The times., 1898-01-23
GRAND OPERA IN NEW YORK.

perfection OF east before unequaied,
the vast auditorium reflects as bril-
liantly the beautiful faces and Inagnifi-
cent costumes, and rings as true with
the melody Of vibrant voices, as If il
did not now have new masters. new
listeners, new conditions.
On Monday, january II, walter Dam
rosch and g. I'll. Ellis began series of
Italian, French and German opera at
the Metropeiitan. That Mr.. Damrosch,
who has hitherto been the unwavering
apostle of Wagner, who began few
years ago to- raise to- higher plane
the operate tastes of the American
people, should open his New York sea-
son with ''Traviata," may seem just
trifie Significant Either Mr.. Dam
rosch has come to the conclusion that
after all the Italian operate school
contains many, beautiful things which
may be reproduced for the benefit of
music lovers, or ne reasons that large
box office receipts more than offset any
abandonment of principle. AT any
rate we have had to some extent re-
turn to the successful methods of ABB
bey-a star cast, and weli-known, me-
lodious operas.
Melba, in the title role Of Traviata,
was at her best if an exquisite voice,
a beautiful face and form, and a mod
crate degree of dramatic fervor Will
justify that expression. Each year her
voice seems to gain in strength ana
power, without losing any of its quail
ity and finish. Yet she lacks some
thing in her operate portrayals. Mel
ba is not an actress, although she pos
sesses something of the actors tenn
permanent, and she always fails TO live
the part she plays. Her vocal rendi-
ton as VioIetta was such as has never,
perhaps, been eauaIed here, certainly
never excelled. Possibly, however, her
failure TO look the part of the consump-
tive heroine may in some measure have
injured the effect of her acting.
The supporting cast, while hardly up
to the standard set by the old re-
gime was very acceptable. Campani-
ri as GermOnt was the paipstakinS,
satisfying artist that he always is.
For some unaccountable reason he was
kept in the background by the former
Metropolitan management, and il is To
be hoped that he is now to be given the
prominent place he deserves. NJ Salig-
nae sang his best as Alfredo and was
fairly successful He is very excel
lent tenor, but somehow, the memory
of greater Alfredos came back, and
Salignac suffered by the comparison
Nine Van CauteIen was the Flora, Sig
nor yanni the CASTOR. Mr.. Rains, the
Marquis, and Vivani the Baron Sig
nor Bimboni was the conductor, and
his handling of the orchestra and cho-
rus-which at times showed a DISPOSE
ton to sing off the key and out of
time-confirms the favorable impress
sion which he made during the brief
Mapleson season of Italian opera
On Wednesday night Mr. Damrosch.
in "Tannhauser' came back to his
old love again. and gave the Wagne-
rian enthusiasts, who are many, as the
large audience proved, chance TO pay
homage to their musical idol. A great
difference was noticeable between this
and Monday nights audience. Then,
society was there in all its glory: on
this occasion. the music-lovers and
students were assembled to listen TO a
teacher. There were plenty of beauti-
full faces. exquisite gowns and spark
ling diamonds. but they We're not the
central attraction. There was not even
an oxer-brilliant star to share honors
with the score. An evenly meritorious
performance of the opera was given,
with Mr.. Damrosch as conductor. Nine
Gadski as Elizabeth, was all that
could be desired Her voice was pow,
or rather refrained from oyer-acting-
the part in a manner that won her
a number of curtain calls. Herr KTaus
as TannLauser, is yocaiIy and dramat-
ically the best, perhaps. seen in New
York since the palmy days of Alvary-
He has, what is not often found among
Germans, a true tenor voice under per-
feet control, and his declamatory ut
terances in the last act We're rendered
with a trueness of pitch and a beauty
0f tone not often heard. Mr. Bispham,
as Wolfram. delighted the audience by
singing the always popular Evening
Star" song in perfect time. His acting
and singing of that rather unSatisfac-
tory role was one of the features of
the performance. 1t would be super
fuous to say more than that Herr
Fischer was the Landgraf- He is al
ways artistic.
1t is said that in addition to the Ital-
ian, French and German opera. Mr..
Damrosch will give his own English
opera, 1.-The Scarlet Letter" II will
De remembered that this opera was
irst produced in 1896 at the Academy |
# Music. and was not a success. Mr..
Oamrosch closely followed Wagnerian |
ines in the composition, and although |
t is intensely dramatic and scored for
orchestra in mastery manner. the |
'pera failed because of its lack of |
'pontaneous and homogeneous melo- |
iy. The 1bretto was written by Mr. |
of Boston. 4
A story is going the rounds that |
seidl has been invited by Poiiini to |
'ome to Hamburg next season as as 4
'istant conductor of the opera there. |
If the story should be true. and if |
'eidl should accept, which is seriously |
o be doubted. America would suffer |
IN almost irretrieyable loss. 1t is not |
o be doubted that Germany. with it's 1
ligh musical culture, offers d more ad- /
-antageous field for one of Mr. SeidFs |
Ittainments; 1T is not to be doubted |
hat there the surroundings would be
more congenial than here, where art |
means display, not culture. But this |
liant among conductors has taken up |
lis 1ife-work among us. and has been |
Identified with nearly all of our musi- |
al triumpils and progress: he has la |
'ored so earnestly and enthusiastical- /
V to give us q school of musicians |
worthy of the name that it is not like
Y he will desert us.
Miss Inez Carusi, whose home is in |,
and who will be remem-
,ered as the harpist often seen in con-
1ection with the Thomas. Seidl and
)amrosch orchestras has through a ca
'ie cdi dctiucAl toSt lue use OF nef rlSnt |
land. The physicians say that Miss
sarusf will never be able to play upon
Ter instrument again, and she is In con-
is suing the Broadway Cable
ar Company for $4,000 damages
Among the notables to swell the ranks
# the vaudeville performers is REM
nyi the Hungarian yiolinist, who be-
.an on Monday an engagement at |
leith's Union Square Theater. REM
nyi has had a remarkable career. Be
inning life as a prodigy. he created |
ptfct enfh11Sia fo,x, 4