The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-13
NEW OPERAS IN EUROPE,
SUCCESS. OF HAsHEEsH," WRITTEN
ny GERMAN ARMY OFFICER

the Composer, Herr ton Cheiius. IL mn init.
mate Friend or the Emperor nnron H..
hangers Now Opera. "Irru Mcndu." To n,
Given IN London-Newa OF Music and Singers.
One OF tho musical novelties that New yort
will SEQ next season is the onc.act oper,
/" Hasheosh, which was briefly described In Tuu
Sun at the timo OF It's first production In bros
don last winter. The little work was rcnuincl,
successful there, and tho same result followed
its introduction to the Berlin public. The com.
poser is Herr Won Chclius, n Captain in a pru,.
sian regiment stationed at Potsdam. lie is an
intimate friend of the Emperor William. and
when "Hashcosh" was first sung in Dresden
there was q cry OF favoritisln. But after tho first,
representation OF the work there were no further
grounds for the charge that his opera had only
imperial favor to omm 1t. The score wa,
Immediately acknowledged to DO one OF the
freshest that a German composer OF so littlo
pretcusions had composed in years. While he
had been known previously only as an amateur
musician. Capt. Won Chelius's skill as a pianist
was considerable, and a number OF songs writ.
ten by him had been highly praised for their
melodious character. The success OF his first
opera Immediately advanced the new composer
to the rank of tho musicians from whom i'm.
portant results might be expected. The Berlin
production OF "Hasheesh followed soon after
the Dresden performance, and tho audience,
which enthusiastically applauded the work, was
compelled to dispense without a view OF tho com.
poser. who refused to como before the curtain.
Instead he sent a deputy out before the curtain
TO express his thanks.
The nbretto. by Axel Delmar, who wrote
three years ago the dramatic book for Hum.
mel's one-act opera, "Mara," is said to be very
compact and effective. As the name suggests,
its subject Is Oriental. A young Italian artist
has gono to the palace Of one OF tho Beys OF
Tunis, who Affects the fine arts. and when tho
curtain rises, Pdoto is seen at work on a picture
Of the harem. Hc complains to the Bey that
while the scene is beautiful with color. 1t suffers
from the lifelessness that tho exclusion OF the
women brings. He says that without the In.
spiration OF one of the women he can scarcely
finish the picture. The sympathetic Oriental
understands his trouble, and, after making the
painter swear on the sword of The Silent One Of
the Hdrem that he will use in tho contem.
plation Of the woman only the sense Of
sight, permits one Of his wives TO 70
move her veil that Pdolo may paint her.
This Is q violation Of tho Koran. but the
artistic potentate has his idea about pictures 40
well as about wives. and he wants TO do all he
can to get good work out Of tho artists he en-
ploys. The wife proves to be one Of the women
Of the harem with whom the artist had already
hirted and they fall into each others arms with
great ounOllOn bOOn AibST tuey HOoL anu dI0
alone. The bells of the kiosk jingle and the two
lovers are discovered. Just as The Silent
One Of the Harcm is about to punish the
artists sin with a blow of the sword
the song Of the Muezzin Is heard. 1t is the time
of evening prayer, and all fall on their knees.
This interruption gives the Bey time to conclude
that he may have been as guilty in breaking the
have been in falling in love. So he decides that
justice requires that every one Of the three
i As slas asv fs sa !s sSesl 6 shso aS tS Ct H lifs 1s s DC ple:
pare three goblets. of which one is to contain
the poisonous hasheesh. The two lovers beg to
drink with the Bey the contents Of, the cups.
The woman happens to be the one who gets the
handing the artist to finish the picture Of the
woman before the colors OF her face have faded,
the Bey and his suite retire. leaving the artist
The text is said to be fairly poetic. The me
lodic characteristics Of the music are said to Be
its best feature. and the orchestration although
waRnerian after the best fashion, is said to con-
tain less of the Eastern color than the melodies
was sung in Berlin by Fraulein Hiedler, who
will take the same role here when Mr.. Damrosch
s very fatte e4nsi!y CO nne FOR her Perform s4S Ta.
ance, and II she deserved half that was written
vastly during the past four years
The first new opera q the C9vent Garden seas
son Ss;,S Sf, be : Erisnser,s Ines Ss,s A sS,-
Mime. Melba or Nine. Eames to sing the leading
role while they were in this country. Now that
the opera has finally been cast. neither Of the
two singers is to appear in the work; Nine.
cast viii include MN. al AWARE fsIe and Renaud. In
order that the composer OF the opera, who is a
the French critic and musician OF the same
name. Baron Erlanger writes himself Fred
i kssnsi; Of I his nam rs no The mUFf fiS snsn = re Of t6is OF op e9s
are two men well known in Paris for their facility
at this sort OF work, De Bourcelle and Liorat.
4 The ~ fha mar lie = MN ThA
Theatre of Clara Gszui." by Prosper Merimte.
Baron Erlanger. who is a mar OF wealth. has
opera, " Johan de Saintre," which Sir Augustus
Harris was about TO produce several years ago.
banking houses, and studied music in that CITY.
Among the singers not mentioned before vii! 10
DANES dam; h %arsar;ct ' Reid snd jane jana De Ss viisn na' Mes
The story appears to be rather dramatic and
ought 10 contain some thrilling scenes II 1t has
who holds himself aloot from his neiEhbors. al
though he is greatly respected by them. 1t 10
whispered by the elderly inhabitants that he 10
hereditary cxecutioner OF the Galician village.
although as there has been no execution for =
couple of generations, the fact has been forgotten.
He has a daughter, Ines .Mcndo, who cuts a pretty
enough figure as she trips across the village
De !Mcndo-a has fallen in love with Ines. and
his father, the duke, comes to Juan lfendo 10
dfm n ID So fS5m ' Rhe %Iltnn he w shail h dis d1Ssh[ fHs
row. Meanwhile tragic events are imminent.
N'f'' ~ i"S NtNt 'oitS' 4 ~ NAa''f'
10 serennde ines. The young officer means
nothing by it; but the jealous De Mendo=n.o over.
hears him. The two men quarrel, swords ara
drawn. and Carlos is killed. In thai year
uStol even dnelli1g is murder, The 70
in-law is bound to be his ,excGn;ioner.
In prison ~ Mendoza is married 10 Ines, tie
ceremony being witnessed through n grating n
the condemned cell. Juan !Msndo shtrns no
last ordeal. Rather than perform his Office no
stabs himself on the very scatfold. just a. !nt'.
who is not destined to be a l6-ycar-old widow.
hears the elder Dr McndOEd'S cry ihat lie o-trs
the royal pardon for his son.
The music is said by those who have heart 4
played to be rather German than French ~
style and to reveal no desire on Baron tr.hnEeFs
part to initiate Wagner al a long Cis! .nyc.
Marie Brelna has been so far one OF the ro'ah.e
figures OF the present Covcnt Garden season
and she has received enthusiastic ,uHE'rl. -
tion from nearly all the critics. In AL tac -'.rs
she has mHcris. OrtruIc. ami 'lr ",'ih,
er In "L.AttRque au Moulin'-shc mas Teen
praised with almost equal enthusiasm. and shs
has Won an acknowledgment more nearly
unanimous than any one ever rCcc.v@. herS,
NJ. Bruncau's opera. IL AttaIucnu Nnu.in "hs
listlcssly heard by n small audience. That ''i n"'
even call before the curtain the ,fh.lpp-frr NHD