and they
do not expect very magnificent staging OF
effects OF calcium light. The Russians nave
agreed in comparing "WerIher'' TO ROsslhfs
Barber of Seyille,'' and that is the highest
praise they can give Is. Perhaps 1t Is not gen.
raIlt l. that uf fbssTn
in 81 he Barber OF Seville" is based on Rus
sian folk-song When RoSSini was composing
the opera lie asked the famous Countess
Samoilaw then living in Milan, TO give MIN
theme of her native land. she sang MIN
"Pochol kosel VOgorOd." and Rossinl Italian
lied it and used ii iu 1.-The Barber of Seville"
Maestro Verdi is one of the most discreet OF
men. When recently asked his opinion OF Am
broise Thomas "Nignon," the thOusandth per
Torrance Of which is about TO be given, the
man of music replied: "My opinion Is that the
opera is about 10 be played for the thousandth
lime. That's ALL" When pressed by the inter-
viewer 10 say more, Verdi answered: with
the help of Heaven, VIII never judge other
composers or their works. Has not the crIti-
ci>m of the duets in Gounod'S Romeo and
Juliet been attributed to me, because l once
simply said that If l wrote Romeo l should
conform more closely TO Shakespeare, whom l
consider more tragic, more pathetic, In not ter
minatiDg his work by final duet? Report
ers," added Verdi warlly, 'are very charming
people, but sometimes their Imagination
carries them - little far
The new dispute between the now often
dIsputlng Gilbert and Sullivan seems TO be
sorely exercising some of the London daies.
Gilbert has just indicated that his latest breach
is due TO the fact tina Sir Arthur demanded as
fAh nj Sin he hi
new librettO mat he (GilberD should hand over
10 Manager d'Oyly Carte's ''unresi ricted con-
tfoP' all the London rights of he fourteen
operas which he (GilberD and Sir Arthur Suli-
van have written IN collaboration. Gilbert OBJ
jecled 10 this proposal and its terms as "Inade-
quaIe and unreasonable" All this is doubtless
very good reason for this unhappy disSen.
sion, but as a popular San Francisco comedian
says, or rather sings, There are Others"
Never was such an interest displayed in the
old folk-songs Of the peasantry as now, and it
appears that 1t is barely in time 10 save many
OF them from the oblivion that is overia king
the old peasant costumes and customs. In
Russia an expedition that has been sent on by
the Geographical Society reports that The old
tunes are fast dying out. Only the oldest in
habitanis recall them. In France some of the
folk-sOngs have been rescued by Julian Tiersot,
who has just published very interesting col
lection OF them under the title of LES Types
NelOdiques dams la Cnanson POoulaire
Franchise"
noteworthy feature OF a recent PhiIhar-
monte concert at the Queens Hall, London,
was Dr. Hubert Parry's overture bearing the
singular title ITO an Unwritten Tragedy"
The work, which had been produced at the
Worcester festival last September, was per-
formed for the first time 10 London. As the
no RI
illustrate nor labels his themes his music had
to be regarded on its abstract merits which
are great Ii is vfrile, masculine WORK, per-
fectly clear in outline and worthy OF the hand
that penued it.
Edward Grieg is still being feted and APP
plauded 10 Paris. At a recent concert there
the performance OF his picturesque pianofOrte
concerto in minor gave rise 10 almost in
teTmiHable ovation for Greg. who conducted
and was. also a triumph for Raoul Pugno the
pianist. A suite for orchestra. in the antique
style, entitled "In the Time of Holberg'' (''The
MOliere OF The Norih''), created a Juror. the
prelude and the eavOtte being particularly APP
plauded. a number OF GrIeg's songs were also
received with delight on account OF their poeti-
cal charm.
The encore nuisance seems TO have reached
The latest stage OF its development in Russia
where the great Italian barytone, Battlstini.
has been openly insulted by his admirers. AT
the Italian opera in Moscow The gifted singer
created an astonishing Juror in the role OF
Demon, by Rublnstein. The Unsuitable public
demanded encore after encore, till Battistini
worn GU. refused TO respond again. Then the
audience fervently kissed the artist, an insult
To which he responded by letters published In
all the newspapers.
"A Pittsburg composer. Homer Moore. has
just produced an opera based on the historic
voyage OF CHRISTOPHER Columbus. Although
only given in concert style the work Is spoken
highly of by the PlttsbuIg Press. The Dispatch
says: "It is a serious earn st work, this yet
unnamed music drama. 1t will stand or fall
by the highest standards. Almost every ele-
ment that could be determined from this par
tial hearing Is an element OF power and prom.
ise."
When Verdps "Falstaff" was produced a
few weeks ago In Paris there were large num-
bers OF persons who were unable TO obtain even
entrance to the crowded opera-house Thanks,
IN ha rhaaf