New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-11
MUSIC.
,,.sCAGNI's FRIEND FRITZ"

-.,o audience which gathered at the Metropolitan
ooro House las; night such as 1T was, was induced
,rave the damp earth and SKY and air by the prom
tee ~ Nine Calve in part. She hac received
ho,t four-0fths Of the fonors OF the opera sea-
can hitherto and had done chiefly through her
dramatic force and instinct. Her parts were those
4, which she had to embody intensity or love- zeal
ousv and rage. the kceHness Of suffering uluef III
,nrv and neglect in a woman OF a Gee? ana sensl-
five nature and again the brllNancy. the IuIF anu
the Establishments OF a clever ana uhscrupu'oos
or,or Her now task was quite the reverse Of
all this The suzel OF Friend Fritz Is a conh-
try girl who has other notion OF NE than
cbeerruness in her little round OF daily duties.
obedience 70 her Their and devotion 10 heG perothed
when the time shall come. All she KNOWS OF gref
,s the sorrow of Il child that her lover does rot
.o-on IN hoy inst az the instant that her poor
ut;,e heart calls him. II Nine. Calve should show
be- ability 10 picture this readily as the ntenser
,atures Of Carmen and Santuzza she would prove
the, she had a wonderful versatility in addition to
her other fine qualities
Mascagnrs Friend Fritz has been performed in
New-York once before. but never here Or elsewhere
IN this country so pretentous scale as last
night AZ the Metropolitan. The subject Is familiar
and has been treated in many ways. 1t
French novel and French play by Erckncann-
Chatran. and it has been acted here l.: more than
English version The spirlt OF 'Hs - storS ~
no passions only affections. Their natures are eli
ecneness whole them Is sunny, ~, WIN ra..e 9e
II is a picture Of the light and the shade end the
qnes Of MN Other gT feeng than rs nR s
The story itself is melody, pure Gelicate ana
simple yet 1t does not lend itse! 50 rIady 10 NUS
coi as to purely dramatic treatment Us best neon,
ing at many points is lost when the WORDS arc
sung When they are spoken Just as ,ney should Dc
the nearer can believe thai; the birds are singing
in the trees. and there IS the melody Inc muse
which Mascagn had provided was discussed in
was first heard In TINS coan'rH, l, ', 49,
matte purpose most truly In srcn passages as tnat
where suzel and the old rabbi tel between them en-
love scenes of Fritz and SnZei. lnere IL Is Wig
press the kind Of sentiment that could exist between
these two persons. the one scarcey caring 10 ioYe
the ohr and e e S SeF been or t ted e to the
thought Of the first author OF the story perhaps u
focts Of acting that should accompany it. In the
big opera house As it was these duets received
more applause than anything else, and considered
merely as separate songs perhaps they deserved It,
but fitness is not always In an exact ratio TO ap-
Nine Calve is in fu! sympathy. with Mascagni
even with his faults. she has Thoroughly intel
gen and artistic de Of S Tha shf Is o M
cagni who lures her away from the quiet httie
suzel Of and makes , her seh
and more Astounding passion: When he leaves her
to herself n the due, With the rabbi she sa sss
far as the expression of nature goes more enJoya-
bic The composer hos done for Fritz rreGis, @:,
night by Signor de Lucia. Is not the calm ph'io-
sophie. selfconained Fritz Of he French pay -
an unnatural thing for him. nor does he go about
It like novice 1t would need no rabb. to tel MN
suggestive in his manner Of jolly fat fr9r man
body for the pure delight Of seeing people happy
The other parts were assumed by sirnor Nasche,ti
Signor Mastrobuono Nine; Scalchi ana Me ne
second act. The chorus sang with pleasing effect
but not enough to enforce itself az important.