New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-03
MUSICAL COMMENT.
THE NEW sIEGFRIED-MME. MELBA AMI
wAGNER's MUsIC-CALENDAR FOR
nun Vvrrx NrWS NOTES


| follows:
sunday-M Metropolitan Opera House. Bis p m. con:
cert at popular prices. under tho direction OF
Mr. seidI.
Monday Metropolitan Opera House. p m'
Faust
"a Xm: Theatre sSsmn: 5fs
Of s M%'s od RrUokyE ss p
| Metropolitan Opera musical.
Wednesday Metropoli.an Opera House. p m'
Massenet's "Werther.'
ThursdayCarnese Hall p: m. jubilee ;, concert %sic
Sss ok Romsa 4 as '
M, recital by Miss Aksrs Association $50 hsrn,
a aays. s Ge sy
SIS D. m, recital by Perry Averill ana orion
Bradley.
DAY Ss Sys Ms q the RaSS
| ciety Metropolitan Opera House, p m'' ho'
hengrin."
Opera n HoIss a!o m m
, 1C1 cGneer Of he society
The circumstances attending the production OF
"siegfried" at the Metropolitan Opera House VIII
furnish food for gossip throughout the operaoc
world Not all Of it will be amable Some tongues
| will wag malicousy when 1t Is learned that inc
clause in Nine. Melba's contract which reserved
to her exclusively the privilege Of appearing as
Briinnhde is to be understood In a PickwicEiah
sense so far as Nine. Litvinne is concerned put
is like the laws OF the Modes and Persans as
against Mime. Nordca. The controversy pe.wee"
NJ Jean de Rcszke and his companion IN the "as'
merriam triumph Of last year Is scarcely a ma''ei
for which the public should have much cohcei"
In its personal aspects. but acquires sghihca"o"
from the substitution Of Nine. Litvinne for Nine
Melba at the very first repetition OF wagner
drama The effect of the substitution upon 'ne
performance will he discussed csewhere here II
may be said that IL the public shall choose 10 con-
slider themselves aggrieved because OF the ono
weakness in the performance. which wo"iu nave
been avoided had Mime. Nordica been the Brunn-
hide the fact will not be at al surprising; re
Meiba in heroic role has been gratihed she
has won such encomums as her lauoapIe anu
nlucky experiment deserved: hencefortn inc quea
ton goes to the rights OF the public and tho rghts
OF Wagners Drama
Enough WAS said in this journal on the morning
after the representation to indicate that there were
features of great brilliancy in the performance
Chief of them was the impersonation OF the he'"
BY NJ Jean de Reszke When all the circumstances
OF the case are considered 1t seems Impossible 70
sneak too much praise of that performance VI one
thing all OF NJ. de Reszkes admirers were con-
WINGED before the curtain on the first act.
They knew that the mi sic Of the part wouid DC
sung TO perfection. and that there would again DC
such q nice adjustment OF the declamatory anu
melodic elements as gave charm 10 last season
representati tons OF Tristan una lsCde Due 'he'
could scarcely have been prepared for the variety.
buoyancy grace impetuosity and youthfulness OF
his dramatic delineation. n. dc Reszkes Siegfried
has even greater variety of picturesque nuanc"
than Mr. Always. 1t is not always SO light. not
always graceful in motion, not always SO ui-
constrained in pose but 1t Is decidedly more inter-
| icctua. NJ de Reszke's knowledge of the character
which Wagner created seems complete. One OF
it's most fascinating phases consists In this ina.
every moment shows II In process OF Rrowu IN
fha Inst the development becomes tumutu-
ous and here 1t was that M DC keszke gave r,e
ciay e Dot 81 Hint OF study and rejection in
the fierce manifestation of his passion: He was IN
at h the cunaton Of the love duet though de-
ghtuy musical had in Q. 1ne fesVt 90
| such torrent of passion as the Metropolitans
audienceroom has seldom housed.
NJ de Reszke has become one Of the most potent or
agencies IN the advancement OF love for the modern
| dramatic spirit as exempfed In Wagner's works
| His enthusiasm knows no bounds and II ne should
add Segmund and the mature Segfried to his roper
| tory no one would be surprised. The new tendency
| Is making day by day for serious ideals and the
good of art and 1t will be difficult TO measure the
| credit which will soon be his due Under such cir
cumstances ungracious to fault him for nav
Ing advised Nine. Meba to undertake the role OF
Brinnhilde. To the loneliness of her devotion and
the oftness OF her ambition honest tribute must be
| paid. but 1t also be said that nature did not
design her TO be interpreter Of Wagner's tragic
herolnes Her vocal and tcmperamental pecularities
put bar to her singing the Brunnhide music 1t does
not lie we'll In her voice. and II she continues to sing
It, IL much be feared there will soon be an end
TO the charm which her voice dlscloses when en-
ployed in its legitimate sphere. The world can Ill
afford to lose Meba, even II 1t should gain
Brunnhilde. But Nine Melba will not give 1t a
Brunnhide. She is not OF the heroic mould. and her
career thus far should have taught her that her voice
will moi admit EXPANSION necessary to ut her
for that mould That the music wearies her was
painfully evident long before the end of the one
s voice n Save the ovenes which has always char
acterized IL IN the music OF Ronzet ana Golnod ~
power and expressveness between IT'S higher and
trophe with most sef-sacrhcing vIgor a, the begin
Voice in its early moments but when the culmna
ton Of its passion was in Nv what would be
nomenclature. she could MOI respond to its increased
1t was an he ss aeass music US ons
be but filled With JIG dramatic fervor Nine Lsh-
to por tout out her s "' @
doing in a long and laborous rehearsal Of Die
e@oona whcS
created in her that she could sing the entire series
than was entailed by a single performance OF
Norma" But Nine Lehman Is woman N, Of In
edy and equal to its strains II would be happiness
| the same OF Nine. MelDd. but no 1udicous
| person will dream Of doing 1t. There is one glory
OF the sun, and another glory OF the moon and an
other glory Of the stars; for star dfereth from
| another star In glory" Nine. Meba should be con-
tent with nor own particular glory.
Nine Carreho will be the solo performer at the
| third public rehearsal and concert of the Phhar
| monte Society Friday afternoon and Saturday
evening. The programme will consist Of the overture
| IN ''PrOmetheus Bound" by Goldmark Rubinsten's
| 3 minor concerto. and Tschaikowsky's Pathetic"
| symphony.
| Tho following Is the programme Of the Sixth
| Metropolitan Opera Musical at the Waldorf. Tues
day afternoon January at $780, under the direction
| of Ruben and Andrews.
| THE Mournfu GIrden' accompanied BY the
p0Ser) Saar
| Sig. Campanan.