New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-17
MUSIC.
TILE METROPOLITAN OPERA SEASON

=, Lon do Reszke 10 a friend, as he clipped him
=. a, embrace on a memorable night at the Metro
ro,tan Opera House not quite three months ago
II was the night of the first representation of Iris
,an md Isolde" and NJ. &c Reszke who had just
va hts friends congrat uations added to the thun
d,rous plaudits Of the audience was in a fine glow
- enthusiasm. few days later. while the drink
inpborn was going from hand to hand at
diaeval dinner given in honor Of the principal in
,erpreters Of Wagners great love drama-Mme.
cordica Miss Brema. the brothers de Reszke and
Mr. Seid-he responded 10 a toast and In four Ian
guages-English German. French and Italian-cele-
brated the advent of what he called international
opera" why he neglected to throw in few phrases
Of Polish for the benefit Of his countryman, Pade
yewski who sat opposite him at table, his hosts
could not make out unless it was that he wished
his expressions of delight at achievement and pros
pect be ineligible to all his hearers High hopes
filed the Of all local lovers Of the lyric drama
at that period. The promises Of Messrs Abbey and
(,rau were of a nature that stimulated the kindlest
heartiest cheeriest feeling on all hands All bick
erings between the adherents of the various schools
of operate composition were silenced by the pro-
mitigation of a policy which seemed as generous
and public-spiried II liberal Whenever 1t
was practicable to have performances
which should respect not only the tongue but also
the spirit of the works chosen for representation
That NJ. de Reszke had been an active agent In the
Inauguration Of the new regime was an open secret
10 his acquaintance and to the fact ne bore public
testimony when he supplemented his impersonation
Of Tristan by q German performance of "Lohen-
grin" The significance of such act. and OF Nine.
Nordicas artistic devotion in supporting him in the
same manner in both dramas. seemed extraordinary
even in the minds of those who were not inclined 10
attach much Importance TO the language used III
performance, it imbued with a becoming
spirit of sincerity and desire to make artistic pur-
pose replace idle diversion 1t looked IT, through
the example Of these noble artists seconded by the
lberality of the management. the Newly ork pupnc
we're about to take long step in musical culture
step toward the foundation of an institution which
would endure and exemplify the aesthetic. moral
and ply sical character of the people OF America
That was three months ago, ana the season tnen
lust opened is ended Has there been realization
OF those hopes creditable to ALL so conciIiatory,
so amable? If not. where lies the blame-with man
agement. artists public? The question Will occur
10 every Of a serious bent OF mind; but they are
much more easily put than answered There nave
heen nights Of wondrous brilancy at the opera. OF
extraordinary spendor in nearly every department.
Some of the refulgence the direct result OF
the new ambitions with which NJ. de ReszKe anu
Mr. Se.d inspired the institution. The season had
no prouder hours than those filled with the German
performances of Tristan" and 'Lohengrin; bat
It also had no deeper gloom than that wh!ch setueu
around the German subscribers on most OF the oc-
casions especially set apart for them Inc ia'e Vi
"FYdello' was utterly grevous; two representations
Of Tristan und Isolde filled their hearers Win III
dgnat,on instead of gratitude; there is no sanity
,ntercession that could have won redemption LOT
'Tannhauser." These performances were IN INC
German season: those of Tristan ana Loheh-
grin" at which Mesdames Nordica and brema anu
the Messrs de Reszke sang In Italian, were pri''-
iantly successful and In each case the regular per-
.ormance was made to precede that set apart for
the German subscription. That circumstance "ouu
have sufficed alone to arouse suspicion that inc
MANAGEMENT willing, at least. 10 discri"iiia'e
against the special Thursday nights but the sus-
Int conviction
between the performances OF the regular and specai
subscriptions If 1t was the purpose OF Apoey q
Grau to put German opera on trial. they cnose
very unfair method. The drama for its sake as d."
art-work and not for the sake OF the SINGER 10
fundamental principle of German opera as contra
from the older Italian, but II can only
be maintained by adequate performances. sA'nis
the four artists who sang also In Italian ana reno"
che brothers De Reszke' Nine Noruie" anu
Mics Brema) the German singers were
,f,,uv ,nefticient-cheap people. ready ex-
onse for the management presents Nse'i
IN the fact that they could not al "
utilized In the French and Italian represent"
and consequently We're comparatively cos'Is' 80
for the performances when they gave II. .or
ne same seat prices were demanded as at '"e PC
sormances In which combinatio tons OF talent were
made that would be impossible In any othe' opeia
house In the world. 1t must also be remefhpeie' '"
announcement was made when subscriptions Neie
e-s. asked that German opera would also be a part
Of the regular season A..
.rh cor-nan seasou was a direct challenge to the
ssrt.men,alty OF the lovers of specifically German
opera and as such its results MAJ sun oe '0"'.,
plated by them. There is no disposition vi ''
part OF The Tribune to bewai the failure VI "'e
German season 1t deserved 10 fail, and the Marin
that has been done will not work serious OF ias'-
ing injury 10 the lofty conception OF the lyric
drama which this journal has champoned TOT
years 1t has often been explained IN these COZ
umns and may probably be asserted mere many
more times that the question Is not one OF tongue
I'm, one OF artistic principle. Until opera ceases
IN he an exotic entertainment. dependent upon the
whms of foolish fashion, it Is immaterial wha'
language be used 80 II give just expression u '"e
spirit OF the play and the music That consumma-
ton is best reached when the language OF per-
Torrance is the language In which the work was
written II is this fact which made NJ. de ReszKe 3
international opera" a thing to be desired. The
specific value OF the German regime OF former
years that 1t created that attitude toward the
lyric drama which pointed the way TO the estab-
Lshment OF a permanent institution In which the
language Of the representations should be the Ian
ruage OF the people Of America The use OF the
yernacular means death TO operas In which the
words and action but stalking horses for jim
Cling tunes What intelligent lover OF opera would
endure a performance OF I'll Trovatore in English?
Those who still do merited honor to Its good
music do so by banishing all thought Of the lbretto
from Their minds or at the worst thinking only
Of the Italian words which float upon the surface
OF the melodic currents. When the people OF
America get ready. therefore. for opera In the
vernacular the repertory will have been purined
OF the empty works which cannot stand transla-
ton. They will fall Of themselves, as the ma
1ority Of the operas which made up the old Acad-
envy of Music list have dropped out Recall Ma
plesonian repertory. Good things there were. OF
course-an occasional Don Giovanni" and even q
Magic Flute and "Fideiio" but the burden Of the
season like this:
'Favoita," ''Puritani."
"IAncia di Lammermoor"
Maria Linda di Chamounix