The sun., 1895-03-03


which caused the California prlma donns's In
"Cnrmen" was put Oh in place Of " Manon,"
with Lelie de Lussnn. Lucille lIili, Mauguiere,
and Cnmpanuri 10 the principal parts. an en-
spaces of Mechanics, Building. II appears,
However. that Miss Hi was well received and
his capital performance ne EscOmHO. lie had
confessed himself somewhat tlm!d about np-
peering in grand opera in Boston, having been
40 long known there ~ a 'ccllst. aud some Kind
present clnims would he scornf,llly regarded Ny
particularly Eratined at the cordiall,y OF his
reception Ivy both public and press.
matinee Of the iiuvurnots" viii The snbstitu.
tton 2t Russitano for Jean de Reszkc, and IN the
severe COLI and some Of his music had to be
omitted. Tho opera seems To have met with un-
limited fhvpr. and the artists all receive the
rounded out by "1rovntore" on Friday night,
followed hY "Rigoletto" and Romeo and
Juliet ON saturday.
Among the spectators listeners would scarce
lv be a properyord in this case at last Mon
days performance of Tristan were Mr.. trau
and one W the directors Of the Opera House.
Their entire attention was centred on the audi
ence. They scanned every box and every or
chestra chair, and, in vulgar parlance spent the
evening in sizing up their occupants, making
mental estimate Of tho money value Of Wagner
as against Verdi and Gounod What tho result
OF their observations was will probably not ap-
pear until the preliminary 9nnonncemcnts Tor
next season are mNlc. Aims. FOR art!
SignOr Mnncineli was also IN the audience on
Monday night an eager listener. all eyes and
ears for what was passing on the stage and IN
tho orchestra. Ho spplauded Mr.. Damtosch
most warmly. Jean de Res2Ee had been very
anxious to be present at the flrst performances
OF Tristan" but the cxigencies OF the Italian
opera compelled his presence In boston Tor the
"'HuguenOts." The great tenor was therefore
renr ed only by in the person OF
Cousin Grom."
Alvary renewed last Wednesday night in
I" Siegfried" HE personal triumph of soino
years ago, and he Is undoubtedly destined TO
occupy his old niche in the susceptible feminine
heart Though he has Increased somewhat In
girth It is not enough TO detract appreciably
from the symmetry OF his figure or the case and
grace of his movements. The part Of Sisgfrisd
is a very thankful ons to play. He is young,
sp!cnd i'd vitality and high spirits, Then,
too, he is presented to us in pic
srsy s"Es to the and
sympnthies are at oncc enlisted in his behalf
Alvary is specially fitted by enperamsnt and in
appearance for tho portrayal OF SttpfrtCd and.
musical defamation. IL is no wonder that he
achieves sucn satisfactory results. His success
is an entirely legitimate one, and it is possible in
his to excuse little idolizing on the part of
his particular admirers
Tho Fdfner OF this season is but poor speci-
men of dragon and would fail to strike terror
TO the soal Of even a much less doughty knight
than Sicgfr1cd. He seems to be In sort OF
torpor. like an alligator in tho or season. Some
persons have been heard to admire his eyes. but
the CLEAN that they emit Is so pably Ed-
sonian that It excites nothing proiounder than
a smile. His teeth. on the other hand. look ns
though in their Day @ they hd might have been ;p
rather loose and precarous condition, and he
bring, them together in so ginGery manner as
in their powers. The poor beast has apparently
no other weapon at his command. and as his
Sicgyri,d makes short work of him. Really, you
are almost sorry for the wretched animal.
In regard to the excitement caused at the Ma
tional Capital by tho failure OF the brothers De
Reszke to Sing at q matinee performance for
which they had been advertised, one feels some
inclination to moralize a bit over the mistake
which has been so often made of the operatic
impresario allowing one or more of the
singers to introduce finger into the
managerial pie. 1t is very generally be-
lieved that Jean de Reszke, not content with
his many and great triumphs in the realm Of
his art, feels that he is born to command in the
adjacent domains of management. Indeed. 1t
has been rumored that his word is law
in many cases at the METROPOLITAN. and that
he pronounces edicts as to who shall or shall
not sing on certain occasions His advice is
known to have ruled in the making of certain
engagements. one at least OF which turned ont
most disastrously. Jean de Reszke is SO very
great an artist, SO unrivallcd a favorite with
the public, and the recipient Of SO princely An
income that 1t seems unreasonable on his part to
sigh for more worlds to conquer. The evil re-
suits OF this partnership between artist and
manager are showing themselves In neghbor-
interfere with the future success of Fran
co-Italian opera outside OF New York.
niaGn fiSfa rtt
atmosphere Of Philadelphia, Brooklyn. and
Washington. The public Of the trst.named
put off with inferior artists because Mr.. De
Reszke fears catching cold or objects to pub
lie which pays less than 81 n seat to hear him.
Then how can manager hope for the good will
of n public TO whom he calmly offers Mme. Van
a Substitute for Melba Brooklyn has suffered
in the same way as Philadelphia, ana the only
wonder is that the protest of empty benches has
not been more marked than has been the case.
The Washington affair is too recent to require
reciting here, and 1t carries its own moral Put
ting Tamagno out Of the question, as he does
not seem TO be n drawing card in this country.
notwithstanding his many great qualities is
be engaged to alternate with Jean de Reszke
without leaving an impression or painful con-
trast OH the minds OF the off-niGht audiences?
Speaking OF "off nights" reminds one that in
a properly conducted opora season there should
be no such thing. There is not the slightest rea-
son why every opera should not have it's ideal
cast. There is no necessity Tor any weak Spots,
unless in tho case OF an Illness and consequent
substitution. Several operas which on their
own merits would have been certain of success
have failed through being improperly cast.
1t marks a distinct epoch In the march OF fem
inine progress when four act work by woman
is produced at the Grand Opera in Paris. The
opera so honored in the present instance is "La
Montague Noire." by Mile. Augusta Holmes, and
it received from leading critics much discrim-
mating praise. An interesting review OF tho
opera is to be found In lie Monde Artistic. Ths
criticism is introduced by q quotation from
Saint -SaBns, who had written quite exhaustively
Of II former work by the same composer. The
remarks OF NJ. Saint-Sasns breathe n kindly
spirit. but he finds that Mile. HOLMES has fallen
into the error OF seeking 10 conceal her sex, and
TO that end striving too much after
essentially yrile objects. Thus. he says,