New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-16
BOITO'S "MEFISTOFELE."

After ar absence Of twelve years from the local
stage Boitos opera "Mefstofele' was revived at
the Metropolitan Opera House last night. The oc-
casion was one of the kind that can be set down as
interesting-which epthet. as the world knows, may
mean much little Ever since its first produc-
ton the opera has had strange vlcissitudes. Ri
diculed whistled howled and Kissed off the stage
In Milan where II first brought forward, IL
became tie chief admiration Of the Italian people
when II was revived in Bologna dozen years later
Meanwhile Il had been thoroughly revised by the
poet-composer. and. the first version never having
been printed the critical fraternity became eX-
ceedingly voluble after the opera was accepted IN
Germany London and NeW-Yo one OF the much
mooied points being whether Boito bettered the
work by his voluminous excisons. interpretations
and changes (Faust originally a bary;oEe) or
weakly surrounded his better Judgment TO the taste
OF the hoi pollo for the sake OF popular success
II is pretty fighting ground. and Will remain such
so long az :he OF comparison are Kept MD
den and a sentimental love for nero worship II
fed nv the notion that Boi;o has refused to permit
any of his operas written since to be performed De-
.ouse he - convinced the world will not appreciate
his transcendcnt genius. This notion equaHy con-
venient TO an INDECENT man or colossal eeoS'' mas
been nurtured by many pretty stores Dut uhhaP
ply It had added nothing TO our Kho"'eDse u
Boltos genius as a musician. and we nave ever
since had 70 build up our estimate OF MN o' ''e'-
cries Of .Mefstofele" and study oil MS opera
books written for Ponchelli and NeIdi.
So far as the opera given last nisht Is
|, is also Interesting 10 bear IN Hiiiu ''a' ' ~
portunities TO near it rested on me s'ao'o''"'
az Nine Nilsson until Nine Calve came "ho' ie'
IL be said In her honor, differs from most pr
donne in being possessed Of consuming aeSre ~
exhibit her talents in many Ilghts as po''''''
The value Of such an ambition is ihcao"i' 49,
were one ten times Indifferent 10 'oi'o' O'
as its merits and dement's deserve an o~P'
~ gratitude and admiration for her could not Dc
"Meistofele" warmly welcomed las. 'e',
It is almost pity that II must still be heid suo'e
20 critical judgment. When so viewed ''e "a
criticisms to which II becomes subject a''
which Boto not only invited. but coInpeieo'
Is pretty strong opinion among MS au"'''''" -,
he is more poet snd dramatist than ihus'c'a''
has written much. but read more, ana ha''"e -
blood OF the barbarans. we'll as the Romans - !.
his veins. he unwilling to treat the suoJeo' "a
Faust as the Frenchmen. Barber Carre ""
Ciounod. treated it. lie was even i'c"''.
TO Guido the Germans on their own grouhos
and insisted that a Faust opera i'''
cover both parts OF Goehe's allegoricai pha"-
tasmagoria. Because ne harbored this coh''c-
ton he failed; because he attempted 'o'
much he accomplished too little. His opera Is
thing OF shreds and patches series OF epsodes ho'
not he'd together by anything to be read In the
text seen the stage heard in the muse Du.
only to dscerned in the preface which he printed
In his opera book. And these things all WORK MIN
harm 1t is interesting. of course, because IL gives
us a glimpse into the workings OF his mino' "
know that Boto conceived Faust as type OF man
athirst for knowledge. Of whom Solomon was the
biblical prototype. Prometheus the NEUROLOGICAL
and Manfred and Don Quixo,e In modern liter
allure and that Mephstopheles Is as inexhaustipie
as a type OF evil Faust is as a type Of virtue
and therefore that this picturesque and conveh-
t.ona sage devil is akin to the serpent who tempt
ed Eve. the vulture who tore at the vitals OF
prometheus the Thersites OF Homer and. mirabiie
dIctu, also the Falstar Of Shakespeare Yet when
one listens to his opera one cannot think OF these
things EXCEPT as contradictions Of the things on the
stage Does the flight OF poetic Imagination explain
or excuse the fact that what is set before US as