New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-25
MUSIC-THE DRAMA.
ARCHAIC OPERA.

Dossinis "Semiramide" was sung az the Metro
ooljtan Opera House last night with Nine Media
in the titular role. To the reasonably careful
observer OF the programme Of operate things in
New-York during the last ten years this simple
statement OF fact is basis enough for series OF
surmises cuesses. reckonlngs or deductions, touch
ing all the details of the representation down 10 tAe
size of the audience. which scarcely ran To
hA correct The only thing which gave the oc'"S'o'
q passing interest Of curiosity was the fact mat
Nine Media had striking success al the
last TWO Sunday night concerts. II was theT'-
fore. worth while TO observe whethe: or H"' '"e
circumstance would have an influence Oh '"c 1T
tendance opera in which every one must
know that her specific talents have an "pP''-
,unity TO shine in sc:n;illant splendor The demon
s,ration was complete Not even Nine Meioa' WIN
all her art and her lovely voice can reconcie Inc
people of New-York TO "Se'niramlde' lhe'c WAS
not half a houseful Of listeners
In one aspect Of the case this might be mildly
deplored The contemplation OF the s"eie'oh Oh an
extinct bird Oct us say the dodo) mas d" e""0"-
,ional value and "Semiramide' Is the most per-
feet and best articuatod specimen OF an extinct
form of musical art that the operate MUSEUMS h ~
tha world can boast. Two centuries ago such SUD
jects it illustrates were me stoGk III -. b in
3peratic librettist and composer Down 90 M, nm
OF Metas,asio these gentlemen were eNtriiSn TI
81 the great personages Of mythical and historical
antiquity. AGamemnon and Caesar were a' al, ,S
charscters and II brought no consterha'l0n 10 'he
sense Of propriety possessed by TIE punmc tnat
heroes of such mental and physcG S'afure Mele
sake they paraded the stage IN 1Ss nnder
took 10 transfer Rousseau's "SeniranIH ll'o an
opera book the day OF such dramatic lnseluo IsheS
Was past and he cooked UP mess OF horrors, on
which il was possible for even latter,daY auIence
10 sup It's fill The story Of bapyIoma n Cu. zen
who conspires with her parailour, nuiu1 1,, t i
King falls in love with her own son, IS klIled d..
Ter paramour who then fails under the dagger OF
the son at "Ninnys tomb'-thls is something Wncn
might have prompted in a composer such music
as Hcne thought that of Beriioz to be- sonieihliiS
archaic il not antediluvan, Suggestive OF glsah'c
kinds Of extinct beasts, fabulous empires Iui. OF
fabulous sins ana all manner OF inpossiblilties.
Rut RossnI was not that Kind of musician. When
he composed "Semiran!ide" he reverted to the style
of even an earlier generation than his-the genera,
ton when the world still took delight in tuneiui
hut sexless AgamemnOns and Caesars He dis
tressed the ears of the Sentlefolk with his braZen
for,es. but he let his Bahylonan personages MARBLE
and trll in solo and concert until the ECSTASY OF
listening was quite transporting. As an historical
study "Sem!ramide" ought to be heard about once
in seven years. which. 1t used 70 be supposed was
the period within which the human race changed
its physical nature But it is to be feared that the
people of New-YOrk Indifferent; 10 the delights
OF historical study in the opera house. and cannot
be weaned from their prejudice in favor of dramatic
music. by the magic of a voice and art like
Nine. Meiba's.