The Washington times., 1894-07-22
HASSENET AS HE is.
The First French Musician and a Charm
ing Man.

nASS6NEl AS hE ID.
The First French Musician and a Charm
ing Man.
LONDON, July 15.-I saw NJ. Massenet the
other day. The first French musician of this
generation, whose "Werther" was heard in
the states last winter, is a striking figure, not
tall. but broad Of chest; with a massive but
gentle brow; clear cut features and well pro-
portioned, and wearing pensive, re-
markably sweet expression; he has
every whit the look of an artist. but
it was born with him and is not assumed. A
broadly sympathetic man. conscientious in all
he undertakes. and believing in the power OF
incessant labor added to natural gifts. In
dress easy unassuming. rather out of than in
the mode ofthe day. He bends slightly forward
in his walk, and never hurries or shows signs
of impatience. A lovable man, in whom one
would place infinite trust who could not fail.
This is the portrait of Massenet. In the salon OF
the house in the Rue General Foy, in which
NJ and Nine. Massenet reside, is a cabinet
where among medals, orders. and mementoes
of various kinds there reposes miniature
painted by Yestier, a great artist in that style
of the last century. The date it bears is l772,
and the subject is one Nicolas Roy de Mar
aneour, some time court violinist to his maj
esty Louis Xv. This is direct ancestor OF
the composer Massenet on the maternal side.
One is struck by the resemblance Of features,
though between these two there have been
in the family no other great musicians.
The first work OF Massenet Of public impor-
tance was Don Cesar de Bazan." This was
followed by a sacred drama. "Marie Magde-
leine," produced in 1873; and shortly after
ward Lies Erynnies," a tragedy antique was
hv the fbautar ,lisea
also in three acts. In 1875 NJ. Lamou-
reux at the concert of the Societe de
Harmonic Sacre, introduced to- his au-
dience Eve a mystery in three parts.
Two years later and Masssnet was honored
by lie Roi de Lahore" being accepted by
the grand opera; this is great work in five
acts and it is always received with enthusi-
asm. la Verge" sacred legend in four
parts. was given at the Opera in 1880, but it
was reserved for 1881 to see the light of the
most important and perhaps the greatest
triumph of the master, "Herodiade." an
opera in four acts, produced first at the Thea
ter de la Monnaie at Brussels.
After this serious effort a rest was neces-
sary, and not until 1884 was the opera
especially for Nine. Heilbronn. This was
produced at the Opera Comique. lie Cid"
added fresh laurels to the composers renown,
and was played for the first time at the Opera
in 1885.
Again, some four years elapse, and then
in 1889 the Opera Comique brought out
'Esclarmonde," In four acts; and in 1891 was
given lie Mage" at the Grand Opera. The
first production of ''Werther' was at the I'M
perial Opera at Vienna in 1892. 1t was
brought to Paris the following year to the
Opera Comique. when Mile. Renard and u.
Van Dyck took the leading parts.
The present year, 1894, in the early months,
'Thais'' was brought out at the Grand Opera,
written especially for Mile Sybil Sanderson,
whose first appearance on the stage of the
Academic Rationale de Musique is associated
with this piece. Subsequently a one-act light
opera. lie Portrait de Manon," was pro-
duced at the Opera Comique.
The homes of the composer are three. In
his Paris residence he has lived for twenty
five years, and has no intention of changing.
The retired street mt the back of the great
dome of st. Augustin is admirably suited 10
man OF his retiring habits and studious dis
position.
Before the season is over the composer and
Nine. Massenet generally depart for a long
tour among the varied historic cities of
provincial France. Italy or Spain. Then the
later Summer and Autumn is spent either at
their country seat at Pont de lArche, near
Rouen, or at their seaside home at Pourville
neir Dieppe. The rooms Of their Paris abode
are full OF interest.
Differing from many English artists
houses. nothing is crowded, nothing super
fuous, every rare objet dart being in itself of
merit. Both NJ and Nine. Massenet have u
thorough dislike of anything approaching
self-advertisement. Massenet himself is too
grea. to be a poseur on the one hand. or a
bohemian on the other. He is an unaffected,
modest gentleman. and his wife a charming
lady, who takes a loving interest and sup
pressed pride in everything that concerns her
husband and his art.
A few sketches, etchings or paintings by
his friends, Carolus Duran and Leopold
Flameng, hang on the salon walls; bust or
Gerome's original figure Of That's grace the
room. while delicious little cabinets and odd
pieces of rare ameublement and c0zy chairs
for comfort Oil every corner.
The maestro's room is on one side lined
with books, autograph presentation copies.
A table is.there, too, on which the scores OF
most of his books have been written, and
small piano almost out of sight In a few
ways does the house bear evidence OF the
owners profession.
And has Monsieur Massenet no composing
piano?' asked Of madame. HE has," was
the reply, ''in his bedroom, but rarely uses 1t,
preferring to write the entire scores without
reference to any instrument" And, turning
over few pages of the forty or more huge
folio volumes containing the original scores
of his work, one is struck by the infinite care
taken in the scoring.
Not blot or erasure defaces the fair page
on which the parts of nineteen instruments
have to be written. For in all things Mas
senet is master Of detail aid order, and is
decisive if not final when once his pen reaches
the paper. His habits are to commence work
daily at $50 a. m. and continue till dejeuner.
He Is at home to few. but meets his friends
in the afternoon or holds audiences with the
Of his music In his bureau at
tached to the Maison Heugel, the publishers
of his works in the Rue yivenne.
Mere Politeness ON His Part,