New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-19
MUSIC-THE DRAMA.
LA NAVARRAISE."


prohtabIe one TO attempt a study OF Massenets
"Navarraise," which has thus far been the only
novelty brought forward at the metropolitan opera
House this season. and which had ts second repre-
sentation last night It is not pleasant task be"
cause the work exhales only the odor OF decay and
death; Il Is not profitable task, because every one
who has faith IN the Immortality OF the beautiful
must know that such alterations as TINS are but
morbid growths the body OF art which VIII soon
disappear, leaving the healthy tissue nrm, white
and sweet. as II was Of yore. and as IL VIII remain
In saecua saeculorum. To believe otherwise would
be to despair OF the future OF humanity. not only
aesthetically. but morally.
II will be necassry, In order that the objections
which a belief In the vitality OF good art must urge
against la Navarrase" may be understood. TO tell
the story Of the opera. 1t Is perverson OF that
which NJ Claretie told in his novel La Cigarette"
and in brief runs az follows: Scene and time OF the
Carst war in Spain. Garrido. a general OF the
Iberalist troops has been defeated by General Zuc-
caraga. Smarng under the humiliation he sets a
price on the head OF his enemy. He Is overheard
by Anita the Navarraise, who has just learned that
she cannot marry Araquil sergeant In Garrdos
army unless she brings a dowry equal 10 that
which his father intends to bestow upon him Dot
pour dotv' The sum Is 1000 douros She approaches
Garrido How much will he pay the assassin Of Zuc.
caraga? Two thousand douros. Her mind con-
ceives a fearful resolve-she Will murder Iuccara0
and earn the dowry which shall enable her 10 marry
her lover. She sinks of though the night. Araqui
follows her and sees her enter the enemys camp.
She commits the crime and claims and receives the
reward. But Araqu who returns 10 the Liberalist
camp wounded unto death. charges her with faith
lessness and casts her of one who had sold her
honor gold The funeral bells toll in the neigh.
boz ing village in the hands Of Zuccsraga's troops
and messenger brings word of the generals death
by an assassin's dagger. AraquIl now knows the
truth and falls dead with an exclamation Of horror
Anita has gone mad. and her mind. all awry. trans
bolll init cd Ing oh pea ira
grasps her lovers hand to lead him to church; but
he falls lfeess before her She pulls open his eyes
only TO in them the dulness Of death, and with
shrek she falls life.ess his corpse. All this
takes place within the space OF a few hours and
amid the roar OF battle.
One may easily believe and even condone the
tendency In taste which asks for rapid action and
highly spiced music in form OF artistic entertain
ment which has so long paraded Itself under false
pretences. has the opera; but the people will
themselves draw the line when that which offers It.
self as a substitute violates every principle Of
artistic beauty and seeks to inspire horror. instead
OF making for gentleness and refinement There is
danger that the world will perish from want OF
knowledge OF what takes place In Whitechapel and
the charnel houses Of humanity; the mediums for
promugating such information all too nu-
merous and the institutions devoted to art in all its
phases exist for different purposes The world
knows the horrors Of 1t needfu that Its
experiences should be reinforced by abandon.
nent Of music, the art of all arts most direct In Its
appeals for gentleness and universal charity. Be-
cause La Navarraise" does not and cannot appeal
to single ennobling purifying instinct in the
human heart, II will not live. 1t may fascinae for
a space with a horrible fascination. because of the
relic of primitive brutality still lurking in humanity.
but II cannot live. In the worst OF cases il may hold
a place the stage long Nine Cave chooses
employ her marvellous in its presentation.
but then 1t must pass away; and woman with the
keen NJ loneliness
which she has exhibited in her enactment OF the
character OF Ophea will not long be content to walk
In the putrid byways Of art.
1t Is the very perfection OF Nine. Calves mpers
sonation Of the chief character of La Navarraise'
which most eloquently publishes its artistic hollow.
ness. A woman who out of love for man CONF
mits murder In the hope OF securing the means 10
become his wife must be able TO excite our SYM
pathy If she wishes to be accepted as legitimate
dramatic figure; admiration, even pardon, is out OF
the question but commlserat.on and dS9rous ply
feelings? Not at all. Her instincts told her that
worth Of horrors changed the story OF NJ. careiles
book 80 as to make Anita and not Arsqu, TIE
called called "verit.sm" might have accepted as wIihia
not killed men. and still held place in the AZ.
Gen Of mnnd o1sH s psds %
The point that NJ Can has Sasa
E. Enlist SsfAt the susH '
audience Had he given Nine. cave oppor-
tunity she would surely have utilized II 10 the W.
most. How would she not have disclosed TO US the
process by which great love and great despair
had hardened the womanly fbres in her nature
qand changed her into bloodthirsty beast! But
she does nothing OF the kind She permits US 10
realize Anita's love for Araquil but Immediately
after discloses herself moral imbecile. She
feels the need, she fulfilled the demand. and by SO
and wins admiration for the deed.
Music plays pitiful role in this operate mon:
strosity. Chiefly 1t is the role which cordwood
sticks overturned tables and what-n play behind
the scenes when Maggie Cline sings '"Tro Him
Down. McCiuskey" The comparison Is not elegant.
but II Is pat and may stand with apologies 10 The
Tribune's readers, but to VI. Massenet Only
In the sombre mood so finely maintained In the har'
m oniza ton Of the first find an occa-
sion for admiration. The rest is very poor Mas
cagni. 80
Ia Navarraise' was preceded by II Pagliacci"
which had what, In view OF past experiences Dc
serves to be called q phenomenal.y poor perform.
The Media was Fraulen Lola Beeth; the
Canio, Sgnor Russitano: the Tonic, Signor Ancons
Gar and away the best Interpretation vocaly ana
dramatically. OF the evening" and Sivio, Signor 90
Vries. Sgnor Sepilli conducted the performances
season thus far.
Tristan und Isolde" will be given this afternoon
with Herr Wallnoefer as Tristan and Miss Otzka
Brangane.
ELLEN TERRY AS NANCE OLDFIELD.
In Abbeys Theatre last night, prelude 70
Henry Irving's powerful unique, and impressive i'm.