The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-30

N'oihc VI d CLEVER
ton to the Chicago Herald will inter-
est many Scrantonians, even though
they will not have the pleasure Of see
ing the Abbey-Grau company in their
own city: 1T has been predicted many
times" he writes, that the princely
salaries paid opera singers and the
enormous cost Of the music-drama
would presently lead to the utter col
lapse OF these stupendous grand opera
seasons. A company in which there
are at least a dozen persons, each OF
every season than is conferred upon
the president of the United States by
grateful treasury department, is a
pretty big problem for any manager
10 solve, particularly when it Is re-
membered that this cost is only the be-
ginning of an enormous outgo, or veri-
table bOttomleSs pit Of expense. Most
of them have failed signally to eluci-
date that problem in a manner salts
factory TO themselves or to those
patient cattle, their creditors. Nyc
and MapleSOn, of London: MaretZek
Strakosch Hess the American Opera
German opera syndicate found the
operate Jordan a hard road to travel
This year the financial results are said
TO be better without any falling away
in the artistic elements: and If Gener-
alissimo Abbey is able to achieve So
much when all the world is sitting in
financial sackcloth and ashes, waiting
for Il coy millennium of prosperity that
does not hasten its approach on ac-
count of any wailing that may be
heard in the land. he must be regarded
as the chief of h is clan.
THAT one opera tent should cover
such an array Of distinction as is in
cluded in the personages Of Maurel.
PlancOn, the De Reszekes, Tamagno.
Scalchi, Melba, Eamcs. Nordica, San
dersOn and many others Of sterling value
is startling commentary upon the
risks that must be assumed by those
who enter upon this expensive business.
The fact also suggests the demand
Of the time for great and commanding
organizations. one or two stars in a
milky way of mediocrity will no longer
big money for show, but it is a sine
qua non that the show should be big.
1T is an interesting circumstance.
and one calculated to stir something
more than ordinary race or national en-
thusiasm, that nearly all the important
women in the company are Of
English speaking nativity. and most
of them hail from America. Melh1
is an Australian, but Eames, Nor
dica, Sibyl SandersOn and De Lus-
son owe allegiance to the Stars and
Stripes that stand we'll at home, no
matter what may be thought of them
abroad. The preponderance of English
speaking divas in a French and Italian
opera company is rather an odd cir
cumstance, particularly in view of the
fact that for many years the Latin
countries have rather monopolized this
function.
Just why the American men do not
equal the American women in song is
hard to determine, and yet it is true
that not one of our tenor or bass class
has ever won general distinction in the
broad field of grand opera. If Myron
Whitney had given over singing "Rud-
dier Than a Cherry''-which was his
battle piece-early in life he might have
become great basso. 1t would be in
teresting to know whether this failure
is in the air or is due to some lacking
quality in the men themselves" Who
can say?
The ovation with which the music
lovers of Italy have greeted Mascagni's
new opera, "SHlvano." will. the Phila-
delphia Record thinks. occasion a de-
| cded stir throughout the musical
world. The influence of the school of
young Italian maestros-Mascagn
Leoncavallo and Puccni-is. it de-
clares, certainly increasing in Italy
the home of opera. If not in Germany
and France. The triumph Of sylvia
no" is doubly notable in the fact that
ii has caused a deeper impression than
| either "LAmico Fritz" or Il Rant
2an," which followed the fame OF
"Cavalleria Rusticana." Despite the
intensity of Leoncavallo's Il Pagli.
acci," Mascagni has seemed to be the
| most promising of the young compos.
ers. The character of his new work
can scarcely be determined from the
meagre cablegram, but the absence OF
the customary chorus. while the cas-,
| Is restricted to three singers only
would suggest in itself farther stride
away from the operate traditions OF
| the past and the foreshadowing OF a
distinctly new type. The Italian trio
were at first hailed as Wagnerites; bu,
the influence Of Meyerbeer has recently
been recognized in their music dramas
A new type If evolved, would hardly
be in the Wagnerian mode.
Engelbert Humperdinck, the oddly.
| named COMPOSER of the charming fairy
opera of "Hansel and Gretel," was
born in 1854, and studied music at
Cologne and Munich and in Italy. For
year or two he was a professor al
the Conservatorum Of Barcelona, and
In 1887 he returned to Cologne. He
was an ardent Wagnerian. and in the
festival weeks at Bayreuth is one of the
most devoted visitors. Since 1890 he
has belonged to the teaching stan OF
the Hoch Conservatorium at Frank
fort-on-the-Main. Still, his name would
probably never have been heard of out
side of his immediate circle but for the
| enormous success Of his fairy opera,
founded on the Grimm story. The
music follows the style OF Wagner: his
influence is recognizable throughout,
and even leading motives are not want
ing. Nothing could be more powerful
and touching In music than the evening
blessing at the close of the second act,
and though Humperdnck may be re-
garded IA n disciple of Wagner, the
musical critic of the Philadelphia Re
cord thinks he has imbued his music
with a very striking and unmistakable
individuality.
The choir OF the First Presbyterian
chur,,h to the number of twenty-iive,