The San Francisco call., 1897-01-21

Reproduced from copyrighted photo in the
Song .IourndLl
of his works, and thanked him with "bravis-
simo'' in his own handwriting for a perform
ance of "Lohengrin" which he directed in
Rome. Mancinell is not at all disturbed to
hear himself accused OF not understanding
modern music, especially Wagner He takes
1t all philosophically, and does not indulge in
any of the recrimination which has character
| lied the disputes among the lyric artists.
Taken all round, though, this is the champion
season for strite in New York operate circles.
The European musical papers express great
indignation over the misfortunes which have
befallen an Italian barytone named Pacini at
Caracas. According TO the cabled accounts
this singer has been arrested at Caracas on the
demand of his empresario because he refused
to give an encore 10 an aria which the public
applauded, on the pretext that he was suffer
ing from slight indisposition and did not
care to sing more than he could help. LIE
Menestrel says: at seems that the inhab-
itants of the republic OF Venezuela use toward
recalcitrant artists the same treatment that
was employed in France under the ancient
monarchy and under the first empire. One
could understand the conduct OF the'autnori-
| ties at Caracas If the artist had proved retrac-
a representation which had been previously
announced but the question was simply one OF
an encore, and according to all the rules OF
opera and OF jurispr udence, the singer had
perfect right 10 refuse to give one. In thea
ter the public only has right to demand the
full performance of the work announced, and
the repetition of any piece is very often ruin
Gus to the dramatic interpret alton of the
opera, and in the eye of enlightened amateurs
to- .s@to ~ H..
has no right to force the artists to give en-
cores, and in almost all the big theaters in
Germany rigorous rules command the singers
TO refrain from yielding to the popular de-
mand for encores. 1t is then the height of in
justice and barbarism to imprison singer
for refusing to repeat piece. The cables in
form us that Signor Pacini has been con-
demned to fifteen days for injury to the cor
porat1on of the town of Caracas, which subsi-
dies the theater."
A comical adventure recently happened to
Herr BulsZ, leading barytone of the Royal
Opera of Berlin. He announced concert in
fairly important town belonging TO the an
cient kingdom of Hanover, and the very even
ing on which he was TO appear received an
urgent invitation to repair Immediately to
the office of the Chief OF Police. Naturally he
went instead to the hall, where the audience
was expecting him, and very shortly afterward
he was waited on by the Chief of Police, who
asked him curtly for his singers diploma
whats thatP asked the artist, little con-
fused, and the guardian of the law explained
that before being allowed to sing he must pro-
duce O certificate, setting forth his talents as
the town had already been several times de-
ceived by soi-disant pianists and singers, who
were not what they pretended TO be. After
declaring vigorously that he was really
singer to the court, and showing his decora-
tions, Herr BulsZ was finally permitted to
sing and prove to the Chief of Police who
watched his exploits with anxious coun-
| tenance, that he was not an imposter
| For the last twenty years Boito has been an
| nouncing that he is working an opera,
! "Nero," of which nobody so far has ever heard
| single note. Recently the italian papers
| have begun to joke on the subject and one
| editor gravely announces that the first scene
! of the first tableau of the first act of "Nero" is
| now completed, and that only the orchestral
score has to be written. At a performance
| given at the Victor Emanuel Theater at An
! coma for the benefit of the art chool the chief
attraction consisted of parody of Boifos
| ''Nero" "How?" asks one newspaper, "is it
| possible to parody an opera whose very exist
| ence no one is in a position to atfirn% "That
| is very simple" replies contemporary "just
| lift the curtain tor a moment on scene show.
| ing nothing but few clouds, and then lower
| it again, in silence. That would give the
| spectators very good idea OF Boito's Nero"
For the last few years there has existed at
| Lemburg, the capital of Galica. in Austria,
Jewish theater. in which all the pieces are
| played in that odd jargon of the Polish and
| Russian Jews, which drives philologists to de-
spair. At this theater has Just been performed
| an unpublished opera n five acts entitled
| oh do baD Hail. nv Ana
bach and the music by Wolfthal. The hero of
| this opera is not the composer of "La Juive,"
as one would be tempted to believe from its
| title, but celebrated Jewish poet who lived
| in Spain several centuries ago and to whom
are due Hebreic verses of great merit, among
| others the superb melodies of jerusalem"
| some of which are interlaced in the text of the
| opera in question. The Austrian journals
state hat this first genuine Jewish opera has
| had great success
The Conservatory of Mexico, which has been
| com planned OF for some time seems to be fall
| ing into most deplorable condition, not only
on account of its bad organization, but also
| because of the total Incompetence of the pro-
fessors. The annual examinations which
took place not long ago are said to have re-
suited in such a colossal fasco that there is
serious talk of closing the institution in order
that it may be completely reorganized.
| The death is announced from Naples, at the
| age of 73, of Bina Steffenone, who had her
| hour OF fame. Not only was she well known
| in Europe, but in the early ffties she visited
| America and sang with brilliant success at
Havana, New York, Boston, Philadelphia and
| in Mexico.
The Society of Friends of Music OF Vienna
| has opened a competition for the best opera,
oratorio, cantata, symphony or concerto.
| Manuscripts must be sent IN before September
| I5, 1897. The successful work will receive
| prize of $500. but each composer may send
| only one composition.
! The Liszt Society of Leipsic executed with
| great success al its last concert symphonic
| poem entitled "Rosmersholm," whose CON-
/ poser, Gustav Brecher, is barely IL years of