New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-20
MUSIC-THE DRAMA.
.rc,vv,NG OF THE OPERA SEASON

~
u..s n good deal of bri,liancy about tho
lne ~ the opera season at the Metropo,tar
op' ,,o,se last night. but the greater mart of Z,
of from, the social rather tran the artistic side
"a" -. function The audience an INSPIRING
.. o. IN the matter of character and appearance as
S os numbers The parquette and circle WED
We. ,be boxes IN gorgeOusness of apparel and there
W. noticeable growth between the acts in the
We" ,.cv 70 extend 20 all portions of the house tho
,'o,ion OF those social amenities which wore
,orel difficult by the Old architectural arranra
-, If the room The opera was Councils "Ron,so
- Iurette" sung in French by the principals and
=, Italian by the generally inconsequential chorus
,,s male contingent OF which was eficacious in
.a,sadng righteousness I'M spots through the even
,g as ever il was IN the pa.my days when the
aoagh;y Mapeson was operate consul. The opera
-, with 80 brave a show Of stage folk and cos
mes that for time 1t seemed if the institution
-. about TO emerge from the dismal regime into
,,ch the return 10 Italian opera had plunged il
"A begin a new career of excellence in all denart-
mis-; but wiki the advent OF what for want of a
,s,,sr term We must call the dramatic chorus mot
hsause il l. dramatic, bu; because it occasionally
interrupts the dramatic action. that hope was
,,uod 10 be- fallaciols. Only in the scene Of
s,.nyiiy In the first &C, and the ensembles of the
,,ri when the fresher voices and more Youthful
ssures Of the supplementary chorus came into pay
Gas an improvement over last season observable in
his department. Of the nights work But Romeo
4 JBlette Is love duet in four chapters and
r;e ese. and when singers Ike Nine
usba and Jean de Reszke take care of the
het the public is apt to be in a compacent mood
,oncerning the little else. glance at the list
n characte.s employed by the opera would lead one
20 think that Gounod and his lioret;ists were de-
spus OF emulatng Shakespeare in investing others
BESIDES the -starred lovers with interest but when
the ,enuity Of the musical nvestiture Of most of
these characters is paired with inefhcency in
their presentation, the wises thing that those sit
ting the seats of the scornful 90 10 forget
all about them. What good can Il do to try to get
Interested in an operate Mercutio when the es-
seace Of the Shakespearian Mercutio would battle
the greatest musician that lived? And how
shall one stand aghast at the furious Tybalt when
his singing representative has the fury VI a suck
Ing dove? \ courtly Capulet and melodious Friar
are the only characters in the opera worthy OF
association with the lovers and to the quartet Of
singers who irHpersonated these four personagcs
namely Nine. Media Juliette Jean de Reszke
as Romeo. Edouard de ResZke as Frere Laurent
and W. Plancon as Capuet. the interest in last
nights representation confined. This interest
vas nof Of enthusiastic nature 1t scarcely
'nce swung itself up 10 the level Of admiration.
Nine. Melbas performance OF the waltz in the first
ct was sufficiently applaudei to secure a repeti-
ION, ana there was hearty expression of approval
rlS, Bul OF Such scenes OF rapturous delight as
marked some of last years performances there was
10 trace. Nor We're they challenged. Nine Media
sns many passages OF the love music deliciousy,
WI she mas sung much more brilliantly heretofore
either was NJ. Jean de Reszlie's. though. usual.
5 bearing ana intensity Of action coupled with
n hin warm in the hearts OF The spsctators and
sttners. Both reached the climax OF their efii-
9TH deserved The rrado ~ tS pUh Duf o a 40
1cerity ana unselnshness OF their efforts.