The times., 1899-04-09
Grand-crau Opera Company.

4
The opening of the opera season on
| Thursday evening at the Grand will prob
ably be the chief musical event of the year.
| AS has already been told. the company
from the Metropolitan Opera House, of
New York, contains most OF the world s
best singers who are now in their primes
| The list OF works to be given here affords
| no novelties but the distribution of parts
] TO the newcomers will add some of the
| interest that attaches to unfamiliar things.
II is pleasant 10 learn that the prospect
Of a successful engagement in Washington
| from practical as well as an artistic view
point seems good. There appears to be no
adequate reason why this city should not
support q series OF appearances by an or
gsnizstion of the highest order. even
| though America lacks the subsidy of a
government that makes such an institution
| as the Paris Opera House possible There
| is. perhaps. no better test OF culture, in
| the development of the artistic spirit of
| community, than is in its ability, or lack
of ability, TO appreciate classic music. The
modern opera. at its best and greatest, is a
very complex and often subtly contriyed
thing; IL requires a certain maturity of
taste and intellect, as well as of the pure
ly harmonic sense, TO get all the good there
is in il.
The fact that Washington is apprecia-
tive Of works, such as will be given under
the auspices of Maurice Grau may well be
picked cut as a proof of the claim that
Localities have passed beyond the rudimen-
tary stages Of natural growth and are ac-
quring what the French aptly call IAN
artistic consciousness 1t stands as a
partial answer to the taunt that America
is still sordidiy commercial--granting that
there was ever cause for that sneer.
The short season at the Grand promises
much OF interest, despite the fact that the
novelties belong rather TO the list of people
employed than TO the repertory. That list
IS long one and more imposing than has
been any of past years.
| All that Europe can boast of in the line
OF famous vocalists are included in it,
some Of them strangers here, but most the
triumphants who have conquered public
favor and the approval OF the critics of
Paris. London, New York, and Bayreuth
The familiar names in the roster of this
years programmes will be greeted with
unmixed pleasure, and they are many. In
tefest naturally centres in the first appear
ances here OF Ernestine Schumann- Heink
Ernest Van Dyck. Albert Saleza, and Anton
Van Rcoy. as well as in the return of
Nine Sembrich, after an absence of many
seasons.
.Lohengrin'' on Thursday evening will
X.
as Ortrud, which is TO be one of her best
roles. She VIII have as associates in that
performance Jean de Reszke, who appears
as the knight of the Holy Grail; Nine.
Nordica, who Will be seen as Elsa; Edou-
ard de Reszke. as The King; David Bis
pharn, as Telramund. and Adolf Muhlmanu
as the Herald. The presence of Franz
Schalk for the first time here in the con-
duotor's chair will also add to the pleas
ure of the rendering.
La Traviata" on Friday evening will
have Nine. Sembrich as its bright particu-
lar star OF her little need be said. Those
who knew her in the palmy days of Italian
opera viii never forget her Rosine Lucia.
Norma, Violetta, and the other parts of the
old repertory which she sang and they
know what is in store for them on this oc-
casion. She will have as associates in the
performance Mines Roudez and Bauer
meister with NM. Salignac, Dufriche.
Pringle, Nanni and Campanari
On Saturday afternoon Albert Saleza
will make his debut in Faust" to the
I Marguerite OF Emma Eames. The New
York critics have rayed all winter over
the splendid art OF the young French ten
or and In him they predict new Jean de
Reszke. The balance of the artists who
VIII lake part in this offering are Pol
Piancon. Giuseppe Campanari and Thomas
Meux, with Mime. Bauermeister and Meis-
singer.
die Walkure" will be sung on Satur-
day night in an ideal manner In this op-
era Ernest Van Dyck and Anton Rooy are
10 make their first joint appearance. NJ.
Van Dyck, is considered one of the best
Nagnerian tenors in the world and was
selected by Nine. Cosima Wagner to in
troduee 'Lohengrin,' ''Tannhauser and
Die Nalkure' to the Paris public. He
has also been identified for many years
with the festivals at Bayreuth, where he
irst won renown by his magnificent per-
sonification of Parsifal
Herr Van Rooy. the great Bayreuth bar
itone, Will have an opportunity TO shine
as Wotan, part in which he excels. both
vocally and physically. On this occasion
LII Lehman will be the Sieglinde, Nine.
Schumann- Heink the Fricka, and Marie
Brema will be heard in one of her best
( roles-that OF BrunnhiIde The eight
'Waikyrie" madens will be Mines Man
telli, Peyny Meisslinger. Schumann- Heink.
Roudez. Djella. Bauermeister, and Molka-
Kellogg The company from the Metropol-
itan Opera House has just completed very
successful engagement of two weeks in
Boston, and will arrive here Wednesday on
a special train.
Nm