New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-02
MUSIC.
MIR. sCHARwENKAS OPERA.

! Mr. xover scharwenka enjoyed n uriQue sensa-
] ton mt the Metropolitan Opera House last night
! lie conducted a performance Of his own opera
work entitled "Mataswintho." which on 'h's ~
| cason had its first representation in America III
! the field OF comic operetta the name OF his preoe
cessors Is legion; In the field OF grand opera '""o
who have enjoyed his sensations heretofore III ,,e
United states might probably be counted o" ''e
fingers of his hands. our opera managers are no'
! given to the bringing forward OF new WORKS Vi
serious order and L. rge dimensions. ana cuei
sccretlyenegs on the part OF writer's for the he"s
paper press keeps tie public in ignorance VI %
output in this department OF conpositlon VI WIN"
the writers aforesaid derive their Knowledge rom
the condolences OF the composers Themselves ~ -
probable that occasions like that or las, n's"'
| xvould have been more common heretofore II '"e'e
had been more composers possessing such n'pp'
and varied combination of faculties as MI ~
werka. Such men, however. are not premium
neither those who can compose music so admirap'y
as he nor those who have so much business '"'-
,nt or confidence in their works or so many
friends TO produce an opera is cosby
Undertaking, and ona that meets VII" H
little encouragement from the public a. 4 i"'''
that even thoroughly equipped impresario h'Si-
tates TO attempt It: all the greater. them Is 'he
credit due to a composer who takes the risk- ana
responsibilities upon himself. Then IS disclosed
the value OF personal popularity. IT has been an
open secret several weeks that the cost VI
bringing "Mataswntha' forward was about s'"V
| Mr.. ScharWcnka hired mouse, oTcneSlid' company
and scenery from Mr. Damrosch. The receipts
were his. and the appearance Of the audience iast
nght indicated that daring as was the adventure
| II was yet carried through successfully Nearly
every of the boxes in the second tier was occu
pied: so were half of the boxes in the first ter
orchestra and balcony were filed. ana "a large
| number of persons sat In the gallery. IT was
! gathering too that was handsome in appearance
! unusually gay In apparel for a German audience.
and though manifesty filled with the kindlfst
! sentiments toward the composer. still discrim-
Mating I'm Its bcstowal OF applause. or course,
there we're calls for the composer after every act
wreaths by the Dozen and gigantic floral offerings.
whose inscribed streamers Will long help TO keep
the memory Of the occasion alive in Mr.. SchAr-
wenkas mind should he be in danger Of for
getting II.
The opera was produced under difficulties. II
had withstood its baptism of fire in Weimar last
October and before then fragments Of it had
been performed here in concert form. When the
composer took UP his residence in New-York he
gave a concert at which the prelude. a chorus
and an ensemble performed. The piano
forte scora had then been printed by Breitkopt
and Harto and the work had been accepted
for performance NJ Munich. why IT has
not yet been heard in the Bavarian capital
is not a matter Of public history The story Is
probably one Of tho familiar kind, involving per-
sonal equation the part of intendant OF man
ager Certain Il is that 'Mataswintha" is quite
| worthy OF place III the releflOrE vi III"
| German opera houses n dozen Of the works
which have been heard there within the last ten
wears The production here first set down
| for March ~. but postponoment became neces-
! sary on Tuesday the illness Of Herr kraus,
the tenor who was TO have sung the principal
mans part, compelled his withdrawal from the
cast There underStudy and no subsl-
tite to be had except Herr Stehmann. an
extremely useful but not brilliant member Of Mr.
| Damrosch's company; and he Is barytone
singer. lie learned tho part in two days and so
great was the admiration for this feat felt by the
audience last night that he was permitted to
carry off his share of the honors, notwthstand-
ing that he was far from letter perfect and the
music not adapted to his voice.
The opera Is literally endowed with pageantry,
and. properly furnished with costumes and stage
decorations would make a brave show. Here. Of
course generosity OF judgment was invited. for the
scenes save the last. which presents a public
square in Ravenna (time middle of the sixth
century, and ends with the destruction by fire OF
public sorehouse for grain. were all built up from
the stock furnishings of the Metropolitan Opera
House. But tho audience was as lenient in this
respect as toward the singers. There was. indeed
enough to admire in the music to make such leni-
encv easy Mr. Scharwenka's opera is full OF beau
| tiful things. II opens monotonously, for want OF
variety Of tempo and mood In the first act, but
with the arrival Of the pageantry In Mataswinthas
court which Leads 1t to depart from the idiom of
the later Wagner (Which prevails otherwise
| throughout the score). and 70 adopt that or the
| Wagner of the "I-ohengrin" period. with bit OF
! Meyerbeerian patois. 1t becomes animated ana
brilliant to a degree The style IL thoroughly mod
| ern The blood of the drama flows through the or
! chestra which "a handled in a mastery manner,
though one IL tempted TO wish at times that the
composer had been a little less fond OF muted horns
and other Wagneran effects. which are excel
lent when used sparingy. as ingeniously
and with good purposes as Wagner uses them
| 4 nno sau q 10
| mony is also noticeable in the music. The vocal
| parts except a few set pieces, such chorus or
| harvesters. a march in the second act, piece of
church music in tho last all in that free arioso
| styo introduced by Wagner. The story. drawn
from Felix Dahn's novel. Elm Kampf UNI ROM,
has been told in this journal. 1t Is scarcely
drama-there Is little action for that-but II is
| cleverly constructed for lyrical purposes.
The greatest part Of the credit for the per-
Torrance must go to Mr.. Scharwenka for his
| superb conducting of the work-so sure. easy,
authoritative. After him TO the orchestra, then TO
| Nine. Januschofsky (whose earnestness and zeal
| made up for much Of the want OF charm in her
| voice and appearance), then to Herr Fischer ana
| Herr Mertens The rest n struggle with the
| impossible by mediocre singers, though Frauleln
! Eibenschitz compelled some sympathy. The parts
wore distributed follows:
King Witchs Gerhard S;ehnanh
Rauthgundis. his VIE. Ria Ebensehnz
Mataswlnha. ........... .Georgine Won Januschosky
Toa the Kings comrade in arms.......,: Fritz Ernst
G H1Sad oou rnn U 5ohie aris,ocra Wilhelm Mesns
MOBILES Goths Of Witichis and Mataswin mas Suites
AmO1 Pe@p eir FRO" H''e""' S"e'"S '''''e'
scene Of Action-Act I-wuchis's villa at F~sulie.
Rayenna. Tme-Mlddle Of the sixth Century.
MR. HENDERSON'S LECTURE.
The value of object-esson in giving right