New-York tribune., 1896-01-20
Mr. ZOCLLNERS NEW OPERA.

The funeral bakei meats OF the German Unity
&C ebratIon we're served asst night In Carnegie HAM,
when Mr.. Zoelner. OF the Lcl"rkranz with TIE
help OF a chorus from that society. an orchestra,
somewhat Inadequate In numbers. and half dozen
comp cent solo singers, gave concert performance
OF Mr.. Zoellnors opera Bel Sedan,' the first pro-
duciion OF which was one OF the features OF the
OF the German victory at Sc Ian IN l-eip-
sic last sumner. as reported at the time IN Inc
Tribune OF this work. Mr.. Zoener.. an indefatig-
abe worker IL both librettist and composer. and 1t
has a complnIon In / second opera called Der
IcberfaN" which was also presented In Germany
las, summer. But even these two operas did not
compass the entire contribution which Mr.. Zoe liner
made 10 last years celebration. for he had con-
sorted with them Hervc requiem for the German
soldiers who lost their lives I'm the Franco-Prussan
war This requiem. which !s written for inse
chc rus soprano SOLO ard orchestra preceded the op-
era last night. but nasnuch as It was discussed on
the occasion of rs performance two months ago AT
a I.i.derkranZ concert there is no occasion ior the
pronounclng o. a second Judgment on its merits now
/, Is an ungracous and unsatisfactory thing TO
try 70 estimate the value OF n piece designed for
performance on the dramatic sage from a perform
ance n concert style. Without the accompanying
scenery and action sometimes the most admirable
text and music fan OK the effect intended by the
author. The strong contrast between the music OF
The first and second acts OF BEL Sedan In me per-
f,rn,arcc last night however forced the conviction
,,s, either In book or music ne Is lyrist. The
story OF the opera, which sinks out OF
sigh, In comparison with the purely ep'-
sollc material Of the second act was derived from
Zoia's romance lie Debicle." This story tells OF
ia. love Of French soldier FOR serving maid In
his fathers house The father, Ike MS parilIeI III
IA Navarralse." refuses permission to he son TO
marry beneath his station. The son goes INTO Da'-
lie and is mortally wounded and, dying in tne
arms Of his sweetheart ana father uttefs pr"
Tor the reconciliation OF the warfinS nat,ons. 20
lar AZ the performance last night furnished an op-
In his attempt to Illustrate this story. both dra-
mAtlcay and musicaily me se'0n' ae'i ifsrnnan
camp on the nigh, before the battle OF sedan rs IN
very dercni c1se In the gT'na met with en-
phaiic success partly because Of the humor IN 1 .ne
dialogue between typical Of ihe the es
cailent use which the composer Inade OF 'rrInah
folk songs in TIE musical score II was IsSn was
taken by descriptive lines connecting the var'Vns
songs which were read by Mr Sp'dorl efe wbcS ins
hai held the audience during the first act was er-
fectually di-pelied by The songs OK me nna hc
sergeant only the last OF these. which told
dubious sO, Of how HnK Ws~ no nj. nas srrWp and
kiss him yicarously for tho battalion, two,thirds
OF whose members had died at 81, Priyat feli back
into the deary style Gi ress hI "h"n had tSe advsnsse
OF a more expressive instrumental part me nsr ss.
fp n.TsiT S' .ns 'ns By M Carl
redemanded) which told OF the yaior OF acE"l
and had for It's refrain the choral Mect' @ Wa9-
and stopped trumpet effect OF the last act VI was
ners "Die Mestersnger. x,.... .u.,,-
The concert was opened With Wasners KAISER
the Sage ,"'sH af,cr ~Sch poecai prSosa.
from "a pen Of M nUsnsr ..ns DGss" ss .oS SS
George " FERGUSON Heinrich Meyer Hans Ssts Ts
sasnss , %resSs SsT anS MD o~ers for Mt zoener