Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-11-09
MUSIC ANDDRAMA
sen,arks on lbsensm-opera at tho Theaer Ferneho at
tho orand-Notos of General interest

The presentation In Chicago OF ID
,en's famous A DOlps House has again
raised little cyclone OF controversy
about that author and his dramatic
work. As usually great many cfiIlc'
condemu both In no ambiguous terms
while olhers--chieny Danish and Nor.
wegian friends Of the authof--cen'nre
the whole school u the American
maternity. One OF our exchanges
makes In all seriousness the funny n-
mark that Ib.en's dramas are a Roo5
test Of the Intelligence Of the theatrical
public, inferrlDg. Of course, that tboss
who DO not enjoy them are lamenlaoi.
deficient In that regard.
One Of the more remarkable JUG
menls passed upon Ibsenism IL thai by
Amy Leslie In ono OF tbs ChloagO
papere, That brilliant writer constructs
tho following sentences among others
Either lb.en's scraegy dullnoss blunis
the lbsenite perception OF surface audy
glldes over the crafty, sumptuolsly
vicious allufoments and pro.upif taught
Ina every book lbsen ever woo. Ho
brutalizss the holior familiaritios OF home
life; he turns facilc and cover scorn
upon the pretty siisc,ion Of happily we'd
ded woman aud man, suggets fevoh.h
sin as a result Of perfect matrimonial
union aud does this gIacolUHs IaNOf Win
the subtle Of au Iago.
faman must have dolls house lot
him build 10 among tho lotus.sm Jtherod
forests, upon hidden hillswhefe "hi-pcI-
ing llndens tell no tales aud let thc"sweeL
CAV lark OF W man DO her OF tue
iawny. unloosod braids who stretches hor
tempting nakedness upon tiger skins
and dainask, who sigh. out intoxlcants
aud lures with half.coscd eyes. Not the
bewltohing oroa ure bound " love, honor
and obey but tho bowiidefing siren paid
70 divert, ontice and destroy.
These arc fbson's subtle plagiarisms
from tho oriental.. Stay Imagination,
blot out delicious condolences OF no im-
MORT, blind husband. eyes TO wives ex-
qulslto charms aud thoro behold per-
icctly arranged Ibson hou .ehold. Teach
wives to spy upon llio forbidden cpilaphs
OF the worlds happinoes and sumblo
over and wound her husbands nature IN
tho vain cndcavor TO "look upward, TO-
ward the peaks, toward tho stars aud no
great ailenccs." Boshi
Its plain enough irsm this that the
critic regards Ibasn rs n philosopher OF
the most cynical schyol, one VINO ro'
neots his own sentiments, his own ex'
perIences and personality In The vafi'
Qua character he creates. Nothing
can be iat,her from the truth, how
ever. lbsen, himself, isa man OF un'
questioned morality, and his faulty life
10 one Of brilliant sunshine. Tue hu-
est and most delicate I uches OF po-
etry In his works he owes 10 the On.
ncblinr influence Of bis gifted vile.
And those who have studied lbsen
CLOSELY believe that the very secret OF
bis fierce attacks upon the immortality
OF the age hs embodied In mock
marriages, where conventionAlity, anu
not the sweet sympathy that attracts
Que soal to another plays tbs chiri
role, Ia 70 be found In tho fact that he
himself occupied NO lofty q ponition In
his respect as TO see clearly tho cor.
rupiiou into which men and women
around arc sinking Without suspsolius
the danger. Ibsen, IN his way, orlo'
repentance, earnestly and with elo'
qusncs.
The trouble with many OF his critics
10 that they do not understand him,
aud cannot do 90. He 10 essentially .
child OF his nationality, inspired by
tho Scandinavian "FolkaAnJ," and
one entirely unacquainted with the
history, sentiments aud conditions 81
his people can no more understand his
mastery productions than they eau
grasp, say tho beauties OF Hebrew
looiry without any preliminary prep
arati0ns. lbsen 10 an artist. He copies
nature as II surrounds him aud u pre-
SCENTS itself 10 his view. But In order
g. Judge his work Justly, IL IL absolute
~ necessary 10 review II from his Ow a
eiAndpoint. From any other point Of
view IL appears 10 be false aud ineor'
rect. The rule 10 similar to that which
must be observed regarding = land
seAps painting.
Ibaen Il plain man. He simply
tells the nnornamonted tiuth AZ he
sets II, ana In all his vi lecl 10 10 arouse,
~ possible, his fellowmen TO a tente OF
their duty and responsibility.