New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-18
MUSIC-THE DRAMA.
PUcCINrs LA BOHEME"

When the opera troupe now giving performances
at Waacks Theatre was first heralded here. n
was the Bagsetto Grand Italian Opera Comnarv
Baggetto being. presumably. the name Of Its bu,,'
ness manager Since then II has blossomed in,o
the Milan Royal Opera Company Of La Scala
thanks to the compacency of printers ink ana
paper It is of no consequence what the companv ..
called except that 1t becomes necessary to fix IN.
respon sbiltty definitely for the fact that Puccnrs
la Boheme" has been subjected to an ordeal and
suffered a condemnation which are scarcely fair "a
It's lbrettists and composer. As given at Walack..
the opera has been shorn Of many things which ara
essential to an appreciation Of the combined WORK
Of the authors. LA Boheme" is a modern work
Its style 10 that OF "Cavaeria Rusticana" III
PasliaccI" and "La Navarraise" In melodic f.
cundity and also in tragic passion It falls short OF
those works. as II does also OF it's composer's
"Maaon Lcscaut," but 1t is earnest and in.
genious effort to knit music text and action mora
closely together than 1t vas the wont OF the last
generation Of Italian opera composers to do and IL
be judged with intelligence and fairness only
II the intentions OF the bretsts and composer ara
carried out in the performance. Music plays a dit.
ferent role In the work than II does In the operas
OF Bcni. Donizett and the early Verdi. II does
not content Itself with ever and anon proclaiming
the mood of situation or tho feelings OF person;
It attempts TO supply the llfebood for the entire
drama; to flow through its veins without ceasing:
to bear along on its surface all the whms feelings
foles passions and incidents OF the story as fast
they occur; to body them forth as wildly as
words and pantomime can: to color them. vitazs
tn I'm. arouse echoes and reflections Of them in tho
hearts and fancies OF the spectator ard listener
But this It only do In association with tho
other elements OF the drama. and when these are
presented only in part. and that part crudcly and
clumsily. II must fail Of its purpose And hap.
pened that Puccinis music disclosed little Of that
brightness. vvacity and piquancy which had
been led TO expect in II from knowledge Of his
technical skill based acquaintance with his
"Manon Lescaut" and the subject. One element
the two works have in common-an absence OF tho
light touch Of humor demanded by the early scenes
in both dramas; but perhaps. II all had been done
that the lbrettists ask and In the manner that
their stage directions call for the music would not
have sounded so heavy and witless However. this
Is characteristic not only Of Puccini. but also Of
his compeeis in the young italian school. They
know way to kill a gnat dancing In the
light except TO blow II up with n broadside n
trombones Puccinfs music seems sadly lacking in
the element Of characterize tior-an element which
IL much more indispensable In comedy music than
In tragic. Whether they are celebrating the cara.
less pleasures OF Bohemian carouse or proclaim.
ing the agonies Of consuming passion, II is all
his singers. So soon they drop tho inter-
vallic palayer which indicates the tendency of the
style toward bald melodrama they soar on
into n shreking cantalena. buoyed up by the unison
strings and mperiled by strdent brass. until there
is no relief except In absolute exhaustion Happy.
careless music. such as Mozart or Rossini would
have written for the comedy scenes in La Bo.
hemc there is next TO none IN Puccinis score. and
only once does he let his measures play that palli.
alive part which as know from Wagners
Tristan and Verdrs "Traviata"-to quote ex-
tremesit IL the function OF music to perform when
enlisted In the service OF the drama Of vice and
consumption But. has been intimated. 1t 10
not fair to Judge Puccinis opera from such repre-
ger n q Wallack's Theatre.
In Cleopatra Vicini the company has pretty and
clever comedian. who sings as badly as she acts
we'll: In Linda Montanar, dramatic soprano. who
suggests Nine Mantelli in appearance and who
sings with the vast ard destructive energy OF a
Krupp gun: In Sgnor Agostini. a tenor whose bet-
ter acquaintance is much TO be desired for the sake
OF his pure, true. agreeable voice and his freedom
from vocal vices. and in Luigi Francescon, most
acceptable barytone. Tonight the opera Will DO
Verdfs "Ballo in Maschera."