The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-20
OPERA IN EUROPE.
Two New Workp-PnIermo's Big Opera House
"A stage Row.

Two New orkp-PaIermo's Big Opera House
"A stage Row.
Following the production Of Ts~chaikowsky's
"Iolanthe' at Munich recently there comes tho
performance in Leipzig of a new work by q
Russian composer. This is tho opera "Du-
browsky," written by Edouard Napravnik,
which until the Leipzig production had been
heard only in ST. Petersburg and Prague. The
new opera. which is in four acts, Is said to have
been a great success at the New Theatre in
Leipzig. and the audience at the first perform
ance is said to have Endorsed the wholly favora-
BILE opinion OF the Russian and Bohemian audi
ences before whom the opera has been sung. 1t
might be noted incidentally here that the Bohe-
mian capital Is, in matters Of art, surprisingly
advanced and eclectic. New works Of the drama
as well Of music arc imported from foreign
countries long before they reach the court stages
of various other European cities. 1t was Prague
that first accepted this Russian opera, which,
but for its enterprise, might have waited long to
get as far as Leipzig without the Intervention Of
the Czech theatre.
The new opera is based on a story of Puschkin.
The hero. Dubrorekv. through the machina-
tions of Trojekuro1, Is robbed Of his possessions
and estates. He becomes the leader of a band OF
robbers. and meets in one of his struggles the
beautiful Maschd, whom he allows to escape.
But her face remains in his memory. He dis
covers that she is the daughter Of his deadly
enemy. to whose house. disguised as a singing
master, he has obtained admission. The girl.
who Is betrothed to a prince, loves the robber as
much as he loves her, and she flies with him to
escape marriage with her betrothed on the day
fixed for the wedding. Tho two lovers are fol-
lowed. and Mdscha dies by the side of her lover,
who has been killed by Il pistol shot.
The libretto of the new opera Is said to DO
highly dramatic, and much Of the beauty Of tho
music is said to lie In the use OF Russian folk
songs by the composer. Their influence pre-
dominates in the music, but the rhythm and har-
mony as well as the Instrumentation OF tho
work are said to be original and charming. The
opera is likely TO be heard on other German
stages, as there are at present no works OF a
Russian character in the repertoires OF any Of
| the great opera houses and 1t is believed that
the novelty and ariet y of such an opera would
assure acceptance for a good work OF this school.
AS far away from Leipzig as Barcelona comes
another interesting operate novelty. 1t Is tho
work OF a young Spanish composer named ANA
6 aeoss siWeo On = T the rs espeii'fbdi s 10 ma * 2 sp sTeat Tho I'm,
personality Of the youthful composer has done
much to interest the public In him. He Is now
but 20 years old and was the son of a wrctchcdly
poor workman, and the musician has been no
more favored by nature than by fortune. lie is
lame and one OF his arms Is shorter than the
| other. so that his musical studies were pursued
under the most unfayorablc circumstances. Only
a few years ago he was singing in tho choir Of
director OF an insignificant orchestra. His
opera was Te9siySd With SIhh the drG,I most st MSy aGnIs
Barcelona declared that the new opera marked
the beginning OF a new epoch in spanish, music,
epocR. Thhls young composer did not. like tho
Russian. take his subject from his own country.
creations, and the libretto OF his opera, which
was prepared by q friend Of tho composer, was
S@,,ef on oq." Of the legends Of his own sountrS
us 1t is told in verdagpery's poem. "Canigq."
A new German musical work is an %oratorio by
Princess Heinrich Won Battenbcrg. who Is al
ready known rs u composer OF songs. Her latest
work will he produced next autumn.
opera house that cost . 100000 and the town
OF Ancona has just, erected n momorial 70 Mas
tSsntr at w GSn spened rsSce eaIi o xssh Verdi hGl' "Fai :
staff" When 1t was decided to bull d the opera
aPI pros in 1sya and fai is %oa W az th sn'G 4ims S 6 PiiSTiSdd
that the city would increaso grcatly In wealth
and population. 1t was not ,proposed even at
opera house. but it cost almost three times as
much before 1t was completed several months
fEl; nom never YER improyod. So it finds itself to-
day in possession OF tho finest opera house ~
aculty Of determining. where in tho world the
people will come from to fiji the theatre. IT.
Mascagn. had no memorials set up, In his
honor until a memorial was put up in the Col
DOM Theatre at Ancona. 1t was a tablet put
into position with elaborate ceremonies, and
once conducted a comic opera in the building. =.
some Italian singers IN warsaw contributed
the last stage row to INC list. They were sing
there, and after the first net the soprano. Pac-
clni, for whose benefit tho performance was
given, was called before The curtain. She mp
penred with tho other artists in tho company,
when somebody In the audience shouted, "Pac-
was singing with her, SO angry that he stuck out
his tongue at tho audience. There followed, a
terrific uproar, and when the tenor came on tho
stage In the second act tho audience howled,
stamped, and Kissed until tho curtain had to be
dropped. Then tho tenor's role was assigned TO
another singer and the performance proceeded.
Tho tenor was tned 500 the noxt day and dis