New-York tribune., 1894-04-22
VEKDPS NEW OPERA.
HE VISITS PARIS TO OVERSEE ru~
REHEARSALS OF "FALSTAFF.

| GOOD EXPRESSION INSISTED ON-MARK Tw.rs
READS FOR THE BENEFIT OF scHoo,
CHIIDREN-DR. BRowN-sEoUARD-HIs
FAMILY AND HIS WORK
Paris, April
Verdi is in Paris. He came here to Oversee -.
rehearsals Of "Faistan." which is to be brouss
out al the Opera Comique. This child OF his ola s
shows that the fire OF genius still burns brtxb, -
him. and that the fount Of inspiration goes on ovs
| flowing He remains master CT his talent az x,
the initial letters of his name the passwors -
| the Carbonari Nelta, or secret lodges VII.
the meaning Vittorio Emmanuel r. dI,,u.
! or Victor Emmanuel, King OF Italy. Vera
| who is accompanied by his wife, is In n,
| eghty-second year and ranks among the graz,
! old men of our time lie straight from M.
early in the week, travelling from the French I'm,
tier in a sieeplng-car and arriving here At n
morning. I had the privilege OF interviewing M,
nj the Grand Hotel and was struck with his air 4,
hale health. his vgor. grit and strong personaln,
! His manners are as quiet as those OF an old Amer
! can farmer used to commune with his ov
heart and spirit than with the minds Of other mo,
| His speech Is terse and little dry. He speaks Z,
himself as a rustic and has lived much more In N.
country than in towns Farming is his chief bys.
ness when he is not composing. Verdi tod ne th,,
Shakespeare borrowed more largely from Italy I,
"The Merry Wives Of Windsor than In any Of n,
| comedies with personages having none but Italm
names. That play curously enough. was at on,
the most English and the most Italian Of shak.
speare's works. The libretto Of "Falstan' vas M
contrary to what IL generally thought. taken fr,,
Shakespeare. but from an old italian comedy, brn.
ming over with fun and joiy that was wri,,,,
! contem2oraneousy with the "Decameron."-. Slice,
from this comedy were brought into Henry v Tn.
original Falstan a cunnirg lying. sensual IRE.
lance. as much satyr as he was human. who sold
the services OF his followers rival princes and "a
pub.ics. and managed never to bring them to Ii.
scratch in any fight. Machaye.ii had the SOFT 0.
broad. low comedy fun that permeates the old Play
of which Verdi spoke.
Maure! was charged from the first with the lead. ,
ing part OF the new opera The score was sent I,
him here in Paris Verdi wrote Il, and In auto
graph manuscripts. These were copied under
Maurers eye. and then sent back 20 the composer
There was scarcely erlsuce in them all. and they
were written with firm. unhestotng hand I,
was not Verdi who told me this. but Maure. Bq.
it may be interesting to know that Verdi has for
more than thirty years turned in his head III,
idea OF giving the world a r)using comic opera 10
which the power of mind should be much er.
pressed as the songbird JOY Of life whch 10
the main characteristic of italian compositions q
this class. His great compositions had hitherto been
based on the tragical drama. I'll Troyatore," IA
Travlata' Tor Dame aux Camelias" in an italian
operate garb). "Rigoletto," borrowed from Victor
IIugos lie Roi s'Amuse'; 'Ote.o," Macbeth"
mever popular unless in Italy), and Aida" saa
their interest in the depth Of woe.
Verdi. on the day of his arrival here, ATTENDED {
rehearsal But he would let X take place the
stage. He wanted to be able to Judge exactly d
the voices OF the feminine personages. and made
them sing to a piano accompaniment in the green.
room He I'm few short, dry sentences. instructed
each to attend closely to the meaning OF the words
In her part, 70 the situation out Of which they
sprung to the dction. to the character and not 70
trouble about the music That would come al
right, II they took by practice of their scales
TO keep in tune. Expression was the one thing they
should aim at, once they could sing in time. and
that only be compassed by the inteligen, ard
sympathetic conception of the part. Ease could ony
be commanded by frequent rehearsals II the ladies
could do so. he would recommend them to rehea,s
twice day He advised all his yocalisis betSss,
rehearsals 10 go TO the country In this spr-s
weather and mediate there over the light. idyAs
poetry OF the last act. The country was his source
OF inspiration in composing the score OF ths HS
Of "Falstaff"
Verdi looks a hard man. Continual mental tera
is shown In his physIognomy air and short RAJ
ner He does most OF his musical work oetwsa
6 and in the morning. and when under u
stimulus OF a cup OF black coffee. His table .
furnished in the Italian style. and he is a great
consumer Of milk. cheese and fruits. including -
matoes sweet capslcuInS ana melons. Inc seHss
Of hearing remains acute
Nothing vexes Verdi more than for his yocalsn
10 stop 20 bow and courtesy when appauded ThT
should be deaf to all applause. unless what io'
lows the fall OF the curtain. He looks on the ar
plause that follows points as stupid ani I'M
pertinent. and betraying want OF musical edl'
cation. Wagner was OF the same mind. Maura
first studied "Falstaf alone. and spent a year ID
mastering his part He then went 10 rehearse undes
Verdrs eye at Milan. AMI under his ear. too iof
the master suffered no fault OF pronunciation AZ
he was to sing in Italian. he had 10 fashion hs
mouth 10 H. His articulation and diction are al
mirabe. though. perhaps. second 10 those OF Fau'e
Sir Augustus Harris manager OF the two LONDON
opera houses, and OF the Drury Lane ana 'ns
Liverpool theatres is over here, and keeps as Close
10 Verdi his shadow. He wants 20 bring ous
"Falstaf." and. OF course. on the easiest terms
for himself. Verdi is not man 70 b. caught W
hattering attentions which indeed. are rather
causa OF worry than OF pleasure % him. lie
one OF the hardest men alive in business matter"
and being almost a Lombard. is more than
match in driving bargain for Sir Augustus Harm"
This parsonage is a remarkable man in MS way
He has the strength and sometimes the oos"ep
crousness OF a hurricane. and Is OF ndetausa0'
energy Sir Augustus has the wisdom OF MS gsne'
ration, and under his rough and ready se.l-asse'c
the shrewd sagacity OF his Hebrew race. L. "