New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-03
MUSICAL COMMENT.
THE OPERA - HAYDNS CREATION.
ANOTHER SUNDAY NIGHT CONCERT


To witness demonstration in honor Of Gounod'e
Faust" and the best singers Of the opera com.
pany domicled at the Metropolitan Opera House
under the mana cement OF Messrs. Abbey G. Grau
1t was only necessary last Saturday to attend the
regular subscription matinee. Two deterrent inDu
ences were In puissant operaton-the football match
and the weather-yet superb audience was pres.
ent to enjoy the first performance this year OF
Gounods delightful work. Vacant seats were onlv
to be in a few OF the grand tier boxes ana
more people standing than at any two even.
ing representations Of the week, except Monday'a
At least so 1t seemed. 1t was a most nterestIn,
exhibition altogether Of the enterprise, daring ana
generosity OF the management and 1t Is an agree.
able duty to record that 1t rewarded and IA
note another proof Of the fact that the
of New-York willing to make the policy Of
the Metropolitan management In its grand linea
a winning one. Those who braved the weather
found rich reward In the representation. Nina
Melba was the Marguerite dhe opera was sung in
French by the principals, in Italian usual Nv
the chorus), Jean de Reszke the Faust, Edouard d.
Reszke the Mephistopheles and Signor Ancona the
Valentin. 1t had been expected that Nine. Scachi
would be the Siebe. but she was Ill, and Jane d.
Vigne took her place. singing and acting tas,efuly
and modestly. though, as can be imagined. without
the aplomb which the public has learned to exp<ct
from Nine Scalchi whose popularity seems to n
ID
ba's impersonatlon. though unequal (since neiAs
in artistic temperament nor in vocal quality is n
specially fitted for the role Of Marguerite), sin
guarly charming and suggestive. In the cary
scenes she was almost IDEAL If one thinks Of Mar
guerte, as her French authors allow, alto.
gether ingenious and simple minded young woman
The wondrous purity Of her voice and its sugges.
ton OF innocency and trustfulness were charming
In the beginning OF the garden scene. and she acted
he fbodra wi aycr,
body was willing to yield That she wants the IN.
tensity which Goethe's heroine possesses after she
has fallen completely under the sway of her pas.
sion for Faust. after she has developed into
tragic heroine in short. 1t will surprise Of her
admirers to hear. 1t is unwise 10 insist upon any
hard and fast conception OF the operate Margue.
rite.
German prlma donnas who draw their ideas from
Goethe's poem and seek to Impose them upon
Gounod's music quite aggressiveiy those
French and Italian singers who trick the village
maiden out with all the airs and graces Of stage
queen The Marguerite OF Barber Carrie and Gou.
nod is not the Gretchen Of Goethe. yet rightly rep
resented she has almost as many traits OF love.
abeness Nine. Meba has comprehenied many Of
these traits, and she embodes them in her i'm
personatlon In a way that wins and holds the SYM
pa thles OF the audience. To speak Of the Faust Of
Jean de Reszke. with its ardor. its dignity. Ito
grace and its dramatic truthfulness and sincerity
would be an Idle task at this late day. More than
any artist of the company NJ de Reszke is this
season teaching how much strength there lies In
repose and how overwhelmingly effective clmaxes
are when they carefully, integenty. honestly
and consistently developed. Anti-cllmaxes out
OF the question where he is concerned. NJ Edouard's
Mephstopheles is picturesque TO degree. spectacu.
lar indeed. but for that not he but the ibre.tista
are responsible Goethes hend is scarcely conceiv.
able outside of the scholars study. and neither the
librettsts nor the composer Of the opera made
an attempt TO recreate him. So We must put up
with the continual devil in scarlet and be CRATE
full when in voice. figure. bearing and action we
see him embodied as Edouard de Reszke embotles
him.