The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26
NEWS OF THE oPERA IN EUROPE.
Poiiini's Place as an Impresario In
Works by Franchetu and saint.Saens.

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Poiiini'A Place an an Impresario In Germany
Works by Franchetti and saint.Saens.
The will OF Bernhard Pollini. who died the
other day in Hamburg, showed that he had nc
cumulatcd something OF u fortune In spite OF the
fact that no was an operate improsario. There
has been much speculation rs to his successor in
the direction of the Hamburg Opera, for Pollini
was about the most striking figure among Ger.
man operate managers, and just before his
death no had been asked to found theatres In
Munich. Kicl, and Berlin. In his day-he was
80 at the time OF his death-ho discovered many
actors and singers Of talent, and he was con.
stantly on tho lookout for new works. He was
considered in Germany a born impresario of
a school which unluckily is little known in this
country to-day, II, indeed. 1t is not quite un.
represented. Previous to 1874 he travelled
through Germany with his company. and it was
the excellence of his performances which finally
led to his engagement at tho Stadt Theatre. In
Hamburg. He first attracted notice by the ex-
cellonco of his ensembles, and after he sottled
in Hamburg both the opera and the theatre
there maintained high reputation among the
German cities whore. as in Munich, both
control Of the same director. At on" time in
Hamburg Barnay,. Matkowsky, Ellmenreich
and two or three other actors. now famous in
Germany were members of his dramatic CON-.
pany. 1t was undor his direction that Katherine
klafsky, won her best reputation as a singer;
Ternina to take her place as the dramatic so
prannG3 nc. Of his COMPANY, He was rarely mistaken
in t ms ' nnG sine Sna 'n as %eii many ns m sooS
foreign musical works to tho German stage.
About 1ne year ago he married slEnora
he had paid. After she had had a successful
career of several years. Pollini brought suit
vanccd for her training. He was bitter in his
denunciation of the ingratiindc Of artists. But
her. He leaves two sons by a former marriage.
who arc also in the theatrical business. 1t is
said that u provision in his will makes it impos-
sihle for either of them to interfere with the
management OF his theatres in Hamburg. Pol.
lini's real name was Pohl.
S,ignor, frnnchetti. who is related to the Roth
to win a place, for himself as an operate com
here in the old days Of the German opera. His
latest work was given In Italy last spring and
was a failure: Now 1t has been rewritten and
based on Molicre's comedy lie Malado I'm.
%Einaire;I and IN pETnnshe,ti has The called aSa the
is described as melodious and well made,
the MoliGrc material is said to be rather united
for operate use; Another new work in Italy Is
"Ncmcn." by Ernesto Coop, a young Neapoli.
Rossini Theatre in Venice with the custom
ary nrst-night success which in Italy is seldom
the hirth of Christ. The story is said to possess
slight interest. although the situations In the
action are described AZ graceful and imaginative
The score seems to have established the fact thai
the composer is far more successful as n writer
OF concert music than OF opera. as none of hi
Numbers indicated the possession OF any dra
matte instinct.
More, It is to be hoped. will come out of tho
new oDera by Saint-Saens, which. 1t appears. ii
to be sung first in the amphitheatre at Beziers
Snint.Sacns decided TO write it after witnessing
Orange fetes last summer. The opera is divided
into three parts. of which tho first will rcpresen
the art OF singing. the second the art of dancing
and the third Is to be u "triumphal symphony.
whatever that may be. NJ. Saint.Saens ap
pears to be still far away from the dramati,
and Mine. Bourgeois are to come from the Operi
in Pnris to sing in the first part. Two orchcstrai
of $50 musicians will be placed in the arena
The work, which is now about completed, will
not be sung until next June.
Milan has lately hoard two operate version
vallo. and two versions OF the MURDER novel. il
the form of n comedy. one in Milanese dialect
as well rs n serious play made from the origina
novel. Italy apparently has not yet had enougl
of the grisettes and students of the story. Pucci
mis- opera, which has been sung in a number O
" Manon,' which is said to he an incontestahl,
superior work. The "Manon" OF Puccin
has already been sung in this country. blu
not in New York. 1t was given several year
ago in Philadelphia by one of Gustav Hinrichs'
companies. America has also heard PucciniI
La Bohemc.' but it Is not likely that Ne,
York vii! do so for n long time to come. II IN
cisco by an Italian company now appcarin
there which has revived n number OF tho ol
works and sung several others which have nc
been heard in New York for many years.